50 PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 



COLORS AND METHODS OF APPLICATION. 

 IN TIIF UNITED STATES. 



Since the establishment of traders" stores mosi colors of civilized 

 manufacture are obtained by the Indians for painting and decoration. 

 Frequently, however, the primitive colors are prepared and used when 

 Indians are absent from localities where those may be obtained. The 

 ferruginous clays of various shade of brown, red, and yellow, occur so 

 widely distributed in nature that these are the most commou and leading 

 tints. Black is generally prepared by grinding fragments of charcoal 

 into a very line powder. Amongsome tribes, as has been found in some 

 of the "ancient "pottery from the Arizona ruins, clay had evidently been 

 mixed with charcoal to give better body. The black color of some of 

 the Innuit tribes is blood and charcoal intimately mixed, which is after 

 wards applied to the incisions made in ivory, bone, and wood. 



Among the Dakota, colors for dyeing porcupine quills are obtained 

 chiefly from plants, or Lave been until very recently. The vegetable 

 colors, being soluble, penetrate the substance of the quills more evenly 

 and beautifully than the mineral colors of eastern manufacture. 



The black color of some of the Pueblo pottery is obtained by a special 

 burning with pulverized manure, into which the vessel is placed as it is 

 cooling after the first baking. The coloring matter — soot produced by 

 smoke — is absorbed into the pores of the vessel, and will not wear off as 

 readily as when colors are applied to the surface with sticks or primi- 

 tive brushes. 



In decorating skins or robes the Arikara Indians boil the tail of the 

 bearer, thus obtaining a viscous fluid which is in reality thin glue. 

 The figures are first drawn in outline with a piece of beef rib, or some 

 other flat bone, the edge only being used after having been dipped into 

 the liquor. The various pigments to be employed in the drawing are 

 then mixed with some of the same liquid, in separate vessels, when the 

 various colors are applied to the objects by means of a sharpened piece 

 of wood or bone. The colored mixture adheres firmly to the original 

 tracing in glue, and does not readily rub off. 



When similar colors are to be applied to wood, the surface is fre- 

 quently picked or slightly incised to receive the color more securely. 

 For temporary purposes, as for mnemonic marks upon a shoulder blade 

 of a buffalo or upon a piece of wood to direct comrades upon the course 

 to be pursued to attain a certain object, a piece of red chalk, or a lump 

 of red ocher of natural production is resorted to. This is often carried 

 by the Indian for personal decoration. 



A small pouch, discovered on the Yellowstone River in L873, which 

 had been dropped by some fleeing hostile Sioux, contained several 

 fragments of black micaceous iron. The latter had almost the appear- 

 ance and consistence of graphite, so soft and black was the result upon 



