THE SIOUX.
The Indian tribes which our adventurers had thus far encountered had
been friendly, or at least inoffensive; but they were feeble bands, and
all of them lived in terror of their powerful neighbors, the Sioux. On
the 23d of September, the party reached a region inhabited by the
Tetons, a tribe of Sioux. The journal gives an account of their
intercourse with these new acquaintances as follows:--
"The morning was fine; and we raised a flag-staff, and spread an awning,
under which we assembled, with all the party under arms. The chiefs and
warriors from the Indian camp, about fifty in number, met us; and Capt.
Lewis made a speech to them. After this, we went through the ceremony of
acknowledging the chiefs by giving to the grand chief a medal, a flag of
the United States, a laced uniform coat, a cocked hat and feather; to
the two other chiefs, a medal and some small presents; and to two
warriors of consideration, certificates. We then invited the chiefs on
board, and showed them the boat, the air-gun, and such curiosities as we
thought might amuse them. In this we succeeded too well; for after
giving them a quarter of a glass of whiskey, which they seemed to like
very much, it was with much difficulty we could get rid of them. They at
last accompanied Capt. Clarke back to shore in a boat with five men; but
no sooner had the party landed than three of the Indians seized the
cable of the boat, and one of the soldiers of the chief put his arms
round the mast. The second chief, who affected intoxication, then said
that we should not go on; that they had not received presents enough
from us. Capt. Clarke told him that we would not be prevented from going
on; that we were not squaws, but warriors; that we were sent by our
great Father, who could in a moment exterminate them. The chief replied
that he, too, had warriors; and was proceeding to lay hands on Capt.
Clarke, who immediately drew his sword, and made a signal to the boat to
prepare for action. The Indians who surrounded him drew their arrows
from their quivers, and were bending their bows, when the swivel in the
large boat was pointed towards them, and twelve of our most determined
men jumped into the small boat, and joined Capt. Clarke. This movement
made an impression on them; for the grand chief ordered the young men
away from the boat, and the chiefs withdrew, and held a short council
with the warriors. Being unwilling to irritate them, Capt. Clarke then
went forward, and offered his hand to the first and second chiefs, who
refused to take it. He then turned from them, and got into the boat, but
had not gone more than a stone's-throw, when the two chiefs and two of
the warriors waded in after him; and he took them on board.
"Sept. 26.--Our conduct yesterday seemed to have inspired the Indians
with respect; and, as we were desirous of cultivating their
acquaintance, we complied with their wish that we should give them an
opportunity of treating us well, and also suffer their squaws and
children to see us and our boat, which would be perfectly new to them.
Accordingly, after passing a small island and several sand-bars, we came
to on the south shore, where a crowd of men, women, and children, were
waiting to receive us. Capt. Lewis went on shore, and, observing that
their disposition seemed friendly, resolved to remain during the night
to a dance which they were preparing for us. The captains, who went on
shore one after the other, were met on the landing by ten well-dressed
young men, who took them up in a robe highly decorated, and carried them
to a large council-house, where they were placed on a dressed
buffalo-skin by the side of the grand chief. The hall, or council-room,
was in the shape of three-quarters of a circle, covered at the top and
sides with skins well dressed, and sewed together. Under this shelter
sat about seventy men, forming a circle round the chief, before whom
were placed a Spanish flag and the one we had given them yesterday. In
the vacant space in the centre, the pipe of peace was raised on two
forked sticks about six or eight inches from the ground, and under it
the down of the swan was scattered. A large fire, at which they were
cooking, stood near, and a pile of about four hundred pounds of
buffalo-meat, as a present for us.
"As soon as we were seated, an old man rose, and, after approving what
we had done, begged us to take pity upon their unfortunate situation. To
this we replied with assurances of protection. After he had ceased, the
great chief rose, and delivered an harangue to the same effect. Then,
with great solemnity, he took some of the more delicate parts of the
dog, which was cooked for the festival, and held it to the flag by way
of sacrifice: this done, he held up the pipe of peace, and first pointed
it towards the heavens, then to the four quarters of the globe, and then
to the earth; made a short speech; lighted the pipe, and presented it to
us. We smoked, and he again harangued his people; after which the repast
was served up to us. It consisted of the dog, which they had just been
cooking; this being a great dish among the Sioux, and used at all
festivals. To this was added _pemitigon_, a dish made of buffalo-meat,
dried, and then pounded, and mixed raw with fat; and a root like the
potato, dressed like the preparation of Indian-corn called hominy. Of
all these luxuries, which were placed before us in platters, with horn
spoons, we took the pemitigon and the potato, which we found good; but
we could as yet partake but sparingly of the dog. We ate and smoked for
an hour, when it became dark. Every thing was then cleared away for the
dance; a large fire being made in the centre of the house, giving at
once light and warmth to the ball-room. The orchestra was composed of
about ten men, who played on a sort of tambourine formed of skin
stretched across a hoop, and made a jingling noise with a long stick,
to which the hoofs of deer and goats were hung. The third instrument was
a small skin bag, with pebbles in it. These, with five or six young men
for the vocal part, made up the band.
"The women then came forward highly decorated; some with poles in their
hands, on which were hung the scalps of their enemies; others with guns,
spears, or different trophies, taken in war by their husbands, brothers,
or connections. Having arranged themselves in two columns, as soon as
the music began they danced towards each other till they met in the
centre; when the rattles were shaken, and they all shouted, and returned
back to their places. They have no steps, but shuffle along the ground;
nor does the music appear to be any thing more than a confusion of
noises, distinguished only by hard or gentle blows upon the
buffalo-skin. The song is perfectly extemporaneous. In the pauses of the
dance, any man of the company comes forward, and recites, in a low,
guttural tone, some little story or incident, which is either martial or
ludicrous. This is taken up by the orchestra and the dancers, who repeat
it in a higher strain, and dance to it. Sometimes they alternate, the
orchestra first performing; and, when it ceases, the women raise their
voices, and make a music more agreeable, that is, less intolerable, than
that of the musicians.
"The harmony of the entertainment had nearly been disturbed by one of
the musicians, who, thinking he had not received a due share of the
tobacco we had distributed during the evening, put himself into a
passion, broke one of the drums, threw two of them into the fire, and
left the band. They were taken out of the fire: a buffalo-robe, held in
one hand, and beaten with the other, supplied the place of the lost drum
or tambourine; and no notice was taken of the offensive conduct of the
man. We staid till twelve o'clock at night, when we informed the chiefs
that they must be fatigued with all these attempts to amuse us, and
retired, accompanied by four chiefs, two of whom spent the night with us
on board."
THE SIOUX.
"The tribe which we this day saw are a part of the great Sioux nation,
and are known by the name of the _Teton Okandandas_: they are about two
hundred men in number, and their chief residence is on both sides of the
Missouri, between the Cheyenne and Teton Rivers.
"The men shave the hair off their heads, except a small tuft on the top,
which they suffer to grow, and wear in plaits over the shoulders. To
this they seem much attached, as the loss of it is the usual sacrifice
at the death of near relations. In full dress, the men of consideration
wear a hawk's feather or calumet feather, worked with porcupine-quills,
and fastened to the top of the head, from which it falls back. The face
and body are generally painted with a mixture of grease and coal. Over
the shoulders is a loose robe or mantle of buffalo-skin, adorned with
porcupine-quills, which are loosely fixed so as to make a jingling noise
when in motion, and painted with various uncouth figures unintelligible
to us, but to them emblematic of military exploits or any other
incident. The hair of the robe is worn next the skin in fair weather;
but, when it rains, the hair is put outside. Under this robe they wear
in winter a kind of shirt, made either of skin or cloth, covering the
arms and body. Round the middle is fixed a girdle of cloth or elk-skin,
about an inch in width, and closely tied to the body. To this is
attached a piece of cloth or blanket or skin about a foot wide, which
passes between the legs, and is tucked under the girdle both before and
behind. From the hip to the ankle, the man is covered with leggings of
dressed antelope-skins, with seams at the sides two inches in width, and
ornamented by little tufts of hair, the product of the scalps they have
taken in war, which are scattered down the leg.
"The moccasons are of dressed buffalo-skin, the hair being worn inwards.
On great occasions, or whenever they are in full dress, the young men
drag after them the entire skin of a polecat, fixed to the heel of the
moccason.
"The hair of the women is suffered to grow long, and is parted from the
forehead across the head; at the back of which it is either collected
into a kind of bag, or hangs down over the shoulders. Their moccasons
are like those of the men, as are also the leggings, which do not reach
beyond the knee, where they are met by a long, loose mantle of skin,
which reaches nearly to the ankles. This is fastened over the shoulders
by a string, and has no sleeves; but a few pieces of the skin hang a
short distance down the arm. Sometimes a girdle fastens this skin round
the waist, and over all is thrown a robe like that worn by the men.
"Their lodges are very neatly constructed. They consist of about one
hundred cabins, made of white buffalo-hide, with a larger cabin in the
centre for holding councils and dances. They are built round with poles
about fifteen or twenty feet high, covered with white skins. These
lodges may be taken to pieces, packed up, and carried with the nation,
wherever they go, by dogs, which bear great burdens. The women are
chiefly employed in dressing buffalo-skins. These people seem
well-disposed, but are addicted to stealing any thing which they can
take without being observed."