Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 49

Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 49

When they desert the camp on account of some quarrel they travel alone

for days, subsisting on roots, berries, or fruit, if the season affords

them, shaping their course toward the fort or some other band of their

own people.

 

The bow and arrow is used altogether by all these tribes when hunting

buffalo on horseback and the Northwest shotgun is the only arm employed

in killing any and all game on foot. A few Sioux, perhaps a dozen in

the whole nation, use rifles in hunting antelope, bighorn, and other

small game. A warrior has if possible both gun and bow. Ammunition is

sold at the rate of 3 pounds of powder and 1 pound of balls for one

buffalo robe, which is enough for a month’s hunting by any Indian.

Traps, metallic instruments, arms, or anything they want, also persons

to repair their guns, kettles, and axes and to make tools to dress

robes, etc., can be furnished them at any tune; but they will not pay

for these things. We have kept in constant employment, mostly for their

benefit, a blacksmith, a gunsmith, and a tinsmith at all the forts for

20 years past and are heartily tired of the business, as no profit

arises from their labor.

 

It is not designed hereby to produce an impression that these labors

have been performed by us from charitable motives, but thereby to put

the Indians in a position to hunt and collect skins for the trade.

Every Indian without a horse or gun, or only with his bow and arrows

is an idler; his time is a loss to us. We therefore lend him a gun

and furnish him, with ammunition free of charge. He commences hunting

and realizes to us from $60 to $80 in skins that would otherwise have

remained upon the backs of the animals. True he never returns or pays

for the gun, but he has it, or some other has, and it is in our active

service. As long as the buffalo are as numerous as they now are these

tribes will have no difficulty in maintaining themselves by the chase.

Traders are too observant of their own interests to let them suffer

for the means of hunting, but should the buffalo fail the very reverse

would be the case. In that event the trade not being of sufficient

profit would be discontinued, and the Indians thrown upon their own

resources, which are extremely deficient.

 

They are no deer hunters, and besides only a small portion of their

country along the rivers is stocked with deer and elk and the greatest

famine and distress imaginable would follow, as they are entirely

unacquainted with agricultural pursuits.

 

There appears to be an anxiety exhibited on this point in many of the

queries, viz., whether the chase is sufficient for the support of the

Indians, and whether they would not be benefited by the introduction of

agriculture. It does not admit of a doubt; neither are any arguments

required to prove this. Having witnessed their eating their own

children during a temporary absence of buffalo in 1845-46 is enough to

satisfy any person on this head. Any railroad or emigration of whites

through their country would ruin it at once as a buffalo country, and

the misery above alluded to would as surely follow as night succeeds

day.

 

We think, however, that attention on the part of white friends is

not enough directed to pastoral pursuits instead of agricultural and

mechanical. It appears to us that the former occupation would suit

the Indian better to commence with. He would thereby gradually emerge

from his savage state into another which would lead to agriculture in

the end. The tilling necessary for the support of his stock would be

increased in proportion as he saw the advantages arising therefrom.

It would be expecting too much of the Indian to suppose that he would

suddenly change his indolent life for one of hard and constant labor,

but it seems reasonable that the raising of horses, cattle, hogs, and

sheep, for which their country is admirably adapted, would be to them

both interesting and profitable employment, particularly as they could

unite these operations with the chase when game came near. This state

would be but the chrysalis in the present generation, to merge into

agriculture, mechanical arts, and civilization in the next.

 

Another argument in favor of this is that they are accustomed to animal

food entirely, therefore grain of any kind could not replace this;

but domestic animals, fowls, eggs, etc., would—and in the meantime

a relish would be formed for breadstuff and vegetables, the want of

which is not now felt. The course to be pursued (that is if any be in

contemplation) by persons in high stations appears to us to be very

plain, and must be apparent to any one who makes himself acquainted

with their real character as set forth in these pages.

 

 

FISHING

 

These tribes take no fish in quantity by any means whatever.

 

 

WAR

 

The raising of a war party is always a subject of discussion in the

soldiers’ lodge, not to choose the persons, but whether the time is

suitable; if men, arms, and ammunition can be spared from camp, or if

they are required for defense; if it is advisable to keep up the war;

how they are situated with regard to their enemies as to locality,

numbers, and general prospects of success as presented at the time. It

being determined in favor of hostilities, the partisan soldier or chief

who intends leading the expedition proceeds to fast, sacrifice, and

dream in the manner before pointed out in these pages, and having had

favorable visions makes a feast of dog in his own lodge, and invites

thereto the persons he wishes to accompany him, opening to them the

object and plan of the expedition, after the feast has been concluded.

Should he not be able to obtain a sufficient number of recruits in

this way he sends runners with tobacco to other camps conveying an

invitation to join within a given time.

 

War is made either to steal horses from their enemies or to take

their scalps. For the first object but few people are required, as

concealment and avoiding battle is aimed at, and parties for this

purpose are comprised of from 10 to 30 men, whereas a party starting

expressly for battle often contains two, three, or four hundred

warriors. We will endeavor to follow up the first description of

parties, supposing stealing horses to be the object, which is the most

common kind of war excursions. The partisan or captain, as has been

stated, after dreaming, sacrificing, etc., to Wakoñda, the Sun, and

Thunder, makes his last offering, consisting of some scarlet cloth and

tobacco, to the Wolves, which are considered the war fetishes, and

viewed in the light of the special Gods of War. The day for starting

being appointed, all his followers are assembled the night before,

when the business is again considered, and they consent to follow him

as the leader during the time they are out, obey his instructions,

without, however, acknowledging any right in him to punish in case of

disobedience, also reserving to themselves the privilege of leaving him

at any time and under any circumstances they think proper.

 

It is a voluntary action and those who will not obey or are

dissatisfied leave and return home at any stage of the march, but do

not separate and remain to thwart the intentions of the others. No harm

being done by their desertion, no punishment follows. At all events he

is obliged to be contented with these precarious terms of enlistment.

The night previous to their departure they assemble (say 20 men) in

the soldiers’ lodge, where a dance called the Crow dance is performed

by them, and the next morning they all start together, singing the Wolf

Song as they leave, their faces usually being painted with vermilion at

all times and particularly at this time. All go on foot; no order or

file of march is taken up; neither is it necessary. Each one has six or

eight pairs of good strong-soled moccasins on his back. Some are armed

with bows and arrows, some with guns, and some with lances and war

clubs. Battle not being sought, a profusion of arms is not desired and

might prove cumbersome. Every man furnishes his own ammunition and war

implements.

 

Though guns are sometimes borrowed and ammunition begged of their

friends and relatives, yet there is no tax laid on the camp for

supplies nor any public arrangement whatever for providing arms, etc.

No provisions are taken; they hunt it on their way. The partisan takes

his fetish Wolf Skin, which is an entire skin of that animal dressed

with the head, ears, legs, etc., complete, so that by lying down or

standing on his hands and knees and covering himself with the skin,

drawing it over his head, he might easily be passed as a wolf by any

person within a short distance. His other charm or fetish is also

secured about his person. A good many, and sometimes the whole party,

have wolf skins of the above description on their backs.

 

During their march through their own country but little precaution is

used. They stray along at random and toward evening look around for

some game for supper, kill whatever presents itself, take enough for

the night and the next day and encamp.

 

They proceed in this way, if no signs of enemies appear, until

entirely out of their usual hunting grounds, the leader in the

meantime consulting his dreams, smoking to his fetish wolf skin. A

bad dream, or any unpropitious omen, such as the howling of a single

wolf in a peculiar manner, breaking his pipe, letting fall his fetish,

very severe thunder and lightning, would suffice to turn back the

expedition. When large parties start we find two or three returning

almost every day from the time of leaving until the attack, caused

by dissensions, omens, or other dissatisfaction, but no disgrace or

remarkable comments are attached to this fact, though the excuses some

of them give look very much like fear.

 

Having arrived at their enemy’s country, the greatest possible

precaution and vigilance are now exercised.

 

According to the orders of their leader they proceed slowly, scatter

in different directions for miles around, lie about on the tops of the

hills covered with their wolf skins, or headdresses made of bunches of

wild sage, examining the country in every direction for hours before

they move. If nothing is seen they signal to each other the result by

imitating the howling of wolves, the barking of foxes, or the hooting

of owls, as the signals agreed upon require. Assembling in some hollow,

they compare notes, receive new directions, and proceeding a few

miles, separate again and reconnoiter as before. They now shoot very

seldom, and only when meat is absolutely wanted, and the wind blows

in a direction to carry the report away from their enemies, or toward

that part of the country already explored. By observing the movements

of crows and wolves, in which direction they travel, where they stop

and light, they will find out the carcass of some animal killed by the

hunters of the camp. The state of its decay, tracks, and other signs

around will determine the probable direction of their enemies, and they

steer for that point.

 

When advanced thus far—that is, to know they are in the vicinity of

a camp—the real science of their manner of warfare exhibits itself.

Night marches commence, and separating as before about daylight they

occupy the hills, lying motionless all day, watching in every direction

some signs of their enemies. They are placed so as to be within call

of each other, and the signals for different discoveries being agreed

upon by imitating the howling of wolves, etc., as has been stated, they

can communicate with each other all the time without rising to their

feet. They never expose their persons to view on a hill. If necessary

to assemble they crawl down and meet in some ravine well covered with

thick bushes. They now never shoot, make no fire, eat nothing, keep

very quiet, and travel in the night. Of course, by these measures they

must soon perceive some one belonging to the camp, and by observing his

direction will find where it is.

 

Having discovered the camp, the last rendezvous takes place prior to

the attempt upon the horses, and here several things are determined—a

place is agreed upon where they will all assemble after the attack, a

direction for the return chosen in case of separation, smoking, and

invoking the different fetishes are performed, and general directions

given by their leader as to the manner of approaching the camp.