At Nepawi, and Soüth-Br^nch Houfe, about thirty teats of Knifte-§
nèaux, or nÉëty iramatsi an d fe ty tems o f Stone4 ndianSi örAffiaiboins,
who are their neighbóurs-, and are equal to two hutóred mén: their i
hunting ground extends upwards to about the Eagle Hills. Next to
them arfe thofe who tfadéat Forts George and Au.guftuSj and are about
eighty tents or upwards ó f Kniftenéaux: on either fide ó f the •river, their
number may be twö hundred. In the fame country are one hundred and
forty tents o f Stomr-Ladians • not qilite halfvdf theifa inhabit the Weft t
Woody country; the others never leave the plains* arid their mimberS
cöibdt bè lefs than Four hundred ami fifty men. A t the-Southern Hèadnf
watert Of the North branch dwells a tribe called Sarfees, confiftiag of
about thirty-five tëdts, 'ér one dnindréd and twenty men.: Oppbfitfe-to’
thofe Eaftwarti, on the head-waters of the South Branch* are the PiCa-
„eaux, to the number of from twelve to fifteen hundred men. Next,
to them, on the Tame water, are the Blood-Indians, of the fame nation as
the laft, to the number o f about fifty tents, or two hundred and fifiy
men. From them downwards extend the Black-Feet Indians, o f the fame
nation as the two laft tribes: their number may be eight hundred men.
Next to them, and who extend to-die confluence of the South and North
branch, are the Fall, or Big-bellied Indians, who may amount to about
fix hundred warriors.
O f all thefe different tribes, thofe who inhabit the broken country on.
the North-Weft fide, and the fóuree of the North branch, are bearer-
hunters ; the others deal in provifions, wolf, buffalo, and fox fkins; and
many people On the Sóüth branch do not trouble themfelves to come near
. the
the trading eftablifhmenfes. Thofe who do, chopfe Rich eftabliffiments as
are next ito their epunfry. The StoneTndians here, are the fame people
as the Stone-Jndiansj pr Affinib.o-ms, who inhabit the river of that name already
defcribed. aEtd both are detached tribes from the Nadawafis, who inhabit
the Weftsra fide ,pf the Mifliffipph mad lower partpfthe Miffifoury.
The Fall, or Bigrbellijed Indians, jane from the South-Eaftw&rd alfo, and
o f a people who inhabit: the plains from the North bend,of the laft mentioned
river, latitude 47^32» North, longitude io i. 25. Weft, to the
South bend o f the Affmiboin River, to the number of feven hundred
men. . Some of them ©ecafionally come to the latter river to exchange
dreffed; buffalo robes,5 and bad wolf-lkins Tor articles o f no great
value.
The Picaneaux, BlackvFeet, and Blood-Indians, are a diftin£t people,
ipeak a language of their own, and, I have reafon to think, are travel^
ling North-Weftward, as well as the others juft mentioned: nor have
I heard of any Indians with whole language, that which they fpeak has
any affinity. They are the people who deal in horles and take them
upon the war-parties towards Mexico; from which, it is evident, that
the country to the South-Eaft of them^ confifts o f plains, as thofe
animals could not well be conduced through an hilly and woody country,
interfered by waters.
The Sarfees, who are but few in number, appear from their language,
to come On the contrary from the North-Weftward, and are
of the lame people as the Rocky-Mountain Indians defcribed in my
fecond