Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 42

Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 42

MUSIC

 

Their music on the flute referred to herein merits some notice. The

instrument is made of wood, about the length and size of an octave

flute, and the mouth on the principle of a whistle. There are four

finger holes above and one underneath for the thumb. No tune or

anything approaching it can be produced from this instrument, yet they

can sound different calls in a shrill tone. It is played in several of

their dances as an accompaniment to singing, not, however, producing

any sound accordant with the voice. The principal purpose for which it

is made and used is love making. By the various notes the following

intelligence can be conveyed by the man outside to the woman inside

the lodge, without any of the inmates except her knowing for whom they

are intended, as the whistle can be distinctly heard at the distance

of 100 yards or more: “I am here waiting for you,” “I am watched,”

“Remain,” “I will come again,” “Meet me to-morrow,” and several other

communications of a like nature. The meanings of these different sounds

are agreed upon and understood by the parties beforehand. As the

instrument admits of considerable variation in its tone and note all

their calls are different, and no other person would understand them

rightly. They might suspect some assignation to be going forward, but

would not know with or between whom. Songs and this whistle are used in

their serenades and dances.

 

 

LONGEVITY

 

The changes, exposures, and deprivations attending on the life of the

roving tribes are without doubt great causes of the slow increase of

Indian population. We think from actual observation that not more than

two out of five children live until youth is passed. Even a few days

after their birth, and sometimes but a few hours after, they are packed

on the backs of their mothers in all weather, exposed to cold, snow,

and wet. They must be iron to stand this. Should they be so fortunate

as to reach the age of 4 to 6 years they follow the camp on foot

through spring thaws, exposed to rain and cold, for weeks together, and

a great many thus die from cold, pleurisy, and rheumatism. No question

but the uncertainty of their food also contributes to their mortality,

not that they often absolutely starve to death, but are rendered weak

and unable to stand the hardship the life requires. In maturity war

takes off another portion of the remainder, and diseases contracted by

the exposures of their youth, together with their continued exertions

as required by their precarious life, places it beyond probability of

many arriving at extreme age. It is evident that the hard labor the

women perform after marriage ruins their constitutions. A woman is old

on the plains at the age of 35 years, and seldom healthy. They have

from 2 to 5 children, more are occasionally seen, but 7 or 8 is a rare

occurrence. There are but few very old women. The usual diseases by

which they are carried off are pains in the head, heart, and side,

consumption, hemorrhages from the nose and other ducts, puerperal

fever, peritoneal inflammations, deliveries, and rheumatism.

 

Some of these complaints are certainly produced by their continued

stooping when in the act of scraping skins, others from exposure, and

all aggravated by their injudicious medical treatment.

 

A woman ceases to bear at 40 years, often earlier. Children have been

produced by women at the age of 15, though this is uncommon; from 18

to 35 is the usual period. Twins are often seen; that is as frequently

as this happens among the same number of white women. It is remarkable

that women who bear twins are liable to a repetition of twin bearing,

and two or three pairs follow. Two instances have happened under our

observation where women had three children at a delivery. Barrenness is

met with, but is by no means common.

 

 

HOSPITALITY

 

Entertaining visitors forms one of the Indian’s chief employments. Some

of these meetings partake of the nature of dinner and supper parties.

They are then called feasts. But as these will meet with consideration

elsewhere we will allude in this place only to the custom of private

entertainment, generally ascribed to hospitality. Independent of

feasts, visiting and invitations to visit, as stated, occupy a great

part of their time. Most of their private business, bargains, settling

disputes, hearing news, asking advice, required loans, and indeed all

their transactions with individuals are carried on when visiting, or

invitations are sent with that view. They also invite to preserve good

feeling and friendly relationship, but usually there is some point to

be gained, or advantage to result from these pains. After cooking and

preparing ready whatever is to be offered and having the lodge swept

and put in order, a boy is sent to the lodge or lodges of their guests,

or he hunts them up through the camp, saying to each “You are invited”

or “called,” directs him to the lodge of his parents, and proceeds to

pick up the others. Being acquainted with the situation of all the

lodges, they are at no loss to find the way, or if they are, inquire

of any one in the neighborhood. If strangers are invited, or whites,

the boy precedes as guide and they follow. When the guests arrive they

enter one after the other, saying on entering, “I have come.” They are

shown to a seat in the back part of the lodge, nearly opposite the

entrance, where clean skins have been spread on the ground for their

reception.

 

If several are expected, the first who come talk and smoke with the

master until all have arrived or been heard from. The pipe being laid

aside, the woman of the lodge dishes out the meal in wooden bowls,

handing one to each. When all are served the master says “Eat ye.”

They fall to, but neither he nor any of his family partake of it while

their visitors remain. The guests, however, are expected to do justice

to the repast, and the more heartily they partake the better pleased

the host appears. When the meal is over and the dishes laid aside the

pipe is again introduced, and during the conversation of an hour or so

that follows the object of the invitation is disclosed, and whatever

business it is most likely settled or whatever favor desired granted.

Such a thing as disinterested hospitality may possibly be met with, at

least we have been present on some of these occasions where the object

of the call was not visible, but it is entirely incompatible with a

correct view of the Indian character to infer thereby that he had no

object. On stated feasts, a feather, the lower end painted red, is sent

as an invitation card, but on all ordinary occasions the message is by

some one of the inmates of the lodge.

 

Casual visits without invitations are also common, sometimes only

with the view of getting a meal, but mostly to accomplish some end or

acquire some information. Guests, whether invited or not, are always

awarded precedence. Any insult or imposition on a guest, once in an

Indian lodge and under his protection, would be resented with greater

severity than the same toward themselves.

 

We can not perceive in all this seeming friendliness toward guests any

feeling of pure hospitality. An Indian never willingly, or without

a motive, makes an enemy. The uncertainty of their lives and of

everything they possess is such that mutual reliance on each other

is required. It is more than probable that these attentions have for

their object the forming of a name for liberality and securing the

good will of as many neighbors as possible with the view of obtaining

their assistance in times of need, or which is more evident, for

present favors in small matters which are nearly always made known at

the close of the visit. In the instances where the real object does

not appear we are obliged to conclude that it lies deeper, requires a

course of entertainments to accomplish, but nevertheless exists. When

whites are invited and are merely travelers through their country,

nothing at the time can perhaps be gained, but the rule holds good,

for the Indians will always claim the same attentions when they are in

turn the visitors, besides additional demands as a compensation for

their hospitality. A casual observer would believe them to be the most

hospitable people in the world, but a more minute acquaintance shows

an undercurrent of pure selfishness in all they do. The sharing of the

meat with each other in times of scarcity is no mark of liberality, or

done from any other principle than the foregoing remarks present. It is

a loan, or obligation, laid upon the person, to be repaid when their

situations become reversed, or whenever the claimant thinks proper to

remind him of it, which sooner or later he is sure to do in some way.

 

Indians of different nations are not only feasted by all the principal

men in camp but loaded with presents to carry home. A short time after

the donators pay a visit to the homes of their guests and receive as

much or more in return.

 

Protecting a guest from insult and injury is done partly through the

fear of the ridicule that would follow were he suffered to be badly

treated in his lodge; it is a contempt of their power to support,

and resented as such. Very often also it lays the stranger under

obligations which are expected to be paid for, and usually are. Were

we not limited in our remarks we could cite hundreds of instances that

would prove true hospitality to have no existence among the savages of

the plains. Everything they do and all their study is for the interest

of self, visible or invisible to others, according to the nature of

their views. We are not aware, however, that this course of hospitality

is pursued with the view of covering stratagems, evil intentions, or

to lull suspicion for the purpose of committing bad acts; it appears

only to operate as a furtherance to all their ordinary wishes and bring

about a favorable opportunity to make requests and transact other

business.

 

 

MIDWIFERY, CHILDBIRTH, NAMING

 

Nearly all the old women and most of those of middle age exercise

the office of midwives. When a woman perceives the pains of labor

approaching, the lodge is cleared of all the men and children except

the small ones, and the mother of the woman with some other experienced

female acquaintances are invited. The doctor is also notified to have

his medicine in readiness in case of it being wanted. The woman is

placed on her knees and sticks set up in this form [symbol] placed

before her. She presses the abdomen on the cross stick, rubbing gently

along it. The pains of labor are said to be very severe. If danger

is apprehended, the doctor is sent for and administers a draft of

pulverized rattles of the rattlesnake or decoction of roots. If the

doctor be a man, he then retires; but if a female she remains. Cases

of solitary confinement happen occasionally from lonely situations. No

nurse is provided; the mother takes care of her children from their

birth. The rite of circumcision is not performed, but they evince a

great desire that their children should be naturally thus formed and attach an unaccountable importance to that incident.