280 OMAHA DWELLINGS, FURNITURE, ETC. 1f.thann.13 



occasions is sbowu iu figure 31G. This pipe has a bowl of ciitlinite, 

 and the stem is decorated with horsehair. 



Tobacco pouches (niuiujiha) wei'e made of deer or antelope skin, and 

 were ornamented with porcupine quills or a fringe of deerskin. Some- 



Fla. 316. — Omaha pipe used on ordinary occasions. 



times buffalo bladders were used for this purpose. The women used 

 them as receptacles for their porcupine quills. 



Equipage for H<jrse.s. 



Saddles (ci'inakag(('e) were in use before the coming of the whites. 

 They were made of wood, around which was wrapped hide, while still 

 "5ahanuj[a" (green or soft). According to Joseph La Fleche these 

 saddles did not rub sores on the backs of the native horses (Indian 

 ponies), but Dougherty' said, in 1819, "The Indians are generally cruel 

 horse-masters, perhaps in a great measure through necessity; the 

 backs of their hor.ses are very often sore and ulcerated, from the friction 

 of the rude saddle, which is fashioned afte'r the Spanish maimer, being 

 elevated at the pummel and croup, and resting on skin saddle cloths 

 witliout padding." They ride very well, and make frequent use of the 

 whip and their heels, the latter being employed instead of spurs. 



For bridles and halters they used strips of hide, out of which material 

 they made also lariats. The bridle used consisted of a withe, one end 

 of wliich was wrapped two or three times around the animal's lower 

 jaw, while the other was lield in the hand, forming but a single rein. 

 This did not hinder the rider from guiding bis horse, as he was able to 

 turn him to the left by pressing the single rein against the animal's 

 neck, as well as by the use of the right heel against its side. When he 

 wished to turn to the right, he pulled the reia and pressed his left heel 

 against the horse's side. 



"Whips were of tliree kinds. The wahi wegasapi was attached to a 

 bone handle. The handle of a ja"'ukei(-i" wegasapi was made of com- 

 mon wood. That of a za"zi wegasapi was made of Osage orange wood, 

 which is very hard. The whip was attached to the wrist by a broad 

 band, which passed through a hole near the end of the handle. The 

 handle was about 15 inches long and was very stout. A specimen that 

 has been deposited in the National Museum (a gift to the author from 

 an Omaha) has a lash 2 feet long, composed of 8 thongs one fifth of an 

 inch wide. These are plaited together in one rounded plait for 18 

 inches, the rest of the lash being iu 2 plaits of 4 thongs each, knotted 

 near the ends. 



The lasso was called ma°'tanahifize, i. e., "that by which (a) wild 

 (horse) is taken." It was made by taking the hair from the head of 



< Long, S.H.i Exp. Eocky Mts., vol. I, p. 291, Phila., 1823. 



