DINIO] THE ASSINIBOIN 417 



They know that the minute hand makes the revolution of the dial 

 plate before it strikes and know the figures from 1 to 12; also that 

 each figure is five minutes apart, and will say it wants so many fives 

 to strike 9, or it has struck 10 and is 5 fives past. This they pick up 

 nearly of their own accord, which proves that some are susceptible 

 of intelligence and education. They know nothing of the solstices 

 nor have any period such as a cycle or century, neither do they believe 

 the world will come to an end or that their priests or any others have 

 the power to destroy or rebuild it. 



They know and name the North Star the same as we do — wa-se-a- 

 ure-chah-pe (north star) — and also know the Ursa Major, sometimes 

 calling it the " seven stars " and " the wagon." They are aware that 

 it makes its revolution around the polar star, pointing toward it, and 

 this is the secret of their traveling by night when there is no moon. 

 They call no other stars by name. The Milky Way is said to be 

 moch-pe-achan-ka-hoo (the backbone of the sky). It is known by 

 them to be composed of clusters of small stars, but they suppose it to 

 bear the same relative position to the arch of the heavens, and to be 

 as necessary to its support as the backbone of any animal to its body. 

 Meteors are falling stars which become extinguished as they fall. 

 They attract but little attention as their effects are never perceived. 

 Aurora borealis is believed to be clouds of fire or something the 

 same as electricity. Being very common and brilliant it creates 

 neither wonder nor inquiry. 



The moon is not believed to influence men or vegetables nor to 

 have any other properties than to give light by night. 5 They sup- 

 pose it to be made of some body wasting away during a given period. 

 Some say it is eaten up by a number of small animals (moles) and 

 Wakonda makes a new one on the destruction of the old. They 

 know very well that all this is error and that the whites have 

 a better philosophy, but will not take the trouble or can not compre- 

 hend our views of the motions of heavenly bodies. Having nothing 

 else better explained to them, they adhere to their own ideas, which 

 are of the simplest and most primitive kind, and do not appear to 

 wish them superseded by others which they can not understand 

 The same remark would apply to all their astronomical and geo- 

 graphical opinions. They have a correct knowledge of the cardinal 

 points, and honor the east as the first from the fact that the sun rises 

 there. The pipe is first presented to the east, then to the south, sup- 

 posed to be the power of the spirits of their departed friends, then 

 west, then north, and lastly to the earth as the great grandfather 

 of all. The amount of facts or real information they can give are 

 mentioned and as for further explanations, as observed before, they 



5 It is considered a fetish as a light at night and sacrificed to on this account. 



