INDIANS (AMERICAN.) 



65 



and Missouries. They are a fierce, warlike people, 

 and have more national spirit than any other Indians 

 on the frontier. The Otoes and Missouries, now 

 united, are renowned among the tribes of the Mis- 

 souries for their bravery. They can muster about 

 300 men. The loways still dwell on the Mississippi. 

 They have from 100 to 200 men. The Osages are 

 divided into three tribes, and can boast over 1000 

 warriors. The Kansas inhabit the plains about the 

 heads of the Arkansas and Red rivers. Their num- 

 ber is unknown. The Omahaws live high up the 

 Missouri. Besides these tribes, there dwell on the 

 Mississippi, between the river Des Moines, the Wis- 

 consin, and the Missouri, the Sacs and Foxes, a 

 branch of the Chippeway tribe. They speak the 

 Chippeway tongue, and number above 1000 men. 

 On the Missouri are the Pawnees, divided into three 

 tribes, of which the Arikarees are a branch. They 

 live by hunting the buffalo, and are said to have a 

 language of their own. The Mintarees or Bigbellies, 

 the Mandans, the Crows, and the Blackfeet, also live 

 on the Missouri, and each is said to have a language 

 of its own. Their numbers are unknown. The 

 Shoshonees live between the head waters of the Mis- 

 souri and Columbia rivers. They are almost con- 

 stantly on horseback, and are at war with the lower 

 tribes of the Missouri. On the Columbia river are 

 the Chohunnish, the Skilloots, Echeloots, Multno- 

 mahs, Clatrops, aud other tribes. Their haunts and 

 numbers are unknown. They live by fishing as well 

 as hunting, and differ in manners and customs from 

 the tribes east of the Rocky mountains. They are 

 neither so well fed or clad. Most of these tribes 

 have the practice of flattening the heads of infants 

 between boards, whence the general name of Flat- 

 heads. They have some commerce with ships on the 

 north-west coast. Nothing is known of the languages 

 of any of these people. In the south of the United 

 States, there are four tribes, viz., the Chickasaws, 

 Choctaws, Cherokees, and Creeks. All these have 

 made some progress in civilization. The Cherokees 

 have a written and printed language, said to be radi- 

 cally (iifterent from all others. They number about 

 15.000 souls. (See Tsullakees.) The Choctaws and 

 Chickasaws are more numerous. North of Great 

 Slave lake is another family of Indians, among which 

 s re the Chippewyans, the Copper Indians, the Dog 

 Ribs, and the Hare Indians. (The subjoined cut re- 

 presents the usual costume of 

 these tribes.) The three first 

 speak the same language. 

 They all wage war with the 

 Esquimaux. The Dog Ribs 

 are also oppressed and perse- 

 cuted by the Copper Indians, 

 who rob them, and take from 

 them their women, whenever 

 an opportunity occurs. These 

 tribes live by hunting the rein- 

 deer chiefly, and by fishing 

 in the winter. Their morals 

 and manners are below the 

 standard of their, southern 

 neighbours, and their number 

 is very small. There are also 

 the remnants of some tribes 

 residing within the limits of 

 (he United States, viz., the Mohegans, the Dela- 

 wares, the Shawanoes, the Senecas, the Oneidas, 

 the. Piankashaws, and some others. Most of 

 these live by agriculture, as well as the chase. 

 Intercourse with the whites has not been ad- 

 vantageous to them. They have learned all the vices 

 of the civilized state without its virtues. Besides all 

 these, there is a tribe in the interior of Newfound- 



land, who have shunned all intercourse with the 

 whites. The Indians have uniformly resisted all 

 attempts to civilize them where they could support 

 themselves by the chase. Some few tribes, such as 

 the Southern Indians and the remnants of the Six 

 Nations, having been hemmed in by the whites, and 

 circumscribed in their limits, so as to be unable to 

 Jive by hunting, have turned to agriculture for sub- 

 sistence. But such a departure from the habits of 

 savage life is not to be found where there has been a 

 possibility of supporting life by other means. The 

 hospitality of Indians is among their most striking 

 qualities. In any of the tribes, a stranger is received 

 with the utmost respect and attention. On his arri- 

 val, he is served with the best in the wigwam, seated 

 on the best seat, and treated with the utmost respect 

 and attention. His person and property are consi- 

 dered sacred. He may remain as long as he pleases 

 in a wigwam, without any questions being asked, and 

 retire unopposed. Feasts are made for him, and, 

 though his appetite may be satisfied, to refuse any 

 thing set before him gives great offence. With all, 

 or almost all, the Indian tribes, the sole care of the 

 men is to provide food. The labour is the exclusive 

 lot of the women. The use of the axe or hoe is con- 

 sidered beneath the dignity of the male sex. It be- 

 longs to the females to plant corn, to make and mend 

 garments and mocassins, to build, to pitch tents, cut 

 wood, bring water, to tend horses and dogs, and, on 

 a march, to carry the baggage. The women do not 

 murmur at this, but consider it a natural and equita- 

 ble distribution of family cares. But they are re- 

 garded as an inferior race, and often transferred as 

 property. Polygamy is general. Every man has as 

 many wives as he can support, and, in marriages, the 

 will of the bride is seldom or never consulted. A man 

 addresses himself, indirectly to the parents of his in- 

 tended wife, and her fate depends on their will. The 

 custom of dowry is reversed among Indians. The 

 man makes certain presents to the parents of his wife, 

 instead of receiving a portion with her. The mar- 

 riage ceremony is always very simple, and, in most 

 tribes there is none at all. Adultery is punished by 

 cutting off the nose, or otherwise mutilating the 

 offending female ; sometimes, though rarely, with 

 death. In some tribes, this crime is regarded as a 

 venial fault, and, in very many, the husband lends his 

 wife to a friend without opposition on her part. 

 Divorces are frequent, and at the pleasure of the 

 contracting parties. In such cases, the wife is 

 usually left to provide for the children as she may. 

 It is no uncommon thing to see an Indian woman 

 who has been five or six times repudiated before she 

 finally settles in life. In some tribes, especially those 

 of Dahcotah origin, it is held the duty of each, man 

 to marry all the sisters of a family, and to have as 

 many wives as he can support. In most tribes, and 

 we believe in all, incest is held in abhorrence. In- 

 stances of devoted attachment are not uncommon. 

 All Indians of whom we have any knowledge, be- 

 lieve in one Supreme God and the immortality of the 

 soul. They attribute all good and all power to the 

 Supreme Being. Many tribes also believe in the 

 existence of an intelligent evil principle, whose ill 

 offices they endeavour to avert by prayer and sacrifice. 

 They never ask the Supreme for any thing, but merely 

 return thanks for benefits received, saying that he is 

 the best judge of what is for their advantage. They 

 believe in many subordinate deities, two of whom 

 reside in the sun and moon. They attribute super- 

 natural powers to all serpents, especially rattlesnakes, 

 and will kill no animal of the genus. Even the eel 

 escapes on account of his resemblance. They pay 

 religious honours to rocks and venerable objects. 

 They believe that brutes have immortal souls as well 



