CHAPTER

XLIV.

THE INDIAN T R I B E S OP T H E F A R W E S T     T H E P IERCED- N OSES     T H E W ALL.VWALLAS     T HE F L A T - H E A D S     P E C U L I A R I T I E S OF THIS T R I B E    
THEIR C A N O E S , E TC.

STILL west of t lie B lackfoot country and west of the Rocky Mountains, l ived the Pierced-Nose Indians, and far down the Kooskooske river dwelt the Flat-Heads, while upon the main southern b ranch, the Lewis F o r k of the Columbia or Snake river, dwelt the Shoshouees or Snake Indians. The Pierced-Nose Indians were a quiet, inoffensive people, although when provoked to anger they were by no means wanting in courage or a bility. T hey were exceedingly superstitious and consequently perceptible to religions impressions. Their patient reliance upon the Great S pirit, i n times of want and danger, would shame our c ivilized d evotion.

In a time of great want a traveler named Capt. Bonneville happened among them, and found them subsisting upon w ild rose buds, roots and other i nnutritions v egetable matters. A t this early day their weapon was the spear. " With t his they set out on a certain day, on horseback, to obtain game. The whites regarded the expedition as hopeless. They galloped away, however, in high confidence. The undertaking being successful, the poor I ndians freely shared the meats they had taken w ith the strangers. Capt. Bonneville, i n afterwards speaking of these savages, says: " S i m p l y to c all these p eople r eligious, would convey b ut a faint idea of the deep h ue of piety and devotion which pervades their whole conduct. T lieir h onesty is immaculate, a nd their p urity o f purpose and their observnce of the rites of their religion, are most uniform and remarkable. T hey are certainly more l ike a n ation of saints than a horde of savages."
a

(347)