278 OMAHA DWELLINGS, FURNITURE, ETC. 1eth.ann.13 



with grass to make it staucl out and keep its shape uutil dried). When 

 the iuijeha was filled with water the mouth was tied, and it was kept 

 covered and iu the shade that it might remain cool. After being used 

 for a few days it became strong smelling, and was thrown away, another 

 taking its place. Some preferred the ''^enan'de uq(j;a'ba fa"" or peri 

 cardium(?) of the buffalo, which is like sinew. This does not smell 

 unpleasant, even when used for seven or ten days. But at the expira- 

 tion of that time it is unfit for further service. 

 Jugs have been introduced by the traders. 



Other Vessels. 



Provisifin sacks or parfleche cases were made of dried buftalo hide. 

 When used for carrying the dried meat, they were called weabast^. 

 After two or three years' use they became soft and were fit only for 

 making moccasin soles. These sacks had the hair taken oft', and were 

 sometimes made in trunk fashion. 



Fruit baskets were of three kinds. The Ponka made them of the 

 bark of a tree, called tawA'a^he, which is found on the old Ponka reser- 

 vation in Dakota. Northern Indians make boats of this bark. The 

 Omaha do not find the tree on their land, so they make the fruit baskets 

 of other kinds of bark. The three kinds of baskets are as follows: 

 Na"'pa u(f'ise, used for chokecherries; ag(fan'kamaiige U(('ise, used for 

 rasi:)berries ; and bact iifise, used for strawberries. When the Ponka 

 wished to make the baskets, they stripped off the bark in horizontal 

 sections, not pulling upward or downward. 



In modern times the Omaha have learned to make sacks of thread 

 of different colors drawn from black, red, blue, and white blankets. 

 Diflerent figures are woven. Each sack is about a foot deep, 10 inches 

 ftom the mouth to the opposite side, and from 2 to 2i feet long. The 

 opening is on one of the long sides, and when the articles are put iu a 

 gathering string is drawn and tied. 



Hoes and Axes. 



For hoes, the Omaha used the shoiUder blades of the buffalo. Axes 

 and hatchets are now made of iron, hence, the Omaha name, ma°'ze-pe, 

 sharp iron. But the Kansa have the ancient name, ma""hi-spe, answer- 

 ing to the Dakota, wa"hi°'kpe, sharp flint. The hatchet is distin- 

 guished from the ax by adding "jinga," small. Some of the stone axes 

 and hatchets have been found on the Omaha reservation, but they could 

 hardly have been used for cutting. It is not known what tools were 

 used for felling trees. 



Knives. 



Knives were made of stone. A prominent butte, near the old Ponka 

 agency, Nebraska, is known as " Mahi"-^u, " signifying blue knife, from 

 the character of the stone with which its surface is covered. It is 



