Note 57 — Chapter II · GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SLAVERY.

The Blackfeet nation consisted of four tribes: Piegans, Blackfeet, Bloods, and Gros Ventres. We are told that once when at war against the Crows, the Gros Ventres “rushed upon them and killed the whole number”57. Grinnell, speaking of a Piegan chief, says: “He told his men not to kill the captured women. They also captured … many children. The chief selected a wife for himself from among these women.” As a rule they spare none of their enemies, killing alike men, women and children. Sometimes they spare a captive for his bravery or from dread of sorcery; he is then provided with food and dismissed to his home58. These particulars being given, and no mention made of slavery by any of our informants59, we may safely infer that slavery did not exist among these tribes.