Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 41

Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 41

The jealousies arising among the women are only occasional bickerings

in the absence of the master, who if he perceives anything of the

kind going on or anything else to mar his peace soon settles it by

the argument of the tomahawk. Men of family are dignified, use great

forbearance toward those under their charge, and consider it as

disgraceful to be engaged in quarrels and squabbles with women, seldom

interfere or abuse them, never strike their children, but evince a

determination to see their home rendered pleasant and agreeable. Young

women are vain, fond of dress, yet this is no source of discord. Fine

dress is not sought eagerly by women of middle age. More frequently

they take a pride in dressing the youngest wife, or their children, if

any, even at their own expense, which greatly pleases the master and

induces him to flatter them otherwise for this mark of respect.

 

There is order enough preserved in every Indian lodge to suit their

mode of life and with a delicacy toward guests that would merit

imitation elsewhere. If a child cries during conversation it is taken

out. Boys and young men keep their mouths shut when the masters speak.

They do not contradict, abuse, or interrupt. All have their places for

sitting and sleeping, at the head of which, if men, are placed their

arms and accouterments; if women, their sewing, garnishing, etc. These

places are arranged by the eldest wife or by the grandmother as soon

as the lodge is erected by spreading skins on the ground, and are

uniformly the same in the same family. They can be and are changed

whenever the necessities of the men require it, though the individual’s

local privileges are not thereby disturbed.

 

Places are reserved for strangers or visitors, and baggage, water,

cooking utensils, and provisions have each their space allotted. This

is not perceived immediately by casual observers, but would be realized

by a short residence. To present a more lucid idea of these locations

in the interior, we submit the drawings (pls. 74 and 75), with the

additional remark that the skin door is locked on the inside on going

to bed by the mistress of the lodge to prevent the entrance of dogs

and other intruders. The fastening is made by a paddle of wood twisted

in a cord attached to each end of the transverse stick that forms

the support of the skin door; the ends of the paddle are then thrust

through the poles of the lodge and secured by loops of cord for the

purpose. The whole is so constructed that any person acquainted with it

would have some trouble to shut or open the door, even in the daytime.

The form as represented in general, though, of course, differs when the

family circle is great or small, but the same correct appointments of

places are visible in all, be the inhabitants few or many. Sometimes

different families, yet some way related, in default of lodging are

compelled to occupy the same lodge; in this case, although they may be

somewhat crowded, yet there is always a delicacy of arrangement made to

prevent the promiscuous location of the different sexes.

 

 

CAMP LIFE

 

In an Indian camp after one has become acquainted the very opposite

of taciturnity presents itself. The evenings are devoted to jests

and amusing stories, and the days to gambling. When not able to

raise amusement among themselves they will invite some old man to

relate fables and stories of the olden time. The soldiers’ lodge

when not in session is the very theater of amusement and gaming by

the chiefs and soldiers, all sorts of jokes are passed, and obscene

stories told. Scarcely a woman in camp escapes their ribaldry, and

they, consequently, never go near there. Yet, when business is to be

attended to the reverse is the case, and one would not think it was

then occupied by the same set of people. Ordinarily during the day in

private families there is an evenness of temper, and great cordiality

exhibited, with much affection shown to their children. These traits

and amusements are not more observable when situated in remote parts

of the plains alone, than in a large camp, perhaps not so much so for

want of sufficient sources of amusement. The Indian of the plains or

real savage is not the stoic ordinarily represented. Dancing, feasting,

gaming, singing, stories, jests, and merriment occupy their leisure

hours, and then all is fun and humor; but when in pursuit of game,

sitting in council, traveling, trading, or war they are cautious,

serious, quiet, and suspicious.

 

The number of meals they have in each 24 hours depends altogether on

the supply of meat on hand. If plenty, each lodge cooks regularly three

times per day—at daybreak, midday, and dark. But in addition to this

pieces are kept roasting by the fire by the women and children nearly

all the time.

 

Feasting is also common. In all those ways in times of plenty most of

the men eat six, eight, ten, and as high as twenty times during a day

and night. In times of comparative scarcity but two meals are had,

morning and night. When meat is very nearly exhausted one meal must

suffice, and for the rest the women and children are sent to dig roots

or gather berries as the season and place afford. Feasts would then be

desirable, but there is no one to make them, all being in want. Some

who have nothing at all to eat in their lodge will send their children

to watch when cooking is going on in another lodge, who report to their

parents, and the man happens to drop in at the right time. No Indian

eats before guests without offering them a share, even if it is the

last portion, they possess.

 

When no meat can be found they eat up their reserve of dried berries,

pomme blanche and other roots, then boil the scrapings of rawhide with

the buds of the wild rose, collect old bones on the prairie, pound

them and extract the grease by boiling. A still greater want produces

the necessity of killing their dogs and horses for food, but this

is the last resort and approach of actual famine, for by this they

are destroying their means of traveling and hunting. One thing is

remarkable, be they ever so much in want of food, the grown persons

never murmur nor complain, though the children sometimes cry.

 

Their appetites are capricious. It would seem that they are always

hungry. The quantity of meat an Indian can eat is incredible, and after

eating at six or eight feasts in succession his appetite appears fully

as good for the tenth or even the twentieth as at the first. Their

power in this respect as actually witnessed by us on many occasions

would not be credited if related. It is useless to endeavor to impress

upon the minds of persons not accustomed to this even an approach to

the truth. It can not be realized. A lean, lank Indian will eat from

3 to 10 hours nearly all the time and grow gradually larger from his

breast downward until in the end he presents somewhat the appearance

of the letter “S,” and all this without any apparent inconvenience.

At other times they are from eight to fifteen days without eating

anything, and often one or two months with barely enough to support

life. After being deprived of food for a great length of time, and

arriving suddenly on an abundance of game, they will feast again as

observed and no evil effects follow.

 

They make no address nor grace to Wakoñda or any other supernatural

power at ordinary meals, or common feasts. This is done on stated

occasions which will be mentioned hereafter.

 

 

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE

 

The way courtships are conducted is that the suitor in the first place

always endeavors to induce the girl to run away with him. He has two

objects in this. First, it shows her great regard for him and flatters

his vanity that she leaves her parents and departs to another band,

with and under his protection. Next, having the girl in his possession

obviates the possibility of a refusal, and also he can afterwards pay

his own price for her instead of that demanded by her relatives. To

accomplish this they paint, dress, and adorn themselves extravagantly,

and are always on the watch to catch the woman outside or away from the

view of her parents. He dogs her steps so closely that opportunities

must present themselves when he can recite to her his tale of love.

Of course this consists of the usual promises and flatteries used by

all men for like purposes which often prove successful. Should he

obtain her consent to depart with him they will agree upon a place of

rendezvous and signal, which he repeats to her in the night with his

flute from outside the lodge at the appointed time to meet him, and

they leave, traveling night and day until they arrive at another camp.

Here they stay with some distant relative or friend three or four weeks

and return as man and wife, when he looks around for some means to

satisfy the parents. Or it sometimes happens that having become tired

of her in the meantime he throws her on their hands and proceeds to

seduce another. The young Indians are great profligates and boast of

their success in this way.

 

If, however, by all their efforts they can not succeed in this they

then marry. When this is decided upon no courtship is necessary. The

suitor sends a horse by the hands of some respectable old man who ties

the animal to the door of the lodge where her parents reside and,

entering, presents a pan of cooked meat to the girl who is desired as

a wife. Consent is asked and obtained or refused through the medium of

this man. The nearest of kin are always asked (the girl’s father and

mother); if she have neither then the eldest brother, or uncle, etc.

If the parents refuse, both the victuals and horse are sent back and

negotiation ends. But if the suitor be determined to have her he will

try again, sending two or three horses, guns, kettles, and all he can

raise, until objection on that score is overruled and she becomes his

property by going to his lodge at dark and remaining there. When the

right price is paid the offer is seldom rejected, though refusals are

given on other grounds, such as old family feuds, or inability on the

part of the applicant as a hunter or warrior. There is no tradition of

the institution of marriage. It is a bargain and looked upon in this

light by both parties, not merely a contract of sale, but one of amity,

friendship, and mutual support of all related and concerned. Courtships

and presents are only resorted to when the possession of the girl is

aimed at without the consent of the parents. Otherwise the consent of

the girl is not necessary, she being obliged to obey the wishes of her

parents.

 

Neither the priests nor doctors nor any one else is consulted on these

occasions, except the nearest relatives, and the negotiator is some

man of standing or relation of the applicant. There is no parade or

ceremony on the occasion nor are any gifts made by the mother-in-law

to her daughter. On the contrary the son-in-law is regarded as their

property. All he has and does is for years to the advantage of his

wife’s parents. The most of the meat and skins killed by him are

carried to her parents by her until she has a child and her husband

commences working for himself. The foregoing is the marriage of a young

man with a young woman. The son-in-law, as has been stated, never

enters the lodge of his wife’s parents. Even in a casual passing when

they meet elsewhere he is obliged to hide his face by drawing his robe

over it, being as they say “abashed by them” or abashed to name or

speak to them.

 

The men usually marry between the ages of 20 and 25 years and the women

are given away from the age of 12 years upward. We are acquainted with

but two instances of men of middle age among them who have never been

married. The young of both sexes are extravagantly addicted to dress,

particularly the beaus, who dress, paint, feather, and adorn themselves

in every way imaginable, especially about the head, and are the most

consummately vain fops in existence.

 

Widowers and widows remarry, the former in about one year after the

loss of their wife and the latter from one to two and three years

after the death of their husbands, in proportion as they are grieved

for their loss. After a woman has had children her chances for a young

husband are few, but middle-aged men do not consider this any objection

if she in other respects is able to work and has a reputation for

industry. The most advantageous time for a man to purchase a wife is

on his return from a successful war excursion with the horses of his

enemies in his possession. The manner in which his means to purchase

have been procured gives him additional favor both with the girl as

a brave man and with the girl’s parents as one who can at any time

repair their losses in horses if it be necessary. After marriage the

brothers-in-law on both sides become friendly, associate, make feasts,

and exchange gifts, aiding each other on all occasions. No quarrels

take place among them, nor indeed among any near relations. The whole

forms a posse, a body, a support in times of trial, need and danger.

 

The right of divorce lies altogether with the husband. If a man has

children by his wife he seldom puts her away even for adultery, the

greatest offense. He will punish, but retain her on that account.

Should they separate, all the larger children—that is, those who

required no nurse and were able to take care of themselves—would

remain with the man and the smaller ones depart with the woman. When

the women have no children they are turned off without any scruple for

much less offenses, or from jealousy by young husbands. Elder Indians

require the labor of their women; therefore seldom willingly discharge

them. Should he choose to do so, however, no one has a right to object,

nor is any other consent asked; they are his property and he can do as

he pleases with them. Occasionally they part from them a year or so and

take them back afterwards. No property is given to the woman in the event of a separation.