KEEPING ACCOUNTS.—The Indians themselves keep no accounts. The manner in which accounts are kept by whites with them is as follows. We are not exactly acquainted with the minor operations in accounts kept by the Hudson’s Bay Co. with the Cree and the Chippewa, but from authentic information the following appears to be their system. A plue is equal to 1 pound beaver skin or 3 shillings sterling (say 67 cents); that is, 1 pound of the fur is worth at their forts 67 cents in merchandise at their fixed prices. Therefore a large beaver skin (2 pounds) is 2 plues; 6 muskrats, which are worth from 10 to 12½ cents each, is a plue; 1 wolf skin is counted a plue, being equal in value to the standard 67 cents; an otter skin is 2 plues, a red-fox 1, and so forth. All skins and other articles of trade acquired by Indians are reckoned into plues by the trader and the Indians and the prices of merchandise are computed in the same manner. On the Missouri the plan is somewhat different, to explain which we annex the following accounts copied from our books. It will be necessary to observe that everything is brought to the standard of buffalo robes which have an imaginary value of $3 each in the country. THE CRAZY BEAR, ASSINIBOIN CHIEF -------+-------------------------+----------++-------+------------------------+--------- 1851 | | Dr. || 1852 | | Cr. | | || | | Dec. 3|To 1-3 pt. white blanket | 3 robes ||Jan. 8|By 6 robes | 6 robes |To 2 yards blue cloth | 2 robes || |By 2 dressed cow skins | 1 robe |To ¾ yard scarlet cloth | 1 robe || |By 30 pounds dried meat | 1 robe |To 2½ pounds tobacco | 1 robe || |By 2 red fox skins | 1 robe | | || |By 2 raw cowhides | 1 robe 1852 | | || |By 1 large elk skin, raw| 1 robe | | ||Feb. 10|By 4 robes | 4 robes Jan. 16|To 1 horse |10 robes || |By 12 wolf skins | 4 robes |To 3 knives | 1 robe || |Balance forward | 2 robes |To 1 kettle, 2 gallon | 2 robes || | | |To 100 loads ammunition | 1 robe || | | | |----------|| | |--------- | |21 robes || | |21 robes 1853 | |==========|| | | | | || | | Feb. 10|To balance on settlement | 2 robes || | | -------+-------------------------+----------++-------+------------------------+---------