The Pawnees are expert horsemen, and delight in the exhibition of feats of skill and adroitness. Many of their horses are branded, but this is the case with such only as are taken in their predatory excursions against the Spaniards of New Mexico, or the south-western Indians; the branded horses all come originally from the Spaniards. It does not appear that the Indians have any method of affixing distinctive marks to their animals. Each Indian has usually but a very limited number of horses, which are as well known, and as universally acknowledged to be his, as the children or other members of his family. Some of the finest horses which we observed, were ornamented with gaudy trappings, and furniture of Spanish manufacture. We spent some time in attempting to explain to the chiefs the nature and effects of the vaccine disease, and in endeavouring to persuade them to influence some of their people to submit to inoculation; {128} but in this we were unsuccessful. It is now several years since the ravages of the small pox have been experienced among them, and it is probable they feel an undue degree of security against its future visitations. We were, however, by no means confident that they comprehended what we said on the subject of vaccination; if they did, it is not probable their confidence in us was sufficient to induce them to receive it as truth. All we were able to effect, was to persuade the young Spanish interpreter to allow us to make use of his arm, to show the Indians that the proposed operation was by no means a formidable one. With the same intention, the operation was performed upon Major Long's arm, and that of Mr. H. Dougherty. We were not very solicitous to make the experiment among them, our virus, as before remarked, being unfit for use. We were accordingly afraid of impairing their confidence in the remedy. In the plain about the village, we noticed several little groups of squaws, busily engaged in dressing the skins of the bison for robes. When the processes of tanning and dressing are completed, and the inner surface of the skin dry, figures are traced upon it with vermilion, and other showy colours. These are designed as ornaments, but are sometimes a record of important facts. The story of a battle is often depicted in this way, and the robe of a warrior is frequently decorated with the narration, in pictures, of some of his exploits. During the afternoon our camp was somewhat thronged by the Indians, offering to trade horses, and squaws proposing barters, but at night they withdrew towards their village, and all remained quiet. As the day began to dawn on the following morning, numerous parties of squaws, accompanied by their dogs, were seen on their way from the village to the corn patches, scattered at the distance of several miles.