denig] THE ASSIN1BOIN 593 



dances, apart from which nothing is seen denoting official station. 

 Rank is known by the devices drawn on their robes; that is, to a 

 warrior who has struck an enemy and stolen horses is accorded the 

 privilege of wearing a robe adorned with a representation of these 

 acts; he is also entitled to make the impression of a hand dipped 

 in red paint on his lodge .or person, to wear hair on his shirt and 

 leggings, and two war eagle's feathers on his head. After making 

 man}' coups he arrives at the degree of camp soldier 32 and is known 

 on public occasions by the addition to the above of the war-eagle cap 

 or bear's claw necklace, which, together with the advantage of 

 publishing his feats in the dances and other ceremonies, establishes 

 his standing among his people. 



A still further progress, so as to rank with chiefs or councillors, 

 is not attended with any additional display or mark of distinction; 

 indeed, in that event their coups are seldom boasted of, that being 

 rendered unnecessary from the fact of the whole nation's being aware 

 of the cause of his advancement, and although chiefs and councillors 

 generally have appropriate dresses, as already described, they never 

 wear them unless on the most important occasions, such as a battle, 

 council with other nations, great religious assemblies, or an ap- 

 proaching dissolution. It is their greatest desire when arrived at 

 the head of the ladder of fame to receive a flag or medal from 

 some whites in power, which are worn or displayed on all ordinary 

 convocations and councils. In like manner a sword would be the 

 mark of a soldier in camp, but we see no other badges of office except 

 what have already been referred to as existing in kins, which are 

 laid aside as soon as the ceremonies which caused this display are 

 concluded. 



Beard 



As has before been observed, these tribes have naturally little 

 or no beard. What few hairs and down make their appearance on 

 the face and other parts of the body are extracted by small wire 

 tweezers of their own make. They have no method of killing or 

 dyeing the hair; they cultivate it, and consider to cut it a great 

 sacrifice. It is only clipped short or torn out by handfuls in exces- 

 sive grief, but is never shaved, and until modern times but seldom 

 combed. 



Intellectual Capacity and Character 



Laying aside the advantages of education, of knowledge acquired 

 by conversation with superior men, and the increase of ideas gained 

 in travel by the European, and drawing a comparison between the 



32 This is the term explained in footnote 10, p. 436. 



