Volume 1

PRICES OF HORSES AND TURKEY TAILS. 355
manner, and narrowly escaped getting into trouble, which
might have been attended with serious consequences to
myself. I had purchased a tolerably good horse, though
not a first-rate one, and paid what I
thought a good price
for him, viz.: 400 balls and powder, i new gun, i chief's
scarlet coat, i copper kettle, i hand ax, i iron lance three
feet long, i broad bead belt, 2 wampum hair pipes, 2
wampum shell pipes, y^ pound blue beads, i dozen brass
rings, I dozen hawk-bells, i fathom red H. B. Co.
strouds, y^, dozen flints, y^ dozen worms, ^ dozen awls, 2
large knives, 2 small knives, i mass B. C. beads, i hornful of
white powder. These articles, according to our standard
price on Red river, would amount to 100 beaver skins, and
according to the valuation of property on the Missourie, to
upward of double that amount.
He was not in my possession
more than half an hour, before the owner sent me
back my property, and demanded his horse, which I was
obliged to return to him. The affair so vexed me that
I used some very harsh expressions in the Assiniboine
language to one of the Big Bellies, who understood a few
words of that tongue. The fellow put on a very surly
countenance, and began to approach me, when one of his
companions, perceiving his design, interfered and took
him away ; the affair dropped, as I saw the fellow no more.
Another instance of their fickle manner of dealing I will
relate, as it occurred to myself. One of the natives had a
turkey-cock's tail, great numbers of which they get from
the Schians, and which serve them as fans ; this was a new
and fresh one, of beautiful hue. I gave him five rounds of
ammunition for it, with which he appeared well satisfied,
and left me, but soon returned with the ammunition, and
demanded the tail. Being loath to part with it, I added
five more rounds to the price, which he accepted, and went
away. However, he soon reappeared, and I added five
more ; but to no purpose, for he continued to go and come
until the payment amounted to 30 rounds. Upon his
next appearance I offered 40 rounds ; but he would no