Note 84 — Chapter IX

Of all the Indian nations who inhabit the wild regions near the base of the Rocky–Mountain range, the most fierce and powerful are the Black–feet. Few, if any white men have penetrated into the heart of their country, and returned to tell their tale. Very little is known, therefore, either of their customs or language: and it may not be uninteresting for the reader to be informed, that every particular mentioned respecting them in this volume, was obtained direct from a French trader, who had been permitted to marry a Black–foot wife, and had resided nineteen years among them. The construction of their language is very remarkable, and some account of it would doubtless be gladly received by philologists; but such a subject cannot be treated in a work like the present. With respect to the words referred to in the text it will be seen that they show the synthetic nature of the language, “nâma” being the root, and signifying a weapon. Hence came “suksinâma,” rifle; literally, “heavy weapon;” “saksinâma,” pistol; literally, “light–weapon;” “nahtovinâma,” wonderful, or medicine–weapon; and “nitsi–nâma,” literally, useless weapon; which latter name has probably been given to the bow, since the Black–feet have learnt the superior efficacy of fire–arms.