CUSTOM OF PAINTING THE SKIN. 



137 



both." It is needless to add that the woman soon ex- 

 pected to become a mother. 



Smearing the skin with different coloured pigments is 

 a universal custom among the wood and prairie Indians. 

 Sometimes the operation is very tastefully performed. 

 Warriors on the " war-path " often paint the figure of the 

 hand over the mouth, as used in sounding the war-whoop ; 

 this is a distinctive sign that the Indian so decorated has 

 been recently, or is still engaged in the pursuit of his 

 enemies. Vermilion is the most coveted colour ; the 

 Ojibways particularly are very fond of decorating their 

 faces with this brilliant pigment. The Plain Crees 

 are partial to white, green, and blue, and not only paint 

 the face, but also the chest and arms. They cut and 

 gash the skin and flesh on the arms, sides, chest, and legs, 

 as a token of grief for any deceased friend or relation. 

 My friend Mis-tick-oos' body was dreadfully disfigured 

 by scars from wounds made by himself in manifestation 

 of his grief. 



Ornamenting the skin of the arms and breast with the 

 figures of birds, quadrupeds, or symbols of different kinds, 

 is common among the Plain Crees. The operation is per- 

 formed with a needle, a thorn, the point of a knife, or the 

 edge of a flint. The surface of the skin is cut or pene- 

 trated with the instrument used, and the colour rubbed 

 in, as in the process often adopted on a small scale by 

 sailors. The effect is to produce a permanent represen- 

 tation of different objects on the skin, but it does not 

 resemble the ridges and furrows produced by the tattooing 

 process of the New Zealanders. 



Nothing appears to contribute so largely to the comfort 

 and enjoyment of Indians, whether of the woods or the 

 prairies, as the pwahgan of the Ojibway, the uspwagan of 

 the Cree, or the pipe of the English. 



