120 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



180. Chin-cha pee, the Fire-Bug that Creeps; wife of Wi-jun jon (No. 179); her 



face painted red, and in her hand a stick, used by the women in those re- 

 gions for digging the "pomine blanche," or prairie turnip. Painted in 1832. 

 (Plate No. 29, page 56, vol. 1, Catlin's Eiglit Years.) 

 Plate 29, No. 180, is the portrait of Wi-jtin-jon's wife, Chin-cha-pee (the Fire-Bug 

 that Creeps), a fine-looking squaw, in a handsome dress of the mountain-sheep skin, 

 holding in her hand a stick curiously carved, with which every woman in this coun- 

 try is supplied, for the purpose of digging up the "pommc blanche," or prairie 

 turnip (cavius), which is found in great quantities in these northern prairies, and 

 furnishes the Indians with an abundant and nourishing food. The women collect 

 these turnips by striking the end of the stick into the ground and prying them out ; 

 after which they are dried and preserved in their wigwams for use during the 

 season.— G. C. 



181. ( ), woman and child, in beautiful skin dresses. Painted in 1832. 



(Plate No. 34, page 57, vol. 1, Catlin's Eight Years.) 

 The women of this tribe are often comely, and sometimes pretty. In plate 34 will 

 be seen a fair illustration of the dresses of the women and children, which are usually 

 made of the skins of the mountain goat and ornamented with porcupine quills and 

 rows of elk teeth. — G. C. 



MR. CATLIN'S NOTES ON THE ASSINNABOINE INDIANS. 



The Assinneboins of seven thousand # * * occupy a vast extent of country in 

 a northeastern direction from this, extending also into the British possessions as high 

 north as Lake Winnepeg and trading principally with the British company — in 

 British America. 



The Assinneboins are a part of the Dohcotas (Dakotas) or Sioux, undoubtedly, for 

 their personal appearance as well as their language is very similar. 



The Assiunaboins, somewhat like the Crows, cultivate their hair to a very great 

 length, in many instances reaching down nearly to the ground; but in most instances 

 of this kind I find the great length is produced by splicing * or adding on several 

 lengths, which are fastened very ingeniously by means of glue, and the joints obscured 

 by a sort of paste of red earth and glue, with which the hair is at intervals of every 

 two or three inches filled, and divided into locks and slabs of an inch or so in bieadth, 

 and falling straight down over the back to the heels. 



At what time, or in what manner, these two parts of a nation got strayed away 

 from each other is a mystery ; yet such cases have often occurred, of which I shall 

 say more in future. Large parties who are stray ing off in pursuit of game, or in the 

 occupation of war, are oftentimes intercepted by their enemy ; and, being prevented 

 from returning, are run off to a distant region, where they take up their residence and 

 establish themselves as a nation. 



THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME ASSINEBOIN. 



There is a very curious custom amongst the Assinneboins, from which they have 

 taken their name — a name given them by their neighbors, from a singular mode they 

 have of boiling their meat, which is done in the following manner: When they kill 

 meat a hole is dug in the ground about the size of a common pot, and a piece of the 

 raw hide of the animal, as taken from the back, is put over the hole and then pressed 

 down with tin hands close around the sides and filled with water. The meat to be 

 boiled is then put in this hole or pot of water; and in a fire, which is built near by, 

 several large stones are heated to a red heat, which are successively dipped and held 

 in the water until the meat is boiled; from which singular and peculiar custom the 

 Ojibbewa.ys have given them the appellation of Assinneboins or stone-boilers. 



* The Chinese men also splice their hair and wear it to the ground.— T. D. 



