_Indian Females and Feasts._
Many of the inhabitants of this town had been present at our arrival at
the Grand Pawnee village, and to them the novelty of our appearance was
over. To the rest, however, more particularly the women and children, all
was new, and our day of entering into the town, was one of jubilee. We
found the pathway lined with women and children, and the spaces between
the lodges, crowded with them. Here and there were knots of wild-looking
boys, with their bows and arrows tucked under their arms, staring with
open mouths, upon the travelling lodges as they termed our heavy wagons.
Groups too of females—the married women with troops of children—some on
their backs and others at their heels, crowded round. Young and beautiful
girls, also, wild as deer, were gazing at us with deep curiosity, but
maintained a timid distance.
The most dauntless of the crowd, were two or three old crones, squalid
and dirty in the extreme, and who, if aught might be judged from their
looks, were the oldest women that ever lived. Every thing was withered
about them, but their tongues, which still flourished with the vigour
of former years. They were like racers: they had run against time, and
gained the heat. Each of these beldames singled out her victim, from
among the members of our party, and exerted herself to the utmost to
render his situation agreeable, by dinning his ears with her garrulity.
Another worthy of this class, had been entrusted with the care of about
a dozen children of all ages and sexes. These she had ranged upon the
dome-like top of one of the lodges to see the spectacle, as we passed
by. She stood in front of her elfish brood, keeping at bay by the violent
exertions of both tongue and talons, the crowd, who, in their anxiety to
obtain a view, were attempting to invade her sanctuary.
The persons who had placed their little goblin young ones in her charge,
understood well her nature. Her tongue knew no rest. At one moment it
was busy in bestowing a shower of wholesome advice, upon some refractory
little urchin, whose curiosity would not permit him to sit easy; and at
another it was waging a wordy war with the passers by. She fluttered,
and ruffled round her bevy, with all the peevish irritability of an old
wet-nurse hen, placed in charge of a family of graceless young ducks, who
need all her advice and attention, to keep them from danger.
After winding our way through the town, we at length came to the lodge
of Blue Coat,[E] the chief of this village. He had nothing of the stern
coldness of the leader of the Grand Pawnees. He attended personally and
assiduously to our comfort—assisting even in unloading, and bringing
in our baggage. When this was finished, he seated himself and opened a
conversation, through the interpreter. There was an intelligence in his
remarks, and an ease in his manners, which almost made his guests forget
they were conversing with a wild, untutored savage.
[E] The name of Blue Coat, is given to the chief of the Republican
Pawnees on account of his wearing a blue camblet coat. He is proud of the
title and prefers it to his Indian one. He is much more refined in his
manners and ideas than the rest of his nation, and is considered by the
traders, and his own people, the very _beau ideal_ of an Indian warrior.
It was not long before the lodge became crowded. The old warriors,
moved with a hushed step, across the building, and listened, to our
conversation. Occasionally, some distinguished brave stalked in. There
was a great difference between his manners, and those of the less noted
warriors. The latter, stole quietly into the lodge, taking their stations
in some remote and retired nook, as if they entertained a doubt of their
privilege of entry. But as to the former, the bold and lofty carriage;
the swelling chest; the uplifted head; the slightly expanded nostril; the
keen searching eye, which flashed daringly around, showed him to be one
who owned no ruler, and who knew that none in that assembly, would dare
dispute his will. He would take his seat in the most conspicuous part of
the lodge, and gaze calmly, and silently upon the strangers.
It was not long before messengers came from different lodges, inviting
us to feasts, which had been prepared in honour of our arrival. We had
learned by this time, that there was no escape from the invitations of an
Indian host, so we followed the guide, who led us to the dwelling of the
second chief.
We found him seated upon a small leather mat. He was a fat, oily fellow,
with a jolly, good-natured face. Still its expression was tempered by
that gravity, which, from long habit, has become almost natural to the
race, and proverbial among the whites.
Around him were lounging about a dozen Indians. Some, reclining with
their backs against the pillars supporting the roof, with their eyes half
closed, were smoking their stone pipes. Some were lying half asleep upon
the clay floor, with their feet within a few inches of the fire; and
others were keeping up a sleepy song.
At a short distance from the fire, half a dozen squaws were pounding
corn, in large mortars,[F] and chattering vociferously at the same time.
In the farther part of the building, about a dozen naked children, with
faces almost hid by their bushy, tangled hair, were rolling and wrestling
upon the floor, occasionally causing the lodge to echo to their childish
glee. In the back ground, we could perceive some half a dozen shaggy,
thievish-looking wolf-dogs, skulking among the hides and bundles, in
search of food, and gliding about with the air of dogs, who knew that
they had no business there.
[F] The mortar is in universal use among the uncivilized tribes,
answering the purpose of a mill. The hollow is formed, by kindling a fire
upon the top of a block of wood, into which it gradually sinks itself,
until it forms a sort of bowl. The cavity is then cleansed from the
coal-black, and is fit for use.
These mortars are generally a foot in diameter, and about eight inches
deep. Corn is pulverised in them, by using a billet of wood as a pestle.
Upon our entering, the lounging Indians roused themselves from the floor;
the smokers woke from their reveries, and the dogs slunk out of sight.
The women and children, however, went on as before, the former pounding
and chattering, and the latter frolicking over the floor. When we had
seated ourselves, a large bowl of boiled buffalo flesh was placed before
us, and signs made for us to fall to. The chief himself acted as master
of ceremonies. He thrust his hands into the bowl, and turned over and
over the heap of smoking meat, selecting the best morsels, and welcoming
us with warmest expressions of friendship. Several times, appearing to
be annoyed by the noise and clamour of his wives, he turned round, and
let out a volley of angry words, which, however, they treated with no
attention. There is but little doubt that he was a hen-pecked husband,
for with all his jovial appearance, there was a cowering look about his
eye, when he met the vinegar glance of one or two of his oldest wives.
Before we had finished with him, half a dozen different messengers had
assembled in the lodge, waiting for us to follow them to the abode of
some of the other chiefs. It is customary for the guest, when he is
unable to dispose of the whole provision placed before him, to send
what is left to his own quarters. The duty of carrying it, is generally
entrusted to one of the junior members of the family, who when departing
upon his errand, receives a particular caution from the squaws to be
careful and bring back the bowl.
It was near sunset when we finished our visits. We had gone from lodge
to lodge, followed by a crowd of men, women, and children, until we
had visited nearly half the dwellings in the village. Our receptions
were different, according to the dispositions of our hosts. Some were
stern and solemn in their demeanour, and others as sociable, and even
lively as the whites. In some of the lodges, the females were of an acid
temper, and to these our presence was not as agreeable as we could have
wished. They made no hesitation in speaking their minds to the half-breed
interpreter, who in turn, with iron gravity, translated the whole to us,
without abating an epithet, or softening a single peppery expression.
When we emerged, we found a small crowd collected in front, which drew
back as we appeared. Curious as they were, there was nothing troublesome
or forward in their mode of gratifying their curiosity. The children
followed at a distance. The older Indians would mark the route which we
must take, and then hurrying on, would seat themselves in some situation,
where the whole party must pass in review before them. There was none of
the prying, meddling spirit which is shown among the whites.
We had scarcely reached the lodge of the chief, and were congratulating
ourselves that the eating part of the business was terminated, when
the heavy bear-skin which hung over the mouth, was flapped back, and a
boy came across to the place where the Interpreter was sitting. This
immediately caused us to suspect that another feast was on foot, and we
were making for the door, when we were arrested by the Interpreter, who
was too much of an Indian not to relish these eating parties. He shouted
out, that three of us had been invited to attend at the lodge of one of
the older warriors, who had prepared something which he thought would be
more acceptable than buffalo flesh and corn. Although but little inclined
to attempt any thing in the way of eating, still we determined to
accompany him, for we were curious to see what new article of food, could
be raked up in the village, where every soul seemed to live on buffalo
flesh and corn.
Following our guide, therefore, after a dark walk we reached the place of
invitation.
The interior of the lodge was illumined by the light of a bright fire,
burning cheerily in the centre. In front of it was seated the warrior
who had invited us. He was an old man with a bottle nose, and a most
ponderous corporation; and when seated behind it with his feet doubled
under him after the Turkish fashion, he looked like a large sphere.
Upon our entrance, after sundry puffs and heaves, he rose to his feet,
and welcomed us, pointing out seats upon several mats which had been
placed for us, at his side. He then told his squaw, whose leanness was
in proportion to his rotundity, to place before us the article to be
disposed of. We watched her narrowly as she moved to a large kettle
hanging over the fire. There was something in it of a reddish-yellow
colour. What could it be? We had never fallen upon any article of
that description before. The squaw seized upon a long, sharp-pointed
stick, and commenced spearing into the pot; but at every attempt the
active occupant contrived to dodge from her weapon, in spite of her
efforts. However, it is an old adage, that “perseverance conquers all
difficulties,” and at length she struck the object of her search, and
drew out, impaled upon the point of her weapon, a large boiled _pumpkin_.
This she immediately commenced dividing in strips.
While the ceremony of spearing had been going on, we watched with some
curiosity, to see what all this trouble was to produce; but when the
pumpkin made its appearance, the expression of countenances was most
ruefully changed. I looked round towards my companions. Their eyes were
fixed with silent agony upon the preparing feast. There was no retreat—it
must be eaten; and we were the persons who were doomed to do it. I had
hoped to derive a little comfort from them. I had hoped too, that they
might relish a sodden and water-soaked pumpkin; and that under cover of
their appetites, I might escape unobserved. The expression, however, of
their faces forbade the idea, and I determined to perform my share of the
mastication, in a manner creditable to a civilized man.
We fell to desperately, therefore, under the vigilant eye of our fat
host, who was continually plying us with fresh pieces, according to the
laws of Indian hospitality, and to refuse which would be regarded as a
slight. How we managed to get through that vegetable feast, I can hardly
say; it was one of the severest trials of the whole of our campaign; yet
we did get through with it, and emerged from the lodge in safety.
When we returned to the abode of the chief we found it crowded. Groups
were squatting in every direction, wrapped in their robes, indulging
in a low, muttered conversation. This was occasionally broken by a
deep, emphatic exclamation, which always bursts with a convulsive sound
from the chest of an Indian, when engaged in a debate of some interest.
But upon our return the conversation gradually flagged, and their sole
occupation was to sit, with their eyes fastened upon us, as we were
collected round the fire.