520 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [kth. ans. 46 



by their manner of walking. We can offer no objection to this mode 

 of caring for children. Their natural growth is not affected thereby. 

 At least it is the only method they could adopt to answer in extremes 

 of cold, heat, and rain, with infants on their backs; besides their 

 lodging affords little room for the conveniences used by civilized 

 persons for rearing children. 



They are as careful of their offspring as their manner of life will 

 allow. Children are never weaned under 2 or 3 years old, giving for 

 their reason that it retards their growth, but most likely having 

 nothing but meat that a child can eat, they are obliged to do so. They 

 call their mother enaw (mother) and their father at-tai (father). 

 They address their children ma-chunk-she (my daughter) and ma- 

 chink-she (my son). No abbreviations are used. They call them 

 also by their given or proper names when there are several. There 

 are no terms of endearment further than humming songs and mean- 

 ingless words, such as white nurses use to very small children. 



The domestic government is exercised by both father and mother. 

 As long as the child is small the mother has the sole charge of it, 

 but when it begins to speak the father aids in forming its manners. 

 If a girl, he makes toy tools for scraping skins and the mother 

 directs her how to use them. She also shows her how to make small 

 moccasins, etc. Their first attempts in this way are preserved as 

 memorials of their infancy. When a little larger, the scale of 

 operations is increased and sewing, cooking, dressing small skins, 

 and garnishing with beads and quills are taught, together with 

 everything suitable for a woman's employment. If the child be a 

 boy the father will make it a toy bow and arrow, wooden gun, etc. 



When a little larger he will give him still stronger bows and 

 bring unfledged birds into the lodge for his son to kill. Larger 

 still and he runs about with a suitable bow after birds and rabbits, 

 killing and skinning them. Another stage brings him to learn the 

 use of the gun, to ride, approach game, skin it, etc., all of which is 

 taught him by his parent. The rest he acquires from the time and 

 facility their manner of life affords for practicing these pursuits, 

 and at the age of 17 or 18 makes his first excursion in quest of his 

 enemies' horses. 



The father never strikes nor corrects his children from their birth 

 to their grave, though the mother will sometimes give them a slap, 

 yet it must be done in his absence or she would meet with immediate 

 punishment. Notwithstanding this they are not nearly as vicious 

 as white children, cry but little, quarrel less, and seldom if ever fight. 



The boys are somewhat annoying when about 12 years old, but 

 seldom do any serious mischief. The behavior of the girls is shy and 

 modest. 



