denig] THE ASSINIBOIN 515 



We can not perceive in all this seeming friendliness toward guests 

 any feeling of pure hospitality. An Indian never willingly, or with- 

 out a motive, makes an enemy. The uncertainty of their lives and of 

 everything they possess is such that mutual reliance on each other 

 is required. It is more than probable that these attentions have for 

 their object the forming of a name for liberality and securing the 

 good will of as many neighbors as possible with the view of obtain- 

 ing their assistance in times of need, or which is more evident, for 

 present favors in small matters which are nearly always made 

 known at the close of the visit. In the instances where the real 

 object does not appear we are obliged to conclude that it lies deeper, 

 requires a course of entertainments to accomplish, but nevertheless 

 exists. When whites are invited and are merely travelers through 

 their country, nothing at the time can perhaps be gained, but the 

 rule holds good, for the Indians will always claim the same atten- 

 tions when they are in turn the visitors, besides additional demands 

 as a compensation for their hospitality. A casual observer would 

 believe them to be the most hospitable people in the world, but a 

 more minute acquaintance shows an undercurrent of pure selfishness 

 in all they do. The sharing of the meat with each other in times of 

 scarcity is no mark of liberality, or done from any other principle 

 than the foregoing remarks present. It is a loan, or obligation, laid 

 upon the person, to be repaid when their situations become reversed, 

 or whenever the claimant thinks proper to remind him of it, which 

 sooner or later he is sure to do in some way. 



Indians of different nations are not only feasted by all the princi- 

 pal men in camp but loaded with presents to carry home. A short 

 time after the donators pay a visit to the homes of their guests and 

 receive as much or more in return. 



Protecting a guest from insult and injury is done partly through 

 the fear of the ridicule that would follow were he suffered to be 

 badly treated in his lodge; it is a contempt of their power to sup- 

 port, and resented as such. Very often also it lays the stranger 

 under obligations which are expected to be paid for, and usually 

 are. Were we not limited in our remarks we could cite hundreds 

 of instances that would prove true hospitality to have no existence 

 among the savages of the plains. Everything they do and all their 

 study is for the interest of self, visible or invisible to others, accord- 

 ing to the nature of their views. We are not aware, however, that 

 this course of hospitality is pursued with the view of covering 

 stratagems, evil intentions, or to lull suspicion for the purpose of 

 committing bad acts; it appears only to operate as a furtherance to 

 all their ordinary wishes and bring about a favorable opportunity 

 to make requests and transact other business. 



