, while one of their chiefs stepped forward
to hold a palaver. For some time the conversation on both sides was
polite enough, but by degrees the Indian chief assumed an imperious
tone, and demanded gifts from the trappers, taking care to enforce his
request by hinting that thousands of his countrymen were not far
distant. Cameron stoutly refused, and the palaver threatened to come to
an abrupt and unpleasant termination just at the time that Dick and his
friends appeared on the scene of action.

The brook was cleared at a bound; the three hunters leaped from their
steeds and sprang to the front with a degree of energy that had a
visible effect on the savages, and Cameron, seizing the moment, proposed
that the two parties should smoke a pipe and hold a council. The
Indians agreed, and in a few minutes they were engaged in animated and
friendly intercourse. The speeches were long, and the compliments paid
on either side were inflated, and, we fear, undeserved; but the result
of the interview was, that Cameron made the Indians a present of tobacco
and a few trinkets, and sent them back to their friends to tell them
that he was willing to trade with them.

Next day the whole tribe arrived in the valley, and pitched their
deerskin tents on the plain opposite to the camp of the white men.
Their numbers far exceeded Cameron's expectation, and it was with some
anxiety that he proceeded to strengthen his fortifications as much as
circumstances and the nature of the ground would admit.

The Indian camp, which numbered upwards of a thousand souls, was
arranged with great regularity, and was divided into three distinct
sections, each section being composed of a separate tribe. The Great
Snake Nation at that time embraced three tribes or divisions--namely,
the Shirry-dikas, or dog-eaters; the War-are-ree-kas, or fish-eaters;
and the Banattees, or robbers. These were the most numerous and
powerful Indians on the west side of the Rocky Mountains. The
Shirry-dikas dwelt in the plains, and hunted the buffaloes; dressed
well; were cleanly; rich in horses; bold, independent, and good
warriors. The War-are-ree-kas lived chiefly by fishing, and were found
on the banks of the rivers and lakes throughout the country. They were
more corpulent, slovenly, and indolent than the Shirry-dikas, and more
peaceful. The Banattees, as we have before mentioned, were the robbers
of the mountains. They were a wild and contemptible race, and a