SEN-E-CAS.
Near Lake Erie, State of New York. 1200, semi-civilized and agricultural. One of the tribes composing the great compact called the “Six Nations.”
263. Red Jacket, Head Chief of the tribe; full-length, life size, standing on the “Table Rock,” Niagara Falls.
This man was chief for many years, and so remained until his death, in 1831. Perhaps no Indian Sachem has ever lived on our frontier whose name and history are better known, or whose talents have been more generally admitted, than those of Red Jacket: he was, as a savage, very great in council and in war.
264. ( ), Deep Lake; an old Chief.
265. ( ), Round Island; warrior, half-blood.
A very handsome fellow.
266. ( ), Hard Hickory; a very ferocious-looking, but a mild and amiable man.
267. ( ), Good Hunter; a warrior.
268. ( ), —— String; a warrior, renowned.
269. ( ), Seneca Steele; a great libertine. Hatchet in his hand.
O-NEI-DA.
Remnant of a tribe, State of New York, one of the “Six Nations;” present number, 600.
270. ( ), Bread; the Chief, half-blood, civilized.
A fine-looking and an excellent man.
TUS-KA-RÓ-RA.
New York, remnant of a numerous tribe, one of the confederacy of the “Six Nations;” present number, 500; semi-civilized.
271. Cú-sick, ——; son of the Chief. Civilized and Christianized.
This man is a Baptist preacher, and quite an eloquent man.
MO-HEE-CON-NEU, or “MO-HE-GAN,” the Good Canoemen.
Now living near Green Bay; numbers, 400 or 500; formerly of Massachusetts; a band of the famous tribe of Pequots; now semi-civilized.
272. Ee-tów-o-kaum, Both Sides of the River; Chief of the tribe, with a psalm-book in one hand, and a cane in the other. Christianized.
273. Waun-naw-con, the Dish (John W. Quinney); missionary preacher. Civilized.
DEL-A-WARES.
Remains of a bold, daring, and numerous tribe, formerly of the States of Pennsylvania and Delaware, and the terror of all the eastern tribes. Gradually wasted away by wars, removals, small-pox, and whisky; now living on the western borders of Missouri, and number only 824; lost by small-pox, at different times, 10,000.
274. Bód-a-sin, ——; the Chief; a distinguished man.
275. Ni-có-man, the Answer; the second Chief, with bow and arrows in his hand.
276. Non-on-dá-gon, ——; a Chief, with a ring in his nose.
Remains of a numerous tribe, formerly inhabiting part of Pennsylvania, afterwards Ohio, and recently removed west of the Mississippi River. Number at present about 1200; lost one-half by small-pox at different times. Semi-civilized; intemperate.
277. Lay-láw-she-kaw, He who goes up the River; a very aged man, Chief of the tribe; his ears slit and elongated by wearing weights in them, according to the custom of the tribe, and his hair whitened with age.
278. Ká-te-quaw, the Female Eagle; a fine-looking girl, daughter of the above Chief.
279. Tea-sqúat-a-way, the Open Door; called the “Shawnee Prophet,” brother of Tecumsch; blind in one eye, holding his medicine or mystery fire in one hand, and his “sacred string of beans” in the other; a great mystery-man.
280. Pah-te-cóo-saw, the Straight Man. Semi-civilized.
281. Lay-lóo-ah-pee-ái-shee-kaw, Grass, Bush, and Blossom. Half civil, and more than half drunk.
282. Cóo-ps-saw-qúay-te, ——; woman (the Indescribable).
CHER-O-KEES.
Formerly of the State of Georgia, recently removed west of the Mississippi to the head-waters of the Arkansas. This tribe are mostly civilized and agriculturists; number, 22,000.
283. John Ross, a civilized and well-educated man, head Chief of the nation.
284. Túch-ee, called “Dutch;” first War-chief of the Cherokees; a fine-looking fellow, with a turbaned head.
I travelled and hunted with this man some months, when he guided the regiment of dragoons to the Camanchee and Pawnee villages: he is a great warrior and a remarkable hunter.
285. Cól-lee, ——; Chief of a band of the Cherokees. (Since dead.) 286. Téh-ke-néh-kee, the Black Coat; a Chief, also of considerable standing.
287. Ah-hee-te-wáh-chee, ——; a very pretty woman, in civilized dress, her hair falling over her shoulders.
MUS-KÓ-GEE (CREEK).
Recently removed from Georgia and Alabama to the Arkansas, 700 miles west of the Mississippi. Present number, 21,000; semi-civilized and agricultural.
288. Steeh-tcha-kó-me-co, the Great King, called, “Ben Perryman;” one of the Chiefs of the tribe.
289. Hól-te-mál-te-téz-te-néek-ee, ——, “Sam Perryman;” brother of the Chief above, and a jolly companionable man.
290. Wat-ál-le-go, ——, a brave.
291. Hose-put-o-káw-gee, ——; a brave.
292. Tchow-ee-pút-o-kaw, ——; woman.
293. Tel-maz-há-za, ——; a warrior of great distinction.
CHOC-TAW.
Recently removed by Government from the States of Georgia and Alabama to the Arkansas, 700 miles west of the Mississippi. Present number, 15,000; semi-civilized.
294. Mó-sho-la-túb-bee, He who puts out and kills; first Chief of the tribe.
A gentlemanly-looking man (died recently of small-pox).
295. Kút-tee-o-túb-bee, How did he kill? A noted brave.
296. Há-tchoo-túc-knee, the Snapping Turtle; half-bred and well-educated man.
297. ——, woman; hair in braid; remarkable expression.
298. Tul-lock-chísh-ko, He who drinks the Juice of the Stone.
299. Tul-lock-chísh-ko, Full-length, in the dress and attitude of a ball-player, with ball-sticks in his hand, and tail, made of white horse-hair, attached to his belt.
SEM-I-NÓ-LEE (RUNAWAY); 3000.
Occupying the peninsula of Florida; semi-civilized, partly agricultural. The Government have succeeded in removing about one-half of them to the Arkansas, during the last four years, at the expense of 32,000,000 dollars, the lives of 28 or 30 officers, and 600 soldiers.
300. Mick-e-no-páh, ——; first Chief of the tribe; full-length, sitting cross-legged.
This man owned 100 negroes when the war broke out, and was raising large and valuable crops of corn and cotton.
Painted only five days before his death, while he was a prisoner of war at Fort Moultrie. This remarkable man, though not a chief, took the lead in the war, and was evidently (at the time he was captured) followed by the chiefs, and looked upon as the master-spirit of the war.
302. Ee-mat-lá, King Philip; an old man, second Chief.
Like Osceola, he died while a prisoner, soon after I painted him.
303. Ye-hów-lo-gee, the Cloud; a Chief who distinguished himself in the war.
304. Co-ee-há-jo, ——; a Chief, very conspicuous in the present war.
305. Láh-shee, the Licker; a half-breed warrior, called “Creek Billey.” 306. How-ee-dá-hee; ——. a Seminolee woman.
307. ( ) ——; a Seminolee woman.
308. Os-ce-o-lá, the Black Drink. Full-length, with his rifle in his hand, calico dress, and trinkets, exactly as he was dressed and stood to be painted five days before his death.
EU-CHEE.
Remnant of a powerful tribe who once occupied the southern part of the peninsula of Florida, were overrun by the Creeks and Seminolees, the remnant of them merging into the Seminolee tribe, and living with them now as a part of their nation. Present number, 150.
309. Etch-ée-fix-e-co, the Deer without a Heart, called “Euchee Jack;” a Chief of considerable renown.
310. Chee-a-ex-e-co, ——; quite a modest and pretty girl, daughter of the above Chief.
LANDSCAPES, SPORTING SCENES, MANNERS,
AND CUSTOMS.
CERTIFICATES.
The Landscapes, Buffalo-hunting Scenes, &c., above mentioned, I have seen, and, although it has been thirty years since I travelled over that country, yet a considerable number of them I recognised as faithful representations, and the remainder of them are so much in the peculiar character of that country as to seem entirely familiar to me.
Wm. Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
The Landscape Views on the Missouri, Buffalo Hunts, and other scenes, taken by my friend Mr. Catlin, are correct delineations of the scenes they profess to represent, as I am perfectly well acquainted with the country, having passed through it more than a dozen times. And further I know that they were taken on the spot, from nature, as I was present when Mr. Catlin visited that country.
John F. A. Sanford, U. SS. Indian Agent.
It gives me great pleasure to be able to pronounce the Landscape Views, Views of Hunting, and other scenes taken on the Upper Missouri, by Mr. Catlin, to be correct delineations of the scenery they profess to represent; and although I was not present when they were taken in the field, I was able to identify almost every one between St. Louis and the grand bend of the Missouri.
J. L. Bean, S. Agent of Indian Affairs.
I have seen Mr. Catlin’s collection of Indian Portraits, many of which were familiar to me, and painted in my presence in their villages. I have spent the greater part of my life amongst the tribes and individuals he has represented, and I do not hesitate to pronounce them correct likenesses and easily recognised; also the sketches of their Manners and Customs I think are excellent, and the Landscape Views on the Missouri and Mississippi are correct representations.
K. M‘kenzie, of the Am. Fur Company, Mouth of Yellow Stone.
I have examined a series of paintings by Mr. Catlin, representing Indian Buffalo Hunts, Landscapes, &c.; and from an acquaintance of twenty-seven years with such scenes as are represented, I feel qualified to judge them, and do unhesitatingly pronounce them good and unexaggerated representations.
Jno. Dougherty, Indian Agent for Pawnees, Omahas, and Otoes.
LANDSCAPES.
311. St. Louis (from the river below, in 1836), a town on the Mississippi, with 25,000 inhabitants.
312. View on Upper Mississippi, beautiful prairie bluffs, everywhere covered with a green turf.
313. “Bad Axe” battle-ground, where Black Hawk was defeated by General Atkinson, above Prairie du Chien. Indians making defence and swimming the river.
314. Chippeways gathering wild rice near the source of St. Peter’s; shelling their rice into their bark canoes, by bending it over, and whipping it with sticks.
315. View near “Prairie la Crosse,” beautiful prairie bluffs, above Prairie du Chien, Upper Mississippi.
316. “Cap o’lail” (garlic cape), a bold and picturesque promontory on Upper Mississippi.
317. Picturesque Bluffs above Prairie du Chien, Upper Mississippi.
318. “Pike’s Tent,” the highest bluff on the river, Upper Mississippi.
319. View of the “Cornice Rocks,” and “Pike’s Tent,” in distance, 750 miles above St. Louis, on Upper Mississippi.
320. “Lover’s Leap,” on Lake Pepin, Upper Mississippi, a rock 500 feet high, where an Indian girl threw herself off a few years since, to avoid marrying the man to whom she was given by her father.
321. Falls of St. Anthony, 900 miles above St. Louis; perpendicular fall eighteen feel: Upper Mississippi.
322. Madame Ferrebault’s Prairie from the river above; the author and his companion descending the river in a bark canoe, above Prairie du Chien, Upper Mississippi; beautiful grass-covered bluffs.
323. “Little Falls,” near the Falls of St. Anthony, on a small stream.
324. “La Montaigne que tremps l'Eau,” Mississippi, above Prairie du Chien.
325. Cassville, below Prairie du Chien, Upper Mississippi; a small village just commenced, in 1835.
326. Dubuque, a town in the lead-mining country.
327. Galena, a small town on Upper Mississippi, in the lead-mining district.
328. Rock Island, United States Garrison, Upper Mississippi.
329. Beautiful Prairie Bluffs, ditto.
330. Dubuque’s Grave, ditto.
Dubuque was the first miner in the lead-mines under the Spanish grant. He built his own sepulchre, and raised a cross over it, on a beautiful bluff, overlooking the river, forty years ago, where it now stands.
331. River Bluffs, magnificent view, Upper Mississippi.
332. Fort Snelling, at the mouth of St. Peter’s, U. S. Garrison, seven miles below the Falls of St. Anthony, Upper Mississippi.
333. Prairie du Chien, 500 miles above St. Louis, Upper Mississippi, United States Garrison.
334. Chippeway Village and Dog Feast at the Falls of St. Anthony; lodges built with birch-bark: Upper Mississippi.
335. Sioux Village, Lake Calhoun, near Fort Snelling; lodges built with poles.
336. “Coteau des Prairies,” head-waters of St. Peter’s. My companion, Indian guide, and myself encamping at sunset, cooking by our fire, made of buffalo-dung.
337. “Pipestone Quarry,” on the Coteau des Prairies, 300 miles N. W. from the Falls of St. Anthony, on the divide between the St. Peter’s and Missouri.
The place where the Indians get the stone for all their red pipes. The mineral, red steatite, variety differing from any other known locality—wall of solid, compact quartz, grey and rose colour, highly polished as if vitrified; the wall is two miles in length and thirty feet high, with a beautiful cascade leaping from its top into a basin. On the prairie, at the base of the wall, the pipeclay (steatite) is dug up at two and three feet depth. There are seen five immense granite boulders, under which there are two squaws, according to their tradition, who eternally dwell there—the guardian spirits of the place—and must be consulted before the pipestone can be dug up.
338. Sault de St. Mary’s—Indians catching white fish in the rapids at the outlet of Lake Superior, by dipping their scoop nets.
339. Sault de St. Mary’s from the Canadian Shore, Lake Superior, showing the United States Garrison in the distance.
340. View on the St. Peter’s River, twenty miles above Fort Snelling.
341. View on the St. Peter’s—Sioux Indians pursuing a Stag in their canoes.
342. Salt Meadows on the Upper Missouri, and great herds of buffalo—incrustation of salt, which looks like snow.
Salt water flows over the prairie in the spring, and, evaporating during the summer, leaves the ground covered with muriate as white as snow.
343. Pawnee Village in Texas, at the base of a spur of the Rocky Mountains—lodges thatched with prairie-grass.
344. View on the Canadian, in Texas.
345. View of the junction of Red River with the False Washitta, in Texas.
346. Camanchee Village, in Texas, showing a spur of the Rocky Mountains in the distance—lodges made of buffalo-skins. Women dressing robes and drying meat.
347. View on the Wisconsin—Winnebagoes shooting ducks, in bark canoe.
348. Lac du Cygne (Swan Lake), near the Coteau des Prairies.
A famous place, where myriads of white swans lay their eggs and hatch their young.
One of thousands of small lakes which have been gradually filled in with vegetation.
350. View on Lake St. Croix, Upper Mississippi.
351. View on the Canadian—Dragoons crossing, 1834.
352. Ta-wa-que-nah, or Rocky Mountain, near the Camanchee Village, Texas.
353. Camanchee Village, and Dragoons approaching it, showing the hospitable manner in which they were received by the Camanchees. Camanchee warriors all riding out and forming in a line, with a white flag, to receive the Dragoons.
354. White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island; and Seminoles drying fish, near Pensacola, on the Gulf of Florida.
355. View of the “Stone Man Medicine,” Coteau des Prairies.
A human figure of some rods in length, made on the top of a high bluff, by laying flat stones on the grass. A great mystery or medicine place of the Sioux.
356. Fort Winnebago, on the head of Fox River, an United States outpost.
357. Fort Howard, Green Bay, an U. S. outpost.
358. Fort Gibson, Arkansas, an U. S. outpost, 700 miles west of Mississippi river.
359. The “Short Tower,” Wisconsin.
360. Passing the “Grand Chute” with bark canoe, Fox River.
361. View of Mackinaw, Lake Michigan, an U. S. outpost.
362. View in the “Cross Timbers,” where General Leavenworth died on the Mexican borders.
363. View on Lower Missouri—alluvial banks falling in, with their huge cotton-woods, forming raft and snags, 600 miles above St. Louis.
364. View on Upper Missouri—the “Blackbird’s Grave.”
Where “Blackbird,” Chief of the Omahas, was buried on his favourite war-horse, which was alive; 1100 miles above St. Louis.
365. View on Upper Missouri—“Blackbird’s Grave,” a back view; prairies enamelled with wild flowers.
366. View on Upper Missouri—“Brick Kilns,” volcanic remains, clay bluffs, 200 feet, supporting large masses of red pumice, 1900 miles above St. Louis.
367. View on Upper Missouri—Foot war-party on the march, beautiful prairie—spies and scouts in advance.
368. View on Upper Missouri—Prairie Bluffs at sunrising, near mouth of Yellow Stone.
369. View on Upper Missouri—Mouth of the Platte; its junction with the Missouri, 900 miles above St. Louis.
370. View on Upper Missouri—Magnificent Clay Bluffs, 1800 miles above St. Louis; stupendous domes and ramparts, resembling some ancient ruins; streak of coal near the water’s edge; and my little canoe, with myself and two men, Bogard and Bàtiste, descending the river.
371. View on Upper Missouri—Cabane’s trading-house; Fur Company’s establishment: 930 miles above St. Louis, showing a great avalanche of the bluffs.
372. View on Upper Missouri—View in the Grand Détour, 1900 miles above St. Louis. Magnificent clay bluffs, with red pumice-stone resting on their tops, and a party of Indians approaching buffalo.
373. View on Upper Missouri—Beautiful Grassy Bluffs, 110 miles above St Louis.
374. View on Upper Missouri—Prairie Meadows burning, and a party of Indians running from it in grass eight or ten feet high.
These scenes are terrific and hazardous in the extreme when the wind is blowing a gale.
375. View on Upper Missouri—Prairie Bluffs burning.
376. View on Upper Missouri—“Floyd’s Grave,” where Lewis and Clarke buried Serjeant Floyd thirty-three years since; a cedar post and sign over the grave.
377. View on Upper Missouri—Sioux encamped, dressing buffalo-meat, and robes.
378. View on Upper Missouri—“The Tower,” 1100 miles above St. Louis.
379. View on upper Missouri—Distant view of the Mandan Village, 1800 miles above St. Louis.
380. View on Upper Missouri—Picturesque Clay Bluff, 1700 miles above St. Louis.
381. View on Upper Missouri—“Belle Vue”—Indian Agency of Major Dougherty, 870 miles above St. Louis.
382. View on Upper Missouri—Beautiful Clay Bluffs, 1900 miles above St. Louis.
383. View on Upper Missouri—Minatarree Village, earth-covered lodges, on Knife River, 1810 miles above St. Louis. Bàtiste, Bogard, and myself ferried across the river by an Indian woman, in a skin canoe, and Indians bathing in the stream.
384. View on Upper Missouri—Fort Pierre, Mouth of Teton River—Fur Company’s trading-post, 1200 miles above St. Louis, with 600 lodges of Sioux Indians encamped about it, in skin lodges.
385. View on Upper Missouri—Nishnabottana Bluffs, 1070 miles above St. Louis.
386. View on Upper Missouri—Riccaree Village, with earth-covered lodges, 1600 miles above St. Louis.
387. View on Upper Missouri—South side of “Buffalo Island,” showing the beautiful buffalo-bush, with its blue leaves, and bending down with fruit.
388. View on Upper Missouri—Mouth of Yellow Stone—Fur Company’s Fort, their principal post, 2000 miles above St. Louis, and a large party of Knisteneux encamped about it.
389. View on Upper Missouri—the “Iron Bluff,” 1200 miles above St. Louis, a beautiful subject for a landscape.
390. View on Upper Missouri—View in the “Big Bend,” 1900 miles above St. Louis; showing the manner in which the conical bluffs on that river are formed; table-lands in distance, rising several hundred feet above the summit level of the prairie.
391. View on Upper Missouri—View in the “Big Bend”—magnificent clay bluffs, with high table-land in the distance.
392. View on Upper Missouri—Back view of the Mandan Village, showing their mode of depositing their dead, on scaffolds, enveloped in skins, and of preserving and feeding the skulls; 1800 miles above St. Louis. Women feeding the skulls of their relatives with dishes of meat.
393. View on Upper Missouri—Prairie Buffs, 1100 miles above St. Louis.
394. View on Upper Missouri—“The Three Domes,” 15 miles above Mandans. A singular group of clay bluffs, like immense domes, with skylights.
395. View on Upper Missouri—the “Square Hills,” 1200 miles above St. Louis
396. View on Upper Missouri—River Bluffs and White Wolves in the foreground.
397. View on Upper Missouri—Beautiful Prairie Bluffs, above the Puncahs, 1050 miles above St. Louis.
398. View on Upper Missouri—Look from Floyd’s Grave. 1300 miles above St. Louis.
399. View on Upper Missouri—River Bluffs, 1320 miles above St. Louis.
400. View on Upper Missouri—Buffalo herds crossing the river. Bàtiste, Bogard, and I, passing them in our bark canoe, with some danger to our lives. A buffalo scene in their running season.
401. View on Upper Missouri—Clay Bluffs, 20 miles above the Mandans.
402. View on Upper Missouri—Nishnabottana Bluffs.
403. View on Upper Missouri—Indians encamping at sunset.
SPORTING SCENES.
404. Buffalo Bull, grazing on the prairie in his native state.
405. Buffalo Cow, grazing on the prairie in her native state.
406. Wounded Buffalo, strewing his blood over the prairies.
407. Dying Buffalo, shot with an arrow, sinking down on his haunches.
408. Buffalo Chase—single death; an Indian just drawing his arrow to its head.
409. Buffalo Chase—surround; where I saw 300 killed in a few minutes by the Minatarrees, with arrows and lances only.
410. Buffalo Chase—numerous group; chasing with bows and lances.
411. Buffalo Chase—numerous group; chasing with bows and lances.
412. Buffalo Chase—Cow and Calf; the bull protecting by attacking the assailants.
413. Buffalo Chase—Bulls making battle with men and horses.
414. Buffalo Hunt under the wolf-skin mask.
415. Buffalo Chase, Mouth of Yellow Stone; animals dying on the ground passed over; and my man Bàtiste swamped in crossing a creek
416. Buffalo Chase in snow drift, with snow shoes.
417. Buffalo Chase in snow drift, with snow shoes; killing them for their robes, in great numbers.
418. Attack of the Bear (Grisly); Indians attacking with lances on horseback.
419. Antelope Shooting—decoyed up.
420. Sioux taking Musk-rats, near the St. Peter’s; killing them with spears. Women and dogs encamped.
421. Bàtiste and I, running Buffalo; Mouth of Yellow Stone; a frog’s leap.
422. “My turn now;” Bàtiste and I, and a Buffalo Bull, Upper Missouri.
423. Dying Bull in a snow drift.
424. Buffalo Bulls fighting, in running season, Upper Missouri.
425. Buffalo Bulls in their “wallow;” origin of the “fairie circles” on the prairie.
426. Grouse shooting—on the Missouri prairies.
AMUSEMENTS AND CUSTOMS.
427. Ball-play Dance, Choctaw.—Men and women dance around their respective stakes, at intervals, during the night preceding the play—four conjurors sit all night and smoke to the Great Spirit, at the point where the ball is to be started—and stakeholders guard the goods staked.
428. Ball-play of the Choctaws—ball up—one party painted white; each has two sticks with a web at their ends, in which they catch the ball and throw it—they all have tails of horse-hair or quills attached to their girdles or belts.
Each party has a limit or bye, beyond which it is their object to force the ball, which, if done, counts them one for game.
429. Ball-play—same as 428, excepting that the ball is down, which changes the scene.
430. Ball-play of the women, Prairie du Chien.—Calicoes and other presents are placed on a pole by the men—the women choose sides and play for them, to the great amusement of the men.
In this play there are two balls attached to the ends of a string eighteen inches in length: the women have a stick in each hand, on which they catch the string and throw it.
A beautiful athletic exercise, and one on which they often bet and risk all their personal goods and chattels.
432. Horse-Racing, Mandan, on a Race-Course back of the Village, in use on every fair-day.
433. Foot-Race, Mandans, on the same ground, and as often run.
434. Canoe-Race—Chippeways in Bark Canoes, near the Sault de St. Mary’s; an Indian Regatta, a thrilling scene.
435. Archery of the Mandans.
The strife is to prove who can get the greatest number of arrows flying in the air at a time, before the first one reaches the ground. The most of these are portraits closely studied from nature. I have seen some of them get eight arrows in the air at one time.
436. Dance of the Chiefs, Sioux.
A very unusual thing, as the dancing is generally left to the young men; given to me expressly as a compliment by the chiefs, that I might make a painting of it.
437. Dog Dance, Sioux.
The dog’s liver and heart are taken raw and bleeding, and placed upon a crotch; and, being cut into slips, each man dances up to it, bites off and swallows a piece of it, boasting, at the same time, that he has thus swallowed a piece of the heart of his enemy, whom he has slain in battle.
438. Scalp Dance, Sioux—Women in the centre, holding the scalps on poles, and warriors dancing around, brandishing their war-weapons in the most frightful manner, and yelping as loud as they can scream.
439. Begging Dance, Sacs and Foxes, danced for the purpose of getting presents from the spectators.
440. Buffalo Dance, Mandans, with the mask of the buffalo on.
Danced to make buffalo come, when they are like to starve for want of food. Song to the Great Spirit, imploring him to send them buffalo, and they will cook the best of it for him.
441. Ball-play Dance, Choctaws.
442. Dance to the Berdash, Sac and Fox.
An unaccountable and ludicrous custom amongst the Sacs and Foxes, which admits not of an entire explanation.
443. Beggars’ Dance, (Sioux,) for presents.
444. Dance to the Medicine Bag of the Brave, Sacs and Foxes.
Warriors returned from battle, with scalps, dance in front of the widow’s lodge, whose husband has been killed. They sing to his medicine-bag, which is hung on a bush, and throw presents to the widow.
445. Braves’ Dance, Boasting, &c., Sioux.
446. Green Corn Dance, Minnatarree—Sacrificing the first kettle to the Great Spirit.
Four medicine men, whose bodies are painted with white clay, dance around the kettle until the corn is well boiled; and they then burn it to cinders, as an offering to the Great Spirit. The fire is then destroyed, and new fire created by rubbing two sticks together, with which the corn for their own feast is cooked.
447. Bear Dance, Sioux—Preparing for a Bear Hunt—Song to the Great Spirit, praying for success.
448. Discovery Dance, Sacs and Foxes—A Pantomime; pretending to discover game, or an enemy.
A very picturesque and pleasing dance.
449. Eagle Dance, Choctaw—Holding the eagle’s tail in the hand, and bodies painted white.
Given in honour of that valiant bird.
450. Slave Dance, Sacs and Foxes.
A society of young men, who volunteer to be slaves for two years, and elect their chief or master; they are then exempt from slavish duties during the remainder of their lives, and are allowed to go on war-parties.
451. Snow-shoe Dance, Ojibbeway—danced at the first fall of snow, with snow shoes on the feet.
Song of thanks to the Great Spirit.
452. Brave’s Dance, Ojibbeway—bragging and boasting.
453. Pipe Dance, Assineboins.
Each dancer is “smoked” by the chief, who sits smoking his pipe, and then pulled up into the dance.
454. Straw Dance, Sioux.
Children made to dance with burning straws tied to their bodies, to make them tough and brave.
455. Sham Fight, Mandan Boys—School of practice every morning at sunrise, back of the village—instructed in it by the chiefs and braves.
456. Sham Scalp Dance, by the Mandan Boys—danced in the village when they come in, in honour of a sham victory.
457. War Dance of the Sioux.
Each warrior, in turn, jumps through the fire, and then advances shouting and boasting, and taking his oath, as he “strikes the reddened post.”
458. Foot War Party in Council, Mandan.
Stopping to rest and take a smoke; chief with a war-eagle head-dress on; their shields and weapons lying on the ground behind them.
459. Camanchee War Party—the Chief discovering the enemy and urging on his men, at sunrise.
460. Religious Ceremony; a Sioux, with splints through his flesh, and his body hanging to a pole, with his medicine-bag in his hand, looks at the sun from its rising to its setting.
A voluntary cruel self-torture, which entitles him to great respect for the remainder of his life, as a medicine or mystery man.
461. Dragoons on the March, and a band of Buffalo breaking through their ranks, in Texas, 1835.
462. Prairie Dog Village.
Myriads of these curious little animals sometimes are found in one village, which will extend several miles. The animals are about twice the size of a rat, and not unlike it in appearance and many of their habits. They dig holes in the ground, and the dirt which is thrown up makes a little mound, on which they sit and bark when danger approaches. They feed upon the grass, which is their only food.
463. “Smoking Horses,” a curious custom of the Sacs and Foxes.
Foxes, going to war, come to the Sacs, to beg for horses; they sit in a circle and smoke, and the young men ride around them, and cut their shoulders with their whips until the blood runs, then dismount and present a horse.
464. Mandans attacking a party of Riccarees, whom they had driven into a ravine, near the Mandan village, where they killed the whole number.
465. Chippeways making the portage around the Falls of St. Anthony, with two hundred bark canoes, in 1835.
466. Camanchees moving, and Dog Fight—dogs as well as horses drag the lodge-poles with packs upon them.
These fights generally begin with the dogs, and end in desperate battle; amongst the squaws, to the great amusement of the men.
467. White Wolves attacking a Buffalo Bull.
468. Ditto, ditto—a parley.
469. My horse “Charley” and I, at sunrise, near the Neosho, on an extensive prairie, encamping on the grass; my saddle for a pillow, two buffalo-skins for my bed, my gun in my arms; a coffee-pot and tin cup, a fire made of buffalo-dung, and Charley (a Camanchee clay-bank mustang) picketed near me.
With him alone I crossed the prairie from Fort Gibson, on the Arkansas, to St. Louis, 550 miles.
470. Sioux worshipping at the Red Boulders. A large boulder and two small ones, bearing some resemblance to a buffalo cow and two calves, painted red by the Indians, and regarded by them with superstitious reverence, near the “Coteau des Prairies.”
471. Camanchee Warrior lancing an Osage, at full speed.
472. Camanchees giving the Arrows to the Medicine Rock.
A curious superstition of the Camanchees: going to war, they have no faith in their success, unless they pass a celebrated painted rock, where they appease the spirit of war (who resides there), by riding by it at full gallop, and sacrificing their best arrow by throwing it against the side of the ledge.
473. “Bàtiste, Bogard, and I” approaching Buffalo, on the Missouri.
474. Wi-jun-jon (an Assinneboin Chief), going to and returning from Washington.
This man was taken to that city in 1832, in a beautiful Indian dress, by Major Sanford, the Indian agent, and returned to his country the next spring, in a Colonel’s uniform. He lectured a while to his people on the customs of the whites, when he was denounced by them for telling lies, which he had learned of the whites, and was, by his own people, put to death at the mouth of the Yellow Stone.
475. “Butte de Mort,” Upper Missouri, a great burial-place of the Sioux, called by the French “Butte de Mort,” Hill of Death.
Regarded by the Indians with great dread and superstition. There are several thousand buffalo and human skulls, perfectly bleached and curiously arranged about it.
476. “Rain-making,” amongst the Mandans, a very curious custom. Medicine-men performing their mysteries inside of the lodge, and young men volunteer to stand upon the lodge from sunrise until sundown, in turn, commanding it to rain.
Each one has to hazard the disgrace which attaches (when he descends at sundown) to a fruitless attempt; and he who succeeds acquires a lasting reputation as a Mystery or Medicine man. They never fail to make it rain! as this ceremony continues from day to day until rain comes.
477. “Smoking the Shield.” A young warrior, making his shield, invites his friends to a carouse and a feast, who dance around his shield as it is smoking and hardening over a fire built in the ground.
478. “The Thunder’s Nest” (Nid du Tonnerre), and a party of Indians cautiously approaching it, Coteau des Prairies.
Tradition of the Sioux is that in this little bunch of bushes the thunders are hatched out by quite a small bird, about as large (say their Medicine-men, who profess to have seen it) as the end of a man’s thumb. She sits on her eggs, and they hatch out in claps of thunder. No one approaches within several rods of the place.
479. Sac and Fox Indians sailing in canoes, by holding up their blankets.
480. Grand Tournament of the Camanchees, and a Sham Fight in a large encampment, on the borders of Texas.
481. Bogard, Bàtiste, and I, travelling through a Missouri bottom, grass ten feet high.
482. Band of Sioux, moving.
483. Bogard, Bàtiste, and I, descending the Missouri River.
484. Bogard, Bàtiste, and I, eating our breakfast on a pile of drift wood, Upper Missouri.
485. Medicine Buffalo of the Sioux, the figure of a buffalo cut out of the turf on the prairie, and visited by the Indians going on a buffalo-hunt.
486. Bogard, Bàtiste, and I, chasing a herd of buffalo in high grass, on a Missouri bottom.
487. Feats of Horsemanship.