denio] THE ASSINIBOIN 523 



Personal Behavior 



These tribes are not degraded in the scale of being in their ordi- 

 nary intercourse, connection or apparent actions. They frequently 

 exhibit a delicacy in all thesa. but some of them, particularly the 

 Crows, are addicted to customs, revolting to humanity, too much so 

 for a lengthened description, among which may be mentioned sodomy, 

 bestiality, etc. They all on occasions eat small portions of human 

 flesh, not as a relish but to evince a savage fierceness toward the 

 dead enemy. The Arikara are said to have devoured several entire 

 bodies of their enemies in late years. We have witnessed a few cases 

 of cannibalism among the Assiniboin, but they happened in time 

 of actual famine, one of which we will describe. About eight or ten 

 years since a great famine prevailed among the Cree and Assiniboin. 

 They separated and scattered everywhere over the plains in quest of 

 game. It happened early in the spring when the ground was yet 

 covered with snow and no roots could be found. A Cree Indian 

 with his wife and three children were stationed near the head of Milk 

 River alone and had been without food for a great length of time. 

 The father took the occasion of his wife being out to kill and cook 

 one of his children, a portion of which he forced her to eat on her 

 return. When this was eaten, after an interval of some days he 

 killed a second and this was likewise devoured. Still no indication 

 of game presented itself. He desired her to go out that he might 

 kill the remaining child, which she absolutely refused to do, offering 

 herself in its stead. 



It happened that some Assiniboin in traveling came upon his 

 lodge, and seeing them coming he had barely time to smear him- 

 self and his wife over with white clay, the symbol of mourning, 

 before they entered. To account for the disappearance of his chil- 

 dren he appeared very much grieved and said they had died from 

 want. The strangers, however, suspected all was not right, and 

 when he had stepped out they inquired of the woman, who told them 

 the truth. The visitors left after directing him to _ their camp, 

 where some game had lately been found, and he proceeded thither 

 with his lodge. When in the vicinity of the camp, he killed and 

 scalped his wife, throwing her body in the bushes, proceeded to 

 camp, displayed the scalp, stating he had killed a Blackfoot; that 

 they had attacked him and killed his wife. The camp turned out 

 to search for enemies and discovered the body of the woman and 

 no trace of Blackfeet. The Indian in the meantime suspecting he 

 would be discovered absconded, leaving the small child and bag- 

 gage in camp. Being of another nation with whom they were at 

 peace, he was not pursued and yet lives, but is despised by all. 



