only effectual means of checking Indian depredation; their settlements are placed in the same unfortunate situation that ours were on the borders of Florida. The agriculture of the Pawnees, is about the same as the Kanses, and Ottoes; like them, they only reside in their vilages, during the intervals of planting and gathering their corn; living nearer the hibitual haunts of the buffalo, than those nations, they subsist more exclusively upon it; they never hunt on the Missouri, and have but little intercourse with the whites. They are a proud, haughty people, and have great ideas of their own strength and importance. One of their principal men told the interpreter 'What do we care for the whites; did not our fathers live very well, without knowing that such people had an existence? Have we not plenty of buffalo meat, and corn, not only for ourselves, but to give our friends, when they come to see us; and what Pawnee is so poor, that he cannot, if he choose, give his guest a horse to ride home? Who is there in the world, that does not know of the bravery, and numbers of the great Pawnee nation.' Notwithstanding, however, the good opinion they have of themselves, they are believed, to be less warlike than their neighbours, owing to the comparative ease, with which they live, subsisting entirely on buffalo, which they find so near them. The chace of the buffalo, besides being less laborious than that of elk or deer; does not require the use of fire arms, with which the Pawnees are not expert. Their language is more guttural than that of the Kanses and Osages, and approaches nearer to the Sioux; their figures are tall and slim; they have remarkably high cheek bones, and a certain wildness of look, that is peculiar to them. Their government, like that of the Ottoes, is an hereditary aristocracy; the power and authority of which is very much dependent upon the individual character of the principal chieftain. They are not so cleanly, or, rather they are more filthy, in their persons, lodges and cooking, than the other tribes. There is a custom among these Indians, of swearing they will not survive the death of a certain friend, or friends, that frequently leads them to desperate deeds. About two years since a trader, descending the Arkansaw, with some packs of beaver, and about thirty men, was attacked by a party of three hundred Pawnees. They made a breastwork of their packs of beaver, and finally succeeded in beating off the Indians, killing five or six of them. After the Indians had despaired of success, and were about giving up the attack, two Indians, who had lost their friends, made a furious charge by themselves, they were both cut to pieces, the memory of these men is universally cherished; their names are celebrated in all their war songs. The Pawnees find that formidable animal, the white or grizly bear, in their hunting excursions towards the head of La Platte River. On the Misouri, it is seldom seen below the great bend, and is found most frequently on the Yellow Stone, and its branches; and at the three forks of the Missouri. This bear will usually attack a man, if approached very near. Indians consider it a great exploit to kill one of them. When they are alarmed, they rise completely erect on their hind legs, and dart forward by jumps; they move much swifter than a man can run, rushing forward with the utmost ferocity, their mouths wide open, and snapping their teeth, which makes a noise like the shutting of a steel trap; a man attacked by one of them, on the open plains of the Missouri, has but little chance of escape, if there be neither tree to climb, nor water to take to. The tenacity of life in these animals has been exaggerated, but is very remarkable: as many as thirteen balls have been put into them, without killing them; but there are also instances of their being killed, by two, or even one ball; the most mortal part is directly under the ear; they attack and kill a buffalo, dragging him to their haunts, where they bury if they do not wish to eat him. only effectual means of checking Indian depredation; their settlements are placed in the same unfortunate situation that ours were on the borders of Florida. The agriculture of the Pawnees, is about the same as the Kanses, and Ottoes; like them, they only reside in their vilages, during the intervals of planting and gathering their corn; living nearer the hibitual haunts of the buffalo, than those nations, they subsist more exclusively upon it; they never hunt on the Missouri, and have but little intercourse with the whites. They are a proud, haughty people, and have great ideas of their own strength and importance. One of their principal men told the interpreter What do we care for the whites; did not our fathers live very well, without knowing that such people had an existence? Have we not plenty of buffalo meat, and corn, not only for ourselves, but to give our friends, when they come to see us; and what Pawnee is so poor, that he cannot, if he choose, give his guest a horse to ride home? Who is there in the world, that does not know of the bravery, and numbers of the great Pawnee nation.' Notwithstanding, however, the good opinion they have of themselves, they are believed, to be less warlike than their neighbours, owing to the comparative ease, with which they live, subsisting entirely on buffalo, which they find s near them. The chace of the buffalo, besides being less la borious than that of elk or deer; does not require the use o fire arms, with which the Pawnees are not expert. Their language is more guttural than that of the Kanses and Osages, and approaches nearer to the Sioux; their figures are tall and slim; they have remarkably high cheek bones. and a certain wildness of look, that is peculiar to them. Their government, like that of the Ottoes, is an hereditary aristocracy; the power and authority of which is very much dependent upon the individual character of the principal chieftain. They are not so cleanly, or, rather they are more filthy, tribes. ing they friends, that is two years some packs of by a party of t work of ther ing off the Indian Indians had desp the attack on furious charge by th the memory of the names are celebrated in is arms extended; him, each armed ody of the suffertime, the warriors fortunate wretch, hundred arrows. women and war eir hoes, the latelieving that the e, and the other greater plenty of d the offering is custom is quite ans on the Misin their village, the rage of indiAbout two years d condemned to he greatest exerat the village; it and a considera The Pates th grizly bear, in their hunting La Platte River, On the Name the great bend, and forest Stone, and its brands and souri. This bear willi very near. Inde consulta them. When they are alarmed, ther on their hind legs, and dan forvan much swifter than a man cAN TIT, 1 utmost ferocity, their mouths wide men teeth, which makes a noise like the shutting a mee man attacked by one of them, on the open plan of 1 souri, has but little chance of escape, if there be menther tree to climb, nor water to take to. The tenacity of life in these animals has been exaggerated, but is very remarkable as many as thirteen balls have been put into them, without killing them; but there are also instances of their being killed, by two, or even one ball; the most mortal part is directly under the ear; they attack and kill a buffalo, dragging him to their haunts, where they bury if they do not wish to eat him. VOL. I. 45 ɔns, there is kept bag, containing s people sacred; the rattlesnake, tuffed; they selt is on going to g without shed return without ho had opened eeting with any ies. He deternet: he returned pened to be his These aminals are so fierce, ardent and furious, that they soon exhaust their strength in pursuit; they are hunted by the Indians on horseback; a party of three or four men, well mounted, approach the bear, and one of them provokes him to pursue him; this he does with his utmost force; the horseman, to avoid the bear, has to put his horse to his metal; he leads him round a circle, towards his companions, one of whom provokes him: he is easily made to quit the old pursuit, and join in the new: he is again led round, and again induced to pursue a fresh horse: the bear pursues until he becomes completely exhausted, lays down apparently lifeless; is perfectly hors du combat, and may be approached and shot by putting the muzzle of the gun to his ear. Nothing can be more animating, it is said, than this hunt; there is no danger of the bear overtaking the horse, unless he falls; if however, the rider should be thrown, and the bear get a blow at him, death appears inevitable-such is the immense force, with which they use their claws. It takes a bear four or five years to attain its growth; they are supposed to arrive at a very old age, as they are frequently found with their claws worn out. The Pawnee Loups occasionally burn their prisoners alive, as a sacrifice to the Great Star they worship. When a war party goes out, they sometimes make a vow that if they take any prisoners, they will sacrifice them to the Great Star, expecting it will tend to produce success in war. The unfortunate victim, thus taken and destined to suffer, is delivered over to the priests and jugglers, who confine him to what they call the medicine lodge, where all the meditations and magic performances are executed; the victim is aware of the fate that awaits him, and during the time of confinement is feasted on the most delicate viands, to make him a fat acceptable offering. He remains in this situation, until either the time of planting corn, or the going out of a war party. He is then brought out, amidst the shouts, and screaming of |