BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

THE RED RIVER (1793-1797) 273
bandmen in the whole North-West. They raise indian corn or
maize, beans, pumpkins, squashes in considerable quantity, not
only sufficient to supply their own wants, with the help of the
buffalo, but also to sell and give away to all strangers that
enter their villages. They are the mildest and most honest
Indians upon the whole continent and, withal, very fond of the
white people.
They report that the Missouri, from their settlements to the The Mis­
Rocky Mountain, is not obstructed with a single waterfall; and souri.
French travellers from the Illillois and Pincourt affirm that it is
one continued series of smooth current till its junction with the
Mississipi, near the latter place. The Missouri Indians say its
only fall is down tile eastern side of the ridge of hills, called
the Rocky Mountain, which they describe as very high, so much
so, that they cross the river under the sheet of water without
its coming near them. They suppose it takes its waters near
the summit of the Rocky Mountain. The Mandan village, on
the Missouri, by Mr. Evans Chart, is 460 ledgues distant from
,the illinois.
But, to return to the Assiniboil River; it is very shallow and The Assi-
f 11
. h 1 niboine
U of raplds for a day and a half's voyage for t e canoes to t 1e River.
Barriere, about five leagues over land from the posts at River
la Souris, bu t after that" they go on well till they come to the
sand banks beyond Mountain La Bosse.
Near a league above the Barriere, on each side of the river,
begins a ridge of hills about the distance of a mile; the summit
of these ridges is only level with the rest of the plain country
above, forming a deep vale between them, at the bottom of
which runs the Assiniboil River, which keeps a continual
winding course from one side to the other of the hills, called
by the French, Grandes Ootes.
Those who go uI;! by land, owing to the continual windings
,of the river, have plenty of time to hunt buffalo, moose deer,
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