Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 3

Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 3

Again, Kurz wrote: “In his relations with me he is most kind and

agreeable. Every evening he sits with me either in my room or in front

of the gate and relates experiences of his earlier life. As he has held

his position in this locality for 19 years already, his life has been

full of adventure with Indians—particularly since the advent of the

whisky flask. He wishes me to paint, also, a portrait of himself and

his dog, Natah (Bear), a commission I am very glad to execute” (p. 211).

 

Again, in speaking of the duties of Mr. Denig, Kurz wrote: “It goes

without saying that a _bourgeois_ who occupies the position of

responsible warden, chief tradesman, and person in highest authority at

a trading-post far removed, where he has fifty men under his direction,

may regard himself of more importance than a man who directs five men”

(p. 213).

 

Again Kurz wrote: “As a matter of course, Denig keeps the subordinate

workmen strictly under his thumb—what is more, he has to, if he is to

prevent their overreaching him. He feels, however, that one man alone

is not sufficient to enforce good order among these underlings, for

every one of them is armed and, though not courageous in general, are,

nevertheless, touchy and revengeful. So, for purposes of order and

protection he has attached to himself the clerks who stand more nearly

on the same level with him in birth and education and afford, besides,

the only support, moral as well as physical, upon which he can reckon”

(p. 216).

 

Again Kurz wrote: “He talks to me continually about Indian legends and

usages. As he writes the best of these stories for Pere De Smet, by

whom they are published, there is no need of my preserving more than

some bits of memoranda” (p. 238). This explains why the writings on

these matters of Father De Smet have a close family resemblance with

those of Mr. Denig.

 

Again Kurz wrote: “Mr. Denig has been reading to me again from his

manuscript, which is extremely interesting. He is very well educated

and he has made a thorough study of Indian life—a distinct advantage

to him in trade. He is so fond of the life in this part of the country

that he is averse to any thought of going back to his Pennsylvania home

in the United States. For the reason, as he says, that he may avoid

political carryings-on that disgust him” (p. 242).

 

Another entry in the Kurz Journal reads: “September the 24th. Began

a portrait of Mr. Denig—life-size, knee-length. This work is to be

finished before Mr. Culbertson’s return from Fort Laramie” (p. 254).

 

The following citation is from the Kurz Journal at page 577: “February

the 26th, Mr. Denig is a Swedenborgian and at the same time he is a

Freemason. He mentioned to me that it would be of great advantage on my

travels if I were a Freemason.”

 

It seems appropriate to insert here briefly what another intimate

friend of Mr. Denig, the Reverend Father De Smet, thought of the

knowledge and attainments of our author. Father De Smet in speaking of

the source of his information in a particular instance wrote: “I have

it from two most reliable sources—that is to say, from a man of tried

probity and veracity, Mr. Denig of the Saint Louis Fur Company....”[1]

 

[1] Chittenden, H. M., and Richardson, A. T. Life, letters, and travels

of Father Pierre-Jean De Smet, S. J., 1801-1873. Vol. IV, p. 1111. New

York, 1905.

 

On page 1215 of this same work Father De Smet in a personal letter

to Mr. Denig, dated September 30, 1852, wrote: “I do not know how to

express my gratitude for your very interesting series of narratives

concerning the aborigines of the Far West.... Nothing could be more

gratifying to me than the beautiful and graphic details which you have

given me of the religion, manners, customs, and transactions of an

unfortunate race of human beings.”

 

It is hoped that these excerpts from the writings of Frederick Kurz and

Father De Smet, both intimately associated with Mr. Denig, will supply

some data concerning our author not otherwise accessible.

 

The Swiss artist, Friedrich Kurz, who painted many pictures of the

region around Fort Union, lived with Denig for some time, and in 1851

painted his portrait.

 

The Indians called Mr. Denig “The Long Knife,” which simply meant that

they knew him as “an American.”

 

In the manuscript Mr. Denig employs the word “band” to denote “a gens

of a tribe,” the word “clans” to denote “societies” or “corporations,”

and the “orders of doctors” he calls “shamans or theurgists.” To

understand Mr. Denig these meanings must be kept in mind.

 

THE EDITOR.

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

Letter of transmittal 393

 

 

THE ASSINIBOIN

 

History 395

Origin 395

Name and geographical position 396

Ancient and modern habitat 397

Vestiges of early tradition 398

Names and events in history 399

Present rulers and condition 401

Intertribal rank and relations 403

Magnitude and resources of territory a cause of the

multiplication of tribes 405

 

Geography 406

Figure of the globe 406

Local features of the habitat 406

Surface of the country 407

Facilities for grazing 408

Effect of firing the prairies 408

Waste lands 409

Effects of volcanic action 409

Saline productions 409

Coal and mineral products 410

 

Climate 410

 

Wild animals 410

Ancient bones and traditions of the monster era 411

Animals used as armorial marks 412

 

The horse—Era of importation 412

 

Pictographs—Charts on bark 412

 

Antiquities 413

 

Pipes 413

 

Vessels and implements 414

 

Astronomy and geology 414

Earth and its motions 414

The sun 415

The sky 415

 

Future life—Indian paradise 418

 

Arithmetic 418

Numeration 418

Coin 420

Keeping accounts 420

Elements of figures 421

 

Medicine 422

General practice 422

Depletion by bleeding 426

Stoppage of blood and healing art 427

Amputation 427

Theory of diseases and their remedy 428

Parturition 429

 

Government 430

Tribal organization and government 430

Chiefs 431

The Sndoo-kah, “Circumcised” 434

Soldiers 436

Councils 446

Scope of civil jurisdiction 448

Chiefship 448

Power of the war chief 449

Power of the priests in councils 450

Matrons in councils 451

General councils 451

Private right to take life 452

Game laws, or rights of the chase 455

 

Indian trade 457

 

Education 466

 

Warfare 470

 

Property 474

 

Territorial rights 476

 

Primogeniture 478

 

Crime 479

 

Prayers 483

Prayer of warrior 483

Prayer to ghosts 484

 

The moon 484

 

Parental affection 485

 

Religion 486

 

Immortality 498

 

Mythology: Legends, tales 500

 

Manners and customs 503

Constitution of the Assiniboin family; kinship 503

 

Camp life 505

 

Courtship and marriage 510

 

Music 512

 

Longevity 513

 

Hospitality 513

 

Midwifery, childbirth, naming 516

 

Assiniboin personal names 518

 

Children 519

 

Suicide 522

 

Personal behavior 523

 

Scalping 524

 

Oaths 524

 

Smoking 524

 

Fame 525

 

Stoicism 525

 

Taciturnity 526

 

Public speaking 526

 

Travel 526

 

Senses 527

 

Juggling and sorcery 528

 

Strength and endurance 529

 

Spirituous liquors 529