82 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



ally filed from barrel hoops, or any bits of iron they ran 

 pick up. The bow string is of sinew, that most preferred 

 being taken from along- the spine of a horse. Both bow 

 and am>WB -are carried in the same ease, which contains 

 two pockets. It is carried on the back, with a loose sHifg 

 running over the left shoulder and across the bra I rod 

 is readily brought to the side when needed. The ease is 

 usually made of ox bide, dressed with the hair on. Some 

 are made of the furs of the beaver or otter. .In addition 

 to these fixings they carry a couple of beaded leather 

 pouches attached to the how case, containing steel and 

 fliut, awls, and their paints. Ad bucks are competent to 

 make bows and arrows, though some are more expert than 

 others, and follow it as a business. They are of course 

 very expert in the use of the bow, and ea'n readily keep 

 three arrows in the air at one time in a distance of two 

 hundred yards. 



The bucks pluck out the beard and eye brows. The 

 squaws allow the eye brows to grow. This distinguishing 

 mark is convenient" to a stranger, who will frequently rind 

 it difficult, owing to similarity of appearance and dress to 

 determine the sexes. It is not Customary fur squaws to 

 carry weapons, in the use of which they are not proficient. 

 They sometimes accompany their husbands on war parties, 

 but they do not fight, and are, as a rule, as timid as white 

 women. 



With but few exceptions, the chiefs have little power or 

 authority. It is the constant complaint of friendly chiefs 

 that they cannot control the young men. This is no doubt 

 true, for their earliest ambition is to steal a horse or take a 

 scalp, and it can easily be seen why such difficulties exist. 

 Their system of government is the' most thoroughly demo- 

 cratic in existence. The chieftainship is not hereditary: 

 he who by his force of will succeeds in establishing him- 

 self as a wise man or great warrior, is recognized as chief. 

 Consequently, all the tribes are divided into bands, and 

 each band has its own chief. The most warlike is apt to 

 have the largest number of followers, who Sometimes 

 change their allegiance to some other band, but seldom de- 

 sert the tribe. Sometimes chiefs are chosen, but not as a 

 rule. The old men are the councillors, and in the councils 

 great deference is shown them by the young men, wti.0 are 

 altogether excluded, or remain silent auditors, not dream- 

 ing of I he impropriety of opening their mouths. All mat- 

 ters of general interest are settled in council, and questions 

 of war or peace decided, and the title of warrior giveu 

 those who have successfully passed the ordeal of the great 

 yearly "medicine dance."" This dance, now not much in 

 Vogue, will be described hereafter. 



Camps are chosen with a view of obtaining good glaz- 

 ing and water. They appear at first sight to be a collection 

 ol Sibley tents, from the tops of which their vapory clouds 

 of smoke are rising. The tents are of a conical form, 

 and made of dressed buffalo skins. They are supported 

 by a number ol long slender poles, tied together at, the top, 

 aud spread out at the bottom, reaching the edge of the 

 lent. Skins for tents are obtained in the summer, when 

 the buffalo has a thin coat of hair, as they are then more 

 easily dressed. In moving camp the lodge poles are car- 

 ried along, dragged behind pack mules, poles suitable for 

 the purpose being difficult to obtain, long journeys being 

 made for them. The lodges are serviceable for about two 

 years, and must then be renewed, ft requires at least 

 1 1\ en, skins to make a good lodge. From constant prac 

 ties in moving camps, the striking of or going into camp 

 is done in an incredibly short time. They also build num- 

 bers of brush huts, called "leppees," which are used bv 

 the sick and for other purposes. On entering a camp a 

 Few persons in gaudy colors will be seen quietly walking 

 about, others are idling near the tents, and even the po- 

 fliea, numbers of which are quietly grazing close at. hand, 

 rn, i heir slow motions, and lake hut little notice 01 

 you. Little naked redskins are hopping about or playing 

 In the sand, who, as you approach the tents, dart inside 

 like u squirrel in a tree. As you arrive at a lodge all 

 changes. The squaws aud papooses peer from out the 

 doors, while the bucks come forward and welcome you 

 with a hand shaking <dl around. The chief directs some 

 one to hold your horse, invites you into his lodge, a id 

 beckons you to be. seated on a buffalo robe, numbers of 

 .-i.i, n ., ro spread on the ground, if you are hungry a 



i , ■ li buffalo meat is soou broiling on the coals, and is 



served to you, with the addition, sometimes, of quite a 



good cup of coffee. An invitation to remain all night will 



surely follow if you desire it. Alter smoking and talking 



i nit; away, you may go to bed on a soli spread of 



i, j mth perfect assurance that your horses are well 



ii l, and with equal confidence that your gun and 



i :i safe as if deposited and checked in a safe 



III uiupany, fox a Comanche's hospitably is inviolate. 



A i i he -.nine lime they are great beggars, and envious of 



i .i ■ i i i he white man's treasures, yet touch not and take 



which belongs to a guest. During the evening, if 



,, . u have an interpreter along, you may be amused bv re- 



le.iilions and fables, if so, you will be as- 



loul-hed by the remarkable resemblance of their tables to 



i [ Here t will present a nut for philolo- 



, i.iek. "Lie," or "lo lie," in Comanche is "iEsop," 



and pronounced "a-c-sop." Mid they learn their fables 

 ti'om the old Jesuit, missionaries, and thus obtain the word 

 djsOp? or from what source do they derive them? 'I'm- y 

 in,,,: no tradition Of those early missionaries, and the fables 

 and trie Word are wrapped in mystery. As an illustration 

 td the- similarity of fables, I may instance the race of the 



,,i ., i: ■ and the hare," which is exactly similar; also, the 

 fable of the dog with the meat in his mouth, who saw his 

 picture reflected in the water. This, in Comanche, lore, is 

 ., panther With a hare in his mouth, silting on the limb of 

 a nee, and wdio sees his likeness reflected iu a brook below. 

 lu all tallies, the cunuing that is attributed by jEsop lo the 

 .ruby the Comanche to the coyote. 1 think it. a 

 ,i , rved reputation. 



In i he morning, in camp, you will see the squaws busy 

 ' lire wood, making fires, cooking, and attending 



e household affairs. The bucks herd the horses at 



limes, but most, of this duty is done by boys, and much by 



', , , 1 lie lite ot a buck is one Ol ease, and the squaws 



inl lose all respect tor one who did hard work; it is the 



ii i asquaw to do all the labor. In a word, the life 



of a squaw is one of constant lod. They age earfy, are 

 ,,.,011 Held, and haggard, and yet all their toil is taken cheer- 

 iuily and wilnotu, com plaint. Some chiefs have two, or 

 , , i , ,; wives, but the most of them have but one. 

 i hey are passionately fond of their children, and while 

 most devoted and proud of the boys — incipient warriors — 

 are very fond and iudulgent to the girls. All boys are im- 



pressed from childhood to look forward to becoming war- 

 riors, aud are taught to ride and the u<e of the bow from 

 infancy. Is it any wonder their flrst ambilion is to steal a 

 horse or lake n. scalp? 



The morals of the Oonianches are strange. While strict- 

 ly honest iu many things; it is a religious duly to steal 

 from an enemy. Perhaps, like the whiles, they 'consider 

 "all things fair in love m-war." The women, as a rule, are 

 virtuous and true lo Iheir husband-. The loss of virtue is 

 punished summarily and severely, the nose either being em 

 off or slit on both sides. 1 have seen several of such eases, 

 but they are not common. Those thus punished mostly 

 become' wantons, and are recognized as such; certain 

 women being so recognized. Yet, strange as it may seem, 

 their sin curies no farther disgrace; it, is indcllibly marked 

 upon them, but there follows no loss of social standing. 

 Such a woman may eat a! the chief's table, aud is accepted 

 on an equality with all. Virtuous as Ibcy are, ibey are 

 much given to vice of a character that either Fielding or 

 Smollet would have hesitated to put in good old English. 

 The bodies of the squaws are always carefully guarded 

 against, inquisitive eyes. The maidens arfe ver; '■,.,-, and 

 modest, and on mounting their ponies great care is taken 

 that no portion of their legs are exposed. Bv carefully 

 gathering the bollom edges, of Hie blanket or -bawl in the 

 hand until well astride their saddle, they thus prevent pry- 

 ing eyes from any sight id' ihe bare flesh, 



Adultery, however, is not unknown among them, but its 

 punishment, when discovered, follows swift, and sure. 

 Tt3 Injured, party has the right to kill hi:: .vo: : 3 sedu, 

 and this is almost a certain consequence, unless the matter 

 can be amicably adjusted through mutual friends, on con- 

 sideration of the offender giving the injured one ,, 1 ,,r ,i 

 horses, the number of horse's being dependent, on the beauly 

 of the squaw, the husband's attachment for tier, and the 

 ability of the offending party t.o give one or a dozen. II 

 may be remarked here that all personal difficulties can gen- 

 erally be settled by a gift of ponies. Even ihe crime of 

 murder can thus be settled. But unless such settlement is 

 made the murdered man's family take it, upon themselves 

 to hunt, down and kill the murderer, their right to do so 

 being recognized by all. 



A Comanche will unhesitatingly lie if it is to bis interest 

 to do so; but when he says "1 swear," a lie is impossible, 

 for the oath is taken "by the sun our father, and our 

 mother the earth." This explicit observance of their oath 

 is taken advantage of by jealous or suspecting husbands, 

 who exact it of their squaws, knowing the answer will be 

 truthful. They have expressions of deep contempt and 

 disgust, but. no profane words. All profanitj' used by them 

 is of Saxon manufacture, and learned from the whites. 



Gambling is universal among them. Horse racing is the 

 main thing on which they gamble, betting arrows, ponies, 

 blankets, or anything they possess except the bow. The 

 women have a game of dice, by which they constantly 

 gamble, and all play a sort, of a mime of casino with cards". 

 The squaws also have a game with a ball. Lying upon 

 their backs, they keep the ball constantly in motiou, and 

 bounding, by kicking it with the feet. This affords an- 

 other means of betting, as to which of two squaws can 

 keep the ball going the'longest time, aud some of them can 

 rival the Chinese jugglers in ball tossiug. Horse racing is 

 their greatest sport." They will run from two hundred 

 varch: to four odes. Tlr,' raitiast ra;-?i: :• »m- off usually 

 "with some other tribe of Indians, and in such races they 

 will all bet on their own horse, no matter if they think the 

 horse will win or lose. They will race any horse that can 

 be produced, and would unhesitatingly bet all the3' possess 

 against Longfellow or Bassett for any distance. They are 

 kind lo their horses, and a vicious, biting, or kicking horse 

 is a rare thing. Their races are always fail, aud quarreling 

 as lo tin- result is unknown. If the horses come in even 

 the race is run over again. There is no jockeying, the 

 main desire being that the best horse shall win. The ethics 

 of the race track among them is of a far higher order than 

 those of the white man. 



They are a people almost without religion, or so little, at 

 all events, that it is readily comprehended and easily fol- 

 lowed, imposing but few restraints upon their inclinations. 

 The suu is God, or father, and the earth is their mother. 

 All Gomanehes go to the "happy hunting grounds." This 

 heaven is supposed to be st.il I "further West." All calamities 

 of pestilence, famine, or disastrous war, are supposed to lie 

 due to anger of the father for some wrong doings of his 

 children; thus all punishments are inflicted in this world. 

 There is no hell, and no fear of a future punishment: it 

 is all a glorious hereafter in the. "happy hunting grounds," 

 where buffalo, antelope, and all other game are Qeliei I 

 abound. There is a belief of a purgatory, or probationary 

 life. On the way "out West" to the happy bunting grounds 

 from the grovc"they pass through a great chief's lauds, and 

 must give an account of how many scalps they have taken, 

 and Me number of horses they have stolen. If the answer 

 is not satisfactory tliej are detained there on probation, but 

 eventually are allowed lo proceed. 



Fast days, or days of tasting in common, as a religious 

 I,, 1 ne'e/are unknown. They have no religious dances 

 or observances that I can learn of after careful inquiry of 

 their head chiefs. The only thing approaching such rites 

 are pilgrimages made by the side to the medicine bills — 

 many peculiar shaped hills or bultes being so called. In 

 observance of the medicine man's advice, a sick person 

 will retire to the top of one of these hills at sundown, and 

 remain until sunrise. They Strip themselves ot all orna- 

 ments, and most of their garments, even cutting off all but 

 he I,,,,, ,,1 the meCCUaiHS. This is repeated as many nights 

 as the medicine man directs. Each time they leave small 

 offerings of tobacco or other luxuries on the hill, and then, 

 feeliagthat they lave religiously perfcrmgl their .Live 

 tions, Ibey begin Hie oidiiinry routine of life, convinced 

 that they have recovered, or in" full expectation of a speedy 

 cure. 1 can learn of no other ceremony that I ouches their 

 belief, or induces any desire to perform religious exer- 

 cises. 



Of birth there is little to be said. Il is a matter of but 

 little interest lo others than those directly concerned. There 

 is no ceremony; the caie ot the iiK'lher and child is left 

 entirely to mid-wives, usually old squaws, some of whom 

 are said to possess considerable skin as such. As a rule, 

 child birth, as among all savages, is easy, instances of the 

 death of the mother rarely if ever occurring. By the lime 

 the baby is a day old it is wrapped in cloths and a piece ol 

 robe, strapped to a board called a cradle, and there it stays 

 until it is old enough to loddle. It is conveniently got out 

 of the way by hanging the cradle on the limb of a tree, a 

 hook, or anything haudy. Nothing is to be seeu but the 



face. Its eves are shut, it sleeps constantly, aud seldom 

 cries. It is bathed regularly in cold water once a day. 



There is no marriage ceremony. Courtship is recog- 

 nized, ami each boy and maiden " are left to follow theur 

 own inclinations iu this respect, there being no other re- 

 straint than the advice of the parents, either for or against 

 the marriage. When a buck proposes for a maiden he 

 rmisl obtain the consent of her eldest, brother; in case there 

 is none then the consent of the father is obtained. The 

 marriage is simply an acknowledgment of acceptance of 

 each other by the parties concerned. The young couple 

 then generally set up a lodge»of their own. After the mar- 

 riage it is eus'tomary for the groom to make presents, ac- 

 cording to his ability, to the bride's mother, I presume 

 witli a view of softening the old lady's feelings, The one 

 consideration most important in a contemplated marriage 

 is the question, "Is he able to support a wife by hunting, 

 and so on, and to give her a home:'" If this is satisfac- 

 torily shown, there is little or no further trouble. Quite a 



1 , ile view of the whole question. 



The death of a person is attended with more ceremonies 

 than any other occasion. If a chief dies the whole tribe 

 will cry' and howl the night and morning following. After 

 that the family and particular friends keep it up night and 

 morning lor ah indefinite length of time, even for months. 

 Tuey cut off their hair, cut, themselves with knives across 

 the "face, chest, and arms, and sometimes even dismember 

 a. joint of aflnger. All the personal properly of deceased, his 

 lodges, kettles;, and saddles, art burned. " Everything that 

 will recall to the mind the deceased, is Utterly destroyed 

 The. burial is quietly performed by squaws, no one follow- 

 ing the corpse to the grave. The body is secreted, and 

 bocks heaped upon the place. The ground is levelled, and 

 made to assume as natural an appearance as possible, so 

 that all trace of him is lost. His arms aud weapons are 

 buried with him for use in the future, and horses, some- 

 limes numbers of them, according to his wealth or import- 

 ance, are killed near his grave for him to ride lo and use in 

 "the happy hunting grounds." Onehorseat least is always 

 killed for the use of the humblest and poorest. I know of 

 one instance, however, iu which a poor Mexican, who died 

 by poison, and Was little regretted, was buried without a 

 horse. Old Tosa-weeth Was asked whether they didn't kill 

 him a horse, and he answered, "Ko; he poor miserable 

 devil, he can walk." 



The name of the dead is to be forgotten, and is never 

 afterwards mentioned. Even the name of an object after 

 which the deceased was named is changed; for instance, 

 the word for "gun" used to be "Pe-i-a-le," but on the death 

 of an Indian chief named "Pe-i-a-te-quasli," meaning "gun 

 butt" — the "quash'' meauing "tail'' — the name of a gun 

 was changed, and is "Tou-wah." If they wished to refer 

 to him after death they would say "that chief that died 

 who did so aud so, and thus convey the meaning; but Pe-i- 

 a-te-quash is dead, and you cannot resurrect him. The 

 name of Ihe Noconee tribe was once so changed to "Tis- 

 cha-no-ye-cod-id," which means "net to stay in the same 

 place, ""while Noconeeo means "wanderer," from being 

 constantly spoken of by others, as Noconeeo, the name 

 still clings to them, though properly they are "Tischa-no- 

 ye- eod-iils." 



The above illustrations will in a measure explain some of 

 the difficulties iu acquiring the language. The grief of the 

 Comanches on the deal h" of a relative, if judged by the 

 tortures sometimes imposed, would seem to be great, but 

 when it is known that it is common to hire, by the gift, of 

 a pony, a couple of old squaws to cry and howl at the 

 grave night and morning for six months, it is evident that 

 the grief is not as poignant as might at first be supposed. 



Another article will enable me "to finish the more, promi- 

 nent customs and features of this curious aud interesting 

 people, though volumes might be written, interspersed with 

 appropriate anecdotes; but each, would, in a measure, have 

 lo be explained, and would consume too much of your 

 space. B. 



*•••»- — : 



THE BLACK WATER REGION. 



AS some of the readers of Forest and Stream may 

 wish to visit, in the pursuit of Sah,w frm/i,,,,!/-^ the 

 Blackwater Region in West Virginia, perhaps a lew facts 

 picked up in a recent trout Ashing expedition to thai stream 

 may be acceptable, especially as that part of the country 

 is really but little known. 1 found on determining to 

 shake (iff the dust ol the capital for a few weeks of camp 

 life in that wilderness, that trustworthy information re- 

 specting it was remarkably scarce. The Blackwater be- 

 came famous years ago through some articles written and il- 

 lu-.iniied b. "PortoCrayon," published in Elaipers Magazine, 

 and afterwards collected and issued in book form under 

 the name of the "Blackwater Chronicle." The descrip- 

 tion given is very good as far as it goes, I hough the natives 

 and guides who' 1.0 w pervade that region sav that. Porle 

 aud his party never readied (he Blackwater at 411, and did 

 not get. within eighteen miles of the Canaan. His guides 

 thought they were on the stream, but the country was than 

 almost unexplored, and when il became heller known it was 

 found that the party had only reached and camped on a 

 brunch of the main stream, called the the North fork. If 

 this Statement should excite POTteS indignation he may fight 

 it out (with the aforesaid guides) if it takes a 'Whole sum- 

 mer. Certain it is that his description fits the .North Fork 

 exactly. We camped on that stream for several days, 

 li-.n 1. u'its waters and explored it thoroughly. 



•'Murray" of the Banbury Xewi, whom we met in the 

 wilderness, -ays that if lakes two guides and a bottle of 

 whisky to get to the Blackwater. We got there without 

 any guides'" at, all, but the amount, of whisky it required 

 does not concern the public The stream lies among the 

 mountains twenty six miles south ol Oakland, On the Balti- 

 more and Ohio Kail road. There is a tolerable road through 

 Ihe glades for thirteen miles, after which it degenerates 

 almost as rapidly as the turnpike out West which is said 

 to have dwindled down to a loot-path that finally became 

 a squirrel track and ran up a tree. The last few miles are 

 1 mere traa through the woods, thougb even this is some- 

 limcs travelled by wagons, tht passengers by wluohgener- 

 aiiy have me privilege of going on foot. 



The Blackwater is one of the extreme eastern (diluents of 

 the Ohio. It runs through a forest eounlry ot probably 

 thirty miles in length and Width, a tract. of some nine hun- 

 dred' square miles, almost as wild as any pari, of the Rocky 

 Mountains, lu all this region there is hardly a . settler to 

 the hundred square miles; in the part usually visited by- 

 trout fishermen there is but one house, a lone log building 

 ten miles from the nearest settlement. Tears ago Judge 



