CRADLES OF THE AMERICAN ABORIGINES. 177 



same authority says that the Clallams, and in fact all the Sound Indians, 

 flatten the head (243).* 



Mr. William Meinold, in sending to the National Museum the skull of 

 a Flathead Indian from northwest Montana, writes as follows: " When 

 the child is about one week old it is put on a board and tied hand and 

 foot. A small bag of sand is tied over the forehead and remains in this 

 position eight or ten days. It is then taken off for a short rest and 

 afterwards fastened to the board again. This continues from six weeks 

 to six months. The head then has its shape and grows in the right di- 

 rection. The skull mentioned belonged to Eedgrass, a chief, who died 

 about forty years ago. His body was deposited on posts 6 feet high. 

 In his canoe were found beads, and a General Harrisou badge of 1841. t 



* Meaies, J. (Voyages to the Northwest Coast of America, London, 1791, 8vo), de- 

 scribes the compression of head into the form of a " sugar loaf" among Indians of 

 Nootka Sound by bandages. Says the process flattens the nose (vol. n, p. 37). 



Wilkes, Commander (U. S. Exploring Expedition, Philadelphia, 1845, 4to, vol. iv) : 

 Two plates illustrating head-flattening among the Indiaus of Niculuita (Walla wal la), 

 observed by Mr. Drayton (p. 415). Flower quotes Kane's description of the process 

 of head-compression in Vancouver (p. 13). He refers to evident distortion in the case 

 of an order of Chinese mendicants, as indicated by plate 131, vol. n, Picart. Histoire 

 des Religions. He quotes Townsend's account of head-flattening among the Walla- 

 mets (p. 14). 



tCatlin, George. (Illustrations of the Manners, etc., of the N. Amer. Indians. Lon- 

 don, 1876, 8vo, vol. I.) Head of Crow chief distorted into semi-lunar shape, with com- 

 pression of forehead (p. 50). Vol. II. Head-flattening among Chinooks. Descrip- 

 tion of cradle and process (pp. 110, 111). Statement concerning the former preva- 

 lence of this custom among Choctaws and Chickasaws (p. 112). The evidence af- 

 forded by this and other works dealing with the details of life points to the fact that 

 head distortion is less practiced now than formerly. It exists at present sporadically. 



Cox, R. (The Columbia River. Loudon, 1832, 3d ed. 8vo.) On the Lower Columbia 

 all heads were distorted; and there was a perfect uniformity in their shape (vol. i, 

 pp. 105, 106). Speaking of "Flatheads," says, their "heads have their fair proportion 

 of rotundity" (i. pp. 219-222). Gathlamahs, Killymucks, Clatsops, Chinooks, Chilts, 

 at mouth of Columbia, flatten the head. Cradle oblong, with pillow. Pad and slab 

 on forehead held by cords. Time, a year. No pain (vol. i, page 276). Among 

 this group of tribes the body and limbs among the men well shaped, but the women's 

 legs are "quite bandy," owing to the tight ligatures they wear on the lower part of 

 the legs (vol i, p. 276). 



Wood, J. G. (Uncivilized Races of Men. Hartford, 1871. 8vo.) Description of 

 the process of head-flattening among the Columbia Indians (pp. 1319, 1320). 



Lewis and Clark. (Expedition to the Sources of the Missouri, etc. Philadelphia, 

 1814. 8vo.) On the Kimooenim, an affluent of the Columbia, "the Sokulk women" 

 had "their heads flattened in such a manner that the forehead is in a straight line 

 from the nose to the crown of the head " (vol. II, p. 12). The women of the Pishquit- 

 paws, on the Columbia, had " their heads flattened " (vol. n, p. 23). Among the Enee- 

 shurs and Elcheloots " the heads of the males, as well as of the other sex," were flat- 

 tened (vol. II, p. 45). The women of an unnamed tribe on the same river "universally 

 have their heads flattened," and they saw "female children undergoing the opera- 

 tion" (vol. II, p. 57). Pressure of anklets and mode of sitting also distorted thnrlegs 

 (id.). "The Skilloots, both males and females, have the head flattened" (vol. n p. 64). 

 The Wahkiacums " all have their heads flattened" (vol. II, p. 69). Head-flattening is 

 general among the " Chinnooks." Men's legs "small and crooked ; women's tumefied 



H. Mis. GOO, pt. 2 12 



