MANNERS, CUSTOMS, &c. OF NATIONS AND CLASSES OF PEOPLE. THE SHOSHONEE INDIANS. and as that fish disappears on the approach of autumn, they are (From Lewis and Clark's Travels.) obliged to seek subsistence else TH HE Shoshonees are a small tribe of the nation called Snake Indians, a vague denomination, which embraces at once the inhabitants of the southern parts of the rocky mountains and of the plains on each side. The Shoshonees with whom we now are, amount to about one hundred warriors, and three times that number of women and children. Within their own recollection they formerly lived in the plains, but they have been driven into the mountains by the Pawkees, or the roving Indians of the Sascatchawain, and are now obliged to visit occasionally, and by stealth, the country of their ancestors. Their lives are indeed migratory. From the middle of May to the beginning of September, they reside on the waters of the Columbia, where they consider themselves perfectly secure from the Pawkees, who have never yet found their way to that retreat. During this time they subsist chiefly on salmon; where. They then cross the ridge to the waters of the Missouri, down which they proceed slowly and cautiously, till they are joined near the three forks by other bands, either of their own nation or of the Flatheads, with whom they associate against the common enemy. Being now strong in numbers, they venture to hunt buffaloe in the plains eastward of the mountains, near which they spend the winter, till the return of the salmon invites them to the Columbia. But such is their terror of the Pawkees, that as long as they can obtain the scantiest subsistence, they do not leave the interior of the mountains; and as soon as they collect a large stock of dried meat, they again retreat, thus alternately obtaining their food at the hazard of their lives, and hiding themselves to consume it. In this loose and wandering existence they suffer the extremes of want: for twothirds of the year they are forced to live in the mountains, passing whole life. He avows that self-interest he hopes this sincere confession was his sole motive of action, and of his wickedness will avail to obthat the sins of which he had tain. been guilty were very great and manifold; and he concludes by praying forgiveness of God, which Such are the anecdotes which are related of this extraordinary character. MANNERS, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, &c. OF NATIONS AND CLASSES OF PEOPLE. THE SHOSHONEE INDIANS. and as that fish disappears on the approach of autumn, they are (From Lewis and Clark's Travels.) obliged to seek subsistence else THE HE Shoshonees are a small tribe of the nation called Snake Indians, a vague denomination, which embraces at once the inhabitants of the southern parts of the rocky mountains and of the plains on each side. The Shoshonees with whom we now are, amount to about one hundred warriors, and three times that number of women and children. Within their own recollection they formerly lived in the plains, but they have been driven into the mountains by the Pawkees, or the roving Indians of the Sascatchawain, and are now obliged to visit occasionally, and by stealth, the country of their ancestors. Their lives are indeed migratory. From the middle of May to the beginning of September, they reside on the waters of the Columbia, where they consider themselves perfectly secure from the Pawkees, who have never yet found their way to that retreat. During this time they subsist chiefly on salmon; where. They then cross the ridge to the waters of the Missouri, down which they proceed slowly and cautiously, till they are joined near the three forks by other bands, either of their own nation or of the Flatheads, with whom they associate against the common enemy. Being now strong in numbers, they venture to hunt buffaloe in the plains eastward of the mountains, near which they spend the winter, till the return of the salmon invites them to the Columbia. But such is their terror of the Pawkees, that as long as they can obtain the scantiest subsistence, they do not leave the interior of the mountains; and as soon as they collect a large stock of dried meat, they again retreat, thus alternately obtaining their food at the hazard of their lives, and hiding themselves to consume it. In this loose and wandering existence they suffer the extremes of want for twothirds of the year they are forced to live in the mountains, passing whole of his wickedness w life. He avows that self-interest he hopes this sincer Such are the are related of character. [48 VERS, CUSTOMS, & OP CLASSES or PEOPLE • auf, they wo irom nce. His which cannot adence which supten decays with the vigour of the chief, or is erred to some more fortu e or favourite hero. In their domestic economy, the ng to knew ment by we rered chiefs the comforts but [487] t fa- deed we observed among them some women who appeared to be held in more respect than those of nation we had seen. But the SNERS, CUSTOMS, &c. CLASSES OF PEOPLE. re had a id, Cha ed his predid not want of the females are condemnong all savage nations, and most laborious the tribe is sta ⚫ the roots, and huts, dress othing; assist in .ses on the e horses, and of all the bagy business of the night; he therefore mself the care of his he companion of his warbut he will descend to no er labour than to hunt and to sh. He would consider himself degraded by being compelled to d walk any distance; and were he Jer, so poor as to possess only two horses, he would ride the best of them, and leave the other for his wives and children and their baggage; and if he has too many wives or too much baggage for the horse, the wives have no alternative but to follow him on he husband will for foot; they are not however often present lend his wife for reduced to those extremities, for to a stranger, and the loan their stock of horses is very aniple. e protracted by increasing Notwithstanding their losses this value of the present. Yet, spring they still have at least serange as it may seem, notwith- ven hundred, among which are standing this facility, any conabout forty colts, and half that nexion of this kind not authorized number of mules. There are no by the husband, is considered horses here which can be consihighly offensive and quite as dis- dered as wild; we have seen two graceful to his character as the only on this side of the Musclesame licentiousness in civilized shell river which were without societies. The Shoshonees are not owners, and even those, although so importunate in volunteering shy, showed every mark of having the services of their wives as we been once in the possession of found the Sioux were; and in- man. The original stock was the women does se held in much es procured |