CHOW !\l)I.l\s or MOXT.WA INl 



character, the ■iiiniial pcrtdniiaiico of llic clown^ r<-tiit('(| ihr iKipiilar lallacy 

 that the Imhaiis afc dcxoiil iif hiiiiior. A i:r(iii|) of iiicii (li-|);ii-(r(l IViiiii <aiiii) 

 ami (h'cssrd up in tlic wofst possihh" clothiiiii,', l)hickciiiii^' tlicir IxxMcs witli 

 mud and doiuiiny crude masks nuuh' of canvas. Also tlicy ki(hiapj)cd the 

 ugliest horse they coidd (iiid and enhanced its nnal ti'aet i\ cness l)y trappin<:s 

 of repulsi\-e-h>okinji; .mmuysack. Tlien they relniiied to eam|), and annised 

 the spectators, stopping' the ])hiy abruptly as soon as they were identified. 



In fcllewinu out one of the ])i-incii)al ohjects of my e\|)e<htion, that is 

 to collect information on the old military societies of the ( I'ow, I diseo\ci-ed 

 the former c.\ist(Mice of a hoys" military organization eahed lni ptsnhr. foi-med 

 in imitation of the societies of adults. As an emhiem of their dignity these 

 prosjH'Ctixe warriors carried tall start's to which were attached wooden 

 ohjects resemhlin^f hanncrstones and covered with symholical ])aintin,us. 

 It was found later that the kindred Hidatsa Indians possess a coi-resi)ondin.u- 

 s(;ciety with a sinu'lar end)lcm, which was secured for ])urp()scs of comparison. 



One of the curiotis social customs practised hy the Crow, as well as hy 

 many other Indian ti-ittes, is the "mother-in-law tahoo." That is to say. 

 a man is under no circumstances permitted to hold conversation with his 

 wife's mother. Another strange rejitilation is tliat relatitiir to the playin.i;' 

 of practical jokes. A man is not permitted to jest with anyone he pleases, 

 hut is limited to tlx- indixiduals who.se fatluM's helonu'cd to the same clan as 

 Ills own father. Within this fi'roup, howe\er, })racticall\- any liherty is 

 allowahle. If a man discovers that a "jckahle relan\c"" has cenuuitted 

 some foolish or disfjraceful act, he can puhliely twit him with it, and the 

 person dericJed must not get angry, hut l)ide his time for some favorahle 

 opportunity to retaliate. 



The older ("row are justly prcjtid of th(> fact that they have in\arial)ly 

 sidefl with th<' Oo\-ernment in the history of Indian warfare, and are eager 

 to ha\e their deeds rememl)ere(l. h'or exatnpie. (Jra>- Hull, one of the most 

 noted warriors of the trihe, wished me to [)lace on record the fact that he 

 had .saved the soldiers under "(General Custer's brother " (possibly (Jeneral 

 Crook I from an attack hy tlic Sioux. Many of the reprcseutati\es of 

 the younger generation have a very good knowledge of Knglish and show a 

 surprising interest in the afi'airs of the outside world. Thus one of my ( "row 

 friends .subserihes for the Liicrdrji Difjisi, another was not afraid to struggle 

 with the terminology of a law bof)k in order to get at the meaning of some 

 Indian regulation, and a third showed a xital inter(>st in the elements of 

 civics. These signs of intelligence and mental acti\ ity encourage us in the 

 l)elief that the ('row, who ha\-e always taken the part of the I'nitcd States 

 against hostile tribes, will continue the good work of the past and will be 

 able to contribute their share to the deNclopment of their great adopti\-e 

 countrv. 



