324 INDIANS 



Freclericksburg (two miles distant), and spend the whole 

 in ' white man's clothing,' from hat to boots, all complete, 

 even gloves. Arrayed in his new clothes, he would 

 strut about the post thoroughly enjoying himself. He 

 would spend a whole day calling at the different houses ; 

 officers, ladies, citizens, soldiers, laundresses, and servants, 

 all had opportunity and were expected to admire his 

 ' get-up.' This ceremony performed, he asked for leave 

 of absence for two, or perhaps three, days, at the end 

 of which time he stalked into the post in blanket and 

 breech clout alone. All his clothing had been bartered 

 for the means of having a ' good heap drunk ' for the 

 time of his leave. This was a regular monthly occur- 

 rence. 



AMUSEMENTS. 



Drinking, gambling, and love making may be said to 

 be serious occupations rather than amusements. Next 

 to this the principal indoor delight of the Indian is story 

 telling. A good story teller is a man of importance. 

 The bucks, squaws, and children crowd to his lodge, or 

 any other where he happens to be, and spend the long 

 winter evenings listening to his recitals. These stories 

 are as marvellous as the imagination of the teller can 

 create, jumbling gods and men, fabulous and living 

 animals, the impossible and the possible in the most 

 heterogeneous confusion. There is little point or wit in 

 them, and scarcely any dramatic power, except the 

 narrator be telling of some personal event, when he 

 also acts the scene with all possible exaggeration. The 

 personal stories are generally very filthy, and the language 

 of the plainest. They have no evasive ways of expressing 

 things ; a ' spade ' is a ' spade, 1 with a vengeance. The 

 presence of women and children is riot of the slightest 

 consequence, and imposes no restraint whatever either 

 on words or actions. 



