514 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. an.n. <s 



dependent of feasts, visiting and invitations to visit, as stated, occupy 

 a great part of their time. Most of their private business, bargains, 

 settling disputes, hearing news, asking advice, required loans, and 

 indeed all their transactions with individuals are carried on when 

 visiting, or invitations are sent with that view. They also invite 

 to preserve good feeling and friendly relationship, but usually there 

 is some point to be gained, or advantage to result from these pains. 

 After cooking and preparing ready whatever is to be offered and 

 having the lodge swept and put in order, a boy is sent to the lodge 

 or lodges of their guests, or he hunts them up through the camp,, 

 saying to each " You are invited " or " called," directs him to the 

 lodge of his parents, and proceeds to pick up the others. Being 

 acquainted with the situation of all the lodges, they are at no loss 

 to find the way, or if they are, inquire of any one in the neighbor- 

 hood. If strangers are invited, or whites, the boy precedes as guide 

 and they follow. When the guests arrive they enter one after the 

 other, saying on entering, " I have come." They are shown to a 

 seat in the back part of the lodge, nearly opposite the entrance, 

 where clean skins have been spread on the ground for their reception. 



If several are expected, the first who come talk and smoke with 

 the master until all have arrived or been heard from. The pipe 

 being laid aside, the woman of the lodge dishes out the meal in 

 wooden bowls, handing one to each. When all are served the master 

 says " Eat ye." They fall to, but neither he nor any of his family 

 partake of it while their visitors remain. The guests, however, are 

 expected to do justice to the repast, and the more heartily they 

 partake the better pleased the host appears. When the meal is over 

 and the dishes laid aside the pipe is again introduced, and during 

 the conversation of an hour or so that follows the object of the 

 invitation is disclosed, and whatever business it is most likely settled 

 or whatever favor desired granted. Such a thing as disinterested 

 hospitality may possibly be met with, at least we have been present 

 on some of these occasions where the object of the call was not 

 visible, but it is entirely incompatible with a correct view of the 

 Indian character to infer thereby that he had no object. On stated 

 feasts, a feather, the lower end painted red, is sent as an invitation 

 card, but on all ordinary occasions the message is by some one of the 

 inmates of the lodge. 



Casual visits without invitations are also common, sometimes only 

 with the view of getting a meal, but mostly to accomplish some end 

 or acquire some information. Guests, whether invited or not, are 

 always awarded precedence. Any insult or imposition on a guest, 

 once in an Indian lodge and under his protection, would be resented 

 with greater severity than the same toward themselves. 



