44 The Book of Woodcraft 



theft is a crime scarcely known." (Hunter's "Captivity 

 Among American Indians," 1798-1816; p. 300.) 



"Theft was unknown in an Indian camp." (G. B. 

 Grinnell; "Indians of To-day," p. 8.) 



Every traveler among the highly developed tribes of the 

 Plains Indians tells a similar story, though, of course, when 

 at war, it was another matter. 



Even that rollicking old cut-throat, Alexander Henry II, 

 says after fifteen years among the Wild Indians: "I have 

 been frequently fired at by them and have had several nar- 

 row escapes for my life. But I am happy to say they never 

 pillaged me to the value of a needle." ("Journal" 1799- 

 1814, p. 452-) 



In my own travels in the Far North, 1907, I found the 

 Indians tainted with many white vices, and in many re- 

 spects degenerated, but I also found them absolutely 

 honest, and I left valuable property hung in trees for 

 months, without fear, knowing that no wild Indian would 

 touch it. 



There is a story told of Bishop Whipple: 



He was leaving his cabin, with its valuable contents, to be 

 gone some months, and sought some way of rendering all 

 robber-proof. His Indian guide then said: "Why, Brother, 

 leave it open. Have no fear. There is not a white man 

 within a hundred miles!" 



On the road to a certain large Indian Ojibway village in 

 1904 I lost a considerable roll of bills. My friend, the white 

 man in charge, said: "If an Indian finds it, you will have it 

 again within an hour ; if a white man finds it, you will never 

 see it again, for our people are very weak, when it comes to 

 property matters." 



Finally, to cover the far Southwest, I found that the 

 experience of most travelers agrees with the following: 



