414 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. akn. 48 



Vessels and Implements 



The Arikara and Gros Ventres, who raise corn, have other vessels 

 as alluded to, but not the. roving tribes, except the utensils furnished 

 by whites. None of these things denote anything more than a people 

 in the rudest state of nature, whose only boiling pot was once a 

 hollow stone, or the paunch of a buffalo in which meat can be boiled 

 and still is on occasions, by filling the paunch with water and casting 

 therein red-hot stones until the water attains a boiling point, after 

 which the stones are taken out, and one added occasionally to con- 

 tinue the heat, or the paunch suspended above a blaze at such a dis- 

 tance that the fire, though heating, does not touch it. Their spoons 

 are yet made of the horns of the bighorn and buffalo, wrought into 

 a good shape, some of which will hold half a gallon with ease. 

 These are dippers. Others for eating are made smaller of horn and 

 wood, yet large enough to suit their capacious mouths. (PI. 65.) 

 In all this and in everything they do, but one idea presents itself — 

 that of crude, untutored children of nature, who have never been 

 anything else. 



The only ancient stone implements we have ever seen are the 

 hatchet, stone war club, arrow point, buffalo shoulder-blade ax, hump- 

 rib knife, and elk-horn bow, the shapes of which we have endeavored 

 to draw in Plate 66, and all of which, except the knife, can yet 

 occasionally be seen among them. 



There is a total absence of anything antique, any shell, metal, 

 wampum, or other thing formerly possessed by inhabitants supposed 

 to have occupied this country. Neither are there any hieroglyphics 

 or traditions to denote anything of the kind. 



Astronomy and Geology 



Earth and Its Motions. — Their knowledge on this subject is very 

 limited. They believe the earth to be a great plain containing per- 

 haps double the extent of country with which they are acquainted, 

 and that it is void of motion. They do not believe the stars are 

 inhabited by other people, but admit they may be abiding places of 

 ghosts or spirits of the departed. They are not fond of talking 

 about these things, neither do their opinions agree, each man's story 

 differing materially from the other and all showing extreme igno- 

 rance and superstition. 



They believe that Wakonda created all things and this one idea 

 appears original and universal, further than which, however, they 

 are at a loss. 



If they can not be made to comprehend the extent of the earth and 

 its laws of motion, etc., there is much less likelihood that they can 



