CHAPTER III._History, Manners, and Customs of the North American Indians

The next time the three brothers did not go to the red sand-stone

rock, but the adventure which took place there formed a part of their

conversation. They found the hunter at home, and, feeling now on very

friendly and familiar terms with him, they entered at once on the

subject that was nearest their hearts. "Tell us, if you please," said

Austin, as soon as they were seated, "about the very beginning of the

red men."

"You are asking me to do that," replied the hunter, "which is much

more difficult than you suppose. To account for the existence of the

original inhabitants, and of the various tribes of Indians which are

now scattered throughout the whole of North America, has puzzled the

heads of the wisest men for ages; and, even at the present day, though

travellers have endeavoured to throw light on this subject, it still

remains a mystery."

_Austin._ But what is it that is so mysterious? What is it that wise

men and travellers cannot make out?

_Hunter._ They cannot make out how it is, that the whole of

America--taking in, as it does, some parts which are almost always

covered with snow, and other parts that are as hot as the sun can make

them--should be peopled with a class of human beings distinct from all

others in the world--red men, who have black hair, and no beards. If

you remember, it is said, in the first chapter of Genesis, "So God

created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male

and female created he them." And, in the second chapter, "And the Lord

God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom

he had formed." Now, it is known, by the names of the rivers which are

mentioned in the chapter, that the garden of Eden was in Asia; so that

you see our first parents, whence the whole of mankind have sprung,

dwelt in Asia.

_Austin._ Yes, that is quite plain.

_Hunter._ Well, then, you recollect, I dare say, that when the world

was drowned, all mankind were destroyed, except Noah and his family in

the ark.

_Brian._ Yes; we recollect that very well.

_Hunter._ And when the ark rested, it rested on Mount Ararat, which is

in Asia also. If you look on the map of the world, you will see that

the three continents, Europe, Asia, and Africa, are united together;

but America stands by itself, with an ocean rolling on each side of

it, thousands of miles broad. It is easy to suppose that mankind would

spread over the continents that are close together, but difficult to

account for their passing over the ocean, at a time when the arts of

ship-building and navigation were so little understood.

_Austin._ They must have gone in a ship, that is certain.

_Hunter._ But suppose they did, how came it about that they should be

so very different from all other men? America was only discovered

about four hundred years ago, and then it was well peopled with red

men. Besides, there have been discovered throughout our country,

monuments, ruins, and sites of ancient towns, with thousands of

enclosures and fortifications. Articles, too, of pottery, sculpture,

glass, and copper, have been found at times, sixty or eighty feet

under the ground, and, in some instances, with forests growing over

them, so that they must have been very ancient. The people who built

these fortifications and towers, and possessed these articles in

pottery, sculpture, glass, and copper, lived at a remote period, and

must have been, to a considerable degree, cultivated. Who these people

were, and how they came to America, no one knows, though many have

expressed their opinions. But, even if we did know who they were, how

could we account for the present race of Indians in North America

being barbarous, when their ancestors were so highly civilized? These

are difficulties which, as I said, have puzzled the wisest heads for

ages.

_Austin._ What do wise men and travellers say about these things?

_Hunter._ Some think, that as the frozen regions of Asia, in one part,

are so near the frozen regions of North America--it being only about

forty miles across Behring's Straits--some persons from Asia might

have crossed over there, and peopled the country; or that North

America might have once been joined to Asia, though it is not so now;

or that, in ancient times, some persons might have drifted, or been

blown there by accident, in boats or ships, across the wide ocean.

Some think these people might have been Phenicians, Carthagenians,

Hebrews, or Egyptians; while another class of reasoners suppose them

to have been Hindoos, Chinese, Tartars, Malays, or others. It seems,

however, to be God's will often to humble the pride of his creatures,

by baffling their conjectures, and hedging up their opinions with

difficulties. His way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters,

and his footsteps are not known. He "maketh the earth empty, and

maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the

inhabitants thereof."

_Austin._ Well, if you cannot tell us of the Indians in former times,

you can tell us of the Indians that there are, for that will be a

great deal better.

_Brian._ Yes, that it will.

_Hunter._ You must bear in mind, that some years have passed since I

was hunting and trapping in the woods and prairies, and that many

changes have taken place since then among the Indians. Some have been

tomahawked by the hands of the stronger tribes; some have given up

their lands to the whites, and retired to the west of the Mississippi;

and thousands have been carried off by disease, which has made sad

havoc among them. I must, therefore, speak of them as they were. Some

of the tribes, since I left them, have been utterly destroyed; not one

living creature among them being left to speak of those who have gone

before them.

_Austin._ What a pity! They want some good doctors among them, and

then diseases would not carry them off in that way.

_Hunter._ I will not pretend to give you an exact account of the

number of the different tribes, or the particular places they now

occupy; for though my information may be generally right, yet the

changes which have taken place are many.

_Austin._ Please to tell us what you remember, and what you know; and

that will quite satisfy us.

_Hunter._ A traveller[1] among the Indian tribes has published a book

called "Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Condition of

the North American Indians;" and a most interesting and entertaining

account it is. If ever you can lay hold of it, it will afford you

great amusement. Perhaps no man who has written on the Indians has

seen so much of them as he has.

[Footnote 1: Mr. Catlin]

_Brian._ Did you ever meet Catlin?

_Hunter._ O yes, many times; and a most agreeable companion I found

him. He has lectured in most of our cities, and shown the beautiful

collection of Indian dresses and curiosities collected during his

visits to the remotest tribes. If you can get a sight of his book, you

will soon see that he is a man of much knowledge, and possessing great

courage, energy, and perseverance. I will now, then, begin my

narrative; and if you can find pleasure in hearing a description of

the Indians, with their villages, wigwams, war-whoops, and warriors;

their manners, customs, and superstitions; their dress, ornaments, and

arms; their mysteries, games, huntings, dances, war-councils,

speeches, battles, and burials; with a fair sprinkling of prairie

dogs, and wild horses; wolves, beavers, grizzly bears, and mad

buffaloes; I will do my best to give you gratification.

_Austin._ These are the very things that we want to know.

_Hunter._ I shall not forget to tell you what the missionaries have

done among the Indians; but that must be towards the latter end of my

account. Let me first show you a complete table of the number and

names of the tribes. It is in the Report made to Congress by the

Commissioners of Indian Affairs for 1843-4.

_Statement showing the number of each tribe of Indians, whether

natives of, or emigrants to, the country west of the Mississippi, with

items of emigration and subsistence._

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+

|----------+----------+---------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------|

|of Indiana| -- | 5,779 | 2,298 | 92[a] | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Creeks | -- | 24,594 | 24,594 | 744 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Choctaws | -- | 15,177 | 15,177 | 3,323 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Minatarees| 2,000 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Indians | -- | 3,824 | 3,824 | -- | 212 | 212 |$7 681/2 |

| | | | | | | | |

|Pagans | 30,000 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Cherokees | -- | 25,911 | 25,911 | 1,000 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|boins | -- | 7,000 | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Chippewas | -- | 62 | 62 | 113 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Appachees | 20,280 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Crees | 800 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Michigan | -- | -- | -- | 7,055 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Arrapahas | 2,500 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Indians | -- | -- | -- | 3,293 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Ventres | 3,300 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Chickasaws| -- | 4,930 | 4,930 | 80[b] |288[c] | 198[d]| 9 401/2 |

| | | | | | | | |

|Eutaws | 19,200 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|and | | | | | | | |

|Munsees | -- | 180 | 278 | 320 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Sioux | 25,000 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Quapaws | 476 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Iowas | 470 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Kickapoos | -- | 588 | 505 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|sippi | 2,348[e]| | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Delawares | -- | 826 | 1,059 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Shawnees | -- | 1,272 | 887 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Missouri | 414[e] | | | | | | |

|Weas | -- | 225 | 176 | 30 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Osages | 4,102 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|shaws | -- | 162 | 98 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Kanzas | 1,588 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|and | | | | | | | |

|Kaskaskias| -- | 132 | 150 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Omahas | 1,600 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Sandusky | -- | 251 | 251 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Missourias| 931 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|and | | | | | | | |

|Shawnees | -- | 211 | 211 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Pawnees | 12,500 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|goes | -- | 4,500 | 2,183 | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Camanches | 19,200 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Kiowas | 1,800 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Mandans | 300 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Crows | 4,000 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|of Ohio | -- | 664 | -- | 50[g]| 664 | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Poncas | 800 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Miamies | -- | -- | -- | 661 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Arickarees| 1,200 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Menomonies| -- | -- | -- |2,464 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Cheyenes | 2,000 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Lakes | -- | -- | -- |2,564 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Blackfeet | 1,300 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Caddoes | 2,000 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Snakes | 1,000 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Flatheads | 800 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Bay | -- | -- | -- | 675 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Green Bay | -- | -- | -- | 207 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|of | | | | | | | |

|Michigan | -- | -- | -- | 75 | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

|Huron | -- | -- | -- | 100 | | | |

+----------+----------+---------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------+

| | 168,909 | 89,288 | 83,594 |22,846 | 1,164 | 410 | 17 09 |

+----------+----------+---------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------+

NOTES.

[Footnote a: These 92 are Ottowas of Maumee.]

[Footnote b: This, as far as appears from any data in the

office; but, in point of fact, there are most probably no, or

very few, Chickasaws remaining east.]

[Footnote c: In this number is included a party, assumed to

be 100, who clandestinely removed themselves; but they are

withheld from the next column, because, it is not yet known

what arrangement has been made for their subsistence, though

instructions on that subject have been addressed to the

Choctaw agent.]

[Footnote d: Ten of these emigrated as far back as January,

1842; but, as the number was so small, the arrangements for

their subsistence were postponed until they could be included

in some larger party, such as that which subsequently

arrived.]

[Footnote e: These Indians do not properly belong to this

column, but are so disposed of because the table is without

an exactly appropriate place for them. Originally, their

haunts extended east of the river, and some of their

possessions on this side are among the cessions by our

Indians to the Government, but their tribes have ever since

been gradually moving westward.]

[Footnote g: This number is conjectural, but cannot be far

from the truth, as Mr. McElvaine, the sub-agent, states that

but 8 or 10 families still remain.]

_Hunter._ And now, place before you a map of North America. See how it

stretches out north and south from Baffin's Bay to the Gulf of Mexico,

and east and west from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. What a

wonderful work of the Almighty is the rolling deep! "The sea is His,

and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land." Here are the great

Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario; and here run the

mighty rivers, the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Ohio, and the St.

Lawrence: the Mississippi itself is between three and four thousand

miles long.

_Basil._ What a river! Please to tell us what are all those little

hills running along there, one above another, from top to bottom.

_Hunter._ They are the Rocky Mountains. Some regard them as a

continuation of the Andes of South America; so that, if both are put

together, they will make a chain of mountains little short of nine

thousand miles long. North America, with its mighty lakes, rivers, and

mountains, its extended valleys and prairies, its bluffs, caverns, and

cataracts, and, more than all, its Indian inhabitants, beavers,

buffaloes, and bisons, will afford us something to talk of for some

time to come; but the moment you are tired of my account, we will

stop.

_Austin._ We shall never be tired; no, not if you go on telling us

something every time we come, for a whole year. But do tell us, how

did these tribes behave to you, when you were among them?

_Hunter._ I have not a word of complaint to make. The Indians have

been represented as treacherous, dishonest, reserved, and sour in

their disposition; but, instead of this, I have found them generally,

though not in all cases, frank, upright, hospitable, light-hearted,

and friendly. Those who have seen Indians smarting under wrongs, and

deprived, by deceit and force, of their lands, hunting-grounds, and

the graves of their fathers, may have found them otherwise: and no

wonder; the worm that is trodden on will writhe; and man, unrestrained

by Divine grace, when treated with injustice and cruelty, will turn on

his oppressor.

_Austin._ Say what you will, I like the Indians.

_Hunter._ That there is much of evil among Indians is certain; much of

ignorance, unrestrained passions, cruelty, and revenge: but they have

been misrepresented in many things. I had better tell you the names of

some of the chiefs of the tribes, or of some of the most remarkable

men among them.

_Austin._ Yes; you cannot do better. Tell us the names of all the

chiefs, and the warriors, and the conjurors, and all about them.

_Hunter._ The Blackfeet Indians are a very warlike people;

_Stu-mick-o-sucks_ was the name of their chief.

_Austin._ Stu-mick-o-sucks! What a name! Is there any meaning in it?

_Hunter._ O yes. It means, "the back fat of the buffalo;" and if you

had seen him and _Peh-to-pe-kiss_, "the ribs of the eagle," another

chief dressed up in their splendid mantles, buffaloes' horns, ermine

tails, and scalp-locks, you would not soon have turned your eyes from

them.

_Brian._ Who would ever be called by such a name as that? The back fat

of the buffalo!

_Hunter._ The Camanchees are famous on horseback. There is no tribe

among the Indians that can come up to them, to my mind, in the

management of a horse, and the use of the lance: they are capital

hunters. The name of their chief is _Ee-shah-ko-nee_, or "the bow and

quiver." I hardly ever saw a larger man among the Indians than

_Ta-wah-que-nah_, the second chief in power. Ta-wah-que-nah means "the

mountain of rocks," a very fit name for a huge Indian living near the

Rocky Mountains. When I saw _Kots-o-ko-ro-ko_, or "the hair of the

bull's neck," (who is, if I remember right, the third chief,) he had a

gun in his right hand, and his warlike shield on his left arm.

_Austin._ If I go among the Indians, I shall stay a long time with the

Camanchees; and then I shall, perhaps, become one of the most skilful

horsemen, and one of the best hunters in the world.

_Brian._ And suppose you get thrown off your horse, or killed in

hunting buffaloes, what shall you say to it then?

_Austin._ Oh, very little, if I get killed; but no fear of that. I

shall mind what I am about. Tell us who is the head of the Sioux?

_Hunter._ When I was at the upper waters of the Mississippi and

Missouri rivers, _Ha-won-je-tah_, or "the one horn," was chief; but

since then, being out among the buffaloes, a buffalo bull attacked and

killed him.

_Basil._ There, Austin! If an Indian chief was killed by a buffalo,

what should _you_ do among them? Why they would toss you over their

heads like a shuttlecock.

_Hunter._ _Wee-ta-ra-sha-ro_, the head chief of the Pawnee Picts, is

dead now, I dare say; for he was a very old, as well as a very

venerable looking man. Many a buffalo hunt with the Camanchees had he

in his day, and many a time did he go forth with them in their

war-parties. He had a celebrated brave of the name of _Ah'-sho-cole_,

or "rotten foot," and another called _Ah'-re-kah-na-co-chee_, "the mad

elk." Indians give the name of _brave_ to a warrior who has

distinguished himself by feats of valour, such as admit him to their

rank.

_Brian._ I wonder that they should choose such long names. It must be

a hard matter to remember them.

_Hunter._ There were many famous men among the Sacs. _Kee-o-kuk_ was

the chief. Kee-o-kuk means "the running fox." One of his boldest

braves was _Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak_, "the black hawk." The history

of this renowned warrior is very curious. It was taken down from his

own lips, and has been published. If you should like to listen to the

adventures of Black Hawk, I will relate them to you some day, when you

have time to hear them, as well as those of young Nik-ka-no-chee, a

Seminole.

_Austin._ We will not forget to remind you of your promise. It will be

capital to listen to these histories.

_Hunter._ When I saw _Wa-saw-me-saw_, or "the roaring thunder," the

youngest son of Black Hawk, he was in captivity. _Nah-se-us-kuk_, "the

whirling thunder," his eldest son, was a fine looking man, beautifully

formed, with a spirit like that of a lion. There was a war called The

Black Hawk war, and Black Hawk was the leader and conductor of it; and

one of his most famous warriors was _Wah-pe-kee-suck_, or "white

cloud;" he was, however, as often called The Prophet as the White

Cloud. _Pam-a-ho_, "the swimmer;" _Wah-pa-ko-las-kak_, "the track of

the bear;" and _Pash-ce-pa-ho_, "the little stabbing chief;" were, I

think, all three of them warriors of Black Hawk.

_Basil._ The Little Stabbing Chief! He must be a very dangerous fellow

to go near, if we may judge by his name: keep away from him, Austin,

if you go to the Sacs.

_Austin._ Oh! he would never think of stabbing me. I should behave

well to all the tribes, and then I dare say they would all of them

behave well to me. You have not said any thing of the Crow Indians.

_Hunter._ I forget who was at the head of the Crows, though I well

remember several of the warriors among them. They were tall,

well-proportioned, and dressed with a great deal of taste and care.

_Pa-ris-ka-roo-pa_, called "the two crows," had a head of hair that

swept the ground after him as he walked along.

_Austin._ What do you think of that, Basil? No doubt the Crows are

fine fellows. Please to mention two or three more.

_Hunter._ Let me see; there was _Ee-hee-a-duck-chee-a_, or "he who

binds his hair before;" and _Ho-ra-to-ah_, "a warrior;" and

_Chah-ee-chopes_, "the four wolves;" the hair of these was as long as

that of Pa-ris-ka-roo-pa. Though they were very tall,

Ee-hee-a-duck-chee-a being at least six feet high, the hair of each of

them reached and rested on the ground.

_Austin._ When I go among the Indians, the Crows shall not be

forgotten by me. I shall have plenty to tell you of, Brian, when I

come back.

_Brian._ Yes, if you ever do come back; but what with the sea, and the

rivers, and the swamps, and the bears, and the buffaloes, you are sure

to get killed. You will never tell us about the Crows, or about any

thing else.

_Hunter._ There was one of the Crows called The Red Bear, or

_Duhk-pits-o-ho-shee_.

_Brian._ Duhk-pitch a--Duck pits--I cannot pronounce the word--why

that is worse to speak than any.

_Austin._ Hear me pronounce it then: _Duhk-pits-o-hoot-shee_. No; that

is not quite right, but very near it.

_Basil._ You must not go among the Crows yet, Austin; you cannot talk

well enough.

_Hunter._ Oh, there are much harder names among some of the tribes

than those I have mentioned; for instance there is

_Au-nah-kwet-to-hau-pay-o_, "the one sitting in the clouds;" and

_Eh-tohk-pay-she-pee-shah_, "the black mocassin;" and

_Kay-ee-qua-da-kum-ee-gish-kum_, "he who tries the ground with his

foot;" and _Mah-to-rah-rish-nee-eeh-ee-rah_, "the grizzly bear that

runs without fear."

_Brian._ Why these names are as long as from here to yonder. Set to

work, Austin! set to work! For, if there are many such names as these

among the Indians, you will have enough to do without going to a

buffalo hunt.

_Austin._ I never dreamed that there were such names as those in the

world.

_Basil._ Ay, you will have enough of them, Austin, if you go abroad.

You will never be able to learn them, do what you will. Give it up,

Austin; give it up at once.

Though Brian and Basil were very hard on Austin on their way home,

about the long names of the Indians, and the impossibility of his ever

being able to learn them by heart, Austin defended himself stoutly.

"Very likely," said he, "after all, they call these long names very

short, just as we do; Nat for Nathaniel, Kit for Christopher, and Elic

for Alexander."

[Illustration: Wigwams.]