Page:A Topographical Description of the State of Ohio, Indiana Territory, and Louisiana.djvu/212

196 They are a large, well looking people, somewhat inclined to corpulency. From this circumstance they have acquired the name of Gens-de-Panse, but they call themselves All-ah-kaa-wiah. They speak a different language from the Gross-Ventres. Their arms consist of bows and spears, with buffaloe skin targets, much larger than those made use of by the Snake Indians, and so thick and firm that an arrow will not pierce them. They use a short bone dagger, and the war club. A few cf them had guns, but no ammunition. Many of the Crow Indians and Gross-Ventres are armed in the same manner.

On the 18th, our horses arrived, and we proceeded, passing many camps of Indians, and halted at night on an island, where we killed a large white bear. The river is rapid but has no obstruction. The ice now began to float, which rendered our navigation dangerous in such slight vessels. Here the Rocky mountains may be seen at a distance to the westward; but the land near the river is mostly level, and though destitute of timber, is apparently of a good soil. The general course of the river is to the north, and sometimes west of north. On the 22d, we arrived at the mouth of a large branch which comes from the southeast, and encamped to wait for the horses. About six miles up this branch, a party of Crow Indians were encamped, and intended to spend the winter. On the 25th, the horses arrived, and as the ice ran thick, took out our boats, and