620 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. ANN. ie 



description, adding a few words and calling upon the departed by 

 stating the degree of relationship, the few mournful words to deplore 

 their loss, and the rest of the chant is in meaningless ejaculations. 



Their music is never recorded nor have they such tilings as music 

 boards or bark songs. In their bacchanalian songs they often repeat 

 catches of whatever comes into their minds at the time, adapting the 

 words to the song, but these words or any particular expressions do 

 not properly belong to the songs, which in their original are of the 

 same description as the others. 



Many lullabies are sung to children by their mothers, but as usual 

 but few words introduced, consisting mostly of humming of different 

 tunes to put them to sleep, adding sometimes, " Sleep, sleep, my pretty 

 child," or " Red fox come here ; you will get a marrow bone to eat " — 

 this when they are 2 or 3 years old. 



There is nothing in their painting or sculpture worthy of notice. 

 All are rude drawings and carvings scarcely intelligible without ex- 

 planation. 



Present Condition and Future Prospects 



The nations we write of are as yet in their savage state. But 

 few steps have been taken by them in the path of knowledge. Their 

 original manners and customs, if not entire, are but slightly changed, 

 their superstitions the same as their ancestors, and their minds 

 deplorably void of moral truth or useful science. Their idol wor- 

 ship remains undisturbed by religious teachers, and the humane 

 efforts in this respect, extended to China and the South Seas, are 

 withheld from the coppered brethren residing next door. 



There are some points not to be overlooked, inasmuch as they have 

 a general bearing uj^on the whole race, involving a subject of great 

 interest to which the foregoing details form but the prelude. The 

 principal of those to which we allude is this: " How far has knowl- 

 edge, art. and commerce, and the progress of civilization, affected 

 the improvement of the Indians, and changed or modified their 

 original manners, customs, and opinions ? " 



As art and knowledge are yet in their infancy among them and 

 as has been stated but little improvement in their moral condition is 

 visible, yet great and important changes have been brought about 

 by the commerce of trade, without which any plan for their future 

 advancement would be retarded a century, and by correct apprecia- 

 tion of which views can be formed regarding contemplated measures 

 for their prosperity. 



In the foregoing pages, which present their savage life in detail, 

 nothing speculative has been ventured upon, no conjectures hazarded, 

 by us or by anyone well acquainted with the wild tribes, nor will any 



