Some one of the party having asked for water, the paunch of a bison was brought, containing three or four quarts, from which we all managed, though with some difficulty, to drink. Little care or labour had been bestowed on the preparation of this primitive vessel. The papillous coat which formed the internal surface of the stomach of the animal, had not been removed, nor had it lost, from long use, its original smell. The organ is suffered to retain its original form as far as is consistent with the uses to which it is applied. One of the orifices is brought nearly in contact with the other, where it is retained by a stick passed through the margin; the depending part is a sack sometimes large enough to contain six or eight gallons of water. It may well be supposed practice is required to enable a person to drink with ease and adroitness from one of these vessels; and the Indians appeared somewhat amused at our awkward attempts, in which we spilt more water in our bosoms, than was conveyed into our mouths. When filled, these sacks cannot be set upon the ground without suffering the loss of their contents. To remedy this, the Kaskaias carry with them, as an {296} indispensable article of furniture, a sort of tripod, consisting of three light poles, tied together at one end, and sharpened at the other, by which they are driven into the ground, and the water-sack is suspended between them. One of these was placed near the entrance of almost every lodge in this encampment. We had scarcely finished our scanty repast, when the wife of the Red Mouse showing her trencher, to signify that we were her debtors, began to beset us for presents; as we were, however, little pleased with her hospitality, we treated her demands much as she had done ours. A number of small articles were pilfered from us, and the Indians seemed determined to show us little respect, until they perceived we were putting our guns in order for immediate use; at this they expressed some apprehension, and behaved afterwards with less rudeness. There were thirty-two lodges, and probably about two hundred and fifty souls, including men, women, and children. Among them we could number only twenty-two armed men; and these kept constantly about us. They were armed exclusively with bows and arrows, and, as we believed, had some fear of us, though we were less than half their number. It was probably owing to our perceiving, or at least appearing to perceive this, that we escaped from them uninjured. They had many horses, probably more than five hundred, and some of them very good.