no more covers what is beneath. My body[44] and neck[48] are laid
bare in hunting skins in this cold weather. I lack some mark[49] of
my standing with the fort to make my young men listen to my words to
be good to the whites and hunt. If you wish many robes, recollect the
young men are hunters and can not kill buffalo without ammunition.[50]
The women have hard work dressing skins; their arms are sore; some
beads and vermilion[51] would give them strength; and the tobacco[52]
you will no doubt furnish me will be smoked by all my people in talking
over matters for the good of the fort and in the councils for hunting.
I know you are a chief and good father to your red children and will
never refuse them what they ask. Remember our hardships, dangers, and
exposures in hunting for you. Open your heart and lengthen your measure
and reduce,[53] if ever so little, on the prices of trade. Indians
suffer for everything; even the tobacco chewed and spit out by the
whites is picked up and smoked by them. Your store is large; let your
heart be so also. Let me be able to sing your praise;[54] your name is
in the clouds; your father was a chief; you will be greater than he.
Listen to the words of your poor friend. I have spoken.”
[47] Leggings wanted.
[48] Shirt and neck handkerchief desired.
[49] Medal or gorget.
[50] Hint for general present of ammunition to the party.
[51] Some to each woman.
[52] An intimation that tobacco is not only wanted but plenty of it.
[53] This is an invariable request, and would be so no difference how
long the prices were.
[54] Whoever makes a liberal present to Indians has his name sung
around the camp or fort in a song of thanks.
The Sioux make better speeches and use more figures than the
Assiniboin, but none of the many we have heard among both and other
nations are as replete with metaphor as is represented by fiction
writers. Either the Indians treated of by them were of a superior order
or the speeches have been liberally interpreted. The foregoing presents
their style as it now exists among all the upper Missouri tribes,
though subjects of more importance, such as war, peace, or religious
rites, are accompanied by a proportionate earnestness of oratory and
boldness of gesture. They do not pride themselves on making fine or
flowery speeches, but bold, pointed, and sensible ones, and, if begging
be the object, will descend to the grossest flattering of their
auditor, and vainness of their own merits.
PICTURE WRITING
Picture writing can not be said to be much practiced by any of these
tribes, though it is to some extent by all, principally by the Crow
and Sioux Indians. The former of these nations are incessant in the
war expeditions against the Blackfeet, and in the absence of the
warriors the camp from which they departed moves in quest of game,
but pursue a direction made known to the warriors before they leave.
It often happens that the trail made by the camp is effaced by rain
or covered with snow before their return, also that they (the camp)
are obliged to diverge from the route agreed upon, and in these cases
leave intelligence in pictorial devices in some of their encampments as
guides to the returning absentees, who, if they find them, can not fail
to reach their friends by following the instructions pointed out by
these means. (Fig. 35.) Another occasion where it is useful is where a
war party, after having made an attack, whether successful or not, have
reason to believe more of their own people are out for like purposes,
wish to convey to them the intelligence that their enemies are on the
alert, and prevent if possible their falling into their hands, as would
happen if they attempted to steal the horses before the late excitement
caused by their own appearance had subsided. The information, together
with the success or failure of their own expedition and any other
matters they wish their friends to know, are pictured in some place
likely to be found by those for whom it is intended.
[Illustration: FIGURE 35.—Picture writing. Key: “We are a camp of 13
lodges (1); encamped on a creek above the forks (2); started hunting
with eight horsemen (3); and two women on foot (4); slept two nights
out (5); found buffalo beyond the second creek from the camp (6);
killed some, and made travails (7); and slept but one night on our
return home (8)]
There is, however, this danger in these records, that if they are
stumbled upon by their enemies in their war excursions they are as
certain a guide to them as to their own people, and this is one of
the reasons why it is so seldom done. But the Crow Indians, who rove
through the spurs of the Rocky Mountains, frequently making long
and rapid marches, are compelled to leave such marks behind, or some
of their warriors would ramble about for months searching for their
homes, which would be extremely inconvenient should they be driving
before them a herd of their enemies’ horses. The information conveyed
by this system of writing is complete as far as it is intended, which
is only to represent leading and general facts, and is not nor could
it be applied to minute details. All warriors read and understand the
devices of their enemies and most of them practice it when necessary,
but the direction to war pursued by the Cree and Assiniboin in the
summer, being over plains, there are no places noted as their usual
encampments, and timber is seldom found; they therefore practice
this manner of writing less than the others, owing to the probable
uncertainty of their being found by their friends. In the winter,
however, it is occasionally done by them when their way lies along some
river, and their encampments are found by the small forts in which they
have slept every night being left standing.
The same species of intelligence is sometimes left in hunting grounds
with the view of announcing to any of their own nation who are supposed
to pass the same way that the game, as denoted by the carcasses round,
has been killed by friends, not war parties of enemies, intimating to
them the direction and situation of their camp, that meat may be had
there, that a juncture of forces is desirable, etc. The number and kind
of game taken are not painted as the heads of the animals around would
show that, but it, too, could be explained if wished.
These devices are generally drawn on some dry tree without the bark,
the characters being cut in the wood and filled up with vermilion mixed
with grease to prevent it being washed off by rain. Pieces of bark and
portions of skins are used, and in default of either soft stone will
answer. Powder dissolved in water is used to mark on the skin, the
impression being made with a pointed stick, inked and pressed forcibly
on the skin.
The meaning of every mark is fixed and exact, understood by the mass
of warriors of all tribes, not confined to or practiced by the priests
unless their situation in traveling be the same as the warriors or
hunters and they desire in like manner to convey some information to
the nation. The foregoing purposes in different forms are the only ones
to which we have had the opportunity of witnessing the application of
these devices. Perhaps they are the only cases as yet necessary for
their present operations, but there would be no difficulty in their
picturing the passage of whites or other nations through their country
should it be required, and the same be intelligible to them.
Another form, and the one in which this manner of writing appears to
be of more importance among them, is the devices drawn on the robes,
exhibiting their standing as warriors whenever they appear. The
height of distinction in an Indian, and his greatest ambition, is to
impress upon his own people or strangers the idea of his being brave,
of his having done acts that entitle him to appear among men, of his
superiority in this respect over others in the crowd; therefore the
actions which lead to these impressions are pictured on his robe; his
biography is carried on his back so that “he who runs may read.” It
insures him respect through life, an honorable shroud at his death, and
is believed to merit reward in futurity. A further use these devices
are made to serve is the representation of monsters said to be seen by
them in dreams, and supposed to have the effect when painted on their
lodges of averting strokes of lightning, disease, etc.
In like manner buffalo heads are pictured to bring those animals in the
direction of the camp, besides a great variety of smaller devices are
seen on their shields, drums, medicine sacks, and envelopes of their
amulets, to all of which appropriate and general meanings are attached
corresponding with their superstitious belief or to insure success in
domestic affairs. In conversation with most elderly Indians regarding
locations, travels, or to explain battles and other events, resort is
had by them to drawing maps on the ground, on bark with charcoal, or
on paper if they can get it, to illustrate more clearly the affair in
question. In this way the chief of the Crow Nation three years since
made and left with us a map (pl. 77) of his intended travels during
the entire fall and winter succeeding, embracing a circumference of
1,500 miles, with the different encampments to be made by that nation
in that time, and so correct was the drawing that we had no difficulty
in finding their camp the following winter in deep snow, one month’s
travel from this place. It is regretted that those Indians are not now
in this neighborhood, as in that case some specimens of their charts
and devices could be inserted, but in default of better we present in
this place some Assiniboin drawings, with their explanations, which
will serve to give a general idea how they are managed, and other
pictorial devices are attached in several parts of this work.
These are the only forms the pictorial art of the Indians takes. It
is more largely applied to the designs represented on their robes and
mythological subjects when appearing on their lodges, fetish envelopes,
etc., as has been stated. Songs can not be recorded in this or any
other form. The value it may be to a people who are without letters is
mostly apparent in the instances where it denotes the rank and standing
of individuals when painted on their robes. The information intended
only for their friends when cut on trees is liable to be interpreted to
their disadvantage by enemies, which would consequently be a bar to its
general practice. None of their drawings are executed with neatness,
but occasionally have some pretensions to proportion. It appears to
be the meaning only that is desired, for paintings done by whites
correctly are not more appreciated as work of art, perhaps not so
much, as their own rude representations, but are looked upon with more
superstitious dread.
The explanation of the drawing (pl. 78) would be as follows: “We were
a party of 20 men (1) and stole 39 horses (2) from the Blackfeet” (see
the 39 horse tracks so marked going away from the camp). “The camp
turned out, killed one of us” (see the picture of a hand pointing
toward their enemy’s camp (3) and a scalped man drawn) “and recaptured
from us 14 horses (4)” (see the 14 tracks going back to camp, each
track always standing for a horse). “We forted and fought with them”
(see (1) representing a brush fort and the men therein; the guns
pointing toward the fort (5) are those of their enemies and the others
signify the firing kept up by themselves).
“In the battle three of us were wounded and six horses killed” (see
6 representing a wounded man, and six horses stationary, seven; that
is, going neither way, proving them to be unable to travel). “We got
off with 19 horses” (8) (this being the tracks of horses leaving the
fort); “the first night we encamped on the plains near a spring” (9)
(the dotted line shows the path, and 9 is intended to represent a small
fort or sleeping place, with another dotted line to the left where
the spring (10) is marked). “In the encampment we left a wounded man
(6); we made two more encampments after that, when we now leave this
painting and intend pursuing our course home to the right. A band of
buffalo (11) was seen on the opposite side of the river on a creek
while the battle was going on, which are all we have yet seen.” (These
marks mean buffalo tracks.)
The end of the dotted line is as far as they have then gone, and other
marks show the road they intend to pursue, but if they expect to get
home without sleeping the dotted line is made as far as the lodges.
Explanation of Plate 79.—“We are a party of 10 men (1), have stolen
21 horses (2) from the Blackfeet and taken a scalp (3), but lost
one of our own party. The first night we forted on a creek (4), the
second night we slept on the prairie in a small fort at the foot of
some timbered hills (5), the third night we slept at a lake (6), the
fourth at a spring (7) where we are now. We intend to make three more
encampments to get to our lodges, which are on the head of the next
river (8). These figures (9) represent the lodges of their enemies,
and the horses’ tracks going from the lodges, indicating them to
have been stolen, each single mark (10) counting a horse. The guns,
bows, and lances show the party to be 10 (1). The hand pointing the
direction in which they are traveling and toward a scalp (11) intimates
that they have killed an enemy. The hand pointing the other way with
the scalp (12) explains they have lost one of their party. The dotted
line is their path home along a river and only extends as far as they
have traveled to the place where the painting was left. The number of
days they expect yet to travel to reach home are indicated by these
characters (8, 10), the one a brush fort, signifies the number of
encampments, and the horse track with it means it is the road they
intend to travel.”
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
FORTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT PLATE 77
MAP OF REGION ABOVE FORT UNION]
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
FORTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT PLATE 78
DIAGRAM OF A BATTLE FIELD]
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
FORTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT PLATE 79
DIAGRAM OF A BATTLE FIELD]
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
FORTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT PLATE 80
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS]
MYTH TELLING
As has been several times mentioned in these pages, one of the
principal ways of passing time at night in an Indian camp is the
recital of fables for their amusement. Most old men and women can
recount these stories, but there are some particularly famed for their
talents in this respect, and these are compensated for their trouble
by feasting, smoking, and small presents. At night, when all work is
over, a kettle is put on containing some choice meat, tobacco mixed
with weed prepared, the lodge put in order, the family collected, and
the story-teller invited, who often prolongs his narrations the greater
part of the night. Some of the tales are of a frightful kind, and to
their impression on young minds is no doubt mainly to be attributed
the fear of ghost monsters and other imaginary supernatural powers
exhibited by most Indians when grown.
We have taken some pains to call together a few of the most famed and
sensible story-tellers and listened with much patience to a great many
of their allegories, but find nothing in any of them bearing on their
ideas of a future state.[55] The circumstances and actors portrayed
do not reveal the actual notions of the tribe on their religion as it
now exists but are founded on their ancient mythology and handed down
complete in their details through successive generations, and their
real significance, if they ever had any further than amusement, is now
lost or absorbed in their manner of worship as referred to in these
pages.
[55] This inference on the part of Denig indicates that he was not
cognizant of the facts, poetically expressed, conveyed by native
Indian myths, and so he reached the false conclusion that all myths
are no more nor less than simple fictions, when, in fact, except in
their verbal dress, they are true. He failed to interpret rightly the
metaphorical diction.
Nevertheless, we can discern in them a probability of their being the
real belief of their ancestors in their primitive ignorance, before
their superstitions and religions had assumed a systematic form and
tangible shape. This much may be inferred by the tacit acknowledgment
of their truth apparent in the auditors and the unwillingness evinced
by all to hear them ridiculed or contradicted. We think the truth of
the matter is these tales were believed and formed a portion if not the
greater part of the religion of their ancestors, are reverenced for
their antiquity and originality, together with a lingering uncertainty
as to their having actually transpired in times long passed. This may
be deduced from the evident veneration with which some of them are
regarded, and from the fact that there are no new fables made at the
present day, nor any one who possesses or professes the character of
a myth maker. These stories are not added to or diminished, for if in
the telling the least circumstance be omitted the narrator is reminded
of the error and corrects it. In none of them is the creation of
animals or other objects, animate or inanimate, reasonably attempted,
though such things are alluded to in many absurd forms and grotesque
imaginings according with the general tenor of the tale. These, though
often trifling in their details, present a connected chain of events
and often contain a kind of moral, that is, a double meaning as
observed in the one relating to the formation of the Ursa Major and
Polar Star, before inserted.
None of these serve to demonstrate to the young the power and ubiquity
of Wakoñda.[56] This awful principle is too much feared to be lightly
introduced in common conversation or connected with amusing tales,
though inferior demons and minor supernatural powers with a great
variety of figures of the imagination, such as monsters, ghosts,
giants, beasts with reasoning powers, transformation, and works of
necromancy, are represented.
[56] This statement is highly questionable, since these Indians show a
deep reverence for Wakoñda, the highest God of their pantheon, as may
be learned from various passages in Denig’s own report.
There does not appear to be much useful instruction conveyed by any of
these oral tales, but they are resorted to as a source of amusement.
Stories related by us to them from books, such as the fables of Æsop or
those from the “Arabian Nights,” are listened to with great attention
and sought after as eagerly as their own fiction. Moreover, they can,
when these fables are plainly narrated, not only comprehend the literal
meaning but appreciate the moral when it is pointed, not in its moral
sense but as a necessary conclusion arising from the circumstances
related. The only objection to recording many of these tales is their
interminable length, one frequently occupying two or three hours in
its recital. So remarkably long are they that the auditors are apt to
become sleepy, and the narrator, if not responded to occasionally to
convince him of their attention, breaks off and abruptly takes his
leave. We now subjoin some of these stories that may serve to show
the scope of imagination involved and that others may form their own
opinions regarding their interest and utility.
FABLES
RELATED BY “THE EAR RINGS OF DOG’S TEETH,” AN OLD ASSINIBOIN
A long time ago there lived a great chief of a powerful nation, but
he was a fearful and desperate man. He had killed six of his wives at
different times in fits of passion, and at the time of our story had
separated from his people, being jealous of his wife, and placed his
lodge alone on the bank of a small stream. His family consisted of
his wife, a boy say 12 years old, and a girl about 10 years, both his
children by the woman now with him. The man went out hunting, and the
game being far off did not return for several days. In the meantime
the woman continued her domestic duties at home. Being in the timber
in quest of wood, she struck her ax on a hollow tree and a great
many snakes came forth, one of which[57] was large and handsome, had
a fascinating eye and horns upon his head, spoke sweet words to the
woman, and in the end succeeded in seducing her. Her husband returned
and inquired of her “What had become of the paint on her face, which
he put there before starting?” She made some hesitating answer and he
suspected all was not right and determined to watch. In the course of
a few days he gave out that he was again going hunting and might be
absent some time, as he had not yet seen game. He as usual painted
his wife’s face and departed. In place of going to hunt he hid in the
bushes to watch his wife, who made her visits to the snake’s nest,
striking on the tree and calling on the horned snake in terms of
endearment to come forth. The snake came out, and the husband witnessed
the infidelity of his wife.
[57] The Fire Dragon or Mateor—Son of the gods.
He remained a day or two near the place, and each day observed his
wife to repair to the snake’s den for like purposes. He then returned
home. She was absent, but returned in a short time. “My wife,” said he,
“I have killed a deer some distance off; go and get the meat.” After
having received instructions as to where the meat was to be found, the
woman departed with her dogs to bring it. In the meantime her husband
went into the bushes, struck with his battle ax on the snake’s house,
saying, “My husband, come forth,” imitating the voice of his wife. The
reptile sallied out with all his family and the Indian destroyed them
all with his battle ax. Gathering up the snakes, he carried them home
and cooked them by boiling them to a jelly. His wife returned without
finding any meat (as indeed there was none), and found her husband
sitting down sharpening a huge flint ax. He invited her to sit down,
and observing that she must be hungry after such a long travel, poured
into a bowl the mess of snakes, which he handed to his wife, who,
thinking it was some other kind of meat, ate the whole. After she had
feasted, the man said, “You have eaten your beloved husband, the snake,
and now you shall follow him.” He rose up and cut her head off at one
stroke of his sharp ax. A storm arose, the wind blew, the thunder
rolled, and the man disappeared in a whirlwind of dust and was caught
up in the air. The children, much frightened at all this, ran out of
the lodge over the prairie, never ceasing their speed until they were
at some distance.
On stopping to rest themselves they looked back and beheld the Head of
their mother rolling after them, calling on them to stop.[58]
[58] The Whirlwind that took up her husband.
This frightened them more and they continued their flight. The Head
rolling after them was now very near and the children were very tired.
The boy threw his knife behind him and immediately the prairie was
bristling with knives, through which the Head on endeavoring to pass
was cut in a dreadful manner, and stopped in its course. The children
continued their way. A fox came to where the Head lay, and the Head
said, “My friend, I am in want of a husband, will you marry me?” “You
are too ugly,” replied the fox and disappeared into his hole. The Head
followed the fox, who being afraid of it, when he arrived at the end
of the burrow commenced digging farther in great haste, the Head still
following and calling on the fox to stop. But the animal dug very
fast, and finding he could not escape from the Head in this way came
out to the surface of the earth near where the children were. The Head
also came out and, perceiving them, rolled after them, coaxing them to
stop, but they ran forward until they arrived at the top of a hill.
The little girl said, “My brother, I am tired, throw something else
behind you, the Head is close upon us.” He threw his awl and up rose
innumerable awls on the prairie which, pointing toward the Head, formed
a barrier which it could not pass. The children continued their flight.
A badger appeared alongside of the Head. The Head said to it, “My fine
fellow, I wish to marry you. Will you be my husband?” “Your face is too
ugly and bloody for me,” said the badger, and disappeared in his hole.