254 EXPEDITION TO THE 



signs ; it is also adorned with the small feathers of birds, 

 pigeons, &c. and with the hair of the deer, stained red. 

 Some of these pipes are very elegant, and require a great 

 deal of time in their preparation ; they are made by the fe- 

 males. The chief distinction, between the Dacota and 

 Chippewa pipe, is, that the latter is cylindrical and about 

 an inch in diameter; while the former is, as we have just 

 mentioned, flattened. Both nations use bowls of the same 

 stone, which is generally red, sometimes, however, black ; 

 they are often curiously carved, &c. 



The conversation concluded w^ith another general shak- 

 ing of the hand. The frequency of this ceremony, during 

 the interview which we had with the Redwing chief, who 

 is considered as pertinaciously adhering to all their old 

 customs, led us to inquire whether the practice of shak- 

 ing hands originally existed among the Indians, or if it 

 was not introduced among them by Europeans. An ac- 

 quaintance with many nations has proved, that the modes 

 of salutation varied, according to the diversity which ex- 

 ists in their manners, languages, &c. It would, therefore, 

 be singular, that the same practice, which prevails among 

 us, and which we received from our British ancestors, 

 had existed among the Indians, whose neighbours we 

 have, in the course of ages, become. With a view to clear 

 this point, we have collected a number of authorities, re- 

 lating exclusively to the North American Indians, from 

 which we have been led to believe, that the practice of 

 shaking hands, was acquired by their intercourse with 

 white men. 



We find that among many Indians a difierent mode of 

 salutation formerly prevailed. Probably one of the most 

 usual methods, for an Indian to welcome a stranger, was 

 to pat his own breast, arms, and legs, and then those of the 



