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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/11547-0.txt b/11547-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4f96f02 --- /dev/null +++ b/11547-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10146 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11547 *** + +Juliet Sutherland, Thomas Hutchinson and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + + + +Blackfoot Lodge Tales + +_The Story of a Prairie People_ + +GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +INDIANS AND THEIR STORIES + + + +_STORIES OF ADVENTURE_ + + +THE PEACE WITH THE SNAKES + +THE LOST WOMAN + +ADVENTURES OF BULL TURNS ROUND + +K[)U]T-O'-YIS + +THE BAD WIFE + +THE LOST CHILDREN + +MIK-A'PI--RED OLD MAN + +HEAVY COLLAR AND THE GHOST WOMAN + +THE WOLF-MAN + +THE FAST RUNNERS + +TWO WAR TRAILS + + + +_STORIES OF ANCIENT TIMES_ + + +SCARFACE + +ORIGIN OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE PIPE + +THE BEAVER MEDICINE + +THE BUFFALO ROCK + +ORIGIN OF THE WORM PIPE + +THE GHOSTS' BUFFALO + + + +_STORIES OF OLD MAN_ + + +THE BLACKFOOT GENESIS + +THE DOG AND THE STICK + +THE BEARS + +THE WONDERFUL BIRD + +THE RACE + +THE BAD WEAPONS + +THE ELK + +OLD MAN DOCTORS + +THE ROCK + +THE THEFT FROM THE SUN + +THE FOX + +OLD MAN AND THE LYNX + + + +_THE STORY OF THE THREE TRIBES_. + + +THE PAST AND THE PRESENT + +DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS + +HOW THE BLACKFOOT LIVED + +SOCIAL ORGANIZATION + +HUNTING + +THE BLACKFOOT IN WAR + +RELIGION + +MEDICINE PIPES AND HEALING + +THE BLACKFOOT OF TO-DAY + + + + + +BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES + + + + + +We were sitting about the fire in the lodge on Two Medicine. Double Runner, +Small Leggings, Mad Wolf, and the Little Blackfoot were smoking and +talking, and I was writing in my note-book. As I put aside the book, and +reached out my hand for the pipe, Double Runner bent over and picked up a +scrap of printed paper, which had fallen to the ground. He looked at it for +a moment without speaking, and then, holding it up and calling me by name, +said:-- + +"_Pi-nut-ú-ye is-tsím-okan,_ this is education. Here is the difference +between you and me, between the Indians and the white people. You know what +this means. I do not. If I did know, I should be as smart as you. If all +my people knew, the white people would not always get the best of us." + +"_Nísah_ (elder brother), your words are true. Therefore you ought to see +that your children go to school, so that they may get the white man's +knowledge. When they are men, they will have to trade with the white +people; and if they know nothing, they can never get rich. The times have +changed. It will never again be as it was when you and I were young." + +"You say well, _Pi-nut-ú-ye is-tsím-okan,_ I have seen the days; and I know +it is so. The old things are passing away, and the children of my children +will be like white people. None of them will know how it used to be in +their father's days unless they read the things which we have told you, and +which you are all the time writing down in your books." + +"They are all written down, _Nísah_, the story of the three tribes, +Sík-si-kau, Kaínah, and Pik[)u]ni." + + + + +INDIANS AND THEIR STORIES + + +The most shameful chapter of American history is that in which is recorded +the account of our dealings with the Indians. The story of our government's +intercourse with this race is an unbroken narrative of injustice, fraud, +and robbery. Our people have disregarded honesty and truth whenever they +have come in contact with the Indian, and he has had no rights because he +has never had the power to enforce any. + +Protests against governmental swindling of these savages have been made +again and again, but such remonstrances attract no general +attention. Almost every one is ready to acknowledge that in the past the +Indians have been shamefully robbed, but it appears to be believed that +this no longer takes place. This is a great mistake. We treat them now much +as we have always treated them. Within two years, I have been present on a +reservation where government commissioners, by means of threats, by bribes +given to chiefs, and by casting fraudulently the votes of absentees, +succeeded after months of effort in securing votes enough to warrant them +in asserting that a tribe of Indians, entirely wild and totally ignorant of +farming, had consented to sell their lands, and to settle down each upon +160 acres of the most utterly arid and barren land to be found on the North +American continent. The fraud perpetrated on this tribe was as gross as +could be practised by one set of men upon another. In a similar way the +Southern Utes were recently induced to consent to give up their reservation +for another. + + +Americans are a conscientious people, yet they take no interest in these +frauds. They have the Anglo-Saxon spirit of fair play, which sympathizes +with weakness, yet no protest is made against the oppression which the +Indian suffers. They are generous; a famine in Ireland, Japan, or Russia +arouses the sympathy and calls forth the bounty of the nation, yet they +give no heed to the distress of the Indians, who are in the very midst of +them. They do not realize that Indians are human beings like themselves. + +For this state of things there must be a reason, and this reason is to be +found, I believe, in the fact that practically no one has any personal +knowledge of the Indian race. The few who are acquainted with them are +neither writers nor public speakers, and for the most part would find it +easier to break a horse than to write a letter. If the general public knows +little of this race, those who legislate about them are equally +ignorant. From the congressional page who distributes the copies of a +pending bill, up through the representatives and senators who vote for it, +to the president whose signature makes the measure a law, all are entirely +unacquainted with this people or their needs. + +Many stories about Indians have been written, some of which are interesting +and some, perhaps, true. All, however, have been written by civilized +people, and have thus of necessity been misleading. The reason for this is +plain. The white person who gives his idea of a story of Indian life +inevitably looks at things from the civilized point of view, and assigns to +the Indian such motives and feelings as govern the civilized man. But often +the feelings which lead an Indian to perform a particular action are not +those which would induce a white man to do the same thing, or if they are, +the train of reasoning which led up to the Indian's motive is not the +reasoning of the white man. + +In a volume about the Pawnees,[1] I endeavored to show how Indians think +and feel by letting some of them tell their own stories in their own +fashion, and thus explain in their own way how they look at the every-day +occurrences of their life, what motives govern them, and how they reason. + +[Footnote 1: Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales.] + +In the present volume, I treat of another race of Indians in precisely the +same way. I give the Blackfoot stories as they have been told to me by the +Indians themselves, not elaborating nor adding to them. In all cases except +one they were written down as they fell from the lips of the storyteller. +Sometimes I have transposed a sentence or two, or have added a few words of +explanation; but the stories as here given are told in the words of the +original narrators as nearly as it is possible to render those words into +the simplest every-day English. These are Indians' stories, pictures of +Indian life drawn by Indian artists, and showing this life from the +Indian's point of view. Those who read these stories will have the +narratives just as they came to me from the lips of the Indians themselves; +and from the tales they can get a true notion of the real man who is +speaking. He is not the Indian of the newspapers, nor of the novel, nor of +the Eastern sentimentalist, nor of the Western boomer, but the real Indian +as he is in his daily life among his own people, his friends, where he is +not embarrassed by the presence of strangers, nor trying to produce +effects, but is himself--the true, natural man. + +And when you are talking with your Indian friend, as you sit beside him and +smoke with him on the bare prairie during a halt in the day's march, or at +night lie at length about your lonely camp fire in the mountains, or form +one of a circle of feasters in his home lodge, you get very near to +nature. Some of the sentiments which he expresses may horrify your +civilized mind, but they are not unlike those which your own small boy +might utter. The Indian talks of blood and wounds and death in a +commonplace, matter-of-fact way that may startle you. But these things used +to be a part of his daily life; and even to-day you may sometimes hear a +dried-up, palsied survivor of the ancient wars cackle out his shrill laugh +when he tells as a merry jest, a bloodcurdling story of the torture he +inflicted on some enemy in the long ago. + +I have elsewhere expressed my views on Indian character, the conclusions +founded on an acquaintance with this race extending over more than twenty +years, during which time I have met many tribes, with some of whom I have +lived on terms of the closest intimacy. + +The Indian is a man, not very different from his white brother, except that +he is undeveloped. In his natural state he is kind and affectionate in his +family, is hospitable, honest and straightforward with his fellows,--a true +friend. If you are his guest, the best he has is at your disposal; if the +camp is starving, you will still have set before you your share of what +food there may be in the lodge. For his friend he will die, if need be. He +is glad to perform acts of kindness for those he likes. While travelling in +the heats of summer over long, waterless stretches of prairie, I have had +an Indian, who saw me suffering from thirst, leave me, without mentioning +his errand, and ride thirty miles to fetch me a canteen of cool water. + +The Indian is intensely religious. No people pray more earnestly nor more +frequently. This is especially true of all Indians of the Plains. + +The Indian has the mind and feelings of a child with the stature of a man; +and if this is clearly understood and considered, it will readily account +for much of the bad that we hear about him, and for many of the evil traits +which are commonly attributed to him. Civilized and educated, the Indian of +the better class is not less intelligent than the average white man, and he +has every capacity for becoming a good citizen. + +This is the view held not only by myself, but by all of the many old +frontiersmen that I have known, who have had occasion to live much among +Indians, and by most experienced army officers. It was the view held by my +friend and schoolmate, the lamented Lieutenant Casey, whose good work in +transforming the fierce Northern Cheyennes into United States soldiers is +well known among all officers of the army, and whose sad death by an Indian +bullet has not yet, I believe, been forgotten by the public. + +It is proper that something should be said as to how this book came to be +written. + +About ten years ago, Mr. J.W. Schultz of Montana, who was then living in +the Blackfoot camp, contributed to the columns of the _Forest and Stream_, +under the title "Life among the Blackfeet," a series of sketches of that +people. These papers seemed to me of unusual interest, and worthy a record +in a form more permanent than the columns of a newspaper; but no +opportunity was then presented for filling in the outlines given in them. + +Shortly after this, I visited the Pi-k[)u]n-i tribe of the Black-feet, and +I have spent more or less time in their camps every year since. I have +learned to know well all their principal men, besides many of the Bloods +and the Blackfeet, and have devoted much time and effort to the work of +accumulating from their old men and best warriors the facts bearing on the +history, customs, and oral literature of the tribe, which are presented in +this volume. + +In 1889 my book on the Pawnees was published, and seemed to arouse so much +interest in Indian life, from the Indian's standpoint, that I wrote to +Mr. Schultz, urging him, as I had often done before, to put his +observations in shape for publication, and offered to edit his work, and to +see it through the press. Mr. Schultz was unwilling to undertake this task, +and begged me to use all the material which I had gathered, and whatever he +could supply, in the preparation of a book about the Blackfeet. + +A portion of the material contained in these pages was originally made +public by Mr. Schultz, and he was thus the discoverer of the literature of +the Blackfeet. My own investigations have made me familiar with all the +stories here recorded, from original sources, but some of them he first +published in the columns of the _Forest and Stream_. For this work he is +entitled to great credit, for it is most unusual to find any one living the +rough life beyond the frontier, and mingling in daily intercourse with +Indians, who has the intelligence to study their traditions, history, and +customs, and the industry to reduce his observations to writing. + +Besides the invaluable assistance given me by Mr. Schultz, I acknowledge +with gratitude the kindly aid of Miss Cora M. Ross, one of the school +teachers at the Blackfoot agency, who has furnished me with a version of +the story of the origin of the Medicine Lodge; and of Mrs. Thomas Dawson, +who gave me help on the story of the Lost Children. William Jackson, an +educated half-breed, who did good service from 1874 to 1879, scouting under +Generals Custer and Miles, and William Russell, half-breed, at one time +government interpreter at the agency, have both given me valuable +assistance. The latter has always placed himself at my service, when I +needed an interpreter, while Mr. Jackson has been at great pains to assist +me in securing several tales which I might not otherwise have obtained, and +has helped me in many ways. The veteran prairie man, Mr. Hugh Monroe, and +his son, John Monroe, have also given me much information. Most of the +stories I owe to Blackfeet, Bloods, and Piegans of pure race. Some of these +men have died within the past few years, among them the kindly and +venerable Red Eagle; Almost-a-Dog, a noble old man who was regarded with +respect and affection by Indians and whites; and that matchless orator, +Four Bears. Others, still living, to whom I owe thanks, are Wolf Calf, Big +Nose, Heavy Runner, Young Bear Chief, Wolf Tail, Rabid Wolf, Running +Rabbit, White Calf, All-are-his-Children, Double Runner, Lone Medicine +Person, and many others. + +The stories here given cover a wide range of subjects, but are fair +examples of the oral literature of the Blackfeet. They deal with religion, +the origin of things, the performances of medicine men, the bravery and +single-heartedness of warriors. + +It will be observed that in more than one case two stories begin in the +same way, and for a few paragraphs are told in language which is almost +identical. In like manner it is often to be noted that in different stories +the same incidents occur. This is all natural enough, when it is remembered +that the range of the Indians' experiences is very narrow. The incidents +of camp life, of hunting and war excursions, do not offer a very wide +variety of conditions; and of course the stories of the people deal chiefly +with matters with which they are familiar. They are based on the every-day +life of the narrators. + +The reader of these Blackfoot stories will not fail to notice many curious +resemblances to tales told among other distant and different peoples. Their +similarity to those current among the Ojibwas, and other Eastern Algonquin +tribes, is sufficiently obvious and altogether to be expected, nor is it at +all remarkable that we should find, among the Blackfeet, tales identical +with those told by tribes of different stock far to the south; but it is a +little startling to see in the story of the Worm Pipe a close parallel to +the classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In another of the stories is an +incident which might have been taken bodily from the Odyssey. + +Well-equipped students of general folk-lore will find in these tales much +to interest them, and to such may be left the task of commenting on this +collection. + + + + +STORIES OF ADVENTURE + + + +THE PEACE WITH THE SNAKES + + +I + +In those days there was a Piegan chief named Owl Bear. He was a great +chief, very brave and generous. One night he had a dream: he saw many dead +bodies of the enemy lying about, scalped, and he knew that he must go to +war. So he called out for a feast, and after the people had eaten, he +said:-- + +"I had a strong dream last night. I went to war against the Snakes, and +killed many of their warriors. So the signs are good, and I feel that I +must go. Let us have a big party now, and I will be the leader. We will +start to-morrow night." + +Then he told two old men to go out in the camp and shout the news, so that +all might know. A big party was made up. Two hundred men, they say, went +with this chief to war. The first night they travelled only a little way, +for they were not used to walking, and soon got tired. + +In the morning the chief got up early and went and made a sacrifice, and +when he came back to the others, some said, "Come now, tell us your dream +of this night." + +"I dreamed good," said Owl Bear. "I had a good dream. We will have good +luck." + +But many others said they had bad dreams. They saw blood running from their +bodies. + +Night came, and the party started on, travelling south, and keeping near +the foot-hills; and when daylight came, they stopped in thick pine woods +and built war lodges. They put up poles as for a lodge, and covered them +very thick with pine boughs, so they could build fires and cook, and no one +would see the light and smoke; and they all ate some of the food they +carried, and then went to sleep. + +Again the chief had a good dream, but the others all had bad dreams, and +some talked about turning back; but Owl Bear laughed at them, and when +night came, all started on. So they travelled for some nights, and all +kept dreaming bad except the chief. He always had good dreams. One day +after a sleep, a person again asked Owl Bear if he dreamed good. "Yes," he +replied. "I have again dreamed of good luck." + +"We still dream bad," the person said, "and now some of us are going to +turn back. We will go no further, for bad luck is surely ahead." "Go back! +go back!" said Owl Bear. "I think you are cowards; I want no cowards with +me." They did not speak again. Many of them turned around, and started +north, toward home. + +Two more days' travel. Owl Bear and his warriors went on, and then another +party turned back, for they still had bad dreams. All the men now left with +him were his relations. All the others had turned back. + +They travelled on, and travelled on, always having bad dreams, until they +came close to the Elk River.[1] Then the oldest relation said, "Come, my +chief, let us all turn back. We still have bad dreams. We cannot have good +luck." + +[Footnote 1: Yellowstone River.] + +"No," replied Owl Bear, "I will not turn back." + +Then they were going to seize him and tie his hands, for they had talked of +this before. They thought to tie him and make him go back with them. Then +the chief got very angry. He put an arrow on his bow, and said: "Do not +touch me. You are my relations; but if any of you try to tie me, I will +kill you. Now I am ashamed. My relations are cowards and will turn back. I +have told you I have always dreamed good, and that we would have good luck. +Now I don't care; I am covered with shame. I am going now to the Snake camp +and will give them my body. I am ashamed. Go! go! and when you get home put +on women's dresses. You are no longer men." + +They said no more. They turned back homeward, and the chief was all +alone. His heart was very sad as he travelled on, and he was much ashamed, +for his relations had left him. + + +II + +Night was coming on. The sun had set and rain was beginning to fall. Owl +Bear looked around for some place where he could sleep dry. Close by he saw +a hole in the rocks. He got down on his hands and knees and crept in. Here +it was very dark. He could see nothing, so he crept very slowly, feeling as +he went. All at once his hand touched something strange. He felt of it. It +was a person's foot, and there was a moccasin on it. He stopped, and sat +still. Then he felt a little further. Yes, it was a person's leg. He could +feel the cowskin legging. Now he did not know what to do. He thought +perhaps it was a dead person; and again, he thought it might be one of his +relations, who had become ashamed and turned back after him. + +Pretty soon he put his hand on the leg again and felt along up. He touched +the person's belly. It was warm. He felt of the breast, and could feel it +rise and fall as the breath came and went; and the heart was beating +fast. Still the person did not move. Maybe he was afraid. Perhaps he +thought that was a ghost feeling of him. + +Owl Bear now knew this person was not dead. He thought he would try if he +could learn who the man was, for he was not afraid. His heart was sad. His +people and his relations had left him, and he had made up his mind to give +his body to the Snakes. So he began and felt all over the man,--of his +face, hair, robe, leggings, belt, weapons; and by and by he stopped feeling +of him. He could not tell whether it was one of his people or not. + +Pretty soon the strange person sat up and felt all over Owl Bear; and when +he had finished, he took the Piegan's hand and opened it and held it up, +waving it from side to side, saying by signs, "Who are you?" + +Owl Bear put his closed hand against the person's cheek and rubbed it; he +said in signs, "Piegan!" and then he asked the person who he was. A finger +was placed against his breast and moved across it _zigzag_. It was the sign +for "Snake." + +"_Hai yah_!" thought Owl Bear, "a Snake, my enemy." For a long time he sat +still, thinking. By and by he drew his knife from his belt and placed it in +the Snake's hand, and signed, "Kill me!" He waited. He thought soon his +heart would be cut. He wanted to die. Why live? His people had left him. + +Then the Snake took Owl Bear's hand and put a knife in it and motioned that +Owl Bear should cut his heart, but the Piegan would not do it. He lay down, +and the Snake lay down beside him. Maybe they slept. Likely not. + +So the night went and morning came. It was light, and they crawled out of +the cave, and talked a long time together by signs. Owl Bear told the Snake +where he had come from, how his party had dreamed bad and left him, and +that he was going alone to give his body to the Snakes. + +Then the Snake said: "_I_ was going to war, too. I was going against the +Piegans. Now I am done. Are you a chief?" + +"I am the head chief," replied Owl Bear. "I lead. All the others follow." + +"I am the same as you," said the Snake. "I am the chief. I like you. You +are brave. You gave me your knife to kill you with. How is your heart? +Shall the Snakes and the Piegans make peace?" + +"Your words are good," replied Owl Bear. "I am glad." + +"How many nights will it take you to go home and come back here with your +people?" asked the Snake. + +Owl Bear thought and counted. "In twenty-five nights," he replied, "the +Piegans will camp down by that creek." + +"My trail," said the Snake, "goes across the mountains. I will try to be +here in twenty-five nights, but I will camp with my people just behind that +first mountain. When you get here with the Piegans, come with one of your +wives and stay all night with me. In the morning the Snakes will move and +put up their lodges beside the Piegans." + +"As you say," replied the chief, "so it shall be done." Then they built a +fire and cooked some meat and ate together. + +"I am ashamed to go home," said Owl Bear. "I have taken no horses, no +scalps. Let me cut off your side locks?" + +"Take them," said the Snake. + +Owl Bear cut off the chiefs braids close to his head, and then the Snake +cut off the Piegan's braids. Then they exchanged clothes and weapons and +started out, the Piegan north, the Snake south. + + +III + +"Owl Bear has come! Owl Bear has come!" the people were shouting. + +The warriors rushed to his lodge. _Whish_! how quickly it was filled! +Hundreds stood outside, waiting to hear the news. + +For a long time the chief did not speak. He was still angry with his +people. An old man was talking, telling the news of the camp. Owl Bear did +not look at him. He ate some food and rested. Many were in the lodge who +had started to war with him. They were now ashamed. They did not speak, +either, but kept looking at the fire. After a long time the chief said: "I +travelled on alone. I met a Snake. I took his scalp and clothes, and his +weapons. See, here is his scalp!" And he held up the two braids of hair. + +No one spoke, but the chief saw them nudge each other and smile a little; +and soon they went out and said to one another: "What a lie! That is not an +enemy's scalp; there is no flesh on it He has robbed some dead person." + +Some one told the chief what they said, but he only laughed and replied:-- + +"_I_ do not care. They were too much afraid even to go on and rob a dead +person. They should wear women's dresses." + +Near sunset, Owl Bear called for a horse, and rode all through camp so +every one could hear, shouting out: "Listen! listen! To-morrow we move +camp. We travel south. The Piegans and Snakes are going to make peace. If +any one refuses to go, I will kill him. All must go." + +Then an old medicine man came up to him and said: "_Kyi_, Owl Bear! listen +to me. Why talk like this? You know we are not afraid of the Snakes. Have +we not fought them and driven them out of this country? Do you think we are +afraid to go and meet them? No. We will go and make peace with them as you +say, and if they want to fight, we will fight. Now you are angry with those +who started to war with you. Don't be angry. Dreams belong to the Sun. He +gave them to us, so that we can see ahead and know what will happen. The +Piegans are not cowards. Their dreams told them to turn back. So do not be +angry with them any more." + +"There is truth in what you say, old man," replied Owl Bear; "I will take +your words." + + +IV + +In those days the Piegans were a great tribe. When they travelled, if you +were with the head ones, you could not see the last ones, they were so far +back. They had more horses than they could count, so they used fresh horses +every day and travelled very fast. On the twenty-fourth day they reached +the place where Owl Bear had told the Snake they would camp, and put up +their lodges along the creek. Soon some young men came in, and said they +had seen some fresh horse trails up toward the mountain. + +"It must be the Snakes," said the chief; "they have already arrived, +although there is yet one night." So he called one of his wives, and +getting on their horses they set out to find the Snake camp. They took the +trail up over the mountain, and soon came in sight of the lodges. It was a +big camp. Every open place in the valley was covered with lodges, and the +hills were dotted with horses; for the Snakes had a great many more horses +than the Piegans. + +Some of the Snakes saw the Piegans coming, and they ran to the chief, +saying: "Two strangers are in sight, coming this way. What shall be done?" + +"Do not harm them," replied the chief. "They are friends of mine. I have +been expecting them." Then the Snakes wondered, for the chief had told them +nothing about his war trip. + +Now when Owl Bear had come to the camp, he asked in signs for the chiefs +lodge, and they pointed him to one in the middle. It was small and old. The +Piegan got off his horse, and the Snake chief came out and hugged him and +kissed him, and said: "I am glad you have come to-day to my lodge. So are +my people. You are tired. Enter my lodge and we will eat." So they went +inside and many of the Snakes came in, and they had a great feast. + +Then the Snake chief told his people how he had met the Piegan, and how +brave he was, and that now they were going to make a great peace; and he +sent some men to tell the people, so that they would be ready to move camp +in the morning. Evening came. Everywhere people were shouting out for +feasts, and the chief took Owl Bear to them. It was very late when they +returned. Then the Snake had one of his wives make a bed at the back of the +lodge; and when it was ready he said: "Now, my friend, there is your +bed. This is now your lodge; also the woman who made the bed, she is now +your wife; also everything in this lodge is yours. The parfleches, saddles, +food, robes, bowls, everything is yours. I give them to you because you are +my friend and a brave man." + +"You give me too much," replied Owl Bear. "I am ashamed, but I take your +words. I have nothing with me but one wife. She is yours." + +Next morning camp was broken early. The horses were driven in, and the +Snake chief gave Owl Bear his whole band,--two hundred head, all large, +powerful horses. + +All were now ready, and the chiefs started ahead. Close behind them were +all the warriors, hundreds and hundreds, and last came the women and +children, and the young men driving the loose horses. As they came in sight +of the Piegan camp, all the warriors started out to meet them, dressed in +their war costumes and singing the great war song. There was no wind, and +the sound came across the valley and up the hill like the noise of +thunder. Then the Snakes began to sing, and thus the two parties advanced. +At last they met. The Piegans turned and rode beside them, and so they came +to the camp. Then they got off their horses and kissed each other. Every +Piegan asked a Snake into his lodge to eat and rest, and the Snake women +put up their lodges beside the Piegan lodges. So the great peace was made. + +In Owl Bear's lodge there was a great feast, and when they had finished he +said to his people: "Here is the man whose scalp I took. Did I say I killed +him? No. I gave him my knife and told him to kill me. He would not do it; +and he gave me his knife, but I would not kill him. So we talked together +what we should do, and now we have made peace. And now (turning to the +Snake) this is your lodge, also all the things in it. My horses, too, I +give you. All are yours." + +So it was. The Piegan took the Snake's wife, lodge, and horses, and the +Snake took the Piegan's, and they camped side by side. All the people +camped together, and feasted each other and made presents. So the peace was +made. + + +V + +For many days they camped side by side. The young men kept hunting, and the +women were always busy drying meat and tanning robes and cowskins. Buffalo +were always close, and after a while the people had all the meat and robes +they could carry. Then, one day, the Snake chief said to Owl Bear: "Now, my +friend, we have camped a long time together, and I am glad we have made +peace. We have dug a hole in the ground, and in it we have put our anger +and covered it up, so there is no more war between us. And now I think it +time to go. To-morrow morning the Snakes break camp and go back south." + +"Your words are good," replied Owl Bear. "I too am glad we have made this +peace. You say you must go south, and I feel lonesome. I would like you to +go with us so we could camp together a long time, but as you say, so it +shall be done. To-morrow you will start south. I too shall break camp, for +I would be lonesome here without you; and the Piegans will start in the +home direction." + +The lodges were being taken down and packed. The men sat about the +fireplaces, taking a last smoke together. + +They were now great friends. Many Snakes had married Piegan women, and many +Piegans had married Snake women. At last all was ready. The great chiefs +mounted their horses and started out, and soon both parties were strung out +on the trail. + +Some young men, however, stayed behind to gamble a while. It was yet early +in the morning, and by riding fast it would not take them long to catch up +with their camps. All day they kept playing; and sometimes the Piegans +would win, and sometimes the Snakes. + +It was now almost sunset. "Let us have one horse race," they said, "and we +will stop." Each side had a good horse, and they ran their best; but they +came in so close together it could not be told who won. The Snakes claimed +that their horse won, and the Piegans would not allow it. So they got +angry and began to quarrel, and pretty soon they began to fight and to +shoot at each other, and some were killed. + +Since that time the Snakes and Piegans have never been at peace. + + + +THE LOST WOMAN + + +I + +A long time ago the Blackfeet were camped on Backfat Creek. There was in +the camp a man who had but one wife, and he thought a great deal of her. He +never wanted to have two wives. As time passed they had a child, a little +girl. Along toward the end of the summer, this man's wife wanted to get +some berries, and she asked her husband to take her to a certain place +where berries grew, so that she could get some. The man said to his wife: +"At this time of the year, I do not like to go to that place to pick +berries. There are always Snake or Crow war parties travelling about +there." The woman wanted very much to go, and she coaxed her husband about +it a great deal; and at last he said he would go, and they started, and +many women followed them. + +When they came to where the berries grew, the man said to his wife: "There +are the berries down in that ravine. You may go down there and pick them, +and I will go up on this hill and stand guard. If I see any one coming, I +will call out to you, and you must all get on your horses and run." So the +women went down to pick berries. + +The man went up on the hill and sat down and looked over the country. After +a little time, he looked down into another ravine not far off, and saw that +it was full of horsemen coming. They started to gallop up towards him, and +he called out in a loud voice, "Run, run, the enemy is rushing on us." The +women started to run, and he jumped on his horse and followed them. The +enemy rushed after them, and he drew his bow and arrows, and got ready to +fight and defend the women. After they had gone a little way, the enemy had +gained so much that they were shooting at the Blackfeet with their arrows, +and the man was riding back and forth behind the women, and whipping up the +horses, now of one, now of another, to make them go faster. The enemy kept +getting closer, and at last they were so near that they were beginning to +thrust at him with their lances, and he was dodging them and throwing +himself down, now on one side of his horse, and then on the other. + +At length he found that he could no longer defend all the women, so he made +up his mind to leave those that had the slowest horses to the mercy of the +enemy, while he would go on with those that had the faster ones. When he +found that he must leave the women, he was excited and rode on ahead; but +as he passed, he heard some one call out to him, "Don't leave me," and he +looked to one side, and saw that he was leaving his wife. When he heard his +wife call out thus to him, he said to her: "There is no life for me +here. You are a fine-looking woman. They will not kill you, but there is no +life for me." She answered: "No, take pity on me. Do not leave me. My horse +is giving out. Let us both get on one horse and then, if we are caught, we +will die together." When he heard this, his heart was touched and he said: +"No, wife, I will not leave you. Run up beside my horse and jump on behind +me." The enemy were now so near that they had killed or captured some of +the women, and they had come up close enough to the man so that they got +ready to hit at him with their war clubs. His horse was now wounded in +places with arrows, but it was a good, strong, fast horse. + +His wife rode up close to him, and jumped on his horse behind him. When he +started to run with her, the enemy had come up on either side of him, and +some were behind him, but they were afraid to shoot their arrows for fear +of hitting their own people, so they struck at the man with their war +clubs. But they did not want to kill the woman, and they did not hurt +him. They reached out with their hands to try to pull the woman off the +horse; but she had put her arms around her husband and held on tight, and +they could not get her off, but they tore her clothing off her. As she held +her husband, he could not use his arrows, and could not fight to defend +himself. His horse was now going very slowly, and all the enemy had caught +up to them, and were all around them. + +The man said to his wife: "Never mind, let them take you: they will not +kill you. You are too handsome a woman for them to kill you." His wife +said, "No, it is no harm for us both to die together." When he saw that his +wife would not get off the horse and that he could not fight, he said to +her: "Here, look out! You are crowding me on to the neck of the horse. Sit +further back." He began to edge himself back, and at last, when he got his +wife pretty far back on the horse, he gave a great push and shoved her off +behind. When she fell off, his horse had more speed and began to run away +from the enemy, and he would shoot back his arrows; and now, when they +would ride up to strike him with their hatchets, he would shoot them and +kill them, and they began to be afraid of him, and to edge away from +him. His horse was very long-winded; and now, as he was drawing away from +the enemy, there were only two who were yet able to keep up with him. The +rest were being left behind, and they stopped, and went back to where the +others had killed or captured the women; and now only two men were +pursuing. + +After a little while, the Blackfoot jumped off his horse to fight on foot, +and the two enemies rode up on either side of him, but a long way off, and +jumped off their horses. When he saw the two on either side of him, he took +a sheaf of arrows in his hand and began to rush, first toward the one on +the right, and then toward the one on the left. As he did this, he saw that +one of the men, when he ran toward him and threatened to shoot, would draw +away from him, while the other would stand still. Then he knew that one of +them was a coward and the other a brave man. But all the time they were +closing in on him. When he saw that they were closing in on him, he made a +rush at the brave man. This one was shooting arrows all the time; but the +Blackfoot did not shoot until he got close to him, and then he shot an +arrow into him and ran up to him and hit him with his stone axe and killed +him. Then he turned to the cowardly one and ran at him. The man turned to +run, but the Blackfoot caught him and hit him with his axe and killed him. + +After he had killed them, he scalped them and took their arrows, their +horses, and the stone knives that they had. Then he went home, and when he +rode into the camp he was crying over the loss of his wife. When he came to +his lodge and got off his horse, his friends went up to him and asked what +was the matter. He told them how all the women had been killed, and how he +had been pursued by two enemies, and had fought with them and killed them +both, and he showed them the arrows and the horses and the scalps. He told +the women's relations that they had all been killed; and all were in great +sorrow, and crying over the loss of their friends. + +The next morning they held a council, and it was decided that a party +should go out and see where the battle had been, and find out what had +become of the women. When they got to the place, they found all the women +there dead, except this man's wife. Her they could not find. They also +found the two Indians that the man had said that he had killed, and, +besides, many others that he had killed when he was running away. + + +II + +When he got back to the camp, this Blackfoot picked up his child and put it +on his back, and walked round the camp mourning and crying, and the child +crying, for four days and four nights, until he was exhausted and worn out, +and then he fell asleep. When the rest of the people saw him walking about +mourning, and that he would not eat nor drink, their hearts were very sore, +and they felt very sorry for him and for the child, for he was a man +greatly thought of by the people. + +While he lay there asleep, the chief of the camp came to him and woke him, +and said: "Well, friend, what have you decided on? What is your mind? What +are you going to do?" The man answered: "My child is lonely. It will not +eat. It is crying for its mother. It will not notice any one. I am going +to look for my wife." The chief said, "I cannot say anything." He went +about to all the lodges and told the people that this man was going away to +seek his wife. + +Now there was in the camp a strong medicine man, who was not married and +would not marry at all. He had said, "When I had my dream, it told me that +I must never have a wife." The man who had lost his wife had a very +beautiful sister, who had never married. She was very proud and very +handsome. Many men had wanted to marry her, but she would not have anything +to do with any man. The medicine man secretly loved this handsome girl, the +sister of the poor man. When he heard of this poor man's misfortune, the +medicine man was in great sorrow, and cried over it. He sent word to the +poor man, saying: "Go and tell this man that I have promised never to take +a wife, but that if he will give me his beautiful sister, he need not go to +look for his wife. I will send my secret helper in search of her." + +When the young girl heard what this medicine man had said, she sent word to +him, saying, "Yes, if you bring my brother's wife home, and I see her +sitting here by his side, I will marry you, but not before." But she did +not mean what she said. She intended to deceive him in some way, and not to +marry him at all. When the girl sent this message to him, the medicine man +sent for her and her brother to come to his lodge. When they had come, he +spoke to the poor man and said, "If I bring your wife here, are you willing +to give me your sister for my wife?" The poor man answered, "Yes." But the +young girl kept quiet in his presence, and had nothing to say. Then the +medicine man said to them: "Go. To-night in the middle of the night you +will hear me sing." He sent everybody out of his lodge, and said to the +people: "I will close the door of my lodge, and I do not want any one to +come in to-night, nor to look through the door. A spirit will come to me +to-night." He made the people know, by a sign put out before the door of +his lodge, that no one must enter it, until such time as he was through +making his medicine. Then he built a fire, and began to get out all his +medicine. He unwrapped his bundle and took out his pipe and his rattles and +his other things. After a time, the fire burned down until it was only +coals and his lodge was dark, and on the fire he threw sweet-scented herbs, +sweet grass, and sweet pine, so as to draw his dream-helper to him. + +Now in the middle of the night he was in the lodge singing, when suddenly +the people heard a strange voice in the lodge say: "Well, my chief, I have +come. What is it?" The medicine man said, "I want you to help me." The +voice said, "Yes, I know it, and I know what you want me to do." The +medicine man asked, "What is it?" The voice said, "You want me to go and +get a woman." The medicine man answered: "That is what I want. I want you +to go and get a woman--the lost woman." The voice said to him, "Did I not +tell you never to call me, unless you were in great need of my help?" The +medicine man answered, "Yes, but that girl that was never going to be +married is going to be given to me through your help." Then the voice +said, "Oh!" and it was silent for a little while. Then it went on and said: +"Well, we have a good feeling for you, and you have been a long time not +married; so we will help you to get that girl, and you will have her. Yes, +we have great pity on you. We will go and look for this woman, and will try +to find her, but I cannot promise you that we will bring her; but we will +try. We will go, and in four nights I will be back here again at this same +time, and I think that I can bring the woman; but I will not promise. While +I am gone, I will let you know how I get on. Now I am going away." And +then the people heard in the lodge a sound like a strong wind, and nothing +more. He was gone. + +Some people went and told the sister what the medicine man and the voice +had been saying, and the girl was very down-hearted, and cried over the +idea that she must be married, and that she had been forced into it in this +way. + + +III + +When the dream person went away, he came late at night to the camp of the +Snakes, the enemy. The woman who had been captured was always crying over +the loss of her man and her child. She had another husband now. The man who +had captured her had taken her for his wife. As she was lying there, in her +husband's lodge, crying for sorrow for her loss, the dream person came to +her. Her husband was asleep. The dream-helper touched her and pushed her a +little, and she looked up and saw a person standing by her side; but she +did not know who it was. The person whispered in her ear, "Get up, I want +to take you home." She began to edge away from her husband, and at length +got up, and all the time the person was moving toward the door. She +followed him out, and saw him walk away from the lodge, and she went +after. The person kept ahead, and the woman followed him, and they went +away, travelling very fast. After they had travelled some distance, she +called out to the dream person to stop, for she was getting tired. Then the +person stopped, and when he saw the woman sitting, he would sit down, but +he would not talk to her. + +As they travelled on, the woman, when she got tired, would sit down, and +because she was very tired, she would fall asleep; and when she awoke and +looked up, she always saw the person walking away from her, and she would +get up and follow him. When day came, the shape would be far ahead of her, +but at night it would keep closer. When she spoke to this person, the +woman would call him "young man." At one time she said to him, "Young man, +my moccasins are all worn out, and my feet are getting very sore, and I am +very tired and hungry." When she had said this, she sat down and fell +asleep, and as she was falling asleep, she saw the person going away from +her. He went back to the lodge of the medicine man. + +During this night the camp heard the medicine man singing his song, and +they knew that the dream person must be back again, or that his chief must +be calling him. The medicine man had unwrapped his bundle, and had taken +out all his things, and again had a fire of coals, on which he burned sweet +pine and sweet grass. Those who were listening heard a voice say: "Well, my +chief, I am back again, and I am here to tell you something. I am bringing +the woman you sent me after. She is very hungry and has no moccasins. Get +me those things, and I will take them back to her." The medicine man went +out of the lodge, and called to the poor man, who was mourning for his +wife, that he wanted to see him. The man came, carrying the child on his +back, to hear what the medicine man had to say. He said to him: "Get some +moccasins and something to eat for your wife. I want to send them to +her. She is coming." The poor man went to his sister, and told her to give +him some moccasins and some pemmican. She made a bundle of these things, +and the man took them to the medicine man, who gave them to the dream +person; and again he disappeared out of the lodge like a wind. + + +IV + +When the woman awoke in the morning and started to get up, she hit her face +against a bundle lying by her, and when she opened it, she found in it +moccasins and some pemmican; and she put on the moccasins and ate, and +while she was putting on the moccasins and eating, she looked over to where +she had last seen the person, and he was sitting there with his back toward +her. She could never see his face. When she had finished eating, he got up +and went on, and she rose and followed. They went on, and the woman +thought, "Now I have travelled two days and two nights with this young man, +and I wonder what kind of a man he is. He seems to take no notice of me." +So she made up her mind to walk fast and to try to overtake him, and see +what sort of a man he was. She started to do so, but however fast she +walked, it made no difference. She could not overtake him. Whether she +walked fast, or whether she walked slow, he was always the same distance +from her. They travelled on until night, and then she lay down again and +fell asleep. She dreamed that the young man had left her again. + +The dream person had really left her, and had gone back to the medicine +man's lodge, and said to him: "Well, my chief, I am back again. I am +bringing the woman. You must tell this poor man to get on his horse, and +ride back toward Milk River (the Teton). Let him go in among the high hills +on this side of the Muddy, and let him wait there until daylight, and look +toward the hills of Milk River; and after the sun is up a little way, he +will see a band of antelope running toward him, along the trail that the +Blackfeet travel. It will be his wife who has frightened these +antelope. Let him wait there for a while, and he will see a person +coming. This will be his wife. Then let him go to meet her, for she has no +moccasins. She will be glad to see him, for she is crying all the time." + +The medicine man told the poor man this, and he got on his horse and +started, as he had been told. He could not believe that it was true. But he +went. At last he got to the place, and a little while after the sun had +risen, as he was lying on a hill looking toward the hills of the Milk +River, he saw a band of antelope running toward him, as he had been told he +would see. He lay there for a long time, but saw nothing else come in +sight; and finally he got angry and thought that what had been told him was +a lie, and he got up to mount his horse and ride back. Just then he saw, +away down, far off on the prairie, a small black speck, but he did not +think it was moving, it was so far off,--barely to be seen. He thought +maybe it was a rock. He lay down again and took sight on the speck by a +straw of grass in front of him, and looked for a long time, and after a +while he saw the speck pass the straw, and then he knew it was +something. He got on his horse and started to ride up and find out what it +was, riding way around it, through the hills and ravines, so that he would +not be seen. He rode up in a ravine behind it, pretty near to it, and then +he could see it was a person on foot. He got out his bow and arrows and +held them ready to use, and then started to ride up to it. He rode toward +the person, and at last he got near enough to see that it was his +wife. When he saw this, he could not help crying; and as he rode up, the +woman looked back, and knew first the horse, and then her husband, and she +was so glad that she fell down and knew nothing. + +After she had come to herself and they had talked together, they got on the +horse and rode off toward camp. When he came over the hill in sight of +camp, all the people began to say, "Here comes the man"; and at last they +could see from a distance that he had some one on the horse behind him, and +they knew that it must be his wife, and they were glad to see him bringing +her back, for he was a man thought a great deal of, and everybody liked him +and liked his wife and the way he was kind to her. + +Then the handsome girl was given to the medicine man and became his wife. + + + +ADVENTURES OF BULL TURNS ROUND + + +I + +Once the camp moved, but one lodge stayed. It belonged to Wolf Tail; and +Wolf Tail's younger brother, Bull Turns Round, lived with him. Now their +father loved both his sons, but he loved the younger one most, and when he +went away with the big camp, he said to Wolf Tail: "Take care of your young +brother; he is not yet a strong person. Watch him that nothing befall him." + +One day Wolf Tail was out hunting, and Bull Turns Round sat in front of the +lodge making arrows, and a beautiful strange bird lit on the ground before +him. Then cried one of Wolf Tail's wives, "Oh, brother, shoot that little +bird." "Don't bother me, sister," he replied, "I am making arrows." Again +the woman said, "Oh, brother, shoot that bird for me." Then Bull Turns +Round fitted an arrow to his bow and shot the bird, and the woman went and +picked it up and stroked her face with it, and her face swelled up so big +that her eyes and nose could not be seen. But when Bull Turns Round had +shot the bird, he went off hunting and did not know what had happened to +the woman's face. + +Now when Wolf Tail came home and saw his wife's face, he said, "What is the +matter?" and his wife replied: "Your brother has pounded me so that I +cannot see. Go now and kill him." But Wolf Tail said, "No, I love my +brother; I cannot kill him." Then his wife cried and said: "I know you do +not love me; you are glad your brother has beaten me. If you loved me, you +would go and kill him." + +Then Wolf Tail went out and looked for his brother, and when he had found +him, he said: "Come, let us get some feathers. I know where there is an +eagle's nest;" and he took him to a high cliff, which overhung the river, +and on the edge of this cliff was a dead tree, in the top of which the +eagles had built their nest. Then said Wolf Tail, "Climb up, brother, and +kill the eagles;" and when Bull Turns Round had climbed nearly to the top, +Wolf Tail called out, "I am going to push the tree over the cliff, and you +will be killed." + +"Oh, brother! oh, brother! pity me; do not kill me," said Bull Turns Round. + +"Why did you beat my wife's face so?" said Wolf Tail. + +"I didn't," cried the boy; "I don't know what you are talking about." + +"You lie," said Wolf Tail, and he pushed the tree over the cliff. He looked +over and saw his brother fall into the water, and he did not come up +again. Then Wolf Tail went home and took down his lodge, and went to the +main camp. When his father saw him coming with only his wives, he said to +him, "Where is your young brother?" And Wolf Tail replied: "He went hunting +and did not come back. We waited four days for him. I think the bears must +have killed him." + + +II + +Now when Bull Turns Round fell into the river, he was stunned, and the +water carried him a long way down the stream and finally lodged him on a +sand shoal. Near this shoal was a lodge of Under Water People +(_S[=u]'-y[=e]-t[)u]p'-pi_), an old man, his wife, and two daughters. This +old man was very rich: he had great flocks of geese, swans, ducks, and +other water-fowl, and a big herd of buffalo which were tame. These buffalo +always fed near by, and the old man called them every evening to come and +drink. But he and his family ate none of these. Their only food was the +bloodsucker.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Blackfoot--_Est'-st[)u]k-ki_, suck-bite; from _Est-ah-tope_, +suck, and _I-sik-st[)u]k-ki_, bite.] + +Now the old man's daughters were swimming about in the evening, and they +found Bull Turns Round lying on the shoal, dead, and they went home and +told their father, and begged him to bring the person to life, and give him +to them for a husband. "Go, my daughters," he said, "and make four sweat +lodges, and I will bring the person." He went and got Bull Turns Round, and +when the sweat lodges were finished, the old man took him into one of them, +and when he had sprinkled water on the hot rocks, he scraped a great +quantity of sand off Bull Turns Round. Then he took him into another lodge +and did the same thing, and when he had taken him into the fourth sweat +lodge and scraped all the sand off him, Bull Turns Round came to life, and +the old man led him out and gave him to his daughters. And the old man gave +his son-in-law a new lodge and bows and arrows, and many good presents. + +Then the women cooked some bloodsuckers, and gave them to their husband, +but when he smelled of them he could not eat, and he threw them in the +fire. Then his wives asked him what he would eat. "Buffalo," he replied, +"is the only meat for men." + +"Oh, father!" cried the girls, running to the old man's lodge, "our husband +will not eat our food. He says buffalo is the only meat for men." + +"Go then, my daughters," said the old man, "and tell your husband to kill a +buffalo, but do not take nor break any bones, for I will make it alive +again." Then the old man called the buffalo to come and drink, and Bull +Turns Round shot a fat cow and took all the meat. And when he had roasted +the tongue, he gave each of his wives a small piece of it, and they liked +it, and they roasted and ate plenty of the meat. + + + +III + +One day Bull Turns Round went to the old man and said, "I mourn for my +father." + +"How did you come to be dead on the sand shoal?" asked the old man. Then +Bull Turns Round told what his brother had done to him. + +"Take this piece of sinew," said the old man. "Go and see your father. When +you throw this sinew on the fire, your brother and his wife will roll, and +twist up and die." Then the old man gave him a herd of buffalo, and many +dogs to pack the lodge, and other things; and Bull Turns Round took his +wives, and went to find his father. + +One day, just after sunset, they came in sight of the big camp, and they +went and pitched the lodge on the top of a very high butte; and the buffalo +fed close by, and there were so many of them that they covered the whole +hill. + +Now the people were starving, and some had died, for they had no +buffalo. In the morning, early, a man arose whose son had starved to death, +and when he went out and saw this lodge on the top of the hill, and all the +buffalo feeding by it, he cried out in a loud voice; and the people all +came out and looked at it, and they were afraid, for they thought it was +_St[=o]n'-i-t[)a]p-i_.[1] Then said the man whose son had died: "I am no +longer glad to live. I will go up to this lodge, and find out what this +is." Now when he said this, all the men grasped their bows and arrows and +followed him, and when they went up the hill, the buffalo just moved out of +their path and kept on feeding; and just as they came to the lodge, Bull +Turns Round came out, and all the people said, "Here is the one whom we +thought the bears had killed." Wolf Tail ran up, and said, "Oh, brother, +you are not dead. You went to get feathers, but we thought you had been +killed." Then Bull Turns Round called his brother into the lodge, and he +threw the sinew on the fire; and Wolf Tail, and his wife, who was standing +outside, twisted up and died. + +[Footnote 1: There is no word in English which corresponds to this. It is +used when speaking of things wonderful or supernatural.] + +Then Bull Turns Round told his father all that had happened to him; and +when he learned that the people were starving, he filled his mouth with +feathers and blew them out, and the buffalo ran off in every direction, and +he said to the people, "There is food, go chase it." Then the people were +very glad, and they came each one and gave him a present. They gave him +war shirts, bows and arrows, shields, spears, white robes, and many curious +things. + + + + +K[)U]T-O'-YIS + +Long ago, down where Two Medicine and Badger Creeks come together, there +lived an old man. He had but one wife and two daughters. One day there came +to his camp a young man who was very brave and a great hunter. The old man +said: "Ah! I will have this young man to help me. I will give him my +daughters for wives." So he gave him his daughters. He also gave this +son-in-law all his wealth, keeping for himself only a little lodge, in +which he lived with his old wife. The son-in-law lived in a lodge that was +big and fine. + +At first the son-in-law was very good to the old people. Whenever he +killed anything, he gave them part of the meat, and furnished plenty of +robes and skins for their bedding and clothing. But after a while he began +to be very mean to them. + +Now the son-in-law kept the buffalo hidden under a big log jam in the +river. Whenever he wanted to kill anything, he would have the old man go to +help him; and the old man would stamp on the log jam and frighten the +buffalo, and when they ran out, the young man would shoot one or two, never +killing wastefully. But often he gave the old people nothing to eat, and +they were hungry all the time, and began to grow thin and weak. + +One morning, the young man called his father-in-law to go down to the log +jam and hunt with him. They started, and the young man killed a fat buffalo +cow. Then he said to the old man, "Hurry back now, and tell your children +to get the dogs and carry this meat home, then you can have something to +eat." And the old man did as he had been ordered, thinking to himself: +"Now, at last, my son-in-law has taken pity on me. He will give me part of +this meat." When he returned with the dogs, they skinned the cow, cut up +the meat and packed it on the dog travois, and went home. Then the young +man had his wives unload it, and told his father-in-law to go home. He did +not give him even a piece of liver. Neither would the older daughter give +her parents anything to eat, but the younger took pity on the old people +and stole a piece of meat, and when she got a chance threw it into the +lodge to the old people. The son-in-law told his wives not to give the old +people anything to eat. The only way they got food was when the younger +woman would throw them a piece of meat unseen by her husband and sister. + +Another morning, the son-in-law got up early, and went and kicked on the +old man's lodge to wake him, and called him to get up and help him, to go +and pound on the log jam to drive out the buffalo, so that he could kill +some. When the old man pounded on the jam, a buffalo ran out, and the +son-in-law shot it, but only wounded it. It ran away, but at last fell down +and died. The old man followed it, and came to where it had lost a big clot +of blood from its wound. When he came to where this clot of blood was lying +on the ground, he stumbled and fell, and spilled his arrows out of his +quiver; and while he was picking them up, he picked up also the clot of +blood, and hid it in his quiver. "What are you picking up?" called out the +son-in-law. "Nothing," said the old man; "I just fell down and spilled my +arrows, and am putting them back." "Curse you, old man," said the +son-in-law, "you are lazy and useless. Go back and tell your children to +come with the dogs and get this dead buffalo." He also took away his bow +and arrows from the old man. + +The old man went home and told his daughters, and then went over to his own +lodge, and said to his wife: "Hurry now, and put the kettle on the fire. I +have brought home something from the butchering." "Ah!" said the old woman, +"has our son-in-law been generous, and given us something nice?" "No," +answered the old man; "hurry up and put the kettle on." When the water +began to boil, the old man tipped his quiver up over the kettle, and +immediately there came from the pot a noise as of a child crying, as if it +were being hurt, burnt or scalded. They looked in the kettle, and saw there +a little boy, and they quickly took it out of the water. They were very +much surprised. The old woman made a lashing to put the child in, and then +they talked about it. They decided that if the son-in-law knew that it was +a boy, he would kill it, so they resolved to tell their daughters that the +baby was a girl. Then he would be glad, for he would think that after a +while he would have it for a wife. They named the child K[)u]t-o'-yis (Clot +of Blood). + +The son-in-law and his wives came home, and after a while he heard the +child crying. He told his youngest wife to go and find out whether that +baby was a boy or a girl; if it was a boy, to tell them to kill it. She +came back and told them that it was a girl. He did not believe this, and +sent his oldest wife to find out the truth of the matter. When she came +back and told him the same thing, he believed that it was really a +girl. Then he was glad, for he thought that when the child had grown up he +would have another wife. He said to his youngest wife, "Take some pemmican +over to your mother; not much, just enough so that there will be plenty of +milk for the child." + +Now on the fourth day the child spoke, and said, "Lash me in turn to each +one of these lodge poles, and when I get to the last one, I will fall out +of my lashing and be grown up." The old woman did so, and as she lashed +him to each lodge pole he could be seen to grow, and finally when they +lashed him to the last pole, he was a man. After K[)u]t-o'-yis had looked +about the inside of the lodge, he looked out through a hole in the lodge +covering, and then, turning round, he said to the old people: "How is it +there is nothing to eat in this lodge? I see plenty of food over by the +other lodge." "Hush up," said the old woman, "you will be heard. That is +our son-in-law. He does not give us anything at all to eat." "Well," said +K[)u]t-o'-yis, "where is your pis'kun?" The old woman said, "It is down by +the river. We pound on it and the buffalo come out." + +Then the old man told him how his son-in-law abused him. "He has taken my +weapons from me, and even my dogs; and for many days we have had nothing to +eat, except now and then a small piece of meat our daughter steals for us." + +"Father," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "have you no arrows?" "No, my son," he +replied; "but I have yet four stone points." + +"Go out then and get some wood," said K[)u]t-o'-yis. "We will make a bow +and arrows. In the morning we will go down and kill something to eat." + +Early in the morning K[)u]t-o'-yis woke the old man, and said, "Come, we +will go down now and kill when the buffalo come out." When they had reached +the river, the old man said: "Here is the place to stand and shoot. I will +go down and drive them out." As he pounded on the jam, a fat cow ran out, +and K[)u]t-o'-yis killed it. + +Meantime the son-in-law had gone out, and as usual knocked on the old man's +lodge, and called to him to get up and go down to help him kill. The old +woman called to him that her husband had already gone down. This made the +son-in-law very angry. He said: "I have a good mind to kill you right now, +old woman. I guess I will by and by." + +The son-in-law went on down to the jam, and as he drew near, he saw the old +man bending over, skinning a buffalo. "Old man," said he, "stand up and +look all around you. Look well, for it will be your last look." Now when +he had seen the son-in-law coming, K[)u]t-o'-yis had lain down and hidden +himself behind the buffalo's carcass. He told the old man to say to his +son-in-law, "You had better take your last look, for I am going to kill +you, right now." The old man said this. "Ah!" said the son-in-law, "you +make me angrier still, by talking back to me." He put an arrow to his bow +and shot at the old man, but did not hit him. K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old +man to pick up the arrow and shoot it back at him, and he did so. Now they +shot at each other four times, and then the old man said to K[)u]t-o'-yis: +"I am afraid now. Get up and help me." So K[)u]t-o'-yis got up on his feet +and said: "Here, what are you doing? I think you have been badly treating +this old man for a long time." + +Then the son-in-law smiled pleasantly, for he was afraid of +K[)u]t-o'-yis. "Oh, no," he said, "no one thinks more of this old man than +I do. I have always taken great pity on him." + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis said: "You lie. I am going to kill you now." He shot him +four times, and the man died. Then K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old man to go and +bring down the daughter who had acted badly toward him. He did so, and +K[)u]t-o'-yis killed her. Then he went up to the lodges and said to the +younger woman, "Perhaps you loved your husband." "Yes," she said, "I love +him." So he killed her, too. Then he said to the old people: "Go over there +now, and live in that lodge. There is plenty there to eat, and when it is +gone I will kill more. As for myself, I will make a journey around +about. Where are there any people? In what direction?" "Well," said the old +man, "up above here on Badger Creek and Two Medicine, where the pis'kun is, +there are some people." + +K[)u]t-o'-yis went up to where the pis'kun was, and saw there many lodges +of people. In the centre of the camp was a large lodge, with a figure of a +bear painted on it. He did not go into this lodge, but went into a very +small one near by, where two old women lived; and when he went in, he asked +them for something to eat. They set before him some lean dried meat and +some belly fat. "How is this?" he asked. "Here is a pis'kun with plenty of +fat meat and back fat. Why do you not give me some of that?" "Hush," said +the old women. "In that big lodge near by, lives a big bear and his wives +and children. He takes all those nice things and leaves us nothing. He is +the chief of this place." + +Early in the morning, K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old women to get their dog +travois, and harness it, and go over to the pis'kun, and that he was going +to kill for them some fat meat. He reached there just about the time the +buffalo were being driven in, and shot a cow, which looked very scabby, but +was really very fat. Then he helped the old women to butcher, and when they +had taken the meat to camp, he said to them, "Now take all the choice fat +pieces, and hang them up so that those who live in the bear lodge will +notice them." + +They did this, and pretty soon the old chief bear said to his children: "Go +out now, and look around. The people have finished killing by this +time. See where the nicest pieces are, and bring in some nice back fat." A +young bear went out of the lodge, stood up and looked around, and when it +saw this meat close by, at the old women's lodge, it went over and began to +pull it down. "Hold on there," said K[)u]t-o'-yis. "What are you doing +here, taking the old women's meat?" and he hit him over the head with a +stick that he had. The young bear ran home crying, and said to his father, +"A young man has hit me on the head." Then all the bears, the father and +mother, and uncles and aunts, and all the relations, were very angry, and +all rushed out toward the old women's lodge. + +K[)u]t-o'-yis killed them all, except one little child bear, a female, +which escaped. "Well," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "you can go and breed bears, so +there will be more." + +Then said K[)u]t-o'-yis to the old women: "Now, grand-mothers, where are +there any more people? I want to travel around and see them." The old women +said: "The nearest ones are at the point of rocks (on Sun River). There is +a pis'kun there." So K[)u]t-o'-yis travelled off toward this place, and +when he reached the camp, he entered an old woman's lodge. + +The old woman set before him a plate of bad food. "How is this?" he +asked. "Have you nothing better than this to set before a stranger? You +have a pis'kun down there, and must get plenty of fat meat. Give me some +pemmican." "We cannot do that," the old woman replied, "because there is a +big snake here, who is chief of the camp. He not only takes the best +pieces, but often he eats a handsome young woman, when he sees one." When +K[)u]t-o'-yis heard this he was angry, and went over and entered the +snake's lodge. The women were cooking up some sarvis berries. He picked up +the dish, and ate the berries, and threw the dish out of the door. Then he +went over to where the snake was lying asleep, pricked him with his knife, +and said: "Here, get up. I have come to see you." This made the snake +angry. He partly raised himself up and began to rattle, when K[)u]t-o'-yis +cut him into pieces with his knife. Then he turned around and killed all +his wives and children, except one little female snake, which escaped by +crawling into a crack in the rocks. "Oh, well," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "you +can go and breed young snakes, so there will be more. The people will not +be afraid of little snakes." K[)u]t-o'-yis said to the old woman, "Now you +go into this snake's lodge and take it for yourself, and everything that is +in it." + +Then he asked them where there were some more people. They told him that +there were some people down the river, and some up in the mountains. But +they said: "Do not go there, for it is bad, because Ai-sin'-o-ko-ki (Wind +Sucker) lives there. He will kill you." It pleased K[)u]t-o'-yis to know +that there was such a person, and he went to the mountains. When he got to +the place where Wind Sucker lived, he looked into his mouth, and could see +many dead people there,--some skeletons and some just dead. He went in, and +there he saw a fearful sight. The ground was white as snow with the bones +of those who had died. There were bodies with flesh on them; some were just +dead, and some still living. He spoke to a living person, and asked, "What +is that hanging down above us?" The person answered that it was Wind +Sucker's heart. Then said K[)u]t-o'-yis: "You who still draw a little +breath, try to shake your heads (in time to the song), and those who are +still able to move, get up and dance. Take courage now, we are going to +have the ghost dance." So K[)u]t-o'-yis bound his knife, point upward, to +the top of his head and began to dance, singing the ghost song, and all the +others danced with him; and as he danced up and down, the point of the +knife cut Wind Sucker's heart and killed him. K[)u]t-o'-yis took his knife +and cut through Wind Sucker's ribs, and freed those who were able to crawl +out, and said to those who could still travel to go and tell their people +that they should come here for the ones who were still alive but unable to +walk. + +Then he asked some of these people: "Where are there any other people? I +want to visit all the people." They said to him: "There is a camp to the +westward up the river, but you must not take the left-hand trail going up, +because on that trail lives a woman, a handsome woman, who invites men to +wrestle with her and then kills them. You must avoid her." This was what +K[)u]t-o'-yis was looking for. This was his business in the world, to kill +off all the bad things. So he asked the people just where this woman lived, +and asked where it was best to go to avoid her. He did this, because he did +not wish the people to know that he wanted to meet her. + +He started on his way, and at length saw this woman standing by the +trail. She called out to him, "Come here, young man, come here; I want to +wrestle with you." "No," replied the young man, "I am in a hurry. I cannot +stop." But the woman called again, "No, no, come now and wrestle once with +me." When she had called him four times, K[)u]t-o'-yis went up to her. Now +on the ground, where this woman wrestled with people, she had placed many +broken and sharp flints, partly hiding them by the grass. They seized each +other, and began to wrestle over these broken flints, but K[)u]t-o'-yis +looked at the ground and did not step on them. He watched his chance, and +suddenly gave the woman a wrench, and threw her down on a large sharp +flint, which cut her in two; and the parts of her body fell asunder. + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis went on, and after a while came to where a woman kept a +sliding place; and at the far end of it there was a rope, which would trip +people up, and when they were tripped, they would fall over a high cliff +into deep water, where a great fish would eat them. When this woman saw him +coming, she cried out, "Come over here, young man, and slide with me." +"No," he replied, "I am in a hurry." She kept calling him, and when she +had called the fourth time, he went over to slide with her. "This sliding," +said the woman, "is a very pleasant pastime." "Ah!" said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "I +will look at it." He looked at the place, and, looking carefully, he saw +the hidden rope. So he started to slide, and took out his knife, and when +he reached the rope, which the woman had raised, he cut it, and when it +parted, the woman fell over backward into the water, and was eaten up by +the big fish. + +Again he went on, and after a while he came to a big camp. This was the +place of a man-eater. K[)u]t-o'-yis called a little girl he saw near by, +and said to her: "Child, I am going into that lodge to let that man-eater +kill and eat me. Watch close, therefore, and when you can get hold of one +of my bones, take it out and call all the dogs, and when they have all come +up to you, throw it down and cry out, 'K[)u]t-o'-yis, the dogs are eating +your bones!'" + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis entered the lodge, and when the man-eater saw him, he +cried out, "_O'ki, O'ki,"_ and seemed glad to see him, for he was a fat +young man. The man-eater took a large knife, and went up to K[)u]t-o'-yis, +and cut his throat, and put him into a great stone kettle to cook. When the +meat was cooked, he drew the kettle from the fire, and ate the body, limb +by limb, until it was all eaten up. + +Then the little girl, who was watching, came up to him, and said, "Pity me, +man-eater, my mother is hungry and asks you for those bones." So the old +man bunched them up together and handed them to her. She took them out, and +called all the dogs to her, and threw the bones down to the dogs, crying +out, "Look out, K[)u]t-o'-yis; the dogs are eating you!" and when she said +that, K[)u]t-o'-yis arose from the pile of bones. + +Again he went into the lodge, and when the man-eater saw him, he cried out, +"How, how, how! the fat young man has survived," and seemed +surprised. Again he took his knife and cut K[)u]t-o'-yis' throat, and threw +him into the kettle. Again, when the meat was cooked, he ate it up, and +again the little girl asked for the bones, which he gave her; and, taking +them out, she threw them to the dogs, crying, "K[)u]t-o'-yis, the dogs are +eating you!" and K[)u]t-o'-yis again arose from the bones. + +When the man-eater had cooked him four times, he again went into the lodge, +and, seizing the man-eater, he threw him into the boiling kettle, and his +wives and children too, and boiled them to death. + +The man-eater was the seventh and last of the bad animals and people who +were destroyed by K[)u]t-o'-yis. + + + +THE BAD WIFE + + +I + +There was once a man who had but one wife. He was not a chief, but a very +brave warrior. He was rich, too, so he could have had plenty of wives if he +wished; but he loved his wife very much, and did not want any more. He was +very good to this woman. She always wore the best clothes that could be +found. If any other woman had a fine buckskin dress, or something very +pretty, the man would buy it for her. + +It was summer. The berries were ripe, and the woman kept saying to her +husband, "Let us go and pick some berries for winter." "No," replied the +man. "It is dangerous now. The enemy is travelling all around." But still +the woman kept teasing him to go. So one day he told her to get ready. Some +other women went, too. They all went on horseback, for the berries were a +long way from camp. When they got to the place, the man told the women to +keep near their horses all the time. He would go up on a butte near by and +watch. "Be careful," he said. "Keep by your horses, and if you see me +signal, throw away your berries, get on your horses and ride towards camp +as fast as you can." + +They had not picked many berries before the man saw a war party coming. He +signalled the women, and got on his horse and rode towards them. It +happened that this man and his wife both had good horses, but the others, +all old women, rode slow old travois horses, and the enemy soon overtook +and killed them. Many kept on after the two on good horses, and after a +while the woman's horse began to get tired; so she asked her husband to let +her ride on his horse with him. The woman got up behind him, and they went +on again. The horse was a very powerful one, and for a while went very +fast; but two persons make a heavy load, and soon the enemy began to gain +on them. The man was now in a bad plight; the enemy were overtaking him, +and the woman holding him bound his arms so that he could not use his bow. + +"Get off," he said to her. "The enemy will not kill you. You are too young +and pretty. Some one of them will take you, and I will get a big party of +our people and rescue you." + +"No, no," cried the woman; "let us die here together." + +"Why die?" cried the man. "We are yet young, and may live a long time +together. If you don't get off, they will soon catch us and kill me, and +then they will take you anyhow. Get off, and in only a short time I will +get you back." + +"No, no," again cried the woman; "I will die here with you." + +"Crazy person!" cried the man, and with a quick jerk he threw the woman +off. + +As he said, the enemy did not kill her. The first one who came up counted +_coup_ and took her. The man, now that his horse was lightened, easily ran +away from the war party, and got safe to camp. + + +II + +Then there was great mourning. The relatives of the old women who had been +killed, cut their hair and cried. The man, too, cut off his hair and +mourned. He knew that his wife was not killed, but he felt very badly +because he was separated from her. He painted himself black, and walked all +through the camp, crying. His wife had many relations, and some of them +went to the man and said: "We pity you very much. We mourn, too, for our +sister. But come. Take courage. We will go with you, and try to get her +back." + +"It is good," replied the man. "I feel as if I should die, stopping +uselessly here. Let us start soon." + +That evening they got ready, and at daylight started out on foot. There +were seven of them in all. The husband, five middle-aged men, the woman's +relations, and a young man, her own young brother. He was a very pretty +boy. His hair was longer than any other person's in camp. + +They soon found the trail of the war party, and followed it for some +days. At last they came to the Big River,[1] and there, on the other side, +they saw many lodges. They crept down a coulée into the valley, and hid in +a small piece of timber just opposite the camp. Toward evening the man +said: "_Kyi_, my brothers. To-night I will swim across and look all through +the camp for my wife. If I do not find her, I will cache and look again +to-morrow evening. But if I do not return before daylight of the second +night, then you will know I am killed. Then you will do as you think best. +Maybe you will want to take revenge. Maybe you will go right back +home. That will be as your hearts feel." + +[Footnote 1: Missouri River.] + +As soon as it was dark, he swam across the river and went all about through +the camp, peeping in through the doorways of the lodges, but he did not see +his wife. Still, he knew she must be there. He had followed the trail of +the party to this place. They had not killed her on the way. He kept +looking in at the lodges until it was late, and the people let the fires go +out and went to bed. Then the man went down to where the women got their +water from the river. Everywhere along the stream was a cut bank, but in +one place a path of steps had been made down to the water's edge. Near this +path, he dug a hole in the bank and crawled into it, closing up the +entrance, except one small hole, through which he could look, and watch the +people who came to the river. + +As soon as it was daylight, the women began to come for water. _Tum, tum, +tum, tum_, he could hear their footsteps as they came down the path, and he +looked eagerly at every one. All day long the people came and went,--the +young and old; and the children played about near him. He saw many strange +people that day. It was now almost sunset, and he began to think that he +would not see his wife there. _Tum, tum, tum, tum_, another woman came +down the steps, and stopped at the water's edge. Her dress was strange, but +he thought he knew the form. She turned her head and looked down the river, +and he saw her face. It was his wife. He pushed away the dirt, crawled +out, went to her and kissed her. "_Kyi_," he said, "hurry, and let us swim +across the river. Five of your relations and your own young brother are +waiting for us in that piece of timber." + +"Wait," replied his wife. "These people have given me a great many pretty +things. Let me go back. When it is night I will gather them up, steal a +horse, and cross over to you." + +"No, no," cried the man. "Let the pretty things go; come, let us cross at +once." + +"Pity me," said the woman. "Let me go and get my things. I will surely come +to-night. I speak the truth." + +"How do you speak the truth?"[1] asked her husband. + +[Footnote 1: Blackfoot--_Tsa-ki-an-ist-o-man-i?_ i.e., How you like truth?] + +"That my relations there across the river may be safe and live long, I +speak the truth." + +"Go then," said the man, "and get your things. I will cross the river now." +He went up on the bank and walked down the river, keeping his face +hidden. No one noticed him, or if they did, they thought he belonged to the +camp. As soon as he had passed the first bend, he swam across the river, +and soon joined his relations. + +"I have seen my wife," he said to them. "She will come over as soon as it +is dark. I let her go back to get some things that were given her." + +"You are crazy," said one of the men, "very crazy. She already loves this +new man she has, or she would not have wanted to go back." + +"Stop that," said the husband; "do not talk bad of her. She will surely +come." + + +III + +The woman went back to her lodge with the water, and, sitting down near the +fireplace, she began to act very strangely. She took up pieces of charred +wood, dirt, and ashes in her hands and ate them, and made queer noises. + +"What is it?" asked the man who had taken her for a wife. "What is the +matter with you?" He spoke in signs. + +The woman also spoke in signs. She answered him: "The Sun told me that +there are seven persons across the river in that piece of timber. Five of +them are middle-aged, another is a young boy with very long hair, another +is a man who mourns. His hair is cut short." + +The Snake did not know what to do, so he called in some chiefs and old men +to advise with him. They thought that the woman might be very strong +medicine. At all events, it would be a good thing to go and look. So the +news was shouted out, and in a short time all the warriors had mounted +their best horses, and started across the river. It was then almost dark, +so they surrounded the piece of timber, and waited for morning to begin the +search. + +"_Kyi_," said one of the woman's relations to her husband. "Did I not +speak the truth? You see now what that woman has done for us." + +At daylight the poor husband strung his bow, took a handful of arrows from +his quiver, and said: "This is my fault. I have brought you to this. It is +right that I should die first," and he started to go out of the timber. + +"Wait," said the eldest relative. "It shall not be so. I am the first to +go. I cannot stay back to see my brother die. You shall go out last." So he +jumped out of the brush, and began shooting his arrows, but was soon +killed. + +"My brother is too far on the road alone,"[1] cried another relation, and +he jumped out and fought, too. What use, one against so many? The Snakes +soon had his scalp. + +[Footnote 1: Meaning that his brother's spirit, or shadow, was travelling +alone the road to the Sand Hills, and that he must overtake him.] + +So they went out, one after another, and at last the husband was alone. He +rushed out very brave, and shot his arrows as fast as he could. "Hold!" +cried the Snake man to his people. "Do not kill him; catch him. This is the +one my wife said to bring back alive. See! his hair is cut short." So, when +the man had shot away all his arrows, they seized and tied him, and, taking +the scalps of the others, returned to camp. + +They took the prisoner into the lodge where his wife was. His hands were +tied behind his back, and they tied his feet, too. He could not move. + +As soon as the man saw his wife, he cried. He was not afraid. He did not +care now how soon he died. He cried because he was thinking of all the +trouble and death this woman had caused. "What have I done to you," he +asked his wife, "that you should treat me this way? Did I not always use +you well? I never struck you. I never made you work hard." + +"What does he say?" asked the Snake man. + +"He says," replied the woman, "that when you are done smoking, you must +knock the ashes and fire out of your pipe on his breast." + +The Snake was not a bad-hearted man, but he thought now that this woman had +strong medicine, that she had Sun power; so he thought that everything must +be done as she said. When the man had finished smoking, he emptied the pipe +on the Piegan's breast, and the fire burned him badly. + +Then the poor man cried again, not from the pain, but to think what a bad +heart this woman had. Again he spoke to her. "You cannot be a person," he +said. "I think you are some fearful animal, changed to look like a woman." + +"What is he saying now?" asked the Snake. + +"He wants some boiling water poured on his head," replied the woman. + +"It shall be as he says," said the Snake; and he had his women heat some +water. When it was ready, one of them poured a little of it here and there +on the captive's head and shoulders. Wherever the hot water touched, the +hair came out and the skin peeled off. The pain was so bad that the Piegan +nearly fainted. When he revived, he said to his wife: "Pity me. I have +suffered enough. Let them kill me now. Let me hurry to join those who are +already travelling to the Sand Hills." + +The woman turned to the Snake chief, and said, "The man says that he wants +you to give him to the Sun." + +"It is good," said the Snake. "To-morrow we move camp. Before we leave +here, we will give him to the Sun." + +There was an old woman in this camp who lived all alone, in a little lodge +of her own. She had some friends and relations, but she said she liked to +live by herself. She had heard that a Piegan had been captured, and went to +the lodge where he was. When she saw them pour the boiling water on him, +she cried and felt badly. This old woman had a very good heart. She went +home and lay down by her dog, and kept crying, she felt so sorry for this +poor man. Pretty soon she heard people shouting out the orders of the +chief. They said: "Listen! listen! To-morrow we move camp. Get ready now +and pack up everything. Before we go, the Piegan man will be given to the +Sun." + +Then the old woman knew what to do. She tied a piece of buckskin around her +dog's mouth, so he could not bark, and then she took him way out in the +timber and tied him where he could not be seen. She also filled a small +sack with pemmican, dried meat, and berries, and put it near the dog. + +In the morning the people rose early. They smoothed a cotton-wood tree, by +taking off the bark, and painted it black. Then they stood the Piegan up +against it, and fastened him there with a great many ropes. When they had +tied him so he could not move, they painted his face black, and the chief +Snake made a prayer, and gave him to the Sun. + +Every one was now busy getting ready to move camp. This old woman had lost +her dog, and kept calling out for him and looking all around. "_Tsis'-i!_" +she cried. "_Tsis'-i!_ Come here. Knock the dog on the head![1] Wait till I +find him, and I'll break his neck." + +[Footnote 1: A Blackfoot curse.] + +The people were now all packed up, and some had already started on the +trail. "Don't wait for me," the old woman said. "Go on, I'll look again for +my dog, and catch up with you." + +When all were gone, the old woman went and untied her dog, and then, going +up to where the Piegan was tied, she cut the ropes, and he was free. But +already the man was very weak, and he fell down on the ground. She rubbed +his limbs, and pretty soon he felt better. The old woman was so sorry for +him that she cried again, and kissed him. Then the man cried, too. He was +so glad that some one pitied him. By and by he ate some of the food the old +woman had given him, and felt strong again. He said to her in signs: "I am +not done. I shall go back home now, but I will come again. I will bring all +the Piegans with me, and we will have revenge." + +"You say well," signed the old woman. + +"Help me," again said the man. "If, on the road you are travelling, this +camp should separate, mark the trail my wife takes with a stick. You, too, +follow the party she goes with, and always put your lodge at the far end of +the village. When I return with my people, I will enter your lodge, and +tell you what to do." + +"I take your speech," replied the old woman. "As you say, so it shall be." +Then she kissed him again, and started on after her people. The man went to +the river, swam across, and started for the North. + + +IV + +Why are the people crying? Why is all this mourning? Ah! the poor man has +returned home, and told how those who went with him were killed. He has +told them the whole story. They are getting ready for war. Every one able +to fight is going with this man back to the Snakes. Only a few will be +left to guard the camp. The mother of that bad woman is going, too. She has +sharpened her axe, and told what she will do when she sees her +daughter. All are ready. The best horses have been caught up and saddled, +and the war party has started,--hundreds and hundreds of warriors. They are +strung out over the prairie as far as you can see. + +When they got to the Missouri River, the poor man showed them where the +lodge in which they had tortured him had stood. He took them to see the +tree, where he had been bound. The black paint was still on it. + +From here, they went slowly. Some young men were sent far ahead to +scout. The second day, they came back to the main body, and said they had +found a camping place just deserted, and that there the trail forked. The +poor man then went ahead, and at the forks he found a willow twig stuck in +the ground, pointing to the left hand trail. When the others came up, he +said to them: "Take care of my horse now, and travel slowly. I will go +ahead on foot and find the camp. It must be close. I will go and see that +old woman, and find out how things are." + +Some men did not want him to do this; they said that the old woman might +tell about him, and then they could not surprise the camp. + +"No," replied the man. "It will not be so. That old woman is almost the +same as my mother. I know she will help us." + +He went ahead carefully, and near sunset saw the camp. When it was dark, +he crept near it and entered the old woman's lodge. She had placed it +behind, and a little way off from, the others. When he went in the old +woman was asleep, but the fire was still burning a little. He touched her, +and she jumped up and started to scream; but he put his hand on her mouth, +and when she saw who it was she laughed and kissed him. "The Piegans have +come," he told her. "We are going to have revenge on this camp to-night. Is +my wife here?" + +"Still here," replied the old woman. "She is chief now. They think her +medicine very strong." + +"Tell your friends and relations," said the Piegan, "that you have had a +dream, and that they must move into the brush yonder. Have them stay there +with you, and they will not be hurt. I am going now to get my people." + +It was very late in the night. Most of the Snakes were in bed and +asleep. All at once the camp was surrounded with warriors, shouting the war +cry and shooting, stabbing, and knocking people on the head as fast as they +came out of the lodges. + +That Piegan woman cried out: "Don't hurt me. I am a Piegan. Are any of my +people here?" + +"Many of your relations are here," some one said. "They will protect you." + +Some young men seized and tied her, as her husband had said to do. They had +hard work to keep her mother from killing her. "_Hai yah_!" the old woman +cried. "There is my Snake woman daughter. Let me split her head open." + +The fight was soon over. The Piegans killed the people almost as fast as +they came out of their lodges. Some few escaped in the darkness. When the +fight was over, the young warriors gathered up a great pile of lodge poles +and brush, and set fire to it. Then the poor man tore the dress off his bad +wife, tied the scalp of her dead Snake man around her neck, and told her to +dance the scalp dance in the fire. She cried and hung back, calling out for +pity. The people only laughed and pushed her into the fire. She would run +through it, and then those on the other side would push her back. So they +kept her running through the fire, until she fell down and died. + +The old Snake woman had come out of the brush with her relations. Because +she had been so good, the Piegans gave her, and those with her, one-half of +all the horses and valuable things they had taken. "_Kyi!_" said the Piegan +chief. "That is all for you, because you helped this poor man. To-morrow +morning we start back North. If your heart is that way, go too and live +with us." So these Snakes joined the Piegans and lived with them until they +died, and their children married with the Piegans, and at last they were no +longer Snake people.[1] + +[Footnote 1: When the Hudson's Bay Company first established a fort at +Edmonton, a daughter of one of these Snakes married a white employee of the +company, named, in Blackfoot, _O-wai_, Egg.] + + + +THE LOST CHILDREN + +Once a camp of people stopped on the bank of a river. There were but a few +lodges of them. One day the little children in the camp crossed the river +to play on the other side. For some time they stayed near the bank, and +then they went up over a little hill, and found a bed of sand and gravel; +and there they played for a long time. + +There were eleven of these children. Two of them were daughters of the +chief of the camp, and the smaller of these wanted the best of +everything. If any child found a pretty stone, she would try to take it for +herself. The other children did not like this, and they began to tease the +little girl, and to take her things away from her. Then she got angry and +began to cry, and the more she cried, the more the children teased her; so +at last she and her sister left the others, and went back to the camp. + +When they got there, they told their father what the other children had +done to them, and this made the chief very angry. He thought for a little +while, and then got up and went out of the lodge, and called aloud, so that +everybody might hear, saying: "Listen! listen! Your children have teased my +child and made her cry. Now we will move away, and leave them behind. If +they come back before we get started, they shall be killed. If they follow +us and overtake the camp, they shall be killed. If the father and mother of +any one of them take them into their lodge, I will kill that father and +mother. Hurry now, hurry and pack up, so that we can go. Everybody tear +down the lodges, as quickly as you can." + +When the people heard this, they felt very sorry, but they had to do as the +chief said; so they tore down the lodges, and quickly packed the dog +travois, and started off. They packed in such a hurry that they left many +little things lying in camp,--knives and awls, bone needles and moccasins. + +The little children played about in the sand for a long time, but at last +they began to get hungry; and one little girl said to the others, "I will +go back to the camp, and get some dried meat and bring it here, so that we +may eat." And she started to go to the camp. When she came to the top of +the hill and looked across the river, she saw that there were no lodges +there, and did not know what to think of it. She called down to the +children, and said, "The camp has gone"; but they did not believe her, and +went on playing. She kept on calling, and at last some of them came to her, +and then all, and saw that it was as she had said. They went down to the +river, and crossed it, and went to where the lodges had stood. When they +got there, they saw on the ground the things that had been left out in +packing; and as each child saw and knew something that had belonged to its +own parents, it cried and sang a little song, saying: "Mother, here is your +bone needle; why did you leave your children?" "Father, here is your arrow; +why did you leave your children?" It was very mournful, and they all cried. + +There was among them a little girl who had on her back her baby brother, +whom she loved dearly. He was very young, a nursing child, and already he +was hungry and beginning to fret. This little girl said to the others: "We +do not know why they have gone, but we know they have gone. We must follow +the trail of the camp, and try to catch up with them." So the children +started to follow the camp. They travelled on all day; and just at night +they saw, near the trail, a little lodge. They had heard the people talk of +a bad old woman who killed and ate persons, and some of the children +thought that this old woman might live here; and they were afraid to go to +the lodge. Others said: "Perhaps some person lives here who has a good +heart. We are very tired and very hungry and have nothing to eat and no +place to keep warm. Let us go to this lodge." + +They went to it; and when they went in, they saw sitting by the fire an old +woman. She spoke kindly to them, and asked them where they were travelling; +and they told her that the camp had moved on and left them, and that they +were trying to find their people, that they had nothing to eat, and were +tired and hungry. The old woman fed them, and told them to sleep here +to-night, and to-morrow they could go on and find their people. "The camp," +she said, "passed here to-day when the sun was low. They have not gone +far. To-morrow you will overtake them." She spread some robes on the ground +and said: "Now lie here and sleep. Lie side by side with your heads toward +the fire, and when morning comes, you can go on your journey." The +children lay down and soon slept. + +In the middle of the night, the old woman got up, and built a big fire, and +put on it a big stone kettle, full of water. Then she took a big knife, +and, commencing at one end of the row, began to cut off the heads of the +children, and to throw them into the pot. The little girl with the baby +brother lay at the other end of the row, and while the old woman was doing +this, she awoke and saw what was taking place. When the old woman came near +to her, she jumped up and began to beg that she would not kill her. "I am +strong," she said. "I will work hard for you. I can bring your wood and +water, and tan your skins. Do not kill my little brother and me. Take pity +on us and save us alive. Everybody has left us, but do you have pity. You +shall see how quickly I will work, how you will always have plenty of +wood. I can work quickly and well." The old woman thought for a little +while, then she said: "Well, I will let you live for a time, anyhow. You +shall sleep safely to-night." + +The next day, early, the little girl took her brother on her back, and went +out and gathered a big pile of wood, and brought it to the lodge before the +old woman was awake. When she got up, she called to the girl, "Go to the +river and get a bucket of water." The girl put her brother on her back, and +took the bucket to go. The old woman said to her: "Why do you carry that +child everywhere? Leave him here." The girl said: "Not so. He is always +with me, and if I leave him he will cry and make a great noise, and you +will not like that." The old woman grumbled, but the girl went on down to +the river. + +When she got there, just as she was going to fill her bucket, she saw +standing by her a great bull. It was a mountain buffalo, one of those who +live in the timber; and the long hair of its head was all full of pine +needles and sticks and branches, and matted together. (It was a +_Su'ye-st[)u]'mik_, a water bull.) When the girl saw him, she prayed him to +take her across the river, and so to save her and her little brother from +the bad old woman. The bull said, "I will take you across, but first you +must take some of the sticks out of my head." The girl begged him to start +at once; but the bull said, "No, first take the sticks out of my head." The +girl began to do it, but before she had done much, she heard the old woman +calling to her to bring the water. The girl called back, "I am trying to +get the water clear," and went on fixing the buffalo's head. The old woman +called again, saying, "Hurry, hurry with that water." The girl answered, +"Wait, I am washing my little brother." Pretty soon the old woman called +out, "If you don't bring that water, I will kill you and your brother." By +this time the girl had most of the sticks out of the bull's head, and he +told her to get on his back, and went into the water and swam with her +across the river. As he reached the other bank, the girl could see the old +woman coming from her lodge down to the river with a big stick in her hand. + +When the bull reached the bank, the girl jumped off his back and started +off on the trail of the camp. The bull swam back again to the other side of +the river, and there stood the old woman. This bull was a sort of servant +of the old woman. She said to him: "Why did you take those children across +the river? Take me on your back now and carry me across quickly, so that I +can catch them." The bull said, "First take these sticks out of my head." +"No," said the old woman; "first take me across, then I will take the +sticks out." The bull repeated, "First take the sticks out of my head, then +I will take you across." This made the old woman very mad, and she hit him +with the stick she had in her hand; but when she saw that he would not go, +she began to pull the sticks out of his head very roughly, tearing out +great handfuls of hair, and every moment ordering him to go, and +threatening what she would do to him when she got back. At last the bull +took her on his back, and began to swim across with her, but he did not +swim fast enough to please her, so she began to pound him with her club to +make him go faster; and when the bull got to the middle of the river, he +rolled over on his side, and the old woman slipped off, and was carried +down the river and drowned. + +The girl followed the trail of the camp for several days, feeding on +berries and roots that she dug; and at last one night after dark she +overtook the camp. She went into the lodge of an old woman, who was camped +off at one side, and the old woman pitied her and gave her some food, and +told her where her father's lodge was. The girl went to it, but when she +went in, her parents would not receive her. She had tried to overtake them +for the sake of her little brother, who was growing thin and weak because +he had not nursed; and now her mother was afraid to have her stay with +them. She even went and told the chief that her children had come back. Now +when the chief heard that these two children had come back, he was angry; +and he ordered that the next day they should be tied to a post in the camp, +and that the people should move on and leave them here. "Then," he said, +"they cannot follow us." + +The old woman who had pitied the children, when she heard what the chief +had ordered, made up a bundle of dried meat, and hid it in the grass near +the camp. Then she called her dog to her,--a little curly dog. She said to +the dog:-- + +"Now listen. To-morrow when we are ready to start, I will call you to come +to me, but you must pay no attention to what I say. Run off, and pretend to +be chasing squirrels. I will try to catch you, and if I do so, I will +pretend to whip you; but do not follow me. Stay behind, and when the camp +has passed out of sight, chew off the strings that bind those children; and +when you have done this, show them where I have hidden that food. Then you +can follow the camp and catch up to us." The dog stood before the old +woman, and listened to all that she said, turning his head from side to +side, as if paying close attention. + +Next morning it was done as the chief had said. The children were tied to +the tree with raw hide strings, and the people tore down all the lodges and +moved off. The old woman called her dog to follow her, but he was digging +at a gopher hole and would not come. Then she went up to him and struck at +him hard with her whip, but he dodged and ran away, and then stood looking +at her. Then the old woman got very mad and cursed him, but he paid no +attention; and finally she left him, and followed the camp. When the +people had all passed out of sight, the dog went to the children, and +gnawed the strings which tied them, until he had bitten them through. So +the children were free. + +Then the dog was glad, and danced about and barked and ran round and +round. Pretty soon he came up to the little girl, and looked up in her +face, and then started away, trotting. Every little while he would stop +and look back. The girl thought he wanted her to follow him. She did so, +and he took her to where the bundle of dried meat was, and showed it to +her. Then, when he had done this, he jumped up on her, and licked the +baby's face, and then started off, running as hard as he could along the +trail of the camp, never stopping to look back. The girl did not follow +him. She now knew that it was no use to go to the camp again. Their +parents would not receive them, and the chief would perhaps order them to +be killed. + +She went on her way, carrying her little brother and the bundle of dried +meat. She travelled for many days, and at last came to a place where she +thought she would stop. Here she built a little lodge of poles and brush, +and stayed there. One night she had a dream, and an old woman came to her +in the dream, and said to her, "To-morrow take your little brother, and tie +him to one of the lodge poles, and the next day tie him to another, and so +every day tie him to one of the poles, until you have gone all around the +lodge and have tied him to each pole. Then you will be helped, and will no +more have bad luck." + +When the girl awoke in the morning, she remembered what the dream had told +her, and she bound her little brother to one of the lodge poles; and each +day after this she tied him to one of the poles. Each day he grew larger, +until, when she had gone all around the lodge, he was grown to be a fine +young man. + +Now the girl was glad, and proud of her young brother who was so large and +noble-looking. He was quiet, not speaking much, and sometimes for days he +would not say anything. He seemed to be thinking all the time. One morning +he told the girl that he had a dream and that he wished her to help him +build a pis'kun. She was afraid to ask him about the dream, for she thought +if she asked questions he might not like it. So she just said she was ready +to do what he wished. They built the pis'kun, and when it was finished, the +boy said to his sister: "The buffalo are to come to us, and you are not to +see them. When the time comes, you are to cover your head and to hold your +face close to the ground; and do not lift your head nor look, until I throw +a piece of kidney to you." The girl said, "It shall be as you say." + +When the time came, the boy told her where to go; and she went to the +place, a little way from the lodge, not far from the corral, and sat down +on the ground, and covered her head, holding her face close to the +earth. After she had sat there a little while, she heard the sound of +animals running, and she was excited and curious, and raised her head to +look; but all she saw was her brother, standing near, looking at +her. Before he could speak, she said to him: "I thought I heard buffalo +coming, and because I was anxious for food, I forgot my promise and +looked. Forgive me this time, and I will try again." Again she bent her +face to the ground, and covered her head. + +Soon she heard again the sound of animals running, at first a long way off, +and then coming nearer and nearer, until at last they seemed close, and she +thought they were going to run over her. She sprang up in fright and looked +about, but there was nothing to be seen but her brother, looking sadly at +her. She went close to him and said: "Pity me. I was afraid, for I thought +the buffalo were going to run over me." He said: "This is the last time. If +again you look, we will starve; but if you do not look, we will always have +plenty, and will never be without meat." The girl looked at him, and said, +"I will try hard this time, and even if those animals run right over me, I +will not look until you throw the kidney to me." Again she covered her +head, pressing her face against the earth and putting her hands against her +ears, so that she might not hear. Suddenly, sooner than she thought, she +felt the blow from the meat thrown at her, and, springing up, she seized +the kidney and began to eat it. Not far away was her brother, bending over +a fat cow; and, going up to him, she helped him with the butchering. After +that was done, she kindled a fire and cooked the best parts of the meat, +and they ate and were satisfied. + +The boy became a great hunter. He made fine arrows that went faster than a +bird could fly, and when he was hunting, he watched all the animals and all +the birds, and learned their ways, and how to imitate them when they +called. While he was hunting, the girl dressed buffalo hides and the skins +of deer and other animals. She made a fine new lodge, and the boy painted +it with figures of all the birds and the animals he had killed. + +One day, when the girl was bringing water, she saw a little way off a +person coming. When she went in the lodge, she told her brother, and he +went out to meet the stranger. He found that he was friendly and was +hunting, but had had bad luck and killed nothing. He was starving and in +despair, when he saw this lone lodge and made up his mind to go to it. As +he came near it, he began to be afraid, and to wonder if the people who +lived there were enemies or ghosts; but he thought, "I may as well die here +as starve," so he went boldly to it. The strange person was very much +surprised to see this handsome young man with the kind face, who could +speak his own language. The boy took him into the lodge, and the girl put +food before him. After he had eaten, he told his story, saying that the +game had left them, and that many of his people were dying of hunger. As +he talked, the girl listened; and at last she remembered the man, and knew +that he belonged to her camp. She asked him questions, and he talked about +all the people in the camp, and even spoke of the old woman who owned the +dog. The boy advised the stranger, after he had rested, to return to his +camp, and tell the people to move up to this place, that here they would +find plenty of game. After he had gone, the boy and his sister talked of +these things. The girl had often told him what she had suffered, what the +chief had said and done, and how their own parents had turned against her, +and that the only person whose heart had been good to her was this old +woman. As the young man heard all this again, he was angry at his parents +and the chief, but he felt great kindness for the old woman and her +dog. When he learned that those bad people were living, he made up his mind +that they should suffer and die. + +When the strange person reached his own camp, he told the people how well +he had been treated by these two persons, and that they wished him to bring +the whole camp to where they were, and that there they should have plenty. +This made great joy in the camp, and all got ready to move. When they +reached the lost children's camp, they found everything as the stranger had +said. The brother gave a feast; and to those whom he liked he gave many +presents, but to the old woman and the dog he gave the best presents of +all. To the chief nothing at all was given, and this made him very much +ashamed. To the parents no food was given, but the boy tied a bone to the +lodge poles above the fire, and told the parents to eat from it without +touching it with their hands. They were very hungry, and tried to eat from +this bone; and as they were stretching out their necks to reach it--for it +was above them--the boy cut off their heads with his knife. This frightened +all the people, the chief most of all; but the boy told them how it all +was, and how he and his sister had survived. + +When he had finished speaking, the chief said he was sorry for what he had +done, and he proposed to his people that this young man should be made +their chief. They were glad to do this. The boy was made the chief, and +lived long to rule the people in that camp. + + + +MIK-A'PI--RED OLD MAN + + +I + +It was in the valley of "It fell on them"[1] Creek, near the mountains, +that the Pik[)u]n'i were camped when Mik-a'pi went to war. It was far back, +in the days of stone knives, long before the white people had come. This +was the way it happened. + +[Footnote 1: Armells Creek in Northern Montana is called +_Et-tsis-ki-ots-op_, "It fell on them." A longtime ago a number of +Blackfeet women were digging in a bank near this creek for the red clay +which they use for paint, when the bank gave way and fell on them, burying +and killing them.] + +Early in the morning a band of buffalo were seen in the foot-hills of the +mountains, and some hunters went out to get meat. Carefully they crawled +along up the coulées and drew near to the herd; and, when they had come +close to them, they began to shoot, and their arrows pierced many fat +cows. But even while they were thus shooting, they were surprised by a war +party of Snakes, and they began to run back toward the camp. There was one +hunter, named Fox-eye, who was very brave. He called to the others to stop, +saying: "They are many and we are few, but the Snakes are not brave. Let us +stop and fight them." But the other hunters would not listen. "We have no +shields," they said, "nor our war medicine. There are many of the +enemy. Why should we foolishly die?" + +They hurried on to camp, but Fox-eye would not turn back. He drew his +arrows from the quiver, and prepared to fight. But, even as he placed an +arrow, a Snake had crawled up by his side, unseen. In the still air, the +Piegan heard the sharp twang of a bow string, but, before he could turn his +head, the long, fine-pointed arrow pierced him through and through. The bow +and arrows dropped from his hands, he swayed, and then fell forward on the +grass, dead. But now the warriors came pouring from the camp to aid +him. Too late! The Snakes quickly scalped their fallen enemy, scattered up +the mountain, and were lost to sight. + +Now Fox-eye had two wives, and their father and mother and all their near +relations were dead. All Fox-eye's relatives, too, had long since gone to +the Sand Hills[1]. So these poor widows had no one to avenge them, and they +mourned deeply for the husband so suddenly taken from them. Through the +long days they sat on a near hill and mourned, and their mourning was very +sad. + +[Footnote 1: Sand Hills: the shadow land; place of ghosts; the Blackfoot +future world.] + +There was a young warrior named Mik-a'pi. Every morning he was awakened by +the crying of these poor widows, and through the day his heart was touched +by their wailing. Even when he went to rest, their mournful cries reached +him through the darkness, and he could not sleep. So he sent his mother to +them. "Tell them," he said, "that I wish to speak to them." When they had +entered, they sat close by the door-way, and covered their heads. + +"_Kyi!"_ said Mik-a'pi. "For days and nights I have heard your mourning, +and I too have silently mourned. My heart has been very sad. Your husband +was my near friend, and now he is dead and no relations are left to avenge +him. So now, I say, I will take the load from your hearts. I will avenge +him. I will go to war and take many scalps, and when I return, they shall +be yours. You shall paint your faces black, and we will all rejoice that +Fox-eye is avenged." + +When the people heard that Mik-a'pi was going to war, many warriors wished +to join him, but he refused them; and when he had taken a medicine sweat, +and got a medicine-pipe man to make medicine for him during his absence, he +started from the camp one evening, just after sunset. It is only the +foolish warrior who travels in the day; for other war parties may be out, +or some camp-watcher sitting on a hill may see him from far off, and lay +plans to destroy him. Mik-a'pi was not one of these. He was brave but +cautious, and he had strong medicine. Some say that he was related to the +ghosts, and that they helped him. Having now started to war against the +Snakes, he travelled in hidden places, and at sunrise would climb a hill +and look carefully in all directions, and during the long day would lie +there, and watch, and take short sleeps. + +Now, when Mik-a'pi had come to the Great Falls (of the Missouri), a heavy +rain set in; and, seeing a hole in the rocks, he crawled in and lay down in +the farther end to sleep. The rain did not cease, and when night came he +could not travel because of the darkness and storm; so he lay down to sleep +again. But soon he heard something coming into the cave toward him, and +then he felt a hand laid on his breast, and he put out his hand and touched +a person. Then Mik-a'pi put the palm of his hand on the person's breast and +jerked it to and fro, and then he touched the person with the point of his +finger, which, in the sign language, means, "Who are you?" + +The strange person then took Mik-a'pi's hand, and made him feel of his own +right hand. The thumb and all the fingers were closed except the +forefinger, which was extended; and when Mik-a'pi touched it the person +moved his hand forward with a zigzag motion, which means "Snake." Then +Mik-a'pi was glad. Here had come to him one of the tribe he was +seeking. But he thought it best to wait for daylight before attacking +him. So, when the Snake in signs asked him who he was, he replied, by +making the sign for paddling a canoe, that he was a Pend d'Oreille, or +River person. For he knew that the Snakes and the Pend d'Oreilles were at +peace. + +Then they both lay down to sleep, but Mik-a'pi did not sleep. Through the +long night he watched for the first dim light, so that he might kill his +enemy. The Snake slept soundly; and just at daybreak Mik-a'pi quietly +strung his bow, fitted an arrow, and, taking aim, sent the thin shaft +through his enemy's heart. The Snake quivered, half rose up, and with a +groan fell back dead. Then Mik-a'pi took his scalp and his bow and arrows, +and also his bundle of moccasins; and as daylight had come, he went out of +the cave and looked all about. No one was in sight. Probably the Snake, +like himself, had gone alone to war. But, ever cautious, he travelled only +a short distance, and waited for night before going on. The rain had ceased +and the day was warm. He took a piece of dried meat and back fat from his +pouch and ate them, and, after drinking from the river, he climbed up on a +high rock wall and slept. + +Now in his dream he fought with a strange people, and was wounded. He felt +blood trickling from his wounds, and when he awoke, he knew that he had +been warned to turn back. The signs also were bad. He saw an eagle rising +with a snake, which dropped from its claws and escaped. The setting sun, +too, was painted[1],--a sure warning to people that danger is near. But, in +spite of all these things, Mik-a'pi determined to go on. He thought of the +poor widows mourning and waiting for revenge. He thought of the glad +welcome of the people, if he should return with many scalps; and he thought +also of two young sisters, whom he wanted to marry. Surely, if he could +return and bring the proofs of brave deeds, their parents would be glad to +give them to him. + +[Footnote 1: Sun dogs.] + + + +II + +It was nearly night. The sun had already disappeared behind the +sharp-pointed gray peaks. In the fading light the far-stretching prairie +was turning dark. In a valley, sparsely timbered with quaking aspens and +cotton-woods, stood a large camp. For a long distance up and down the river +rose the smoke of many lodges. Seated on a little hill overlooking the +valley, was a single person. With his robe drawn tightly around him, he sat +there motionless, looking down on the prairie and valley below. + +Slowly and silently something was crawling through the grass toward +him. But he heard nothing. Still he gazed eastward, seeking to discover any +enemy who might be approaching. Still the dark object crawled slowly +onward. Now it was so close to him that it could almost touch him. The +person thought he heard a sound, and started to turn round. Too late! Too +late! A strong arm grasped him about the neck and covered his mouth. A long +jagged knife was thrust into his breast again and again, and he died +without a cry. Strange that in all that great camp no one should have seen +him killed! + +Still extended on the ground, the dark figure removed the scalp. Slowly he +crawled back down the hill, and was lost in the gathering darkness. It was +Mik-a'pi, and he had another Snake scalp tied to his belt. His heart was +glad, yet he was not satisfied. Some nights had passed since the bad signs +had warned him, yet he had succeeded. "One more," he said. "One more scalp +I must have, and then I will go back." So he went far up on the mountain, +and hid in some thick pines and slept. When daylight came, he could see +smoke rise as the women started their fires. He also saw many people rush +up on the hill, where the dead watcher lay. He was too far off to hear +their angry shouts and mournful cries, but he sung to himself a song of war +and was happy. + +Once more the sun went to his lodge behind the mountains, and as darkness +came Mik-a'pi slowly descended the mountain and approached the camp. This +was the time of danger. Behind each bush, or hidden in a bunch of the tall +rye grass, some person might be watching to warn the camp of an approaching +enemy. Slowly and like a snake, he crawled around the outskirts of the +camp, listening and looking. He heard a cough and saw a movement of a +bush. There was a Snake. Could he kill him and yet escape? He was close +to him now. So he sat and waited, considering how to act. For a long time +he sat there waiting. The moon rose and travelled high in the sky. The +Seven Persons[1] slowly swung around, and pointed downward. It was the +middle of the night. Then the person in the bush stood up and stretched out +his arms and yawned, for he was tired of watching, and thought that no +danger was near; but as he stood thus, an arrow pierced his breast. He gave +a loud yell and tried to run, but another arrow struck him and he fell. + +[Footnote 1: The constellation of the Great Bear.] + +At the sound the warriors rushed forth from the lodges and the outskirts of +the camp; but as they came, Mik-a'pi tore the scalp from his fallen enemy, +and started to run toward the river. Close behind him followed the Snakes. +Arrows whizzed about him. One pierced his arm. He plucked it out. Another +struck his leg, and he fell. Then a great shout arose from the +Snakes. Their enemy was down. Now they would be revenged for two lately +taken lives. But where Mik-a'pi fell was the verge of a high rock wall; +below rushed the deep river, and even as they shouted, he rolled from the +wall, and disappeared in the dark water far below. In vain they searched +the shores and bars. They did not find him. + +Mik-a'pi had sunk deep in the water. The current was swift, and when at +last he rose to the surface, he was far below his pursuers. The arrow in +his leg pained him, and with difficulty he crawled out on a +sand-bar. Luckily the arrow was lance-shaped instead of barbed, so he +managed to draw it out. Near by on the bar was a dry pine log, lodged there +by the high spring water. This he managed to roll into the stream; and, +partly resting on it, he again drifted down with the current. All night he +floated down the river, and when morning came he was far from the camp of +the Snakes. Benumbed with cold and stiff from the arrow wounds, he was glad +to crawl out on the bank, and lie down in the warm sunshine. Soon he slept. + + +III + +The sun was already in the middle when he awoke. His wounds were swollen +and painful; yet he hobbled on for a time, until the pain became so great +he could go no further, and he sat down, tired and discouraged. + +"True the signs," he said. "How crazy I was to go against them! Useless now +my bravery, for here I must stay and die. The widows will still mourn; and +in their old age who will take care of my father and my mother? Pity me +now, oh Sun! Help me, oh great Above Medicine Person! Look down on your +wounded and suffering child. Help me to survive!" + +What was that crackling in the brush near by? Was it the Snakes on his +trail? Mik-a'pi strung his bow and drew out his arrows. No; it was not a +Snake. It was a bear. There he stood, a big grizzly bear, looking down at +the wounded man. "What does my brother here?" he said. "Why does he pray +to survive?" + +"Look at my leg," said Mik-a'pi, "swollen and sore. Look at my wounded +arm. I can hardly draw the bow. Far the home of my people, and my strength +is gone. Surely here I must die, for I cannot travel and I have no food." + +"Now courage, my brother," said the bear. "Now not faint heart, my brother, +for I will help you, and you shall survive." + +When he had said this, he lifted Mik-a'pi and carried him to a place of +thick mud; and here he took great handfuls[1] of the mud and plastered the +wounds, and he sung a medicine song while putting on the mud. Then he +carried Mik-a'pi to a place where were many sarvis berries, and broke off +great branches of the fruit, and gave them to him, saying, "Eat, my +brother, eat!" and he broke off more branches, full of large ripe berries, +for him; but already Mik-a'pi was satisfied and could eat no more. Then +said the bear, "Lie down, now, on my back, and hold tight by my hair, and +we will travel on." And when Mik-a'pi had got on and was ready, he started +off on a long swinging trot. + +[Footnote 1: The bear's paws are called _O-kits-iks,_ the term also for a +person's hands. The animal itself is regarded as almost human.] + +All through the night he travelled on without stopping. When morning came, +they rested awhile, and ate more berries; and again the bear plastered his +wounds with mud. In this way they travelled on, until, on the fourth day, +they came close to the lodges of the Pik[)u]n'i; and the people saw them +coming and wondered. + +"Get off, my brother, get off," said the bear. "There are your people. I +must leave you." And without another word, he turned and went off up the +mountain. + +All the people came out to meet the warrior, and they carried him to the +lodge of his father. He untied the three scalps from his belt and gave them +to the widows, saying: "You are revenged. I wipe away your tears." And +every one rejoiced. All his female relations went through the camp, +shouting his name and singing, and every one prepared for the scalp dance. + +First came the widows. Their faces were painted black, and they carried the +scalps tied on poles. Then came the medicine men, with their medicine pipes +unwrapped; then the bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, all dressed in war +costume; then came the old men; and last the women and children. They all +sang the war song and danced. They went all through the village in single +file, stopping here and there to dance, and Mik-a'pi sat outside the lodge, +and saw all the people dance by him. He forgot his pain and was proud, and +although he could not dance, he sang with them. + +Soon they made the Medicine Lodge, and, first of all the warriors, Mik-a'pi +was chosen to cut the raw-hide which binds the poles, and as he cut the +strands, he counted the _coups_ he had made. He told of the enemies he had +killed, and all the people shouted his name and praised him. The father of +those two young sisters gave them to him. He was glad to have such a +son-in-law. Long lived Mik-a'pi. Of all the great chiefs who have lived and +died, he was the greatest. He did many other great and daring things. It +must be true, as the old men have said, that he was helped by the ghosts, +for no one can do such things without help from those fearful and unknown +persons. + + + +HEAVY COLLAR AND THE GHOST WOMAN + + +The Blood camp was on Old Man's River, where Fort McLeod now stands. A +party of seven men started to war toward the Cypress Hills. Heavy Collar +was the leader. They went around the Cypress Mountains, but found no +enemies and started back toward their camp. On their homeward way, Heavy +Collar used to take the lead. He would go out far ahead on the high hills, +and look over the country, acting as scout for the party. At length they +came to the south branch of the Saskatchewan River, above Seven Persons' +Creek. In those days there were many war parties about, and this party +travelled concealed as much as possible in the coulées and low places. + +As they were following up the river, they saw at a distance three old bulls +lying down close to a cut bank. Heavy Collar left his party, and went out +to kill one of these bulls, and when he had come close to them, he shot one +and killed it right there. He cut it up, and, as he was hungry, he went +down into a ravine below him, to roast a piece of meat; for he had left his +party a long way behind, and night was now coming on. As he was roasting +the meat, he thought,--for he was very tired,--"It is a pity I did not +bring one of my young men with me. He could go up on that hill and get some +hair from that bull's head, and I could wipe out my gun." While he sat +there thinking this, and talking to himself, a bunch of this hair came over +him through the air, and fell on the ground right in front of him. When +this happened, it frightened him a little; for he thought that perhaps some +of his enemies were close by, and had thrown the bunch of hair at +him. After a little while, he took the hair, and cleaned his gun and loaded +it, and then sat and watched for a time. He was uneasy, and at length +decided that he would go on further up the river, to see what he could +discover. He went on, up the stream, until he came to the mouth of the +St. Mary's River. It was now very late in the night, and he was very tired, +so he crept into a large bunch of rye-grass to hide and sleep for the +night. + +The summer before this, the Blackfeet _(Sik-si-kau)_ had been camped on +this bottom, and a woman had been killed in this same patch of rye-grass +where Heavy Collar had lain down to rest. He did not know this, but still +he seemed to be troubled that night. He could not sleep. He could always +hear something, but what it was he could not make out. He tried to go to +sleep, but as soon as he dozed off he kept thinking he heard something in +the distance. He spent the night there, and in the morning when it became +light, there he saw right beside him the skeleton of the woman who had been +killed the summer before. + +That morning he went on, following up the stream to Belly River. All day +long as he was travelling, he kept thinking about his having slept by this +woman's bones. It troubled him. He could not forget it. At the same time he +was very tired, because he had walked so far and had slept so little. As +night came on, he crossed over to an island, and determined to camp for the +night. At the upper end of the island was a large tree that had drifted +down and lodged, and in a fork of this tree he built his fire, and got in a +crotch of one of the forks, and sat with his back to the fire, warming +himself, but all the time he was thinking about the woman he had slept +beside the night before. As he sat there, all at once he heard over beyond +the tree, on the other side of the fire, a sound as if something were being +dragged toward him along the ground. It sounded as if a piece of a lodge +were being dragged over the grass. It came closer and closer. + +Heavy Collar was scared. He was afraid to turn his head and look back to +see what it was that was coming. He heard the noise come up to the tree in +which his fire was built, and then it stopped, and all at once he heard +some one whistling a tune. He turned around and looked toward the sound, +and there, sitting on the other fork of the tree, right opposite to him, +was the pile of bones by which he had slept, only now all together in the +shape of a skeleton. This ghost had on it a lodge covering. The string, +which is tied to the pole, was fastened about the ghost's neck; the wings +of the lodge stood out on either side of its head, and behind it the lodge +could be seen, stretched out and fading away into the darkness. The ghost +sat on the old dead limb and whistled its tune, and as it whistled, it +swung its legs in time to the tune. + +When Heavy Collar saw this, his heart almost melted away. At length he +mustered up courage, and said: "Oh ghost, go away, and do not trouble me. I +am very tired; I want to rest." The ghost paid no attention to him, but +kept on whistling, swinging its legs in time to the tune. Four times he +prayed to her, saying: "Oh ghost, take pity on me! Go away and leave me +alone. I am tired; I want to rest." The more he prayed, the more the ghost +whistled and seemed pleased, swinging her legs, and turning her head from +side to side, sometimes looking down at him, and sometimes up at the stars, +and all the time whistling. + +When he saw that she took no notice of what he said, Heavy Collar got angry +at heart, and said, "Well, ghost, you do not listen to my prayers, and I +shall have to shoot you to drive you away." With that he seized his gun, +and throwing it to his shoulder, shot right at the ghost. When he shot at +her, she fell over backward into the darkness, screaming out: "Oh Heavy +Collar, you have shot me, you have killed me! You dog, Heavy Collar! there +is no place on this earth where you can go that I will not find you; no +place where you can hide that I will not come." + +As she fell back and said this, Heavy Collar sprang to his feet, and ran +away as fast as he could. She called after him: "I have been killed once, +and now you are trying to kill me again. Oh Heavy Collar!" As he ran away, +he could still hear her angry words following him, until at last they died +away in the distance. He ran all night long, and whenever he stopped to +breathe and listen, he seemed to hear in the distance the echoes of her +voice. All he could hear was, "Oh Heavy Collar!" and then he would rush +away again. He ran until he was all tired out, and by this time it was +daylight. He was now quite a long way below Fort McLeod. He was very +sleepy, but dared not lie down, for he remembered that the ghost had said +that she would follow him. He kept walking on for some time, and then sat +down to rest, and at once fell asleep. + +Before he had left his party, Heavy Collar had said to his young men: "Now +remember, if any one of us should get separated from the party, let him +always travel to the Belly River Buttes. There will be our meeting-place." +When their leader did not return to them, the party started across the +country and went toward the Belly River Buttes. Heavy Collar had followed +the river up, and had gone a long distance out of his way; and when he +awoke from his sleep he too started straight for the Belly River Buttes, as +he had said he would. + +When his party reached the Buttes, one of them went up on top of the hill +to watch. After a time, as he looked down the river, he saw two persons +coming, and as they came nearer, he saw that one of them was Heavy Collar, +and by his side was a woman. The watcher called up the rest of the party, +and said to them: "Here comes our chief. He has had luck. He is bringing a +woman with him. If he brings her into camp, we will take her away from +him." And they all laughed. They supposed that he had captured her. They +went down to the camp, and sat about the fire, looking at the two people +coming, and laughing among themselves at the idea of their chief bringing +in a woman. When the two persons had come close, they could see that Heavy +Collar was walking fast, and the woman would walk by his side a little way, +trying to keep up, and then would fall behind, and then trot along to catch +up to him again. Just before the pair reached camp there was a deep ravine +that they had to cross. They went down into this side by side, and then +Heavy Collar came up out of it alone, and came on into the camp. + +When he got there, all the young men began to laugh at him and to call out, +"Heavy Collar, where is your woman?" He looked at them for a moment, and +then said: "Why, I have no woman. I do not understand what you are talking +about." One of them said: "Oh, he has hidden her in that ravine. He was +afraid to bring her into camp." Another said, "Where did you capture her, +and what tribe does she belong to?" Heavy Collar looked from one to +another, and said: "I think you are all crazy. I have taken no woman. What +do you mean?" The young man said: "Why, that woman that you had with you +just now: where did you get her, and where did you leave her? Is she down +in the coulée? We all saw her, and it is no use to deny that she was with +you. Come now, where is she?" When they said this, Heavy Collar's heart +grew very heavy, for he knew that it must have been the ghost woman; and he +told them the story. Some of the young men could not believe this, and they +ran down to the ravine, where they had last seen the woman. There they saw +in the soft dirt the tracks made by Heavy Collar, when he went down into +the ravine, but there were no other tracks near his, where they had seen +the woman walking. When they found that it was a ghost that had come along +with Heavy Collar, they resolved to go back to their main camp. The party +had been out so long that their moccasins were all worn out, and some of +them were footsore, so that they could not travel fast, but at last they +came to the cut banks, and there found their camp--seven lodges. + +That night, after they had reached camp, they were inviting each other to +feasts. It was getting pretty late in the night, and the moon was shining +brightly, when one of the Bloods called out for Heavy Collar to come and +eat with him. Heavy Collar shouted, "Yes, I will be there pretty soon." He +got up and went out of the lodge, and went a little way from it, and sat +down. While he was sitting there, a big bear walked out of the brush close +to him. Heavy Collar felt around him for a stone to throw at the bear, so +as to scare it away, for he thought it had not seen him. As he was feeling +about, his hand came upon a piece of bone, and he threw this over at the +bear, and hit it. Then the bear spoke, and said: "Well, well, well, Heavy +Collar; you have killed me once, and now here you are hitting me. Where is +there a place in this world where you can hide from me? I will find you, I +don't care where you may go." When Heavy Collar heard this, he knew it was +the ghost woman, and he jumped up and ran toward his lodge, calling out, +"Run, run! a ghost bear is upon us!" + +All the people in the camp ran to his lodge, so that it was crowded full of +people. There was a big fire in the lodge, and the wind was blowing hard +from the west. Men, women, and children were huddled together in the lodge, +and were very much afraid of the ghost. They could hear her walking toward +the lodge, grumbling, and saying: "I will kill all these dogs. Not one of +them shall get away." The sounds kept coming closer and closer, until they +were right at the lodge door. Then she said, "I will smoke you to death." +And as she said this, she moved the poles, so that the wings of the lodge +turned toward the west, and the wind could blow in freely through the smoke +hole. All this time she was threatening terrible things against them. The +lodge began to get full of smoke, and the children were crying, and all +were in great distress--almost suffocating. So they said, "Let us lift one +man up here inside, and let him try to fix the ears, so that the lodge will +get clear of smoke." They raised a man up, and he was standing on the +shoulders of the others, and, blinded and half strangled by the smoke, was +trying to turn the wings. While he was doing this, the ghost suddenly hit +the lodge a blow, and said, "_Un_!" and this scared the people who were +holding the man, and they jumped and let him go, and he fell down. Then the +people were in despair, and said, "It is no use; she is resolved to smoke +us to death." All the time the smoke was getting thicker in the lodge. + +Heavy Collar said: "Is it possible that she can destroy us? Is there no one +here who has some strong dream power that can overcome this ghost?" + +His mother said: "I will try to do something. I am older than any of you, +and I will see what I can do." So she got down her medicine bundle and +painted herself, and got out a pipe and filled it and lighted it, and stuck +the stem out through the lodge door, and sat there and began to pray to the +ghost woman. She said: "Oh ghost, take pity on us, and go away. We have +never wronged you, but you are troubling us and frightening our +children. Accept what I offer you, and leave us alone." + +A voice came from behind the lodge and said: "No, no, no; you dogs, I will +not listen to you. Every one of you must die." + +The old woman repeated her prayer: "Ghost, take pity on us. Accept this +smoke and go away." + +Then the ghost said: "How can you expect me to smoke, when I am way back +here? Bring that pipe out here. I have no long bill to reach round the +lodge." So the old woman went out of the lodge door, and reached out the +stem of the pipe as far as she could reach around toward the back of the +lodge. The ghost said: "No, I do not wish to go around there to where you +have that pipe. If you want me to smoke it, you must bring it here." The +old woman went around the lodge toward her, and the ghost woman began to +back away, and said, "No, I do not smoke that kind of a pipe." And when the +ghost started away, the old woman followed her, and she could not help +herself. + +She called out, "Oh my children, the ghost is carrying me off!" Heavy +Collar rushed out, and called to the others, "Come, and help me take my +mother from the ghost." He grasped his mother about the waist and held her, +and another man took him by the waist, and another him, until they were all +strung out, one behind the other, and all following the old woman, who was +following the ghost woman, who was walking away. + +All at once the old woman let go of the pipe, and fell over dead. The ghost +disappeared, and they were troubled no more by the ghost woman. + + + +THE WOLF-MAN + + +There was once a man who had two bad wives. They had no shame. The man +thought if he moved away where there were no other people, he might teach +these women to become good, so he moved his lodge away off on the prairie. +Near where they camped was a high butte, and every evening about sundown, +the man would go up on top of it, and look all over the country to see +where the buffalo were feeding, and if any enemies were approaching. There +was a buffalo skull on the hill, which he used to sit on. + +"This is very lonesome," said one woman to the other, one day. "We have no +one to talk with nor to visit." + +"Let us kill our husband," said the other. "Then we will go back to our +relations and have a good time." + +Early in the morning, the man went out to hunt, and as soon as he was out +of sight, his wives went up on top of the butte. There they dug a deep pit, +and covered it over with light sticks, grass, and dirt, and placed the +buffalo skull on top. + +In the afternoon they saw their husband coming home, loaded down with meat +he had killed. So they hurried to cook for him. After eating, he went up on +the butte and sat down on the skull. The slender sticks gave way, and he +fell into the pit. His wives were watching him, and when they saw him +disappear, they took down the lodge, packed everything on the dog travois, +and moved off, going toward the main camp. When they got near it, so that +the people could hear them, they began to cry and mourn. + +"Why is this?" they were asked. "Why are you mourning? Where is your +husband?" + +"He is dead," they replied. "Five days ago he went out to hunt, and he +never came back." And they cried and mourned again. + +When the man fell into the pit, he was hurt. After a while he tried to get +out, but he was so badly bruised he could not climb up. A wolf, travelling +along, came to the pit and saw him, and pitied him. _Ah-h-w-o-o-o-o! +Ah-h-w-o-o-o-o!_ he howled, and when the other wolves heard him they all +came running to see what was the matter. There came also many coyotes, +badgers, and kit-foxes. + +"In this hole," said the wolf, "is my find. Here is a fallen-in man. Let us +dig him out, and we will have him for our brother." + +They all thought the wolf spoke well, and began to dig. In a little while +they had a hole close to the man. Then the wolf who found him said, "Hold +on; I want to speak a few words to you." All the animals listening, he +continued, "We will all have this man for our brother, but I found him, so +I think he ought to live with us big wolves." All the others said that this +was well; so the wolf went into the hole, and tearing down the rest of the +dirt, dragged the almost dead man out. They gave him a kidney to eat, and +when he was able to walk a little, the big wolves took him to their +home. Here there was a very old blind wolf, who had powerful medicine. He +cured the man, and made his head and hands look like those of a wolf. The +rest of his body was not changed. + +In those days the people used to make holes in the pis'kun walls and set +snares, and when wolves and other animals came to steal meat, they were +caught by the neck. One night the wolves all went down to the pis'kun to +steal meat, and when they got close to it, the man-wolf said: "Stand here a +little while. I will go down and fix the places, so you will not be +caught." He went on and sprung all the snares; then he went back and called +the wolves and others,--the coyotes, badgers, and foxes,--and they all went +in the pis'kun and feasted, and took meat to carry home. + +In the morning the people were surprised to find the meat gone, and their +nooses all drawn out. They wondered how it could have been done. For many +nights the nooses were drawn and the meat stolen; but once, when the wolves +went there to steal, they found only the meat of a scabby bull, and the +man-wolf was angry, and cried out: "Bad-you-give-us-o-o-o! +Bad-you-give-us-o-o-o-o!" + +The people heard him, and said: "It is a man-wolf who has done all this. We +will catch him." So they put pemmican and nice back fat in the pis'kun, and +many hid close by. After dark the wolves came again, and when the man-wolf +saw the good food, he ran to it and began eating. Then the people all +rushed in and caught him with ropes and took him to a lodge. When they got +inside to the light of the fire, they knew at once who it was. They said, +"This is the man who was lost." + +"No," said the man, "I was not lost. My wives tried to kill me. They dug a +deep hole, and I fell into it, and I was hurt so badly that I could not get +out; but the wolves took pity on me and helped me, or I would have died +there." + +When the people heard this, they were angry, and they told the man to do +something. + +"You say well," he replied. "I give those women to the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi;_ +they know what to do." + +After that night the two women were never seen again. + + + +THE FAST RUNNERS + + +Once, long ago, the antelope and the deer met on the prairie. At this time +both of them had galls and both dew claws. They began to talk together, and +each was telling the other what he could do. Each one told how fast he +could run, and before long they were disputing as to which could run the +faster. Neither would allow that the other could beat him, so they agreed +that they would have a race to decide which was the swifter, and they bet +their galls on the race. When they ran, the antelope proved the faster +runner, and beat the deer and took his gall. + +Then the deer said: "Yes, you have beaten me on the prairie, but that is +not where I live. I only go out there sometimes to feed, or when I am +travelling around. We ought to have another race in the timber. That is my +home, and there I can run faster than you can." + +The antelope felt very big because he had beaten the deer in the race, and +he thought wherever they might be, he could run faster than the deer. So he +agreed to race in the timber, and on this race they bet their dew claws. + +They ran through the thick timber, among the brush and over fallen logs, +and this time the antelope ran slowly, because he was not used to this kind +of travelling, and the deer easily beat him, and took his dew claws. + +Since then the deer has had no gall, and the antelope no dew claws. + +[NOTE. A version of the first portion of this story is current among the +Pawnees, and has been printed in Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales.] + + + +TWO WAR TRAILS + + +I + +Many years ago there lived in the Blood camp a boy named Screech Owl +(A'-tsi-tsi). He was rather a lonely boy, and did not care to go with other +boys. He liked better to be by himself. Often he would go off alone, and +stay out all night away from the camp. He used to pray to all kinds of +birds and animals that he saw, and ask them to take pity on him and help +him, saying that he wanted to be a warrior. He never used paint. He was a +fine looking young man, and he thought it was foolish to use paint to make +oneself good looking. + +When Screech Owl was about fourteen years old, a large party of Blackfeet +were starting to war against the Crees and the Assinaboines. The young man +said to his father: "Father, with this war party many of my cousins are +going. I think that now I am old enough to go to war, and I would like to +join them." His father said, "My son, I am willing; you may go." So he +joined the party. + +His father gave his son his own war horse, a black horse with a white spot +on its side--a very fast horse. He offered him arms, but the boy refused +them all, except a little trapping axe. He said, "I think this hatchet will +be all that I shall need." Just as they were about to start, his father +gave the boy his own war headdress. This was not a war bonnet, but a plume +made of small feathers, the feathers of thunder birds, for the thunder bird +was his father's medicine. He said to the boy, "Now, my son, when you go +into battle, put this plume in your head, and wear it as I have worn it." + +The party started and travelled north-east, and at length they came to +where Fort Pitt now stands, on the Saskatchewan River. When they had got +down below Fort Pitt, they saw three riders, going out hunting. These men +had not seen the war party. The Blackfeet started around the men, so as to +head them off when they should run. When they saw the men, the Screech Owl +got off his horse, and took off all his clothes, and put on his father's +war plume, and began to ride around, singing his father's war song. The +older warriors were getting ready for the attack, and when they saw this +young boy acting in this way, they thought he was making fun of the older +men, and they said: "Here, look at this boy! Has he no shame? He had better +stay behind." When they got on their horses, they told him to stay behind, +and they charged the Crees. But the boy, instead of staying behind, charged +with them, and took the lead, for he had the best horse of all. He, a boy, +was leading the war party, and still singing his war song. + +The three Crees began to run, and the boy kept gaining on them. They did +not want to separate, they kept together; and as the boy was getting closer +and closer, the last one turned in his saddle and shot at the Screech Owl, +but missed him. As the Cree fired, the boy whipped up his horse, and rode +up beside the Cree and struck him with his little trapping axe, and knocked +him off his horse. He paid no attention to the man that he had struck, but +rode on to the next Cree. As he came up with him, the Cree raised his gun +and fired, but just as he did so, the Blackfoot dropped down on the other +side of his horse, and the ball passed over him. He straightened up on his +horse, rode up by the Cree, and as he passed, knocked him off his horse +with his axe. When he knocked the second Cree off his horse, the Blackfeet, +who were following, whooped in triumph and to encourage him, shouting, +"_A-wah-heh'_" (Take courage). The boy was still singing his father's war +song. + +By this time, the main body of the Blackfeet were catching up with him. He +whipped his horse on both sides, and rode on after the third Cree, who was +also whipping his horse as hard as he could, and trying to get +away. Meantime, some of the Blackfeet had stopped to count _coup_ on and +scalp the two dead Crees, and to catch the two ponies. Screech Owl at last +got near to the third Cree, who kept aiming his gun at him. The boy did not +want to get too close, until the Cree had fired his gun, but he was gaining +a little, and all the time was throwing himself from side to side on his +horse, so as to make it harder for the Cree to hit him. When he had nearly +overtaken the enemy, the Cree turned, raised his gun and fired; but the boy +had thrown himself down behind his horse, and again the ball passed over +him. He raised himself up on his horse, and rushed on the Cree, and struck +him in the side of the body with his axe, and then again, and with the +second blow, he knocked him off his horse. + +The boy rode on a little further, stopped, and jumped off his horse, while +the rest of the Blackfeet had come up and were killing the fallen man. He +stood off to one side and watched them count _coup_ on and scalp the dead. + +The Blackfeet were much surprised at what the young man had done. After a +little while, the leader decided that they would go back to the camp from +which they had come. When he had returned from this war journey this young +man's name was changed from A'-tsi-tsi to E-k[=u]s'-kini (Low Horn). This +was his first war path. + +From that time on the name of E-k[=u]s'-kini was often heard as that of one +doing some great deed. + + + +II + +E-k[=u]s'-kini started on his last war trail from the Black-foot crossing +_(Su-yoh-pah'-wah-ku)_. He led a party of six Sarcees. He was the seventh +man. + +On the second day out, they came to the Red Deer's River. When they reached +this river, they found it very high, so they built a raft to cross on. They +camped on the other side. In crossing, most of their powder got wet. The +next morning, when they awoke, E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "Well, trouble is +coming for us. We had better go back from here. We started on a wrong +day. I saw in my sleep our bodies lying on the prairie, dead." Some of the +young men said: "Oh well, we have started, we had better go on. Perhaps it +is only a mistake. Let us go on and try to take some horses anyhow." +E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "Yes, that is very true. To go home is all +foolishness; but remember that it is by your wish that we are going on." +He wanted to go back, not on his own account, but for the sake of his young +men--to save his followers. + +From there they went on and made another camp, and the next morning he said +to his young men: "Now I am sure. I have seen it for certain. Trouble is +before us." They camped two nights at this place and dried some of their +powder, but most of it was caked and spoilt. He said to his young men: +"Here, let us use some sense about this. We have no ammunition. We cannot +defend ourselves. Let us turn back from here." So they started across the +country for their camp. + +They crossed the Red Deer's River, and there camped again. The next morning +E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "I feel very uneasy to-day. Two of you go ahead on the +trail and keep a close lookout. I am afraid that to-day we are going to see +our enemy." Two of the young men went ahead, and when they had climbed to +the top of a ridge and looked over it on to Sarvis Berry (Saskatoon) Creek, +they came back and told E-k[=u]s'-kini that they had seen a large camp of +people over there, and that they thought it was the Piegans, Bloods, +Blackfeet, and Sarcees, who had all moved over there together. Saskatoon +Creek was about twenty miles from the Blackfoot camp. He said: "No, it +cannot be our people. They said nothing about moving over here; it must be +a war party. It is only a few days since we left, and there was then no +talk of their leaving that camp. It cannot be they." The two young men +said: "Yes, they are our people. There are too many of them for a war +party. We think that the whole camp is there." They discussed this for some +little time, E-k[=u]s'-kini insisting that it could not be the Blackfoot +camp, while the young men felt sure that it was. These two men said, "Well, +we are going on into the camp now." Low Horn said: "Well, you may go. Tell +my father that I will come into the camp to-night. I do not like to go in +in the daytime, when I am not bringing back anything with me." + +It was now late in the afternoon, and the two young men went ahead toward +the camp, travelling on slowly. A little after sundown, they came down the +hill on to the flat of the river, and saw there the camp. They walked down +toward it, to the edge of the stream, and there met two women, who had come +down after water. The men spoke to them in Sarcee, and said, "Where is the +Sarcee camp?" The women did not understand them, so they spoke again, and +asked the same question in Blackfoot. Then these two women called out in +the Cree language, "Here are two Blackfeet, who have come here and are +talking to us." When these men heard the women talk Cree, and saw what a +mistake they had made, they turned and ran away up the creek. They ran up +above camp a short distance, to a place where a few willow bushes were +hanging over the stream, and pushing through these, they hid under the +bank, and the willows above concealed them. The people in the camp came +rushing out, and men ran up the creek, and down, and looked everywhere for +the two enemies, but could find nothing of them. + +Now when these people were running in all directions, hunting for these two +men, E-k[=u]s'-kini was coming down the valley slowly with the four other +Sarcees. He saw some Indians coming toward him, and supposed that they were +some of his own people, coming to meet him, with horses for him to ride. At +length, when they were close to him, and E-k[=u]s'-kini could see that they +were the enemy, and were taking the covers off their guns, he jumped to one +side and stood alone and began to sing his war song. He called out, +"Children of the Crees, if you have come to try my manhood, do your best." +In a moment or two he was surrounded, and they were shooting at him from +all directions. He called out again, "People, you can't kill me here, but +I will take my body to your camp, and there you shall kill me." So he +advanced, fighting his way toward the Cree camp, but before he started, he +killed two of the Crees there. His enemies kept coming up and clustering +about him: some were on foot and some on horseback. They were thick about +him on all sides, and they could not shoot much at him, for fear of killing +their own people on the other side. + +One of the Sarcees fell. E-k[=u]s'-kini said to his men, "_A-wah-heh'_" +(Take courage). "These people cannot kill us here. Where that patch of +choke-cherry brush is, in the very centre of their camp, we will go and +take our stand." Another Sarcee fell, and now there were only three of +them. E-k[=u]s'-kini said to his remaining men: "Go straight to that patch +of brush, and I will fight the enemy off in front and at the sides, and so +will keep the way open for you. These people cannot kill us here. There are +too many of their own people. If we can get to that brush, we will hurt +them badly." All this time they were killing enemies, fighting bravely, and +singing their war songs. At last they gained the patch of brush, and then +with their knives they began to dig holes in the ground, and to throw up a +shelter. + +In the Cree camp was K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s (Round), the chief of the +Crees, who could talk Blackfoot well. He called out: "E-k[=u]s'-kini, there +is a little ravine running out of that brush patch, which puts into the +hills. Crawl out through that, and try to get away. It is not guarded." +E-k[=u]s'-kini replied: "No, Children of the Crees, I will not go. You must +remember that it is E-k[=u]s'-kini that you are fighting with--a man who +has done much harm to your people. I am glad that I am here. I am sorry for +only one thing; that is, that my ammunition is going to run out. To-morrow +you may kill me." + +All night long the fight was kept up, the enemy shooting all the time, and +all night long E-k[=u]s'-kini sang his death song. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s +called to him several times: "E-k[=u]s'-kini, you had better do what I tell +you. Try to get away." But he shouted back, "No," and laughed at them. He +said: "You have killed all my men. I am here alone, but you cannot kill +me." K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, the chief, said: "Well, if you are there at +daylight in the morning, I will go into that brush and will catch you with +my hands. I will be the man who will put an end to you." E-k[=u]s'-kini +said: "K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, do not try to do that. If you do, you shall +surely die." The patch of brush in which he had hidden had now been all +shot away, cut off by the bullets of the enemy. + +When day came, E-k[=u]s'-kini called out: "Eh, K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, it +is broad daylight now. I have run out of ammunition. I have not another +grain of powder in my horn. Now come and take me in your hands, as you +said you would." K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s answered: "Yes, I said that I was +the one who was going to catch you this morning. Now I am coming." + +He took off all his clothes, and alone rushed for the +breastworks. E-k[=u]s'-kini's ammunition was all gone, but he still had one +load in his gun, and his dagger. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s came on with his +gun at his shoulder, and E-k[=u]s'-kini sat there with his gun in his hand, +looking at the man who was coming toward him with the cocked gun pointed at +him. He was singing his death song. As K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s got up close, +and just as he was about to fire, E-k[=u]s'-kini threw up his gun and +fired, and the ball knocked off the Cree chiefs forefinger, and going on, +entered his right eye and came out at the temple, knocking the eye +out. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s went down, and his gun flew a long way. + +When K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s fell, the whole camp shouted the war whoop, and +cried out, "This is his last shot," and they all charged on him. They knew +that he had no more ammunition. + +The head warrior of the Crees was named Bunch of Lodges. He was the first +man to jump inside the breastworks. As he sprang inside, E-k[=u]s'-kini +met him, and thrust his dagger through him, and killed him on the spot. +Then, as the enemy threw themselves on him, and he began to feel the knives +stuck into him from all sides, he gave a war whoop and laughed, and said, +"Only now I begin to think that I am fighting." All the time he was cutting +and stabbing, jumping backward and forward, and all the time laughing. When +he was dead, there were fifteen dead Crees lying about the +earthworks. E-k[=u]s'-kini body was cut into small pieces and scattered all +over the country, so that he might not come to life again. + + +III + +That morning, before it was daylight, the two Sarcees who had hidden in the +willows left their hiding-place and made their way to the Blackfoot +camp. When they got there, they told that when they had left the Cree camp +E-k[=u]s'kini was surrounded, and the firing was terrible. When +E-k[=u]s'-kini's father heard this, he got on his horse and rode through +the camp, calling out: "My boy is surrounded; let us turn out and go to +help him. I have no doubt they are many tens to one, but he is powerful, +and he may be fighting yet." No time was lost in getting ready, and soon a +large party started for the Cree camp. When they came to the battle-ground, +the camp had been moved a long time. The old man looked about, trying to +gather up his son's body, but it was found only in small pieces, and not +more than half of it could be gathered up. + +After the fight was over, the Crees started on down to go to their own +country. One day six Crees were travelling along on foot, scouting far +ahead. As they were going down into a little ravine, a grizzly bear jumped +up in front of them and ran after them. The bear overtook, and tore up, +five of them, one after another. The sixth got away, and came home to +camp. The Crees and the Blackfeet believe that this was the spirit of +E-k[=u]s'-kini, for thus he comes back. They think that he is still on the +earth, but in a different shape. + +E-k[=u]s'-kini was killed about forty years ago. When he was killed, he was +still a boy, not married, only about twenty-four years old. + + + + + +STORIES OF ANCIENT TIMES + + + + + +SCARFACE + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE LODGE + + +I + +In the earliest times there was no war. All the tribes were at peace. In +those days there was a man who had a daughter, a very beautiful girl. Many +young men wanted to marry her, but every time she was asked, she only shook +her head and said she did not want a husband. + +"How is this?" asked her father. "Some of these young men are rich, +handsome, and brave." + +"Why should I marry?" replied the girl. "I have a rich father and +mother. Our lodge is good. The parfleches are never empty. There are plenty +of tanned robes and soft furs for winter. Why worry me, then?" + +The Raven Bearers held a dance; they all dressed carefully and wore their +ornaments, and each one tried to dance the best. Afterwards some of them +asked for this girl, but still she said no. Then the Bulls, the Kit-foxes, +and others of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ held their dances, and all those who +were rich, many great warriors, asked this man for his daughter, but to +every one of them she said no. Then her father was angry, and said: "Why, +now, this way? All the best men have asked for you, and still you say no. I +believe you have a secret lover." + +"Ah!" said her mother. "What shame for us should a child be born and our +daughter still unmarried!" "Father! mother!" replied the girl, "pity me. I +have no secret lover, but now hear the truth. That Above Person, the Sun, +told me, 'Do not marry any of those men, for you are mine; thus you shall +be happy, and live to great age'; and again he said, 'Take heed. You must +not marry. You are mine.'" + +"Ah!" replied her father. "It must always be as he says." And they talked +no more about it. + +There was a poor young man, very poor. His father, mother, all his +relations, had gone to the Sand Hills. He had no lodge, no wife to tan his +robes or sew his moccasins. He stopped in one lodge to-day, and to-morrow +he ate and slept in another; thus he lived. He was a good-looking young +man, except that on his cheek he had a scar, and his clothes were always +old and poor. + +After those dances some of the young men met this poor Scarface, and they +laughed at him, and said: "Why don't you ask that girl to marry you? You +are so rich and handsome!" Scarface did not laugh; he replied: "Ah! I will +do as you say. I will go and ask her." All the young men thought this was +funny. They laughed a great deal. But Scarface went down by the river. He +waited by the river, where the women came to get water, and by and by the +girl came along. "Girl," he said, "wait. I want to speak with you. Not as a +designing person do I ask you, but openly where the Sun looks down, and all +may see." + +"Speak then," said the girl. + +"I have seen the days," continued the young man "You have refused those who +are young, and rich, and brave. Now, to-day, they laughed and said to me, +'Why do you not ask her?' I am poor, very poor. I have no lodge, no food, +no clothes, no robes and warm furs. I have no relations; all have gone to +the Sand Hills; yet, now, to-day, I ask you, take pity, be my wife." + +The girl hid her face in her robe and brushed the ground with the point of +her moccasin, back and forth, back and forth; for she was thinking. After a +time she said: "True. I have refused all those rich young men, yet now the +poor one asks me, and I am glad. I will be your wife, and my people will be +happy. You are poor, but it does not matter. My father will give you +dogs. My mother will make us a lodge. My people will give us robes and +furs. You will be poor no longer." + +Then the young man was happy, and he started to kiss her, but she held him +back, and said: "Wait! The Sun has spoken to me. He says I may not marry; +that I belong to him. He says if I listen to him, I shall live to great +age. But now I say: Go to the Sun. Tell him, 'She whom you spoke with +heeds your words. She has never done wrong, but now she wants to marry. I +want her for my wife.' Ask him to take that scar from your face. That will +be his sign. I will know he is pleased. But if he refuses, or if you fail +to find his lodge, then do not return to me." + +"Oh!" cried the young man, "at first your words were good. I was glad. But +now it is dark. My heart is dead. Where is that far-off lodge? where the +trail, which no one yet has travelled?" + +"Take courage, take courage!" said the girl; and she went to her lodge. + + +II + +Scarface was very sad. He sat down and covered his head with his robe and +tried to think what to do. After a while he got up, and went to an old +woman who had been kind to him. "Pity me," he said. "I am very poor. I am +going away now on a long journey. Make me some moccasins." + +"Where are you going?" asked the old woman. "There is no war; we are very +peaceful here." + +"I do not know where I shall go," replied Scarface. "I am in trouble, but I +cannot tell you now what it is." + +So the old woman made him some moccasins, seven pairs, with parfleche +soles, and also she gave him a sack of food,--pemmican of berries, pounded +meat, and dried back fat; for this old woman had a good heart. She liked +the young man. + +All alone, and with a sad heart, he climbed the bluffs and stopped to take +a last look at the camp. He wondered if he would ever see his sweetheart +and the people again. "_ Hai'-yu!_ Pity me, O Sun," he prayed, and turning, +he started to find the trail. + +For many days he travelled on, over great prairies, along timbered rivers +and among the mountains, and every day his sack of food grew lighter; but +he saved it as much as he could, and ate berries, and roots, and sometimes +he killed an animal of some kind. One night he stopped by the home of a +wolf. "_Hai-yah!_" said that one; "what is my brother doing so far from +home?" + +"Ah!" replied Scarface, "I seek the place where the Sun lives; I am sent to +speak with him." + +"I have travelled far," said the wolf. "I know all the prairies, the +valleys, and the mountains, but I have never seen the Sun's home. Wait; I +know one who is very wise. Ask the bear. He may tell you." + +The next day the man travelled on again, stopping now and then to pick a +few berries, and when night came he arrived at the bear's lodge. + +"Where is your home?" asked the bear. "Why are you travelling alone, my +brother?" + +"Help me! Pity me!" replied the young man; "because of her words[1] I seek +the Sun. I go to ask him for her." + +[Footnote 1: A Blackfoot often talks of what this or that person said, +without mentioning names.] + +"I know not where he stops," replied the bear. "I have travelled by many +rivers, and I know the mountains, yet I have never seen his lodge. There is +some one beyond, that striped-face, who is very smart. Go and ask him." + +The badger was in his hole. Stooping over, the young man shouted: "Oh, +cunning striped-face! Oh, generous animal! I wish to speak with you." + +"What do you want?" said the badger, poking his head out of the hole. + +"I want to find the Sun's home," replied Scarface. "I want to speak with +him." + +"I do not know where he lives," replied the badger. "I never travel very +far. Over there in the timber is a wolverine. He is always travelling +around, and is of much knowledge. Maybe he can tell you." + +Then Scarface went to the woods and looked all around for the wolverine, +but could not find him. So he sat down to rest "_Hai'-yu! Hai'-yu!_" he +cried. "Wolverine, take pity on me. My food is gone, my moccasins worn out. +Now I must die." + +"What is it, my brother?" he heard, and looking around, he saw the animal +sitting near. + +"She whom I would marry," said Scarface, "belongs to the Sun; I am trying +to find where he lives, to ask him for her." + +"Ah!" said the wolverine. "I know where he lives. Wait; it is nearly +night. To-morrow I will show you the trail to the big water. He lives on +the other side of it." + +Early in the morning, the wolverine showed him the trail, and Scarface +followed it until he came to the water's edge. He looked out over it, and +his heart almost stopped. Never before had any one seen such a big +water. The other side could not be seen, and there was no end to +it. Scarface sat down on the shore. His food was all gone, his moccasins +worn out. His heart was sick. "I cannot cross this big water," he said. "I +cannot return to the people. Here, by this water, I shall die." + +Not so. His Helpers were there. Two swans came swimming up to the +shore. "Why have you come here?" they asked him. "What are you doing? It is +very far to the place where your people live." + +"I am here," replied Scarface, "to die. Far away, in my country, is a +beautiful girl. I want to marry her, but she belongs to the Sun. So I +started to find him and ask for her. I have travelled many days. My food is +gone. I cannot go back. I cannot cross this big water, so I am going to +die." + +"No," said the swans; "it shall not be so. Across this water is the home of +that Above Person. Get on our backs, and we will take you there." + +Scarface quickly arose. He felt strong again. He waded out into the water +and lay down on the swans' backs, and they started off. Very deep and black +is that fearful water. Strange people live there, mighty animals which +often seize and drown a person. The swans carried him safely, and took him +to the other side. Here was a broad hard trail leading back from the +water's edge. + +"_Kyi_" said the swans. "You are now close to the Sun's lodge. Follow that +trail, and you will soon see it." + + +III + +Scarface started up the trail, and pretty soon he came to some beautiful +things, lying in it. There was a war shirt, a shield, and a bow and +arrows. He had never seen such pretty weapons; but he did not touch +them. He walked carefully around them, and travelled on. A little way +further on, he met a young man, the handsomest person he had ever seen. His +hair was very long, and he wore clothing made of strange skins. His +moccasins were sewn with bright colored feathers. The young man said to +him, "Did you see some weapons lying on the trail?" + +"Yes," replied Scarface; "I saw them." + +"But did you not touch them?" asked the young man. + +"No; I thought some one had left them there, so I did not take them." + +"You are not a thief," said the young man. "What is your name?" + +"Scarface." + +"Where are you going?" + +"To the Sun." + +"My name," said the young man, "is A-pi-su'-ahts[1]. The Sun is my father; +come, I will take you to our lodge. My father is not now at home, but he +will come in at night." + +[Footnote 1: Early Riser, i.e. The Morning Star.] + +Soon they came to the lodge. It was very large and handsome; strange +medicine animals were painted on it. Behind, on a tripod, were strange +weapons and beautiful clothes--the Sun's. Scarface was ashamed to go in, +but Morning Star said, "Do not be afraid, my friend; we are glad you have +come." + +They entered. One person was sitting there, Ko-ko-mik'-e-is[2], the Sun's +wife, Morning Star's mother. She spoke to Scarface kindly, and gave him +something to eat. "Why have you come so far from your people?" she asked. + +[Footnote 2: Night red light, the Moon.] + +Then Scarface told her about the beautiful girl he wanted to marry. "She +belongs to the Sun," he said. "I have come to ask him for her." + +When it was time for the Sun to come home, the Moon hid Scarface under a +pile of robes. As soon as the Sun got to the doorway, he stopped, and said, +"I smell a person." + +"Yes, father," said Morning Star; "a good young man has come to see you. I +know he is good, for he found some of my things on the trail and did not +touch them." + +Then Scarface came out from under the robes, and the Sun entered and sat +down. "I am glad you have come to our lodge," he said. "Stay with us as +long as you think best. My son is lonesome sometimes; be his friend." + +The next day the Moon called Scarface out of the lodge, and said to him: +"Go with Morning Star where you please, but never hunt near that big water; +do not let him go there. It is the home of great birds which have long +sharp bills; they kill people. I have had many sons, but these birds have +killed them all. Morning Star is the only one left." + +So Scarface stayed there a long time and hunted with Morning Star. One day +they came near the water, and saw the big birds. + +"Come," said Morning Star; "let us go and kill those birds." + +"No, no!" replied Scarface; "we must not go there. Those are very terrible +birds; they will kill us." + +Morning Star would not listen. He ran towards the water, and Scarface +followed. He knew that he must kill the birds and save the boy. If not, the +Sun would be angry and might kill him. He ran ahead and met the birds, +which were coming towards him to fight, and killed every one of them with +his spear: not one was left. Then the young men cut off their heads, and +carried them home. Morning Star's mother was glad when they told her what +they had done, and showed her the birds' heads. She cried, and called +Scarface "my son." When the Sun came home at night, she told him about it, +and he too was glad. "My son," he said to Scarface, "I will not forget what +you have this day done for me. Tell me now, what can I do for you?" + +"_Hai'-yu_" replied Scarface. "_Hai'-yu_, pity me. I am here to ask you for +that girl. I want to marry her. I asked her, and she was glad; but she says +you own her, that you told her not to marry." + +"What you say is true," said the Sun. "I have watched the days, so I know +it. Now, then, I give her to you; she is yours. I am glad she has been +wise. I know she has never done wrong. The Sun pities good women. They +shall live a long time. So shall their husbands and children. Now you will +soon go home. Let me tell you something. Be wise and listen: I am the only +chief. Everything is mine. I made the earth, the mountains, prairies, +rivers, and forests. I made the people and all the animals. This is why I +say I alone am the chief. I can never die. True, the winter makes me old +and weak, but every summer I grow young again." + +Then said the Sun: "What one of all animals is smartest? The raven is, for +he always finds food. He is never hungry. Which one of all the animals is +most _Nat-o'-ye_[1]? The buffalo is. Of all animals, I like him best. He +is for the people. He is your food and your shelter. What part of his body +is sacred? The tongue is. That is mine. What else is sacred? Berries +are. They are mine too. Come with me and see the world." He took Scarface +to the edge of the sky, and they looked down and saw it. It is round and +flat, and all around the edge is the jumping-off place [or walls straight +down]. Then said the Sun: "When any man is sick or in danger, his wife may +promise to build me a lodge, if he recovers. If the woman is pure and true, +then I will be pleased and help the man. But if she is bad, if she lies, +then I will be angry. You shall build the lodge like the world, round, with +walls, but first you must build a sweat house of a hundred sticks. It shall +be like the sky [a hemisphere], and half of it shall be painted red. That +is me. The other half you will paint black. That is the night." + +[Footnote 1: This word may be translated as "of the Sun," "having Sun +power," or more properly, something sacred.] + +Further said the Sun: "Which is the best, the heart or the brain? The brain +is. The heart often lies, the brain never." Then he told Scarface +everything about making the Medicine Lodge, and when he had finished, he +rubbed a powerful medicine on his face, and the scar disappeared. Then he +gave him two raven feathers, saying: "These are the sign for the girl, that +I give her to you. They must always be worn by the husband of the woman who +builds a Medicine Lodge." + +The young man was now ready to return home. Morning Star and the Sun gave +him many beautiful presents. The Moon cried and kissed him, and called him +"my son." Then the Sun showed him the short trail. It was the Wolf Road +(Milky Way). He followed it, and soon reached the ground. + + +IV + +It was a very hot day. All the lodge skins were raised, and the people sat +in the shade. There was a chief, a very generous man, and all day long +people kept coming to his lodge to feast and smoke with him. Early in the +morning this chief saw a person sitting out on a butte near by, close +wrapped in his robe. The chief's friends came and went, the sun reached the +middle, and passed on, down towards the mountains. Still this person did +not move. When it was almost night, the chief said: "Why does that person +sit there so long? The heat has been strong, but he has never eaten nor +drunk. He may be a stranger; go and ask him in." + +So some young men went up to him, and said: "Why do you sit here in the +great heat all day? Come to the shade of the lodges. The chief asks you to +feast with him." + +Then the person arose and threw off his robe, and they were surprised. He +wore beautiful clothes. His bow, shield, and other weapons were of strange +make. But they knew his face, although the scar was gone, and they ran +ahead, shouting, "The scarface poor young man has come. He is poor no +longer. The scar on his face is gone." + +All the people rushed out to see him. "Where have you been?" they +asked. "Where did you get all these pretty things?" He did not +answer. There in the crowd stood that young woman; and taking the two raven +feathers from his head, he gave them to her, and said: "The trail was very +long, and I nearly died, but by those Helpers, I found his lodge. He is +glad. He sends these feathers to you. They are the sign." + +Great was her gladness then. They were married, and made the first Medicine +Lodge, as the Sun had said. The Sun was glad. He gave them great age. They +were never sick. When they were very old, one morning, their children said: +"Awake! Rise and eat." They did not move. In the night, in sleep, without +pain, their shadows had departed for the Sand Hills. + + + +ORIGIN OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI[1] + + +I + +THE BULL BAND + +[Footnote 1: An account of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, with a list of its +different bands or societies and their duties, will be found in the chapter +on Social Organization.] + +The people had built a great pis'kun, very high and strong, so that no +buffalo could escape; but somehow the buffalo would not jump over the +cliff. When driven toward it, they would run nearly to the edge, and then, +swerving to the right or left, they would go down the sloping hills and +cross the valley in safety. So the people were hungry, and began to starve. + +One morning, early, a young woman went to get water, and she saw a herd of +buffalo feeding on the prairie, right on the edge of the cliff above the +pis'kun. "Oh!" she cried out, "if you will only jump off into the pis'kun, +I will marry one of you." This she said for fun, not meaning it, and great +was her wonder when she saw the buffalo come jumping, tumbling, falling +over the cliff. + +Now the young woman was scared, for a big bull with one bound cleared the +pis'kun walls and came toward her. "Come," he said, taking hold of her +arm. "No, no!" she replied pulling back. "But you said if the buffalo would +jump over, you would marry one; see, the pis'kun is filled." And without +more talk he led her up over the bluff, and out on to the prairie. + +When the people had finished killing the buffalo and cutting up the meat, +they missed this young woman, and her relations were very sad, because they +could not find her. Then her father took his bow and quiver, and said, "I +will go and find her." And he went up over the bluff and out on the +prairie. + +After he had travelled some distance he came to a wallow, and a little way +off saw a herd of buffalo. While sitting by the wallow,--for he was +tired--and thinking what he should do, a magpie came and lit near him. "Ha! +_Ma-me-at-si-kim-i"_ he said, "you are a beautiful bird; help me. Look +everywhere as you travel about, and if you see my daughter, tell her, 'Your +father waits by the wallow.'" The magpie flew over by the herd of buffalo, +and seeing the young woman, he lit on the ground near her, and commenced +picking around, turning his head this way and that way, and, when close to +her, he said, "Your father waits by the wallow." "Sh-h-h! sh-h-h!" replied +the girl, in a whisper, looking around scared, for her bull husband was +sleeping near by. "Don't speak so loud. Go back and tell him to wait." + +"Your daughter is over there with the buffalo. She says 'wait!'" said the +magpie, when he had flown back to the man. + +By and by the bull awoke, and said to his wife, "Go and get me some water." +Then the woman was glad, and taking a horn from his head she went to the +wallow. "Oh, why did you come?" she said to her father. "You will surely be +killed." + +"I came to take my daughter home; come, let us hurry." + +"No, no!" she replied; "not now. They would chase us and kill us. Wait till +he sleeps again, and I will try to get away," and, filling the horn with +water, she went back. + +The bull drank a swallow of the water. "Ha!" said he, "a person is close by +here." + +"No one," replied the woman; but her heart rose up. + +The bull drank a little more, and then he stood up and bellowed, "_Bu-u-u! +m-m-ah-oo!"_ Oh, fearful sound! Up rose the bulls, raised their short tails +and shook them, tossed their great heads, and bellowed back. Then they +pawed the dirt, rushed about here and there, and coming to the wallow, +found that poor man. There they trampled him with their great hoofs, hooked +him and trampled him again, and soon not even a small piece of his body +could be seen. + +Then his daughter cried, "_Oh! ah! Ni-nah-ah! Oh! ah! Ni-nah-ah!_" (My +father! My father!) "Ah!" said her bull husband, "you mourn for your +father. You see now how it is with us. We have seen our mothers, fathers, +many of our relations, hurled over the rocky walls, and killed for food by +your people. But I will pity you. I will give you one chance. If you can +bring your father to life, you and he can go back to your people." + +Then the woman said to the magpie: "Pity me. Help me now; go and seek in +the trampled mud; try and find a little piece of my father's body, and +bring it to me." + +The magpie flew to the place. He looked in every hole, and tore up the mud +with his sharp nose. At last he found something white; he picked the mud +from around it, and then pulling hard, he brought out a joint of the +backbone, and flew with it back to the woman. + +She placed it on the ground, covered it with her robe, and then +sang. Removing the robe, there lay her father's body as if just dead. Once +more she covered it with the robe and sang, and when she took away the +robe, he was breathing, and then he stood up. The buffalo were surprised; +the magpie was glad, and flew round and round, making a great noise. + +"We have seen strange things this day," said her bull husband. "He whom we +trampled to death, even into small pieces, is alive again. The people's +medicine is very strong. Now, before you go, we will teach you our dance +and our song. You must not forget them."[1] When the dance was over, the +bull said: "Go now to your home, and do not forget what you have +seen. Teach it to the people. The medicine shall be a bull's head and a +robe. All the persons who are to be 'Bulls' shall wear them when they +dance." + +[Footnote 1: Here the narrator repeated the song and showed the dance. As +is fitting to the dance of such great beasts, the air is slow and solemn, +and the step ponderous and deliberate.] + +Great was the joy of the people, when the man returned with his +daughter. He called a council of the chiefs, and told them all that had +happened. Then the chiefs chose certain young men, and this man taught them +the dance and song of the bulls, and told them what the medicine should +be. This was the beginning of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_. + + + + +II + +THE OTHER BANDS + + +For a long time the buffalo had not been seen. The pis'kun was useless, and +the hunters could find no food for the people. Then a man who had two +wives, a daughter, and two sons, said: "I shall not stop here to +die. To-morrow we will move toward the mountains, where we shall perhaps +find deer and elk, sheep and antelope, or, if not, at least we shall find +plenty of beaver and birds. Thus we shall survive." + +When morning came, they packed the travois, lashed them on the dogs, and +then moved out. It was yet winter, and they travelled slowly. They were +weak, and could go but a little way in a day. The fourth night came, and +they sat in their lodge, very tired and hungry. No one spoke, for those who +are hungry do not care for words. Suddenly the dogs began to bark, and +soon, pushing aside the door-curtain, a young man entered. + +"_O'kyi!_" said the old man, and he motioned the stranger to a +sitting-place. + +They looked at this person with surprise and fear, for there was a black +wind[1] which had melted the snow, and covered the prairie with water, yet +this person's leggings and moccasins were dry. They sat in silence a long +time. + +[Footnote 1: The "Chinook."] + +Then said he: "Why is this? Why do you not give me some food?" + +"Ah!" replied the old man, "you behold those who are truly poor. We have no +food. For many days the buffalo did not come in sight, and we shot deer and +other animals which people eat, and when all these had been killed, we +began to starve. Then said I, 'We will not stay here to starve to death'; +and we started for the mountains. This is the fourth night of our travels." + +"Ah!" said the young man. "Then your travels are ended. Close by here, we +are camped by our pis'kun. Many buffalo have been run in, and our +parfleches are filled with dried meat. Wait; I will go and bring you some." + +As soon as he went out, they began to talk about this strange person. They +were very much afraid of him, and did not know what to do. The children +began to cry, and the women were trying to quiet them, when the young man +returned, bringing some meat and three _pis-tsi-ko'-an._[2] + +[Footnote 2: Unborn buffalo calves.] + +"_Kyi!_" said he. "To-morrow move over to our lodges. Do not be afraid. No +matter what strange things you see, do not fear. All will be your +friends. Now, one thing I caution you about. In this be careful. If you +should find an arrow lying about, in the pis'kun, or outside, no matter +where, do not touch it; neither you, nor your wives nor children." Having +said this, he went out. + +Then the old man took his pipe and smoked and prayed, saying: "Hear now, +Sun! Listen, Above People. Listen, Under Water People. Now you have taken +pity. Now you have given us food. We are going to those strange ones, who +walk through water with dry moccasins. Protect us among those to-be-feared +people. Let us survive. Man, woman, child, give us long life; give us long +life!" + +Once more the smell of roasting meat. The children played. They talked and +laughed who had so long been silent. They ate plenty and lay down and +slept. + +Early in the morning, as soon as the sun rose, they took down their lodge, +packed up, and started for the strange camp. They found it was a wonderful +place. There by the pis'kun, and far up and down the valley were the lodges +of meat-eaters. They could not see them all, but close by they saw the +lodges of the Bear band, the Fox band, and the Badger band. The father of +the young man who had given them meat was chief of the Wolf band, and by +that band they pitched their lodge. Ah! That was a happy place. Food there +was plenty. All day people shouted out for feasts, and everywhere was heard +the sound of drums and song and dancing. + +The new-comers went to the pis'kun for meat, and one of the children found +an arrow lying on the ground. It was a beautiful arrow, the stone point +long and sharp, the shaft round and straight. All around the people were +busy; no one was looking. The boy picked up the arrow and hid it under his +robe. Then there was a fearful noise. All the animals howled and growled, +and ran toward him. But the chief Wolf said: "Hold! We will let him go this +time; for he is young yet, and not of good sense." So they let him go. + +When night came, some one shouted out for a feast, saying: +"_Wo'-ka-hit! Wo'-ka-hit! Mah-kwe'-i-ke-tum-ok-ah-wah-hit. +Ke-t[)u]k'-ka-p[)u]k'-si-pim."_ ("Listen! Listen! Wolf, you are to +feast. Enter with your friend.") "We are asked," said the chief Wolf to his +new friend, and together they went to the lodge. + +Within, the fire burned brightly, and many men were already there, the old +and wise of the Raven band. Hanging behind the seats were the writings[1] +of many deeds. Food was placed before them,--pemmican of berries and dried +back fat; and when they had eaten, a pipe was lighted. Then spoke the +Raven chief: "Now, Wolf, I am going to give our new friend a present. What +say you?" + +[Footnote 1: That is, the painting on cowskin of the various battles and +adventures in which the owner of the lodge had taken part.] + +"It is as you say," replied the Wolf. "Our new friend will be glad." + +Then the Raven chief took from the long parfleche sack a slender stick, +beautifully dressed with many colored feathers; and on the end of it was +fastened the skin of a raven, head, wings, feet, and all. "We," he said, +"are the _Mas-to-pah'-ta-kiks_ (Raven carriers, or those who bear the +Raven). Of all the above animals, of all the flyers, where is one so smart? +None. The Raven's eyes are sharp. His wings are strong. He is a great +hunter and never hungry. Far, far off on the prairie he sees his food, and +deep hidden in the pines it does not escape his eye. Now the song and the +dance." + +When he had finished singing and dancing, he gave the stick to the man, and +said: "Take it with you, and when you have returned to your people, you +shall say: Now there are already the Bulls, and he who is the Raven chief +says: 'There shall be more, there shall be the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, so that +the people may survive, and of them shall be the Raven carriers.' You will +call a council of the chiefs and wise old men, and they will choose the +persons. Teach them the song and the dance, and give them the medicine. It +shall be theirs forever." + +Soon they heard another person shouting for a feast, and, going, they +entered the lodge of the _Sin-o-pah_ chief. Here, too, were the old men +assembled. After they had eaten of that set before them, the chief said: +"Those among whom you are newly arrived are generous. They do not look at +their possessions, but give to the stranger and pity the poor. The Kit-fox +is a little animal, but what one is smarter? None. His hair is like the +dead prairie grass. His eyes are sharp, his feet noiseless, his brain +cunning. His ears receive the far-off sound. Here is our medicine, take +it." And he gave the stick. It was long, crooked at one end, wound with +fur, and tied here and there to it were eagle feathers. At the end was a +fox's skin. Again the chief said: "Hear our song. Do not forget it; and the +dance, too, you must remember. When you get home, teach them to the +people." + +Again they heard the feast shout, and he who called was the Bear chief. Now +when they had smoked, the chief said: "What say you, friend Wolf? Shall we +give our new friend something?" + +"As you say," replied the Wolf. "It is yours to give." + +Then said the Bear: "There are many animals, and some of them are +powerful. But the Bear is the strongest and bravest of all. He fears +nothing, and is always ready to fight." Then he put on a necklace of bear +claws, a belt of bear fur, and around his head a band of the fur; and sang +and danced. When he had finished, he gave them to the man, saying: "Teach +the people our song and dance, and give them this medicine. It is +powerful." + +It was now very late. The Seven Persons had arrived at midnight, yet again +they heard the feast shout from the far end of camp. In this lodge the men +were painted with streaks of red and their hair was all brushed to one +side. After the feast the chief said: "We are different from all the +others here. We are called the _Mût-siks[1]_ We are death. We know not +fear. Even if our enemies are in number like the grass, we do not turn +away, but fight and conquer. Bows are good weapons. Spears are better, but +our weapon is the knife." Then the chief sang and danced, and afterwards he +gave the Wolf's friend the medicine. It was a long knife, and many scalps +were tied on the handle. "This," he said, "is for the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_." + +[Footnote 1: Brave, courageous.] + +Once more they were called to a feast and entered the Badger chief's +lodge. He taught the man the Badger song and dance and gave him the +medicine. It was a large rattle, ornamented with beaver claws and bright +feathers. They smoked two pipes in the Badger's lodge, and then went home +and slept. + +Early next day, the man and his family took down their lodge, and prepared +to move camp. Many women came and made them presents of dried meat, +pemmican, and berries. They were given so much they could not take it all +with them. It was many days before they joined the main camp, for the +people, too, had moved to the south after buffalo. As soon as the lodge was +pitched, the man called all the chiefs to come and feast, and he told them +all he had seen, and showed them the medicines. The chiefs chose certain +young men for the different bands, and this man taught them the songs and +dances, and gave each band their medicine. + + + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE PIPE + + +Thunder--you have heard him, he is everywhere. He roars in the mountains, +he shouts far out on the prairie. He strikes the high rocks, and they fall +to pieces. He hits a tree, and it is broken in slivers. He strikes the +people, and they die. He is bad. He does not like the towering cliff, the +standing tree, or living man. He likes to strike and crush them to the +ground. Yes! yes! Of all he is most powerful; he is the one most +strong. But I have not told you the worst: he sometimes steals women. + +Long ago, almost in the beginning, a man and his wife were sitting in their +lodge, when Thunder came and struck them. The man was not killed. At first +he was as if dead, but after a while he lived again, and rising looked +about him. His wife was not there. "Oh, well," he thought, "she has gone to +get some water or wood," and he sat a while; but when the sun had +under-disappeared, he went out and inquired about her of the people. No one +had seen her. He searched throughout the camp, but did not find her. Then +he knew that Thunder had stolen her, and he went out on the hills alone and +mourned. + +When morning came, he rose and wandered far away, and he asked all the +animals he met if they knew where Thunder lived. They laughed, and would +not answer. The Wolf said: "Do you think we would seek the home of the only +one we fear? He is our only danger. From all others we can run away; but +from him there is no running. He strikes, and there we lie. Turn back! go +home! Do not look for the dwelling-place of that dreadful one." But the man +kept on, and travelled far away. Now he came to a lodge,--a queer lodge, +for it was made of stone; just like any other lodge, only it was made of +stone. Here lived the Raven chief. The man entered. + +"Welcome, my friend," said the chief of Ravens. "Sit down, sit down." And +food was placed before him. + +Then, when he had finished eating, the Raven said, "Why have you come?" + +"Thunder has stolen my wife," replied the man. "I seek his dwelling-place +that I may find her." + +"Would you dare enter the lodge of that dreadful person?" asked the +Raven. "He lives close by here. His lodge is of stone, like this; and +hanging there, within, are eyes,--the eyes of those he has killed or +stolen. He has taken out their eyes and hung them in his lodge. Now, then, +dare you enter there?" + +"No," replied the man. "I am afraid. What man could look at such dreadful +things and live?" + +"No person can," said the Raven. "There is but one old Thunder fears. There +is but one he cannot kill. It is I, it is the Ravens. Now I will give you +medicine, and he shall not harm you. You shall enter there, and seek among +those eyes your wife's; and if you find them, tell that Thunder why you +came, and make him give them to you. Here, now, is a raven's wing. Just +point it at him, and he will start back quick; but if that fail, take +this. It is an arrow, and the shaft is made of elk-horn. Take this, I say, +and shoot it through the lodge." + +"Why make a fool of me?" the poor man asked. "My heart is sad. I am +crying." And he covered his head with his robe, and wept. + +"Oh," said the Raven, "you do not believe me. Come out, come out, and I +will make you believe." When they stood outside, the Raven asked, "Is the +home of your people far?" + +"A great distance," said the man. + +"Can you tell how many days you have travelled?" + +"No," he replied, "my heart is sad. I did not count the days. The berries +have grown and ripened since I left." + +"Can you see your camp from here?" asked the Raven. + +The man did not speak. Then the Raven rubbed some medicine on his eyes and +said, "Look!" The man looked, and saw the camp. It was close. He saw the +people. He saw the smoke rising from the lodges. + +"Now you will believe," said the Raven. "Take now the arrow and the wing, +and go and get your wife." + +So the man took these things, and went to the Thunder's lodge. He entered +and sat down by the door-way. The Thunder sat within and looked at him with +awful eyes. But the man looked above, and saw those many pairs of eyes. +Among them were those of his wife. + +"Why have you come?" said the Thunder in a fearful voice. + +"I seek my wife," the man replied, "whom you have stolen. There hang her +eyes." + +"No man can enter my lodge and live," said the Thunder; and he rose to +strike him. Then the man pointed the raven wing at the Thunder, and he fell +back on his couch and shivered. But he soon recovered, and rose again. Then +the man fitted the elk-horn arrow to his bow, and shot it through the lodge +of rock; right through that lodge of rock it pierced a jagged hole, and let +the sunlight in. + +"Hold," said the Thunder. "Stop; you are the stronger. Yours the great +medicine. You shall have your wife. Take down her eyes." Then the man cut +the string that held them, and immediately his wife stood beside him. + +"Now," said the Thunder, "you know me. I am of great power. I live here in +summer, but when winter comes, I go far south. I go south with the +birds. Here is my pipe. It is medicine. Take it, and keep it. Now, when I +first come in the spring, you shall fill and light this pipe, and you shall +pray to me, you and the people. For I bring the rain which makes the +berries large and ripe. I bring the rain which makes all things grow, and +for this you shall pray to me, you and all the people." + +Thus the people got the first medicine pipe. It was long ago. + + + +THE BEAVER MEDICINE + +This story goes back many years, to a time before the Indians went to war +against each other. Then there was peace among all the tribes. They met, +and did not kill each other. They had no guns and they had no horses. When +two tribes met, the head chiefs would take each a stick and touch each +other. Each had counted a _coup_ on the other, and they then went back to +their camps. It was more a friendly than a hostile ceremony. + +Oftentimes, when a party of young men had gone to a strange camp, and had +done this to those whom they had visited, they would come back to their +homes and would tell the girls whom they loved that they had counted a +_coup_ on this certain tribe of people. After the return of such a party, +the young women would have a dance. Each one would wear clothing like that +of the man she loved, and as she danced, she would count a _coup_, saying +that she herself had done the deed which her young lover had really done. +Such was the custom of the people. + +There was a chief in a camp who had three wives, all very pretty women. He +used to say to these women, whenever a dance was called: "Why do not you go +out and dance too? Perhaps you have some one in the camp that you love, and +for whom you would like to count a _coup_" Then the women would say, "No, +we do not wish to join the dance; we have no lovers." + +There was in the camp a poor young man, whose name was Ápi-kunni. He had no +relations, and no one to tan robes or furs for him, and he was always badly +clad and in rags. Whenever he got some clothing, he wore it as long as it +would hold together. This young man loved the youngest wife of the chief, +and she loved him. But her parents were not rich, and they could not give +her to Ápi-k[)u]nni, and when the chief wanted her for a wife, they gave +her to him. Sometimes Ápi-k[)u]nni and this girl used to meet and talk +together, and he used to caution her, saying, "Now be careful that you do +not tell any one that you see me." She would say, "No, there is no danger; +I will not let it be known." + +One evening, a dance was called for the young women to dance, and the chief +said to his wives: "Now, women, you had better go to this dance. If any of +you have persons whom you love, you might as well go and dance for them." +Two of them said: "No, we will not go. There is no one that we love." But +the third said, "Well, I think I will go and dance." The chief said to her, +"Well, go then; your lover will surely dress you up for the dance." + +The girl went to where Ápi-k[)u]nni as living in an old woman's lodge, very +poorly furnished, and told him what she was going to do, and asked him to +dress her for the dance. He said to her: "Oh, you have wronged me by coming +here, and by going to the dance. I told you to keep it a secret." The girl +said: "Well, never mind; no one will know your dress. Fix me up, and I will +go and join the dance anyway." "Why," said Api-k[)u]nni, "I never have been +to war. I have never counted any _coups_. You will go and dance and will +have nothing to say. The people will laugh at you." But when he found that +the girl wanted to go, he painted her forehead with red clay, and tied a +goose skin, which he had, about her head, and lent her his badly tanned +robe, which in spots was hard like a parfleche. He said to her, "If you +will go to the dance, say, when it comes your turn to speak, that when the +water in the creeks gets warm, you are going to war, and are going to count +a _coup_ on some people." + +The woman went to the dance, and joined in it. All the people were laughing +at her on account of her strange dress,--a goose skin around her head, and +a badly tanned robe about her. The people in the dance asked her: "Well, +what are you dancing for? What can you tell?" The woman said, "I am dancing +here to-day, and when the water in the streams gets warm next spring, I am +going to war; and then I will tell you what I have done to any people." The +chief was standing present, and when he learned who it was that his young +wife loved, he was much ashamed and went to his lodge. + +When the dance was over, this young woman went to the lodge of the poor +young man to give back his dress to him. Now, while she had been gone, +Ápi-k[)u]nni had been thinking over all these things, and he was very much +ashamed. He took his robe and his goose skin and went away. He was so +ashamed that he went away at once, travelling off over the prairie, not +caring where he went, and crying all the time. As he wandered away, he came +to a lake, and at the foot of this lake was a beaver dam, and by the dam a +beaver house. He walked out on the dam and on to the beaver house. There he +stopped and sat down, and in his shame cried the rest of the day, and at +last he fell asleep on the beaver house. + +While he slept, he dreamed that a beaver came to him--a very large +beaver--and said: "My poor young man, come into my house. I pity you, and +will give you something that will help you." So Ápi-k[)u]nni got up, and +followed the beaver into the house. When he was in the house, he awoke, and +saw sitting opposite him a large white beaver, almost as big as a man. He +thought to himself, "This must be the chief of all the beavers, white +because very old." The beaver was singing a song. It was a very strange +song, and he sang it a long time. Then he said to Ápi-k[)u]nni, "My son, +why are you mourning?" and the young man told him everything that had +happened, and how he had been shamed. Then the beaver said: "My son, stay +here this winter with me. I will provide for you. When the time comes, and +you have learned our songs and our ways, I will let you go. For a time make +this your home." So Ápi-k)u]nni stayed there with the beaver, and the +beaver taught him many strange things. All this happened in the fall. + +Now the chief in the camp missed this poor young man, and he asked the +people where he had gone. No one knew. They said that the last that had +been seen of him he was travelling toward the lake where the beaver dam +was. + +Ápi-k[)u]nni had a friend, another poor young man named Wolf Tail, and +after a while, Wolf Tail started out to look for his friend. He went toward +this lake, looking everywhere, and calling out his name. When he came to +the beaver house, he kicked on the top and called, "Oh, my brother, are you +here?" Ápi-k[)u]nni answered him, and said: "Yes, I am here. I was brought +in while I was asleep, and I cannot give you the secret of the door, for I +do not know it myself." Wolf Tail said to him, "Brother, when the weather +gets warm a party is going to start from camp to war." Ápi-k[)u]nni said: +"Go home and try to get together all the moccasins you can, but do not tell +them that I am here. I am ashamed to go back to the camp. When the party +starts, come this way and bring me the moccasins, and we two will start +from here." He also said: "I am very thin. The beaver food here does not +agree with me. We are living on the bark of willows." Wolf Tail went back +to the camp and gathered together all the moccasins that he could, as he +had been asked to do. + +When the spring came, and the grass began to start, the war party set +out. At this time the beaver talked to Ápikunni a long time, and told him +many things. He dived down into the water, and brought up a long stick of +aspen wood, cut off from it a piece as long as a man's arm, trimmed the +twigs off it, and gave it to the young man. "Keep this," the beaver said, +"and when you go to war take it with you." The beaver also gave him a +little sack of medicine, and told him what he must do. + +When the party started out, Wolf Tail came to the beaver house, bringing +the moccasins, and his friend came out of the house. They started in the +direction the party had taken and travelled with them, but off to one +side. When they stopped at night, the two young men camped by themselves. + +They travelled for many days, until they came to Bow River, and found that +it was very high. On the other side of the river, they saw the lodges of a +camp. In this camp a man was making a speech, and Api-k[)u]nni said to his +friend, "Oh, my brother, I am going to kill that man to-day, so that my +sweetheart may count _coup_ on him." These two were at a little distance +from the main party, above them on the river. The people in the camp had +seen the Blackfeet, and some had come down to the river. When Api-kunni had +said this to Wolf Tail, he took his clothes off and began to sing the song +the beaver had taught him. This was the song:-- + +I am like an island, +For on an island I got my power. +In battle I live +While people fall away from me. + +While he sang this, he had in his hand the stick which the beaver had given +him. This was his only weapon. + +He ran to the bank, jumped in and dived, and came up in the middle of the +river, and started to swim across. The rest of the Blackfeet saw one of +their number swimming across the river, and they said to each other: "Who +is that? Why did not some one stop him?" While he was swimming across, the +man who had been making the speech saw him and went down to meet him. He +said: "Who can this man be, swimming across the river? He is a stranger. I +will go down and meet him, and kill him." As the boy was getting close to +the shore, the man waded out in the stream up to his waist, and raised his +knife to stab the swimmer. When Ápi-k[)u]nni got near him, he dived under +the water and came up close to the man, and thrust the beaver stick through +his body, and the man fell down in the water and died. Ápi-k[)u]nni caught +the body, and dived under the water with it, and came up on the other side +where he had left his friend. Then all the Blackfeet set up the war whoop, +for they were glad, and they could hear a great crying in the camp. The +people there were sorry for the man who was killed. + +People in those days never killed one another, and this was the first man +ever killed in war. + +They dragged the man up on the bank, and Ápi-k[)u]nni said to his brother, +"Cut off those long hairs on the head." The young man did as he was +told. He scalped him and counted _coup_ on him; and from that time forth, +people, when they went to war, killed one another and scalped the dead +enemy, as this poor young man had done. Two others of the main party came +to the place, and counted _coup_ on the dead body, making four who had +counted _coup_. From there, the whole party turned about and went back to +the village whence they had come. + +When they came in sight of the lodges, they sat down in a row facing the +camp. The man who had killed the enemy was sitting far in front of the +others. Behind him sat his friend, and behind Wolf Tail, sat the two who +had counted _coup_ on the body. So these four were strung out in front of +the others. The chief of the camp was told that some people were sitting on +a hill near by, and when he had gone out and looked, he said: "There is +some one sitting way in front. Let somebody go out and see about it." A +young man ran out to where he could see, and when he had looked, he ran +back and said to the chief, "Why, that man in front is the poor young man." + +The old chief looked around, and said: "Where is that young woman, my wife? +Go and find her." They went to look for her, and found her out gathering +rosebuds, for while the young man whom she loved was away, she used to go +out and gather rosebuds and dry them for him. When they found her, she had +her bosom full of them. When she came to the lodge, the chief said to her: +"There is the man you love, who has come. Go and meet him." She made ready +quickly and ran out and met him. He said: "Give her that hair of the dead +man. Here is his knife. There is the coat he had on, when I killed +him. Take these things back to the camp, and tell the people who made fun +of you that this is what you promised them at the time of that dance." + +The whole party then got up and walked to the camp. The woman took the +scalp, knife and coat to the lodge, and gave them to her husband. The chief +invited Ápi-kûnni to come to his lodge to visit him. He said: "I see that +you have been to war, and that you have done more than any of us have ever +done. This is a reason why you should be a chief. Now take my lodge and +this woman, and live here. Take my place and rule these people. My two +wives will be your servants." When Ápi-kûnni heard this, and saw the young +woman sitting there in the lodge, he could not speak. Something seemed to +rise up in his throat and choke him. + +So this young man lived in the camp and was known as their chief. + +After a time, he called his people together in council and told them of the +strange things the beaver had taught him, and the power that the beaver had +given him. He said: "This will be a benefit to us while we are a people +now, and afterward it will be handed down to our children, and if we follow +the words of the beaver we will be lucky. This seed the beaver gave me, and +told me to plant it every year. When we ask help from the beaver, we will +smoke this plant." + +This plant was the Indian tobacco, and it is from the beaver that the +Blackfeet got it. Many strange things were taught this man by the beaver, +which were handed down and are followed till to-day. + + + +THE BUFFALO ROCK + + +A small stone, which is usually a fossil shell of some kind, is known by +the Blackfeet as I-nis'-kim, the buffalo stone. This object is strong +medicine, and, as indicated in some of these stories, gives its possessor +great power with buffalo. The stone is found on the prairie, and the +person who succeeds in obtaining one is regarded as very fortunate. +Sometimes a man, who is riding along on the prairie, will hear a peculiar +faint chirp, such as a little bird might utter. The sound he knows is made +by a buffalo rock. He stops and searches on the ground for the rock, and if +he cannot find it, marks the place and very likely returns next day, either +alone or with others from the camp, to look for it again. If it is found, +there is great rejoicing. How the first buffalo rock was obtained, and its +power made known, is told in the following story. + +Long ago, in the winter time, the buffalo suddenly disappeared. The snow +was so deep that the people could not move in search of them, for in those +days they had no horses. So the hunters killed deer, elk, and other small +game along the river bottoms, and when these were all killed off or driven +away, the people began to starve. + +One day, a young married man killed a jack-rabbit. He was so hungry that he +ran home as fast as he could, and told one of his wives to hurry and get +some water to cook it. While the young woman was going along the path to +the river, she heard a beautiful song. It sounded close by, but she looked +all around and could see no one. The song seemed to come from a cotton-wood +tree near the path. Looking closely at this tree she saw a queer rock +jammed in a fork, where the tree was split, and with it a few hairs from a +buffalo, which had rubbed there. The woman was frightened and dared not +pass the tree. Pretty soon the singing stopped, and the I-nis'-kim [buffalo +rock] spoke to the woman and said: "Take me to your lodge, and when it is +dark, call in the people and teach them the song you have just heard. Pray, +too, that you may not starve, and that the buffalo may come back. Do this, +and when day comes, your hearts will be glad." + +The woman went on and got some water, and when she came back, took the rock +and gave it to her husband, telling him about the song and what the rock +had said. As soon as it was dark, the man called the chiefs and old men to +his lodge, and his wife taught them this song. They prayed, too, as the +rock had said should be done. Before long, they heard a noise far off. It +was the tramp of a great herd of buffalo coming. Then they knew that the +rock was very powerful, and, ever since that, the people have taken care of +it and prayed to it. + +[NOTE.--I-nis'-kims are usually small _Ammonites_, or sections of +_Baculites,_ or sometimes merely oddly shaped nodules of flint. It is said +of them that if an I-nis'-kim is wrapped up and left undisturbed for a long +time, it will have young ones; two small stones similar in shape to the +original one will be found in the package with it.] + + + +ORIGIN OF THE WORM PIPE + + +There was once a man who was very fond of his wife. After they had been +married for some time they had a child, a boy. After that, the woman got +sick, and did not get well. The young man did not wish to take a second +woman. He loved his wife so much. The woman grew worse and +worse. Doctoring did not seem to do her any good. At last she died. The man +used to take his baby on his back and travel out, walking over the hills +crying. He kept away from the camp. After some time, he said to the little +child: "My little boy, you will have to go and live with your +grandmother. I am going to try and find your mother, and bring her back." +He took the baby to his mother's lodge, and asked her to take care of it, +and left it with her. Then he started off, not knowing where he was going +nor what he was going to do. + +He travelled toward the Sand Hills. The fourth night out he had a dream. He +dreamed that he went into a little lodge, in which lived an old woman. This +old woman said to him, "Why are you here, my son?" He said: "I am mourning +day and night, crying all the while. My little son, who is the only one +left me, also mourns." "Well," said the old woman, "for whom are you +mourning?" He said: "I am mourning for my wife. She died some time ago. I +am looking for her." "Oh!" said the old woman, "I saw her. She passed this +way. I myself am not powerful medicine, but over by that far butte lives +another old woman. Go to her, and she will give you power to enable you to +continue your journey. You could not go there by yourself without +help. Beyond the next butte from her lodge, you will find the camp of the +ghosts." + +The next morning he awoke and went on to the next butte. It took him a long +day to get there, but he found no lodge there, so he lay down and went to +sleep. Again he dreamed. In his dream, he saw a little lodge, and an old +woman came to the door-way and called him. He went in, and she said to him: +"My son, you are very poor. I know why you have come this way. You are +seeking your wife, who is now in the ghost country. It is a very hard thing +for you to get there. You may not be able to get your wife back, but I have +great power, and I will do all I can for you. If you do exactly as I tell +you, you may succeed." She then spoke to him with wise words, telling him +what he should do. Also she gave him a bundle of medicine, which would help +him on his journey. + +Then she said: "You stay here for a while, and I will go over there [to the +ghosts' camp], and try to bring some of your relations; and if I am able to +bring them back, you may return with them, but on the way you must shut +your eyes. If you should open them and look about you, you would die. Then +you would never come back. When you get to the camp, you will pass by a big +lodge, and they will say to you, 'Where are you going, and who told you to +come here?' You will reply, 'My grandmother, who is standing out here with +me, told me to come.' They will try to scare you. They will make fearful +noises, and you will see strange and terrible things; but do not be +afraid." + +Then the old woman went away, and after a time came back with one of the +man's relations. He went with this relation to the ghosts' camp. When they +came to the big lodge, some one called out and asked the man what he was +doing, and he answered as the old woman had told him to do. As he passed on +through the camp, the ghosts tried to scare him with all kinds of fearful +sights and sounds, but he kept up a brave heart. + +He came to another lodge, and the man who owned it came out, and asked him +where he was going. He said: "I am looking for my dead wife, I mourn for +her so much that I cannot rest. My little boy, too, keeps crying for his +mother. They have offered to give me other wives, but I do not want them. I +want the one for whom I am searching." + +The ghost said to him: "It is a fearful thing that you have come here. It +is very likely that you will never go away. There never was a person here +before." The ghost asked him to come into the lodge, and he went. + +Now this chief ghost said to him: "You will stay here four nights, and you +will see your wife; but you must be very careful or you will never go +back. You will die right here." + +Then the chief went outside and called out for a feast, inviting this man's +father-in-law and other relations, who were in the camp, saying, "Your +son-in-law invites you to a feast," as if to say that their son-in-law was +dead, and had become a ghost, and had arrived at the ghost camp. + +Now when these invited people, the relations and some of the principal men +of the camp, had reached the lodge, they did not like to go in. They called +out, "There is a person here." It seems as if there was something about him +that they could not bear the smell of. The ghost chief burned sweet pine in +the fire, which took away this smell, and the people came in and sat +down. Then the host said to them: "Now pity this son-in-law of yours. He is +seeking his wife. Neither the great distance nor the fearful sights that he +has seen here have weakened his heart. You can see for yourselves he is +tender-hearted. He not only mourns for his wife, but mourns because his +little boy is now alone with no mother; so pity him and give him back his +wife." The ghosts consulted among themselves, and one said to the person, +"Yes, you will stay here four nights; then we will give you a medicine +pipe, the Worm Pipe, and we will give you back your wife, and you may +return to your home." + +Now, after the third night, the chief ghost called together all the people, +and they came, the man's wife with them. One of them came beating a drum; +and following him was another ghost, who carried the Worm Pipe, which they +gave to him. Then said the chief ghost: "Now, be very careful. Tomorrow +you and your wife will start on your homeward journey. Your wife will carry +the medicine pipe, and some of your relations are going along with you for +four days. During this time, you must not open your eyes, or you will +return here and be a ghost forever. You see that your wife is not now a +person; but in the middle of the fourth day you will be told to look, and +when you have opened your eyes, you will see that your wife has become a +person, and that your ghost relations have disappeared." + +His father-in-law spoke to him before he went away, and said: "When you get +near home, you must not go at once into the camp. Let some of your +relations know that you have arrived, and ask them to build a sweat house +for you. Go into this sweat house and wash your body thoroughly, leaving +no part of it, however small, uncleansed; for if you do you will be nothing +[will die]. There is something about us ghosts difficult to remove. It is +only by a thorough sweat that you can remove it. Take care, now, that you +do as I tell you. Do not whip your wife, nor strike her with a knife, nor +hit her with fire; for if you do, she will vanish before your eyes and +return to the Sand Hills." + +Now they left the ghost country to go home, and on the fourth day, the wife +said to her husband, "Open your eyes." He looked about him and saw that +those who had been with them had vanished, but he found that they +were standing in front of the old woman's lodge by the butte. She came out +and said: "Here, give me back those mysterious medicines of mine, which +enabled you to accomplish your purpose." He returned them to her, and +became then fully a person once more. + +Now, when they drew near to the camp, the woman went on ahead, and sat down +on a butte. Then some curious persons came out to see who it might be. As +they approached, the woman called out to them: "Do not come any nearer. Go +tell my mother and my relations to put up a lodge for us, a little way from +camp, and to build a sweat house near by it." When this had been done, the +man and his wife went in and took a thorough sweat, and then they went into +the lodge, and burned sweet grass and purified their clothing and the Worm +Pipe; and then their relations and friends came in to see them. The man +told them where he had been, and how he had managed to get back his wife, +and that the pipe hanging over the door-way was a medicine pipe, the Worm +Pipe, presented to him by his ghost father-in-law. That is how the people +came to possess the Worm Pipe. This pipe belongs to that band of the +Piegans known as _Esk'-sin-i-tup'piks,_ the Worm People. + +Not long after this, in the night, this man told his wife to do something; +and when she did not begin at once, he picked up a brand from the fire, not +that he intended to strike her with it, but he made as if he would hit her, +when all at once she vanished, and was never seen again. + + + +THE GHOSTS' BUFFALO + + +A long time ago there were four Blackfeet, who went to war against the +Crees. They travelled a long way, and at last their horses gave out, and +they started back toward their homes. As they were going along they came to +the Sand Hills; and while they were passing through them, they saw in the +sand a fresh travois trail, where people had been travelling. + +One of the men said: "Let us follow this trail until we come up with some +of our people. Then we will camp with them." They followed the trail for a +long way, and at length one of the Blackfeet, named E-k[=u]s'-kini,--a very +powerful person,--said to the others: "Why follow this longer? It is just +nothing." The others said: "Not so. These are our people. We will go on +and camp with them." They went on, and toward evening, one of them found a +stone maul and a dog travois. He said: "Look at these things. I know this +maul and this travois. They belonged to my mother, who died. They were +buried with her. This is strange." He took the things. When night overtook +the men, they camped. + +Early in the morning, they heard, all about them, sounds as if a camp of +people were there. They heard a young man shouting a sort of war cry, as +young men do; women chopping wood; a man calling for a feast, asking people +to come to his lodge and smoke,--all the different sounds of the camp. They +looked about, but could see nothing; and then they were frightened and +covered their heads with their robes. At last they took courage, and started +to look around and see what they could learn about this strange thing. For +a little while they saw nothing, but pretty soon one of them said: "Look +over there. See that pis'kun. Let us go over and look at it." As they were +going toward it, one of them picked up a stone pointed arrow. He said: +"Look at this. It belonged to my father. This is his place." They started +to go on toward the pis'kun, but suddenly they could see no pis'kun. It had +disappeared all at once. + +A little while after this, one of them spoke up, and said: "Look over +there. There is my father running buffalo. There! he has killed. Let us go +over to him." They all looked where this man pointed, and they could see a +person on a white horse, running buffalo. While they were looking, the +person killed the buffalo, and got off his horse to butcher it. They +started to go over toward him, and saw him at work butchering, and saw him +turn the buffalo over on its back; but before they got to the place where +he was, the person got on his horse and rode off, and when they got to +where he had been skinning the buffalo, they saw lying on the ground only a +dead mouse. There was no buffalo there. By the side of the mouse was a +buffalo chip, and lying on it was an arrow painted red. The man said: "That +is my father's arrow. That is the way he painted them." He took it up in +his hands; and when he held it in his hands, he saw that it was not an +arrow but a blade of spear grass. Then he laid it down, and it was an arrow +again. + +Another Blackfoot found a buffalo rock, I-nis'-kim. + +Some time after this, the men got home to their camp. The man who had +taken the maul and the dog travois, when he got home and smelled the smoke +from the fire, died, and so did his horse. It seems that the shadow of the +person who owned the things was angry at him and followed him home. Two +others of these Blackfeet have since died, killed in war; but +E-k[=u]s'-kini is alive yet. He took a stone and an iron arrow point that +had belonged to his father, and always carried them about with him. That is +why he has lived so long. The man who took the stone arrow point found +near the pis'kun, which had belonged to his father, took it home with +him. This was his medicine. After that he was badly wounded in two fights, +but he was not killed; he got well. + +The one who took the buffalo rock, I-nis'-kim, it afterward made strong to +call the buffalo into the pis'kun. He would take the rock and put it in his +lodge close to the fire, where he could look at it, and would pray over it +and make medicine. Sometimes he would ask for a hundred buffalo to jump +into the pis'kun, and the next day a hundred would jump in. He was +powerful. + + + + + +STORIES OF OLD MAN + + + + + +THE BLACKFOOT GENESIS + + +All animals of the Plains at one time heard and knew him, and all birds of +the air heard and knew him. All things that he had made understood him, +when he spoke to them,--the birds, the animals, and the people. + +Old Man was travelling about, south of here, making the people. He came +from the south, travelling north, making animals and birds as he passed +along. He made the mountains, prairies, timber, and brush first. So he went +along, travelling northward, making things as he went, putting rivers here +and there, and falls on them, putting red paint here and there in the +ground,--fixing up the world as we see it to-day. He made the Milk River +(the Teton) and crossed it, and, being tired, went up on a little hill and +lay down to rest. As he lay on his back, stretched out on the ground, with +arms extended, he marked himself out with stones,--the shape of his body, +head, legs, arms, and everything. There you can see those rocks +to-day. After he had rested, he went on northward, and stumbled over a +knoll and fell down on his knees. Then he said, "You are a bad thing to be +stumbling against"; so he raised up two large buttes there, and named them +the Knees, and they are called so to this day. He went on further north, +and with some of the rocks he carried with him he built the Sweet Grass +Hills. + +Old Man covered the plains with grass for the animals to feed on. He marked +off a piece of ground, and in it he made to grow all kinds of roots and +berries,--camas, wild carrots, wild turnips, sweet-root, bitter-root, +sarvis berries, bull berries, cherries, plums, and rosebuds. He put trees +in the ground. He put all kinds of animals on the ground. When he made the +bighorn with its big head and horns, he made it out on the prairie. It did +not seem to travel easily on the prairie; it was awkward and could not go +fast. So he took it by one of its horns, and led it up into the mountains, +and turned it loose; and it skipped about among the rocks, and went up +fearful places with ease. So he said, "This is the place that suits you; +this is what you are fitted for, the rocks and the mountains." While he was +in the mountains, he made the antelope out of dirt, and turned it loose, to +see how it would go. It ran so fast that it fell over some rocks and hurt +itself. He saw that this would not do, and took the antelope down on the +prairie, and turned it loose; and it ran away fast and gracefully, and he +said, "This is what you are suited to." + +One day Old Man determined that he would make a woman and a child; so he +formed them both--the woman and the child, her son--of clay. After he had +moulded the clay in human shape, he said to the clay, "You must be people," +and then he covered it up and left it, and went away. The next morning he +went to the place and took the covering off, and saw that the clay shapes +had changed a little. The second morning there was still more change, and +the third still more. The fourth morning he went to the place, took the +covering off, looked at the images, and told them to rise and walk; and +they did so. They walked down to the river with their Maker, and then he +told them that his name was _Na'pi,_ Old Man. + +As they were standing by the river, the woman said to him, "How is it? will +we always live, will there be no end to it?" He said: "I have never thought +of that. We will have to decide it. I will take this buffalo chip and throw +it in the river. If it floats, when people die, in four days they will +become alive again; they will die for only four days. But if it sinks, +there will be an end to them." He threw the chip into the river, and it +floated. The woman turned and picked up a stone, and said: "No, I will +throw this stone in the river; if it floats we will always live, if it +sinks people must die, that they may always be sorry for each other."[1] +The woman threw the stone into the water, and it sank. "There," said Old +Man, "you have chosen. There will be an end to them." + +[Footnote 1: That is, that their friends who survive may always remember +them.] + +It was not many nights after, that the woman's child died, and she cried a +great deal for it. She said to Old Man: "Let us change this. The law that +you first made, let that be a law." He said: "Not so. What is made law must +be law. We will undo nothing that we have done. The child is dead, but it +cannot be changed. People will have to die." + +That is how we came to be people. It is he who made us. + +The first people were poor and naked, and did not know how to get a +living. Old Man showed them the roots and berries, and told them that they +could eat them; that in a certain month of the year they could peel the +bark off some trees and eat it, that it was good. He told the people that +the animals should be their food, and gave them to the people, saying, +"These are your herds." He said: "All these little animals that live in the +ground--rats, squirrels, skunks, beavers--are good to eat. You need not +fear to eat of their flesh." He made all the birds that fly, and told the +people that there was no harm in their flesh, that it could be eaten. The +first people that he created he used to take about through the timber and +swamps and over the prairies, and show them the different plants. Of a +certain plant he would say, "The root of this plant, if gathered in a +certain month of the year, is good for a certain sickness." So they +learned the power of all herbs. In those days there were buffalo. Now the +people had no arms, but those black animals with long beards were armed; +and once, as the people were moving about, the buffalo saw them, and ran +after them, and hooked them, and killed and ate them. One day, as the Maker +of the people was travelling over the country, he saw some of his children, +that he had made, lying dead, torn to pieces and partly eaten by the +buffalo. When he saw this he was very sad. He said: "This will not do. I +will change this. The people shall eat the buffalo." + +He went to some of the people who were left, and said to them, "How is it +that you people do nothing to these animals that are killing you?" The +people said: "What can we do? We have no way to kill these animals, while +they are armed and can kill us." Then said the Maker: "That is not hard. I +will make you a weapon that will kill these animals." So he went out, and +cut some sarvis berry shoots, and brought them in, and peeled the bark off +them. He took a larger piece of wood, and flattened it, and tied a string +to it, and made a bow. Now, as he was the master of all birds and could do +with them as he wished, he went out and caught one, and took feathers from +its wing, and split them, and tied them to the shaft of wood. He tied four +feathers along the shaft, and tried the arrow at a mark, and found that it +did not fly well. He took these feathers off, and put on three; and when he +tried it again, he found that it was good. He went out and began to break +sharp pieces off the stones. He tried them, and found that the black flint +stones made the best arrow points, and some white flints. Then he taught +the people how to use these things. + +Then he said: "The next time you go out, take these things with you, and +use them as I tell you, and do not run from these animals. When they run at +you, as soon as they get pretty close, shoot the arrows at them, as I have +taught you; and you will see that they will run from you or will run in a +circle around you." + +Now, as people became plenty, one day three men went out on to the plain to +see the buffalo, but they had no arms. They saw the animals, but when the +buffalo saw the men, they ran after them and killed two of them, but one +got away. One day after this, the people went on a little hill to look +about, and the buffalo saw them, and said, "_Saiyah_, there is some more of +our food," and they rushed on them. This time the people did not run. They +began to shoot at the buffalo with the bows and arrows _Na'pi_ had given +them, and the buffalo began to fall; but in the fight a person was killed. + +At this time these people had flint knives given them, and they cut up the +bodies of the dead buffalo. It is not healthful to eat the meat raw, so Old +Man gathered soft dry rotten driftwood and made punk of it, and then got a +piece of hard wood, and drilled a hole in it with an arrow point, and gave +them a pointed piece of hard wood, and taught them how to make a fire with +fire sticks, and to cook the flesh of these animals and eat it. + +They got a kind of stone that was in the land, and then took another harder +stone and worked one upon the other, and hollowed out the softer one, and +made a kettle of it. This was the fashion of their dishes. + +Also Old Man said to the people: "Now, if you are overcome, you may go and +sleep, and get power. Something will come to you in your dream, that will +help you. Whatever these animals tell you to do, you must obey them, as +they appear to you in your sleep. Be guided by them. If anybody wants help, +if you are alone and travelling, and cry aloud for help, your prayer will +be answered. It may be by the eagles, perhaps by the buffalo, or by the +bears. Whatever animal answers your prayer, you must listen to him." That +was how the first people got through the world, by the power of their +dreams. + +After this, Old Man kept on, travelling north. Many of the animals that he +had made followed him as he went. The animals understood him when he spoke +to them, and he used them as his servants. When he got to the north point +of the Porcupine Mountains, there he made some more mud images of people, +and blew breath upon them, and they became people. He made men and women. +They asked him, "What are we to eat?" He made many images of clay, in the +form of buffalo. Then he blew breath on these, and they stood up; and when +he made signs to them, they started to run. Then he said to the people, +"Those are your food." They said to him, "Well, now, we have those animals; +how are we to kill them?" "I will show you," he said. He took them to the +cliff, and made them build rock piles like this; and he made the people +hide behind these piles of rock, and said, "When I lead the buffalo this +way, as I bring them opposite to you, rise up." + +After he had told them how to act, he started on toward a herd of +buffalo. He began to call them, and the buffalo started to run toward him, +and they followed him until they were inside the lines. Then he dropped +back; and as the people rose up, the buffalo ran in a straight line and +jumped over the cliff. He told the people to go and take the flesh of those +animals. They tried to tear the limbs apart, but they could not. They tried +to bite pieces out, and could not. So Old Man went to the edge of the +cliff, and broke some pieces of stone with sharp edges, and told them to +cut the flesh with these. When they had taken the skins from these animals, +they set up some poles and put the hides on them, and so made a shelter to +sleep under. There were some of these buffalo that went over the cliff that +were not dead. Their legs were broken, but they were still alive. The +people cut strips of green hide, and tied stones in the middle, and made +large mauls, and broke in the skulls of the buffalo, and killed them. + +After he had taught those people these things, he started off again, +travelling north, until he came to where Bow and Elbow rivers meet. There +he made some more people, and taught them the same things. From here he +again went on northward. When he had come nearly to the Red Deer's River, +he reached the hill where the Old Man sleeps. There he lay down and rested +himself. The form of his body is to be seen there yet. + +When he awoke from his sleep, he travelled further northward and came to a +fine high hill. He climbed to the top of it, and there sat down to rest. He +looked over the country below him, and it pleased him. Before him the hill +was steep, and he said to himself, "Well, this is a fine place for sliding; +I will have some fun," and he began to slide down the hill. The marks where +he slid down are to be seen yet, and the place is known to all people as +the "Old Man's Sliding Ground." + +This is as far as the Blackfeet followed Old Man. The Crees know what he +did further north. + +In later times once, _Na'pi_ said, "Here I will mark you off a piece of +ground," and he did so.[1] Then he said: "There is your land, and it is +full of all kinds of animals, and many things grow in this land. Let no +other people come into it. This is for you five tribes (Blackfeet, Bloods, +Piegans, Gros Ventres, Sarcees). When people come to cross the line, take +your bows and arrows, your lances and your battle axes, and give them battle +and keep them out. If they gain a footing, trouble will come to you." + +[Footnote 1: The boundaries of this land are given as running east from a +point in the summit of the Rocky Mountains west of Fort Edmonton, taking in +the country to the east and south, including the Porcupine Hills, Cypress +Mountains, and Little Rocky Mountains, down to the mouth of the Yellowstone +on the Missouri; then west to the head of the Yellowstone, and across the +Rocky Mountains to the Beaverhead; thence to the summit of the Rocky +Mountains and north along them to the starting-point.] + +Our forefathers gave battle to all people who came to cross these lines, +and kept them out. Of late years we have let our friends, the white people, +come in, and you know the result. We, his children, have failed to obey his +laws. + + + +THE DOG AND THE STICK + + +This happened long ago. In those days the people were hungry. No buffalo +nor antelope were seen on the prairie. The deer and the elk trails were +covered with grass and leaves; not even a rabbit could be found in the +brush. Then the people prayed, saying: "Oh, Old Man, help us now, or we +shall die. The buffalo and deer are gone. Uselessly we kindle the morning +fires; useless are our arrows; our knives stick fast in the sheaths." + +Then Old Man started out to find the game, and he took with him a young +man, the son of a chief. For many days they travelled the prairies and ate +nothing but berries and roots. One day they climbed a high ridge, and when +they had reached the top, they saw, far off by a stream, a single lodge. + +"What kind of a person can it be," said the young man, "who camps there all +alone, far from friends?" + +"That," said Old Man, "is the one who has hidden all the buffalo and deer +from the people. He has a wife and a little son." + +Then they went close to the lodge, and Old Man changed himself into a +little dog, and he said, "That is I." Then the young man changed himself +into a root-digger,[1] and he said, "That is I." + +[Footnote 1: A carved and painted stick about three feet long, shaped like +a sacking needle, used by women to unearth roots.] + +Now the little boy, playing about, found the dog, and he carried it to his +father, saying, "Look! See what a pretty little dog I have found." "Throw +it away," said his father; "it is not a dog." And the little boy cried, but +his father made him carry the dog away. Then the boy found the root-digger; +and, again picking up the dog, he carried them both to the lodge, saying, +"Look, mother! see the pretty root-digger I have found!" + +"Throw them both away," said his father; "that is not a stick, that is not +a dog." + +"I want that stick," said the woman; "let our son have the little dog." + +"Very well," said her husband, "but remember, if trouble comes, you bring +it on yourself and on our son." Then he sent his wife and son off to pick +berries; and when they were out of sight, he went out and killed a buffalo +cow, and brought the meat into the lodge and covered it up, and the bones, +skin and offal he threw in the creek. When his wife returned, he gave her +some of the meat to roast; and while they were eating, the little boy fed +the dog three times, and when he gave it more, his father took the meat +away, saying, "That is not a dog, you shall not feed it more." + +In the night, when all were asleep, Old Man and the young man arose in +their right shapes, and ate of the meat. "You were right," said the young +man; "this is surely the person who has hidden the buffalo from us." +"Wait," said Old Man; and when they had finished eating, they changed +themselves back into the stick and the dog. + +In the morning the man sent his wife and son to dig roots, and the woman +took the stick with her. The dog followed the little boy. Now, as they +travelled along in search of roots, they came near a cave, and at its mouth +stood a buffalo cow. Then the dog ran into the cave, and the stick, +slipping from the woman's hand, followed, gliding along like a snake. In +this cave they found all the buffalo and other game, and they began to +drive them out; and soon the prairie was covered with buffalo and +deer. Never before were seen so many. + +Pretty soon the man came running up, and he said to his wife, "Who now +drives out my animals?" and she replied, "The dog and the stick are now in +there." "Did I not tell you," said he, "that those were not what they +looked like? See now the trouble you have brought upon us," and he put an +arrow on his bow and waited for them to come out. But they were cunning, +for when the last animal--a big bull--was about to go out, the stick +grasped him by the hair under his neck, and coiled up in it, and the dog +held on by the hair beneath, until they were far out on the prairie, when +they changed into their true shapes, and drove the buffalo toward camp. + +When the people saw the buffalo coming, they drove a big band of them to +the pis'kun; but just as the leaders were about to jump off, a raven came +and flapped its wings in front of them and croaked, and they turned off +another way. Every time a band of buffalo was driven near the pis'kun, this +raven frightened them away. Then Old Man knew that the raven was the one +who had kept the buffalo cached. + +So he went and changed himself into a beaver, and lay stretched out on the +bank of the river, as if dead; and the raven, which was very hungry, flew +down and began to pick at him. Then Old Man caught it by the legs and ran +with it to camp, and all the chiefs came together to decide what should be +done with it. Some said to kill it, but Old Man said, "No! I will punish +it," and he tied it over the lodge, right in the smoke hole. + +As the days went by, the raven grew poor and weak, and his eyes were +blurred with the thick smoke, and he cried continually to Old Man to pity +him. One day Old Man untied him, and told him to take his right shape, +saying: "Why have you tried to fool Old Man? Look at me! I cannot die. Look +at me! Of all peoples and tribes I am the chief. I cannot die. I made the +mountains. They are standing yet. I made the prairies and the rocks. You +see them yet. Go home, then, to your wife and your child, and when you are +hungry hunt like any one else, or you shall die." + + + +THE BEARS + + +Now Old Man was walking along, and far off he saw many wolves; and when he +came closer, he saw there the chief of the wolves, a very old one, and +sitting around him were all his children. + +Old Man said, "Pity me, Wolf Chief; make me into a wolf, that I may live +your way and catch deer and everything that runs fast." + +"Come near then," said the Wolf Chief, "that I may rub your body with my +hands, so that hair will cover you." + +"Hold," said Old Man; "do not cover my body with hair. On my head, arms, +and legs only, put hair." + +When the Chief Wolf had done so, he said to Old Man: "You shall have three +companions to help you, one is a very swift runner, another a good runner, +and the last is not very fast. Take them with you now, and others of my +younger children who are learning to hunt, but do not go where the wind +blows; keep in the shelter, or the young ones will freeze to death." Then +they went hunting, and Old Man led them on the high buttes, where it was +very cold. + +At night, they lay down to sleep, and Old Man nearly froze; and he said to +the wolves, "Cover me with your tails." So all the wolves lay down around +him, and covered his body with their tails, and he soon got warm and slept. +Before long he awoke and said angrily, "Take off those tails," and the +wolves moved away; but after a little time he again became cold, and cried +out, "Oh my young brothers, cover me with your tails or I shall freeze." +So they lay down by him again and covered his body with their tails. + +When it was daylight, they all rose and hunted. They saw some moose, and, +chasing them, killed three. Now, when they were about to eat, the Chief +Wolf came along with many of his children, and one wolf said, "Let us make +pemmican of those moose"; and every one was glad. Then said the one who +made pemmican, "No one must look, everybody shut his eyes, while I make the +pemmican"; but Old Man looked, and the pemmican-maker threw a round bone +and hit him on the nose, and it hurt. Then Old Man said, "Let me make the +pemmican." So all the wolves shut their eyes, and Old Man took the round +bone and killed the wolf who had hit him. Then the Chief Wolf was angry, +and he said, "Why did you kill your brother?" "I didn't mean to," replied +Old Man. "He looked and I threw the round bone at him, but I only meant to +hurt him a little." Then said the Chief Wolf: "You cannot live with us any +longer. Take one of your companions, and go off by yourselves and hunt." So +Old Man took the swift runner, and they went and lived by themselves a long +time; and they killed all the elk, and deer, and antelope, and moose they +wanted. + +One morning they awoke, and Old Man said: "Oh my young brother, I have had +a bad dream. Hereafter, when you chase anything, if it jumps a stream, you +must not follow it. Even a little spring you must not jump." And the wolf +promised not to jump over water. + +Now one day the wolf was chasing a moose, and it ran on to an island. The +stream about it was very small; so the wolf thought: "This is such a little +stream that I must jump it. That moose is very tired, and I don't think it +will leave the island." So he jumped on to the island, and as soon as he +entered the brush, a bear caught him, for the island was the home of the +Chief Bear and his two brothers. Old Man waited a long time for the wolf to +come back, and then went to look for him. He asked all the birds he met if +they had seen him, but they all said they had not. + +At last he saw a kingfisher, who was sitting on a limb overhanging the +water. "Why do you sit there, my young brother?" said Old Man. "Because," +replied the kingfisher, "the Chief Bear and his brothers have killed your +wolf; they have eaten the meat and thrown the fat into the river, and +whenever I see a piece come floating along, I fly down and get it." Then +said Old Man, "Do the Bear Chief and his brothers often come out? and where +do they live?" "They come out every morning to play," said the kingfisher; +"and they live upon that island." + +Old Man went up there and saw their tracks on the sand, where they had been +playing, and he turned himself into a rotten tree. By and by the bears came +out, and when they saw the tree, the Chief Bear said: "Look at that rotten +tree. It is Old Man. Go, brothers, and see if it is not." So the two +brothers went over to the tree, and clawed it; and they said, "No, brother, +it is only a tree." Then the Chief Bear went over and clawed and bit the +tree, and although it hurt Old Man, he never moved. Then the Bear Chief was +sure it was only a tree, and he began to play with his brothers. Now while +they were playing, and all were on their backs, Old Man leaned over and +shot an arrow into each one of them; and they cried out loudly and ran back +on the island. Then Old Man changed into himself, and walked down along the +river. Pretty soon he saw a frog jumping along, and every time it jumped it +would say, "_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu_!" And sometimes it would stop and sing:-- + +"_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu! Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!_ Chief Bear! Chief Bear! +_Nap'-i I-nit'-si-wah Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!"_ Old Man kill him Chief +Bear! "What do you say?" cried Old Man. The frog repeated what he had said. + +"Ah!" exclaimed Old Man, "tell me all about it." + +"The Chief Bear and his brothers," replied the frog, "were playing on the +sand, when Old Man shot arrows into them. They are not dead, but the arrows +are very near their hearts; if you should shove ever so little on them, the +points would cut their hearts. I am going after medicine now to cure them." + +Then Old Man killed the frog and skinned her, and put the hide on himself +and swam back to the island, and hopped up toward the bears, crying at +every step, "_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!_" just as the frog had done. + +"Hurry," cried the Chief Bear. + +"Yes," replied Old Man, and he went up and shoved the arrow into his heart. + +"I cured him; he is asleep now," he cried, and he went up and shoved the +arrow into the biggest brother's heart. "I cured them; they are asleep +now"; and he went up and shoved the arrow into the other bear's heart. Then +he built a big fire and skinned the bears, and tried out the fat and poured +it into a hollow in the ground; and he called all the animals to come and +roll in it, that they might be fat. And all the animals came and rolled in +it. The bears came first and rolled in it, that is the reason they get so +fat. Last of all came the rabbits, and the grease was almost all gone; but +they filled their paws with it and rubbed it on their backs and between +their hind legs. That is the reason why rabbits have two such large layers +of fat on their backs, and that is what makes them so fat between the hind +legs. + +[NOTE.--The four preceding stories show the serious side of Old Man's +character. Those which follow represent him as malicious, foolish, and +impotent.] + + + +THE WONDERFUL BIRD + + +One day, as Old Man was walking about in the woods, he saw something very +queer. A bird was sitting on the limb of a tree making a strange noise, and +every time it made this noise, its eyes would go out of its head and fasten +on the tree; then it would make another kind of a noise, and its eyes would +come back to their places. + +"Little Brother," cried Old Man, "teach me how to do that." + +"If I show you how to do that," replied the bird, "you must not let your +eyes go out of your head more than three times a day. If you do, you will +be sorry." + +"Just as you say, Little Brother. The trick is yours, and I will listen to +you." + +When the bird had taught Old Man how to do it, he was very glad, and did it +three times right away. Then he stopped. "That bird has no sense," he +said. "Why did he tell me to do it only three times? I will do it again, +anyhow." So he made his eyes go out a fourth time; but now he could not +call them back. Then he called to the bird, "Oh Little Brother, come help +me get back my eyes." The little bird did not answer him. It had flown +away. Then Old Man felt all over the trees with his hands, but he could not +find his eyes; and he wandered about for a long time, crying and calling +the animals to help him. + +A wolf had much fun with him. The wolf had found a dead buffalo, and taking +a piece of the meat which smelled bad, he would hold it close to Old +Man. "I smell something dead," Old Man would say. "I wish I could find it; I +am nearly starved to death." And he would feel all around for it. Once, +when the wolf was doing this, Old Man caught him, and, plucking out one of +his eyes, he put it in his own head. Then he could see, and was able to +find his own eyes; but he could never again do the trick the little bird +had taught him. + + + +THE RACE + + +Once Old Man was travelling around, when he heard some very queer +singing. He had never heard anything like this before, and looked all +around to see who it was. At last he saw it was the cottontail rabbits, +singing and making medicine. They had built a fire, and got a lot of hot +ashes, and they would lie down in these ashes and sing while one covered +them up. They would stay there only a short time though, for the ashes were +very hot. + +"Little Brothers," said Old Man, "that is very wonderful, how you lie in +those hot ashes and coals without burning. I wish you would teach me how to +do it." + +"Come on, Old Man," said the rabbits, "we will show you how to do it. You +must sing our song, and only stay in the ashes a short time." So Old Man +began to sing, and he lay down, and they covered him with coals and ashes, +and they did not burn him at all. + +"That is very nice," he said. "You have powerful medicine. Now I want to +know it all, so you lie down and let me cover you up." + +So the rabbits all lay down in the ashes, and Old Man covered them up, and +then he put the whole fire over them. One old rabbit got out, and Old Man +was about to put her back when she said, "Pity me, my children are about to +be born." + +"All right," replied Old Man. "I will let you go, so there will be some +more rabbits; but I will roast these nicely and have a feast." And he put +more wood on the fire. When the rabbits were cooked, he cut some red willow +brush and laid them on it to cool. The grease soaked into these branches, +so, even to-day if you hold red willow over a fire, you will see the grease +on the bark. You can see, too, that ever since, the rabbits have a burnt +place on their backs, where the one that got away was singed. + +Old Man sat down, and was waiting for the rabbits to cool a little, when a +coyote came along, limping very badly. "Pity me, Old Man," he said, "you +have lots of cooked rabbits; give me one of them." + +"Go away," exclaimed Old Man. "If you are too lazy to catch your food, I +will not help you." + +"My leg is broken," said the coyote. "I can't catch anything, and I am +starving. Just give me half a rabbit." + +"I don't care if you die," replied Old Man. "I worked hard to cook all +these rabbits, and I will not give any away. But I will tell you what we +will do. We will run a race to that butte, way out there, and if you beat +me you can have a rabbit." + +"All right," said the coyote. So they started. Old Man ran very fast, and +the coyote limped along behind, but close to him, until they got near to +the butte. Then the coyote turned round and ran back very fast, for he was +not lame at all. It took Old Man a long time to go back, and just before he +got to the fire, the coyote swallowed the last rabbit, and trotted off over +the prairie. + + + +THE BAD WEAPONS + + +Once Old Man was fording a river, when the current carried him down stream, +and he lost his weapons. He was very hungry, so he took the first wood he +could find, and made a bow and arrows, and a handle for his knife and +spear. When he had finished them, he started up a mountain. Pretty soon he +saw a bear digging roots, and he thought he would have some fun, so he hid +behind a log and called out, "No-tail animal, what are you doing?" The +bear looked up, but, seeing no one, kept on digging. + +Then Old Man called out again, "Hi! you dirt-eater!" and then he dodged +back out of sight. Then the bear sat up again, and this time he saw Old Man +and ran after him. + +Old Man began shooting arrows at him, but the points only stuck in the +skin, for the shafts were rotten and snapped off. Then he threw his spear, +but that too was rotten, and broke. He tried to stab the bear, but his +knife handle was also rotten and broke, so he turned and ran; and the bear +pursued him. As he ran, he looked about for some weapon, but there was +none, not even a rock. He called out to the animals to help him, but none +came. His breath was almost gone, and the bear was very close to him, when +he saw a bull's horn lying on the ground. He picked it up, placed it on his +head, and, turning around, bellowed so loudly that the bear was scared and +ran away. + + + +THE ELK + + +Old Man was very hungry. He had been a long time without food, and was +thinking how he could get something to eat, when he saw a band of elk on a +ridge. So he went up to them and said, "Oh, my brothers, I am lonesome +because I have no one to follow me." + +"Go on, Old Man," said the elk, "we will follow you." Old Man led them +about a long time, and when it was dark, he came near a high-cut bank. He +ran around to one side where there was a slope, and he went down and then +stood right under the steep bluff, and called out, "Come on, that is a nice +jump, you will laugh." + +So the elk jumped off, all but one cow, and were killed. + +"Come on," said Old Man, "they have all jumped but you, it is nice." + +"Take pity on me," replied the cow. "My child is about to be born, and I am +very heavy. I am afraid to jump." + +"Go on, then," answered Old Man; "go and live; then there will be plenty of +elk again some day." + +Now Old Man built a fire and cooked some ribs, and then he skinned all the +elk, cut up the meat to dry, and hung the tongues up on a pole. + +Next day he went off, and did not come back until night, when he was very +hungry again. "I'll roast some ribs," he said, "and a tongue, and I'll +stuff a marrow gut and cook that. I guess that will be enough for +to-night." But when he got to the place, the meat was all gone. The wolves +had eaten it. "I was smart to hang up those tongues," he said, "or I would +not have had anything to eat." But the tongues were all hollow. The mice +had eaten the meat out, leaving only the skin. So Old Man starved again. + + + +OLD MAN DOCTORS + + +A pis'kun had been built, and many buffalo had been run in and killed. The +camp was full of meat. Great sheets of it hung in the lodges and on the +racks outside; and now the women, having cut up all the meat, were working +on the hides, preparing some for robes, and scraping the hair from others, +to make leather. + +About this time, Old Man came along. He had come from far and was very +tired, so he entered the first lodge he came to and sat down. Now this +lodge belonged to three old women. Their husbands had died or been killed +in war, and they had no relations to help them, so they were very +poor. After Old Man had rested a little, they set a dish of food before +him. It was dried bull meat, very tough, and some pieces of belly fat. + +"_Hai'-yah ho_!" cried Old Man, after he had tasted a piece. "You treat me +badly. A whole pis'kun of fat buffalo just killed; the camp red with meat, +and here these old women give me tough bull meat and belly fat to eat. +Hurry now! roast me some ribs and a piece of back fat." + +"Alas!" exclaimed one old woman. "We have no good food. All our helpers are +dead, and we take what others leave. Bulls and poor cows are all the people +leave us." + +"Ah!" said Old Man, "how poor! you are very poor. Take courage now. I will +help you. To-morrow they will run another band into the pis'kun. I will be +there. I will kill the fattest cow, and you can have it all." + +Then the old women were glad. They talked to one another, saying, "Very good +heart, Old Man. He helps the poor. Now we will live. We will have marrow +guts and liver. We will have paunch and fat kidneys." + +Old Man said nothing more. He ate the tough meat and belly fat, and rolled +up in his robe and went to sleep. + +Morning came. The people climbed the bluffs and went out on to the prairie, +where they hid behind the piles of rock and bushes, which reached far out +from the cliff in lines which were always further and further apart. After +a while, he who leads the buffalo was seen coming, bringing a large band +after him. Soon they were inside the lines. The people began to rise up +behind them, shouting and waving their robes. Now they reached the edge of +the bluff. The leaders tried to stop and turn, but those behind kept +pushing on, and nearly the whole band dashed down over the rocks, only a +few of the last ones turning aside and escaping. + +The lodges were now deserted. All the people were gone to the pis'kun to +kill the buffalo and butcher them. Where was Old Man? Did he take his bow +and arrows and go to the pis'kun to kill a fat cow for the poor old women? +No. He was sneaking around, lifting the door-ways of the lodges and +looking in. Bad person, Old Man. In the chiefs lodge he saw a little child, +a girl, asleep. Outside was a buffalo's gall, and taking a long stick he +dipped the end of it in the gall; and then, reaching carefully into the +lodge, he drew it across the lips of the child asleep. Then he threw the +stick away, and went in and sat down. Soon the girl awoke and began to +cry. The gall was very bitter and burned her lips. + +"Pity me, Old Man," she said. "Take this fearful thing from my lips." + +"I do not doctor unless I am paid," he replied. Then said the girl: "See +all my father's Weapons hanging there. His shield, war head-dress, scalps, +and knife. Cure me now, and I will give you some of them." + +"I have more of such things than I want," he replied. (What a liar! he had +none at all.) + +Again said the girl, "Pity me, help me now, and I will give you my father's +white buffalo robe." + +"I have plenty of white robes," replied Old Man. (Again he lied, for he +never had one.) + +"Old Man," again said the girl, "in this lodge lives a widow woman, my +father's relation. Remove this fearful thing from my lips, and I will have +my father give her to you." + +"Now you speak well," replied Old Man. "I am a little glad. I have many +wives" (he had none), "but I would just as soon have another one." + +So he went close to the child and pretended to doctor her, but instead of +that, he killed her and ran out. He went to the old women's lodge, and +wrapped a strip of cowskin about his head, and commenced to groan, as if he +was very sick. + +Now the people began to come from the pis'kun, carrying great loads of +meat. This dead girl's mother came, and when she saw her child lying dead, +and blood on the ground, she ran back crying out: "My daughter has been +killed! My daughter has been killed!" + +Then all the people began to shout out and run around, and the warriors and +young men looked in the lodges, and up and down the creek in the brush, but +they could find no one who might have killed the child. + +Then said the father of the dead girl: "Now, to-day, we will find out who +killed this child. Every man in this camp--every young man, every old +man--must come and jump across the creek; and if any one does not jump +across, if he falls in the water, that man is the one who did the +killing." All heard this, and they began to gather at the creek, one behind +another; and the women and children went to look on, for they wanted to see +the person who had killed the little child. Now they were ready. They were +about to jump, when some one cried out, "Old Man is not here." + +"True," said the chief, looking around, "Old Man is not here." And he sent +two young men to bring him. + +"Old Man!" they cried out, when they came to the lodge, "a child has been +killed. We have all got to jump to find out who did it. The chief has sent +for you. You will have to jump, too." + +"_Ki'-yo!_" exclaimed the old women. "Old Man is very sick. Go off, and let +him alone. He is so sick he could not kill meat for us to-day." + +"It can't be helped," the young men replied. "The chief says every one must +jump." + +So Old Man went out toward the creek very slowly, and very much scared. He +did not know what to do. As he was going along he saw a _ni'-po-muk-i_[1] +and he said: "Oh my little brother, pity me. Give me some of your power to +jump the creek, and here is my necklace. See how pretty it is. I will give +it to you." + +[Footnote 1: The chickadee.] + +So they traded; Old Man took some of the bird's power, and the bird took +Old Man's necklace and put it on. + +Now they jump. _Wo'-ka-hi!_ they jump way across and far on to the +ground. Now they jump; another! another! another! Now it comes Old Man's +turn. He runs, he jumps, he goes high, and strikes the ground far beyond +any other person's jump. Now comes the _ni'-po-muk-i. "Wo'-ka-hi!_" the men +shout. "_Ki'-yo!_" cry the women, "the bird has fallen in the creek." The +warriors are running to kill him. "Wait! Hold on!" cries the bird. "Let me +speak a few words. Every one knows I am a good jumper. I can jump further +than any one; but Old Man asked me for some of my power, and I gave it to +him, and he gave me this necklace. It is very heavy and pulled me +down. That is why I fell into the creek." + +Then the people began to shout and talk again, some saying to kill the +bird, and some not, when Old Man shouted out: "Wait, listen to me. What's +the use of quarrelling or killing anybody? Let us go back, and I will +doctor the child alive." + +Good words. The people were glad. So they went back, and got ready for the +doctoring. First, Old Man ordered a large fire built in the lodge where the +dead girl was lying. Two old men were placed at the back of the lodge, +facing each other. They had spears, which they held above their heads and +were to thrust back and forth at each other in time to the singing. Near +the door-way were placed two old women, facing each other. Each one held a +_puk'-sah-tchis,_[1]--a maul,--with which she was to beat time to the +singing. The other seats in the lodge were taken by people who were to +sing. Now Old Man hung a big roll of belly fat close over the fire, so that +the hot grease began to drip, and everything was ready, and the singing +began. This was Old Man's song:-- + +[Footnote 1: A round or oblong stone, to which a handle was bound by +rawhide thongs, used for breaking marrow bones, etc.] + +[Illustration:] + +Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, etc. I don't +care, I don't care, I don't care. + +And so they sung for a long time, the old men jabbing their spears at each +other, and the old women pretending to hit each other with their mauls. + +After a while they rested, and Old Man said: "Now I want every one to shut +their eyes. No one can look. I am going to begin the real doctoring." So +the people shut their eyes, and the singing began again. Then Old Man took +the dripping hot fat from the fire, gave it a mighty swing around the +circle in front of the people's faces, jumped out the door-way, and ran +off. Every one was burned. The two old men wounded each other with their +spears. The old women knocked each other on the head with their mauls. The +people cried and groaned, wiped their burned faces, and rushed out the +door; but Old Man was gone. They saw him no more. + + + +THE ROCK + + +Once Old Man was travelling, and becoming tired he sat down on a rock to +rest. After a while he started to go on, and because the sun was hot he +threw his robe over the rock, saying: "Here, I give you my robe, because +you are poor and have let me rest on you. Always keep it." + +He had not gone very far, when it began to rain, and meeting a coyote he +said: "Little brother, run back to that rock, and ask him to lend me his +robe. We will cover ourselves with it and keep dry." So the coyote ran back +to the rock, but returned without the robe. "Where is the robe?" asked Old +Man. "_Sai-yah!"_ replied the coyote. "The rock said you gave him the +robe, and he was going to keep it." + +Then Old Man was very angry, and went back to the rock and jerked the robe +off it, saying: "I only wanted to borrow this robe until the rain was over, +but now that you have acted so mean about it, I will keep it. You don't +need a robe anyhow. You have been out in the rain and snow all your life, +and it will not hurt you to live so always." + +With the coyote he went off into a coulée, and sat down. The rain was +falling, and they covered themselves with the robe and were very +comfortable. Pretty soon they heard a loud noise, and Old Man told the +coyote to go up on the hill and see what it was. Soon he came running back, +saying, "Run! run! the big rock is coming"; and they both ran away as fast +as they could. The coyote tried to crawl into a badger hole, but it was too +small for him and he stuck fast, and before he could get out, the rock +rolled over him and crushed his hind parts. Old Man was scared, and as he +ran he threw off his robe and what clothes he could, so that he might run +faster. The rock kept gaining on him all the time. + +Not far off was a band of buffalo bulls, and Old Man cried out to them, +saying, "Oh my brothers, help me, help me. Stop that rock." The bulls ran +and tried to stop it, but it crushed their heads. Some deer and antelope +tried to help Old Man, but they were killed, too. A lot of rattlesnakes +formed themselves into a lariat, and tried to catch it; but those at the +noose end were all cut to pieces. The rock was now close to Old Man, so +close that it began to hit his heels; and he was about to give up, when he +saw a flock of bull bats circling over his head. "Oh my little brothers," +he cried, "help me. I am almost dead." Then the bull bats flew down, one +after another, against the rock; and every time one of them hit it he +chipped off a piece, and at last one hit it fair in the middle and broke it +into two pieces. + +Then Old Man was very glad. He went to where there was a nest of bull bats, +and made the young ones' mouths very wide and pinched off their bills, to +make them pretty and queer looking. That is the reason they look so to-day. + + + +THE THEFT FROM THE SUN + + +Once Old Man was travelling around, when he came to the Sun's lodge, and +the Sun asked him to stay a while. Old Man was very glad to do so. + +One day the meat was all gone, and the Sun said, "_Kyi_! Old Man, what say +you if we go and kill some deer?" + +"You speak well," replied Old Man. "I like deer meat." + +The Sun took down a bag and pulled out a beautiful pair of leggings. They +were embroidered with porcupine quills and bright feathers. "These," said +the Sun, "are my hunting leggings. They are great medicine. All I have to +do is to put them on and walk around a patch of brush, when the leggings +set it on fire and drive the deer out so that I can shoot them." + +"_Hai-yah_!" exclaimed Old Man. "How wonderful!" He made up his mind he +would have those leggings, if he had to steal them. + +They went out to hunt, and the first patch of brush they came to, the Sun +set on fire with his hunting leggings. A lot of white-tail deer ran out, +and they each shot one. + +That night, when they went to bed, the Sun pulled off his leggings and +placed them to one side. Old Man saw where he put them, and in the middle +of the night, when every one was asleep, he stole them and went off. He +travelled a long time, until he had gone far and was very tired, and then, +making a pillow of the leggings, lay down and slept. In the morning, he +heard some one talking. The Sun was saying, "Old Man, why are my leggings +under your head?" He looked around, and saw he was in the Sun's lodge, and +thought he must have wandered around and got lost, and returned +there. Again the Sun spoke and said, "What are you doing with my leggings?" +"Oh," replied Old Man, "I couldn't find anything for a pillow, so I just +put these under my head." + +Night came again, and again Old Man stole the leggings and ran off. This +time he did not walk at all; he just kept running until pretty near +morning, and then lay down and slept. You see what a fool he was. He did +not know that the whole world is the Sun's lodge. He did not know that, no +matter how far he ran, he could not get out of the Sun's sight. When +morning came, he found himself still in the Sun's lodge. But this time the +Sun said: "Old Man, since you like my leggings so much, I will give them to +you. Keep them." Then Old Man was very glad and went away. + +One day his food was all gone, so he put on the medicine leggings and set +fire to a piece of brush. He was just going to kill some deer that were +running out, when he saw that the fire was getting close to him. He ran +away as fast as he could, but the fire gained on him and began to burn his +legs. His leggings were all on fire. He came to a river and jumped in, and +pulled off the leggings as soon as he could. They were burned to pieces. + +Perhaps the Sun did this to him because he tried to steal the leggings. + + + +THE FOX + + +One day Old Man went out hunting and took the fox with him. They hunted for +several days, but killed nothing. It was nice warm weather in the late +fall. After they had become very hungry, as they were going along one day, +Old Man went up over a ridge and on the other side he saw four big buffalo +bulls lying down; but there was no way by which they could get near +them. He dodged back out of sight and told the fox what he had seen, and +they thought for a long time, to see if there was no way by which these +bulls might be killed. + +At last Old Man said to the fox: "My little brother, I can think of only +one way to get these bulls. This is my plan, if you agree to it. I will +pluck all the fur off you except one tuft on the end of your tail. Then you +go over the hill and walk up and down in sight of the bulls, and you will +seem so funny to them that they will laugh themselves to death." + +The fox did not like to do this, but he could think of nothing better, so +he agreed to what Old Man proposed. Old Man plucked him perfectly bare, +except the end of his tail, and the fox went over the ridge and walked up +and down. When he had come close to the bulls, he played around and walked +on his hind legs and went through all sorts of antics. When the bulls first +saw him, they got up on their feet, and looked at him. They did not know +what to make of him. Then they began to laugh, and the more they looked at +him, the more they laughed, until at last one by one they fell down +exhausted and died. Then Old Man came over the hill, and went down to the +bulls, and began to butcher them. By this time it had grown a little +colder. + +"Ah, little brother," said Old Man to the fox, "you did splendidly. I do +not wonder that the bulls laughed themselves to death. I nearly died myself +as I watched you from the hill. You looked very funny." While he was saying +this, he was working away skinning off the hides and getting the meat ready +to carry to camp, all the time talking to the fox, who stood about, his +back humped up and his teeth chattering with the cold. Now a wind sprang up +from the north and a few snowflakes were flying in the air. It was growing +colder and colder. Old Man kept on talking, and every now and then he would +say something to the fox, who was sitting behind him perfectly still, with +his jaw shoved out and his teeth shining. + +At last Old Man had the bulls all skinned and the meat cut up, and as he +rose up he said: "It is getting pretty cold, isn't it? Well, we do not care +for the cold. We have got all our winter's meat, and we will have nothing +to do but feast and dance and sing until spring." The fox made no +answer. Then Old Man got angry, and called out: "Why don't you answer me? +Don't you hear me talking to you?" The fox said nothing. Then Old Man was +mad, and he said, "Can't you speak?" and stepped up to the fox and gave him +a push with his foot, and the fox fell over. He was dead, frozen stiff with +the cold. + + + +OLD MAN AND THE LYNX + + +Old Man was travelling round over the prairie, when he saw a lot of +prairie-dogs sitting in a circle. They had built a fire, and were sitting +around it. Old Man went toward them, and when he got near them, he began to +cry, and said, "Let me, too, sit by that fire." The prairie-dogs said: "All +right, Old Man. Don't cry. Come and sit by the fire." Old Man sat down, +and saw that the prairie-dogs were playing a game. They would put one of +their number in the fire and cover him up with the hot ashes; and then, +after he had been there a little while, he would say _sk, sk_, and they +would push the ashes off him, and pull him out. + +Old Man said, "Teach me how to do that"; and they told him what to do, and +put him in the fire, and covered him up with the ashes, and after a little +while he said _sk, sk_, like a prairie-dog, and they pulled him out +again. Then he did it to the prairie-dogs. At first he put them in one at a +time, but there were many of them, and pretty soon he got tired, and said, +"Come, I will put you all in at once." They said, "Very well, Old Man," and +all got in the ashes; but just as Old Man was about to cover them up, one +of them, a female heavy with young, said, "Do not cover me up; the heat may +hurt my children, which are about to be born." Old Man said: "Very well. If +you do not want to be covered up, you can sit over by the fire and watch +the rest." Then he covered up all the others. + +At length the prairie-dogs said _sk, sk_, but Old Man did not sweep the +ashes off and pull them out of the fire. He let them stay there and die. The +old she one ran off to a hole and, as she went down in it, said _sk, +sk_. Old Man chased her, but he got to the hole too late to catch her. So +he said: "Oh, well, you can go. There will be more prairie-dogs by and by." + +When the prairie-dogs were roasted, Old Man cut a lot of red willow brush +to lay them on, and then sat down and began to eat. He ate until he was +full, and then felt sleepy. He said to his nose: "I am going to sleep +now. Watch for me and wake me up in case anything comes near." Then Old Man +slept. Pretty soon his nose snored, and he woke up and said, "What is it?" +The nose said, "A raven is flying over there." Old Man said, "That is +nothing," and went to sleep again. Soon his nose snored again. Old Man +said, "What is it now?" The nose said, "There is a coyote over there, +coming this way." Old Man said, "A coyote is nothing," and again went to +sleep. Presently his nose snored again, but Old Man did not wake up. Again +it snored, and called out, "Wake up, a bob-cat is coming." Old Man paid no +attention. He slept on. + +The bob-cat crept up to where the fire was, and ate up all the roast +prairie-dogs, and then went off and lay down on a flat rock, and went to +sleep. All this time the nose kept trying to wake Old Man up, and at last +he awoke, and the nose said: "A bob-cat is over there on that flat rock. He +has eaten all your food." Then Old Man called out loud, he was so angry. He +went softly over to where the bob-cat lay, and seized it, before it could +wake up to bite or scratch him. The bob-cat cried out, "Hold on, let me +speak a word or two." But Old Man would not listen; he said, "I will teach +you to steal my food." He pulled off the lynx's tail, pounded his head +against the rock so as to make his face flat, pulled him out long, so as to +make him small-bellied, and then threw him away into the brush. As he went +sneaking off, Old Man said, "There, that is the way you bob-cats shall +always be." That is the reason the lynxes look so today. + +Old Man went back to the fire, and looked at the red willow sticks where +his food had been, and it made him mad at his nose. He said, "You fool, why +did you not wake me?" He took the willow sticks and thrust them in the +coals, and when they took fire, he burned his nose. This pained him +greatly, and he ran up on a hill and held his nose to the wind, and called +on it to blow hard and cool him. A hard wind came, and it blew him away +down to Birch Creek. As he was flying along, he caught at the weeds and +brush to try to stop himself, but nothing was strong enough to hold him. At +last he seized a birch tree. He held on to this, and it did not give +way. Although the wind whipped him about, this way and that, and tumbled +him up and down, the tree held him. He kept calling to the wind to blow +gently, and finally it listened to him and went down. + +So he said: "This is a beautiful tree. It has kept me from being blown away +and knocked all to pieces. I will ornament it and it shall always be like +that." So he gashed it across with his stone knife, as you see it to-day. + + + + + +THE STORY OF THE THREE TRIBES + + + + + +THE PAST AND THE PRESENT + + +Fifty years ago the name Blackfoot was one of terrible meaning to the white +traveller who passed across that desolate buffalo-trodden waste which lay +to the north of the Yellowstone River and east of the Rocky Mountains. This +was the Blackfoot land, the undisputed home of a people which is said to +have numbered in one of its tribes--the Pi-k[)u]n'-i--8000 lodges, or +40,000 persons. Besides these, there were the Blackfeet and the Bloods, +three tribes of one nation, speaking the same language, having the same +customs, and holding the same religious faith. + +But this land had not always been the home of the Blackfeet. Long ago, +before the coming of the white men, they had lived in another country far +to the north and east, about Lesser Slave Lake, ranging between Peace River +and the Saskatchewan, and having for their neighbors on the north the +Beaver Indians. Then the Blackfeet were a timber people. It is said that +about two hundred years ago the Chippeweyans from the east invaded this +country and drove them south and west. Whether or no this is true, it is +quite certain that not many generations back the Blackfeet lived on the +North Saskatchewan River and to the north of that stream.[1] Gradually +working their way westward, they at length reached the Rocky Mountains, +and, finding game abundant, remained there until they obtained horses, in +the very earliest years of the present century. When they secured horses and +guns, they took courage and began to venture out on to the plains and to go +to war. From this time on, the Blackfeet made constant war on their +neighbors to the south, and in a few years controlled the whole country +between the Saskatchewan on the north and the Yellowstone on the south. + +[Footnote 1: For a more extended account of this migration, see _American +Anthropologist_, April, 1892, p. 153.] + +It was, indeed, a glorious country which the Blackfeet had wrested from +their southern enemies. Here nature has reared great mountains and spread +out broad prairies. Along the western border of this region, the Rocky +Mountains lift their snow-clad peaks above the clouds. Here and there, from +north to south, and from east to west, lie minor ranges, black with pine +forests if seen near at hand, or in the distance mere gray silhouettes +against a sky of blue. Between these mountain ranges lies everywhere the +great prairie; a monotonous waste to the stranger's eye, but not without +its charm. It is brown and bare; for, except during a few short weeks in +spring, the sparse bunch-grass is sear and yellow, and the silver gray of +the wormwood lends an added dreariness to the landscape. Yet this seemingly +desert waste has a beauty of its own. At intervals it is marked with green +winding river valleys, and everywhere it is gashed with deep ravines, their +sides painted in strange colors of red and gray and brown, and their +perpendicular walls crowned with fantastic columns and figures of stone or +clay, carved out by the winds and the rains of ages. Here and there, rising +out of the plain, are curious sharp ridges, or square-topped buttes with +vertical sides, sometimes bare, and sometimes dotted with pines,--short, +sturdy trees, whose gnarled trunks and thick, knotted branches have been +twisted and wrung into curious forms by the winds which blow unceasingly, +hour after hour, day after day, and month after month, over mountain range +and prairie, through gorge and coulée. + +These prairies now seem bare of life, but it was not always so. Not very +long ago, they were trodden by multitudinous herds of buffalo and antelope; +then, along the wooded river valleys and on the pine-clad slopes of the +mountains, elk, deer, and wild sheep fed in great numbers. They are all +gone now. The winter's wind still whistles over Montana prairies, but +nature's shaggy-headed wild cattle no longer feel its biting blasts. Where +once the scorching breath of summer stirred only the short stems of the +buffalo-grass, it now billows the fields of the white man's +grain. Half-hidden by the scanty herbage, a few bleached skeletons alone +remain to tell us of the buffalo; and the broad, deep trails, over which +the dark herds passed by thousands, are now grass-grown and fast +disappearing under the effacing hand of time. The buffalo have disappeared, +and the fate of the buffalo has almost overtaken the Blackfeet. + +As known to the whites, the Blackfeet were true prairie Indians, seldom +venturing into the mountains, except when they crossed them to war with the +Kutenais, the Flatheads, or the Snakes. They subsisted almost wholly on the +flesh of the buffalo. They were hardy, untiring, brave, ferocious. Swift +to move, whether on foot or horseback, they made long journeys to war, and +with telling force struck their enemies. They had conquered and driven out +from the territory which they occupied the tribes who once inhabited it, +and maintained a desultory and successful warfare against all invaders, +fighting with the Crees on the north, the Assinaboines on the east, the +Crows on the south, and the Snakes, Kalispels, and Kutenais on the +southwest and west. In those days the Blackfeet were rich and powerful. +The buffalo fed and clothed them, and they needed nothing beyond what +nature supplied. This was their time of success and happiness. + +Crowded into a little corner of the great territory which they once +dominated, and holding this corner by an uncertain tenure, a few Blackfeet +still exist, the pitiful remnant of a once mighty people. Huddled together +about their agencies, they are facing the problem before them, striving, +helplessly but bravely, to accommodate themselves to the new order of +things; trying in the face of adverse surroundings to wrench themselves +loose from their accustomed ways of life; to give up inherited habits and +form new ones; to break away from all that is natural to them, from all +that they have been taught--to reverse their whole mode of existence. They +are striving to earn their living, as the white man earns his, by toil. The +struggle is hard and slow, and in carrying it on they are wasting away and +growing fewer in numbers. But though unused to labor, ignorant of +agriculture, unacquainted with tools or seeds or soils, knowing nothing of +the ways of life in permanent houses or of the laws of health, scantily +fed, often utterly discouraged by failure, they are still making a noble +fight for existence. + +Only within a few years--since the buffalo disappeared--has this change +been going on; so recently has it come that the old order and the new meet +face to face. In the trees along the river valleys, still quietly resting +on their aerial sepulchres, sleep the forms of the ancient hunter-warrior +who conquered and held this broad land; while, not far away, Blackfoot +farmers now rudely cultivate their little crops, and gather scanty harvests +from narrow fields. + +It is the meeting of the past and the present, of savagery and +civilization. The issue cannot be doubtful. Old methods must pass away. The +Blackfeet will become civilized, but at a terrible cost. To me there is an +interest, profound and pathetic, in watching the progress of the struggle. + + + +DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS + + +Indians are usually represented as being a silent, sullen race, seldom +speaking, and never laughing nor joking. However true this may be in regard +to some tribes, it certainly was not the case with most of those who lived +upon the great Plains. These people were generally talkative, merry, and +light-hearted; they delighted in fun, and were a race of jokers. It is true +that, in the presence of strangers, they were grave, silent, and reserved, +but this is nothing more than the shyness and embarrassment felt by a child +in the presence of strangers. As the Indian becomes acquainted, this +reserve wears off; he is at his ease again and appears in his true colors, +a light-hearted child. Certainly the Blackfeet never were a taciturn and +gloomy people. Before the disappearance of the buffalo, they were happy and +cheerful. Why should they not have been? Food and clothing were to be had +for the killing and tanning. All fur animals were abundant, and thus the +people were rich. Meat, really the only food they cared for, was plenty and +cost nothing. Their robes and furs were exchanged with the traders for +bright-colored blankets and finery. So they wanted nothing. + +It is but nine years since the buffalo disappeared from the land. Only nine +years have passed since these people gave up that wild, free life which was +natural to them, and ah! how dear! Let us go back in memory to those happy +days and see how they passed the time. + +The sun is just rising. Thin columns of smoke are creeping from the smoke +holes of the lodges, and ascending in the still morning air. Everywhere the +women are busy, carrying water and wood, and preparing the simple meal. +And now we see the men come out, and start for the river. Some are +followed by their children; some are even carrying those too small to +walk. They have reached the water's edge. Off drop their blankets, and with +a plunge and a shivering _ah-h-h_ they dash into the icy waters. Winter and +summer, storm or shine, this was their daily custom. They said it made them +tough and healthy, and enabled them to endure the bitter cold while hunting +on the bare bleak prairie. By the time they have returned to the lodges, +the women have prepared the early meal. A dish of boiled meat--some three +or four pounds--is set before each man; the children are served as much as +they can eat, and the wives take the rest. The horses are now seen coming +in, hundreds and thousands of them, driven by boys and young men who +started out after them at daylight. If buffalo are close at hand, and it +has been decided to make a run, each hunter catches his favorite buffalo +horse, and they all start out together; they are followed by women, on the +travois or pack horses, who will do most of the butchering, and transport +the meat and hides to camp. If there is no band of buffalo near by, they go +off, singly or by twos and threes, to still-hunt scattering buffalo, or +deer, or elk, or such other game as may be found. The women remaining in +camp are not idle. All day long they tan robes, dry meat, sew moccasins, +and perform a thousand and one other tasks. The young men who have stayed +at home carefully comb and braid their hair, paint their faces, and, if the +weather is pleasant, ride or walk around the camp so that the young women +may look at them and see how pretty they are. + +Feasting began early in the morning, and will be carried on far into the +night. A man who gives a feast has his wives cook the choicest food they +have, and when all is ready, he goes outside the lodge and shouts the +invitation, calling out each guest's name three times, saying that he is +invited to eat, and concludes by announcing that a certain number of +pipes--generally three--will be smoked. The guests having assembled, each +one is served with a dish of food. Be the quantity large or small, it is +all that he will get. If he does not eat it all, he may carry home what +remains. The host does not eat with his guests. He cuts up some tobacco, +and carefully mixes it with _l'herbe_, and when all have finished eating, +he fills and lights a pipe, which is smoked and passed from one to another, +beginning with the first man on his left. When the last person on the left +of the host has smoked, the pipe is passed back around the circle to the +one on the right of the door, and smoked to the left again. The guests do +not all talk at once. When a person begins to speak, he expects every one +to listen, and is never interrupted. During the day the topics for +conversation are about the hunting, war, stories of strange adventures, +besides a good deal of good-natured joking and chaffing. When the third and +last pipeful of tobacco has been smoked, the host ostentatiously knocks out +the ashes and says "_Kyi"_ whereupon all the guests rise and file out. +Seldom a day passed but each lodge-owner in camp gave from one to three +feasts. In fact almost all a man did, when in camp, was to go from one of +these gatherings to another. + +A favorite pastime in the day was gambling with a small wheel called +_it-se'-wah._ This wheel was about four inches in diameter, and had five +spokes, on which were strung different-colored beads, made of bone or +horn. A level, smooth piece of ground was selected, at each end of which +was placed a log. At each end of the course were two men, who gambled +against each other. A crowd always surrounded them, betting on the +sides. The wheel was rolled along the course, and each man at the end +whence it started, darted an arrow at it. The cast was made just before +the wheel reached the log at the opposite end of the track, and points were +counted according as the arrow passed between the spokes, or when the +wheel, stopped by the log, was in contact with the arrow, the position and +nearness of the different beads to the arrow representing a certain number +of points. The player who first scored ten points won. It was a very +difficult game, and one had to be very skilful to win. + +Another popular game was what with more southern tribes is called "hands"; +it is like "Button, button, who's got the button?" Two small, oblong bones +were used, one of which had a black ring around it. Those who participated +in this game, numbering from two to a dozen, were divided into two equal +parties, ranged on either side of the lodge. Wagers were made, each person +betting with the one directly opposite him. Then a man took the bones, and, +by skilfully moving his hands and changing the objects from one to the +other, sought to make it impossible for the person opposite him to decide +which hand held the marked one. Ten points were the game, counted by +sticks, and the side which first got the number took the stakes. A song +always accompanied this game, a weird, unearthly air,--if it can be so +called,--but when heard at a little distance, very pleasant and +soothing. At first a scarcely audible murmur, like the gentle soughing of +an evening breeze, it gradually increased in volume and reached a very high +pitch, sank quickly to a low bass sound, rose and fell, and gradually died +away, to be again repeated. The person concealing the bones swayed his +body, arms, and hands in time to the air, and went through all manner of +graceful and intricate movements for the purpose of confusing the +guesser. The stakes were sometimes very high, two or three horses or more, +and men have been known to lose everything they possessed, even to their +clothing. + +The children, at least the boys, played about and did as they pleased. Not +so with the girls. Their duties began at a very early age. They carried +wood and water for their mothers, sewed moccasins, and as soon as they were +strong enough, were taught to tan robes and furs, make lodges, travois, and +do all other woman's--and so menial--work. The boys played at mimic +warfare, hunted around in the brush with their bows and arrows, made mud +images of animals, and in summer spent about half their time in the +water. In winter, they spun tops on the ice, slid down hill on a +contrivance made of buffalo ribs, and hunted rabbits. + +Shortly after noon, the hunters began to return, bringing in deer, +antelope, buffalo, elk, occasionally bear, and, sometimes, beaver which +they had trapped. The camp began to be more lively. In all directions +persons could be heard shouting out invitations to feasts. Here a man was +lying back on his couch singing and drumming; there a group of young men +were holding a war dance; everywhere the people were eating, singing, +talking, and joking. As the light faded from the western sky and darkness +spread over the camp, the noise and laughter increased. In many lodges, the +people held social dances, the women, dressed in their best gowns, ranged +on one side, the men on the other; all sung, and three or four drummers +furnished an accompaniment; the music was lively if somewhat jerky. At +intervals the people rose and danced, the "step" being a bending of the +knees and swinging of the body, the women holding their arms and hands in +various graceful positions. + +With the night came the rehearsal of the wondrous doings of the gods. These +tales may not be told in the daytime. Old Man would not like that, and +would cause any one who narrated them while it was light to become +blind. All Indians are natural orators, but some far exceed others in their +powers of expression. Their attitudes, gestures, and signs are so +suggestive that they alone would enable one to understand the stories they +relate. I have seen these story-tellers so much in earnest, so entirely +carried away by the tale they were relating, that they fairly trembled with +excitement. They held their little audiences spell-bound. The women +dropped their half-sewn moccasin from their listless hands, and the men let +the pipe go out. These stories for the most part were about the ancient +gods and their miraculous doings. They were generally related by the old +men, warriors who had seen their best days. Many of them are recorded in +this book. They are the explanations of the phenomena of life, and contain +many a moral for the instruction of youth. + +The _I-k[)u]n-[)u]h'-kah-tsi_ contributed not a little to the entertainment +of every-day life. Frequent dances were held by the different bands of the +society, and the whole camp always turned out to see them. The animal-head +masks, brightly painted bodies, and queer performances were dear to the +Indian heart. + +Such was the every-day life of the Blackfeet in the buffalo days. When the +camp moved, the women packed up their possessions, tore down the lodges, +and loaded everything on the backs of the ponies or on the +travois. Meantime the chiefs had started on, and the soldiers--the Brave +band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_--followed after them. After these leaders +had gone a short distance, a halt was made to allow the column to close +up. The women, children, horses, and dogs of the camp marched in a +disorderly, straggling fashion, often strung out in a line a mile or two +long. Many of the men rode at a considerable distance ahead, and on each +side of the marching column, hunting for any game that might be found, or +looking over the country for signs of enemies. + +Before the Blackfeet obtained horses in the very first years of the present +century, and when their only beasts of burden were dogs, their possessions +were transported by these animals or on men's backs. We may imagine that +in those days the journeys made were short ones, the camp travelling but a +few miles. + +In moving the camp in ancient days, the heaviest and bulkiest things to be +transported were the lodges. These were sometimes very large, often +consisting of thirty cow-skins, and, when set up, containing two or three +fires like this [Illustration:] or in ground plan like this +[Illustration:]. The skins of these large lodges were sewn together in +strips, of which there would be sometimes as many as four; and, when the +lodge was set up, these strips were pinned together as the front of a +common lodge is pinned to-day. The dogs carried the provisions, tools, and +utensils, sometimes the lodge strips, if these were small enough, or +anything that was heavy, and yet could be packed in small compass; for +since dogs are small animals, and low standing, they cannot carry bulky +burdens. Still, some of the dogs were large enough to carry a load of one +hundred pounds. Dogs also hauled the travois, on which were bundles and +sometimes babies. This was not always a safe means of transportation for +infants, as is indicated by an incident related by John Monroe's mother as +having occurred in her father's time. The camp, on foot of course, was +crossing a strip of open prairie lying between two pieces of timber, when a +herd of buffalo, stampeding, rushed through the marching column. The +loaded dogs rushed after the buffalo, dragging the travois after them and +scattering their loads over the prairie. Among the lost chattels were two +babies, dropped off somewhere in the long grass, which were never found. + +There were certain special customs and beliefs which were a part of the +every-day life of the people. + +In passing the pipe when smoking, it goes from the host, who takes the +first smoke, to the left, passing from hand to hand to the door. It may not +be passed across the door to the man on the other side, but must come +back,--no one smoking,--pass the host, and go round to the man across the +door from the last smoker. This man smokes and passes it to the one on his +left, and so it goes on until it reaches the host again. A person entering +a lodge where people are smoking must not pass in front of them, that is, +between the smokers and the fire. + +A solemn form of affirmation, the equivalent of the civilized oath, is +connected with smoking, which, as is well known, is with many tribes of +Indians a sacred ceremony. If a man sitting in a lodge tells his companions +some very improbable story, something that they find it very hard to +believe, and they want to test him, to see if he is really telling the +truth, the pipe is given to a medicine man, who paints the stem red and +prays over it, asking that if the man's story is true he may have long +life, but if it is false his life may end in a short time. The pipe is then +filled and lighted, and passed to the man, who has seen and overheard what +has been done and said. The medicine man says to him: "Accept this pipe, +but remember that, if you smoke, your story must be as sure as that there +is a hole through this pipe, and as straight as the hole through this +stem. So your life shall be long and you shall survive, but if you have +spoken falsely your days are counted." The man may refuse the pipe, saying, +"I have told you the truth; it is useless to smoke this pipe." If he +declines to smoke, no one believes what he has said; he is looked upon as +having lied. If, however, he takes the pipe and smokes, every one believes +him. It is the most solemn form of oath. The Blackfoot pipes are usually +made of black or green slate or sandstone. + +The Blackfeet do not whip their children, but still they are not without +some training. Children must be taught, or they will not know anything; if +they do not know anything, they will have no sense; and if they have no +sense they will not know how to act. They are instructed in manners, as +well as in other more general and more important matters. + +If a number of boys were in a lodge where older people were sitting, very +likely the young people would be talking and laughing about their own +concerns, and making so much noise that the elders could say nothing. If +this continued too long, one of the older men would be likely to get up and +go out and get a long stick and bring it in with him. When he had seated +himself, he would hold it up, so that the children could see it and would +repeat a cautionary formula, "I will give you gum!" This was a warning to +them to make less noise, and was always heeded--for a time. After a little, +however, the boys might forget and begin to chatter again, and presently +the man, without further warning, would reach over and rap one of them on +the head with the stick, when quiet would again be had for a time. + +In the same way, in winter, when the lodge was full of old and young +people, and through lack of attention the fire died down, some older person +would call out, "Look out for the skunk!" which would be a warning to the +boys to put some sticks on the fire. If this was not done at once, the man +who had called out might throw a stick of wood across the lodge into the +group of children, hitting and hurting one or more of them. It was taught +also that, if, when young and old were in the lodge and the fire had burned +low, an older person were to lay the unburned ends of the sticks upon the +fire, all the children in the lodge would have the scab, or itch. So, at +the call "Look out for the scab!" some child would always jump to the fire, +and lay up the sticks. + +There were various ways of teaching and training the children. Men would +make long speeches to groups of boys, playing in the camps, telling them +what they ought to do to be successful in life. They would point out to +them that to accomplish anything they must be brave and untiring in war; +that long life was not desirable; that the old people always had a hard +time, were given the worst side of the lodge and generally neglected; that +when the camp was moved they suffered from cold; that their sight was dim, +so that they could not see far; that their teeth were gone, so that they +could not chew their food. Only discomfort and misery await the old. Much +better, while the body is strong and in its prime, while the sight is +clear, the teeth sound, and the hair still black and long, to die in battle +fighting bravely. The example of successful warriors would be held up to +them, and the boys urged to emulate their brave deeds. To such advice some +boys would listen, while others would not heed it. + +The girls also were instructed. All Indians like to see women more or less +sober and serious-minded, not giggling all the time, not silly. A Blackfoot +man who had two or three girls would, as they grew large, often talk to +them and give them good advice. After watching them, and taking the measure +of their characters, he would one day get a buffalo's front foot and +ornament it fantastically with feathers. When the time came, he would call +one of his daughters to him and say to her: "Now I wish you to stand here +in front of me and look me straight in the eye without laughing. No matter +what I may do, do not laugh." Then he would sing a funny song, shaking the +foot in the girl's face in time to the song, and looking her steadily in +the eye. Very likely before he had finished, she would begin to giggle. If +she did this, the father would stop singing and tell her to finish +laughing; and when she was serious again, he would again warn her not to +laugh, and then would repeat his song. This time perhaps she would not +laugh while he was singing. He would go through with this same performance +before all his daughters. To such as seemed to have the steadiest +characters, he would give good advice. He would talk to each girl of the +duties of a woman's life and warn her against the dangers which she might +expect to meet. + +At the time of the Medicine Lodge, he would take her to the lodge and point +out to her the Medicine Lodge woman. He would say: "There is a good +woman. She has built this Medicine Lodge, and is greatly honored and +respected by all the people. Once she was a girl just like you; and you, if +you are good and live a pure life, may some day be as great as she is +now. Remember this, and try to live a worthy life." + +At the time of the Medicine Lodge, the boys in the camp also gathered to +see the young men count their _coups_. A man would get up, holding in one +hand a bundle of small sticks, and, taking one stick from the bundle, he +would recount some brave deed, throwing away a stick as he completed the +narrative of each _coup_, until the sticks were all gone, when he sat down, +and another man stood up to begin his recital. As the boys saw and heard +all this, and saw how respected those men were who had done the most and +bravest things, they said to themselves, "That man was once a boy like us, +and we, if we have strong hearts, may do as much as he has done." So even +the very small boys used often to steal off from the camp, and follow war +parties. Often they went without the knowledge of their parents, and poorly +provided, without food or extra moccasins. They would get to the enemy's +camp, watch the ways of the young men, and so learn about going to war, how +to act when on the war trail so as to be successful. Also they came to know +the country. + +The Blackfeet men often went off by themselves to fast and dream for +power. By no means every one did this, and, of those who attempted it, only +a few endured to the end,--that is, fasted the whole four days,--and +obtained the help sought. The attempt was not usually made by young boys +before they had gone on their first war journey. It was often undertaken by +men who were quite mature. Those who underwent this suffering were obliged +to abstain from food or drink for four days and four nights, resting for +two nights on the right side, and for two nights on the left. It was deemed +essential that the place to which a man resorted for this purpose should be +unfrequented, where few or no persons had walked; and it must also be a +place that tried the nerve, where there was some danger. Such situations +were mountain peaks; or narrow ledges on cut cliffs, where a careless +movement might cause a man to fall to his death on the rocks below; or +islands in lakes, which could only be reached by means of a raft, and where +there was danger that a person might be seized and carried off by the +_S[=u]'-y[=e] t[)u]p'-pi_, or Under Water People; or places where the dead +had been buried, and where there was much danger from ghosts. Or a man +might lie in a well-worn buffalo trail, where the animals were frequently +passing, and so he might be trodden on by a travelling band of buffalo; or +he might choose a locality where bears were abundant and dangerous. +Wherever he went, the man built himself a little lodge of brush, moss, and +leaves, to keep off the rain; and, after making his prayers to the sun and +singing his sacred songs, he crept into the hut and began his fast. He was +not allowed to take any covering with him, nor to roof over his shelter +with skins. He always had with him a pipe, and this lay by him, filled, so +that, when the spirit, or dream, came, it could smoke. They did not appeal +to any special class of helpers, but prayed to all alike. Often by the end +of the fourth day, a secret helper--usually, but by no means always, in the +form of some animal--appeared to the man in a dream, and talked with him, +advising him, marking out his course through life, and giving him its +power. There were some, however, on whom the power would not work, and a +much greater number who gave up the fast, discouraged, before the +prescribed time had been completed, either not being able to endure the +lack of food and water, or being frightened by the strangeness or +loneliness of their surroundings, or by something that they thought they +saw or heard. It was no disgrace to fail, nor was the failure necessarily +known, for the seeker after power did not always, nor perhaps often, tell +any one what he was going to do. + +Three modes of burial were practised by the Blackfeet. They buried their +dead on platforms placed in trees, on platforms in lodges, and on the +ground in lodges. If a man dies in a lodge, it is never used again. The +people would be afraid of the man's ghost. The lodge is often used to wrap +the body in, or perhaps the man may be buried in it. + +As soon as a person is dead, be it man, woman, or child, the body is +immediately prepared for burial, by the nearest female relations. Until +recently, the corpse was wrapped in a number of robes, then in a lodge +covering, laced with rawhide ropes, and placed on a platform of lodge +poles, arranged on the branches of some convenient tree. Some times the +outer wrapping--the lodge covering--was omitted. If the deceased was a man, +his weapons, and often his medicine, were buried with him. With women a few +cooking utensils and implements for tanning robes were placed on the +scaffolds. When a man was buried on a platform in a lodge, the platform was +usually suspended from the lodge poles. + +Sometimes, when a great chief or noted warrior died, his lodge would be +moved some little distance from the camp, and set up in a patch of +brush. It would be carefully pegged down all around, and stones piled on +the edges to make it additionally firm. For still greater security, a rope +fastened to the lodge poles, where they come together at the smoke hole, +came down, and was securely tied to a peg in the ground in the centre of +the lodge, where the fireplace would ordinarily be. Then the beds were made +up all around the lodge, and on one of them was placed the corpse, lying as +if asleep. The man's weapons, pipe, war clothing, and medicine were placed +near him, and the door then closed. No one ever again entered such a +lodge. Outside the lodge, a number of his horses, often twenty or more, +were killed, so that he might have plenty to ride on his journey to the Sand +Hills, and to use after arriving there. If a man had a favorite horse, he +might order it to be killed at his grave, and his order was always carried +out. In ancient times, it is said, dogs were killed at the grave. + +Women mourn for deceased relations by cutting their hair short. For the +loss of a husband or son (but not a daughter), they not only cut their +hair, but often take off one or more joints of their fingers, and always +scarify the calves of their legs. Besides this, for a month or so, they +daily repair to some place near camp, generally a hill or little rise of +ground, and there cry and lament, calling the name of the deceased over and +over again. This may be called a chant or song, for there is a certain tune +to it. It is in a minor key and very doleful. Any one hearing it for the +first time, even though wholly unacquainted with Indian customs, would at +once know that it was a mourning song, or at least was the utterance of one +in deep distress. There is no fixed period for the length of time one must +mourn. Some keep up this daily lament for a few weeks only, and others much +longer. I once came across an old wrinkled woman, who was crouched in the +sage brush, crying and lamenting for some one, as if her heart would +break. On inquiring if any one had lately died, I was told she was mourning +for a son she had lost more than twenty years before. + +Men mourn by cutting a little of their hair, going without leggings, and +for the loss of a son, sometimes scarify their legs. This last, however, is +never done for the loss of a wife, daughter, or any relative except a son. + +Many Blackfeet change their names every season. Whenever a Blackfoot counts +a new _coup_, he is entitled to a new name. A Blackfoot will never tell his +name if he can avoid it. He believes that if he should speak his name, he +would be unfortunate in all his undertakings. It was considered a gross +breach of propriety for a man to meet his mother-in-law, and if by any +mischance he did so, or what was worse, if he spoke to her, she demanded a +very heavy payment, which he was obliged to make. The mother-in-law was +equally anxious to avoid meeting or speaking to her son-in-law. + + + +HOW THE BLACKFOOT LIVED + + +The primitive clothing of the Blackfeet was made of the dressed skins of +certain animals. Women seldom wore a head covering. Men, however, in winter +generally used a cap made of the skin of some small animal, such as the +antelope, wolf, badger, or coyote. As the skin from the head of these +animals often formed part of the cap, the ears being left on, it made a +very odd-looking head-dress. Sometimes a cap was made of the skin of some +large bird, such as the sage-hen, duck, owl, or swan. + +The ancient dress of the women was a shirt of cowskin, with long sleeves +tied at the wrist, a skirt reaching half-way from knees to ankles, and +leggings tied above the knees, with sometimes a supporting string running +from the belt to the leggings. In more modern times, this was modified, and +a woman's dress consisted of a gown or smock, reaching from the neck to +below the knees. There were no sleeves, the armholes being provided with +top coverings, a sort of cape or flap, which reached to the +elbows. Leggings were of course still worn. They reached to the knee, and +were generally made, as was the gown, of the tanned skins of elk, deer, +sheep, or antelope. Moccasins for winter use were made of buffalo robe, and +of tanned buffalo cowskin for summer wear. The latter were always made with +parfleche soles, which greatly increased their durability, and were often +ornamented over the instep or toes with a three-pronged figure, worked in +porcupine quills or beads, the three prongs representing, it is said, the +three divisions or tribes of the nation. The men wore a shirt, breech-clout, +leggings which reached to the thighs, and moccasins. In winter both men and +women wore a robe of tanned buffalo skin, and sometimes of beaver. In +summer a lighter robe was worn, made of cowskin or buckskin, from which the +hair had been removed. Both sexes wore belts, which supported and confined +the clothing, and to which were attached knife-sheaths and other useful +articles. + +Necklaces and ear-rings were worn by all, and were made of shells, bone, +wood, and the teeth and claws of animals. Elk tushes were highly prized, +and were used for ornamenting women's dresses. A gown profusely decorated +with them was worth two good horses. Eagle feathers were used by the men to +make head-dresses and to ornament shields and also weapons. Small bunches +of owl or grouse feathers were sometimes tied to the scalp locks. It is +doubtful if the women ever took particular care of their hair. The men, +however, spent a great deal of time brushing, braiding, and ornamenting +their scalp locks. Their hair was usually worn in two braids, one on each +side of the head. Less frequently, four braids were made, one behind and in +front of each ear. Sometimes, the hair of the forehead was cut off square, +and brushed straight up; and not infrequently it was made into a huge +topknot and wound with otter fur. Often a slender lock, wound with brass +wire or braided, hung down from one side of the forehead over the face. + +As a rule, the men are tall, straight, and well formed. Their features are +regular, the eyes being large and well set, and the nose generally +moderately large, straight, and thin. Their chests are splendidly +developed. The women are quite tall for their sex, but, as a rule, not so +good-looking as the men. Their hands are large, coarse, and knotted by hard +labor; and they early become wrinkled and careworn. They generally have +splendid constitutions. I have known them to resume work a day after +childbirth; and once, when travelling, I knew a woman to halt, give birth to +a child, and catch up with the camp inside of four hours. + +As a rule, children are hardy and vigorous. They are allowed to do about as +they please from the time they are able to walk. I have often seen them +playing in winter in the snow, and spinning tops on the ice, barefooted and +half-naked. Under such conditions, those which have feeble constitutions +soon die. Only the hardiest reach maturity and old age. + +It is said that very long ago the people made houses of mud, sticks, and +stones. It is not known what was their size or shape, and no traces of them +are known to have been found. For a very long time, the lodge seems to have +been their only dwelling. In ancient times, before they had knives of +metal, stones were used to hold down the edges of the lodge, to keep it +from being blown away. These varied in size from six inches to a foot or +more in diameter. Everywhere on the prairie, one may now see circles of +these stones, and, within these circles, the smaller ones, which surrounded +the fireplace. Some of them have lain so long that only the tops now +project above the turf, and undoubtedly many of them are buried out of +sight. + +Lodges were always made of tanned cowskin, nicely cut and sewn together, so +as to form an almost perfect cone. At the top were two large flaps, called +ears, which were kept extended or closed, according to the direction and +strength of the wind, to create a draft and keep the lodge free from +smoke. The lodge covering was supported by light, straight pine or spruce +poles, about eighteen of which were required. Twelve cowskins made a lodge +about fourteen feet in diameter at the base, and ten feet high. I have +heard of a modern one which contained forty skins. It was over thirty feet +in diameter, and was so heavy that the skins were sewn in two pieces which +buttoned together. + +An average-sized dwelling of this kind contained eighteen skins and was +about sixteen feet in diameter. The lower edge of the lodge proper was +fastened, by wooden pegs, to within an inch or two of the ground. Inside, a +lining, made of brightly painted cowskin, reached from the ground to a +height of five or six feet. An air space of the thickness of the lodge +poles--two or three inches--was thus left between the lining and the lodge +covering, and the cold air, rushing up through it from the outside, made a +draft, which aided the ears in freeing the lodge of smoke. The door was +three or four feet high and was covered by a flap of skin, which hung down +on the outside. Thus made, with plenty of buffalo robes for seats and +bedding, and a good stock of firewood, a lodge was very comfortable, even +in the coldest weather. + +It was not uncommon to decorate the outside of the lodge with buffalo tails +and brightly painted pictures of animals. Inside, the space around was +partitioned off into couches, or seats, each about six feet in length. At +the foot and head of every couch, a mat, made of straight, peeled willow +twigs, fastened side by side, was suspended on a tripod at an angle of +forty-five degrees, so that between the couches spaces were left like an +inverted V, making convenient places to store articles which were not in +use. The owner of the lodge always occupied the seat or couch at the back +of the lodge, directly opposite the door-way, the places on his right being +occupied by his wives and daughters; though sometimes a Blackfoot had so +many wives that they occupied the whole lodge. The places on his left were +reserved for his sons and visitors. When a visitor entered a lodge, he was +assigned a seat according to his rank,--the nearer to the host, the greater +the honor. + +Bows were generally made of ash wood, which grows east of the mountains +toward the Sand Hills. When for any reason they could not obtain ash, they +used the wood of the choke-cherry tree, but this had not strength nor +spring enough to be of much service. I have been told also that sometimes +they used hazle wood for bows. + +Arrows were made of shoots of the sarvis berry wood, which was straight, +very heavy, and not brittle. They were smoothed and straightened by a stone +implement. The grooves were made by pushing the shafts through a rib or +other flat bone in which had been made a hole, circular except for one or +two projections on the inside. These projections worked out the groove. The +object of these grooves is said to have been to allow the blood to flow +freely. Each man marked his arrows by painting them, or by some special +combination of colored feathers. The arrow heads were of two kinds,--barbed +slender points for war, and barbless for hunting. Knives were originally +made of stone, as were also war clubs, mauls, and some of the scrapers for +fleshing and graining hides. Some of the flint knives were long, others +short. A stick was fitted to them, forming a wooden handle. The handles of +mauls and war clubs were usually made of green sticks fitted as closely as +possible into a groove made in the stone, the whole being bound together by +a covering of hide put on green, tightly fitted and strongly sewed. This, +as it shrunk in drying, bound the different parts of the implement together +in the strongest possible manner. Short, heavy spears were used, the points +being of stone or bone, barbed. + +I have heard no explanation among the Blackfeet of the origin of fire. In +ancient times, it was obtained by means of fire sticks, as described +elsewhere. The starting of the spark with these sticks is said to have been +hard work. At almost their first meeting with the whites, they obtained +flints and steels, and learned how to use them. + +In ancient times,--in the days of fire sticks and even later, within the +memory of men now living,--fire used to be carried from place to place in a +"fire horn." This was a buffalo horn slung by a string over the shoulder +like a powderhorn. The horn was lined with moist, rotten wood, and the open +end had a wooden stopper or plug fitted to it. On leaving camp in the +morning, the man who carried the horn took from the fire a small live coal +and put it in the horn, and on this coal placed a piece of punk, and then +plugged up the horn with the stopper. The punk smouldered in this almost +air-tight chamber, and, in the course of two or three hours, the man looked +at it, and if it was nearly consumed, put another piece of punk in the +horn. The first young men who reached the appointed camping ground would +gather two or three large piles of wood in different places, and as soon as +some one who carried a fire horn reached camp, he turned out his spark at +one of these piles of wood, and a little blowing and nursing gave a blaze +which started the fire. The other fires were kindled from this first one, +and when the women reached camp and had put the lodges up, they went to +these fires, and got coals with which to start those in their lodges. This +custom of borrowing coals persisted up to the last days of the buffalo, and +indeed may even be noticed still. + +The punk here mentioned is a fungus, which grows on the birch tree. The +Indians used to gather this in large quantities and dry it. It was very +abundant at the Touchwood Hills (whence the name) on Beaver Creek, a +tributary of the Saskatchewan from the south. + +The Blackfeet made buckets, cups, basins, and dishes from the lining of the +buffalo's paunch. This was torn off in large pieces, and was stretched over +a flattened willow or cherry hoop at the bottom and top. These hoops were +sometimes inside and sometimes outside the bucket or dish. In the latter +case, the hoop at the bottom was often sewed to the paunch, which came down +over it, double on the outside, the needle holes being pitched with gum or +tallow. The hoop at the upper edge was also sewed to the paunch, and a +rawhide bail passed under it, to carry it by. These buckets were shaped +somewhat like our wooden ones, and were of different sizes, some of them +holding four or five gallons. They were more or less flexible, and when +carried in a pack, they could be flattened down like a crush hat, and so +took up but little room. If set on the ground when full, they would stand +up for a while, but as they soon softened and fell down, they were usually +hung up by the bail on a little tripod. Cups were made in the same way as +buckets, but on a smaller scale and without the bail. Of course, nothing +hot could be placed in these vessels. + +It is doubtful if the Blackfeet ever made any pottery or basket ware. They, +however, made bowls and kettles of stone. There is an ancient children's +song which consists of a series of questions asked an elk, and its replies +to the same. In one place, the questioner sings, "Elk, what is your bowl +(or dish)?" and the elk answers, "_Ok-wi-tok-so-ka_," stone bowl. On this +point, Wolf Calf, a very old man, states that in early days the Blackfeet +sometimes boiled their meat in a stone bowl made out of a hard clayey +rock.[1] Choosing a fragment of the right size and shape, they would pound +it with another heavier rock, dealing light blows until a hollow had been +made in the top. This hollow was made deeper by pounding and grinding; and +when it was deep enough, they put water in it, and set it on the fire, and +the water would boil. These pots were strong and would last a long time. I +do not remember that any other tribe of Plains Indians made such stone +bowls or mortars, though, of course, they were commonly made, and in +singular perfection, by the Pacific Coast tribes; and I have known of rare +cases in which basalt mortars and small soapstone ollas have been found on +the central plateau of the continent in southern Wyoming. These articles, +however, had no doubt been obtained by trade from Western tribes. + +[Footnote 1: See The Blackfoot Genesis, p. 141.] + +Serviceable ladles and spoons were made of wood and of buffalo and mountain +sheep horn. Basins or flat dishes were sometimes made of mountain sheep +horn, boiled, split, and flattened, and also of split buffalo horn, fitted +and sewn together with sinew, making a flaring, saucer-shaped dish. These +were used as plates or eating dishes. Of course, they leaked a little, for +the joints were not tight. Wooden bowls and dishes were made from knots and +protuberances of trees, dug out and smoothed by fire and the knife or by +the latter alone. + +It is not known that these people ever made spears, hooks, or other +implements for capturing fish. They appear never to have used boats of any +kind, not even "bull boats." Their highest idea of navigation was to lash +together a few sticks or logs, on which to transport their possessions +across a river. + +Red, brown, yellow, and white paints were made by burning clays of these +colors, which were then pulverized and mixed with a little grease. Black +paint was made of charred wood. + +Bags and sacks were made of parfleche, usually ornamented with buckskin +fringe, and painted with various designs in bright colors. Figures having +sharp angles are most common. + +The diet of the Blackfeet was more varied than one would think. Large +quantities of sarvis berries (_Amelanchier alnifolia_) were gathered +whenever there was a crop (which occurs every other year), dried, and +stored for future use. These were gathered by women, who collected the +branches laden with ripe fruit, and beat them over a robe spread upon the +ground. Choke-cherries were also gathered when ripe, and pounded up, stones +and all. A bushel of the fruit, after being pounded up and dried, was +reduced to a very small quantity. This food was sometimes eaten by itself, +but more often was used to flavor soups and to mix with pemmican. Bull +berries (_Shepherdia argentea_) were a favorite fruit, and were gathered in +large quantities, as was also the white berry of the red willow. This last +is an exceedingly bitter, acrid fruit, and to the taste of most white men +wholly unpleasant and repugnant. The Blackfeet, however, are very fond of +it; perhaps because it contains some property necessary to the nourishment +of the body, which is lacking in their every-day food. + +The camas root, which grows abundantly in certain localities on the east +slope of the Rockies, was also dug, cooked, and dried. The bulbs were +roasted in pits, as by the Indians on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, +the Kalispels, and others. It is gathered while in the bloom--June 15 to +July 15. A large pit is dug in which a hot fire is built, the bottom being +first lined with flat stones. After keeping up this fire for several hours, +until the stones and earth are thoroughly heated, the coals and ashes are +removed. The pit is then lined with grass, and is filled almost to the top +with camas bulbs. Over these, grass is laid, then twigs, and then earth to +a depth of four inches. On this a fire is built, which is kept up for from +one to three days, according to the quantity of the bulbs in the pit. + +When the pit is opened, the small children gather about it to suck the +syrup, which has collected on the twigs and grass, and which is very +sweet. The fresh-roasted camas tastes something like a roasted chestnut, +with a little of the flavor of the sweet potato. After being cooked, the +roots are spread out in the sun to dry, and are then put in sacks to be +stored away. Sometimes a few are pounded up with sarvis berries, and dried. + +Bitter-root is gathered, dried, and boiled with a little sugar. It is a +slender root, an inch or two long and as thick as a goose quill, white in +color, and looking like short lengths of spaghetti. It is very starchy. + +In the spring, a certain root called _mats_ was eaten in great +quantities. This plant was known to the early French employees of the +Hudson's Bay and American Fur Companies as _pomme blanche (Psoralea +esculenta)_. + +All parts of such animals as the buffalo, elk, deer, etc., were eaten, save +only the lungs, gall, and one or two other organs. A favorite way of eating +the paunch or stomach was in the raw state. Liver, too, was sometimes eaten +raw. The unborn calf of a fresh-killed animal, especially buffalo, was +considered a great delicacy. The meat of this, when boiled, is white, +tasteless, and insipid. The small intestines of the buffalo were sometimes +dried, but more often were stuffed with long, thin strips of meat. During +the stuffing process, the entrail was turned inside out, thus confining +with the meat the sweet white fat that covers the intestine. The next step +was to roast it a little, after which the ends were tied to prevent the +escape of the juices, and it was thoroughly boiled in water. This is a very +great delicacy, and when properly prepared is equally appreciated by whites +and Indians. + +As a rule, there were but two ways of cooking meat,--boiling and +roasting. If roasted, it was thoroughly cooked; but if boiled, it was only +left in the water long enough to lose the red color, say five or ten +minutes. Before they got kettles from the whites, the Blackfeet often +boiled meat in a green hide. A hole was dug in the ground, and the skin, +flesh side up, was laid in it, being supported about the edges of the hole +by pegs. The meat and water having been placed in this hollow, red-hot +stones were dropped in the water until it became hot and the meat was +cooked. + +In time of plenty, great quantities of dried meat were prepared for use +when fresh meat could not be obtained. In making dried meat, the thicker +parts of an animal were cut in large, thin sheets and hung in the sun to +dry. If the weather was not fine, the meat was often hung up on lines or +scaffolds in the upper part of the lodge. When properly cured and if of +good quality, the sheets were about one-fourth of an inch thick and very +brittle. The back fat of the buffalo was also dried, and eaten with the +meat as we eat butter with bread. Pemmican was made of the flesh of the +buffalo. The meat was dried in the usual way; and, for this use, only lean +meat, such as the hams, loin, and shoulders, was chosen. When the time came +for making the pemmican, two large fires were built of dry quaking aspen +wood, and these were allowed to burn down to red coals. The old women +brought the dried meat to these fires, and the sheets of meat were thrown +on the coals of one of them, allowed to heat through, turned to keep them +from burning, and then thrown on the flesh side of a dry hide, that lay on +the ground near by. After a time, the roasting of this dried meat caused a +smoke to rise from the fire in use, which gave the meat a bitter taste, if +cooked in it. They then turned to the other fire, and used that until the +first one had burned clear again. After enough of the roasted meat had been +thrown on the hide, it was flailed out with sticks, and being very brittle +was easily broken up, and made small. It was constantly stirred and pounded +until it was all fine. Meantime, the tallow of the buffalo had been melted +in a large kettle, and the pemmican bags prepared. These were made of +bull's hide, and were in two pieces, cut oblong, and with the corners +rounded off. Two such pieces sewed together made a bag which would hold one +hundred pounds. The pounded meat and tallow--the latter just beginning to +cool--were put in a trough made of bull's hide, a wooden spade being used +to stir the mixture. After it was thoroughly mixed, it was shovelled into +one of the sacks, held open, and rammed down and packed tight with a big +stick, every effort being made to expel all the air. When the bag was full +and packed as tight as possible, it was sewn up. It was then put on the +ground, and the women jumped on it to make it still more tight and +solid. It was then laid away in the sun to cool and dry. It usually took +the meat of two cows to make a bag of one hundred pounds; a very large bull +might make a sack of from eighty to one hundred pounds. + +A much finer grade of pemmican was made from the choicest parts of the +buffalo with marrow fat. To this dried berries and pounded choke-cherries +were added, making a delicious food, which was extremely +nutritious. Pemmican was eaten either dry as it came from the sack, or +stewed with water. + +In the spring, the people had great feasts of the eggs of ducks and other +water-fowl. A large quantity having been gathered, a hole was dug in the +ground, and a little water put in it. At short intervals above the water, +platforms of sticks were built, on which the eggs were laid. A smaller hole +was dug at one side of the large hole, slanting into the bottom of it. When +all was ready, the top of the larger hole was covered with mud, laid upon +cross sticks, and red-hot stones were dropped into the slant, when they +rolled down into the water, heating it, and so cooking the eggs by steam. + +Fish were seldom eaten by these people in early days, but now they seem +very fond of them. Turtles, frogs, and lizards are considered creatures of +evil, and are never eaten. Dogs, considered a great delicacy by the Crees, +Gros Ventres, Sioux, Assinaboines, and other surrounding tribes, were never +eaten by the Blackfeet. No religious motive is assigned for this +abstinence. I once heard a Piegan say that it was wrong to eat dogs. "They +are our true friends," he said. "Men say they are our friends and then turn +against us, but our dogs are always true. They mourn when we are absent, +and are always glad when we return. They keep watch for us in the night +when we sleep. So pity the poor dogs." + +Snakes, grasshoppers, worms, and other insects were never eaten. Salt was +an unknown condiment. Many are now very fond of it, but I know a number, +especially old people, who never eat it. + + + +SOCIAL ORGANIZATION + + +The social organization of the Blackfeet is very simple. The three tribes +acknowledged a blood relationship with each other, and, while distinct, +still considered themselves a nation. In this confederation, it was +understood that there should be no war against each other. However, between +1860 and 1870, when the whiskey trade was in its height, the three tribes +were several times at swords' points on account of drunken brawls. Once, +about sixty or seventy years ago, the Bloods and Piegans had a quarrel so +serious that men were killed on both sides and horses stolen; yet this was +hardly a real war, for only a part of each tribe was involved, and the +trouble was not of long duration. + +Each one of the Blackfoot tribes is subdivided into gentes, a gens being a +body of consanguineal kindred in the male line. It is noteworthy that the +Blackfeet, although Algonquins, have this system of subdivision, and it may +be that among them the gentes are of comparatively recent date. No special +duties are assigned to any one gens, nor has any gens, so far as I know, +any special "medicine" or "totem." + +Below is a list of the gentes of each tribe. + + + BLACKFEET _(Sik'-si-kau)_ + +Gentes: + +_Puh-ksi-nah'-mah-yiks_ Flat Bows. + +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ Many Medicines. + +_Siks-in'-o-kaks_ Black Elks. + +_E'-mi-tah-pahk-sai-yiks_ Dogs Naked. + +_Sa'-yiks_ Liars. + +_Ai-sik'-stuk-iks_ Biters. + +_Tsin-ik-tsis'-tso-yiks_ Early Finished Eating. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + + +BLOODS (_Kai'-nah_) + +_Siksin'-o-kaks_ Black Elks. + +_Ah-kwo'-nis-tsists_ Many Lodge Poles. + +_Ap-ut'-o-si'kai-nah_ North Bloods. + +_Is-ts'-kai-nah_ Woods Bloods. + +_In-uhk!-so-yi-stam-iks_ Long Tail Lodge Poles. + +_Nit'-ik-skiks_ Lone Fighters. + +_Siks-ah'-pun-iks_ Blackblood. + +_Ah-kaik'-sum-iks_ + +_I-sis'-o-kas-im-iks_ Hair Shirts. + +_Ak-kai'-po-kaks_ Many Children. + +_Sak-si-nah'-mah-yiks_ Short Bows. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + +_Ahk-o'-tash-iks_ Many Horses. + + +PIEGANS _(Pi-kun'-i)_ + +_Ah'-pai-tup-iks_ Blood People. + +_Ah-kai-yi-ko-ka'-kin-iks_ White Breasts. + +_Ki'yis_ Dried Meat. + +_Sik-ut'-si-pum-aiks_ Black Patched Moccasins. + +_Sik-o-pok'-si-maiks_ Blackfat Roasters. + +_Tsin-ik-sis'-tso-yiks_ Early Finished Eating. + +_Kut'-ai-im-iks_ They Don't Laugh. + +_I'-pok-si-maiks_ Fat Roasters. + +_Sik'-o-kit-sim-iks_ Black Doors. + +_Ni-taw'-yiks_ Lone Eaters. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + +_Mi-ah-wah'-pit-siks_ Seldom Lonesome. + +_Nit'-ak-os-kit-si-pup-iks_ Obstinate. + +_Nit'-ik-skiks_ Lone Fighters. + +_I-nuks'-iks_ Small Robes. + +_Mi-aw'-kin-ai-yiks_ Big Topknots. + +_Esk'-sin-ai-tup-iks_ Worm People. + +_I-nuk-si'-kah-ko-pwa-iks_ Small Brittle Fat. + +_Kah'-mi-taiks_ Buffalo Dung. + +_Kut-ai-sot'-si-man_ No Parfleche. + +_Ni-tot'-si-ksis-stan-iks_ Kill Close By. + +_Mo-twai'-naiks_ All Chiefs. + +_Mo-kum'-iks_ Red Round Robes. + +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ Many Medicines. + + +It will be readily seen from the translations of the above that each gens +takes its name from some peculiarity or habit it is supposed to possess. It +will also be noticed that each tribe has a few gentes common to one or both +of the other tribes. This is caused by persons leaving their own tribe to +live with another one, but, instead of uniting with some gens of the +adopted tribe, they have preserved the name of their ancestral gens for +themselves and their descendants. + +The Blackfoot terms of relationship will be found interesting. The +principal family names are as follows:-- + + +My father _Ni'-nah._ + +My mother _Ni-kis'-ta._ + +My elder brother _Nis'-ah_ + +My younger brother _Nis-kun'._ + +My older sister _Nin'-sta._ + +My younger sister _Ni-sis'-ah._ + +My uncle _Nis'-ah._ + +My aunt _Ni-kis'-ta._ + +My cousin, male Same as brother. + +My cousin, female Same as sister. + +My grandfather _Na-ahks'._ + +My grandmother _Na-ahks'._ + +My father-in-law _Na-ahks'._ + +My mother-in-law _Na-ahks'._ + +My son _No-ko'-i._ + +My daughter _Ni-tun'._ + +My son-in-law _Nis'-ah._ + +My daughter-in-law _Ni-tot'-o-ke-man._ + +My brother-in-law older than self _Nis-tum-o'._ + +My brother-in-law younger than self _Nis-tum-o'-kun._ + +My sister-in-law _Ni-tot'-o-ke-man._ + +My second cousin _Nimp'-sa._ + +My wife _Nit-o-ke'-man._ + +My husband _No'-ma._ + + +As the members of a gens were all considered as relatives, however remote, +there was a law prohibiting a man from marrying within his gens. Originally +this law was strictly enforced, but like many of the ancient customs it is +no longer observed. Lately, within the last forty or fifty years, it has +become not uncommon for a man and his family, or even two or three +families, on account of some quarrel or some personal dislike of the chief +of their own gens, to leave it and join another band. Thus the gentes often +received outsiders, who were not related by blood to the gens; and such +people or their descendants could marry within the gens. Ancestry became no +longer necessary to membership. + +As a rule, before a young man could marry, he was required to have made +some successful expeditions to war against the enemy, thereby proving +himself a brave man, and at the same time acquiring a number of horses and +other property, which would enable him to buy the woman of his choice, and +afterwards to support her. + +Marriages usually took place at the instance of the parents, though often +those of the young man were prompted by him. Sometimes the father of the +girl, if he desired to have a particular man for a son-in-law, would +propose to the father of the latter for the young man as a husband for his +daughter. + +The marriage in the old days was arranged after this wise: The chief of one +of the bands may have a marriageable daughter, and he may know of a young +man, the son of a chief of another band, who is a brave warrior, of good +character, sober-minded, steadfast, and trustworthy, who he thinks will +make a good husband for his daughter and a good son-in-law. After he has +made up his mind about this, he is very likely to call in a few of his +close relations, the principal men among them, and state to them his +conclusions, so as to get their opinions about it. If nothing is said to +change his mind, he sends to the father of the boy a messenger to state his +own views, and ask how the father feels about the matter. + +On receiving this word, the boy's father probably calls together his close +relations, discusses the matter with them, and, if the match is +satisfactory to him, sends back word to that effect. When this message is +received, the relations of the girl proceed to fit her out with the very +best that they can provide. If she is the daughter of well-to-do or wealthy +people, she already has many of the things that are needed, but what she +may lack is soon supplied. Her mother makes her a new cowskin lodge, +complete, with new lodge poles, lining, and back rests. A chiefs daughter +would already have plenty of good clothing, but if the girl lacks anything, +it is furnished. Her dress is made of antelope skin, white as snow, and +perhaps ornamented with two or three hundred elk tushes. Her leggings are +of deer skin, heavily beaded and nicely fringed, and often adorned with +bells and brass buttons. Her summer blanket or sheet is an elk skin, well +tanned, without the hair and with the dew-claws left on. Her moccasins are +of deer skin, with parfleche soles and worked with porcupine quills. The +marriage takes place as soon as these things can be provided. + +During the days which intervene between the proposal and the marriage, the +young woman each day selects the choicest parts of the meat brought to the +lodge,--the tongue, "boss ribs," some choice berry pemmican or what +not,--cooks these things in the best style, and, either alone, or in +company with a young sister, or a young friend, goes over to the lodge +where the young man lives, and places the food before him. He eats some of +it, little or much, and if he leaves anything, the girl offers it to his +mother, who may eat of it. Then the girl takes the dishes and returns to +her father's lodge. In this way she provides him with three meals a day, +morning, noon, and night, until the marriage takes place. Every one in camp +who sees the girl carrying the food in a covered dish to the young man's +lodge, knows that a marriage is to take place; and the girl is watched by +idle persons as she passes to and fro, so that the task is quite a trying +one for people as shy and bashful as Indians are. When the time for the +marriage has come,--in other words, when the girl's parents are ready,--the +girl, her mother assisting her, packs the new lodge and her own things on +the horses, and moves out into the middle of the circle--about which all +the lodges of the tribe are arranged--and there the new lodge is unpacked +and set up. In front of the lodge are tied, let us say, fifteen horses, the +girl's dowry given by her father. Very likely, too, the father has sent +over to the young man his own war clothing and arms, a lance, a fine +shield, a bow and arrows in otter-skin case, his war bonnet, war shirt, and +war leggings ornamented with scalps,--his complete equipment. This is set +up on a tripod in front of the lodge. The gift of these things is an +evidence of the great respect felt by the girl's father for his +son-in-law. As soon as the young man has seen the preparations being made +for setting up the girl's lodge in the centre of the circle, he sends over +to his father-in-law's lodge just twice the number of horses that the girl +brought with her,--in this supposed case, thirty. + +As soon as this lodge is set up, and the girl's mother has taken her +departure and gone back to her own lodge, the young man, who, until he saw +these preparations, had no knowledge of when the marriage was to take +place, leaves his father's lodge, and, going over to the newly erected one, +enters and takes his place at the back of it. Probably during the day he +will order his wife to take down the lodge, and either move away from the +camp, or at least move into the circle of lodges; for he will not want to +remain with his young wife in the most conspicuous place in the camp. +Often, on the same day, he will send for six or eight of his friends, and, +after feasting them, will announce his intention of going to war, and will +start off the same night. If he does so, and is successful, returning with +horses or scalps, or both, he at once, on arrival at the camp, proceeds to +his father-in-law's lodge and leaves there everything he has brought back, +returning to his own lodge on foot, as poor as he left it. + +We have supposed the proposal in this case to come from the father of the +girl, but if a boy desires a particular girl for his wife, the proposal +will come from his father; otherwise matters are managed in the same way. + +This ceremony of moving into the middle of the circle was only performed in +the case of important people. The custom was observed in what might be +called a fashionable wedding among the Blackfeet. Poorer, less important +people married more quietly. If the girl had reached marriageable age +without having been asked for as a wife, she might tell her mother that she +would like to marry a certain young man, that he was a man she could love +and respect. The mother communicates this to the father of the girl, who +invites the young man to the lodge to a feast, and proposes the match. The +young man returns no answer at the time, but, going back to his father's +lodge, tells him of the offer, and expresses his feelings about it. If he +is inclined to accept, the relations are summoned, and the matter talked +over. A favorable answer being returned, a certain number of horses--what +the young man or his father, or both together, can spare--are sent over to +the girl's father. They send as many as they can, for the more they send, +the more they are thought of and looked up to. The girl, unless her parents +are very poor, has her outfit, a saddle horse and pack horse with saddle +and pack saddle, parfleches, etc. If the people are very poor, she may +have only a riding horse. Her relations get together, and do all in their +power to give her a good fitting out, and the father, if he can possibly do +so, is sure to pay them back what they have given. If he cannot do so, the +things are still presented; for, in the case of a marriage, the relations +on both sides are anxious to do all that they can to give the young people +a good start in life. When all is ready, the girl goes to the lodge where +her husband lives, and goes in. If this lodge is too crowded to receive the +couple, the young man will make arrangements for space in the lodge of a +brother, cousin, or uncle, where there is more room. These are all his +close relations, and he is welcome in any of their lodges, and has rights +there. + +Sometimes, if two young people are fond of each other, and there is no +prospect of their being married, they may take riding horses and a pack +horse, and elope at night, going to some other camp for a while. This makes +the girl's father angry, for he feels that he has been defrauded of his +payments. The young man knows that his father-in-law bears him a grudge, +and if he afterwards goes to war and is successful, returning with six or +seven horses, he will send them all to the camp where his father-in-law +lives, to be tied in front of his lodge. This at once heals the breach, and +the couple may return. Even if he has not been successful in war and +brought horses, which of course he does not always accomplish, he from time +to time sends the old man a present, the best he can. Notwithstanding these +efforts at conciliation, the parents feel very bitterly against him. The +girl has been stolen. The union is no marriage at all. The old people are +ashamed and disgraced for their daughter. Until the father has been +pacified by satisfactory payments, there is no marriage. Moreover, unless +the young man had made a payment, or at least had endeavored to do so, he +would be little thought of among his fellows, and looked down on as a poor +creature without any sense of honor. + +The Blackfeet take as many wives as they wish; but these ceremonies are +only carried out in the case of the first wife, the "sits-beside-him" +woman. In the case of subsequent marriages, if the man had proved a good, +kind husband to his first wife, other men, who thought a good deal of their +daughters, might propose to give them to him, so that they would be well +treated. The man sent over the horses to the new father-in-law's lodge, and +the girl returned to his, bringing her things with her. Or if the man saw a +girl he liked, he would propose for her to her father. + +Among the Blackfeet, there was apparently no form of courtship, such as +prevails among our southern Indians. Young men seldom spoke to young girls +who were not relations, and the girls were carefully guarded. They never +went out of the lodge after dark, and never went out during the day, except +with the mother or some other old woman. The girl, therefore, had very +little choice in the selection of a husband. If a girl was told she must +marry a certain man, she had to obey. She might cry, but her father's will +was law, and she might be beaten or even killed by him, if she did not do +as she was ordered. As a consequence of this severity, suicide was quite +common among the Blackfoot girls. A girl ordered to marry a man whom she +did not like would often watch her chance, and go out in the brush and hang +herself. The girl who could not marry the man she wanted to was likely to +do the same thing. + +The man had absolute power over his wife. Her life was in his hands, and if +he had made a payment for her, he could do with her about as he pleased. On +the whole, however, women who behaved themselves were well treated and +received a good deal of consideration. Those who were light-headed, or +foolish, or obstinate and stubborn were sometimes badly beaten. Those who +were unfaithful to their husbands usually had their noses or ears, or both, +cut off for the first offence, and were killed either by the husband or +some relation, or by the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ for the second. Many of the +doctors of the highest reputation in the tribe were women. It is a common +belief among some of those who have investigated the subject that the wife +in Indian marriage was actually purchased, and became the absolute property +of her husband. Though I have a great respect for some of the opinions +which have been expressed on this subject, I am obliged to take an entirely +different view of the matter. I have talked this subject over many times +with young men and old men of a number of tribes, and I cannot learn from +them, or in any other way, that in primitive times the woman was purchased +from her father. The husband did not have property rights in his wife. She +was not a chattel that he could trade away. He had all personal rights, +could beat his wife, or, for cause, kill her, but he could not sell her to +another man. + +All the younger sisters of a man's wife were regarded as his potential +wives. If he was not disposed to marry them, they could not be disposed of +to any other man without his consent. + +Not infrequently, a man having a marriageable daughter formally gave her to +some young man who had proved himself brave in war, successful in taking +horses, and, above all, of a generous disposition. This was most often done +by men who had no sons to support them in their old age. + +It is said that in the old days, before they had horses, young men did not +expect to marry until they had almost reached middle life,--from +thirty-five to forty years of age. This statement is made by Wolf Calf, +who is now very old, almost one hundred years, he believes, and can +remember back nearly or quite to the time when the Blackfeet obtained their +first horses. In those days, young women did not marry until they were +grown up, while of late years fathers not infrequently sell their daughters +as wives when they are only children. + +The first woman a man marries is called his sits-beside-him wife. She is +invested with authority over all the other wives, and does little except to +direct the others in their work, and look after the comfort of her +husband. Her place in the lodge is on his right-hand side, while the others +have their places or seats near the door-way. This wife is even allowed at +informal gatherings to take a whiff at the pipe, as it is passed around the +circle, and to participate in the conversation. + +In the old days, it was a very poor man who did not have three wives. Many +had six, eight, and some more than a dozen. I have heard of one who had +sixteen. In those times, provided a man had a good-sized band of horses, +the more wives he had, the richer he was. He could always find young men to +hunt for him, if he furnished the mounts, and, of course, the more wives he +had, the more robes and furs they would tan for him. + +If, for any cause, a man wished to divorce himself from a woman, he had but +to send her back to her parents and demand the price paid for her, and the +matter was accomplished. The woman was then free to marry again, provided +her parents were willing. + +When a man dies, his wives become the potential wives of his oldest +brother. Unless, during his life, he has given them outright horses and +other property, at his death they are entitled to none of his +possessions. If he has sons, the property is divided among them, except a +few horses, which are given to his brothers. If he has no sons, all the +property goes to his brothers, and if there are no brothers, it goes to the +nearest male relatives on the father's side. + +The Blackfeet cannot be said to have been slave-holders. It is true that +the Crees call the Blackfeet women "Little Slaves." But this, as elsewhere +suggested, may refer to the region whence they originally came, though it +is often explained that it is on account of the manner in which the +Blackfeet treat their women, killing them or mutilating their features for +adultery and other serious offences. Although a woman, all her life, was +subject to some one's orders, either parent, relative, or husband, a man +from his earliest childhood was free and independent. His father would not +punish him for any misconduct, his mother dared not. At an early age he was +taught to ride and shoot, and horses were given to him. By the time he was +twelve, he had probably been on a war expedition or two. As a rule in +later times, young men married when they were seventeen or eighteen years +of age; and often they resided for several years with their fathers, until +the family became so large that there was not room for them all in the +lodge. + +There were always in the camp a number of boys, orphans, who became the +servants of wealthy men for a consideration; that is, they looked after +their patron's horses and hunted, and in return they were provided with +suitable food and clothing. + +Among the Blackfeet, all men were free and equal, and office was not +hereditary. Formerly each gens was governed by a chief, who was entitled to +his office by virtue of his bravery and generosity. The head chief was +chosen by the chiefs of the gentes from their own number, and was usually +the one who could show the best record in war, as proved at the Medicine +Lodge,[1] at which time he was elected; and for the ensuing year he was +invested with the supreme power. But no matter how brave a man might have +been, or how successful in war, he could not hope to be the chief either of +a gens or of the tribe, unless he was kind-hearted, and willing to share +his prosperity with the poor. For this reason, a chief was never a wealthy +man, for what he acquired with one hand he gave away with the other. It was +he who decided when the people should move camp, and where they should +go. But in this, as in all other important affairs, he generally asked the +advice of the minor chiefs. + +[Footnote 1: See chapter on Religion.] + +The _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ (All Comrades) were directly under the authority of +the head chief, and when any one was to be punished, or anything else was +to be done which came within their province as the tribal police, it was he +who issued the orders. The following were the crimes which the Blackfeet +considered sufficiently serious to merit punishment, and the penalties +which attached to them. + +Murder: A life for a life, or a heavy payment by the murderer or his +relatives at the option of the murdered man's relatives. This payment was +often so heavy as absolutely to strip the murderer of all property. + +Theft: Simply the restoration of the property. + +Adultery: For the first offence the husband generally cut off the offending +wife's nose or ears; for the second offence she was killed by the All +Comrades. Often the woman, if her husband complained of her, would be +killed by her brothers or first cousins, and this was more usual than death +at the hands of the All Comrades. However, the husband could have her put +to death for the first offence, if he chose. + +Treachery (that is, when a member of the tribe went over to the enemy or +gave them any aid whatever): Death at sight. + +Cowardice: A man who would not fight was obliged to wear woman's dress, and +was not allowed to marry. + +If a man left camp to hunt buffalo by himself, thereby driving away the +game, the All Comrades were sent after him, and not only brought him back +by main force, but often whipped him, tore his lodge to shreds, broke his +travois, and often took away his store of dried meat, pemmican, and other +food. + +The tradition of the origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ has elsewhere been +given. This association of the All Comrades consisted of a dozen or more +secret societies, graded according to age, the whole constituting an +association which was in part benevolent and helpful, and in part military, +but whose main function was to punish offences against society at large. All +these societies were really law and order associations. The +M[)u]t'-s[)i]ks, or Braves, was the chief society, but the others helped +the Braves. + +A number of the societies which made up the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ have been +abandoned in recent years, but several of them still exist. Among the +Pi-kun'-i, the list--so far as I have it--is as follows, the societies +being named in order from those of boyhood to old age:-- + +SOCIETIES OF THE ALL COMRADES + +_Ts[)i]-st[=i]ks'_, Little Birds, includes boys from + 15 to 20 years old. + +_K[)u]k-k[=u][=i]cks'_, Pigeons, men who have been to war + several times. + +_T[)u]is-k[)i]s-t[=i]ks_, Mosquitoes, men who are constantly + going to war + +_M[)u]t'-s[)i]ks_, Braves, tried warriors. + +_Kn[)a]ts-o-mi'-ta_, All Crazy Dogs, about forty years old. + +_Ma-stoh'-pa-ta-k[=i]ks_ Raven Bearers. + +_E'-mi-taks_, Dogs, old men. + Dogs and Tails are + different societies, +_Is'-sui_, Tails, but they dress alike + and dance together + and alike. + +_[)E]ts-[=a]i'-nah_, Horns, Bloods, obsolete among the + Piegans, +_Sin'-o-pah_, Kit-foxes, Piegans, but still exists + with Bloods. + +_[)E]-[)i]n'-a-ke_, Catchers or Soldiers, obsolete for 25-30 years, + perhaps longer. + +_St[)u]'m[=i]ks_, Bulls, obsolete for 50 years. + + +There may be other societies of the All Comrades, but these are the only +ones that I know of at present. The M[=u]t'-s[)i]ks, Braves, and the +Knats-o-mi'-ta, All Crazy Dogs, still exist, but many of the others are +being forgotten. Since the necessity for their existence has passed, they +are no longer kept up. They were a part of the old wild life, and when the +buffalo disappeared, and the Blackfeet came to live about an agency, and to +try to work for a subsistence, the societies soon lost their importance. +The societies known as Little Birds, Mosquitoes, and Doves are not really +bands of the All Comrades, but are societies among the boys and young men +in imitation of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, but of comparatively recent +origin. Men not more than fifty years old can remember when these societies +came into existence. Of all the societies of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi,_ the +Sin'-o-pah, or Kit-fox band, has the strongest medicine. This corresponds +to the Horns society among the Bloods. They are the same band with +different names. They have certain peculiar secret and sacred ceremonies, +not to be described here. + +The society of the Stum'-[=i]ks, or Bulls, became obsolete more than fifty +years ago. Their dress was very fine,--bulls' heads and robes. + +The members of the younger society purchased individually, from the next +older one, its rights and privileges, paying horses for them. For example, +each member of the Mosquitoes would purchase from some member of the Braves +his right of membership in the latter society. The man who has sold his +rights is then a member of no society, and if he wishes to belong to one, +must buy into the one next higher. Each of these societies kept some old +men as members, and these old men acted as messengers, orators, and so on. + +The change of membership from one society to another was made in the +spring, after the grass had started. Two, three, or more lodge coverings +were stretched over poles, making one very large lodge, and in this the +ceremonies accompanying the changes took place. + +In later times, the Braves were the most important and best known of any of +the All Comrades societies. The members of this band were soldiers or +police. They were the constables of the camp, and it was their duty to +preserve order, and to punish offenders. Sometimes young men would skylark +in camp at night, making a great noise when people wanted to sleep, and +would play rough practical jokes, that were not at all relished by those +who suffered from them. One of the forms which their high spirits took was +to lead and push a young colt up to the door of a lodge, after people were +asleep, and then, lifting the door, to shove the animal inside and close +the door again. Of course the colt, in its efforts to get out to its +mother, would run round and round the lodge, trampling over the sleepers +and roughly awakening them, knocking things down and creating the utmost +confusion, while the mare would be whinnying outside the lodge, and the +people within, bewildered and confused, did not know what the disturbance +was all about. + +The Braves would punish the young men who did such things,--if they could +catch them,--tearing up their blankets, taking away their property, and +sometimes whipping them severely. They were the peace officers of the camp, +like the _lari p[=u]k'[=u]s_ among the Pawnees. + +Among the property of the Brave society were two stone-pointed arrows, one +"shield you don't sit down with," and one rattle. The man who carried this +rattle was known as Brave Dog, and if it passed from one member of the +society to another, the new owner became known as Brave Dog. The man who +received the shield could not sit down for the next four days and four +nights, but for all that time was obliged to run about the camp, or over +the prairie, whistling like a rabbit. + +The societies known as Soldiers and Bulls had passed out of existence +before the time of men now of middle age. The pipe of the Soldier society +is still in existence, in the hands of Double Runner. The bull's head war +bonnet, which was the insignia of the Bulls society, was formerly in the +possession of Young Bear Chief, at present chief of the Don't Laugh band of +the Piegans. He gave it to White Calf, who presented it to a recent agent. + +In the old days, and, indeed, down to the time of the disappearance of the +buffalo, the camp was always arranged in the form of a circle, the lodges +standing at intervals around the circumference, and in the wide inner space +there was another circle of lodges occupied by the chief of certain bands +of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_. When all the gentes of the tribe were present, +each had its special position in the circle, and always occupied it. The +lodge of the chief of the gens stood just within the circle, and about it +his people camped. The order indicated in the accompanying diagram +represents the Piegan camp as it used to stand thirty-five or forty years +ago. A number of the gentes are now extinct, and it is not altogether +certain just what the position of those should be; for while all the older +men agree on the position to be assigned to certain of the gentes, there +are others about which there are differences of opinion or much +uncertainty. It is stated that the gentes known as Seldom Lonesome, Dried +Meat, and No Parfleche belong to that section of the tribe known as North +Piegans, which, at the time of the first treaty, separated from the +Pi-kun'-i, and elected to live under British rule. + +The lodges of the chiefs of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ which were within the +circle served as lounging and eating places for such members of the bands +as were on duty, and were council lodges or places for idling, as the +occasion demanded. + +When the camp moved, the Blood gens moved first and was followed by the +White Breast gens, and so on around the circle to number 24. On camping, +the Bloods camped first, and the others after them in the order indicated, +number 24 camping last and closing up the circle. DIAGRAM OF OLD-TIME +PIEGAN CAMP, SAY 1850 TO 1855. TWENTY-FOUR LODGES OF CHIEFS OF THE GENTES +ABOUT THE OUTER CIRCLE. + +The inner circle shows lodges of chiefs of certain bands of the +_I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi._ + +[Illustration] + +GENTES OF THE PI-KUN'-I + + 1. Blood People. + 2. White Breasts. + 3. Dried Meat. + 4. Black Patched Moccasins. + 5. Black Fat Roasters. + 6. Early Finished Eating. + 7. Don't Laugh. + 8. Fat Roasters. + 9. Black Doors. +10. Lone Eaters. +11. Skunks. +12. Seldom Lonesome. +13. Obstinate. +14. Lone Fighters. +15. Small Robes. +16. Big Topknots. +17. Worm People. +18. Small Brittle Fat. +19. Buffalo Dung. +20. No Parfleche. +21. Kill Close Bye +22. All Chiefs. +23. Red Round Robes. +24. Many Medicines. + + +BANDS OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI + +a. All Crazy Dogs. +b. Dogs. +c. Tails. +d. Kit-foxes. +e. Raven Bearers. +f. Braves. +g. Mosquitoes. +h. Soldiers. +i. Doves. + + + +HUNTING + + +The Blackfoot country probably contained more game and in greater variety +than any other part of the continent. Theirs was a land whose physical +characteristics presented sharp contrasts. There were far-stretching grassy +prairies, affording rich pasturage for the buffalo and the antelope; rough +breaks and bad lands for the climbing mountain sheep; wooded buttes, loved +by the mule deer; timbered river bottoms, where the white-tailed deer and +the elk could browse and hide; narrow, swampy valleys for the moose; and +snow-patched, glittering pinnacles of rock, over which the sure-footed +white goat took his deliberate way. The climate varied from arid to humid; +the game of the prairie, the timber, and the rocks, found places suited to +their habits. Fur-bearing animals abounded. Noisy hordes of wild fowl +passed north and south in their migrations, and many stopped here to breed. + +The Blackfoot country is especially favored by the warm chinook winds, +which insure mild winters with but little snow; and although on the plains +there is usually little rain in summer, the short prairie grasses are sweet +and rich. All over this vast domain, the buffalo were found in countless +herds. Elk, deer, antelope, mountain sheep, and bear without number were +there. In those days, sheep were to be found on every ridge, and along the +rough bad lands far from the mountains. Now, except a few in the "breaks" +of the Missouri, they occur only on the highest and most inaccessible +mountains, along with the white goats, which, although pre-eminently +mountain animals, were in early days sometimes found far out on the +prairie. + + + +BUFFALO + +The Blackfeet were a race of meat-eaters, and, while they killed large +quantities of other game, they still depended for subsistence on the +buffalo. This animal provided them with almost all that they needed in the +way of food, clothing, and shelter, and when they had an abundance of the +buffalo they lived in comfort. + +Almost every part of the beast was utilized. The skin, dressed with the +hair on, protected them from the winter's cold; freed from the hair, it was +used for a summer sheet or blanket, for moccasins, leggings, shirts, and +women's dresses. The tanned cowskins made their lodges, the warmest and +most comfortable portable shelters ever devised. From the rawhide, the hair +having been shaved off, were made parfleches, or trunks, in which to pack +small articles. The tough, thick hide of the bull's neck, spread out and +allowed to shrink smooth, made a shield for war which would stop an arrow, +and turn a lance thrust or the ball from an old-fashioned, smooth-bore +gun. The green hide served as a kettle, in which to boil meat. The skin of +the hind leg, cut off above the pastern and again some distance above the +hock, was sometimes used as a moccasin or boot, the lower opening being +sewed up for the toe. A variety of small articles, such as cradles, gun +covers, whips, mittens, quivers, bow cases, knife-sheaths, etc., were made +from the hide. Braided strands of hide furnished them with ropes and +lines. The hair was used to stuff cushions and, later, saddles, and parts +of the long black flowing beard to ornament wearing apparel and implements +of war, such as shields and quivers. The horns gave them spoons and +ladles--sometimes used as small dishes--and ornamented their war +bonnets. From the hoofs they made a glue, which they used in fastening the +heads and feathers on their arrows, and the sinew backs on their bows. The +sinews which lie along the back and on the belly were used as thread and +string, and as backing for bows to give them elasticity and strength. From +the ribs were made scrapers used in dressing hides, and runners for small +sledges drawn by dogs; and they were employed by the children in coasting +down hill on snow or ice. The shoulder-blades, lashed to a wooden handle, +formed axes, hoes, and fleshers. From the cannon bones (metatarsals and +metacarpals) were made scrapers for dressing hides. The skin of the tail, +fitted on a stick, was used as a fly brush. These are but a few of the uses +to which the product of the buffalo was put. As has been said, almost every +part of the flesh was eaten. + +Now it must be remembered that in early days the hunting weapons of this +people consisted only of stone-pointed arrows, and with such armament the +capture of game of the larger sorts must have been a matter of some +uncertainty. To drive a rude stone-headed arrow through the tough hide and +into the vitals of the buffalo, could not have been--even under the most +favorable circumstances--other than a difficult matter; and although we may +assume that, in those days, it was easy to steal up to within a few yards +of the unsuspicious animals, we can readily conceive that many arrows must +have been shot without effect, for one that brought down the game. + +Certain ingenious methods were therefore devised to insure the taking of +game in large numbers at one time. This was especially the case with the +buffalo, which were the food and raiment of the people. One of these +contrivances was called pis'kun, deep-kettle; or, since the termination of +the word seems to indicate the last syllable of the word _ah'-pun,_ blood, +it is more likely deep-blood-kettle. This was a large corral, or enclosure, +built out from the foot of a perpendicular cliff or bluff, and formed of +natural banks, rocks, and logs or brush,--anything in fact to make a close, +high barrier. In some places the enclosure might be only a fence of brush, +but even here the buffalo did not break it down, for they did not push +against it, but ran round and round within, looking for a clear space +through which they might pass. From the top of the bluff, directly over +the pis'kun, two long lines of rock piles and brush extended far out on the +prairie, ever diverging from each other like the arms of the letter V, the +opening over the pis'kun being at the angle. + +In the evening of the day preceding a drive of buffalo into the pis'kun a +medicine man, usually one who was the possessor of a buffalo rock, +In-is'-kim, unrolled his pipe, and prayed to the Sun for success. Next +morning the man who was to call the buffalo arose very early, and told his +wives that they must not leave the lodge, nor even look out, until he +returned; that they should keep burning sweet grass, and should pray to the +Sun for his success and safety. Without eating or drinking, he then went up +on the prairie, and the people followed him, and concealed themselves +behind the rocks and bushes which formed the V, or chute. The medicine man +put on a head-dress made of the head of a buffalo, and a robe, and then +started out to approach the animals. When he had come near to the herd, he +moved about until he had attracted the attention of some of the buffalo, +and when they began to look at him, he walked slowly away toward the +entrance of the chute. Usually the buffalo followed, and, as they did so, +he gradually increased his pace. The buffalo followed more rapidly, and the +man continually went a little faster. Finally, when the buffalo were fairly +within the chute, the people began to rise up from behind the rock piles +which the herd had passed, and to shout and wave their robes. This +frightened the hinder-most buffalo, which pushed forward on the others, and +before long the whole herd was running at headlong speed toward the +precipice, the rock piles directing them to the point over the +enclosure. When they reached it, most of the animals were pushed over, and +usually even the last of the band plunged blindly down into the +pis'kun. Many were killed outright by the fall; others had broken legs or +broken backs, while some perhaps were uninjured. The barricade, however, +prevented them from escaping, and all were soon killed by the arrows of the +Indians. + +It is said that there was another way to get the buffalo into this chute. A +man who was very skilful in arousing the buffalo's curiosity, might go out +without disguise, and by wheeling round and round in front of the herd, +appearing and disappearing, would induce them to move toward him, when it +was easy to entice them into the chute. Once there, the people began to +rise up behind them, shouting and waving their robes, and the now +terror-stricken animals rushed ahead, and were driven over the cliff into +the pis'kun, where all were quickly killed and divided among the people, +the chiefs and the leading warrior getting the best and fattest animals. + +The pis'kun was in use up to within thirty-five or forty years, and many +men are still living who have seen the buffalo driven over the cliff. Such +men even now speak with enthusiasm of the plenty that successful drives +brought to the camp. + +The pis'kuns of the Sik'-si-kau, or Blackfoot tribe, differed in some +particulars from those constructed by the Bloods and the Piegans, who live +further to the south, nearer to the mountains, and so in a country which is +rougher and more broken. The Sik'-si-kau built their pis'kuns like the +Crees, on level ground and usually near timber. A large pen or corral was +made of heavy logs about eight feet high. On the side where the wings of +the chute come together, a bridge, or causeway, was built, sloping gently +up from the prairie to the walls of the corral, which at this point were +cut away to the height of the bridge above the ground,--here about +four feet,--so that the animals running up the causeway could jump down into +the corral. The causeway was fenced in on either side by logs, so that the +buffalo could not run off it. After they had been lured within the wings of +the chute, they were driven toward the corral as already described. When +they reached the end of the >, they ran up the bridge, and jumped down into +the pen. When it was full, or all had entered, Indians, who had lain hidden +near by, ran upon the bridge, and placed poles, prepared beforehand, across +the opening through which the animals had entered, and over these poles +hung robes, so as entirely to close the opening. The buffalo will not dash +themselves against a barrier which is entirely closed, even though it be +very frail; but if they can see through it to the outside, they will rush +against it, and their great weight and strength make it easy for them to +break down any but a heavy wall. Mr. Hugh Monroe tells me that he has seen +a pis'kun built of willow brush; and the Cheyennes have stated to me that +their buffalo corrals were often built of brush. Sometimes, if the walls of +the pis'kun were not high, the buffalo tried to jump or climb over them, +and, in doing this, might break them down, and some or all escape. As soon, +however, as the animals were in the corral, the people--women and children +included--ran up and showed themselves all about the walls, and by their +cries kept the buffalo from pressing against the walls. The animals ran +round and round within, and the men standing on the walls shot them down as +they passed. The butchering was done in the pis'kun, and after this was +over, the place was cleaned out, the heads, feet, and least perishable +offal being removed. Wolves, foxes, badgers, and other small carnivorous +animals visited the pis'kun, and soon made away with the entrails. + +In winter, when the snow was on the ground, and the buffalo were to be led +to the pis'kun, the following method was adopted to keep the herd +travelling in the desired direction after they had got between the wings of +the chute. A line of buffalo chips, each one supported on three small +sticks, so that it stood a few inches above the snow, was carried from the +mouth of the pis'kun straight out toward the prairie. The chips were about +thirty feet apart, and ran midway between the wings of the chute. This line +was, of course, conspicuous against the white snow, and when the buffalo +were running down the chute, they always followed it, never turning to the +right nor to the left. In the latter days of the pis'kun, the man who led +the buffalo was often mounted on a white horse. + +Often, when they drove the buffalo over a high vertical cliff, no corral +was built beneath. Most of those driven over were killed or disabled by the +fall, and only a few got away. The pis'kuns, as a rule, were built under +low-cut bluffs, and sometimes the buffalo were driven in by moonlight. + +In connection with the subject of leading or decoying the buffalo, another +matter not generally known may be mentioned. Sometimes, as a matter of +convenience, a herd was brought from a long distance close up to the +camp. This was usually done in the spring of the year, when the horses were +thin in flesh and not in condition to stand a long chase. I myself have +never seen this; but my friend, William Jackson, was once present at such a +drive by the Red River half-breeds, and has described to me the way in +which it was done. + +The camp was on Box Elder Creek near the Musselshell River. It was in the +spring of 1881, and the horses were all pretty well run down and thin, so +that their owners wished to spare them as much as possible. The buffalo +were seven or eight miles distant, and two men were sent out to bring them +to the camp. Other men, leading fresh horses, went with them, and hid +themselves among the hills at different points along the course that the +buffalo were expected to take, at intervals of a mile and a half. They +watched the herd, and were on hand to supply the fresh horses to the men +who were bringing it. + +The buffalo were on a wide flat, and the men rode over the hill and +advanced toward the herd at a walk. At length the buffalo noticed them, and +began to huddle up together and to walk about, and at length to walk +away. Then the men turned, and rode along parallel to the buffalo's course, +and at the same gait that these were taking. When the buffalo began to +trot, the men trotted, and when the herd began to lope, the men loped, and +at length they were all running pretty fast. The men kept about half a mile +from the herd, and up even with the leaders. As they ran, the herd kept +constantly edging a little toward the riders, as if trying to cross in +front of them. This inclination toward the men was least when they were far +off, and greatest when they drew nearer to them. At no time were the men +nearer to the herd than four hundred yards. If the buffalo edged too much +toward the riders, so that the course they were taking would lead them away +from camp, the men would drop back and cross over behind the herd to the +other side, and then, pushing their horses hard, would come up with the +leaders,--but still at a distance from them,--and then the buffalo would +begin to edge toward them, and the herd would be brought back again to the +desired course. If necessary, this was repeated, and so the buffalo were +kept travelling in a course approximately straight. + +By the time the buffalo had got pretty near to the camp, they were pretty +well winded, and the tongues of many of them were hanging out. This herd +was led up among the rolling hills about a mile from the camp, and there +the people were waiting for them, and charged them, when the herd broke up, +the animals running in every direction. + +Occasionally it would happen that for a long time the buffalo would not be +found in a place favorable for driving over the cliff or into a pen. In +such cases, the Indians would steal out on foot, and, on a day when there +was no wind, would stealthily surround the herd. Then they would startle +the buffalo, and yet would keep them from breaking through the circle. The +buffalo would "mill" around until exhausted, and at length, when worn out, +would be shot down by the Indians. This corresponds almost exactly with one +of the methods employed in killing buffalo by the Pawnees in early days +before they had horses.[1] In those days the Pi-k[)u]n'-i were very +numerous, and sometimes when a lot of buffalo were found in a favorable +position, and there was no wind, the people would surround them, and set up +their lodges about them, thus practically building a corral of +lodges. After all preparations had been made, they would frighten the +buffalo, which, being afraid to pass through between the lodges, would run +round and round in a great circle, and when they were exhausted the people +would kill them. + +[Footnote 1: Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales, p. 250.] + +Then they always had plenty of buffalo--if not fresh meat, that which they +had dried. For in winter they would kill large numbers of buffalo, and +would prepare great stores of dried meat. As spring opened, the buffalo +would move down to the more flat prairie country away from the +pis'kuns. Then the Blackfeet would also move away. As winter drew near, the +buffalo would again move up close to the mountains, and the Indians, as +food began to become scarce, would follow them toward the pis'kuns. In the +last of the summer and early autumn, they always had runners out, looking +for the buffalo, to find where they were, and which way they were +moving. In the early autumn, all the pis'kuns were repaired and +strengthened, so as to be in good order for winter. + +In the days before they had horses, and even in later times when the ground +was of such a character as to prevent running the buffalo, an ingenious +method of still-hunting them was practised. A story told by Hugh Monroe +illustrates it. He said: "I was often detailed by the Hudson's Bay Company +to go out in charge of a number of men, to kill meat for the fort. When the +ground was full of holes and wash-outs, so that running was dangerous, I +used to put on a big timber wolf's skin, which I carried for the purpose, +tying it at my neck and waist, and then to sneak up to the buffalo. I used +a bow and arrows, and generally shot a number without alarming them. If one +looked suspiciously at me, I would howl like a wolf. Sometimes the smell of +the blood from the wounded and dying would set the bulls crazy. They would +run up and lick the blood, and sometimes toss the dead ones clear from the +ground. Then they would bellow and fight each other, sometimes goring one +another so badly that they died. The great bulls, their tongues covered +with blood, their eyes flashing, and tails sticking out straight, roaring +and fighting, were terrible to see; and it was a little dangerous for me, +because the commotion would attract buffalo from all directions to see what +was going on. At such times, I would signal to my men, and they would ride +up and scare the buffalo away." + +In more modern times, the height of pleasure to a Blackfoot was to ride a +good horse and run buffalo. When bows and arrows, and, later, +muzzle-loading "fukes" were the only weapons, no more buffalo were killed +than could actually be utilized. But after the Winchester repeater came in +use, it seemed as if the different tribes vied with each other in wanton +slaughter. Provided with one of these weapons and a couple of belts of +cartridges, the hunters would run as long as their horses could keep up +with the band, and literally cover the prairie with carcasses, many of +which were never even skinned. + + + +ANTELOPE + +It is said that once in early times the men determined that they would use +antelope skins for their women's dresses, instead of cowskins. So they +found a place where antelope were plenty, and set up on the prairie long +lines of rock piles, or of bushes, so as to form a chute like a >. Near the +point where the lines joined, they dug deep pits, which they roofed with +slender poles, and covered these with grass and a little dirt. Then the +people scattered out, and while most of them hid behind the rock piles and +bushes, a few started the antelope toward the mouth of the chute. As they +ran by them, the people showed themselves and yelled, and the antelope ran +down the chute and finally reached the pits, and falling into them were +taken, when they were killed and divided among the hunters. Afterward, this +was the common method of securing antelopes up to the coming of the whites. + + + +EAGLES + +Before the whites came to the Blackfoot country, the Indian standard of +value was eagle tail-feathers. They were used to make war head-dresses, to +tie on the head, and to ornament shields, lances, and other +weapons. Besides this, the wings were used for fans, and the body feathers +for arrow-making. Always a wary bird, the eagle could seldom be approached +near enough for killing with the bow and arrow; and, in fact, it seems as +if it was considered improper to kill it in that way. The capture of these +birds appears to have had about it something of a sacred nature, and, as +was always the case among wild Indians when anything important was to be +undertaken, it was invariably preceded by earnest prayers to the Deity for +help and for success. + +There are still living many men who have caught eagles in the ancient +method, and, from several of these, accounts have been received, which, +while essentially similar, yet differ in certain particulars, especially in +the explanations of certain features of the ceremony. + +Wolf Calf's account of this ceremony is as follows:-- + +"A man who started out to catch eagles moved his lodge and his family away +from the main camp, to some place where the birds were abundant. A spot was +chosen on top of a mound or butte within a few miles of his lodge, and here +he dug a pit in the ground as long as his body and somewhat deeper. The +earth removed was carried away to a distance, and scattered about so as to +make no show. When the pit had been made large enough, it was roofed over +with small willow sticks, on which grass was scattered, and over the grass +a little earth and stones were laid, so as to give the place a natural +look, like the prairie all about it. + +"The bait was a piece of bloody neck of a buffalo. This, of course, could +be seen a long way off, and by the meat a stuffed wolf skin was often +placed, standing up, as if the animal were eating. To the piece of neck was +tied a rope, which passed down through the roof of the pit and was held in +the watcher's hand. + +"After all had been made ready, the next day the man rose very early, +before it was light, and, after smoking and praying, left his camp, telling +his wives and children not to use an awl while he was gone. He endeavored +to reach the pit early in the morning, before it became light, and lay down +in it, taking with him a slender stick about six feet long, a human skull, +and a little pemmican. Then he waited. + +"When the morning came, and the eagles were flying, one of them would see +the meat and descend to take it away from the wolf. Finding it held fast by +the rope, the bird began to feed on it; and while it was pecking at the +bait, the watcher seized it by the legs, and drew it into the pit, where he +killed it, either by twisting its neck, or by crushing it with his +knees. Then he laid it to one side, first opening the bill and putting a +little piece of pemmican in its mouth. This was done to make the other +eagles hungry. While he was in the pit, the man neither ate, drank, nor +slept. He had a sleeping-place not far off, to which he repaired each night +after dark, and there he ate and drank. + +"The reason for taking the skull into the hole with the catcher was, in +part, for his protection. It was believed that the ghost of the person to +whom the skull had belonged would protect the watcher against harm from the +eagle, and besides that, the skull, or ghost, would make the watcher +invisible, like a ghost. The eagle would not see him. + +"The stick was used to poke or drive away smaller birds, such as magpies, +crows, and ravens, which might alight on the roof of the pit, and try to +feed on the bait. It was used, also, to drive away the white-headed eagle, +which they did not care to catch. These are powerful birds; they could +almost kill a person. + +"There are two sacred things connected with the catching of eagles,--two +things which must be observed if the eagle-catcher is to have good +luck. The man who is watching must not eat rosebuds. If he does, the eagle, +when he comes down and alights by the bait, will begin to scratch himself +and will not attack the bait. The rosebuds will make him itch. Neither the +man nor his wife must use an awl while he is absent from his lodge, and is +trying to catch the birds. If this is done, the eagles will scratch the +catcher. Sometimes one man would catch a great many eagles." + +In his day, John Monroe was a famous eagle-catcher, and he has given me the +following account of the method as he has practised it. The pit is dug, six +feet long, three wide, and four deep, on top of the highest knoll that can +be found near a stream. The earth taken out is carried a long way off. Over +the pit they put two long poles, one on each side, running lengthwise of +the pit, and other smaller sticks are laid across, resting on the +poles. The smaller sticks are covered with juniper twigs and long grass. The +skin of a wolf, coyote, or fox, is stuffed with grass, and made to look as +natural as possible. A hole is cut in the wolf skin and a rope is passed +through it, one end being tied to a large piece of meat which lies by the +skin, and the other passing through the roof down into the pit. The bait is +now covered with grass, and the man returns to his lodge for the night. + +During the night, he sings his eagle songs and burns sweet grass for the +eagles, rubbing the smoke over his own body to purify himself, so that on +the morrow he will give out no scent. Before day he leaves his lodge +without eating or drinking, goes to the pit and lies down in it. He +uncovers the bait, arranges the roof, and sits there all day holding the +rope. Crows and other birds alight by the bait and peck at it, but he pays +no attention to them. + +The eagle, sailing about high in air, sees the bait, and settles down +slowly. It takes it a long time to make up its mind to come to the bait. In +the pit, the man can hear the sound of the eagle coming. When the bird +settles on the ground, it does not alight on the bait, but at one side of +it, striking the ground with a thud--heavily. The man never mistakes +anything else for that sound. The eagle walks toward the bait, and all the +other birds fly away. It walks on to the roof; and, through the crevices +that have been left between the sticks, the man can see in which direction +the bird's head is. He carefully pushes the stick aside and, reaching out, +grasps the eagle by the two feet. The bird does not struggle much. It is +drawn down into the pit, and the man wrings its neck. Then the opening is +closed, and the roof arranged as before. So the man waits and catches the +eagles that come through the day. Sometimes he sits all day and gets +nothing; again he may get eight or ten in a day. + +When darkness comes, the man leaves his hiding-place, takes his eagles, and +goes home. He carries the birds to a special lodge, prepared outside of the +camp, which is called the eagles' lodge. He places them on the ground in a +row, and raises their heads, resting them on a stick laid in front of the +row. In the mouth of each one is put a piece of pemmican, so that they may +not be afraid of the people. The object of feeding the eagles is that +their spirits may tell other eagles how they are being treated--that they +are being fed by the people. In the lodge is a human skull, and they pray +to it, asking the ghost to help them get the eagles. + +It is said that in one pit, once, forty eagles were killed in a day. The +larger hawks were caught, as well as eagles, though the latter were the +most highly valued. Five eagles used to be worth a good horse, a valuation +which shows that, in the Blackfoot country, eagles were more plenty, or +horses more valuable, than farther south, where, in old times, two eagles +would purchase a horse. + + + +OTHER GAME + +They had no special means of capturing deer in any numbers. These were +usually killed singly. The hunters used to creep up on elk and deer in the +brush, and when they had come close to them, they could drive even their +stone-pointed arrows deep in the flesh. Often their game was killed dead on +the spot, but if not, they left it alone until the next day, when, on going +back to the place, it was usually found near by, either dead or so +desperately wounded that they could secure it. + +Deadfalls were used to catch wolves, foxes, and other fur animals, and +small apertures in the pis'kun walls were provided with nooses and snares +for the same purpose. + +Another way to catch wolves and coyotes was to set heavy stakes in the +ground in a circle, about the carcasses of one or two dead buffalo. The +stakes were placed at an angle of about forty-five degrees, a few inches +apart, and all pointing toward the centre of the circle. At one place, dirt +was piled up against the stakes from the outside, and the wolves, climbing +up on this, jumped down into the enclosure, but were unable to jump +out. Hugh Monroe tells me that, about thirty years ago, he and his sons +made a trap like this, and in one night caught eighty-three wolves and +coyotes. + +In early times, beaver were very abundant and very tame, and were shot with +bows and arrows. + +The Blackfeet were splendid prairie hunters. They had no superiors in the +art of stalking and killing such wary animals as the antelope. Sometimes +they wore hats made of the skin and horns of an antelope head, which were +very useful when approaching the game. Although the prairie was +pre-eminently their hunting-ground, they were also skilful in climbing +mountains and killing sheep and goats. On the other hand, the northern +Crees, who also are a prairie people, are poor mountain hunters. + + + +THE BLACKFOOT IN WAR + + +The Blackfeet were a warlike people. How it may have been in the old days, +before the coming of the white men, we do not know. Very likely, in early +times, they were usually at peace with neighboring tribes, or, if quarrels +took place, battles were fought, and men killed, this was only in angry +dispute over what each party considered its rights. Their wars were +probably not general, nor could they have been very bloody. When, however, +horses came into the possession of the Indians, all this must have soon +become changed. Hitherto there had really been no incentive to war. From +time to time expeditions may have gone out to kill enemies,--for glory, or +to take revenge for some injury,--but war had not yet been made desirable +by the hope of plunder, for none of their neighbors--any more than +themselves--had property which was worth capturing and taking +away. Primitive arms, dogs, clothing, and dried meat were common to all the +tribes, and were their only possessions, and usually each tribe had an +abundance of all these. It was not worth any man's while to make long +journeys and to run into danger merely to increase his store of such +property, when his present possessions were more than sufficient to meet +all his wants. Even if such things had seemed desirable plunder, the amount +of it which could be carried away was limited, since--for a war party--the +only means of transporting captured articles from place to place was on +men's backs, nor could men burdened with loads either run or fight. But +when horses became known, and the Indians began to realize what a change +the possession of these animals was working in their mode of life, when +they saw that, by enormously increasing the transporting power of each +family, horses made far greater possessions practicable, that they insured +the food supply, rendered the moving of the camp easier and more rapid, +made possible long journeys with a minimum of effort, and that they had a +value for trading, the Blackfoot mind received a new idea, the idea that +it was desirable to accumulate property. The Blackfoot saw that, since +horses could be exchanged for everything that was worth having, no one +had as many horses as he needed. A pretty wife, a handsome war bonnet, +a strong bow, a finely ornamented woman's dress,--any or all of these +things a man might obtain, if he had horses to trade for them. The +gambler at "hands," or at the ring game, could bet horses. The man who +was devoted to his last married wife could give her a horse as an evidence +of his affection. + +We can readily understand what a change the advent of the horse must have +worked in the minds of a people like the Blackfeet, and how this changed +mental attitude would react on the Blackfoot way of living. At first, there +were but few horses among them, but they knew that their neighbors to the +west and south--across the mountains and on the great plains beyond the +Missouri and the Yellowstone--had plenty of them; that the K[=u]tenais, the +Kalispels, the Snakes, the Crows, and the Sioux were well provided. They +soon learned that horses were easily driven off, and that, even if followed +by those whose property they had taken, the pursued had a great advantage +over the pursuers; and we may feel sure that it was not long before the +idea of capturing horses from the enemy entered some Blackfoot head and was +put into practice. + +Now began a systematic sending forth of war parties against neighboring +tribes for the purpose of capturing horses, which continued for about +seventy-five or eighty years, and has only been abandoned within the last +six or seven, and since the settlement of the country by the whites made it +impossible for the Blackfeet longer to pass backward and forward through it +on their raiding expeditions. Horse-taking at once became what might be +called an established industry among the Blackfeet. Success brought wealth +and fame, and there was a pleasing excitement about the war journey. +Except during the bitterest weather of the winter, war parties of Blackfeet +were constantly out, searching for camps of their enemies, from whom they +might capture horses. Usually the only object of such an expedition was to +secure plunder, but often enemies were killed, and sometimes the party set +out with the distinct intention of taking both scalps and horses. + +Until some time after they had obtained guns, the Blackfeet were on +excellent terms with the northern Crees, but later the Chippeways from the +east made war on the Blackfeet, and this brought about general hostilities +against all Crees, which have continued up to within a few years. If I +recollect aright, the last fight which occurred between the Pi-kun'-i and +the Crees took place in 1886. In this skirmish, which followed an attempt +by the Crees to capture some Piegan horses, my friend, +Tail-feathers-coming-in-sight-over-the-Hill, killed and counted _coup_ on a +Cree whose scalp he afterward sent me, as an evidence of his prowess. + +The Gros Ventres of the prairie, of Arapaho stock, known to the Blackfeet +as _At-séna,_ or Gut People, had been friends and allies of the Blackfeet +from the time they first came into the country, early in this century, up +to about the year 1862, when, according to Clark, peace was broken through +a mistake.[1] A war party of Snakes had gone to a Gros Ventres camp near +the Bear Paw Mountains and there killed two Gros Ventres and taken a white +pony, which they subsequently gave to a party of Piegans whom they met, and +with whom they made peace. The Gros Ventres afterward saw this horse in the +Piegan camp and supposed that the latter had killed their tribesman, and +this led to a long war. In the year 1867, the Piegans defeated the allied +Crows and Gros Ventres in a great battle near the Cypress Mountains, in +which about 450 of the enemy are said to have been killed. + +[Footnote 1: Indian Sign Language, p. 70.] + +An expression often used in these pages, and which is so familiar to one +who has lived much with Indians as to need no explanation, is the phrase to +count _coup_. Like many of the terms common in the Northwest, this one +comes down to us from the old French trappers and traders, and a _coup_ is, +of course, a blow. As commonly used, the expression is almost a direct +translation of the Indian phrase to strike the enemy, which is in ordinary +use among all tribes. This striking is the literal inflicting a blow on an +individual, and does not mean merely the attack on a body of enemies. + +The most creditable act that an Indian can perform is to show that he is +brave, to prove, by some daring deed, his physical courage, his lack of +fear. In practice, this courage is shown by approaching near enough to an +enemy to strike or touch him with something that is held in the hand--to +come up within arm's length of him. To kill an enemy is praiseworthy, and +the act of scalping him may be so under certain circumstances, but neither +of these approaches in bravery the hitting or touching him with something +held in the hand. This is counting _coup_. + +The man who does this shows himself without fear and is respected +accordingly. With certain tribes, as the Pawnees, Cheyennes, and others, it +was not very uncommon for a warrior to dash up to an enemy and strike him +before making any attempt to injure him, the effort to kill being secondary +to the _coup_. The blow might be struck with anything held in the hand,--a +whip, coupstick, club, lance, the muzzle of a gun, a bow, or what not. It +did not necessarily follow that the person on whom the _coup_ had been +counted would be injured. The act was performed in the case of a woman, who +might be captured, or even on a child, who was being made prisoner. + +Often the dealing the _coup_ showed a very high degree of courage. As +already implied, it might be counted on a man who was defending himself +most desperately, and was trying his best to kill the approaching enemy, +or, even if the attempt was being made on a foe who had fallen, it was +never certain that he was beyond the power of inflicting injury. He might +be only wounded, and, just when the enemy had come close to him, and was +about to strike, he might have strength enough left to raise himself up and +shoot him dead. In their old wars, the Indians rarely took men +captive. The warrior never expected quarter nor gave it, and usually men +fought to the death, and died mute, defending themselves to the last--to +the last, striving to inflict some injury on the enemy. + +The striking the blow was an important event in a man's life, and he who +performed this feat remembered it. He counted it. It was a proud day for +the young warrior when he counted his first _coup_, and each subsequent one +was remembered and numbered in the warrior's mind, just as an American of +to-day remembers the number of times he has been elected to Congress. At +certain dances and religious ceremonies, like that of the Medicine Lodge, +the warriors counted--or rather re-counted--their _coups_. + +While the _coup_ was primarily, and usually, a blow with something held in +the hand, other acts in warfare which involved great danger to him who +performed them were also reckoned _coups_ by some tribes. Thus, for a +horseman to ride over and knock down an enemy, who was on foot, was +regarded among the Blackfeet as a _coup_, for the horseman might be shot at +close quarters, or might receive a lance thrust. It was the same to ride +one's horse violently against a mounted foe. An old Pawnee told me of a +_coup_ that he had counted by running up to a fallen enemy and jumping on +him with both feet. Sometimes the taking of horses counted a _coup_, but +this was not always the case. + +As suggested by what has been already stated, each tribe of the Plains +Indians held its own view as to what constituted a _coup_. The Pawnees were +very strict in their interpretation of the term, and with them an act of +daring was not in itself deemed a _coup_. This was counted only when the +person of an enemy was actually touched. One or two incidents which have +occurred among the Pawnees will serve to illustrate their notions on this +point. + +In the year 1867, the Pawnee scouts had been sent up to Ogallalla, +Nebraska, to guard the graders who were working on the Union Pacific +railroad. While they were there, some Sioux came down from the hills and +ran off a few mules, taking them across the North Platte. Major North took +twenty men and started after them. Crossing the river, and following it up +on the north bank, he headed them off, and before long came in sight of +them. + +The six Sioux, when they found that they were pursued, left the mules that +they had taken, and ran; and the Pawnees, after chasing them eight or ten +miles, caught up with one of them, a brother of the well-known chief +Spotted Tail. Baptiste Bahele, a half-breed Skidi, had a very fast horse, +and was riding ahead of the other Pawnees, and shooting arrows at the +Sioux, who was shooting back at him. At length Baptiste shot the enemy's +horse in the hip, and the Indian dismounted and ran on foot toward a +ravine. Baptiste shot at him again, and this time sent an arrow nearly +through his body, so that the point projected in front. The Sioux caught +the arrow by the point, pulled it through his body, and shot it back at his +pursuer, and came very near hitting him. About that time, a ball from a +carbine hit the Sioux and knocked him down. + +Then there was a race between Baptiste and the Pawnee next behind him, to +see which should count _coup_ on the fallen man. Baptiste was nearest to +him and reached him first, but just as he got to him, and was leaning over +from his horse, to strike the dead man, the animal shied at the body, +swerving to one side, and he failed to touch it. The horse ridden by the +other Pawnee ran right over the Sioux, and his rider leaned down and +touched him. + +Baptiste claimed the _coup_--although acknowledging that he had not +actually touched the man--on the ground that he had exposed himself to all +the danger, and would have hit the man if his horse had not swerved as it +did from the body; but the Pawnees would not allow it, and all gave the +credit of the _coup_ to the other boy, because he had actually touched the +enemy. + +On another occasion three or four young men started on the warpath from the +Pawnee village. When they came near to Spotted Tail's camp on the Platte +River, they crossed the stream, took some horses, and got them safely +across the river. Then one of the boys recrossed, went back to the camp, +and cut loose another horse. He had almost got this one out of the camp, +when an Indian came out of a lodge near by, and sat down. The Pawnee shot +the Sioux, counted _coup_ on him, scalped him, and then hurried across the +river with the whole Sioux camp in pursuit. When the party returned to the +Pawnee village, this boy was the only one who received credit for a _coup_. + +Among the Blackfeet the capture of a shield, bow, gun, war bonnet, war +shirt, or medicine pipe was deemed a _coup_. + +Nothing gave a man a higher place in the estimation of the people than the +counting of _coups_, for, I repeat, personal bravery is of all qualities +the most highly respected by Indians. On special occasions, as has been +said, men counted over again in public their _coups_. This served to +gratify personal vanity, and also to incite the young men to the +performance of similar brave deeds. Besides this, they often made a more +enduring record of these acts, by reproducing them pictographically on +robes, cowskins, and other hides. There is now in my possession an +illuminated cowskin, presented to me by Mr. J. Kipp, which contains the +record of the _coups_ and the most striking events in the life of Red +Crane, a Blackfoot warrior, painted by himself. These pictographs are very +rude and are drawn after the style common among Plains Indians, but no +doubt they were sufficiently lifelike to call up to the mind of the artist +each detail of the stirring events which they record. + +The Indian warrior who stood up to relate some brave deed which he had +performed was almost always in a position to prove the truth of his +statements. Either he had the enemy's scalp, or some trophy captured from +him, to produce as evidence, or else he had a witness of his feat in some +companion. A man seldom boasted of any deed unless he was able to prove his +story, and false statements about exploits against the enemy were most +unusual. Temporary peace was often made between tribes usually at war, and, +at the friendly meetings which took place during such times of peace, +former battles were talked over, the performances of various individuals +discussed, and the acts of particular men in the different rights commented +on. In this way, if any man had falsely claimed to have done brave deeds, +he would be detected. + +An example of this occurred many years ago among the Cheyennes. At that +time, there was a celebrated chief of the Skidi tribe of the Pawnee Nation +whose name was Big Eagle. He was very brave, and the Cheyennes greatly +feared him, and it was agreed among them that the man who could count +_coup_ on Big Eagle should be made warchief of the Cheyennes. After a fight +on the Loup River, a Cheyenne warrior claimed to have counted _coup_ on Big +Eagle by thrusting a lance through his buttocks. On the strength of the +claim, this man was made war chief of the Cheyennes. Some years later, +during a friendly visit made by the Pawnees to the Cheyennes, this incident +was mentioned. Big Eagle was present at the time, and, after inquiring +into the matter, he rose in council, denied that he had ever been struck as +claimed, and, throwing aside his robe, called on the Cheyennes present to +examine his body and to point out the scars left by the lance. None were +found. It was seen that Big Eagle spoke the truth; and the lying Cheyenne, +from the proud position of war chief, sank to a point where he was an +object of contempt to the meanest Indian in his tribe. + +Among the Blackfeet a war party usually, or often, had its origin in a +dream. Some man who has a dream, after he awakes tells of it. Perhaps he +may say: "I dreamed that on a certain stream is a herd of horses that have +been given to me, and that I am going away to get. I am going to war. I +shall go to that place and get my band of horses." Then the men who know +him, who believe that his medicine is strong and that he will have good +luck, make up their minds to follow him. As soon as he has stated what he +intends to do, his women and his female relations begin to make moccasins +for him, and the old men among his relations begin to give him arrows and +powder and ball to fit him out for war. The relations of those who are +going with him do the same for them. + +The leader notifies the young men who are going with him on what day and at +what hour he intends to start. He determines the time for himself, but +does not let the whole camp know it in advance. Of late years, large war +parties have not been desirable. They have preferred to go out in small +bodies. Just before a war party sets out, its members get together and sing +the "peeling a stick song," which is a wolf song. Then they build a sweat +lodge and go into it, and with them goes in an old man, a medicine-pipe +man, who has been a good warrior. They fill the pipe and ask him to pray +for them, that they may have good luck, and may accomplish what they +desire. The medicine-pipe man prays and sings and pours water on the hot +stones, and the warriors with their knives slice bits of skin and flesh +from their bodies,--their arms and breasts and sometimes from the tip of +the tongue,--which they offer to the Sun. Then, after the ceremony is over, +all dripping with perspiration from their vapor bath, the men go down to +the river and plunge in. + +In starting out, a war party often marches in the daytime, but sometimes +they travel at night from the beginning. Often they may make an all night +march across a wide prairie, in passing over which they might be seen if +they travelled in the day. They journey on foot, always. The older men +carry their arms, while the boys bear the moccasins, the ropes, and the +food, which usually consists of dried meat or pemmican. They carry also +coats and blankets and their war bonnets and otter skin medicine. The +leader has but little physical labor to perform. His mind is occupied in +planning the movements of his party. He is treated with the greatest +respect. The others mend his moccasins, and give him the best of the food +which they carry. + +After they get away from the main camp, the leader selects the strongest of +the young men, and sends him ahead to some designated butte, saying, "Go to +that place, and look carefully over the country, and if you see nothing, +make signals to us to come on." This scout goes on ahead, travelling in the +ravines and coulées, and keeps himself well hidden. After he has +reconnoitred and made signs that he sees nothing, the party proceeds +straight toward him. + +The party usually starts early in the morning and travels all day, making +camp at sundown. During the day, if they happen to come upon an antelope or +a buffalo, they kill it, if possible, and take some of the meat with +them. They try in every way to economize their pemmican. They always +endeavor to make camp in the thick timber, where they cannot be seen; and +here, when it is necessary, on account of bad weather or for other reasons, +they build a war lodge. Taking four young cotton-woods or aspens, on which +the leaves are left, and lashing them together like lodge poles, but with +the butts up, about these they place other similar trees, also butts up and +untrimmed. The leaves keep the rain off, and prevent the light of the fire +which is built in the lodge from showing through. Sometimes, when on the +prairie, where there is no wood, in stormy weather they will build a +shelter of rocks. When the party has come close to the enemy, or into a +country where the enemy are likely to be found, they build no more fires, +but eat their food uncooked. + +When they see fresh tracks of people, or signs that enemies are in the +country, they stop travelling in the daytime and move altogether by night, +until they come to some good place for hiding, and here they stop and +sleep. When day comes, the leader sends out young men to the different +buttes, to look over the country and see if they can discover the enemy. If +some one of the scouts reports that he has seen a camp, and that the enemy +have been found, the leader directs his men to paint themselves and put on +their war bonnets. This last is a figure of speech, since the war bonnets, +having of late years been usually ornamented with brass bells, could not be +worn in a secret attack, on account of the noise they would make. Before +painting themselves, therefore, they untie their war bonnets, and spread +them out on the ground, as if they were about to be worn, and then when +they have finished painting themselves, tie them up again. When it begins +to get dark, they start on the run for the enemy's camp. They leave their +food in camp, but carry their ropes slung over the shoulder and under the +arm, whips stuck in belts, guns and blankets. + +After they have crept up close to the lodges, the leader chooses certain +men that have strong hearts, and takes them with him into the camp to cut +loose the horses. The rest of the party remain outside the camp, and look +about its outskirts, driving in any horses that may be feeding about, not +tied up. Of those who have gone into the camp, some cut loose one horse, +while others cut all that may be tied about a lodge. Some go only once into +the camp, and some go twice to get the horses. When they have secured the +horses, they drive them off a little way from the camp, at first going +slowly, and then mount and ride off fast. Generally, they travel two +nights and one day before sleeping. + +This is the usual method of procedure of an ordinary expedition to capture +horses, and I have given it very nearly in the language of the men who +explained it to me. + +In their hostile encounters, the Blackfeet have much that is common to many +Plains tribes, and also some customs that are peculiar to themselves. Like +most Indians, they are subject to sudden, apparently causeless, panics, +while at other times they display a courage that is heroic. They are firm +believers in luck, and will follow a leader who is fortunate in his +expeditions into almost any danger. On the other hand, if the leader of a +war party loses his young men, or any of them, the people in the camp think +that he is unlucky, and does not know how to lead a war party. Young men +will not follow him as a leader, and he is obliged to go as a servant or +scout under another leader. He is likely never again to lead a war party, +having learned to distrust his luck. + +If a war party meets the enemy, and kills several of them, losing in the +battle one of its own number, it is likely, as the phrase is, to "cover" +the slain Blackfoot with all the dead enemies save one, and to have a scalp +dance over that remaining one. If a party had killed six of the enemy and +lost a man, it might "cover" the slain Blackfoot with five of the enemy. In +other words, the five dead enemies would pay for the one which the war +party had lost. So far, matters would be even, and they would feel at +liberty to rejoice over the victory gained over the one that is left. + +The Blackfeet sometimes cut to pieces an enemy killed in battle. If a +Blackfoot had a relation killed by a member of another tribe, and afterward +killed one of this tribe, he was likely to cut him all to pieces "to get +even," that is, to gratify his spite--to obtain revenge. Sometimes, after +they had killed an enemy, they dragged his body into camp, so as to give +the children an opportunity to count _coup_ on it. Often they cut the feet +and hands off the dead, and took them away and danced over them for a long +time. Sometimes they cut off an arm or a leg, and often the head, and +danced and rejoiced over this trophy. + +Women and children of hostile tribes were often captured, and adopted into +the Blackfoot tribes with all the rights and privileges of indigenous +members. Men were rarely captured. When they were taken, they were +sometimes killed in cold blood, especially if they had made a desperate +resistance before being captured. At other times, the captive would be kept +for a time, and then the chief would take him off away from the camp, and +give him provisions, clothing, arms, and a horse, and let him go. The +captive man always had a hard time at first. When he was brought into the +camp, the women and children threw dirt on him and counted _coups_ on him, +pounding him with sticks and clubs. He was rarely tied, but was always +watched. Often the man who had taken him prisoner had great trouble to +keep his tribesmen from killing him. + +In the very early days of this century, war parties used commonly to start +out in the spring, going south to the land where horses were abundant, +being absent all summer and the next winter, and returning the following +summer or autumn, with great bands of horses. Sometimes they were gone two +years. They say that on such journeys they used to go to _Spai'yu ksah'ku_, +which means the Spanish lands--_Spai'yu_ being a recently made word, no +doubt from the French _espagnol._ That they did get as far as Mexico, or at +least New Mexico, is indicated by the fact that they brought back branded +horses and a few branded mules; for in these early days there was no stock +upon the Plains, and animals bearing brands were found only in the Spanish +American settlements. The Blackfeet did not know what these marks +meant. From their raids into these distant lands, they sometimes brought +back arms of strange make, lances, axes, and swords, of a form unlike any +that they had seen. The lances had broad heads; some of the axes, as +described, were evidently the old "T. Gray" trade axes of the southwest. A +sword, described as having a long, slender, straight blade, inlaid with a +flower pattern of yellow metal along the back, was probably an old Spanish +rapier. + +In telling of these journeys to Spanish lands, they say of the very long +reeds which grow there, that they are very large at the butt, are jointed, +very hard, and very tall; they grow in marshy places; and the water there +has a strange, mouldy smell. + +It is said, too, that there have been war parties who have crossed the +mountains and gone so far to the west that they have seen the big salt +water which lies beyond, or west of, the Great Salt Lake. Journeys as far +south as Salt Lake were not uncommon, and Hugh Monroe has told me of a war +party he accompanied which went as far as this. + + + +RELIGION + + +In ancient times the chief god of the Blackfeet--their Creator--was _Na'pi_ +(Old Man). This is the word used to indicate any old man, though its +meaning is often loosely given as white. An analysis of the word _Na'pi_, +however, shows it to be compounded of the word _Ni'nah_, man, and the +particle _a'pi_, which expresses a color, and which is never used by +itself, but always in combination with some other word. The Blackfoot word +for white is _Ksik-si-num'_ while _a'pi_, though also conveying the idea of +whiteness, really describes the tint seen in the early morning light when +it first appears in the east--the dawn--not a pure white, but that color +combined with a faint cast of yellow. _Na'pi_, therefore, would seem to +mean dawn-light-color-man, or man-yellowish-white. It is easy to see why +old men should be called by this latter name, for it describes precisely +the color of their hair. + +Dr. Brinton, in his valuable work, American Hero Myths, has suggested a +more profound reason why such a name should be given to the Creator. He +says: "The most important of all things to life is light. This the +primitive savage felt, and personifying it, he made light his chief god. +The beginning of day served, by analogy, for the beginning of the +world. Light comes before the Sun, brings it forth, creates it, as it +were. Hence the Light god is not the Sun god but his antecedent and +Creator." + +It would be absurd to attribute to the Blackfoot of to-day any such +abstract conception of the name of the Creator as that expressed in the +foregoing quotation. The statement that Old Man was merely light +personified would be beyond his comprehension, and if he did understand +what was meant, he would laugh at it, and aver that _Na'pi_ was a real man, +a flesh and blood person like himself. + +The character of Old Man, as depicted in the stories told of him by the +Blackfeet, is a curious mixture of opposite attributes. In the serious +tales, such as those of the creation, he is spoken of respectfully, and +there is no hint of the impish qualities which characterize him in other +stories, in which he is powerful, but also at times impotent; full of all +wisdom, yet at times so helpless that he has to ask aid from the +animals. Sometimes he sympathizes with the people, and at others, out of +pure spitefulness, he plays them malicious tricks that are worthy of a +demon. He is a combination of strength, weakness, wisdom, folly, +childishness, and malice. + +Under various names Old Man is known to the Crees, Chippeways, and other +Algonquins, and many of the stories that are current among the Blackfeet +are told of him among those tribes. The more southern of these tribes do +not venerate him as of old, but the Plains and Timber Crees of the north, +and the north Chippeways, are said still to be firm believers in Old +Man. He was their Creator, and is still their chief god. He is believed in +less by the younger generation than the older. The Crees are regarded by +the Indians of the Northwest as having very powerful medicine, and this all +comes from Old Man. + +Old Man can never die. Long ago he left the Blackfeet and went away to the +West, disappearing in the mountains. Before his departure he told them +that he would always take care of them, and some day would return. Even +now, many of the old people believe that he spoke the truth, and that some +day he will come back, and will bring with him the buffalo, which they +believe the white men have hidden. It is sometimes said, however, that when +he left them he told them also that, when he returned, he would find them +changed--a different people and living in a different way from that which +they practised when he went away. Sometimes, also, it is said that when he +disappeared he went to the East. + +It is generally believed that Old Man is no longer the principal god of the +Blackfeet, that the Sun has taken his place. There is some reason to +suspect, however, that the Sun and Old Man are one, that _N[=a]t[=o]s_' is +only another name for _Na'pi_, for I have been told by two or three old men +that "the Sun is the person whom we call Old Man." However this may be, it +is certain that _Na'pi_--even if he no longer occupies the chief place in +the Blackfoot religious system--is still reverenced, and is still addressed +in prayer. Now, however, every good thing, success in war, in the chase, +health, long life, all happiness, come by the special favor of the Sun. + +The Sun is a man, the supreme chief of the world. The flat, circular earth +in fact is his home, the floor of his lodge, and the over-arching sky is +its covering. The moon, _K[=o]-k[=o]-mik'-[=e]-[)i]s,_ night light, is the +Sun's wife. The pair have had a number of children, all but one of whom +were killed by pelicans. The survivor is the morning star, +_A-pi-su-ahts_--early riser. + +In attributes the Sun is very unlike Old Man. He is a beneficent person, of +great wisdom and kindness, good to those who do right. As a special means +of obtaining his favor, sacrifices must be made. These are often presents +of clothing, fine robes, or furs, and in extreme cases, when the prayer is +for life itself, the offering of a finger, or--still dearer--a lock of +hair. If a white buffalo was killed, the robe was always given to the +Sun. It belonged to him. Of the buffalo, the tongue--regarded as the +greatest delicacy of the whole animal--was especially sacred to the +Sun. The sufferings undergone by men in the Medicine Lodge each year were +sacrifices to the Sun. This torture was an actual penance, like the sitting +for years on top of a pillar, the wearing of a hair shirt, or fasting in +Lent. It was undergone for no other purpose than that of pleasing God--as a +propitiation or in fulfilment of vows made to him. Just as the priests of +Baal slashed themselves with knives to induce their god to help them, so, +and for the same reason, the Blackfoot men surged on and tore out the ropes +tied to their skins. It is merely the carrying out of a religious idea that +is as old as history and as widespread as the globe, and is closely akin to +the motive which to-day, in our own centres of enlightened civilization, +prompts acts of self-denial and penance by many thousands of intelligent +cultivated people. And yet we are horrified at hearing described the +tortures of the Medicine Lodge. + +Besides the Sun and Old Man, the Blackfoot religious system includes a +number of minor deities or rather natural qualities and forces, which are +personified and given shape. These are included in the general terms Above +Persons, Ground Persons, and Under Water Persons. Of the former class, +Thunder is one of the most important, and is worshipped as is elsewhere +shown. He brings the rain. He is represented sometimes as a bird, or, more +vaguely, as in one of the stories, merely as a fearful person. Wind Maker +is an example of an Under Water Person, and it is related that he has been +seen, and his form is described. It is believed by some that he lives under +the water at the head of the Upper St. Mary's Lake. Those who believe this +say that when he wants the wind to blow, he makes the waves roll, and that +these cause the wind to blow,--another example of mistaking effect for +cause, so common among the Indians. The Ground Man is another below +person. He lives under the ground, and perhaps typifies the power of the +earth, which is highly respected by all Indians of the west. The Cheyennes +also have a Ground Man whom they call The Lower One, or Below Person +_(Pun'-[)o]-ts[)i]-hyo)_. The cold and snow are brought by Cold Maker +_(Ai'-so-yim-stan_). He is a man, white in color, with white hair, and clad +in white apparel, who rides on a white horse. He brings the storm with +him. They pray to him to bring, or not to bring, the storm. + +Many of the animals are regarded as typifying some form of wisdom or +craft. They are not gods, yet they have power, which, perhaps, is given +them by the Sun or by Old Man. Examples of this are shown in some of the +stories. + +Among the animals especially respected and supposed to have great power, +are the buffalo, the bear, the raven, the wolf, the beaver, and the +kit-fox. Geese too, are credited with great wisdom and with foreknowledge +of the weather. They are led by chiefs. As is quite natural among a people +like the Blackfeet, the buffalo stood very high among the animals which +they reverenced. It symbolized food and shelter, and was _Nato'y[)e]_ (of +the Sun), sacred. Not a few considered it a medicine animal, and had it for +their dream, or secret helper. It was the most powerful of all the animal +helpers. Its importance is indicated by the fact that buffalo skulls were +placed on the sweat houses built in connection with the Medicine Lodge. A +similar respect for the buffalo exists among many Plains tribes, which were +formerly dependent on it for food and raiment. A reverence for the bear +appears to be common to all North American tribes, and is based not upon +anything that the animal's body yields, but perhaps on the fact that it is +the largest carnivorous mammal of the continent, the most difficult to kill +and extremely keen in all its senses. The Blackfeet believe it to be part +brute and part human, portions of its body, particularly the ribs and feet, +being like those of a man. The raven is cunning. The wolf has great +endurance and much craft. He can steal close to one without being seen. In +the stories given in the earlier pages of this book, many of the attributes +of the different animals are clearly set forth. + +There were various powers and signs connected with these animals so held in +high esteem by the Blackfeet, to which the people gave strict heed. Thus +the raven has the power of giving people far sight. It was also useful in +another way. Often, in going to war, a man would get a raven's skin and +stuff the head and neck, and tie it to the hair of the head behind. If a +man wearing such a skin got near the enemy without knowing it, the skin +would give him warning by tapping him on the back of the head with its +bill. Then he would know that the enemy was near, and would hide. If a +raven flew over a lodge, or a number of lodges, and cried, and then was +joined by other ravens, all flying over the camp and crying, it was a sure +sign that during the day some one would come and tell the news from far +off. The ravens often told the people that game was near, calling to the +hunter and then flying a little way, and then coming back, and again +calling and flying toward the game. + +The wolves are the people's great friends; they travel with the wolves. If, +as they are travelling along, they pass close to some wolves, these will +bark at the people, talking to them. Some man will call to them, "No, I +will not give you my body to eat, but I will give you the body of some one +else, if you will go along with us." This applies both to wolves and +coyotes. If a man goes away from the camp at night, and meets a coyote, and +it barks at him, he goes back to the camp, and says to the people: "Look +out now; be smart. A coyote barked at me to-night." Then the people look +out, and are careful, for it is a sure sign that something bad is going to +happen. Perhaps some one will be shot; perhaps the enemy will charge the +camp. + +If a person is hungry and sings a wolf song, he is likely to find food. Men +going on a hunting trip sing these songs, which bring them good luck. The +bear has very powerful medicine. Sometimes he takes pity on people and +helps them, as in the story of Mik'-api. + +Some Piegans, if they wish to travel on a certain day, have the power of +insuring good weather on that day. It is supposed that they do this by +singing a powerful song. Some of the enemy can cause bad weather, when they +want to steal into the camp. + +People who belonged to the _Sin'-o-pah_ band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi,_ if +they were at war in summer and wanted a storm to come up, would take some +dirt and water and rub it on the kit-fox skin, and this would cause a +rain-storm to come up. In winter, snow and dirt would be rubbed on the skin +and this would bring up a snow-storm. + +Certain places and inanimate objects are also greatly reverenced by the +Blackfeet, and presents are made to them. + +The smallest of the three buttes of the Sweet Grass Hills is regarded as +sacred. "All the Indians are afraid to go there," Four Bears once told +me. Presents are sometimes thrown into the Missouri River, though these are +not offerings made directly to the stream, but are given to the Under Water +People, who live in it. + +Mention has already been made of the buffalo rock, which gives its owner +the power to call the buffalo. + +Another sacred object is the medicine rock of the Marias. It is a huge +boulder of reddish sandstone, two-thirds the way up a steep hill on the +north bank of the Marias River, about five miles from Fort +Conrad. Formerly, this rock rested on the top of the bluff, but, as the +soil about it is worn away by the wind and the rain, it is slowly moving +down the hill. The Indians believe it to be alive, and make presents to +it. When I first visited it, the ground about it was strewn with decaying +remnants of offerings that had been made to it in the past. Among these I +noticed, besides fragments of clothing, eagle feathers, a steel finger ring, +brass ear-rings, and a little bottle made of two copper cartridge cases. + +Down on Milk River, east of the Sweet Grass Hills, is another medicine +rock. It is shaped something like a man's body, and looks like a person +sitting on top of the bluff. Whenever the Blackfeet pass this rock, they +make presents to it. Sometimes, when they give it an article of clothing, +they put it on the rock, "and then," as one of them once said to me, "when +you look at it, it seems more than ever like a person." Down in the big +bend of the Milk River, opposite the eastern end of the Little Rocky +Mountains, lying on the prairie, is a great gray boulder, which is shaped +like a buffalo bull lying down. This is greatly reverenced by all Plains +Indians, Blackfeet included, and they make presents to it. Many other +examples of similar character might be given. + +The Blackfeet make daily prayers to the Sun and to Old Man, and nothing of +importance is undertaken without asking for divine assistance. They are +firm believers in dreams. These, they say, are sent by the Sun to enable us +to look ahead, to tell what is going to happen. A dream, especially if it +is a strong one,--that is, if the dream is very clear and vivid,--is almost +always obeyed. As dreams start them on the war path, so, if a dream +threatening bad luck comes to a member of a war party, even if in the +enemy's country and just about to make an attack on a camp, the party is +likely to turn about and go home without making any hostile +demonstrations. The animal or object which appears to the boy, or man, who +is trying to dream for power, is, as has been said, regarded thereafter as +his secret helper, his medicine, and is usually called his dream +_(Nits-o'-kan)_. + +The most important religious occasion of the year is the ceremony of the +Medicine Lodge. This is a sacrifice, which, among the Blackfeet, is offered +invariably by women. If a woman has a son or husband away at war, and is +anxious about him, or if she has a dangerously sick child, she may make to +the Sun a vow in the following words:-- + +"Listen, Sun. Pity me. You have seen my life. You know that I am pure. I +have never committed adultery with any man. Now, therefore, I ask you to +pity me. I will build you a lodge. Let my son survive. Bring him back to +health, so that I may build this lodge for you." + +The vow to build the Medicine Lodge is repeated in a loud voice, outside +her lodge, so that all the people may hear it, and if any man can impeach +the woman, he is obliged to speak out, in which case she could be punished +according to the law. The Medicine Lodge is always built in summer, at the +season of the ripening of the sarvis berries, and if, before this time, the +person for whom the vow is made dies, the woman is not obliged to fulfil +her vow. She is regarded with suspicion, and it is generally believed that +she has been guilty of the crime she disavowed. As this cannot be proved, +however, she is not punished. + +When the time approaches for the building of the lodge, a suitable locality +is selected, and all the people move to it, putting up their lodges in a +circle about it. In the meantime, at least a hundred buffalo tongues have +been collected, cut, and dried by the woman who may be called the Medicine +Lodge woman. No one but she is allowed to take part in this work. + +Before the tongues are cut and dried, they are laid in a pile in the +medicine woman's lodge. She then gives a feast to the old men, and one of +them, noted for his honesty, and well liked by all, repeats a very long +prayer, asking in substance that the coming Medicine Lodge may be +acceptable to the Sun, and that he will look with favor on the people, and +will give them good health, plenty of food, and success in war. A hundred +songs are then sung, each one different from the others. The feast and +singing of these songs lasts a day and a half.[Illustration: MEDICINE +LODGE] + +Before the Medicine Lodge is erected, four large sweat lodges are built, +all in a line, fronting to the east or toward the rising sun. Two stand in +front of the Medicine Lodge, and two behind it. The two nearest the +Medicine Lodge are built one day, and the others on the day following. The +sticks for the framework of these lodges are cut only by renowned warriors, +each warrior cutting one, and, as he brings it in and lays it down, he +counts a _coup_, which must be of some especially brave deed. The old men +then take the sticks and erect the lodges, placing on top of each a buffalo +skull, one half of which is painted red, the other black, to represent day +and night, or rather the sun and the moon. When the lodges are finished and +the stones heated, the warriors go in to sweat, and with them the medicine +pipe men, who offer up prayers. + +While this is going on, the young men cut the centre post for the Medicine +Lodge, and all the other material for its construction. The women then pack +out the post and the poles on horses, followed by the men shouting, +singing, and shooting. + +In the morning of this day the medicine woman begins a fast, which must +last four days and four nights, with only one intermission, as will shortly +appear. During that time she may not go out of doors, except between sunset +and sunrise. During the whole ceremony her face, hands, and clothing are +covered with the sacred red paint. + +When all the material has been brought to the spot where the lodge is to be +erected, that warrior who, during the previous year, has done the most +cutting and stabbing in battle is selected to cut the rawhide to bind it, +and while he cuts the strings he counts three _coups_. + +The centre post is now placed on the ground, surrounded by the poles and +other smaller posts; and two bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, the Braves, +and the All Crazy Dogs approach. Each band sings four songs, and then they +raise the lodge amid the shouting of the people. It is said that, in old +times, all the bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ took part in this +ceremony. For raising the centre post, which is very heavy, lodge poles are +tied in pairs, with rawhide, so as to form "shears," each pair being +handled by two men. If one of the ropes binding the shears breaks, the men +who hold the pair are said to be unlucky; it is thought that they are soon +to die. As soon as the centre post is up, the wall posts are erected, and +the roof of poles put on, the whole structure being covered with brush. The +door-way faces east or southeast, and the lodge is circular in shape, about +forty feet in diameter, with walls about seven feet high. + +Inside the Medicine Lodge, at the back, or west side, in the principal +place in the lodge, is now built a little box-shaped house, about seven +feet high, six feet long, and four wide. It is made of brush, so tightly +woven that one cannot see inside of it. This is built by a medicine man, +the high priest of this ceremony, who, for four days, the duration of the +ceremony, neither eats nor goes out of it in the daytime. The people come +to him, two at a time, and he paints them with black, and makes for them an +earnest prayer to the Sun, that they may have good health, long lives, and +good food and shelter. This man is supposed to have power over the rain. As +rain would interfere with the ceremonies, he must stop it, if it threatens. + +In the meantime, the sacred dried tongues have been placed in the Medicine +Lodge. The next morning, the Medicine Lodge woman leaves her own lodge, +and, walking very slowly with bowed head, and praying at every step, she +enters the Medicine Lodge, and, standing by the pile of tongues, she cuts +up one of them and holds it toward heaven, offering it to the Sun; then she +eats a part of it and buries the rest in the dirt, praying to the Ground +Man, and calling him to bear witness that she has not defiled his body by +committing adultery. She then proceeds to cut up the tongues, giving a very +small piece to every person, man, woman, or child. Each one first holds it +up to the Sun, and then prays to the Sun, Na'-pi, and the Ground Man for +long life, concluding by depositing a part of the morsel of tongue on the +ground, saying, "I give you this sacred tongue to eat." And now, during the +four days, outside the lodge, goes on the counting of the _coups_. Each +warrior in turn recounts his success in war,--his battles or his +horse-takings. With a number of friends to help him, he goes through a +pantomime of all these encounters, showing how he killed this enemy, took a +gun from that one, or cut horses loose from the lodge of another. When he +has concluded, an old man offers a prayer, and ends by giving him a new +name, saying that he hopes he will live well and long under it. + +Inside the lodge, rawhide ropes are suspended from the centre post, and +here the men fulfil the vows that they have made during the previous +year. Some have been sick, or in great danger at war, and they then vowed +that if they were permitted to live, or escape, they would swing at the +Medicine Lodge. Slits are cut in the skin of their breast, ropes passed +through and secured by wooden skewers, and then the men swing and surge +until the skin gives way and tears out. This is very painful, and some +fairly shriek with agony as they do it, but they never give up, for they +believe that if they should fail to fulfil their vow, they would soon die. + +On the fourth day every one has been prayed for, every one has made to the +Sun his or her present, which is tied to the centre post, the sacred +tongues have all been consumed, and the ceremony ends, every one feeling +better, assured of long life and plenty. + +Most persons have an entirely erroneous idea of the purpose of this annual +ceremony. It has been supposed that it was for the purpose of making +warriors. This is not true. It was essentially a religious festival, +undertaken for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the people according to +their beliefs. Incidentally, it furnished an opportunity for the rehearsal +of daring deeds. But among no tribes who practised it were warriors made by +it. The swinging by the breast and other self-torturings were but the +fulfilment of vows, sacred promises made in time of danger, penances +performed, and not, as many believe, an occasion for young men to test +their courage. + +From the Indians of the tribe, the Medicine Lodge woman receives a very +high measure of respect and consideration. Blackfoot men have said to me, +"We look on the Medicine Lodge woman as you white people do on the Roman +Catholic sisters." Not only is she virtuous in deed, but she must be +serious and clean-minded. Her conversation must be sober. + +Before the coming of the whites, the Blackfeet used to smoke the leaves of +a plant which they call _na-wuh'-to-ski_, and which is said to have been +received long, long ago from a medicine beaver. It was used unmixed with +any other plant. The story of how this came to the tribe is told +elsewhere.[1] This tobacco is no longer planted by the Piegans, nor by the +Bloods, though it is said that an old Blackfoot each year still goes +through the ceremony, and raises a little. The plant grows about ten +inches high and has a long seed stalk growing from the centre. White Calf, +the chief of the Piegans, has the secrets of the tobacco and is perhaps the +only person in the tribe who knows them. From him I have received the +following account of the ceremonies connected with it:-- + +[Footnote 1: The Beaver Medicine, p. 117.] + +Early in the spring, after the last snow-storm, when the flowers begin to +bud (early in the month of May), the women and children go into the timber +and prepare a large bed, clearing away the underbrush, weeds and grass and +leaves and sticks, raking the ground till the earth is thoroughly +pulverized. Elk, deer, and mountain sheep droppings are collected, pounded +fine, and mixed with the seed which is to be sown. + +On the appointed day all the men gather at the bed. Each one holds in his +hand a short, sharp-pointed stick, with which to make a hole in the +ground. The men stand in a row extending across the bed. At a signal they +make the holes in the ground, and drop in some seed, with some sacred +sarvis berries. The tobacco song is sung by the medicine men, all take a +short step forward, make another hole, a foot in front of the last, and +then drop in it some more seed. Another song is sung, another step taken, +and seed is again planted; and this continues until the line of men has +moved all the way across the bed, and the planting is completed. The +tobacco dance follows the planting. + +After the seed has been planted, they leave it and go off after the +buffalo. While away during the summer, some important man--one of the +medicine men who had taken part in the planting--announces to the people +his purpose to go back to look after the crop. He starts, and after he has +reached the place, he builds a little fire in the bed, and offers a prayer +for the crop, asking that it may survive and do well. Then he pulls up one +of the plants, which he takes back with him and shows to the people, so +that all may see how the crop is growing. He may thus visit the place three +or four times in the course of the summer. + +From time to time, while they are absent from the tobacco patch in summer, +moving about after the buffalo, the men gather in some lodge to perform a +special ceremony for the protection of the crop. Each man holds in his hand +a little stick. They sing and pray to the Sun and Old Man, asking that the +grasshoppers and other insects may not eat their plants. At the end of each +song they strike the ground with their sticks, as if killing grasshoppers +and worms. It has sometimes happened that a young man has said that he does +not believe that these prayers and songs protect the plants, that the Sun +does not send messengers to destroy the worms. To such a one a medicine +man will say, "Well, you can go to the place and see for yourself." The +young man gets on his horse and travels to the place. When he comes to the +edge of the patch and looks out on it, he sees many small children at work +there, killing worms. He has not believed in this before, but now he goes +back convinced. Such a young man does not live very long. + +At length the season comes for gathering the crop, and, at a time +appointed, all the camps begin to move back toward the tobacco patch, +timing their marches so that all may reach it on the same day. When they +get there, they camp near it, but no one visits it except the head man of +the medicine men who took charge of the planting. This man goes to the bed, +gathers a little of the plant, and returns to the camp. + +A small boy, six or eight years old, is selected to carry this plant to the +centre of the circle. The man who gathered the tobacco ties it to a little +stick, and, under the tobacco, to the stick he ties a baby's moccasin. The +little boy carries this stick to the centre of the camp, and stands it in +the ground in the middle of the circle, the old man accompanying him and +showing him where to put it. It is left there all night. The next day there +is a great feast, and the kettles of food are all brought to the centre of +the camp. The people all gather there, and a prayer is made. Then they sing +the four songs which belong especially to this festival. The first and +fourth are merely airs without words; the second has words, the purport of +which is, "The sun goes with us." The third song says, "Hear your +children's prayer." After the ceremony is over, every one is at liberty to +go and gather the tobacco. It is dried and put in sacks for use during the +year. The seed is collected for the next planting. When they reach the +patch, if the crop is good, every one is glad. After the gathering, they +all move away again after the buffalo. + +Sometimes a man who was lazy, and had planted no tobacco, would go secretly +to the patch, and pull a number of plants belonging to some one else, and +hide them for his own use. Now, in these prayers that they offer, they do +not ask for mercy for thieves. A man who had thus taken what did not belong +to him would have a lizard appear to him in a dream, and then he would fall +sick and die. The medicine men would know of all this, but they would not +do anything. They would just let him die. + +This tobacco was given us by the one who made us. + +The Blackfoot cosmology is imperfect and vague, and I have been able to +obtain nothing like a complete account of it, for I have found no one who +appeared to know the story of the beginning of all things. + +Some of the Blackfeet now say that originally there was a great womb, in +which were conceived the progenitors of all animals now on earth. Among +these was Old Man. As the time for their birth drew near, the animals used +to quarrel as to which should be the first to be born, and one day, in a +fierce struggle about this, the womb burst, and Old Man jumped first to the +ground. For this reason, he named all the animals Nis-kum'-iks, Young +Brothers; and they, because he was the first-born, called him Old Man. + +There are several different accounts of the creation of the people by Old +Man. One is that he married a female dog, and that their progeny were the +first people. Others, and the ones most often told, have been given in the +Old Man stories already related. + +There is an account of the creation which is essentially an Algonquin myth, +and is told by most of the tribes of this stock from the Atlantic to the +Rocky Mountains, though the hero is variously named. Here is the Blackfoot +version of it:-- + +In the beginning, all the land was covered with water, and Old Man and all +the animals were floating around on a large raft. One day Old Man told the +beaver to dive and try to bring up a little mud. The beaver went down, and +was gone a long time, but could not reach the bottom. Then the loon tried, +and the otter, but the water was too deep for them. At last the muskrat +dived, and he was gone so long that they thought he had drowned, but he +finally came up, almost dead, and when they pulled him on to the raft, they +found, in one of his paws, a little mud. With this, Old Man formed the +world, and afterwards he made the people. + +This myth, while often related by the Blackfoot tribe, is seldom heard +among the Bloods or Piegans. It is uncertain whether all three tribes used +to know it, but have forgotten it, or whether it has been learned in +comparatively modern times by the Blackfeet from the Crees, with whom they +have always had more frequent intercourse and a closer connection than the +other two tribes. + +There is also another version of the origin of death. When Old Man made the +first people, he gave them very strong bodies, and for a long time no one +was sick. At last, a little child fell ill. Each day it grew weaker and +weaker, and at last it fainted. Then the mother went to Old Man, and prayed +him to do something for it. + +"This," said Old Man, "will be the first time it has happened to the +people. You have seen the buffalo fall to the ground when struck with an +arrow. Their hearts stop beating, they do not breathe, and soon their +bodies become cold. They are then dead. Now, woman, it shall be for you to +decide whether death shall come to the people as well as to the other +animals, or whether they shall live forever. Come now with me to the +river." + +When they reached the water's edge, Old Man picked up from the ground a dry +buffalo chip and a stone. "Now, woman," he said, "you will tell me which +one of these to throw into the water. If what I throw floats, your child +shall live; the people shall live forever. If it sinks, then your child +shall die, and all the people shall die, each one when his time comes." + +The woman stood still a long time, looking from the stone to the buffalo +chip, and from the chip to the stone. At last she said, "Throw the stone." +Then Old Man tossed it into the river, and it sank to the bottom. "Woman," +he cried, "go home; your child is dead." Thus, on account of a foolish +woman, we all must die. + +The shadow of a person, the Blackfeet say, is his soul. Northeast of the +Sweet Grass Hills, near the international boundary line, is a bleak, sandy +country called the Sand Hills, and there all the shadows of the deceased +good Blackfeet are congregated. The shadows of those who in this world led +wicked lives are not allowed to go there. After death, these wicked persons +take the shape of ghosts _(Sta-au'_[1]), and are compelled ever after to +remain near the place where they died. Unhappy themselves, they envy those +who are happy, and continually prowl about the lodges of the living, +seeking to do them some injury. Sometimes they tap on the lodge skins and +whistle down the smoke hole, but if the fire is burning within they will +not enter. + +[Footnote 1: The human skeleton is also called _Sta-au', i.e._ +ghost. Compare Cheyenne _Mis-tai'_, ghost.] + +Outside in the dark they do much harm, especially the ghosts of enemies who +have been killed in battle. These sometimes shoot invisible arrows into +persons, causing sickness and death. They have hit people on the head, +causing them to become crazy. They have paralyzed people's limbs, and drawn +their faces out of shape, and done much other harm. Ghosts walk above the +ground, not on it. An example of this peculiarity is seen in the case of +the young man who visited the lodge of the starving family, in the story +entitled Origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi._ + +Ghosts sometimes speak to people. An instance of this is the following, +which occurred to my friend Young Bear Chief, and which he related to +me. He said: "I once went to war, and took my wife with me. I went to +Buffalo Lip Butte, east of the Cypress Mountains; a little creek runs by +it. I took eighteen horses from an Assinaboine camp one night, when it was +very foggy. I found sixteen horses feeding on the hills, and went into the +camp and cut loose two more. Then we went off with the horses. When we +started, it was so foggy that I could not see the stars, and I did not know +which way to run. I kept travelling in what I supposed was the direction +toward home, but I did not know where I was going. After we had gone a long +way, I stopped and got off my horse to fix my belt. My wife did not +dismount, but sat there waiting for me to mount and ride on. + +"I spoke to my wife, and said to her, 'We don't know which way to go.' A +voice spoke up right behind me and said: 'It is well; you go ahead. You are +going right.' When I heard the voice, the top of my head seemed to lift up +and felt as if a lot of needles were sticking into it. My wife, who was +right in front of me, was so frightened that she fainted and fell off her +horse, and it was a long time before she came to. When she got so she could +ride, we went on, and when morning came I found that we were going +straight, and were on the west side of the West Butte of the Sweet Grass +Hills. We got home all right. This must have been a ghost." + +Now and then among the Blackfeet, we find evidences of a belief that the +soul of a dead person may take up its abode in the body of an animal. An +example of this is seen in the story of E-k[=u]s'-kini, p. 90. Owls are +thought to be the ghosts of medicine men. + +The Blackfeet do not consider the Sand Hills a happy hunting ground. There +the dead, who are themselves shadows, live in shadow lodges, hunt shadow +buffalo, go to war against shadow enemies, and in every way lead an +existence which is but a mimicry of this life. In this respect the +Blackfeet are almost alone. I know of scarcely any other American tribe, +certainly none east of the Rocky Mountains, who are wholly without a belief +in a happy future state. The Blackfeet do not especially say that this +future life is an unhappy one, but, from the way in which they speak of it, +it is clear that for them it promises nothing desirable. It is a +monotonous, never ending, and altogether unsatisfying existence,--a life as +barren and desolate as the country which the ghosts inhabit. These people +are as much attached to life as we are. Notwithstanding the unhappy days +which have befallen them of late years,--days of privation and +hunger,--they cling to life. Yet they seem to have no fear of death. When +their time comes, they accept their fate without a murmur, and tranquilly, +quietly pass away. + + + +MEDICINE PIPES AND HEALING + + +The person whom the whites term "medicine man" is called by the Blackfeet +_Ni-namp'-skan_. Mr. Schultz believes this word to be compounded of +_nin'nah_, man, and _namp'-ski_, horned toad (_Phrynosoma_), and in this he +is supported by Mr. Thomas Bird, a very intelligent half-breed, who has +translated a part of the Bible into the Blackfoot language for the +Rev. S. Trivett, a Church of England missionary. These gentlemen conclude +that the word means "all-face man." The horned toad is called _namp'-ski_, +all-face; and as the medicine man, with his hair done up in a huge topknot, +bore a certain resemblance to this creature, he was so named. No one among +the Blackfeet appears to have any idea as to what the word means. + +The medicine pipes are really only pipe stems, very long, and beautifully +decorated with bright-colored feathers and the fur of the weasel and other +animals. It is claimed that these stems were given to the people long, long +ago, by the Sun, and that those who own them are regarded by him with +special favor. + +Formerly these stems were valued at from fifteen to thirty head of horses, +and were bought and sold like any other property. When not in use, they +were kept rolled up in many thicknesses of fine tanned fur, and with them +were invariably a quantity of tobacco, a sacred whistle, two sacred +rattles, and some dried sweet grass, and sweet pine needles. + +In the daytime, in pleasant weather, these sacred bundles were hung out of +doors behind the owners' lodges, on tripods. At night they were suspended +within, above the owners' seat It was said that if at any time a person +should walk completely around the lodge of a medicine man, some bad luck +would befall him. Inside the lodge, no one was allowed to pass between the +fireplace and the pipe stem. No one but a medicine man and his head wife +could move or unroll the bundle. The man and his wife were obliged always +to keep their faces, hands, and clothing painted with _nits'-i-san,_ a dull +red paint, made by burning a certain clay found in the bad lands. + +The _Ni-namp'-skan_ appears to be a priest of the Sun, and prayers offered +through him are thought to be specially favored. So the sacred stem is +frequently unrolled for the benefit of the sick, for those who are about to +undertake a dangerous expedition, such as a party departing to war, for +prayers for the general health and prosperity of the people, and for a +bountiful supply of food. At the present time these ancient ceremonies have +largely fallen into disuse. In fact, since the disappearance of the +buffalo, most of the old customs are dying out. + +The thunder is believed to bring the rain in spring, and the rain makes the +berries grow. It is a rule that after the first thunder is heard in the +spring, every medicine man must give a feast and offer prayers for a large +berry crop. I have never seen this ceremony, but Mr. Schultz was once +permitted to attend one, and has given me the following account of it. He +said: "When I entered the lodge with the other guests, the pipe stem had +already been unrolled. Before the fire were two huge kettles of cooked +sarvis berries, a large bowlful of which was soon set before each guest. +Each one, before eating, took a few of the berries and rubbed them into the +ground, saying, 'Take pity on us, all Above People, and give us good.' + +"When all had finished eating, a large black stone pipe bowl was filled and +fitted to the medicine stem, and the medicine man held it aloft and said: +'Listen, Sun! Listen, Thunder! Listen, Old Man! All Above Animals, all +Above People, listen. Pity us! You will smoke. We fill the sacred pipe. Let +us not starve. Give us rain during this summer. Make the berries large and +sweet. Cover the bushes with them. Look down on us all and pity us. Look +at the women and the little children; look at us all. Let us reach old +age. Let our lives be complete. Let us destroy our enemies. Help the young +men in battle. Man, woman, child, we all pray to you; pity us and give us +good. Let us survive.' + +"He then danced the pipe dance, to be described further on. At this time, +another storm had come up, and the thunder crashed directly over our heads. + +"'Listen,' said the medicine man. 'It hears us. We are not doing this +uselessly'; and he raised his face, animated with enthusiasm, toward the +sky, his whole body trembling with excitement; and, holding the pipe aloft, +repeated his prayer. All the rest of the people were excited, and +repeatedly clasped their arms over their breasts, saying: 'Pity us; good +give us; good give us. Let us survive.' + +"After this, the pipe was handed to a man on the right of the +semi-circle. Another warrior took a lighted brand from the fire, and +counted four _coups_, at the end of each _coup_ touching the pipe bowl with +the brand. When he had counted the fourth _coup_, the pipe was lighted. It +was then smoked in turn around the circle, each one, as he received it, +repeating a short prayer before he put the stem to his lips. When it was +smoked out, a hole was dug in the ground, the ashes were knocked into it +and carefully covered over, and the thunder ceremony was ended." + +In the year 1885, I was present at the unwrapping of the medicine pipe by +Red Eagle, an aged _Ni-namp'-skan_ since dead. On this occasion prayers +were made for the success of a party of Piegans who had started in pursuit +of some Crows who had taken a large band of horses from the Piegans the day +before. The ceremony was a very impressive one, and prayers were offered +not only for the success of this war party, but also for the general good, +as well as for the welfare of special individuals, who were mentioned by +name. The concluding words of the general prayer were as follows: "May all +people have full life. Give to all heavy bodies. Let the young people grow; +increase their flesh. Let all men, women, and children have full life. +Harden the bodies of the old people so that they may reach great age." + +In 1879, Mr. Schultz saw a sacred pipe unwrapped for the benefit of a sick +woman, and on various occasions since he has been present at this +ceremony. All accounts of what takes place agree so closely with what I saw +that I give only one of them. Mr. Schultz wrote me of the first occasion: +"When I entered the lodge, it was already well filled with men who had been +invited to participate in the ceremony. The medicine man was aged and +gray-headed, and his feeble limbs could scarcely support his body. Between +him and his wife was the bundle which contained the medicine pipe, as yet +unwrapped, lying on a carefully folded buffalo robe. Plates of food were +placed before each guest, and after all had finished eating, and a common +pipe had been lighted to be smoked around the circle, the ceremony began. + +"With wooden tongs, the woman took a large coal from the fire, and laid it +on the ground in front of the sacred stem. Then, while every one joined in +singing a chant, a song of the buffalo (without words), she took a bunch of +dried sweet grass, and, raising and lowering her hand in time to the music, +finally placed the grass on the burning coals. As the thin column of +perfumed smoke rose from the burning herb, both she and the medicine man +grasped handfuls of it and rubbed it over their persons, to purify +themselves before touching the sacred roll. They also took each a small +piece of some root from a little pouch, and ate it, signifying that they +purified themselves without and within. + +"The man and woman now faced each other and again began the buffalo song, +keeping time by touching with the clenched hands--the right and left +alternately--the wrappings of the pipe, occasionally making the sign for +buffalo. Now, too, one could occasionally hear the word _Nai-ai'_[1] in +the song. After singing this song for about ten minutes, it was changed to +the antelope song, and, instead of touching the roll with the clenched +hands, which represented the heavy tread of buffalo, they closed the hands, +leaving the index finger extended and the thumbs partly open, and in time +to the music, as in the previous song, alternately touched the wrappers +with the tips of the left and right forefinger, the motions being quick and +firm, and occasionally brought the hands to the side of the head, making +the sign for antelope, and at the same time uttering a loud '_Kuh'_ to +represent the whistling or snorting of that animal. + +[Footnote 1: My shelter; my covering; my robe.] + +"At the conclusion of this song, the woman put another bunch of sweet grass +on a coal, and carefully undid the wrappings of the pipe, holding each one +over the smoke to keep it pure. When the last wrapping was removed, the man +gently grasped the stem and, every one beginning the pipe song, he raised +and lowered it several times, shaking it as he did so, until every feather +and bit of fur and scalp hung loose and could be plainly seen. + +"At this moment the sick woman entered the lodge, and with great +difficulty, for she was very weak, walked over to the medicine woman and +knelt down before her. The medicine woman then produced a small bag of red +paint, and painted a broad band across the sick woman's forehead, a stripe +down the nose, and a number of round dots on each cheek. Then picking up +the pipe stem, which the man had laid down, she held it up toward the sky +and prayed, saying, 'Listen, Sun, pity us! Listen, Old Man, pity us! Above +People, pity us! Under Water People, pity us! Listen, Sun! Listen, Sun! Let +us survive, pity us! Let us survive. Look down on our sick daughter this +day. Pity her and give her a complete life.' At the conclusion of this +short prayer, all the people uttered a loud _m-m-m-h_, signifying that they +took the words to their hearts. Every one now commenced the pipe song, and +the medicine woman passed the stem over different parts of the sick woman's +body, after which she rose and left the lodge. + +"The medicine man now took a common pipe which had been lighted, and blew +four whiffs of smoke toward the sky, four toward the ground, and four on +the medicine pipe stem, and prayed to the Sun, Old Man, and all medicine +animals, to pity the people and give them long life. The drums were then +produced, the war song commenced, and the old man, with a rattle in each +hand, danced four times to the door-way and back. He stooped slightly, kept +all his limbs very rigid, extending his arms like one giving a benediction, +and danced in time to the drumming and singing with quick, sudden +steps. This is the medicine pipe dance, which no one but a pipe-owner is +allowed to perform. Afterward, he picked up the pipe stem, and, holding it +aloft in front of him, went through the same performance. At the +conclusion of the dance, the pipe stem was passed from one to another of +the guests, and each one in turn held it aloft and repeated a short +prayer. The man on my right prayed for the health of his children, the one +on my left for success in a proposed war expedition. This concluded the +ceremony." + +Disease among the Blackfeet is supposed to be caused by evil spirits, +usually the spirits or ghosts of enemies slain in battle. These spirits are +said to wander about at night, and whenever opportunity offers, they shoot +invisible arrows into persons. These cause various internal troubles, such +as consumption, hemorrhages, and diseases of the digestive organs. Mice, +frogs, snakes, and tailed batrachians are said to cause much disease among +women, and hence should be shunned, and on no account handled. + +Less important external ailments and hurts, such as ulcers, boils, sprains, +and so on, are treated by applying various lotions or poultices, compounded +by boiling or macerating certain roots or herbs, known only to the person +supplying them. Rheumatic pains are treated in several ways. Sometimes the +sweat lodge is used, or hot rocks are applied over the place where the pain +is most severe, or actual cautery is practised, by inserting prickly pear +thorns in the flesh, and setting fire to them, when they burn to the very +point. + +The sweat lodge, so often referred to, is used as a curative agent, as well +as in religious ceremonies, and is considered very beneficial in illness of +all kinds. The sweat lodge is built in the shape of a rough hemisphere, +three or four feet high and six or eight in diameter. The frame is usually +of willow branches, and is covered with cow-skins and robes. In the centre +of the floor, a small hole is dug out, in which are to be placed red hot +stones. Everything being ready, those who are to take the sweat remove +their clothing and crowd into the lodge. The hot rocks are then handed in +from the fire outside, and the cowskins pulled down to the ground to +exclude any cold air. If a medicine pipe man is not at hand, the oldest +person present begins to pray to the Sun, and at the same time sprinkles +water on the hot rocks, and a dense steam rises, making the perspiration +fairly drip from the body. Occasionally, if the heat becomes too intense, +the covering is raised for a few minutes to admit a little air. The sweat +bath lasts for a long time, often an hour or more, during which many +prayers are offered, religious songs chanted, and several pipes smoked to +the Sun. As has been said, the sweat lodge is built to represent the Sun's +own lodge or home, that is, the world. The ground inside the lodge stands +for its surface, which, according to Blackfoot philosophy, is flat and +round. The framework represents the sky, which far off, on the horizon, +reaches down to and touches the world. + +As soon as the sweat is over, the men rush out, and plunge into the stream +to cool off. This is invariably done, even in winter, when the ice has to +be broken to make a hole large enough to bathe in. It is said that, when +the small-pox was raging among these Indians, they used the sweat lodge +daily, and that hundreds of them, sick with the disease, were unable to get +out of the river, after taking the bath succeeding a sweat, and were +carried down stream by the current and drowned. + +It is said that wolves, which in former days were extremely numerous, +sometimes went crazy, and bit every animal they met with, sometimes even +coming into camps and biting dogs, horses, and people. Persons bitten by a +mad wolf generally went mad, too. They trembled and their limbs jerked, +they made their jaws work and foamed at the mouth, often trying to bite +other people. When any one acted in this way, his relations tied him hand +and foot with ropes, and, having killed a buffalo, they rolled him up in +the green hide, and then built a fire on and around him, leaving him in the +fire until the hide began to dry and burn. Then they pulled him out and +removed the buffalo hide, and he was cured. While in the fire, the great +heat caused him to sweat profusely, so much water coming out of his body +that none was left in it, and with the water the disease went out, too. +All the old people tell me that they have seen individuals cured in this +manner of a mad wolf's bite. + +Whenever a person is really sick, a doctor is sent for. Custom requires +that he shall be paid for his services before rendering them. So when he is +called, the messenger says to him, "A---- presents to you a horse, and +asks you to come and doctor him." Sometimes the fee may be several horses, +and sometimes a gun, saddle, or some article of wearing-apparel. This fee +pays only for one visit, but the duration of the visit is seldom less than +twelve hours, and sometimes exceeds forty-eight. If, after the expiration +of the visit, the patient feels that he has been benefited, he will +probably send for the doctor again, but if, on the other hand, he continues +to grow worse, he is likely to send for another. Not infrequently two or +more doctors may be present at the same time, taking turns with the +patient. In early days, if a man fell sick, and remained so for three weeks +or a month, he had to start anew in life when he recovered; for, unless +very wealthy, all his possessions had gone to pay doctor's fees. Often the +last horse, and even the lodge, weapons, and extra clothing were so parted +with. Of late years, however, since the disappearance of the buffalo, the +doctors' fees are much more moderate. + +The doctor is named _I-so-kin-[)u]h-kin,_ a word difficult to +translate. The nearest English meaning of the word seems to be "heavy +singer for the sick." As a rule all doctors sing while endeavoring to work +their cures, and, as helpers, a number of women are always present. Disease +being caused by evil spirits, prayers, exhortations, and certain mysterious +methods must be observed to rid the patient of their influence. No two +doctors have the same methods or songs. Herbs are sometimes used, but not +always. One of their medicines is a great yellow fungus which grows on the +pine trees. This is dried and powdered, and administered either dry or in +an infusion. It is a purgative. As a rule, these doctors, while practising +their rites, will not allow any one in the lodge, except the immediate +members of the sick man's family. Mr. Schultz, who on more than one +occasion has been present at a doctoring, gives the following account of +one of the performances. + +"The patient was a man in the last stages of consumption. When the doctor +entered the lodge, he handed the sick man a strip of buckskin, and told him +to tie it around his chest. The patient then reclined on a couch, stripped +to the waist, and the doctor kneeled on the floor beside him. Having +cleared a little space of the loose dirt and dust, the doctor took two +coals from the fire, laid them in this place, and put a pinch of dried +sweet grass on each of them. As the smoke arose from the burning grass, he +held his drum over it, turning it from side to side, and round and +round. This was supposed to purify it. Laying aside the drum, he held his +hands in the smoke, and rubbed his arms and body with it. Then, picking up +the drum, he began to tap it rapidly, and prayed, saying: 'Listen, my +dream. This you told me should be done. This you said should be the +way. You said it would cure the sick. Help me now. Do not lie to me. Help +me, Sun person. Help me to cure this sick man.' + +"He then began to sing, and as soon as the women had caught the air, he +handed the drum to one of them to beat, and, still singing himself, took an +eagle's wing and dipped the tip of it in a cup of 'medicine.' It was a +clear liquid, and looked as if it might be simply water. Placing the tip of +the wing in his mouth, he seemed to bite off the end of it, and, chewing it +a little, spat it out on the patient's breast. Then, in time to the +singing, he brushed it gently off, beginning at the throat and ending at +the lower ribs. This was repeated three times. Next he took the bandage +from the patient, dipped it in the cup of medicine, and, wringing it out, +placed it on the sick man's chest, and rubbed it up and down, and back and +forth, after which he again brushed the breast with the eagle +wing. Finally, he lighted a pipe, and, placing the bowl in his mouth, blew +the smoke through the stem all over the patient's breast, shoulders, neck, +and arms, and finished the ceremony by again brushing with the wing. At +intervals of two or three hours, the whole ceremony was repeated. The +doctor arrived at the lodge of the sick man about noon, and left the next +morning, having received for his services a saddle and two blankets." + +"Listen, my dream--" This is the key to most of the Blackfoot medicine +practices. These doctors for the most part effect their cures by +prayer. Each one has his dream, or secret helper, to whom he prays for aid, +and it is by this help that he expects to restore his patient to health. No +doubt the doctors have the fullest confidence that their practices are +beneficial, and in some cases they undoubtedly do good because of the +implicit confidence felt in them by the patient. + +Often, when a person is sick, he will ask some medicine man to unroll his +pipe. If able to dance, he will take part in the ceremony, but if not, the +medicine man paints him with the sacred symbols. In any case a fervent +prayer is offered by the medicine man for the sick person's recovery. The +medicine man administers no remedies; the ceremony is purely +religious. Being a priest of the Sun, it is thought that god will be more +likely to listen to him than he would to an ordinary man. + +Although the majority of Blackfoot doctors are men, there are also many +women in the guild, and some of them are quite noted for their +success. Such a woman, named Wood Chief Woman, is now alive on the +Blackfoot reservation. She has effected many wonderful cures. Two Bear +Woman is a good doctor, and there are many others. + +In the case of gunshot wounds a man's "dream," or "medicine," often acts +directly and speedily. Many cases are cited in which this charm, often the +stuffed skin of some bird or animal, belonging to the wounded man, becomes +alive, and by its power effects a cure. Many examples of this might be +given but for lack of space. Entirely honest Indians and white men have +seen such cures and believe in them. + + + +THE BLACKFOOT OF TO-DAY + +In the olden times the Blackfeet were very numerous, and it is said that +then they were a strong and hardy people, and few of them were ever +sick. Most of the men who died were killed in battle, or died of old +age. We may well enough believe that this was the case, because the +conditions of their life in those primitive times were such that the weakly +and those predisposed to any constitutional trouble would not survive early +childhood. Only the strongest of the children would grow up to become the +parents of the next generation. Thus a process of selection was constantly +going on, the effect of which was no doubt seen in the general health of +the people. + +With the advent of the whites, came new conditions. Various special +diseases were introduced and swept off large numbers of the people. An +important agent in their destruction was alcohol. + +In the year 1845, the Blackfeet were decimated by the small-pox. This +disease appears to have travelled up the Missouri River; and in the early +years, between 1840 and 1850, it swept away hosts of Mandans, Rees, Sioux, +Crows, and other tribes camped along the great river. I have been told, by +a man who was employed at Fort Union in 1842-43, that the Indians died +there in such numbers that the men of the fort were kept constantly at work +digging trenches in which to bury them, and when winter came, and the +ground froze so hard that it was no longer practicable to bury the dead, +their bodies were stacked up like cord wood in great piles to await the +coming of spring. The disease spread from tribe to tribe, and finally +reached the Blackfeet. It is said by whites who were in the country at the +time, that this small-pox almost swept the Plains bare of Indians. + +In the winter of 1857-58, small-pox again carried off great numbers, but +the mortality was not to be compared with that of 1845. In 1864, measles +ran through all the Blackfoot camps, and was very fatal, and again in 1869 +they had the small-pox. + +Between the years 1860 and 1875, a great deal of whiskey was traded to the +Blackfeet. Having once experienced the delights of intoxication, the +Indians were eager for liquor, and the traders found that robes and furs +could be bought to better advantage for whiskey than for anything else. To +be sure, the personal risk to the trader was considerably increased by the +sale of whiskey, for when drunk the Indians fought like demons among +themselves or with the traders. But, on the other hand, whiskey for +trading to Indians cost but a trifle, and could be worked up, and then +diluted, so that a little would go a long way. + +As a measure of partial self-protection, the traders used to deal out the +liquor from the keg or barrel in a tin scoop so constructed that it would +not stand on a flat surface, so that an Indian, who was drinking, had to +keep the vessel in his hand until the liquor was consumed, or else it would +be spilled and lost. This lessened the danger of any shooting or stabbing +while the Indian was drinking, and an effort was usually made to get him +out of the store as soon as he had finished. Nevertheless, drunken fights +in the trading-stores were of common occurrence, and the life of a +whiskey-trader was one of constant peril. I have talked with many men who +were engaged in this traffic, and some of the stories they tell are +thrilling. It was a common thing in winter for the man who unbarred and +opened the store in the morning to have a dead Indian fall into his arms as +the door swung open. To prop up against the door a companion who had been +killed or frozen to death during the night seems to have been regarded by +the Indians as rather a delicate bit of humor, in the nature of a joke on +the trader. Long histories of the doings of these whiskey trading days have +been related to me, but the details are too repulsive to be set down. The +traffic was very fatal to the Indians. + +The United States has laws which prohibit, under severe penalties, the sale +of intoxicants to Indians, but these laws are seldom enforced. To the north +of the boundary line, however, in the Northwest Territories, the Canadian +Mounted Police have of late years made whiskey-trading perilous +business. Of Major Steell's good work in putting down the whiskey traffic +on the Blackfoot agency in Montana, I shall speak further on, and to-day +there is not very much whiskey sold to the Blackfeet. Constant vigilance is +needed, however, to keep traders from the borders of the reservation. + +In the winter of 1883-84 more than a quarter of the Piegan tribe of the +Blackfeet, which then numbered about twenty-five or twenty-six hundred, +died from starvation. It had been reported to the Indian Bureau that the +Blackfeet were practically self-supporting and needed few supplies. As a +consequence of this report, appropriations for them were small. The +statement was entirely and fatally misleading. The Blackfeet had then +never done anything toward self-support, except to kill buffalo. But just +before this, in the year 1883, the buffalo had been exterminated from the +Blackfoot country. In a moment, and without warning, the people had been +deprived of the food supply on which they had depended. At once they had +turned their attention to the smaller game, and, hunting faithfully the +river bottoms, the brush along the small streams, and the sides of the +mountains, had killed off all the deer, elk, and antelope; and at the +beginning of the winter found themselves without their usual stores of +dried meat, and with nothing to depend on, except the scanty supplies in +the government storehouse. These were ridiculously inadequate to the wants +of twenty-five hundred people, and food could be issued to them only in +driblets quite insufficient to sustain life. The men devoted themselves +with the utmost faithfulness to hunting, killing birds, rabbits, +prairie-dogs, rats, anything that had life; but do the best they might, the +people began to starve. The very old and the very young were the first to +perish; after that, those who were weak and sickly, and at last some even +among the strong and hardy. News of this suffering was sent East, and +Congress ordered appropriations to relieve the distress; but the supplies +had to be freighted in wagons for one hundred and fifty or two hundred +miles before they were available. If the Blackfeet had been obliged to +depend on the supplies authorized by the Indian Bureau, the whole tribe +might have perished, for the red tape methods of the Government are not +adapted to prompt and efficient action in times of emergency. Happily, help +was nearer at hand. The noble people of Montana, and the army officers +stationed at Fort Shaw, did all they could to get supplies to the +sufferers. One or two Montana contractors sent on flour and bacon, on the +personal assurance of the newly appointed agent that he would try to have +them paid. But it took a long time to get even these supplies to the +agency, over roads sometimes hub deep in mud, or again rough with great +masses of frozen clay; and all the time the people were dying. + +During the winter, Major Allen had been appointed agent for the Blackfeet, +and he reached the agency in the midst of the worst suffering, and before +any effort had been made to relieve it. He has told me a heart-rending +story of the frightful suffering which he found among these helpless +people. + +In his efforts to learn exactly what was their condition, Major Allen one +day went into twenty-three houses and lodges to see for himself just what +the Indians had to eat. In only two of these homes did he find anything in +the shape of food. In one house a rabbit was boiling in a pot. The man had +killed it that morning, and it was being cooked for a starving child. In +another lodge, the hoof of a steer was cooking,--only the hoof,--to make +soup for the family. Twenty-three lodges Major Allen visited that day, and +the little rabbit and the steer's hoof were all the food he found. "And +then," he told me, with tears in his eyes, "I broke down. I could go no +further. To see so much misery, and feel myself utterly powerless to +relieve it, was more than I could stand." + +Major Allen had calculated with exactest care the supplies on hand, and at +this time was issuing one-seventh rations. The Indians crowded around the +agency buildings and begged for food. Mothers came to the windows and held +up their starving babies that the sight of their dull, pallid faces, their +shrunken limbs, and their little bones sticking through their skins might +move some heart to pity. Women brought their young daughters to the white +men in the neighborhood, and said, "Here, you may have her, if you will +feed her; I want nothing for myself; only let her have enough to eat, that +she may not die." One day, a deputation of the chiefs came to Major Allen, +and asked him to give them what he had in his storehouses. He explained to +them that it must be some time before the supplies could get there, and +that only by dealing out what he had with the greatest care could the +people be kept alive until provisions came. But they said: "Our women and +children are hungry, and we are hungry. Give us what you have, and let us +eat once and be filled. Then we will die content; we will not beg any +more." He took them into the storehouse, and showed them just what food he +had,--how much flour, how much bacon, how much rice, coffee, sugar, and so +on through the list--and then told them that if this was issued all at +once, there was no hope for them, they would surely die, but that he +expected supplies by a certain day. "And," said he, "if they do not come by +that time, you shall come in here and help yourselves. That I promise +you." They went away satisfied. + +Meanwhile, the supplies were drawing near. The officer in command of Fort +Shaw had supplied fast teams to hurry on a few loads to the agency, but the +roads were so bad that the wagon trains moved with appalling slowness. At +length, however, they had advanced so far that it was possible to send out +light teams, to meet the heavily laden ones, and bring in a few sacks of +flour and bacon; and every little helped. Gradually the suffering was +relieved, but the memory of that awful season of famine will never pass +from the minds of those who witnessed it. + +There is a record of between four and five hundred Indians who died of +hunger at this time, and this includes only those who were buried in the +immediate neighborhood of the agency and for whom coffins were made. It is +probable that nearly as many more died in the camps on other creeks, but +this is mere conjecture. It is no exaggeration to say, however, that from +one-quarter to one-third of the Piegan tribe starved to death during that +winter and the following spring. + +The change from living in portable and more or less open lodges to +permanent dwellings has been followed by a great deal of illness, and at +present the people appear to be sickly, though not so much so as some other +tribes I have known, living under similar conditions further south. + +Like other Indians, the Blackfeet have been several times a prey to bad +agents,--men careless of their welfare, who thought only about drawing +their own pay, or, worse, who used their positions simply for their own +enrichment, and stole from the government and Indians alike everything upon +which they could lay hands. It was with great satisfaction that I secured +the discharge of one such man a few years ago, and I only regret that it +was not in my power to have carried the matter so far that he might have +spent a few years in prison. + +The present agent of the Blackfeet, Major George Steell, is an old-timer in +the country and understands Indians very thoroughly. In one respect, he has +done more for this people than any other man who has ever had charge of +them, for he has been an uncompromising enemy of the whiskey traffic, and +has relentlessly pursued the white men who always gather about an agency to +sell whiskey to the Indians, and thus not only rob them of their +possessions, but degrade them as well. The prison doors of Deer Lodge have +more than once opened to receive men sent there through the energy of Major +Steell. For the good work he has done in this respect, this gentleman +deserves the highest credit, and he is a shining example among Indian +agents. + +As recently as 1887 it was rather unusual to see a Blackfoot Indian clad in +white men's clothing; the only men who wore coats and trousers were the +police and a few of the chiefs; to-day it is quite as unusual to see an +Indian wearing a blanket. Not less striking than this difference in their +way of life, is the change which has taken place in the spirit of the +tribe. + +I was passing through their reservation in 1888, when the chiefs asked me +to meet them in council and listen to what they had to say. + +I learned that they wished to have a message taken to the Great Father in +the East, and, after satisfying myself that their complaint was well +grounded, I promised to do for them what I could. I accomplished what they +desired, and since that time I have taken much active interest in this +people, and my experience with them has shown me very clearly how much may +be accomplished by the unaided efforts of a single individual who +thoroughly understands the needs of a tribe of Indians. During my annual +visits to the Blackfeet reservation, which have extended over two, three, +or four months each season, I see a great many of the men and have long +conversations with them. They bring their troubles to me, asking what they +shall do, and how their condition may be improved. They tell me what things +they want, and why they think they ought to have them. I listen, and talk +to them just as if they were so many children. If their requests are +unreasonable, I try to explain to them, step by step, why it is not best +that what they desire should be done, or tell them that other things which +they ask for seem proper, and that I will do what I can to have them +granted. If one will only take the pains necessary to make things clear to +him, the adult Indian is a reasonable being, but it requires patience to +make him understand matters which to a white man would need no +explanation. As an example, let me give the substance of a conversation had +last autumn with a leading man of the Piegans who lives on Cut Bank River, +about twenty-five miles from the agency. He said to me:-- + +"We ought to have a storehouse over here on Cut Bank, so that we will not +be obliged each week to go over to the agency to get our food. It takes us +a day to go, and a day to come, and a day there; nearly three days out of +every week to get our food. When we are at work cutting hay, we cannot +afford to spend so much time travelling back and forth. We want to get our +crops in, and not to be travelling about all the time. It would be a good +thing, too, to have a blacksmith shop here, so that when our wagons break +down, we will not have to go to the agency to get them mended." + +This is merely the substance of a much longer speech, to which I replied by +a series of questions, something like the following:-- + +"Do you remember talking to me last year, and telling me on this same spot +that you ought to have beef issued to you here, and ought not to have to +make the long journey to the agency for your meat?" "Yes." + +"And that I told you I agreed with you, and believed that some of the +steers could just as well be killed here by the agency herder and issued to +those Indians living near here?" "Yes." + +"That change has been made, has it not? You now get your beef here, don't +you?" "Yes." + +"You know that the Piegans have a certain amount of money coming to them +every year, don't you?" "Yes." + +"And that some of that money goes to pay the expenses of the agency, some +for food, some to pay clerks and blacksmiths, some to buy mowing-machines, +wagons, harness, and rakes, and some to buy the cattle which have been +issued to you?" "Yes." + +"Now, if a government storehouse were to be built over here, clerks hired +to manage it, a blacksmith shop built and another blacksmith hired, that +would all cost money, wouldn't it?" "Yes." + +"And that money would be taken out of the money coming next year to the +Piegans, wouldn't it?" "Yes." + +"And if that money were spent for those things, the people would have just +so many fewer wagons, mowing-machines, rakes, and cattle issued to them +next year, wouldn't they?" "Yes." + +"Well, which would be best for the tribe, which would you rather have, a +store and a blacksmith shop here on Cut Bank, or the money which those +things would cost in cows and farming implements?" + +"I would prefer that we should have the cattle and the tools." + +"I think you are right. It would save trouble to each man, if the +government would build a storehouse for him right next his house, but it +would be a waste of money. Many white men have to drive ten, twenty, or +thirty miles to the store, and you ought not to complain if you have to do +so." + +After this conversation the man saw clearly that his request was an +unreasonable one, but if I had merely told him that he was a fool to want a +store on Cut Bank, he would never have been satisfied, for his experiences +were so limited that he could not have reasoned the thing out for himself. + +In my talks with these people, I praise those who have worked hard and +lived well during the past year, while to those who have been idle or +drunken or have committed crimes, I explain how foolish their course has +been and try to show them how impossible it is for a man to be successful +if he acts like a child, and shows that he is a person of no sense. A +little quiet talk will usually demonstrate to them that they have been +unwise, and they make fresh resolutions and promise amendment. Of course +the only argument I use is to tell them that one course will be for their +material advancement, and is the way a white man would act, while the other +will tend to keep them always poor. + +Some years ago, the Blackfeet made a new treaty, by which they sold to the +government a large portion of their lands. By this treaty, which was +ratified by Congress in May, 1887, they are to receive $150,000 annually +for a period of ten years, when government support is to be withdrawn. This +sum is a good deal more than is required for their subsistence, and, by the +terms of the treaty, the surplus over what is required for their food and +clothing is to be used in furnishing to the Indians farming implements, +seed, live stock, and such other things as will help them to become +self-supporting. + +The country which the Blackfeet inhabit lies just south of the parallel of +49°, close to the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is very cold and +dry. Crops can be grown there successfully not more than once in four or +five years, and the sole products to be depended on are oats and potatoes, +which are raised only by means of irrigation. It is evident, therefore, +that the Piegan tribe of the Blackfeet can never become an agricultural +people. Their reservation, however, is well adapted to stock-raising, and +in past years the cattlemen from far and from near have driven their herds +on to the reservation to eat the Blackfoot grass; and the remonstrances of +the Indians have been entirely disregarded. Some years ago, I came to the +conclusion that the proper occupation for these Indians was +stock-raising. Horses they already had in some numbers, but horses are not +so good for them as cattle, because horses are more readily sold than +cattle, and an Indian is likely to trade his horse for whiskey and other +useless things. Cattle they are much less likely to part with, and besides +this, require more attention than horses, and so are likely to keep the +Indians busy and to encourage them to work. + +Within the past three or four years, I have succeeded in inducing the +Indian Bureau to employ a part of the treaty money coming to the Blackfeet +in purchasing for them cattle. + +It was impressed upon them that they must care for the cattle, not kill and +eat any of them, but keep them for breeding purposes. It was represented to +them that, if properly cared for, the cattle would increase each year, +until a time might come when each Indian would be the possessor of a herd, +and would then be rich like the white cattlemen. + +The severe lesson of starvation some years before had not failed to make an +impression, and it was perhaps owing to this terrible experience that the +Piegans did not eat the cows as soon as they got them, as other Indian +tribes have so often done. Instead of this, each man took the utmost care +of the two or three heifers he received. Little shelters and barns were +built to protect them during the winter. Indians who had never worked +before, now tried to borrow a mowing-machine, so as to put up some hay for +their animals. The tribe seemed at once to have imbibed the idea of +property, and each man was as fearful lest some accident should happen to +his cows as any white man might have been. Another issue of cattle was +made, and the result is that now there is hardly an individual in the tribe +who is not the possessor of one or more cows. Scarcely any of the issued +cattle have been eaten; there has been almost no loss from lack of care; +the original stock has increased and multiplied, and now the Piegans have a +pretty fair start in cattle. + +This material advancement is important and encouraging. But richer still +is the promise for the future. A few years ago, the Blackfeet were all +paupers, dependent on the bounty of the government and the caprice of the +agent. Now, they feel themselves men, are learning self-help and +self-reliance, and are looking forward to a time when they shall be +self-supporting. If their improvement should be as rapid for the next five +years as it has been for the five preceding 1892, a considerable portion of +the tribe will be self-supporting at the date of expiration of the treaty. + +It is commonly believed that the Indian is hopelessly lazy, and that he +will do no work whatever. This misleading notion has been fostered by the +writings of many ignorant people, extending over a long period of time. The +error had its origin in the fact that the work which the savage Indian does +is quite different from that performed by the white laborer. But it is +certain that no men ever worked harder than Indians on a journey to war, +during which they would march on foot hundreds of miles, carrying heavy +loads on their backs, then have their fight, or take their horses, and +perhaps ride for several days at a stretch, scarcely stopping to eat or +rest. That they did not labor regularly is of course true, but when they +did work, their toil was very much harder than that ever performed by the +white man. + +The Blackfeet now are willing to work in the same way that the white man +works. They appreciate, as well as any one, the fact that old things have +passed away, and that they must now adapt themselves to new surroundings. +Therefore, they work in the hay fields, tend stock, chop logs in the +mountains, haul firewood, drive freighting teams, build houses and fences, +and, in short, do pretty much all the work that would be done by an +ordinary ranchman. They do not perform it so well as white men would; they +are much more careless in their handling of tools, wagons, mowing-machines, +or other implements, but they are learning all the time, even if their +progress is slow. + +The advance toward civilization within the past five years is very +remarkable and shows, as well as anything could show, the adaptability of +the Indian. At the same time, I believe that if it had not been for that +fateful experience known as "the starvation winter," the progress made by +the Blackfeet would have been very much less than it has been. The Indian +requires a bitter lesson to make him remember. + +But besides this lesson, which at so terrible a cost demonstrated to him +the necessity of working, there has been another factor in the progress of +the Blackfoot. If he has learned the lesson of privation and suffering, the +record given in these pages has shown that he is not less ready to respond +to encouragement, not less quickened and sustained by friendly +sympathy. Without such encouragement he will not persevere. If his crops +fail him this year, he has no heart to plant the next. A single failure +brings despair. Yet if he is cheered and helped, he will make other +efforts. The Blackfeet have been thus sustained; they have felt that there +was an inducement for them to do well, for some one whom they trusted was +interested in their welfare, was watching their progress, and was trying to +help them. They knew that this person had no private interest to serve, but +wished to do the best that he could for his people. Having an exaggerated +idea of his power to aid them, they have tried to follow his advice, so as +to obtain his good-will and secure his aid with the government. Thus they +have had always before them a definite object to strive for. + +The Blackfoot of to-day is a working man. He has a little property which he +is trying to care for and wishes to add to. With a little help, with +instruction, and with encouragement to persevere, he will become in the +next few years self-supporting, and a good citizen. + + + + +INDEX + +Above Persons, +Adoption of captives, +Adultery, penalty for, +Adventure, Stories of, +Adventures of Bull Turns Round, +Affirmation, solemn form of, +_Ah-kaik'-sum-iks_ +_Ah-kai-yi-ko-ka'-kin-iks,_ +_Ah-kai'-po-kaks_ +_Ah-kwo'-nis-tsists,_ +_Ahk-o'-tash-iks,_ +Ahk-sa'-ke-wah, +_Ah'pai-tup-iks,_ +_Ai-sik'-stuk-iks,_ +A[=i]-sin'-o-ko-ki, +_Ai'-so-yim-stan,_ +Alcohol, agent of destruction, +Algonquin myth, +Algonquin tribes, +All-are-his-children, +All Comrades, +All Crazy Dogs, +Allen, Major, +All-face man, +Almost-a-Dog, +_Amelanchier alnifolia_, +_American Anthropologist_, +American Hero Myths, +Ancient customs dying out, +Ancient Times, Stories of, +Animals, birth of, + creation of, +Animal powers, +Animal powers and signs, +Animals to be food, +Antelope, method of taking, + song, + where created, +_Anthropologist, American_ +_A'pi,_ +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks,_ +Ap'i-kunni, +Api-su'-ahts, +_Ap-ut'-o-si-kai-nah,_ +Armells Creek, +Arrows, +Assinaboines (tribe), +A'-tsi-tsi, +Authority of "sits beside him" woman, +A-wah-heh', + +Back fat (of buffalo), + Creek, +Bad Weapons, The, +Bad Wife, The, +Badger, +Badger Creek, +Bags, +Basins, +Battle near Cypress Mountains, +Bear, +Bears, The +Beaver, how taken, + Creek, + Indians, + Medicine, The, + song, +Belly River, + Buttes, +Belt, +Berries created, +Berry of the red willow, +Big Eagle, +Big Nose, +Big Topknots, +Bighorn, where created +Birch tree +Bird, Thomas +Birds created +Birth of the animals +Biters +Bitter-root +Black Elks (Blackfoot gens) + (Blood gens) +Blackfat Roasters +Blackfeet + as known to the whites +Blackfoot + cosmology + country, boundaries of + Crossing + Genesis, The + in War, The +Black Doors +Black Patched Moccasins +Blood (tribe) +Blood People +Boiling meat +Bow River +Bowls of stone +Bows +Box Elder Creek +Boys, advice to +Brave (band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi),_ +Bravery held in high esteem + proofs of required +Braves, duties of +Braves' society +Brinton, Dr. +Brush created +Buckets +Buffalo + bringing to camp + corral of Cheyennes + created + driven over cliffs + Dung (gens) + eating the people + hunting disguised + hidden + slaughter, modern + value of to the people + surrounding +Buffalo Lip Butte +Buffalo Rock, The + what it is +Buffalo song +Bull bats +Bull berries +Bulls +Bulls' society +Bunch of lodges +Burial +Buttes created + +Camas + root, how prepared +Camp arranged in circle +Camp, order of moving +Canadian mounted police +Casey, Lieutenant +Catchers +Cattle issued +Cause of disease. +Centre post of Medicine Lodge +Ceremony of Medicine Lodge + of unwrapping pipe-stem +Cheyennes + buffalo corral of +Chickadee +Chief +Children in lodge + sports of + training of +Children, The Lost +Chippeways +Chippeweyans +Chinook winds +Choke-cherries, how prepared +Clark (W.P.) +Clay images, of buffalo + in human shape +Clot of blood +Clothing + made of buffalo hide +Cold Maker +Confederation of three tribes +Corral of Cheyennes, buffalo +Cosmology, Blackfoot +Counting _coup_ + _coup_ at Medicine Lodge +Country of the Blackfoot +_Coup_, _et seq_. + among Blackfeet. + different tribes. + counting, in early times. +"Covering" the slain. +Cowardice, penalty for. +Coyotes, how taken. +Creation, _et seq_. +Creator. +Cree (tribe), _et seq_. +Crimes to be punished. +Crops in Blackfoot country. +Crow (tribe). +Cups, how made. +Custer, General, xiv. +Customs, ancient, dying out. +Customs, Daily Life and. +Cut Bank River. +Cutting rawhide for Medicine Lodge. +Cypress Mountains. +Daily Life and Customs. +Dance, medicine pipe. + young women's. +Dawson, Mrs. Thomas, xiv. +Dead return to life. +Death, origin of. +Deer, how taken. +Deer Lodge. +Diet. +Disease. +Diseases introduced by whites. +Dishes. +Divorce. +Doctors. +Dog and the Stick, The. +Dogs beasts of burden, _et seq_. + killed at grave. + not eaten. +Dogs Naked. +Don't Laugh band. +Double Runner, vii, xv. +Doves. +Dream helper, _et seq_. + originates war party. + person, _et seq_. +Dreaming for power, _et seq_. +Dreams, 3 _et seq_.. + belief in. +Dress. +Dried meat. +Dried Meat (gens). +Dwelling. +Duties of first wife. +Eagle catching. + songs. + lodge. +Early Finished Eating. +Riser. + wars bloodless. +Ear-rings. +Eggs of waterfowl, how cooked. +_[=E]-in'-a-ke_. +E-kus'-kini, _et seq_. +Elbow river. +Elk, how taken. + The. + tushes. +Elkhorn arrow. +Elk River. +Elopement. +_E'-mi-tah-pahk-sai-yiks,_. +_E'-mi-taks,_. +_Esk'-sin-ai-t[)u]p-iks,_. +_Esk'-sin-i-t[)u]ppiks_. +_[)E]ts-k[=a]i'-nah,_. +Everyday life, _et seq_. +Family names. +Fast of Medicine Lodge woman. +Fast Runners, The. +Fat Roasters. +Feast, invitations to. +Feasting in the camps. +Fighting between Bloods and Piegans. +Fire, how obtained. + carried. +First killing in war. + mauls. + medicine pipe. + people. + pis'kun. + scalping. + shelter to sleep under. + stone knives. +Fish. + hooks. +Fish spears, +Flat Bows, +Flatheads, +Flesh of animals eaten, +Fleshers, how made, +Flint and steel, +Folk-lore, +Food of war party, +_Forest and Stream_, +Fort Conrad, + McLeod, + Pitt, + Union, +Four Bears, +Fox, The, +Fox-eye, +Frogs, +Fungus for punk, +Fur animals, how caught, +Future life, + +Gambling, +Game, hidden, + in Blackfoot country, +Game played by prairie dogs, +Genesis, The Blackfoot, +Gentes of the Blackfeet, + Bloods, + Kai'nah, + Piegans, + Pi-k[)u]n'i, + Sik'si-kau, + now extinct, +Ghost, + bear, + country, + Woman, Heavy Collar and The, +Ghosts, +Ghosts' Buffalo, The, +Ghosts, camp of the, +Girls, carefully guarded, + instructed, + outfit for marriage, +Girl stolen, +Gown of women, +Grasshoppers, +Grease on red willow bark, +Great Bear (constellation), + Falls, +Grizzly Bear, +Grooved arrow shafts, +Gros Ventres, +Ground Man, +Ground Man (of Cheyennes), +Ground Persons, + +Hair, care of, + mode of wearing, +Handles of knives, +"Hands," +Hats of antelope skin, +Head chief, how chosen, +Heavy Collar, + and the Ghost Woman, + Runner, +Help from animals, +Hill where Old Man sleeps, +Horned toad, +Horns, +Horses cause of war, + killed at grave, + when obtained, +How the Blackfoot lived, +Hunting, + alone punished, +Husband's personal rights in wife, + power over wife, + property rights in wife, + +_I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, + origin of, +Implements of the dead, + made of buffalo hide, +Indian a man, + sign language, + tobacco, +Indians and their Stories, + Beaver, + general ignorance about, +Infants lost, +_I-nis'-kim_, +_In-uhk'-so-yi-stam-iks_, +_I-nuk-si'-kah-ko-pwa-iks_, +_I-nuks'-iks_, +Invitation to feasts, +_I'-pok-si-maiks_, +_I-sis'-o-kas-im-iks_, +_I-so-kin'-uh-kin_, +_Is'-sui_, +_Is-ti'-kai-nah_ +"It fell on them" creek, +_It-se'-wah,_ + +Jackson, William, + +_Kah'-mi-taiks_ +Kai'-nah, +Kalispels, +Kettles of stone, +Kill Close By, +Kipp, Joseph, +Kit-fox, +Kit-fox (society), +Kit-foxes, +_Ki'-yis,_ +_Knats-o-mi'-ta,_ +Knives of stone, +Ko-ko-mik'-e-is, +Kom-in'-a-kus, +_Ksik-si-num'_ +_Kuk-kuiks'_ +_Kut'-ai-[=i]m-iks,_ +_Kut-ai-sot'-si-man,_ +Kutenais, +Kut-o'-yis, + +Ladles of horn, + of wood, +_Lari p[=u]k'[=u]s_ +Lesser Slave Lake, +_L'herbe_, +Liars, +Life among the Blackfeet, +Little Birds, +Little Blackfoot, +"Little Slaves," +Lizards, +Lodge for dreaming, + of stone, +Lodges, ancient, + how made, + decoration of, + of chiefs of the _I-kun-uk'-kak-tsi,_ +Lone Eaters, + Fighters, + Medicine Person, +Long Tail Lodge Poles, +Lost Children, The, +Lost Woman, The, +Low Horn, + +Mad Wolf, +Maker, the, +Mandans, +Man-eater, +Many Children, + Lodge Poles, + Horses, + Medicines, +March of the camp, + of war party, +Marriage, girl's outfit for, + how arranged, + of important people, + poorer people, + prerequisites for, + prohibited within gens, +_Ma-stoh'-pah-ta-kiks,_ +Material advancement, +_Mats_, +Mauls, + how made, +Measles, +Medicine leggings, +Medicine Lodge, the, + man, + Pipes and Healing, + rock of the Marias, + woman, +Mexico, +_Mi-ah-wah'-pit-siks,_ +_Mi-aw'-kin-ai-yiks_ +Mik-a'pi, +Miles, General, +Milk River, +Missouri River, +_Mis-tai'_ +Moccasins, +_Mo-k[)u]m'-iks,_ +Monroe, Hugh, + John, +Morning Star, +Mosquitoes, +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ +Mother-in-law, meeting, + not to be spoken to, +_Mo-twai'-naiks_ +Mountains created, +Mourning, + chant, + for the dead, +Muddy River, +Murder, penalty for +Musselshell River, +_M[)u]t'-siks_, + +_Na-ahks'_, +_Nai-ai'_, +Name, changing, + unwillingness to speak, +_Namp'-ski_, +_Na'-pi_, +_Nat-[=o]s'_, +_Nat-o'-ye_, +_Na-wuh'-to-ski_, +Necklaces, +New Mexico, +Night red light, +_Ni-kis'-ta_, +_Nimp'-sa_, +_Ni'-nah_, +_Ni-namp'-skan_, +_Nin'-nah_, +_Nin'-sta_, +_Ni'-po-m[=u]k-i_, +_Nis'-ah_, +_Ni-sis'-ah_, +Nis-kum'-iks, +_Nis-k[=u]n'_, +_Nis-t[=u]m-o'_, +_Nit-t[=u]m-o'-kun_, +_Nit'-ak-os-kit-si-pup-iks_, +_Ni-taw'-yiks_, +_Nit'-ik-skiks_, +_Nit-o-k[=e]-man_, +_Ni-tot'-o-ke-man_, +_Ni-tot'-si-ksis-stan-iks_, +_Nits'-i-san_, +_Nits-o'-kan_, +_Ni-tun'_, +No parfleche, +_No-ko'-i_, +_No'-ma_, +North Bloods, +North, Major, +North Saskatchewan River, +Northwest Territories, +Number of wives, + +Oath, Indian, +Obstinate (gens), +Office not hereditary, +Ojibwas, +_Ok-wi-tok-so-ka_, +Old Man, + and the Lynx, + character of, + disappearance of, + Doctors, + known to other tribes, + makes first weapons, + makes fire sticks, + sleeps, hill where, + Stories of, +Old Man's predictions, + River, + Sliding Ground, +Origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, + medicine pipe, + worm pipe, +Orpheus and Eurydice, +Other game, +Owl Bear, +Owls ghosts of medicine men, +Owner's seat in lodge, + +Paints, +Parfleche soles of moccasins, +Past and the Present, The, +Pawnee _coups_, + Hero Stories and Folk Tales, +Pawnees, +Peace with Gros Ventres broken, + the Snakes, The, +Pemmican, +Penalty for adultery, + for cowardice, + for murder, + for theft, + for treachery, +Penances, +Pend d'Oreille, +People created, +_Phrynosoma_, +Physical characteristics, +Pictographs of _coups_, +Piegans, +Pi-kun'i, +_Pi-n[)u]t-u'-ye is-tsim'-o-kan_, +Pipe dance, medicine, + of the Soldier Society, + stems, +Pipes, material of, +Pis'kun, + etymology of, + bringing buffalo to, + how constructed, + of the Blackfeet, + of the Crees, + of the Sik'-si-kau, +_Pis-tsi-ko'-an_, +Places chosen for dreaming, +Plants, medical properties of, +Plunder from the south, +_Pomme blanche_, +Pottery, +Power, dreaming for, + of herbs, + to bring on storms, +Powers, animal, +Prayers, + in sweat house, + to the Thunder, +Preparations for burial, + for dreaming, + for the attack, + for war parties, +Presents to husband from father-in-law, + to the sun, +Product of the buffalo, +Property buried with dead, + of Brave Society, + of deceased, disposition of, +_Psoralea esculenta_, +_Puh-ksi-nah'-mah-yiks_, +_Puk'-sah-tchis_, +Punishment for hunting alone, + for infidelity, + for stealing tobacco, +Punk, +_P[=u]n'-o-ts[)i]-hyo_, +Purification by smoke, + +Quarrels between the three tribes, + +Rabid Wolf, + wolves, +Rabies, cure for, +Race, the, +Raven Band of the _I-k[)u]n-uh'-kah-tsi_, + Bearers, + Carriers, +Ravens, +Red Deer's River, + Eagle, + Old Man, + River half-breeds, + Round Robes, +Religion, +River, Badger, + Belly, + Big, + Bow, + Elbow, + Elk, + Milk, + Missouri, + Muddy, + North Saskatchewan, + Old Man's, + Peace, + person, + Red Deer's, + Saskatchewan, + St. Mary's, + Teton, + Yellowstone, +Roasting meat, +Robes, +Rock, The, +Root-digger, +Ross, Miss Cora M., +Round, +Running Rabbit, +Russell, William, + +Sacks, +Sacred bundles, where kept, +Sacred objects, + things connected with eagle catching, +Sacrifice, +Sacrifices to sun, + of war party, +_Sai'-yiks_, +_Sak-si-nak'-mah-yiks_, +Salt, +Sand Hills, +Sarcees, +Sarvis berries, + Berry Creek, +Saskatchewan River, +Saskatoon Creek, +Scarface, +Schultz, J.W., +Scout of war party, +Screech Owl, +Seats in lodge, +Secret helper, +Seeking the Sun's Lodge, + Thunder's Lodge, +Seldom Lonesome, +Self-torturings in Medicine Lodge, +Servants, +Seven Persons, +Seven Persons Creek, +Shadow, +Shelter for war party, + to sleep under, +_Shepherdia argentea_, +Short Bows, +Sign language, +Signs, +Signs and powers of animals, +_Sik-o-kit-sim-iks_. +_Sik-o-pok'-si-maiks_. +Sik'-si-kau, +_Siks-ah'-pun-iks_, +_Siks-in'-o-kaks_ (Blackfoot), + (Blood), +_Sik-ut'-si-pum-aiks_, +_Sin'-o-pah_, +Sioux, +"Sits beside him" woman, +Skeleton, +Skidi tribe, +Skull taken into eagle pit, +Skunks, +Sleeping for power, +Small Brittle Fat, +Small Leggings, + Robes, +Smallpox, +Smell of a person, +Smoking, rules in, +Snakes, +Snakes (tribe), + Peace with, The, +Snares, +Social organization, +Societies of the All Comrades, +Soldiers, +Song, antelope, + beaver, + buffalo, + pipe, + war party, +Soul, +_Spai'-yu ksah'-ku_, +Spanish lands, +Spear heads, +Spears, +Spoons, +Sports of children, + of adults, +Spotted Tail's camp, +St. Mary's River, +_Sta-au'_, +Starvation winter, +Steell, Major, +Stockraising, +Stolen by the Thunder, +Stone bowls, + kettles, + knives, + pointed arrows, +_Ston'-i-t[)a]pi_, +Stories of Adventure, + of Ancient Times, + of Old Man, +Story of the Three Tribes, The, +Story-telling, +Striped-face, +Struck by the Thunder, +_St[)u]'miks,_ +Suicide among girls, +Sun, +Sun dogs, +Sun River, +Sun's Lodge, +Sun's Lodge, seeking the, +Surrounding buffalo, +_S[=u]'-ye-st[)u]'-miks_, +_S[=u]'-ye-t[)u]ppi_, +_Su-yoh-pah'-wah-ku_, +Sweat bath, +Sweat lodge, + houses for Medicine Lodge, +Sweet-grass, +Sweet Grass Hills, +Swindling the Indians, + +Tail-feathers-coming-in-sight-over-the-Hill, +Tails, +Taking horses, +Temperament, +Teton River, +The Bad Weapons, + Bears, + Beaver Medicine, + Blackfoot Genesis, + Blackfoot in War, + Buffalo Rock, + Dog and the Stick, + Elk, + Fox, + Ghosts' Buffalo, + Past and the Present, + Race, + Rock, + Theft from the Sun, + Wonderful Bird, +Theft from the Sun, The, + penalty for, +They Don't Laugh, +Things sacred to the Sun, +Three Tribes, The Story of, +Thunder, + bird, + described, + brings the rain, + steals women, +Tobacco, Indians', + songs, +Tobacco thief punished, +Tongues for Medicine Lodge, +Touchwood Hills, +Training of children, +Transmigration of souls, +Trapping wolves, +Treachery, penalty for, +Treatment of dead enemies, + of women, +Trial by jumping, +Trivett, Rev. S., +_Tsin-ik-tsis'-tso-yiks_, +_Ts[)i]-st[=i]ks_, +_T[)u]is-kis't[=i]ks_, +Turtles, +Two Medicine (Lodge Creek), + War Trails, + +Under Water People, + Persons, +Uses of buffalo products, + +Version of the origin of death, +Visitor's seat in lodge, + +War bonnet, + bonnet of Bulls Society, + clubs, how made, + head-dress, + journeys, duration of, + journeys to the southwest, + lodges, + lodges, how built, + systematized, + with the Gros Ventres, +War parties, +Warrior's outfit, contributions to, +Whiskey trading, +White beaver, + Breasts, + Calf, +Widows, +Wife, standing of, + duties of first, + The Bad, +Wind Maker, + Sucker, +Wolf Calf, + Tail, + Man, The, + Road, + song, +Wolverine, +Wolves, +Wolves, rabid, +Woman doctors, +Woman, standing of, + The Lost, +Woman's dress, + seat in lodge, +Wonderful Bird, The, +Wood for bows, +Woods Bloods, +Worm People, + Pipe, +Worms, + +Yellowstone River, +Young Bear Chief, + women's dance, +Younger sisters potential wives, + + + + + +A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR + +Although GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL (1849-1938) won distinction as an +ethnologist, author, editor, and explorer, perhaps his most enduring +achievement was that cited by President Coolidge when he presented the +Theodore Roosevelt Gold Medal of Honor to Grinnell in 1925: "Few have done +as much as you, and none has done more, to preserve vast areas of +picturesque wilderness for the eyes of posterity...." It was largely +thanks to Grinnell that Glacier National Park was created, and in +Yellowstone Park, as the President said, he "prevented the exploitation and +therefore the destruction of the natural beauty." Grinnell was a member of +the Marsh, Custer, and Ludlow expeditions in the 1870's, and during those +years prepared reports on birds and mammals of the northwestern Great +Plains region which are still authoritative. From those years, also, dates +his interest in the Indians, particularly the Pawnee, Blackfoot, and +Cheyenne. Among the score of books resulting from his lifelong study of the +Plains tribes, _The Fighting Cheyenne_ (1915) and _The Cheyenne Indians_ +(1923), _Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales_ (1889), and BLACKFOOT LODGE +TALES (1892) are perhaps the best known. A friend of the famed North +brothers, who commanded the Pawnee Scouts, Grinnell encouraged Captain +Luther North to set down his recollections, and contributed a foreword to +the book. Titled _Man of the Plains_, this work was published for the first +time in its entirety by the University of Nebraska Press (1961). + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11547 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ed4e65 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #11547 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11547) diff --git a/old/11547-8.txt b/old/11547-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ebefd7d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11547-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10567 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Blackfoot Lodge Tales, by George Bird Grinnell + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Blackfoot Lodge Tales + +Author: George Bird Grinnell + +Release Date: March 11, 2004 [eBook #11547] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES*** + + +Juliet Sutherland, Thomas Hutchinson and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + + + +Blackfoot Lodge Tales + +_The Story of a Prairie People_ + +GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +INDIANS AND THEIR STORIES + + + +_STORIES OF ADVENTURE_ + + +THE PEACE WITH THE SNAKES + +THE LOST WOMAN + +ADVENTURES OF BULL TURNS ROUND + +K[)U]T-O'-YIS + +THE BAD WIFE + +THE LOST CHILDREN + +MIK-A'PI--RED OLD MAN + +HEAVY COLLAR AND THE GHOST WOMAN + +THE WOLF-MAN + +THE FAST RUNNERS + +TWO WAR TRAILS + + + +_STORIES OF ANCIENT TIMES_ + + +SCARFACE + +ORIGIN OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE PIPE + +THE BEAVER MEDICINE + +THE BUFFALO ROCK + +ORIGIN OF THE WORM PIPE + +THE GHOSTS' BUFFALO + + + +_STORIES OF OLD MAN_ + + +THE BLACKFOOT GENESIS + +THE DOG AND THE STICK + +THE BEARS + +THE WONDERFUL BIRD + +THE RACE + +THE BAD WEAPONS + +THE ELK + +OLD MAN DOCTORS + +THE ROCK + +THE THEFT FROM THE SUN + +THE FOX + +OLD MAN AND THE LYNX + + + +_THE STORY OF THE THREE TRIBES_. + + +THE PAST AND THE PRESENT + +DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS + +HOW THE BLACKFOOT LIVED + +SOCIAL ORGANIZATION + +HUNTING + +THE BLACKFOOT IN WAR + +RELIGION + +MEDICINE PIPES AND HEALING + +THE BLACKFOOT OF TO-DAY + + + + + +BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES + + + + + +We were sitting about the fire in the lodge on Two Medicine. Double Runner, +Small Leggings, Mad Wolf, and the Little Blackfoot were smoking and +talking, and I was writing in my note-book. As I put aside the book, and +reached out my hand for the pipe, Double Runner bent over and picked up a +scrap of printed paper, which had fallen to the ground. He looked at it for +a moment without speaking, and then, holding it up and calling me by name, +said:-- + +"_Pi-nut--ye is-tsm-okan,_ this is education. Here is the difference +between you and me, between the Indians and the white people. You know what +this means. I do not. If I did know, I should be as smart as you. If all +my people knew, the white people would not always get the best of us." + +"_Nsah_ (elder brother), your words are true. Therefore you ought to see +that your children go to school, so that they may get the white man's +knowledge. When they are men, they will have to trade with the white +people; and if they know nothing, they can never get rich. The times have +changed. It will never again be as it was when you and I were young." + +"You say well, _Pi-nut--ye is-tsm-okan,_ I have seen the days; and I know +it is so. The old things are passing away, and the children of my children +will be like white people. None of them will know how it used to be in +their father's days unless they read the things which we have told you, and +which you are all the time writing down in your books." + +"They are all written down, _Nsah_, the story of the three tribes, +Sk-si-kau, Kanah, and Pik[)u]ni." + + + + +INDIANS AND THEIR STORIES + + +The most shameful chapter of American history is that in which is recorded +the account of our dealings with the Indians. The story of our government's +intercourse with this race is an unbroken narrative of injustice, fraud, +and robbery. Our people have disregarded honesty and truth whenever they +have come in contact with the Indian, and he has had no rights because he +has never had the power to enforce any. + +Protests against governmental swindling of these savages have been made +again and again, but such remonstrances attract no general +attention. Almost every one is ready to acknowledge that in the past the +Indians have been shamefully robbed, but it appears to be believed that +this no longer takes place. This is a great mistake. We treat them now much +as we have always treated them. Within two years, I have been present on a +reservation where government commissioners, by means of threats, by bribes +given to chiefs, and by casting fraudulently the votes of absentees, +succeeded after months of effort in securing votes enough to warrant them +in asserting that a tribe of Indians, entirely wild and totally ignorant of +farming, had consented to sell their lands, and to settle down each upon +160 acres of the most utterly arid and barren land to be found on the North +American continent. The fraud perpetrated on this tribe was as gross as +could be practised by one set of men upon another. In a similar way the +Southern Utes were recently induced to consent to give up their reservation +for another. + + +Americans are a conscientious people, yet they take no interest in these +frauds. They have the Anglo-Saxon spirit of fair play, which sympathizes +with weakness, yet no protest is made against the oppression which the +Indian suffers. They are generous; a famine in Ireland, Japan, or Russia +arouses the sympathy and calls forth the bounty of the nation, yet they +give no heed to the distress of the Indians, who are in the very midst of +them. They do not realize that Indians are human beings like themselves. + +For this state of things there must be a reason, and this reason is to be +found, I believe, in the fact that practically no one has any personal +knowledge of the Indian race. The few who are acquainted with them are +neither writers nor public speakers, and for the most part would find it +easier to break a horse than to write a letter. If the general public knows +little of this race, those who legislate about them are equally +ignorant. From the congressional page who distributes the copies of a +pending bill, up through the representatives and senators who vote for it, +to the president whose signature makes the measure a law, all are entirely +unacquainted with this people or their needs. + +Many stories about Indians have been written, some of which are interesting +and some, perhaps, true. All, however, have been written by civilized +people, and have thus of necessity been misleading. The reason for this is +plain. The white person who gives his idea of a story of Indian life +inevitably looks at things from the civilized point of view, and assigns to +the Indian such motives and feelings as govern the civilized man. But often +the feelings which lead an Indian to perform a particular action are not +those which would induce a white man to do the same thing, or if they are, +the train of reasoning which led up to the Indian's motive is not the +reasoning of the white man. + +In a volume about the Pawnees,[1] I endeavored to show how Indians think +and feel by letting some of them tell their own stories in their own +fashion, and thus explain in their own way how they look at the every-day +occurrences of their life, what motives govern them, and how they reason. + +[Footnote 1: Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales.] + +In the present volume, I treat of another race of Indians in precisely the +same way. I give the Blackfoot stories as they have been told to me by the +Indians themselves, not elaborating nor adding to them. In all cases except +one they were written down as they fell from the lips of the storyteller. +Sometimes I have transposed a sentence or two, or have added a few words of +explanation; but the stories as here given are told in the words of the +original narrators as nearly as it is possible to render those words into +the simplest every-day English. These are Indians' stories, pictures of +Indian life drawn by Indian artists, and showing this life from the +Indian's point of view. Those who read these stories will have the +narratives just as they came to me from the lips of the Indians themselves; +and from the tales they can get a true notion of the real man who is +speaking. He is not the Indian of the newspapers, nor of the novel, nor of +the Eastern sentimentalist, nor of the Western boomer, but the real Indian +as he is in his daily life among his own people, his friends, where he is +not embarrassed by the presence of strangers, nor trying to produce +effects, but is himself--the true, natural man. + +And when you are talking with your Indian friend, as you sit beside him and +smoke with him on the bare prairie during a halt in the day's march, or at +night lie at length about your lonely camp fire in the mountains, or form +one of a circle of feasters in his home lodge, you get very near to +nature. Some of the sentiments which he expresses may horrify your +civilized mind, but they are not unlike those which your own small boy +might utter. The Indian talks of blood and wounds and death in a +commonplace, matter-of-fact way that may startle you. But these things used +to be a part of his daily life; and even to-day you may sometimes hear a +dried-up, palsied survivor of the ancient wars cackle out his shrill laugh +when he tells as a merry jest, a bloodcurdling story of the torture he +inflicted on some enemy in the long ago. + +I have elsewhere expressed my views on Indian character, the conclusions +founded on an acquaintance with this race extending over more than twenty +years, during which time I have met many tribes, with some of whom I have +lived on terms of the closest intimacy. + +The Indian is a man, not very different from his white brother, except that +he is undeveloped. In his natural state he is kind and affectionate in his +family, is hospitable, honest and straightforward with his fellows,--a true +friend. If you are his guest, the best he has is at your disposal; if the +camp is starving, you will still have set before you your share of what +food there may be in the lodge. For his friend he will die, if need be. He +is glad to perform acts of kindness for those he likes. While travelling in +the heats of summer over long, waterless stretches of prairie, I have had +an Indian, who saw me suffering from thirst, leave me, without mentioning +his errand, and ride thirty miles to fetch me a canteen of cool water. + +The Indian is intensely religious. No people pray more earnestly nor more +frequently. This is especially true of all Indians of the Plains. + +The Indian has the mind and feelings of a child with the stature of a man; +and if this is clearly understood and considered, it will readily account +for much of the bad that we hear about him, and for many of the evil traits +which are commonly attributed to him. Civilized and educated, the Indian of +the better class is not less intelligent than the average white man, and he +has every capacity for becoming a good citizen. + +This is the view held not only by myself, but by all of the many old +frontiersmen that I have known, who have had occasion to live much among +Indians, and by most experienced army officers. It was the view held by my +friend and schoolmate, the lamented Lieutenant Casey, whose good work in +transforming the fierce Northern Cheyennes into United States soldiers is +well known among all officers of the army, and whose sad death by an Indian +bullet has not yet, I believe, been forgotten by the public. + +It is proper that something should be said as to how this book came to be +written. + +About ten years ago, Mr. J.W. Schultz of Montana, who was then living in +the Blackfoot camp, contributed to the columns of the _Forest and Stream_, +under the title "Life among the Blackfeet," a series of sketches of that +people. These papers seemed to me of unusual interest, and worthy a record +in a form more permanent than the columns of a newspaper; but no +opportunity was then presented for filling in the outlines given in them. + +Shortly after this, I visited the Pi-k[)u]n-i tribe of the Black-feet, and +I have spent more or less time in their camps every year since. I have +learned to know well all their principal men, besides many of the Bloods +and the Blackfeet, and have devoted much time and effort to the work of +accumulating from their old men and best warriors the facts bearing on the +history, customs, and oral literature of the tribe, which are presented in +this volume. + +In 1889 my book on the Pawnees was published, and seemed to arouse so much +interest in Indian life, from the Indian's standpoint, that I wrote to +Mr. Schultz, urging him, as I had often done before, to put his +observations in shape for publication, and offered to edit his work, and to +see it through the press. Mr. Schultz was unwilling to undertake this task, +and begged me to use all the material which I had gathered, and whatever he +could supply, in the preparation of a book about the Blackfeet. + +A portion of the material contained in these pages was originally made +public by Mr. Schultz, and he was thus the discoverer of the literature of +the Blackfeet. My own investigations have made me familiar with all the +stories here recorded, from original sources, but some of them he first +published in the columns of the _Forest and Stream_. For this work he is +entitled to great credit, for it is most unusual to find any one living the +rough life beyond the frontier, and mingling in daily intercourse with +Indians, who has the intelligence to study their traditions, history, and +customs, and the industry to reduce his observations to writing. + +Besides the invaluable assistance given me by Mr. Schultz, I acknowledge +with gratitude the kindly aid of Miss Cora M. Ross, one of the school +teachers at the Blackfoot agency, who has furnished me with a version of +the story of the origin of the Medicine Lodge; and of Mrs. Thomas Dawson, +who gave me help on the story of the Lost Children. William Jackson, an +educated half-breed, who did good service from 1874 to 1879, scouting under +Generals Custer and Miles, and William Russell, half-breed, at one time +government interpreter at the agency, have both given me valuable +assistance. The latter has always placed himself at my service, when I +needed an interpreter, while Mr. Jackson has been at great pains to assist +me in securing several tales which I might not otherwise have obtained, and +has helped me in many ways. The veteran prairie man, Mr. Hugh Monroe, and +his son, John Monroe, have also given me much information. Most of the +stories I owe to Blackfeet, Bloods, and Piegans of pure race. Some of these +men have died within the past few years, among them the kindly and +venerable Red Eagle; Almost-a-Dog, a noble old man who was regarded with +respect and affection by Indians and whites; and that matchless orator, +Four Bears. Others, still living, to whom I owe thanks, are Wolf Calf, Big +Nose, Heavy Runner, Young Bear Chief, Wolf Tail, Rabid Wolf, Running +Rabbit, White Calf, All-are-his-Children, Double Runner, Lone Medicine +Person, and many others. + +The stories here given cover a wide range of subjects, but are fair +examples of the oral literature of the Blackfeet. They deal with religion, +the origin of things, the performances of medicine men, the bravery and +single-heartedness of warriors. + +It will be observed that in more than one case two stories begin in the +same way, and for a few paragraphs are told in language which is almost +identical. In like manner it is often to be noted that in different stories +the same incidents occur. This is all natural enough, when it is remembered +that the range of the Indians' experiences is very narrow. The incidents +of camp life, of hunting and war excursions, do not offer a very wide +variety of conditions; and of course the stories of the people deal chiefly +with matters with which they are familiar. They are based on the every-day +life of the narrators. + +The reader of these Blackfoot stories will not fail to notice many curious +resemblances to tales told among other distant and different peoples. Their +similarity to those current among the Ojibwas, and other Eastern Algonquin +tribes, is sufficiently obvious and altogether to be expected, nor is it at +all remarkable that we should find, among the Blackfeet, tales identical +with those told by tribes of different stock far to the south; but it is a +little startling to see in the story of the Worm Pipe a close parallel to +the classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In another of the stories is an +incident which might have been taken bodily from the Odyssey. + +Well-equipped students of general folk-lore will find in these tales much +to interest them, and to such may be left the task of commenting on this +collection. + + + + +STORIES OF ADVENTURE + + + +THE PEACE WITH THE SNAKES + + +I + +In those days there was a Piegan chief named Owl Bear. He was a great +chief, very brave and generous. One night he had a dream: he saw many dead +bodies of the enemy lying about, scalped, and he knew that he must go to +war. So he called out for a feast, and after the people had eaten, he +said:-- + +"I had a strong dream last night. I went to war against the Snakes, and +killed many of their warriors. So the signs are good, and I feel that I +must go. Let us have a big party now, and I will be the leader. We will +start to-morrow night." + +Then he told two old men to go out in the camp and shout the news, so that +all might know. A big party was made up. Two hundred men, they say, went +with this chief to war. The first night they travelled only a little way, +for they were not used to walking, and soon got tired. + +In the morning the chief got up early and went and made a sacrifice, and +when he came back to the others, some said, "Come now, tell us your dream +of this night." + +"I dreamed good," said Owl Bear. "I had a good dream. We will have good +luck." + +But many others said they had bad dreams. They saw blood running from their +bodies. + +Night came, and the party started on, travelling south, and keeping near +the foot-hills; and when daylight came, they stopped in thick pine woods +and built war lodges. They put up poles as for a lodge, and covered them +very thick with pine boughs, so they could build fires and cook, and no one +would see the light and smoke; and they all ate some of the food they +carried, and then went to sleep. + +Again the chief had a good dream, but the others all had bad dreams, and +some talked about turning back; but Owl Bear laughed at them, and when +night came, all started on. So they travelled for some nights, and all +kept dreaming bad except the chief. He always had good dreams. One day +after a sleep, a person again asked Owl Bear if he dreamed good. "Yes," he +replied. "I have again dreamed of good luck." + +"We still dream bad," the person said, "and now some of us are going to +turn back. We will go no further, for bad luck is surely ahead." "Go back! +go back!" said Owl Bear. "I think you are cowards; I want no cowards with +me." They did not speak again. Many of them turned around, and started +north, toward home. + +Two more days' travel. Owl Bear and his warriors went on, and then another +party turned back, for they still had bad dreams. All the men now left with +him were his relations. All the others had turned back. + +They travelled on, and travelled on, always having bad dreams, until they +came close to the Elk River.[1] Then the oldest relation said, "Come, my +chief, let us all turn back. We still have bad dreams. We cannot have good +luck." + +[Footnote 1: Yellowstone River.] + +"No," replied Owl Bear, "I will not turn back." + +Then they were going to seize him and tie his hands, for they had talked of +this before. They thought to tie him and make him go back with them. Then +the chief got very angry. He put an arrow on his bow, and said: "Do not +touch me. You are my relations; but if any of you try to tie me, I will +kill you. Now I am ashamed. My relations are cowards and will turn back. I +have told you I have always dreamed good, and that we would have good luck. +Now I don't care; I am covered with shame. I am going now to the Snake camp +and will give them my body. I am ashamed. Go! go! and when you get home put +on women's dresses. You are no longer men." + +They said no more. They turned back homeward, and the chief was all +alone. His heart was very sad as he travelled on, and he was much ashamed, +for his relations had left him. + + +II + +Night was coming on. The sun had set and rain was beginning to fall. Owl +Bear looked around for some place where he could sleep dry. Close by he saw +a hole in the rocks. He got down on his hands and knees and crept in. Here +it was very dark. He could see nothing, so he crept very slowly, feeling as +he went. All at once his hand touched something strange. He felt of it. It +was a person's foot, and there was a moccasin on it. He stopped, and sat +still. Then he felt a little further. Yes, it was a person's leg. He could +feel the cowskin legging. Now he did not know what to do. He thought +perhaps it was a dead person; and again, he thought it might be one of his +relations, who had become ashamed and turned back after him. + +Pretty soon he put his hand on the leg again and felt along up. He touched +the person's belly. It was warm. He felt of the breast, and could feel it +rise and fall as the breath came and went; and the heart was beating +fast. Still the person did not move. Maybe he was afraid. Perhaps he +thought that was a ghost feeling of him. + +Owl Bear now knew this person was not dead. He thought he would try if he +could learn who the man was, for he was not afraid. His heart was sad. His +people and his relations had left him, and he had made up his mind to give +his body to the Snakes. So he began and felt all over the man,--of his +face, hair, robe, leggings, belt, weapons; and by and by he stopped feeling +of him. He could not tell whether it was one of his people or not. + +Pretty soon the strange person sat up and felt all over Owl Bear; and when +he had finished, he took the Piegan's hand and opened it and held it up, +waving it from side to side, saying by signs, "Who are you?" + +Owl Bear put his closed hand against the person's cheek and rubbed it; he +said in signs, "Piegan!" and then he asked the person who he was. A finger +was placed against his breast and moved across it _zigzag_. It was the sign +for "Snake." + +"_Hai yah_!" thought Owl Bear, "a Snake, my enemy." For a long time he sat +still, thinking. By and by he drew his knife from his belt and placed it in +the Snake's hand, and signed, "Kill me!" He waited. He thought soon his +heart would be cut. He wanted to die. Why live? His people had left him. + +Then the Snake took Owl Bear's hand and put a knife in it and motioned that +Owl Bear should cut his heart, but the Piegan would not do it. He lay down, +and the Snake lay down beside him. Maybe they slept. Likely not. + +So the night went and morning came. It was light, and they crawled out of +the cave, and talked a long time together by signs. Owl Bear told the Snake +where he had come from, how his party had dreamed bad and left him, and +that he was going alone to give his body to the Snakes. + +Then the Snake said: "_I_ was going to war, too. I was going against the +Piegans. Now I am done. Are you a chief?" + +"I am the head chief," replied Owl Bear. "I lead. All the others follow." + +"I am the same as you," said the Snake. "I am the chief. I like you. You +are brave. You gave me your knife to kill you with. How is your heart? +Shall the Snakes and the Piegans make peace?" + +"Your words are good," replied Owl Bear. "I am glad." + +"How many nights will it take you to go home and come back here with your +people?" asked the Snake. + +Owl Bear thought and counted. "In twenty-five nights," he replied, "the +Piegans will camp down by that creek." + +"My trail," said the Snake, "goes across the mountains. I will try to be +here in twenty-five nights, but I will camp with my people just behind that +first mountain. When you get here with the Piegans, come with one of your +wives and stay all night with me. In the morning the Snakes will move and +put up their lodges beside the Piegans." + +"As you say," replied the chief, "so it shall be done." Then they built a +fire and cooked some meat and ate together. + +"I am ashamed to go home," said Owl Bear. "I have taken no horses, no +scalps. Let me cut off your side locks?" + +"Take them," said the Snake. + +Owl Bear cut off the chiefs braids close to his head, and then the Snake +cut off the Piegan's braids. Then they exchanged clothes and weapons and +started out, the Piegan north, the Snake south. + + +III + +"Owl Bear has come! Owl Bear has come!" the people were shouting. + +The warriors rushed to his lodge. _Whish_! how quickly it was filled! +Hundreds stood outside, waiting to hear the news. + +For a long time the chief did not speak. He was still angry with his +people. An old man was talking, telling the news of the camp. Owl Bear did +not look at him. He ate some food and rested. Many were in the lodge who +had started to war with him. They were now ashamed. They did not speak, +either, but kept looking at the fire. After a long time the chief said: "I +travelled on alone. I met a Snake. I took his scalp and clothes, and his +weapons. See, here is his scalp!" And he held up the two braids of hair. + +No one spoke, but the chief saw them nudge each other and smile a little; +and soon they went out and said to one another: "What a lie! That is not an +enemy's scalp; there is no flesh on it He has robbed some dead person." + +Some one told the chief what they said, but he only laughed and replied:-- + +"_I_ do not care. They were too much afraid even to go on and rob a dead +person. They should wear women's dresses." + +Near sunset, Owl Bear called for a horse, and rode all through camp so +every one could hear, shouting out: "Listen! listen! To-morrow we move +camp. We travel south. The Piegans and Snakes are going to make peace. If +any one refuses to go, I will kill him. All must go." + +Then an old medicine man came up to him and said: "_Kyi_, Owl Bear! listen +to me. Why talk like this? You know we are not afraid of the Snakes. Have +we not fought them and driven them out of this country? Do you think we are +afraid to go and meet them? No. We will go and make peace with them as you +say, and if they want to fight, we will fight. Now you are angry with those +who started to war with you. Don't be angry. Dreams belong to the Sun. He +gave them to us, so that we can see ahead and know what will happen. The +Piegans are not cowards. Their dreams told them to turn back. So do not be +angry with them any more." + +"There is truth in what you say, old man," replied Owl Bear; "I will take +your words." + + +IV + +In those days the Piegans were a great tribe. When they travelled, if you +were with the head ones, you could not see the last ones, they were so far +back. They had more horses than they could count, so they used fresh horses +every day and travelled very fast. On the twenty-fourth day they reached +the place where Owl Bear had told the Snake they would camp, and put up +their lodges along the creek. Soon some young men came in, and said they +had seen some fresh horse trails up toward the mountain. + +"It must be the Snakes," said the chief; "they have already arrived, +although there is yet one night." So he called one of his wives, and +getting on their horses they set out to find the Snake camp. They took the +trail up over the mountain, and soon came in sight of the lodges. It was a +big camp. Every open place in the valley was covered with lodges, and the +hills were dotted with horses; for the Snakes had a great many more horses +than the Piegans. + +Some of the Snakes saw the Piegans coming, and they ran to the chief, +saying: "Two strangers are in sight, coming this way. What shall be done?" + +"Do not harm them," replied the chief. "They are friends of mine. I have +been expecting them." Then the Snakes wondered, for the chief had told them +nothing about his war trip. + +Now when Owl Bear had come to the camp, he asked in signs for the chiefs +lodge, and they pointed him to one in the middle. It was small and old. The +Piegan got off his horse, and the Snake chief came out and hugged him and +kissed him, and said: "I am glad you have come to-day to my lodge. So are +my people. You are tired. Enter my lodge and we will eat." So they went +inside and many of the Snakes came in, and they had a great feast. + +Then the Snake chief told his people how he had met the Piegan, and how +brave he was, and that now they were going to make a great peace; and he +sent some men to tell the people, so that they would be ready to move camp +in the morning. Evening came. Everywhere people were shouting out for +feasts, and the chief took Owl Bear to them. It was very late when they +returned. Then the Snake had one of his wives make a bed at the back of the +lodge; and when it was ready he said: "Now, my friend, there is your +bed. This is now your lodge; also the woman who made the bed, she is now +your wife; also everything in this lodge is yours. The parfleches, saddles, +food, robes, bowls, everything is yours. I give them to you because you are +my friend and a brave man." + +"You give me too much," replied Owl Bear. "I am ashamed, but I take your +words. I have nothing with me but one wife. She is yours." + +Next morning camp was broken early. The horses were driven in, and the +Snake chief gave Owl Bear his whole band,--two hundred head, all large, +powerful horses. + +All were now ready, and the chiefs started ahead. Close behind them were +all the warriors, hundreds and hundreds, and last came the women and +children, and the young men driving the loose horses. As they came in sight +of the Piegan camp, all the warriors started out to meet them, dressed in +their war costumes and singing the great war song. There was no wind, and +the sound came across the valley and up the hill like the noise of +thunder. Then the Snakes began to sing, and thus the two parties advanced. +At last they met. The Piegans turned and rode beside them, and so they came +to the camp. Then they got off their horses and kissed each other. Every +Piegan asked a Snake into his lodge to eat and rest, and the Snake women +put up their lodges beside the Piegan lodges. So the great peace was made. + +In Owl Bear's lodge there was a great feast, and when they had finished he +said to his people: "Here is the man whose scalp I took. Did I say I killed +him? No. I gave him my knife and told him to kill me. He would not do it; +and he gave me his knife, but I would not kill him. So we talked together +what we should do, and now we have made peace. And now (turning to the +Snake) this is your lodge, also all the things in it. My horses, too, I +give you. All are yours." + +So it was. The Piegan took the Snake's wife, lodge, and horses, and the +Snake took the Piegan's, and they camped side by side. All the people +camped together, and feasted each other and made presents. So the peace was +made. + + +V + +For many days they camped side by side. The young men kept hunting, and the +women were always busy drying meat and tanning robes and cowskins. Buffalo +were always close, and after a while the people had all the meat and robes +they could carry. Then, one day, the Snake chief said to Owl Bear: "Now, my +friend, we have camped a long time together, and I am glad we have made +peace. We have dug a hole in the ground, and in it we have put our anger +and covered it up, so there is no more war between us. And now I think it +time to go. To-morrow morning the Snakes break camp and go back south." + +"Your words are good," replied Owl Bear. "I too am glad we have made this +peace. You say you must go south, and I feel lonesome. I would like you to +go with us so we could camp together a long time, but as you say, so it +shall be done. To-morrow you will start south. I too shall break camp, for +I would be lonesome here without you; and the Piegans will start in the +home direction." + +The lodges were being taken down and packed. The men sat about the +fireplaces, taking a last smoke together. + +They were now great friends. Many Snakes had married Piegan women, and many +Piegans had married Snake women. At last all was ready. The great chiefs +mounted their horses and started out, and soon both parties were strung out +on the trail. + +Some young men, however, stayed behind to gamble a while. It was yet early +in the morning, and by riding fast it would not take them long to catch up +with their camps. All day they kept playing; and sometimes the Piegans +would win, and sometimes the Snakes. + +It was now almost sunset. "Let us have one horse race," they said, "and we +will stop." Each side had a good horse, and they ran their best; but they +came in so close together it could not be told who won. The Snakes claimed +that their horse won, and the Piegans would not allow it. So they got +angry and began to quarrel, and pretty soon they began to fight and to +shoot at each other, and some were killed. + +Since that time the Snakes and Piegans have never been at peace. + + + +THE LOST WOMAN + + +I + +A long time ago the Blackfeet were camped on Backfat Creek. There was in +the camp a man who had but one wife, and he thought a great deal of her. He +never wanted to have two wives. As time passed they had a child, a little +girl. Along toward the end of the summer, this man's wife wanted to get +some berries, and she asked her husband to take her to a certain place +where berries grew, so that she could get some. The man said to his wife: +"At this time of the year, I do not like to go to that place to pick +berries. There are always Snake or Crow war parties travelling about +there." The woman wanted very much to go, and she coaxed her husband about +it a great deal; and at last he said he would go, and they started, and +many women followed them. + +When they came to where the berries grew, the man said to his wife: "There +are the berries down in that ravine. You may go down there and pick them, +and I will go up on this hill and stand guard. If I see any one coming, I +will call out to you, and you must all get on your horses and run." So the +women went down to pick berries. + +The man went up on the hill and sat down and looked over the country. After +a little time, he looked down into another ravine not far off, and saw that +it was full of horsemen coming. They started to gallop up towards him, and +he called out in a loud voice, "Run, run, the enemy is rushing on us." The +women started to run, and he jumped on his horse and followed them. The +enemy rushed after them, and he drew his bow and arrows, and got ready to +fight and defend the women. After they had gone a little way, the enemy had +gained so much that they were shooting at the Blackfeet with their arrows, +and the man was riding back and forth behind the women, and whipping up the +horses, now of one, now of another, to make them go faster. The enemy kept +getting closer, and at last they were so near that they were beginning to +thrust at him with their lances, and he was dodging them and throwing +himself down, now on one side of his horse, and then on the other. + +At length he found that he could no longer defend all the women, so he made +up his mind to leave those that had the slowest horses to the mercy of the +enemy, while he would go on with those that had the faster ones. When he +found that he must leave the women, he was excited and rode on ahead; but +as he passed, he heard some one call out to him, "Don't leave me," and he +looked to one side, and saw that he was leaving his wife. When he heard his +wife call out thus to him, he said to her: "There is no life for me +here. You are a fine-looking woman. They will not kill you, but there is no +life for me." She answered: "No, take pity on me. Do not leave me. My horse +is giving out. Let us both get on one horse and then, if we are caught, we +will die together." When he heard this, his heart was touched and he said: +"No, wife, I will not leave you. Run up beside my horse and jump on behind +me." The enemy were now so near that they had killed or captured some of +the women, and they had come up close enough to the man so that they got +ready to hit at him with their war clubs. His horse was now wounded in +places with arrows, but it was a good, strong, fast horse. + +His wife rode up close to him, and jumped on his horse behind him. When he +started to run with her, the enemy had come up on either side of him, and +some were behind him, but they were afraid to shoot their arrows for fear +of hitting their own people, so they struck at the man with their war +clubs. But they did not want to kill the woman, and they did not hurt +him. They reached out with their hands to try to pull the woman off the +horse; but she had put her arms around her husband and held on tight, and +they could not get her off, but they tore her clothing off her. As she held +her husband, he could not use his arrows, and could not fight to defend +himself. His horse was now going very slowly, and all the enemy had caught +up to them, and were all around them. + +The man said to his wife: "Never mind, let them take you: they will not +kill you. You are too handsome a woman for them to kill you." His wife +said, "No, it is no harm for us both to die together." When he saw that his +wife would not get off the horse and that he could not fight, he said to +her: "Here, look out! You are crowding me on to the neck of the horse. Sit +further back." He began to edge himself back, and at last, when he got his +wife pretty far back on the horse, he gave a great push and shoved her off +behind. When she fell off, his horse had more speed and began to run away +from the enemy, and he would shoot back his arrows; and now, when they +would ride up to strike him with their hatchets, he would shoot them and +kill them, and they began to be afraid of him, and to edge away from +him. His horse was very long-winded; and now, as he was drawing away from +the enemy, there were only two who were yet able to keep up with him. The +rest were being left behind, and they stopped, and went back to where the +others had killed or captured the women; and now only two men were +pursuing. + +After a little while, the Blackfoot jumped off his horse to fight on foot, +and the two enemies rode up on either side of him, but a long way off, and +jumped off their horses. When he saw the two on either side of him, he took +a sheaf of arrows in his hand and began to rush, first toward the one on +the right, and then toward the one on the left. As he did this, he saw that +one of the men, when he ran toward him and threatened to shoot, would draw +away from him, while the other would stand still. Then he knew that one of +them was a coward and the other a brave man. But all the time they were +closing in on him. When he saw that they were closing in on him, he made a +rush at the brave man. This one was shooting arrows all the time; but the +Blackfoot did not shoot until he got close to him, and then he shot an +arrow into him and ran up to him and hit him with his stone axe and killed +him. Then he turned to the cowardly one and ran at him. The man turned to +run, but the Blackfoot caught him and hit him with his axe and killed him. + +After he had killed them, he scalped them and took their arrows, their +horses, and the stone knives that they had. Then he went home, and when he +rode into the camp he was crying over the loss of his wife. When he came to +his lodge and got off his horse, his friends went up to him and asked what +was the matter. He told them how all the women had been killed, and how he +had been pursued by two enemies, and had fought with them and killed them +both, and he showed them the arrows and the horses and the scalps. He told +the women's relations that they had all been killed; and all were in great +sorrow, and crying over the loss of their friends. + +The next morning they held a council, and it was decided that a party +should go out and see where the battle had been, and find out what had +become of the women. When they got to the place, they found all the women +there dead, except this man's wife. Her they could not find. They also +found the two Indians that the man had said that he had killed, and, +besides, many others that he had killed when he was running away. + + +II + +When he got back to the camp, this Blackfoot picked up his child and put it +on his back, and walked round the camp mourning and crying, and the child +crying, for four days and four nights, until he was exhausted and worn out, +and then he fell asleep. When the rest of the people saw him walking about +mourning, and that he would not eat nor drink, their hearts were very sore, +and they felt very sorry for him and for the child, for he was a man +greatly thought of by the people. + +While he lay there asleep, the chief of the camp came to him and woke him, +and said: "Well, friend, what have you decided on? What is your mind? What +are you going to do?" The man answered: "My child is lonely. It will not +eat. It is crying for its mother. It will not notice any one. I am going +to look for my wife." The chief said, "I cannot say anything." He went +about to all the lodges and told the people that this man was going away to +seek his wife. + +Now there was in the camp a strong medicine man, who was not married and +would not marry at all. He had said, "When I had my dream, it told me that +I must never have a wife." The man who had lost his wife had a very +beautiful sister, who had never married. She was very proud and very +handsome. Many men had wanted to marry her, but she would not have anything +to do with any man. The medicine man secretly loved this handsome girl, the +sister of the poor man. When he heard of this poor man's misfortune, the +medicine man was in great sorrow, and cried over it. He sent word to the +poor man, saying: "Go and tell this man that I have promised never to take +a wife, but that if he will give me his beautiful sister, he need not go to +look for his wife. I will send my secret helper in search of her." + +When the young girl heard what this medicine man had said, she sent word to +him, saying, "Yes, if you bring my brother's wife home, and I see her +sitting here by his side, I will marry you, but not before." But she did +not mean what she said. She intended to deceive him in some way, and not to +marry him at all. When the girl sent this message to him, the medicine man +sent for her and her brother to come to his lodge. When they had come, he +spoke to the poor man and said, "If I bring your wife here, are you willing +to give me your sister for my wife?" The poor man answered, "Yes." But the +young girl kept quiet in his presence, and had nothing to say. Then the +medicine man said to them: "Go. To-night in the middle of the night you +will hear me sing." He sent everybody out of his lodge, and said to the +people: "I will close the door of my lodge, and I do not want any one to +come in to-night, nor to look through the door. A spirit will come to me +to-night." He made the people know, by a sign put out before the door of +his lodge, that no one must enter it, until such time as he was through +making his medicine. Then he built a fire, and began to get out all his +medicine. He unwrapped his bundle and took out his pipe and his rattles and +his other things. After a time, the fire burned down until it was only +coals and his lodge was dark, and on the fire he threw sweet-scented herbs, +sweet grass, and sweet pine, so as to draw his dream-helper to him. + +Now in the middle of the night he was in the lodge singing, when suddenly +the people heard a strange voice in the lodge say: "Well, my chief, I have +come. What is it?" The medicine man said, "I want you to help me." The +voice said, "Yes, I know it, and I know what you want me to do." The +medicine man asked, "What is it?" The voice said, "You want me to go and +get a woman." The medicine man answered: "That is what I want. I want you +to go and get a woman--the lost woman." The voice said to him, "Did I not +tell you never to call me, unless you were in great need of my help?" The +medicine man answered, "Yes, but that girl that was never going to be +married is going to be given to me through your help." Then the voice +said, "Oh!" and it was silent for a little while. Then it went on and said: +"Well, we have a good feeling for you, and you have been a long time not +married; so we will help you to get that girl, and you will have her. Yes, +we have great pity on you. We will go and look for this woman, and will try +to find her, but I cannot promise you that we will bring her; but we will +try. We will go, and in four nights I will be back here again at this same +time, and I think that I can bring the woman; but I will not promise. While +I am gone, I will let you know how I get on. Now I am going away." And +then the people heard in the lodge a sound like a strong wind, and nothing +more. He was gone. + +Some people went and told the sister what the medicine man and the voice +had been saying, and the girl was very down-hearted, and cried over the +idea that she must be married, and that she had been forced into it in this +way. + + +III + +When the dream person went away, he came late at night to the camp of the +Snakes, the enemy. The woman who had been captured was always crying over +the loss of her man and her child. She had another husband now. The man who +had captured her had taken her for his wife. As she was lying there, in her +husband's lodge, crying for sorrow for her loss, the dream person came to +her. Her husband was asleep. The dream-helper touched her and pushed her a +little, and she looked up and saw a person standing by her side; but she +did not know who it was. The person whispered in her ear, "Get up, I want +to take you home." She began to edge away from her husband, and at length +got up, and all the time the person was moving toward the door. She +followed him out, and saw him walk away from the lodge, and she went +after. The person kept ahead, and the woman followed him, and they went +away, travelling very fast. After they had travelled some distance, she +called out to the dream person to stop, for she was getting tired. Then the +person stopped, and when he saw the woman sitting, he would sit down, but +he would not talk to her. + +As they travelled on, the woman, when she got tired, would sit down, and +because she was very tired, she would fall asleep; and when she awoke and +looked up, she always saw the person walking away from her, and she would +get up and follow him. When day came, the shape would be far ahead of her, +but at night it would keep closer. When she spoke to this person, the +woman would call him "young man." At one time she said to him, "Young man, +my moccasins are all worn out, and my feet are getting very sore, and I am +very tired and hungry." When she had said this, she sat down and fell +asleep, and as she was falling asleep, she saw the person going away from +her. He went back to the lodge of the medicine man. + +During this night the camp heard the medicine man singing his song, and +they knew that the dream person must be back again, or that his chief must +be calling him. The medicine man had unwrapped his bundle, and had taken +out all his things, and again had a fire of coals, on which he burned sweet +pine and sweet grass. Those who were listening heard a voice say: "Well, my +chief, I am back again, and I am here to tell you something. I am bringing +the woman you sent me after. She is very hungry and has no moccasins. Get +me those things, and I will take them back to her." The medicine man went +out of the lodge, and called to the poor man, who was mourning for his +wife, that he wanted to see him. The man came, carrying the child on his +back, to hear what the medicine man had to say. He said to him: "Get some +moccasins and something to eat for your wife. I want to send them to +her. She is coming." The poor man went to his sister, and told her to give +him some moccasins and some pemmican. She made a bundle of these things, +and the man took them to the medicine man, who gave them to the dream +person; and again he disappeared out of the lodge like a wind. + + +IV + +When the woman awoke in the morning and started to get up, she hit her face +against a bundle lying by her, and when she opened it, she found in it +moccasins and some pemmican; and she put on the moccasins and ate, and +while she was putting on the moccasins and eating, she looked over to where +she had last seen the person, and he was sitting there with his back toward +her. She could never see his face. When she had finished eating, he got up +and went on, and she rose and followed. They went on, and the woman +thought, "Now I have travelled two days and two nights with this young man, +and I wonder what kind of a man he is. He seems to take no notice of me." +So she made up her mind to walk fast and to try to overtake him, and see +what sort of a man he was. She started to do so, but however fast she +walked, it made no difference. She could not overtake him. Whether she +walked fast, or whether she walked slow, he was always the same distance +from her. They travelled on until night, and then she lay down again and +fell asleep. She dreamed that the young man had left her again. + +The dream person had really left her, and had gone back to the medicine +man's lodge, and said to him: "Well, my chief, I am back again. I am +bringing the woman. You must tell this poor man to get on his horse, and +ride back toward Milk River (the Teton). Let him go in among the high hills +on this side of the Muddy, and let him wait there until daylight, and look +toward the hills of Milk River; and after the sun is up a little way, he +will see a band of antelope running toward him, along the trail that the +Blackfeet travel. It will be his wife who has frightened these +antelope. Let him wait there for a while, and he will see a person +coming. This will be his wife. Then let him go to meet her, for she has no +moccasins. She will be glad to see him, for she is crying all the time." + +The medicine man told the poor man this, and he got on his horse and +started, as he had been told. He could not believe that it was true. But he +went. At last he got to the place, and a little while after the sun had +risen, as he was lying on a hill looking toward the hills of the Milk +River, he saw a band of antelope running toward him, as he had been told he +would see. He lay there for a long time, but saw nothing else come in +sight; and finally he got angry and thought that what had been told him was +a lie, and he got up to mount his horse and ride back. Just then he saw, +away down, far off on the prairie, a small black speck, but he did not +think it was moving, it was so far off,--barely to be seen. He thought +maybe it was a rock. He lay down again and took sight on the speck by a +straw of grass in front of him, and looked for a long time, and after a +while he saw the speck pass the straw, and then he knew it was +something. He got on his horse and started to ride up and find out what it +was, riding way around it, through the hills and ravines, so that he would +not be seen. He rode up in a ravine behind it, pretty near to it, and then +he could see it was a person on foot. He got out his bow and arrows and +held them ready to use, and then started to ride up to it. He rode toward +the person, and at last he got near enough to see that it was his +wife. When he saw this, he could not help crying; and as he rode up, the +woman looked back, and knew first the horse, and then her husband, and she +was so glad that she fell down and knew nothing. + +After she had come to herself and they had talked together, they got on the +horse and rode off toward camp. When he came over the hill in sight of +camp, all the people began to say, "Here comes the man"; and at last they +could see from a distance that he had some one on the horse behind him, and +they knew that it must be his wife, and they were glad to see him bringing +her back, for he was a man thought a great deal of, and everybody liked him +and liked his wife and the way he was kind to her. + +Then the handsome girl was given to the medicine man and became his wife. + + + +ADVENTURES OF BULL TURNS ROUND + + +I + +Once the camp moved, but one lodge stayed. It belonged to Wolf Tail; and +Wolf Tail's younger brother, Bull Turns Round, lived with him. Now their +father loved both his sons, but he loved the younger one most, and when he +went away with the big camp, he said to Wolf Tail: "Take care of your young +brother; he is not yet a strong person. Watch him that nothing befall him." + +One day Wolf Tail was out hunting, and Bull Turns Round sat in front of the +lodge making arrows, and a beautiful strange bird lit on the ground before +him. Then cried one of Wolf Tail's wives, "Oh, brother, shoot that little +bird." "Don't bother me, sister," he replied, "I am making arrows." Again +the woman said, "Oh, brother, shoot that bird for me." Then Bull Turns +Round fitted an arrow to his bow and shot the bird, and the woman went and +picked it up and stroked her face with it, and her face swelled up so big +that her eyes and nose could not be seen. But when Bull Turns Round had +shot the bird, he went off hunting and did not know what had happened to +the woman's face. + +Now when Wolf Tail came home and saw his wife's face, he said, "What is the +matter?" and his wife replied: "Your brother has pounded me so that I +cannot see. Go now and kill him." But Wolf Tail said, "No, I love my +brother; I cannot kill him." Then his wife cried and said: "I know you do +not love me; you are glad your brother has beaten me. If you loved me, you +would go and kill him." + +Then Wolf Tail went out and looked for his brother, and when he had found +him, he said: "Come, let us get some feathers. I know where there is an +eagle's nest;" and he took him to a high cliff, which overhung the river, +and on the edge of this cliff was a dead tree, in the top of which the +eagles had built their nest. Then said Wolf Tail, "Climb up, brother, and +kill the eagles;" and when Bull Turns Round had climbed nearly to the top, +Wolf Tail called out, "I am going to push the tree over the cliff, and you +will be killed." + +"Oh, brother! oh, brother! pity me; do not kill me," said Bull Turns Round. + +"Why did you beat my wife's face so?" said Wolf Tail. + +"I didn't," cried the boy; "I don't know what you are talking about." + +"You lie," said Wolf Tail, and he pushed the tree over the cliff. He looked +over and saw his brother fall into the water, and he did not come up +again. Then Wolf Tail went home and took down his lodge, and went to the +main camp. When his father saw him coming with only his wives, he said to +him, "Where is your young brother?" And Wolf Tail replied: "He went hunting +and did not come back. We waited four days for him. I think the bears must +have killed him." + + +II + +Now when Bull Turns Round fell into the river, he was stunned, and the +water carried him a long way down the stream and finally lodged him on a +sand shoal. Near this shoal was a lodge of Under Water People +(_S[=u]'-y[=e]-t[)u]p'-pi_), an old man, his wife, and two daughters. This +old man was very rich: he had great flocks of geese, swans, ducks, and +other water-fowl, and a big herd of buffalo which were tame. These buffalo +always fed near by, and the old man called them every evening to come and +drink. But he and his family ate none of these. Their only food was the +bloodsucker.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Blackfoot--_Est'-st[)u]k-ki_, suck-bite; from _Est-ah-tope_, +suck, and _I-sik-st[)u]k-ki_, bite.] + +Now the old man's daughters were swimming about in the evening, and they +found Bull Turns Round lying on the shoal, dead, and they went home and +told their father, and begged him to bring the person to life, and give him +to them for a husband. "Go, my daughters," he said, "and make four sweat +lodges, and I will bring the person." He went and got Bull Turns Round, and +when the sweat lodges were finished, the old man took him into one of them, +and when he had sprinkled water on the hot rocks, he scraped a great +quantity of sand off Bull Turns Round. Then he took him into another lodge +and did the same thing, and when he had taken him into the fourth sweat +lodge and scraped all the sand off him, Bull Turns Round came to life, and +the old man led him out and gave him to his daughters. And the old man gave +his son-in-law a new lodge and bows and arrows, and many good presents. + +Then the women cooked some bloodsuckers, and gave them to their husband, +but when he smelled of them he could not eat, and he threw them in the +fire. Then his wives asked him what he would eat. "Buffalo," he replied, +"is the only meat for men." + +"Oh, father!" cried the girls, running to the old man's lodge, "our husband +will not eat our food. He says buffalo is the only meat for men." + +"Go then, my daughters," said the old man, "and tell your husband to kill a +buffalo, but do not take nor break any bones, for I will make it alive +again." Then the old man called the buffalo to come and drink, and Bull +Turns Round shot a fat cow and took all the meat. And when he had roasted +the tongue, he gave each of his wives a small piece of it, and they liked +it, and they roasted and ate plenty of the meat. + + + +III + +One day Bull Turns Round went to the old man and said, "I mourn for my +father." + +"How did you come to be dead on the sand shoal?" asked the old man. Then +Bull Turns Round told what his brother had done to him. + +"Take this piece of sinew," said the old man. "Go and see your father. When +you throw this sinew on the fire, your brother and his wife will roll, and +twist up and die." Then the old man gave him a herd of buffalo, and many +dogs to pack the lodge, and other things; and Bull Turns Round took his +wives, and went to find his father. + +One day, just after sunset, they came in sight of the big camp, and they +went and pitched the lodge on the top of a very high butte; and the buffalo +fed close by, and there were so many of them that they covered the whole +hill. + +Now the people were starving, and some had died, for they had no +buffalo. In the morning, early, a man arose whose son had starved to death, +and when he went out and saw this lodge on the top of the hill, and all the +buffalo feeding by it, he cried out in a loud voice; and the people all +came out and looked at it, and they were afraid, for they thought it was +_St[=o]n'-i-t[)a]p-i_.[1] Then said the man whose son had died: "I am no +longer glad to live. I will go up to this lodge, and find out what this +is." Now when he said this, all the men grasped their bows and arrows and +followed him, and when they went up the hill, the buffalo just moved out of +their path and kept on feeding; and just as they came to the lodge, Bull +Turns Round came out, and all the people said, "Here is the one whom we +thought the bears had killed." Wolf Tail ran up, and said, "Oh, brother, +you are not dead. You went to get feathers, but we thought you had been +killed." Then Bull Turns Round called his brother into the lodge, and he +threw the sinew on the fire; and Wolf Tail, and his wife, who was standing +outside, twisted up and died. + +[Footnote 1: There is no word in English which corresponds to this. It is +used when speaking of things wonderful or supernatural.] + +Then Bull Turns Round told his father all that had happened to him; and +when he learned that the people were starving, he filled his mouth with +feathers and blew them out, and the buffalo ran off in every direction, and +he said to the people, "There is food, go chase it." Then the people were +very glad, and they came each one and gave him a present. They gave him +war shirts, bows and arrows, shields, spears, white robes, and many curious +things. + + + + +K[)U]T-O'-YIS + +Long ago, down where Two Medicine and Badger Creeks come together, there +lived an old man. He had but one wife and two daughters. One day there came +to his camp a young man who was very brave and a great hunter. The old man +said: "Ah! I will have this young man to help me. I will give him my +daughters for wives." So he gave him his daughters. He also gave this +son-in-law all his wealth, keeping for himself only a little lodge, in +which he lived with his old wife. The son-in-law lived in a lodge that was +big and fine. + +At first the son-in-law was very good to the old people. Whenever he +killed anything, he gave them part of the meat, and furnished plenty of +robes and skins for their bedding and clothing. But after a while he began +to be very mean to them. + +Now the son-in-law kept the buffalo hidden under a big log jam in the +river. Whenever he wanted to kill anything, he would have the old man go to +help him; and the old man would stamp on the log jam and frighten the +buffalo, and when they ran out, the young man would shoot one or two, never +killing wastefully. But often he gave the old people nothing to eat, and +they were hungry all the time, and began to grow thin and weak. + +One morning, the young man called his father-in-law to go down to the log +jam and hunt with him. They started, and the young man killed a fat buffalo +cow. Then he said to the old man, "Hurry back now, and tell your children +to get the dogs and carry this meat home, then you can have something to +eat." And the old man did as he had been ordered, thinking to himself: +"Now, at last, my son-in-law has taken pity on me. He will give me part of +this meat." When he returned with the dogs, they skinned the cow, cut up +the meat and packed it on the dog travois, and went home. Then the young +man had his wives unload it, and told his father-in-law to go home. He did +not give him even a piece of liver. Neither would the older daughter give +her parents anything to eat, but the younger took pity on the old people +and stole a piece of meat, and when she got a chance threw it into the +lodge to the old people. The son-in-law told his wives not to give the old +people anything to eat. The only way they got food was when the younger +woman would throw them a piece of meat unseen by her husband and sister. + +Another morning, the son-in-law got up early, and went and kicked on the +old man's lodge to wake him, and called him to get up and help him, to go +and pound on the log jam to drive out the buffalo, so that he could kill +some. When the old man pounded on the jam, a buffalo ran out, and the +son-in-law shot it, but only wounded it. It ran away, but at last fell down +and died. The old man followed it, and came to where it had lost a big clot +of blood from its wound. When he came to where this clot of blood was lying +on the ground, he stumbled and fell, and spilled his arrows out of his +quiver; and while he was picking them up, he picked up also the clot of +blood, and hid it in his quiver. "What are you picking up?" called out the +son-in-law. "Nothing," said the old man; "I just fell down and spilled my +arrows, and am putting them back." "Curse you, old man," said the +son-in-law, "you are lazy and useless. Go back and tell your children to +come with the dogs and get this dead buffalo." He also took away his bow +and arrows from the old man. + +The old man went home and told his daughters, and then went over to his own +lodge, and said to his wife: "Hurry now, and put the kettle on the fire. I +have brought home something from the butchering." "Ah!" said the old woman, +"has our son-in-law been generous, and given us something nice?" "No," +answered the old man; "hurry up and put the kettle on." When the water +began to boil, the old man tipped his quiver up over the kettle, and +immediately there came from the pot a noise as of a child crying, as if it +were being hurt, burnt or scalded. They looked in the kettle, and saw there +a little boy, and they quickly took it out of the water. They were very +much surprised. The old woman made a lashing to put the child in, and then +they talked about it. They decided that if the son-in-law knew that it was +a boy, he would kill it, so they resolved to tell their daughters that the +baby was a girl. Then he would be glad, for he would think that after a +while he would have it for a wife. They named the child K[)u]t-o'-yis (Clot +of Blood). + +The son-in-law and his wives came home, and after a while he heard the +child crying. He told his youngest wife to go and find out whether that +baby was a boy or a girl; if it was a boy, to tell them to kill it. She +came back and told them that it was a girl. He did not believe this, and +sent his oldest wife to find out the truth of the matter. When she came +back and told him the same thing, he believed that it was really a +girl. Then he was glad, for he thought that when the child had grown up he +would have another wife. He said to his youngest wife, "Take some pemmican +over to your mother; not much, just enough so that there will be plenty of +milk for the child." + +Now on the fourth day the child spoke, and said, "Lash me in turn to each +one of these lodge poles, and when I get to the last one, I will fall out +of my lashing and be grown up." The old woman did so, and as she lashed +him to each lodge pole he could be seen to grow, and finally when they +lashed him to the last pole, he was a man. After K[)u]t-o'-yis had looked +about the inside of the lodge, he looked out through a hole in the lodge +covering, and then, turning round, he said to the old people: "How is it +there is nothing to eat in this lodge? I see plenty of food over by the +other lodge." "Hush up," said the old woman, "you will be heard. That is +our son-in-law. He does not give us anything at all to eat." "Well," said +K[)u]t-o'-yis, "where is your pis'kun?" The old woman said, "It is down by +the river. We pound on it and the buffalo come out." + +Then the old man told him how his son-in-law abused him. "He has taken my +weapons from me, and even my dogs; and for many days we have had nothing to +eat, except now and then a small piece of meat our daughter steals for us." + +"Father," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "have you no arrows?" "No, my son," he +replied; "but I have yet four stone points." + +"Go out then and get some wood," said K[)u]t-o'-yis. "We will make a bow +and arrows. In the morning we will go down and kill something to eat." + +Early in the morning K[)u]t-o'-yis woke the old man, and said, "Come, we +will go down now and kill when the buffalo come out." When they had reached +the river, the old man said: "Here is the place to stand and shoot. I will +go down and drive them out." As he pounded on the jam, a fat cow ran out, +and K[)u]t-o'-yis killed it. + +Meantime the son-in-law had gone out, and as usual knocked on the old man's +lodge, and called to him to get up and go down to help him kill. The old +woman called to him that her husband had already gone down. This made the +son-in-law very angry. He said: "I have a good mind to kill you right now, +old woman. I guess I will by and by." + +The son-in-law went on down to the jam, and as he drew near, he saw the old +man bending over, skinning a buffalo. "Old man," said he, "stand up and +look all around you. Look well, for it will be your last look." Now when +he had seen the son-in-law coming, K[)u]t-o'-yis had lain down and hidden +himself behind the buffalo's carcass. He told the old man to say to his +son-in-law, "You had better take your last look, for I am going to kill +you, right now." The old man said this. "Ah!" said the son-in-law, "you +make me angrier still, by talking back to me." He put an arrow to his bow +and shot at the old man, but did not hit him. K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old +man to pick up the arrow and shoot it back at him, and he did so. Now they +shot at each other four times, and then the old man said to K[)u]t-o'-yis: +"I am afraid now. Get up and help me." So K[)u]t-o'-yis got up on his feet +and said: "Here, what are you doing? I think you have been badly treating +this old man for a long time." + +Then the son-in-law smiled pleasantly, for he was afraid of +K[)u]t-o'-yis. "Oh, no," he said, "no one thinks more of this old man than +I do. I have always taken great pity on him." + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis said: "You lie. I am going to kill you now." He shot him +four times, and the man died. Then K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old man to go and +bring down the daughter who had acted badly toward him. He did so, and +K[)u]t-o'-yis killed her. Then he went up to the lodges and said to the +younger woman, "Perhaps you loved your husband." "Yes," she said, "I love +him." So he killed her, too. Then he said to the old people: "Go over there +now, and live in that lodge. There is plenty there to eat, and when it is +gone I will kill more. As for myself, I will make a journey around +about. Where are there any people? In what direction?" "Well," said the old +man, "up above here on Badger Creek and Two Medicine, where the pis'kun is, +there are some people." + +K[)u]t-o'-yis went up to where the pis'kun was, and saw there many lodges +of people. In the centre of the camp was a large lodge, with a figure of a +bear painted on it. He did not go into this lodge, but went into a very +small one near by, where two old women lived; and when he went in, he asked +them for something to eat. They set before him some lean dried meat and +some belly fat. "How is this?" he asked. "Here is a pis'kun with plenty of +fat meat and back fat. Why do you not give me some of that?" "Hush," said +the old women. "In that big lodge near by, lives a big bear and his wives +and children. He takes all those nice things and leaves us nothing. He is +the chief of this place." + +Early in the morning, K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old women to get their dog +travois, and harness it, and go over to the pis'kun, and that he was going +to kill for them some fat meat. He reached there just about the time the +buffalo were being driven in, and shot a cow, which looked very scabby, but +was really very fat. Then he helped the old women to butcher, and when they +had taken the meat to camp, he said to them, "Now take all the choice fat +pieces, and hang them up so that those who live in the bear lodge will +notice them." + +They did this, and pretty soon the old chief bear said to his children: "Go +out now, and look around. The people have finished killing by this +time. See where the nicest pieces are, and bring in some nice back fat." A +young bear went out of the lodge, stood up and looked around, and when it +saw this meat close by, at the old women's lodge, it went over and began to +pull it down. "Hold on there," said K[)u]t-o'-yis. "What are you doing +here, taking the old women's meat?" and he hit him over the head with a +stick that he had. The young bear ran home crying, and said to his father, +"A young man has hit me on the head." Then all the bears, the father and +mother, and uncles and aunts, and all the relations, were very angry, and +all rushed out toward the old women's lodge. + +K[)u]t-o'-yis killed them all, except one little child bear, a female, +which escaped. "Well," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "you can go and breed bears, so +there will be more." + +Then said K[)u]t-o'-yis to the old women: "Now, grand-mothers, where are +there any more people? I want to travel around and see them." The old women +said: "The nearest ones are at the point of rocks (on Sun River). There is +a pis'kun there." So K[)u]t-o'-yis travelled off toward this place, and +when he reached the camp, he entered an old woman's lodge. + +The old woman set before him a plate of bad food. "How is this?" he +asked. "Have you nothing better than this to set before a stranger? You +have a pis'kun down there, and must get plenty of fat meat. Give me some +pemmican." "We cannot do that," the old woman replied, "because there is a +big snake here, who is chief of the camp. He not only takes the best +pieces, but often he eats a handsome young woman, when he sees one." When +K[)u]t-o'-yis heard this he was angry, and went over and entered the +snake's lodge. The women were cooking up some sarvis berries. He picked up +the dish, and ate the berries, and threw the dish out of the door. Then he +went over to where the snake was lying asleep, pricked him with his knife, +and said: "Here, get up. I have come to see you." This made the snake +angry. He partly raised himself up and began to rattle, when K[)u]t-o'-yis +cut him into pieces with his knife. Then he turned around and killed all +his wives and children, except one little female snake, which escaped by +crawling into a crack in the rocks. "Oh, well," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "you +can go and breed young snakes, so there will be more. The people will not +be afraid of little snakes." K[)u]t-o'-yis said to the old woman, "Now you +go into this snake's lodge and take it for yourself, and everything that is +in it." + +Then he asked them where there were some more people. They told him that +there were some people down the river, and some up in the mountains. But +they said: "Do not go there, for it is bad, because Ai-sin'-o-ko-ki (Wind +Sucker) lives there. He will kill you." It pleased K[)u]t-o'-yis to know +that there was such a person, and he went to the mountains. When he got to +the place where Wind Sucker lived, he looked into his mouth, and could see +many dead people there,--some skeletons and some just dead. He went in, and +there he saw a fearful sight. The ground was white as snow with the bones +of those who had died. There were bodies with flesh on them; some were just +dead, and some still living. He spoke to a living person, and asked, "What +is that hanging down above us?" The person answered that it was Wind +Sucker's heart. Then said K[)u]t-o'-yis: "You who still draw a little +breath, try to shake your heads (in time to the song), and those who are +still able to move, get up and dance. Take courage now, we are going to +have the ghost dance." So K[)u]t-o'-yis bound his knife, point upward, to +the top of his head and began to dance, singing the ghost song, and all the +others danced with him; and as he danced up and down, the point of the +knife cut Wind Sucker's heart and killed him. K[)u]t-o'-yis took his knife +and cut through Wind Sucker's ribs, and freed those who were able to crawl +out, and said to those who could still travel to go and tell their people +that they should come here for the ones who were still alive but unable to +walk. + +Then he asked some of these people: "Where are there any other people? I +want to visit all the people." They said to him: "There is a camp to the +westward up the river, but you must not take the left-hand trail going up, +because on that trail lives a woman, a handsome woman, who invites men to +wrestle with her and then kills them. You must avoid her." This was what +K[)u]t-o'-yis was looking for. This was his business in the world, to kill +off all the bad things. So he asked the people just where this woman lived, +and asked where it was best to go to avoid her. He did this, because he did +not wish the people to know that he wanted to meet her. + +He started on his way, and at length saw this woman standing by the +trail. She called out to him, "Come here, young man, come here; I want to +wrestle with you." "No," replied the young man, "I am in a hurry. I cannot +stop." But the woman called again, "No, no, come now and wrestle once with +me." When she had called him four times, K[)u]t-o'-yis went up to her. Now +on the ground, where this woman wrestled with people, she had placed many +broken and sharp flints, partly hiding them by the grass. They seized each +other, and began to wrestle over these broken flints, but K[)u]t-o'-yis +looked at the ground and did not step on them. He watched his chance, and +suddenly gave the woman a wrench, and threw her down on a large sharp +flint, which cut her in two; and the parts of her body fell asunder. + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis went on, and after a while came to where a woman kept a +sliding place; and at the far end of it there was a rope, which would trip +people up, and when they were tripped, they would fall over a high cliff +into deep water, where a great fish would eat them. When this woman saw him +coming, she cried out, "Come over here, young man, and slide with me." +"No," he replied, "I am in a hurry." She kept calling him, and when she +had called the fourth time, he went over to slide with her. "This sliding," +said the woman, "is a very pleasant pastime." "Ah!" said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "I +will look at it." He looked at the place, and, looking carefully, he saw +the hidden rope. So he started to slide, and took out his knife, and when +he reached the rope, which the woman had raised, he cut it, and when it +parted, the woman fell over backward into the water, and was eaten up by +the big fish. + +Again he went on, and after a while he came to a big camp. This was the +place of a man-eater. K[)u]t-o'-yis called a little girl he saw near by, +and said to her: "Child, I am going into that lodge to let that man-eater +kill and eat me. Watch close, therefore, and when you can get hold of one +of my bones, take it out and call all the dogs, and when they have all come +up to you, throw it down and cry out, 'K[)u]t-o'-yis, the dogs are eating +your bones!'" + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis entered the lodge, and when the man-eater saw him, he +cried out, "_O'ki, O'ki,"_ and seemed glad to see him, for he was a fat +young man. The man-eater took a large knife, and went up to K[)u]t-o'-yis, +and cut his throat, and put him into a great stone kettle to cook. When the +meat was cooked, he drew the kettle from the fire, and ate the body, limb +by limb, until it was all eaten up. + +Then the little girl, who was watching, came up to him, and said, "Pity me, +man-eater, my mother is hungry and asks you for those bones." So the old +man bunched them up together and handed them to her. She took them out, and +called all the dogs to her, and threw the bones down to the dogs, crying +out, "Look out, K[)u]t-o'-yis; the dogs are eating you!" and when she said +that, K[)u]t-o'-yis arose from the pile of bones. + +Again he went into the lodge, and when the man-eater saw him, he cried out, +"How, how, how! the fat young man has survived," and seemed +surprised. Again he took his knife and cut K[)u]t-o'-yis' throat, and threw +him into the kettle. Again, when the meat was cooked, he ate it up, and +again the little girl asked for the bones, which he gave her; and, taking +them out, she threw them to the dogs, crying, "K[)u]t-o'-yis, the dogs are +eating you!" and K[)u]t-o'-yis again arose from the bones. + +When the man-eater had cooked him four times, he again went into the lodge, +and, seizing the man-eater, he threw him into the boiling kettle, and his +wives and children too, and boiled them to death. + +The man-eater was the seventh and last of the bad animals and people who +were destroyed by K[)u]t-o'-yis. + + + +THE BAD WIFE + + +I + +There was once a man who had but one wife. He was not a chief, but a very +brave warrior. He was rich, too, so he could have had plenty of wives if he +wished; but he loved his wife very much, and did not want any more. He was +very good to this woman. She always wore the best clothes that could be +found. If any other woman had a fine buckskin dress, or something very +pretty, the man would buy it for her. + +It was summer. The berries were ripe, and the woman kept saying to her +husband, "Let us go and pick some berries for winter." "No," replied the +man. "It is dangerous now. The enemy is travelling all around." But still +the woman kept teasing him to go. So one day he told her to get ready. Some +other women went, too. They all went on horseback, for the berries were a +long way from camp. When they got to the place, the man told the women to +keep near their horses all the time. He would go up on a butte near by and +watch. "Be careful," he said. "Keep by your horses, and if you see me +signal, throw away your berries, get on your horses and ride towards camp +as fast as you can." + +They had not picked many berries before the man saw a war party coming. He +signalled the women, and got on his horse and rode towards them. It +happened that this man and his wife both had good horses, but the others, +all old women, rode slow old travois horses, and the enemy soon overtook +and killed them. Many kept on after the two on good horses, and after a +while the woman's horse began to get tired; so she asked her husband to let +her ride on his horse with him. The woman got up behind him, and they went +on again. The horse was a very powerful one, and for a while went very +fast; but two persons make a heavy load, and soon the enemy began to gain +on them. The man was now in a bad plight; the enemy were overtaking him, +and the woman holding him bound his arms so that he could not use his bow. + +"Get off," he said to her. "The enemy will not kill you. You are too young +and pretty. Some one of them will take you, and I will get a big party of +our people and rescue you." + +"No, no," cried the woman; "let us die here together." + +"Why die?" cried the man. "We are yet young, and may live a long time +together. If you don't get off, they will soon catch us and kill me, and +then they will take you anyhow. Get off, and in only a short time I will +get you back." + +"No, no," again cried the woman; "I will die here with you." + +"Crazy person!" cried the man, and with a quick jerk he threw the woman +off. + +As he said, the enemy did not kill her. The first one who came up counted +_coup_ and took her. The man, now that his horse was lightened, easily ran +away from the war party, and got safe to camp. + + +II + +Then there was great mourning. The relatives of the old women who had been +killed, cut their hair and cried. The man, too, cut off his hair and +mourned. He knew that his wife was not killed, but he felt very badly +because he was separated from her. He painted himself black, and walked all +through the camp, crying. His wife had many relations, and some of them +went to the man and said: "We pity you very much. We mourn, too, for our +sister. But come. Take courage. We will go with you, and try to get her +back." + +"It is good," replied the man. "I feel as if I should die, stopping +uselessly here. Let us start soon." + +That evening they got ready, and at daylight started out on foot. There +were seven of them in all. The husband, five middle-aged men, the woman's +relations, and a young man, her own young brother. He was a very pretty +boy. His hair was longer than any other person's in camp. + +They soon found the trail of the war party, and followed it for some +days. At last they came to the Big River,[1] and there, on the other side, +they saw many lodges. They crept down a coule into the valley, and hid in +a small piece of timber just opposite the camp. Toward evening the man +said: "_Kyi_, my brothers. To-night I will swim across and look all through +the camp for my wife. If I do not find her, I will cache and look again +to-morrow evening. But if I do not return before daylight of the second +night, then you will know I am killed. Then you will do as you think best. +Maybe you will want to take revenge. Maybe you will go right back +home. That will be as your hearts feel." + +[Footnote 1: Missouri River.] + +As soon as it was dark, he swam across the river and went all about through +the camp, peeping in through the doorways of the lodges, but he did not see +his wife. Still, he knew she must be there. He had followed the trail of +the party to this place. They had not killed her on the way. He kept +looking in at the lodges until it was late, and the people let the fires go +out and went to bed. Then the man went down to where the women got their +water from the river. Everywhere along the stream was a cut bank, but in +one place a path of steps had been made down to the water's edge. Near this +path, he dug a hole in the bank and crawled into it, closing up the +entrance, except one small hole, through which he could look, and watch the +people who came to the river. + +As soon as it was daylight, the women began to come for water. _Tum, tum, +tum, tum_, he could hear their footsteps as they came down the path, and he +looked eagerly at every one. All day long the people came and went,--the +young and old; and the children played about near him. He saw many strange +people that day. It was now almost sunset, and he began to think that he +would not see his wife there. _Tum, tum, tum, tum_, another woman came +down the steps, and stopped at the water's edge. Her dress was strange, but +he thought he knew the form. She turned her head and looked down the river, +and he saw her face. It was his wife. He pushed away the dirt, crawled +out, went to her and kissed her. "_Kyi_," he said, "hurry, and let us swim +across the river. Five of your relations and your own young brother are +waiting for us in that piece of timber." + +"Wait," replied his wife. "These people have given me a great many pretty +things. Let me go back. When it is night I will gather them up, steal a +horse, and cross over to you." + +"No, no," cried the man. "Let the pretty things go; come, let us cross at +once." + +"Pity me," said the woman. "Let me go and get my things. I will surely come +to-night. I speak the truth." + +"How do you speak the truth?"[1] asked her husband. + +[Footnote 1: Blackfoot--_Tsa-ki-an-ist-o-man-i?_ i.e., How you like truth?] + +"That my relations there across the river may be safe and live long, I +speak the truth." + +"Go then," said the man, "and get your things. I will cross the river now." +He went up on the bank and walked down the river, keeping his face +hidden. No one noticed him, or if they did, they thought he belonged to the +camp. As soon as he had passed the first bend, he swam across the river, +and soon joined his relations. + +"I have seen my wife," he said to them. "She will come over as soon as it +is dark. I let her go back to get some things that were given her." + +"You are crazy," said one of the men, "very crazy. She already loves this +new man she has, or she would not have wanted to go back." + +"Stop that," said the husband; "do not talk bad of her. She will surely +come." + + +III + +The woman went back to her lodge with the water, and, sitting down near the +fireplace, she began to act very strangely. She took up pieces of charred +wood, dirt, and ashes in her hands and ate them, and made queer noises. + +"What is it?" asked the man who had taken her for a wife. "What is the +matter with you?" He spoke in signs. + +The woman also spoke in signs. She answered him: "The Sun told me that +there are seven persons across the river in that piece of timber. Five of +them are middle-aged, another is a young boy with very long hair, another +is a man who mourns. His hair is cut short." + +The Snake did not know what to do, so he called in some chiefs and old men +to advise with him. They thought that the woman might be very strong +medicine. At all events, it would be a good thing to go and look. So the +news was shouted out, and in a short time all the warriors had mounted +their best horses, and started across the river. It was then almost dark, +so they surrounded the piece of timber, and waited for morning to begin the +search. + +"_Kyi_," said one of the woman's relations to her husband. "Did I not +speak the truth? You see now what that woman has done for us." + +At daylight the poor husband strung his bow, took a handful of arrows from +his quiver, and said: "This is my fault. I have brought you to this. It is +right that I should die first," and he started to go out of the timber. + +"Wait," said the eldest relative. "It shall not be so. I am the first to +go. I cannot stay back to see my brother die. You shall go out last." So he +jumped out of the brush, and began shooting his arrows, but was soon +killed. + +"My brother is too far on the road alone,"[1] cried another relation, and +he jumped out and fought, too. What use, one against so many? The Snakes +soon had his scalp. + +[Footnote 1: Meaning that his brother's spirit, or shadow, was travelling +alone the road to the Sand Hills, and that he must overtake him.] + +So they went out, one after another, and at last the husband was alone. He +rushed out very brave, and shot his arrows as fast as he could. "Hold!" +cried the Snake man to his people. "Do not kill him; catch him. This is the +one my wife said to bring back alive. See! his hair is cut short." So, when +the man had shot away all his arrows, they seized and tied him, and, taking +the scalps of the others, returned to camp. + +They took the prisoner into the lodge where his wife was. His hands were +tied behind his back, and they tied his feet, too. He could not move. + +As soon as the man saw his wife, he cried. He was not afraid. He did not +care now how soon he died. He cried because he was thinking of all the +trouble and death this woman had caused. "What have I done to you," he +asked his wife, "that you should treat me this way? Did I not always use +you well? I never struck you. I never made you work hard." + +"What does he say?" asked the Snake man. + +"He says," replied the woman, "that when you are done smoking, you must +knock the ashes and fire out of your pipe on his breast." + +The Snake was not a bad-hearted man, but he thought now that this woman had +strong medicine, that she had Sun power; so he thought that everything must +be done as she said. When the man had finished smoking, he emptied the pipe +on the Piegan's breast, and the fire burned him badly. + +Then the poor man cried again, not from the pain, but to think what a bad +heart this woman had. Again he spoke to her. "You cannot be a person," he +said. "I think you are some fearful animal, changed to look like a woman." + +"What is he saying now?" asked the Snake. + +"He wants some boiling water poured on his head," replied the woman. + +"It shall be as he says," said the Snake; and he had his women heat some +water. When it was ready, one of them poured a little of it here and there +on the captive's head and shoulders. Wherever the hot water touched, the +hair came out and the skin peeled off. The pain was so bad that the Piegan +nearly fainted. When he revived, he said to his wife: "Pity me. I have +suffered enough. Let them kill me now. Let me hurry to join those who are +already travelling to the Sand Hills." + +The woman turned to the Snake chief, and said, "The man says that he wants +you to give him to the Sun." + +"It is good," said the Snake. "To-morrow we move camp. Before we leave +here, we will give him to the Sun." + +There was an old woman in this camp who lived all alone, in a little lodge +of her own. She had some friends and relations, but she said she liked to +live by herself. She had heard that a Piegan had been captured, and went to +the lodge where he was. When she saw them pour the boiling water on him, +she cried and felt badly. This old woman had a very good heart. She went +home and lay down by her dog, and kept crying, she felt so sorry for this +poor man. Pretty soon she heard people shouting out the orders of the +chief. They said: "Listen! listen! To-morrow we move camp. Get ready now +and pack up everything. Before we go, the Piegan man will be given to the +Sun." + +Then the old woman knew what to do. She tied a piece of buckskin around her +dog's mouth, so he could not bark, and then she took him way out in the +timber and tied him where he could not be seen. She also filled a small +sack with pemmican, dried meat, and berries, and put it near the dog. + +In the morning the people rose early. They smoothed a cotton-wood tree, by +taking off the bark, and painted it black. Then they stood the Piegan up +against it, and fastened him there with a great many ropes. When they had +tied him so he could not move, they painted his face black, and the chief +Snake made a prayer, and gave him to the Sun. + +Every one was now busy getting ready to move camp. This old woman had lost +her dog, and kept calling out for him and looking all around. "_Tsis'-i!_" +she cried. "_Tsis'-i!_ Come here. Knock the dog on the head![1] Wait till I +find him, and I'll break his neck." + +[Footnote 1: A Blackfoot curse.] + +The people were now all packed up, and some had already started on the +trail. "Don't wait for me," the old woman said. "Go on, I'll look again for +my dog, and catch up with you." + +When all were gone, the old woman went and untied her dog, and then, going +up to where the Piegan was tied, she cut the ropes, and he was free. But +already the man was very weak, and he fell down on the ground. She rubbed +his limbs, and pretty soon he felt better. The old woman was so sorry for +him that she cried again, and kissed him. Then the man cried, too. He was +so glad that some one pitied him. By and by he ate some of the food the old +woman had given him, and felt strong again. He said to her in signs: "I am +not done. I shall go back home now, but I will come again. I will bring all +the Piegans with me, and we will have revenge." + +"You say well," signed the old woman. + +"Help me," again said the man. "If, on the road you are travelling, this +camp should separate, mark the trail my wife takes with a stick. You, too, +follow the party she goes with, and always put your lodge at the far end of +the village. When I return with my people, I will enter your lodge, and +tell you what to do." + +"I take your speech," replied the old woman. "As you say, so it shall be." +Then she kissed him again, and started on after her people. The man went to +the river, swam across, and started for the North. + + +IV + +Why are the people crying? Why is all this mourning? Ah! the poor man has +returned home, and told how those who went with him were killed. He has +told them the whole story. They are getting ready for war. Every one able +to fight is going with this man back to the Snakes. Only a few will be +left to guard the camp. The mother of that bad woman is going, too. She has +sharpened her axe, and told what she will do when she sees her +daughter. All are ready. The best horses have been caught up and saddled, +and the war party has started,--hundreds and hundreds of warriors. They are +strung out over the prairie as far as you can see. + +When they got to the Missouri River, the poor man showed them where the +lodge in which they had tortured him had stood. He took them to see the +tree, where he had been bound. The black paint was still on it. + +From here, they went slowly. Some young men were sent far ahead to +scout. The second day, they came back to the main body, and said they had +found a camping place just deserted, and that there the trail forked. The +poor man then went ahead, and at the forks he found a willow twig stuck in +the ground, pointing to the left hand trail. When the others came up, he +said to them: "Take care of my horse now, and travel slowly. I will go +ahead on foot and find the camp. It must be close. I will go and see that +old woman, and find out how things are." + +Some men did not want him to do this; they said that the old woman might +tell about him, and then they could not surprise the camp. + +"No," replied the man. "It will not be so. That old woman is almost the +same as my mother. I know she will help us." + +He went ahead carefully, and near sunset saw the camp. When it was dark, +he crept near it and entered the old woman's lodge. She had placed it +behind, and a little way off from, the others. When he went in the old +woman was asleep, but the fire was still burning a little. He touched her, +and she jumped up and started to scream; but he put his hand on her mouth, +and when she saw who it was she laughed and kissed him. "The Piegans have +come," he told her. "We are going to have revenge on this camp to-night. Is +my wife here?" + +"Still here," replied the old woman. "She is chief now. They think her +medicine very strong." + +"Tell your friends and relations," said the Piegan, "that you have had a +dream, and that they must move into the brush yonder. Have them stay there +with you, and they will not be hurt. I am going now to get my people." + +It was very late in the night. Most of the Snakes were in bed and +asleep. All at once the camp was surrounded with warriors, shouting the war +cry and shooting, stabbing, and knocking people on the head as fast as they +came out of the lodges. + +That Piegan woman cried out: "Don't hurt me. I am a Piegan. Are any of my +people here?" + +"Many of your relations are here," some one said. "They will protect you." + +Some young men seized and tied her, as her husband had said to do. They had +hard work to keep her mother from killing her. "_Hai yah_!" the old woman +cried. "There is my Snake woman daughter. Let me split her head open." + +The fight was soon over. The Piegans killed the people almost as fast as +they came out of their lodges. Some few escaped in the darkness. When the +fight was over, the young warriors gathered up a great pile of lodge poles +and brush, and set fire to it. Then the poor man tore the dress off his bad +wife, tied the scalp of her dead Snake man around her neck, and told her to +dance the scalp dance in the fire. She cried and hung back, calling out for +pity. The people only laughed and pushed her into the fire. She would run +through it, and then those on the other side would push her back. So they +kept her running through the fire, until she fell down and died. + +The old Snake woman had come out of the brush with her relations. Because +she had been so good, the Piegans gave her, and those with her, one-half of +all the horses and valuable things they had taken. "_Kyi!_" said the Piegan +chief. "That is all for you, because you helped this poor man. To-morrow +morning we start back North. If your heart is that way, go too and live +with us." So these Snakes joined the Piegans and lived with them until they +died, and their children married with the Piegans, and at last they were no +longer Snake people.[1] + +[Footnote 1: When the Hudson's Bay Company first established a fort at +Edmonton, a daughter of one of these Snakes married a white employee of the +company, named, in Blackfoot, _O-wai_, Egg.] + + + +THE LOST CHILDREN + +Once a camp of people stopped on the bank of a river. There were but a few +lodges of them. One day the little children in the camp crossed the river +to play on the other side. For some time they stayed near the bank, and +then they went up over a little hill, and found a bed of sand and gravel; +and there they played for a long time. + +There were eleven of these children. Two of them were daughters of the +chief of the camp, and the smaller of these wanted the best of +everything. If any child found a pretty stone, she would try to take it for +herself. The other children did not like this, and they began to tease the +little girl, and to take her things away from her. Then she got angry and +began to cry, and the more she cried, the more the children teased her; so +at last she and her sister left the others, and went back to the camp. + +When they got there, they told their father what the other children had +done to them, and this made the chief very angry. He thought for a little +while, and then got up and went out of the lodge, and called aloud, so that +everybody might hear, saying: "Listen! listen! Your children have teased my +child and made her cry. Now we will move away, and leave them behind. If +they come back before we get started, they shall be killed. If they follow +us and overtake the camp, they shall be killed. If the father and mother of +any one of them take them into their lodge, I will kill that father and +mother. Hurry now, hurry and pack up, so that we can go. Everybody tear +down the lodges, as quickly as you can." + +When the people heard this, they felt very sorry, but they had to do as the +chief said; so they tore down the lodges, and quickly packed the dog +travois, and started off. They packed in such a hurry that they left many +little things lying in camp,--knives and awls, bone needles and moccasins. + +The little children played about in the sand for a long time, but at last +they began to get hungry; and one little girl said to the others, "I will +go back to the camp, and get some dried meat and bring it here, so that we +may eat." And she started to go to the camp. When she came to the top of +the hill and looked across the river, she saw that there were no lodges +there, and did not know what to think of it. She called down to the +children, and said, "The camp has gone"; but they did not believe her, and +went on playing. She kept on calling, and at last some of them came to her, +and then all, and saw that it was as she had said. They went down to the +river, and crossed it, and went to where the lodges had stood. When they +got there, they saw on the ground the things that had been left out in +packing; and as each child saw and knew something that had belonged to its +own parents, it cried and sang a little song, saying: "Mother, here is your +bone needle; why did you leave your children?" "Father, here is your arrow; +why did you leave your children?" It was very mournful, and they all cried. + +There was among them a little girl who had on her back her baby brother, +whom she loved dearly. He was very young, a nursing child, and already he +was hungry and beginning to fret. This little girl said to the others: "We +do not know why they have gone, but we know they have gone. We must follow +the trail of the camp, and try to catch up with them." So the children +started to follow the camp. They travelled on all day; and just at night +they saw, near the trail, a little lodge. They had heard the people talk of +a bad old woman who killed and ate persons, and some of the children +thought that this old woman might live here; and they were afraid to go to +the lodge. Others said: "Perhaps some person lives here who has a good +heart. We are very tired and very hungry and have nothing to eat and no +place to keep warm. Let us go to this lodge." + +They went to it; and when they went in, they saw sitting by the fire an old +woman. She spoke kindly to them, and asked them where they were travelling; +and they told her that the camp had moved on and left them, and that they +were trying to find their people, that they had nothing to eat, and were +tired and hungry. The old woman fed them, and told them to sleep here +to-night, and to-morrow they could go on and find their people. "The camp," +she said, "passed here to-day when the sun was low. They have not gone +far. To-morrow you will overtake them." She spread some robes on the ground +and said: "Now lie here and sleep. Lie side by side with your heads toward +the fire, and when morning comes, you can go on your journey." The +children lay down and soon slept. + +In the middle of the night, the old woman got up, and built a big fire, and +put on it a big stone kettle, full of water. Then she took a big knife, +and, commencing at one end of the row, began to cut off the heads of the +children, and to throw them into the pot. The little girl with the baby +brother lay at the other end of the row, and while the old woman was doing +this, she awoke and saw what was taking place. When the old woman came near +to her, she jumped up and began to beg that she would not kill her. "I am +strong," she said. "I will work hard for you. I can bring your wood and +water, and tan your skins. Do not kill my little brother and me. Take pity +on us and save us alive. Everybody has left us, but do you have pity. You +shall see how quickly I will work, how you will always have plenty of +wood. I can work quickly and well." The old woman thought for a little +while, then she said: "Well, I will let you live for a time, anyhow. You +shall sleep safely to-night." + +The next day, early, the little girl took her brother on her back, and went +out and gathered a big pile of wood, and brought it to the lodge before the +old woman was awake. When she got up, she called to the girl, "Go to the +river and get a bucket of water." The girl put her brother on her back, and +took the bucket to go. The old woman said to her: "Why do you carry that +child everywhere? Leave him here." The girl said: "Not so. He is always +with me, and if I leave him he will cry and make a great noise, and you +will not like that." The old woman grumbled, but the girl went on down to +the river. + +When she got there, just as she was going to fill her bucket, she saw +standing by her a great bull. It was a mountain buffalo, one of those who +live in the timber; and the long hair of its head was all full of pine +needles and sticks and branches, and matted together. (It was a +_Su'ye-st[)u]'mik_, a water bull.) When the girl saw him, she prayed him to +take her across the river, and so to save her and her little brother from +the bad old woman. The bull said, "I will take you across, but first you +must take some of the sticks out of my head." The girl begged him to start +at once; but the bull said, "No, first take the sticks out of my head." The +girl began to do it, but before she had done much, she heard the old woman +calling to her to bring the water. The girl called back, "I am trying to +get the water clear," and went on fixing the buffalo's head. The old woman +called again, saying, "Hurry, hurry with that water." The girl answered, +"Wait, I am washing my little brother." Pretty soon the old woman called +out, "If you don't bring that water, I will kill you and your brother." By +this time the girl had most of the sticks out of the bull's head, and he +told her to get on his back, and went into the water and swam with her +across the river. As he reached the other bank, the girl could see the old +woman coming from her lodge down to the river with a big stick in her hand. + +When the bull reached the bank, the girl jumped off his back and started +off on the trail of the camp. The bull swam back again to the other side of +the river, and there stood the old woman. This bull was a sort of servant +of the old woman. She said to him: "Why did you take those children across +the river? Take me on your back now and carry me across quickly, so that I +can catch them." The bull said, "First take these sticks out of my head." +"No," said the old woman; "first take me across, then I will take the +sticks out." The bull repeated, "First take the sticks out of my head, then +I will take you across." This made the old woman very mad, and she hit him +with the stick she had in her hand; but when she saw that he would not go, +she began to pull the sticks out of his head very roughly, tearing out +great handfuls of hair, and every moment ordering him to go, and +threatening what she would do to him when she got back. At last the bull +took her on his back, and began to swim across with her, but he did not +swim fast enough to please her, so she began to pound him with her club to +make him go faster; and when the bull got to the middle of the river, he +rolled over on his side, and the old woman slipped off, and was carried +down the river and drowned. + +The girl followed the trail of the camp for several days, feeding on +berries and roots that she dug; and at last one night after dark she +overtook the camp. She went into the lodge of an old woman, who was camped +off at one side, and the old woman pitied her and gave her some food, and +told her where her father's lodge was. The girl went to it, but when she +went in, her parents would not receive her. She had tried to overtake them +for the sake of her little brother, who was growing thin and weak because +he had not nursed; and now her mother was afraid to have her stay with +them. She even went and told the chief that her children had come back. Now +when the chief heard that these two children had come back, he was angry; +and he ordered that the next day they should be tied to a post in the camp, +and that the people should move on and leave them here. "Then," he said, +"they cannot follow us." + +The old woman who had pitied the children, when she heard what the chief +had ordered, made up a bundle of dried meat, and hid it in the grass near +the camp. Then she called her dog to her,--a little curly dog. She said to +the dog:-- + +"Now listen. To-morrow when we are ready to start, I will call you to come +to me, but you must pay no attention to what I say. Run off, and pretend to +be chasing squirrels. I will try to catch you, and if I do so, I will +pretend to whip you; but do not follow me. Stay behind, and when the camp +has passed out of sight, chew off the strings that bind those children; and +when you have done this, show them where I have hidden that food. Then you +can follow the camp and catch up to us." The dog stood before the old +woman, and listened to all that she said, turning his head from side to +side, as if paying close attention. + +Next morning it was done as the chief had said. The children were tied to +the tree with raw hide strings, and the people tore down all the lodges and +moved off. The old woman called her dog to follow her, but he was digging +at a gopher hole and would not come. Then she went up to him and struck at +him hard with her whip, but he dodged and ran away, and then stood looking +at her. Then the old woman got very mad and cursed him, but he paid no +attention; and finally she left him, and followed the camp. When the +people had all passed out of sight, the dog went to the children, and +gnawed the strings which tied them, until he had bitten them through. So +the children were free. + +Then the dog was glad, and danced about and barked and ran round and +round. Pretty soon he came up to the little girl, and looked up in her +face, and then started away, trotting. Every little while he would stop +and look back. The girl thought he wanted her to follow him. She did so, +and he took her to where the bundle of dried meat was, and showed it to +her. Then, when he had done this, he jumped up on her, and licked the +baby's face, and then started off, running as hard as he could along the +trail of the camp, never stopping to look back. The girl did not follow +him. She now knew that it was no use to go to the camp again. Their +parents would not receive them, and the chief would perhaps order them to +be killed. + +She went on her way, carrying her little brother and the bundle of dried +meat. She travelled for many days, and at last came to a place where she +thought she would stop. Here she built a little lodge of poles and brush, +and stayed there. One night she had a dream, and an old woman came to her +in the dream, and said to her, "To-morrow take your little brother, and tie +him to one of the lodge poles, and the next day tie him to another, and so +every day tie him to one of the poles, until you have gone all around the +lodge and have tied him to each pole. Then you will be helped, and will no +more have bad luck." + +When the girl awoke in the morning, she remembered what the dream had told +her, and she bound her little brother to one of the lodge poles; and each +day after this she tied him to one of the poles. Each day he grew larger, +until, when she had gone all around the lodge, he was grown to be a fine +young man. + +Now the girl was glad, and proud of her young brother who was so large and +noble-looking. He was quiet, not speaking much, and sometimes for days he +would not say anything. He seemed to be thinking all the time. One morning +he told the girl that he had a dream and that he wished her to help him +build a pis'kun. She was afraid to ask him about the dream, for she thought +if she asked questions he might not like it. So she just said she was ready +to do what he wished. They built the pis'kun, and when it was finished, the +boy said to his sister: "The buffalo are to come to us, and you are not to +see them. When the time comes, you are to cover your head and to hold your +face close to the ground; and do not lift your head nor look, until I throw +a piece of kidney to you." The girl said, "It shall be as you say." + +When the time came, the boy told her where to go; and she went to the +place, a little way from the lodge, not far from the corral, and sat down +on the ground, and covered her head, holding her face close to the +earth. After she had sat there a little while, she heard the sound of +animals running, and she was excited and curious, and raised her head to +look; but all she saw was her brother, standing near, looking at +her. Before he could speak, she said to him: "I thought I heard buffalo +coming, and because I was anxious for food, I forgot my promise and +looked. Forgive me this time, and I will try again." Again she bent her +face to the ground, and covered her head. + +Soon she heard again the sound of animals running, at first a long way off, +and then coming nearer and nearer, until at last they seemed close, and she +thought they were going to run over her. She sprang up in fright and looked +about, but there was nothing to be seen but her brother, looking sadly at +her. She went close to him and said: "Pity me. I was afraid, for I thought +the buffalo were going to run over me." He said: "This is the last time. If +again you look, we will starve; but if you do not look, we will always have +plenty, and will never be without meat." The girl looked at him, and said, +"I will try hard this time, and even if those animals run right over me, I +will not look until you throw the kidney to me." Again she covered her +head, pressing her face against the earth and putting her hands against her +ears, so that she might not hear. Suddenly, sooner than she thought, she +felt the blow from the meat thrown at her, and, springing up, she seized +the kidney and began to eat it. Not far away was her brother, bending over +a fat cow; and, going up to him, she helped him with the butchering. After +that was done, she kindled a fire and cooked the best parts of the meat, +and they ate and were satisfied. + +The boy became a great hunter. He made fine arrows that went faster than a +bird could fly, and when he was hunting, he watched all the animals and all +the birds, and learned their ways, and how to imitate them when they +called. While he was hunting, the girl dressed buffalo hides and the skins +of deer and other animals. She made a fine new lodge, and the boy painted +it with figures of all the birds and the animals he had killed. + +One day, when the girl was bringing water, she saw a little way off a +person coming. When she went in the lodge, she told her brother, and he +went out to meet the stranger. He found that he was friendly and was +hunting, but had had bad luck and killed nothing. He was starving and in +despair, when he saw this lone lodge and made up his mind to go to it. As +he came near it, he began to be afraid, and to wonder if the people who +lived there were enemies or ghosts; but he thought, "I may as well die here +as starve," so he went boldly to it. The strange person was very much +surprised to see this handsome young man with the kind face, who could +speak his own language. The boy took him into the lodge, and the girl put +food before him. After he had eaten, he told his story, saying that the +game had left them, and that many of his people were dying of hunger. As +he talked, the girl listened; and at last she remembered the man, and knew +that he belonged to her camp. She asked him questions, and he talked about +all the people in the camp, and even spoke of the old woman who owned the +dog. The boy advised the stranger, after he had rested, to return to his +camp, and tell the people to move up to this place, that here they would +find plenty of game. After he had gone, the boy and his sister talked of +these things. The girl had often told him what she had suffered, what the +chief had said and done, and how their own parents had turned against her, +and that the only person whose heart had been good to her was this old +woman. As the young man heard all this again, he was angry at his parents +and the chief, but he felt great kindness for the old woman and her +dog. When he learned that those bad people were living, he made up his mind +that they should suffer and die. + +When the strange person reached his own camp, he told the people how well +he had been treated by these two persons, and that they wished him to bring +the whole camp to where they were, and that there they should have plenty. +This made great joy in the camp, and all got ready to move. When they +reached the lost children's camp, they found everything as the stranger had +said. The brother gave a feast; and to those whom he liked he gave many +presents, but to the old woman and the dog he gave the best presents of +all. To the chief nothing at all was given, and this made him very much +ashamed. To the parents no food was given, but the boy tied a bone to the +lodge poles above the fire, and told the parents to eat from it without +touching it with their hands. They were very hungry, and tried to eat from +this bone; and as they were stretching out their necks to reach it--for it +was above them--the boy cut off their heads with his knife. This frightened +all the people, the chief most of all; but the boy told them how it all +was, and how he and his sister had survived. + +When he had finished speaking, the chief said he was sorry for what he had +done, and he proposed to his people that this young man should be made +their chief. They were glad to do this. The boy was made the chief, and +lived long to rule the people in that camp. + + + +MIK-A'PI--RED OLD MAN + + +I + +It was in the valley of "It fell on them"[1] Creek, near the mountains, +that the Pik[)u]n'i were camped when Mik-a'pi went to war. It was far back, +in the days of stone knives, long before the white people had come. This +was the way it happened. + +[Footnote 1: Armells Creek in Northern Montana is called +_Et-tsis-ki-ots-op_, "It fell on them." A longtime ago a number of +Blackfeet women were digging in a bank near this creek for the red clay +which they use for paint, when the bank gave way and fell on them, burying +and killing them.] + +Early in the morning a band of buffalo were seen in the foot-hills of the +mountains, and some hunters went out to get meat. Carefully they crawled +along up the coules and drew near to the herd; and, when they had come +close to them, they began to shoot, and their arrows pierced many fat +cows. But even while they were thus shooting, they were surprised by a war +party of Snakes, and they began to run back toward the camp. There was one +hunter, named Fox-eye, who was very brave. He called to the others to stop, +saying: "They are many and we are few, but the Snakes are not brave. Let us +stop and fight them." But the other hunters would not listen. "We have no +shields," they said, "nor our war medicine. There are many of the +enemy. Why should we foolishly die?" + +They hurried on to camp, but Fox-eye would not turn back. He drew his +arrows from the quiver, and prepared to fight. But, even as he placed an +arrow, a Snake had crawled up by his side, unseen. In the still air, the +Piegan heard the sharp twang of a bow string, but, before he could turn his +head, the long, fine-pointed arrow pierced him through and through. The bow +and arrows dropped from his hands, he swayed, and then fell forward on the +grass, dead. But now the warriors came pouring from the camp to aid +him. Too late! The Snakes quickly scalped their fallen enemy, scattered up +the mountain, and were lost to sight. + +Now Fox-eye had two wives, and their father and mother and all their near +relations were dead. All Fox-eye's relatives, too, had long since gone to +the Sand Hills[1]. So these poor widows had no one to avenge them, and they +mourned deeply for the husband so suddenly taken from them. Through the +long days they sat on a near hill and mourned, and their mourning was very +sad. + +[Footnote 1: Sand Hills: the shadow land; place of ghosts; the Blackfoot +future world.] + +There was a young warrior named Mik-a'pi. Every morning he was awakened by +the crying of these poor widows, and through the day his heart was touched +by their wailing. Even when he went to rest, their mournful cries reached +him through the darkness, and he could not sleep. So he sent his mother to +them. "Tell them," he said, "that I wish to speak to them." When they had +entered, they sat close by the door-way, and covered their heads. + +"_Kyi!"_ said Mik-a'pi. "For days and nights I have heard your mourning, +and I too have silently mourned. My heart has been very sad. Your husband +was my near friend, and now he is dead and no relations are left to avenge +him. So now, I say, I will take the load from your hearts. I will avenge +him. I will go to war and take many scalps, and when I return, they shall +be yours. You shall paint your faces black, and we will all rejoice that +Fox-eye is avenged." + +When the people heard that Mik-a'pi was going to war, many warriors wished +to join him, but he refused them; and when he had taken a medicine sweat, +and got a medicine-pipe man to make medicine for him during his absence, he +started from the camp one evening, just after sunset. It is only the +foolish warrior who travels in the day; for other war parties may be out, +or some camp-watcher sitting on a hill may see him from far off, and lay +plans to destroy him. Mik-a'pi was not one of these. He was brave but +cautious, and he had strong medicine. Some say that he was related to the +ghosts, and that they helped him. Having now started to war against the +Snakes, he travelled in hidden places, and at sunrise would climb a hill +and look carefully in all directions, and during the long day would lie +there, and watch, and take short sleeps. + +Now, when Mik-a'pi had come to the Great Falls (of the Missouri), a heavy +rain set in; and, seeing a hole in the rocks, he crawled in and lay down in +the farther end to sleep. The rain did not cease, and when night came he +could not travel because of the darkness and storm; so he lay down to sleep +again. But soon he heard something coming into the cave toward him, and +then he felt a hand laid on his breast, and he put out his hand and touched +a person. Then Mik-a'pi put the palm of his hand on the person's breast and +jerked it to and fro, and then he touched the person with the point of his +finger, which, in the sign language, means, "Who are you?" + +The strange person then took Mik-a'pi's hand, and made him feel of his own +right hand. The thumb and all the fingers were closed except the +forefinger, which was extended; and when Mik-a'pi touched it the person +moved his hand forward with a zigzag motion, which means "Snake." Then +Mik-a'pi was glad. Here had come to him one of the tribe he was +seeking. But he thought it best to wait for daylight before attacking +him. So, when the Snake in signs asked him who he was, he replied, by +making the sign for paddling a canoe, that he was a Pend d'Oreille, or +River person. For he knew that the Snakes and the Pend d'Oreilles were at +peace. + +Then they both lay down to sleep, but Mik-a'pi did not sleep. Through the +long night he watched for the first dim light, so that he might kill his +enemy. The Snake slept soundly; and just at daybreak Mik-a'pi quietly +strung his bow, fitted an arrow, and, taking aim, sent the thin shaft +through his enemy's heart. The Snake quivered, half rose up, and with a +groan fell back dead. Then Mik-a'pi took his scalp and his bow and arrows, +and also his bundle of moccasins; and as daylight had come, he went out of +the cave and looked all about. No one was in sight. Probably the Snake, +like himself, had gone alone to war. But, ever cautious, he travelled only +a short distance, and waited for night before going on. The rain had ceased +and the day was warm. He took a piece of dried meat and back fat from his +pouch and ate them, and, after drinking from the river, he climbed up on a +high rock wall and slept. + +Now in his dream he fought with a strange people, and was wounded. He felt +blood trickling from his wounds, and when he awoke, he knew that he had +been warned to turn back. The signs also were bad. He saw an eagle rising +with a snake, which dropped from its claws and escaped. The setting sun, +too, was painted[1],--a sure warning to people that danger is near. But, in +spite of all these things, Mik-a'pi determined to go on. He thought of the +poor widows mourning and waiting for revenge. He thought of the glad +welcome of the people, if he should return with many scalps; and he thought +also of two young sisters, whom he wanted to marry. Surely, if he could +return and bring the proofs of brave deeds, their parents would be glad to +give them to him. + +[Footnote 1: Sun dogs.] + + + +II + +It was nearly night. The sun had already disappeared behind the +sharp-pointed gray peaks. In the fading light the far-stretching prairie +was turning dark. In a valley, sparsely timbered with quaking aspens and +cotton-woods, stood a large camp. For a long distance up and down the river +rose the smoke of many lodges. Seated on a little hill overlooking the +valley, was a single person. With his robe drawn tightly around him, he sat +there motionless, looking down on the prairie and valley below. + +Slowly and silently something was crawling through the grass toward +him. But he heard nothing. Still he gazed eastward, seeking to discover any +enemy who might be approaching. Still the dark object crawled slowly +onward. Now it was so close to him that it could almost touch him. The +person thought he heard a sound, and started to turn round. Too late! Too +late! A strong arm grasped him about the neck and covered his mouth. A long +jagged knife was thrust into his breast again and again, and he died +without a cry. Strange that in all that great camp no one should have seen +him killed! + +Still extended on the ground, the dark figure removed the scalp. Slowly he +crawled back down the hill, and was lost in the gathering darkness. It was +Mik-a'pi, and he had another Snake scalp tied to his belt. His heart was +glad, yet he was not satisfied. Some nights had passed since the bad signs +had warned him, yet he had succeeded. "One more," he said. "One more scalp +I must have, and then I will go back." So he went far up on the mountain, +and hid in some thick pines and slept. When daylight came, he could see +smoke rise as the women started their fires. He also saw many people rush +up on the hill, where the dead watcher lay. He was too far off to hear +their angry shouts and mournful cries, but he sung to himself a song of war +and was happy. + +Once more the sun went to his lodge behind the mountains, and as darkness +came Mik-a'pi slowly descended the mountain and approached the camp. This +was the time of danger. Behind each bush, or hidden in a bunch of the tall +rye grass, some person might be watching to warn the camp of an approaching +enemy. Slowly and like a snake, he crawled around the outskirts of the +camp, listening and looking. He heard a cough and saw a movement of a +bush. There was a Snake. Could he kill him and yet escape? He was close +to him now. So he sat and waited, considering how to act. For a long time +he sat there waiting. The moon rose and travelled high in the sky. The +Seven Persons[1] slowly swung around, and pointed downward. It was the +middle of the night. Then the person in the bush stood up and stretched out +his arms and yawned, for he was tired of watching, and thought that no +danger was near; but as he stood thus, an arrow pierced his breast. He gave +a loud yell and tried to run, but another arrow struck him and he fell. + +[Footnote 1: The constellation of the Great Bear.] + +At the sound the warriors rushed forth from the lodges and the outskirts of +the camp; but as they came, Mik-a'pi tore the scalp from his fallen enemy, +and started to run toward the river. Close behind him followed the Snakes. +Arrows whizzed about him. One pierced his arm. He plucked it out. Another +struck his leg, and he fell. Then a great shout arose from the +Snakes. Their enemy was down. Now they would be revenged for two lately +taken lives. But where Mik-a'pi fell was the verge of a high rock wall; +below rushed the deep river, and even as they shouted, he rolled from the +wall, and disappeared in the dark water far below. In vain they searched +the shores and bars. They did not find him. + +Mik-a'pi had sunk deep in the water. The current was swift, and when at +last he rose to the surface, he was far below his pursuers. The arrow in +his leg pained him, and with difficulty he crawled out on a +sand-bar. Luckily the arrow was lance-shaped instead of barbed, so he +managed to draw it out. Near by on the bar was a dry pine log, lodged there +by the high spring water. This he managed to roll into the stream; and, +partly resting on it, he again drifted down with the current. All night he +floated down the river, and when morning came he was far from the camp of +the Snakes. Benumbed with cold and stiff from the arrow wounds, he was glad +to crawl out on the bank, and lie down in the warm sunshine. Soon he slept. + + +III + +The sun was already in the middle when he awoke. His wounds were swollen +and painful; yet he hobbled on for a time, until the pain became so great +he could go no further, and he sat down, tired and discouraged. + +"True the signs," he said. "How crazy I was to go against them! Useless now +my bravery, for here I must stay and die. The widows will still mourn; and +in their old age who will take care of my father and my mother? Pity me +now, oh Sun! Help me, oh great Above Medicine Person! Look down on your +wounded and suffering child. Help me to survive!" + +What was that crackling in the brush near by? Was it the Snakes on his +trail? Mik-a'pi strung his bow and drew out his arrows. No; it was not a +Snake. It was a bear. There he stood, a big grizzly bear, looking down at +the wounded man. "What does my brother here?" he said. "Why does he pray +to survive?" + +"Look at my leg," said Mik-a'pi, "swollen and sore. Look at my wounded +arm. I can hardly draw the bow. Far the home of my people, and my strength +is gone. Surely here I must die, for I cannot travel and I have no food." + +"Now courage, my brother," said the bear. "Now not faint heart, my brother, +for I will help you, and you shall survive." + +When he had said this, he lifted Mik-a'pi and carried him to a place of +thick mud; and here he took great handfuls[1] of the mud and plastered the +wounds, and he sung a medicine song while putting on the mud. Then he +carried Mik-a'pi to a place where were many sarvis berries, and broke off +great branches of the fruit, and gave them to him, saying, "Eat, my +brother, eat!" and he broke off more branches, full of large ripe berries, +for him; but already Mik-a'pi was satisfied and could eat no more. Then +said the bear, "Lie down, now, on my back, and hold tight by my hair, and +we will travel on." And when Mik-a'pi had got on and was ready, he started +off on a long swinging trot. + +[Footnote 1: The bear's paws are called _O-kits-iks,_ the term also for a +person's hands. The animal itself is regarded as almost human.] + +All through the night he travelled on without stopping. When morning came, +they rested awhile, and ate more berries; and again the bear plastered his +wounds with mud. In this way they travelled on, until, on the fourth day, +they came close to the lodges of the Pik[)u]n'i; and the people saw them +coming and wondered. + +"Get off, my brother, get off," said the bear. "There are your people. I +must leave you." And without another word, he turned and went off up the +mountain. + +All the people came out to meet the warrior, and they carried him to the +lodge of his father. He untied the three scalps from his belt and gave them +to the widows, saying: "You are revenged. I wipe away your tears." And +every one rejoiced. All his female relations went through the camp, +shouting his name and singing, and every one prepared for the scalp dance. + +First came the widows. Their faces were painted black, and they carried the +scalps tied on poles. Then came the medicine men, with their medicine pipes +unwrapped; then the bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, all dressed in war +costume; then came the old men; and last the women and children. They all +sang the war song and danced. They went all through the village in single +file, stopping here and there to dance, and Mik-a'pi sat outside the lodge, +and saw all the people dance by him. He forgot his pain and was proud, and +although he could not dance, he sang with them. + +Soon they made the Medicine Lodge, and, first of all the warriors, Mik-a'pi +was chosen to cut the raw-hide which binds the poles, and as he cut the +strands, he counted the _coups_ he had made. He told of the enemies he had +killed, and all the people shouted his name and praised him. The father of +those two young sisters gave them to him. He was glad to have such a +son-in-law. Long lived Mik-a'pi. Of all the great chiefs who have lived and +died, he was the greatest. He did many other great and daring things. It +must be true, as the old men have said, that he was helped by the ghosts, +for no one can do such things without help from those fearful and unknown +persons. + + + +HEAVY COLLAR AND THE GHOST WOMAN + + +The Blood camp was on Old Man's River, where Fort McLeod now stands. A +party of seven men started to war toward the Cypress Hills. Heavy Collar +was the leader. They went around the Cypress Mountains, but found no +enemies and started back toward their camp. On their homeward way, Heavy +Collar used to take the lead. He would go out far ahead on the high hills, +and look over the country, acting as scout for the party. At length they +came to the south branch of the Saskatchewan River, above Seven Persons' +Creek. In those days there were many war parties about, and this party +travelled concealed as much as possible in the coules and low places. + +As they were following up the river, they saw at a distance three old bulls +lying down close to a cut bank. Heavy Collar left his party, and went out +to kill one of these bulls, and when he had come close to them, he shot one +and killed it right there. He cut it up, and, as he was hungry, he went +down into a ravine below him, to roast a piece of meat; for he had left his +party a long way behind, and night was now coming on. As he was roasting +the meat, he thought,--for he was very tired,--"It is a pity I did not +bring one of my young men with me. He could go up on that hill and get some +hair from that bull's head, and I could wipe out my gun." While he sat +there thinking this, and talking to himself, a bunch of this hair came over +him through the air, and fell on the ground right in front of him. When +this happened, it frightened him a little; for he thought that perhaps some +of his enemies were close by, and had thrown the bunch of hair at +him. After a little while, he took the hair, and cleaned his gun and loaded +it, and then sat and watched for a time. He was uneasy, and at length +decided that he would go on further up the river, to see what he could +discover. He went on, up the stream, until he came to the mouth of the +St. Mary's River. It was now very late in the night, and he was very tired, +so he crept into a large bunch of rye-grass to hide and sleep for the +night. + +The summer before this, the Blackfeet _(Sik-si-kau)_ had been camped on +this bottom, and a woman had been killed in this same patch of rye-grass +where Heavy Collar had lain down to rest. He did not know this, but still +he seemed to be troubled that night. He could not sleep. He could always +hear something, but what it was he could not make out. He tried to go to +sleep, but as soon as he dozed off he kept thinking he heard something in +the distance. He spent the night there, and in the morning when it became +light, there he saw right beside him the skeleton of the woman who had been +killed the summer before. + +That morning he went on, following up the stream to Belly River. All day +long as he was travelling, he kept thinking about his having slept by this +woman's bones. It troubled him. He could not forget it. At the same time he +was very tired, because he had walked so far and had slept so little. As +night came on, he crossed over to an island, and determined to camp for the +night. At the upper end of the island was a large tree that had drifted +down and lodged, and in a fork of this tree he built his fire, and got in a +crotch of one of the forks, and sat with his back to the fire, warming +himself, but all the time he was thinking about the woman he had slept +beside the night before. As he sat there, all at once he heard over beyond +the tree, on the other side of the fire, a sound as if something were being +dragged toward him along the ground. It sounded as if a piece of a lodge +were being dragged over the grass. It came closer and closer. + +Heavy Collar was scared. He was afraid to turn his head and look back to +see what it was that was coming. He heard the noise come up to the tree in +which his fire was built, and then it stopped, and all at once he heard +some one whistling a tune. He turned around and looked toward the sound, +and there, sitting on the other fork of the tree, right opposite to him, +was the pile of bones by which he had slept, only now all together in the +shape of a skeleton. This ghost had on it a lodge covering. The string, +which is tied to the pole, was fastened about the ghost's neck; the wings +of the lodge stood out on either side of its head, and behind it the lodge +could be seen, stretched out and fading away into the darkness. The ghost +sat on the old dead limb and whistled its tune, and as it whistled, it +swung its legs in time to the tune. + +When Heavy Collar saw this, his heart almost melted away. At length he +mustered up courage, and said: "Oh ghost, go away, and do not trouble me. I +am very tired; I want to rest." The ghost paid no attention to him, but +kept on whistling, swinging its legs in time to the tune. Four times he +prayed to her, saying: "Oh ghost, take pity on me! Go away and leave me +alone. I am tired; I want to rest." The more he prayed, the more the ghost +whistled and seemed pleased, swinging her legs, and turning her head from +side to side, sometimes looking down at him, and sometimes up at the stars, +and all the time whistling. + +When he saw that she took no notice of what he said, Heavy Collar got angry +at heart, and said, "Well, ghost, you do not listen to my prayers, and I +shall have to shoot you to drive you away." With that he seized his gun, +and throwing it to his shoulder, shot right at the ghost. When he shot at +her, she fell over backward into the darkness, screaming out: "Oh Heavy +Collar, you have shot me, you have killed me! You dog, Heavy Collar! there +is no place on this earth where you can go that I will not find you; no +place where you can hide that I will not come." + +As she fell back and said this, Heavy Collar sprang to his feet, and ran +away as fast as he could. She called after him: "I have been killed once, +and now you are trying to kill me again. Oh Heavy Collar!" As he ran away, +he could still hear her angry words following him, until at last they died +away in the distance. He ran all night long, and whenever he stopped to +breathe and listen, he seemed to hear in the distance the echoes of her +voice. All he could hear was, "Oh Heavy Collar!" and then he would rush +away again. He ran until he was all tired out, and by this time it was +daylight. He was now quite a long way below Fort McLeod. He was very +sleepy, but dared not lie down, for he remembered that the ghost had said +that she would follow him. He kept walking on for some time, and then sat +down to rest, and at once fell asleep. + +Before he had left his party, Heavy Collar had said to his young men: "Now +remember, if any one of us should get separated from the party, let him +always travel to the Belly River Buttes. There will be our meeting-place." +When their leader did not return to them, the party started across the +country and went toward the Belly River Buttes. Heavy Collar had followed +the river up, and had gone a long distance out of his way; and when he +awoke from his sleep he too started straight for the Belly River Buttes, as +he had said he would. + +When his party reached the Buttes, one of them went up on top of the hill +to watch. After a time, as he looked down the river, he saw two persons +coming, and as they came nearer, he saw that one of them was Heavy Collar, +and by his side was a woman. The watcher called up the rest of the party, +and said to them: "Here comes our chief. He has had luck. He is bringing a +woman with him. If he brings her into camp, we will take her away from +him." And they all laughed. They supposed that he had captured her. They +went down to the camp, and sat about the fire, looking at the two people +coming, and laughing among themselves at the idea of their chief bringing +in a woman. When the two persons had come close, they could see that Heavy +Collar was walking fast, and the woman would walk by his side a little way, +trying to keep up, and then would fall behind, and then trot along to catch +up to him again. Just before the pair reached camp there was a deep ravine +that they had to cross. They went down into this side by side, and then +Heavy Collar came up out of it alone, and came on into the camp. + +When he got there, all the young men began to laugh at him and to call out, +"Heavy Collar, where is your woman?" He looked at them for a moment, and +then said: "Why, I have no woman. I do not understand what you are talking +about." One of them said: "Oh, he has hidden her in that ravine. He was +afraid to bring her into camp." Another said, "Where did you capture her, +and what tribe does she belong to?" Heavy Collar looked from one to +another, and said: "I think you are all crazy. I have taken no woman. What +do you mean?" The young man said: "Why, that woman that you had with you +just now: where did you get her, and where did you leave her? Is she down +in the coule? We all saw her, and it is no use to deny that she was with +you. Come now, where is she?" When they said this, Heavy Collar's heart +grew very heavy, for he knew that it must have been the ghost woman; and he +told them the story. Some of the young men could not believe this, and they +ran down to the ravine, where they had last seen the woman. There they saw +in the soft dirt the tracks made by Heavy Collar, when he went down into +the ravine, but there were no other tracks near his, where they had seen +the woman walking. When they found that it was a ghost that had come along +with Heavy Collar, they resolved to go back to their main camp. The party +had been out so long that their moccasins were all worn out, and some of +them were footsore, so that they could not travel fast, but at last they +came to the cut banks, and there found their camp--seven lodges. + +That night, after they had reached camp, they were inviting each other to +feasts. It was getting pretty late in the night, and the moon was shining +brightly, when one of the Bloods called out for Heavy Collar to come and +eat with him. Heavy Collar shouted, "Yes, I will be there pretty soon." He +got up and went out of the lodge, and went a little way from it, and sat +down. While he was sitting there, a big bear walked out of the brush close +to him. Heavy Collar felt around him for a stone to throw at the bear, so +as to scare it away, for he thought it had not seen him. As he was feeling +about, his hand came upon a piece of bone, and he threw this over at the +bear, and hit it. Then the bear spoke, and said: "Well, well, well, Heavy +Collar; you have killed me once, and now here you are hitting me. Where is +there a place in this world where you can hide from me? I will find you, I +don't care where you may go." When Heavy Collar heard this, he knew it was +the ghost woman, and he jumped up and ran toward his lodge, calling out, +"Run, run! a ghost bear is upon us!" + +All the people in the camp ran to his lodge, so that it was crowded full of +people. There was a big fire in the lodge, and the wind was blowing hard +from the west. Men, women, and children were huddled together in the lodge, +and were very much afraid of the ghost. They could hear her walking toward +the lodge, grumbling, and saying: "I will kill all these dogs. Not one of +them shall get away." The sounds kept coming closer and closer, until they +were right at the lodge door. Then she said, "I will smoke you to death." +And as she said this, she moved the poles, so that the wings of the lodge +turned toward the west, and the wind could blow in freely through the smoke +hole. All this time she was threatening terrible things against them. The +lodge began to get full of smoke, and the children were crying, and all +were in great distress--almost suffocating. So they said, "Let us lift one +man up here inside, and let him try to fix the ears, so that the lodge will +get clear of smoke." They raised a man up, and he was standing on the +shoulders of the others, and, blinded and half strangled by the smoke, was +trying to turn the wings. While he was doing this, the ghost suddenly hit +the lodge a blow, and said, "_Un_!" and this scared the people who were +holding the man, and they jumped and let him go, and he fell down. Then the +people were in despair, and said, "It is no use; she is resolved to smoke +us to death." All the time the smoke was getting thicker in the lodge. + +Heavy Collar said: "Is it possible that she can destroy us? Is there no one +here who has some strong dream power that can overcome this ghost?" + +His mother said: "I will try to do something. I am older than any of you, +and I will see what I can do." So she got down her medicine bundle and +painted herself, and got out a pipe and filled it and lighted it, and stuck +the stem out through the lodge door, and sat there and began to pray to the +ghost woman. She said: "Oh ghost, take pity on us, and go away. We have +never wronged you, but you are troubling us and frightening our +children. Accept what I offer you, and leave us alone." + +A voice came from behind the lodge and said: "No, no, no; you dogs, I will +not listen to you. Every one of you must die." + +The old woman repeated her prayer: "Ghost, take pity on us. Accept this +smoke and go away." + +Then the ghost said: "How can you expect me to smoke, when I am way back +here? Bring that pipe out here. I have no long bill to reach round the +lodge." So the old woman went out of the lodge door, and reached out the +stem of the pipe as far as she could reach around toward the back of the +lodge. The ghost said: "No, I do not wish to go around there to where you +have that pipe. If you want me to smoke it, you must bring it here." The +old woman went around the lodge toward her, and the ghost woman began to +back away, and said, "No, I do not smoke that kind of a pipe." And when the +ghost started away, the old woman followed her, and she could not help +herself. + +She called out, "Oh my children, the ghost is carrying me off!" Heavy +Collar rushed out, and called to the others, "Come, and help me take my +mother from the ghost." He grasped his mother about the waist and held her, +and another man took him by the waist, and another him, until they were all +strung out, one behind the other, and all following the old woman, who was +following the ghost woman, who was walking away. + +All at once the old woman let go of the pipe, and fell over dead. The ghost +disappeared, and they were troubled no more by the ghost woman. + + + +THE WOLF-MAN + + +There was once a man who had two bad wives. They had no shame. The man +thought if he moved away where there were no other people, he might teach +these women to become good, so he moved his lodge away off on the prairie. +Near where they camped was a high butte, and every evening about sundown, +the man would go up on top of it, and look all over the country to see +where the buffalo were feeding, and if any enemies were approaching. There +was a buffalo skull on the hill, which he used to sit on. + +"This is very lonesome," said one woman to the other, one day. "We have no +one to talk with nor to visit." + +"Let us kill our husband," said the other. "Then we will go back to our +relations and have a good time." + +Early in the morning, the man went out to hunt, and as soon as he was out +of sight, his wives went up on top of the butte. There they dug a deep pit, +and covered it over with light sticks, grass, and dirt, and placed the +buffalo skull on top. + +In the afternoon they saw their husband coming home, loaded down with meat +he had killed. So they hurried to cook for him. After eating, he went up on +the butte and sat down on the skull. The slender sticks gave way, and he +fell into the pit. His wives were watching him, and when they saw him +disappear, they took down the lodge, packed everything on the dog travois, +and moved off, going toward the main camp. When they got near it, so that +the people could hear them, they began to cry and mourn. + +"Why is this?" they were asked. "Why are you mourning? Where is your +husband?" + +"He is dead," they replied. "Five days ago he went out to hunt, and he +never came back." And they cried and mourned again. + +When the man fell into the pit, he was hurt. After a while he tried to get +out, but he was so badly bruised he could not climb up. A wolf, travelling +along, came to the pit and saw him, and pitied him. _Ah-h-w-o-o-o-o! +Ah-h-w-o-o-o-o!_ he howled, and when the other wolves heard him they all +came running to see what was the matter. There came also many coyotes, +badgers, and kit-foxes. + +"In this hole," said the wolf, "is my find. Here is a fallen-in man. Let us +dig him out, and we will have him for our brother." + +They all thought the wolf spoke well, and began to dig. In a little while +they had a hole close to the man. Then the wolf who found him said, "Hold +on; I want to speak a few words to you." All the animals listening, he +continued, "We will all have this man for our brother, but I found him, so +I think he ought to live with us big wolves." All the others said that this +was well; so the wolf went into the hole, and tearing down the rest of the +dirt, dragged the almost dead man out. They gave him a kidney to eat, and +when he was able to walk a little, the big wolves took him to their +home. Here there was a very old blind wolf, who had powerful medicine. He +cured the man, and made his head and hands look like those of a wolf. The +rest of his body was not changed. + +In those days the people used to make holes in the pis'kun walls and set +snares, and when wolves and other animals came to steal meat, they were +caught by the neck. One night the wolves all went down to the pis'kun to +steal meat, and when they got close to it, the man-wolf said: "Stand here a +little while. I will go down and fix the places, so you will not be +caught." He went on and sprung all the snares; then he went back and called +the wolves and others,--the coyotes, badgers, and foxes,--and they all went +in the pis'kun and feasted, and took meat to carry home. + +In the morning the people were surprised to find the meat gone, and their +nooses all drawn out. They wondered how it could have been done. For many +nights the nooses were drawn and the meat stolen; but once, when the wolves +went there to steal, they found only the meat of a scabby bull, and the +man-wolf was angry, and cried out: "Bad-you-give-us-o-o-o! +Bad-you-give-us-o-o-o-o!" + +The people heard him, and said: "It is a man-wolf who has done all this. We +will catch him." So they put pemmican and nice back fat in the pis'kun, and +many hid close by. After dark the wolves came again, and when the man-wolf +saw the good food, he ran to it and began eating. Then the people all +rushed in and caught him with ropes and took him to a lodge. When they got +inside to the light of the fire, they knew at once who it was. They said, +"This is the man who was lost." + +"No," said the man, "I was not lost. My wives tried to kill me. They dug a +deep hole, and I fell into it, and I was hurt so badly that I could not get +out; but the wolves took pity on me and helped me, or I would have died +there." + +When the people heard this, they were angry, and they told the man to do +something. + +"You say well," he replied. "I give those women to the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi;_ +they know what to do." + +After that night the two women were never seen again. + + + +THE FAST RUNNERS + + +Once, long ago, the antelope and the deer met on the prairie. At this time +both of them had galls and both dew claws. They began to talk together, and +each was telling the other what he could do. Each one told how fast he +could run, and before long they were disputing as to which could run the +faster. Neither would allow that the other could beat him, so they agreed +that they would have a race to decide which was the swifter, and they bet +their galls on the race. When they ran, the antelope proved the faster +runner, and beat the deer and took his gall. + +Then the deer said: "Yes, you have beaten me on the prairie, but that is +not where I live. I only go out there sometimes to feed, or when I am +travelling around. We ought to have another race in the timber. That is my +home, and there I can run faster than you can." + +The antelope felt very big because he had beaten the deer in the race, and +he thought wherever they might be, he could run faster than the deer. So he +agreed to race in the timber, and on this race they bet their dew claws. + +They ran through the thick timber, among the brush and over fallen logs, +and this time the antelope ran slowly, because he was not used to this kind +of travelling, and the deer easily beat him, and took his dew claws. + +Since then the deer has had no gall, and the antelope no dew claws. + +[NOTE. A version of the first portion of this story is current among the +Pawnees, and has been printed in Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales.] + + + +TWO WAR TRAILS + + +I + +Many years ago there lived in the Blood camp a boy named Screech Owl +(A'-tsi-tsi). He was rather a lonely boy, and did not care to go with other +boys. He liked better to be by himself. Often he would go off alone, and +stay out all night away from the camp. He used to pray to all kinds of +birds and animals that he saw, and ask them to take pity on him and help +him, saying that he wanted to be a warrior. He never used paint. He was a +fine looking young man, and he thought it was foolish to use paint to make +oneself good looking. + +When Screech Owl was about fourteen years old, a large party of Blackfeet +were starting to war against the Crees and the Assinaboines. The young man +said to his father: "Father, with this war party many of my cousins are +going. I think that now I am old enough to go to war, and I would like to +join them." His father said, "My son, I am willing; you may go." So he +joined the party. + +His father gave his son his own war horse, a black horse with a white spot +on its side--a very fast horse. He offered him arms, but the boy refused +them all, except a little trapping axe. He said, "I think this hatchet will +be all that I shall need." Just as they were about to start, his father +gave the boy his own war headdress. This was not a war bonnet, but a plume +made of small feathers, the feathers of thunder birds, for the thunder bird +was his father's medicine. He said to the boy, "Now, my son, when you go +into battle, put this plume in your head, and wear it as I have worn it." + +The party started and travelled north-east, and at length they came to +where Fort Pitt now stands, on the Saskatchewan River. When they had got +down below Fort Pitt, they saw three riders, going out hunting. These men +had not seen the war party. The Blackfeet started around the men, so as to +head them off when they should run. When they saw the men, the Screech Owl +got off his horse, and took off all his clothes, and put on his father's +war plume, and began to ride around, singing his father's war song. The +older warriors were getting ready for the attack, and when they saw this +young boy acting in this way, they thought he was making fun of the older +men, and they said: "Here, look at this boy! Has he no shame? He had better +stay behind." When they got on their horses, they told him to stay behind, +and they charged the Crees. But the boy, instead of staying behind, charged +with them, and took the lead, for he had the best horse of all. He, a boy, +was leading the war party, and still singing his war song. + +The three Crees began to run, and the boy kept gaining on them. They did +not want to separate, they kept together; and as the boy was getting closer +and closer, the last one turned in his saddle and shot at the Screech Owl, +but missed him. As the Cree fired, the boy whipped up his horse, and rode +up beside the Cree and struck him with his little trapping axe, and knocked +him off his horse. He paid no attention to the man that he had struck, but +rode on to the next Cree. As he came up with him, the Cree raised his gun +and fired, but just as he did so, the Blackfoot dropped down on the other +side of his horse, and the ball passed over him. He straightened up on his +horse, rode up by the Cree, and as he passed, knocked him off his horse +with his axe. When he knocked the second Cree off his horse, the Blackfeet, +who were following, whooped in triumph and to encourage him, shouting, +"_A-wah-heh'_" (Take courage). The boy was still singing his father's war +song. + +By this time, the main body of the Blackfeet were catching up with him. He +whipped his horse on both sides, and rode on after the third Cree, who was +also whipping his horse as hard as he could, and trying to get +away. Meantime, some of the Blackfeet had stopped to count _coup_ on and +scalp the two dead Crees, and to catch the two ponies. Screech Owl at last +got near to the third Cree, who kept aiming his gun at him. The boy did not +want to get too close, until the Cree had fired his gun, but he was gaining +a little, and all the time was throwing himself from side to side on his +horse, so as to make it harder for the Cree to hit him. When he had nearly +overtaken the enemy, the Cree turned, raised his gun and fired; but the boy +had thrown himself down behind his horse, and again the ball passed over +him. He raised himself up on his horse, and rushed on the Cree, and struck +him in the side of the body with his axe, and then again, and with the +second blow, he knocked him off his horse. + +The boy rode on a little further, stopped, and jumped off his horse, while +the rest of the Blackfeet had come up and were killing the fallen man. He +stood off to one side and watched them count _coup_ on and scalp the dead. + +The Blackfeet were much surprised at what the young man had done. After a +little while, the leader decided that they would go back to the camp from +which they had come. When he had returned from this war journey this young +man's name was changed from A'-tsi-tsi to E-k[=u]s'-kini (Low Horn). This +was his first war path. + +From that time on the name of E-k[=u]s'-kini was often heard as that of one +doing some great deed. + + + +II + +E-k[=u]s'-kini started on his last war trail from the Black-foot crossing +_(Su-yoh-pah'-wah-ku)_. He led a party of six Sarcees. He was the seventh +man. + +On the second day out, they came to the Red Deer's River. When they reached +this river, they found it very high, so they built a raft to cross on. They +camped on the other side. In crossing, most of their powder got wet. The +next morning, when they awoke, E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "Well, trouble is +coming for us. We had better go back from here. We started on a wrong +day. I saw in my sleep our bodies lying on the prairie, dead." Some of the +young men said: "Oh well, we have started, we had better go on. Perhaps it +is only a mistake. Let us go on and try to take some horses anyhow." +E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "Yes, that is very true. To go home is all +foolishness; but remember that it is by your wish that we are going on." +He wanted to go back, not on his own account, but for the sake of his young +men--to save his followers. + +From there they went on and made another camp, and the next morning he said +to his young men: "Now I am sure. I have seen it for certain. Trouble is +before us." They camped two nights at this place and dried some of their +powder, but most of it was caked and spoilt. He said to his young men: +"Here, let us use some sense about this. We have no ammunition. We cannot +defend ourselves. Let us turn back from here." So they started across the +country for their camp. + +They crossed the Red Deer's River, and there camped again. The next morning +E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "I feel very uneasy to-day. Two of you go ahead on the +trail and keep a close lookout. I am afraid that to-day we are going to see +our enemy." Two of the young men went ahead, and when they had climbed to +the top of a ridge and looked over it on to Sarvis Berry (Saskatoon) Creek, +they came back and told E-k[=u]s'-kini that they had seen a large camp of +people over there, and that they thought it was the Piegans, Bloods, +Blackfeet, and Sarcees, who had all moved over there together. Saskatoon +Creek was about twenty miles from the Blackfoot camp. He said: "No, it +cannot be our people. They said nothing about moving over here; it must be +a war party. It is only a few days since we left, and there was then no +talk of their leaving that camp. It cannot be they." The two young men +said: "Yes, they are our people. There are too many of them for a war +party. We think that the whole camp is there." They discussed this for some +little time, E-k[=u]s'-kini insisting that it could not be the Blackfoot +camp, while the young men felt sure that it was. These two men said, "Well, +we are going on into the camp now." Low Horn said: "Well, you may go. Tell +my father that I will come into the camp to-night. I do not like to go in +in the daytime, when I am not bringing back anything with me." + +It was now late in the afternoon, and the two young men went ahead toward +the camp, travelling on slowly. A little after sundown, they came down the +hill on to the flat of the river, and saw there the camp. They walked down +toward it, to the edge of the stream, and there met two women, who had come +down after water. The men spoke to them in Sarcee, and said, "Where is the +Sarcee camp?" The women did not understand them, so they spoke again, and +asked the same question in Blackfoot. Then these two women called out in +the Cree language, "Here are two Blackfeet, who have come here and are +talking to us." When these men heard the women talk Cree, and saw what a +mistake they had made, they turned and ran away up the creek. They ran up +above camp a short distance, to a place where a few willow bushes were +hanging over the stream, and pushing through these, they hid under the +bank, and the willows above concealed them. The people in the camp came +rushing out, and men ran up the creek, and down, and looked everywhere for +the two enemies, but could find nothing of them. + +Now when these people were running in all directions, hunting for these two +men, E-k[=u]s'-kini was coming down the valley slowly with the four other +Sarcees. He saw some Indians coming toward him, and supposed that they were +some of his own people, coming to meet him, with horses for him to ride. At +length, when they were close to him, and E-k[=u]s'-kini could see that they +were the enemy, and were taking the covers off their guns, he jumped to one +side and stood alone and began to sing his war song. He called out, +"Children of the Crees, if you have come to try my manhood, do your best." +In a moment or two he was surrounded, and they were shooting at him from +all directions. He called out again, "People, you can't kill me here, but +I will take my body to your camp, and there you shall kill me." So he +advanced, fighting his way toward the Cree camp, but before he started, he +killed two of the Crees there. His enemies kept coming up and clustering +about him: some were on foot and some on horseback. They were thick about +him on all sides, and they could not shoot much at him, for fear of killing +their own people on the other side. + +One of the Sarcees fell. E-k[=u]s'-kini said to his men, "_A-wah-heh'_" +(Take courage). "These people cannot kill us here. Where that patch of +choke-cherry brush is, in the very centre of their camp, we will go and +take our stand." Another Sarcee fell, and now there were only three of +them. E-k[=u]s'-kini said to his remaining men: "Go straight to that patch +of brush, and I will fight the enemy off in front and at the sides, and so +will keep the way open for you. These people cannot kill us here. There are +too many of their own people. If we can get to that brush, we will hurt +them badly." All this time they were killing enemies, fighting bravely, and +singing their war songs. At last they gained the patch of brush, and then +with their knives they began to dig holes in the ground, and to throw up a +shelter. + +In the Cree camp was K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s (Round), the chief of the +Crees, who could talk Blackfoot well. He called out: "E-k[=u]s'-kini, there +is a little ravine running out of that brush patch, which puts into the +hills. Crawl out through that, and try to get away. It is not guarded." +E-k[=u]s'-kini replied: "No, Children of the Crees, I will not go. You must +remember that it is E-k[=u]s'-kini that you are fighting with--a man who +has done much harm to your people. I am glad that I am here. I am sorry for +only one thing; that is, that my ammunition is going to run out. To-morrow +you may kill me." + +All night long the fight was kept up, the enemy shooting all the time, and +all night long E-k[=u]s'-kini sang his death song. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s +called to him several times: "E-k[=u]s'-kini, you had better do what I tell +you. Try to get away." But he shouted back, "No," and laughed at them. He +said: "You have killed all my men. I am here alone, but you cannot kill +me." K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, the chief, said: "Well, if you are there at +daylight in the morning, I will go into that brush and will catch you with +my hands. I will be the man who will put an end to you." E-k[=u]s'-kini +said: "K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, do not try to do that. If you do, you shall +surely die." The patch of brush in which he had hidden had now been all +shot away, cut off by the bullets of the enemy. + +When day came, E-k[=u]s'-kini called out: "Eh, K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, it +is broad daylight now. I have run out of ammunition. I have not another +grain of powder in my horn. Now come and take me in your hands, as you +said you would." K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s answered: "Yes, I said that I was +the one who was going to catch you this morning. Now I am coming." + +He took off all his clothes, and alone rushed for the +breastworks. E-k[=u]s'-kini's ammunition was all gone, but he still had one +load in his gun, and his dagger. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s came on with his +gun at his shoulder, and E-k[=u]s'-kini sat there with his gun in his hand, +looking at the man who was coming toward him with the cocked gun pointed at +him. He was singing his death song. As K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s got up close, +and just as he was about to fire, E-k[=u]s'-kini threw up his gun and +fired, and the ball knocked off the Cree chiefs forefinger, and going on, +entered his right eye and came out at the temple, knocking the eye +out. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s went down, and his gun flew a long way. + +When K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s fell, the whole camp shouted the war whoop, and +cried out, "This is his last shot," and they all charged on him. They knew +that he had no more ammunition. + +The head warrior of the Crees was named Bunch of Lodges. He was the first +man to jump inside the breastworks. As he sprang inside, E-k[=u]s'-kini +met him, and thrust his dagger through him, and killed him on the spot. +Then, as the enemy threw themselves on him, and he began to feel the knives +stuck into him from all sides, he gave a war whoop and laughed, and said, +"Only now I begin to think that I am fighting." All the time he was cutting +and stabbing, jumping backward and forward, and all the time laughing. When +he was dead, there were fifteen dead Crees lying about the +earthworks. E-k[=u]s'-kini body was cut into small pieces and scattered all +over the country, so that he might not come to life again. + + +III + +That morning, before it was daylight, the two Sarcees who had hidden in the +willows left their hiding-place and made their way to the Blackfoot +camp. When they got there, they told that when they had left the Cree camp +E-k[=u]s'kini was surrounded, and the firing was terrible. When +E-k[=u]s'-kini's father heard this, he got on his horse and rode through +the camp, calling out: "My boy is surrounded; let us turn out and go to +help him. I have no doubt they are many tens to one, but he is powerful, +and he may be fighting yet." No time was lost in getting ready, and soon a +large party started for the Cree camp. When they came to the battle-ground, +the camp had been moved a long time. The old man looked about, trying to +gather up his son's body, but it was found only in small pieces, and not +more than half of it could be gathered up. + +After the fight was over, the Crees started on down to go to their own +country. One day six Crees were travelling along on foot, scouting far +ahead. As they were going down into a little ravine, a grizzly bear jumped +up in front of them and ran after them. The bear overtook, and tore up, +five of them, one after another. The sixth got away, and came home to +camp. The Crees and the Blackfeet believe that this was the spirit of +E-k[=u]s'-kini, for thus he comes back. They think that he is still on the +earth, but in a different shape. + +E-k[=u]s'-kini was killed about forty years ago. When he was killed, he was +still a boy, not married, only about twenty-four years old. + + + + + +STORIES OF ANCIENT TIMES + + + + + +SCARFACE + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE LODGE + + +I + +In the earliest times there was no war. All the tribes were at peace. In +those days there was a man who had a daughter, a very beautiful girl. Many +young men wanted to marry her, but every time she was asked, she only shook +her head and said she did not want a husband. + +"How is this?" asked her father. "Some of these young men are rich, +handsome, and brave." + +"Why should I marry?" replied the girl. "I have a rich father and +mother. Our lodge is good. The parfleches are never empty. There are plenty +of tanned robes and soft furs for winter. Why worry me, then?" + +The Raven Bearers held a dance; they all dressed carefully and wore their +ornaments, and each one tried to dance the best. Afterwards some of them +asked for this girl, but still she said no. Then the Bulls, the Kit-foxes, +and others of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ held their dances, and all those who +were rich, many great warriors, asked this man for his daughter, but to +every one of them she said no. Then her father was angry, and said: "Why, +now, this way? All the best men have asked for you, and still you say no. I +believe you have a secret lover." + +"Ah!" said her mother. "What shame for us should a child be born and our +daughter still unmarried!" "Father! mother!" replied the girl, "pity me. I +have no secret lover, but now hear the truth. That Above Person, the Sun, +told me, 'Do not marry any of those men, for you are mine; thus you shall +be happy, and live to great age'; and again he said, 'Take heed. You must +not marry. You are mine.'" + +"Ah!" replied her father. "It must always be as he says." And they talked +no more about it. + +There was a poor young man, very poor. His father, mother, all his +relations, had gone to the Sand Hills. He had no lodge, no wife to tan his +robes or sew his moccasins. He stopped in one lodge to-day, and to-morrow +he ate and slept in another; thus he lived. He was a good-looking young +man, except that on his cheek he had a scar, and his clothes were always +old and poor. + +After those dances some of the young men met this poor Scarface, and they +laughed at him, and said: "Why don't you ask that girl to marry you? You +are so rich and handsome!" Scarface did not laugh; he replied: "Ah! I will +do as you say. I will go and ask her." All the young men thought this was +funny. They laughed a great deal. But Scarface went down by the river. He +waited by the river, where the women came to get water, and by and by the +girl came along. "Girl," he said, "wait. I want to speak with you. Not as a +designing person do I ask you, but openly where the Sun looks down, and all +may see." + +"Speak then," said the girl. + +"I have seen the days," continued the young man "You have refused those who +are young, and rich, and brave. Now, to-day, they laughed and said to me, +'Why do you not ask her?' I am poor, very poor. I have no lodge, no food, +no clothes, no robes and warm furs. I have no relations; all have gone to +the Sand Hills; yet, now, to-day, I ask you, take pity, be my wife." + +The girl hid her face in her robe and brushed the ground with the point of +her moccasin, back and forth, back and forth; for she was thinking. After a +time she said: "True. I have refused all those rich young men, yet now the +poor one asks me, and I am glad. I will be your wife, and my people will be +happy. You are poor, but it does not matter. My father will give you +dogs. My mother will make us a lodge. My people will give us robes and +furs. You will be poor no longer." + +Then the young man was happy, and he started to kiss her, but she held him +back, and said: "Wait! The Sun has spoken to me. He says I may not marry; +that I belong to him. He says if I listen to him, I shall live to great +age. But now I say: Go to the Sun. Tell him, 'She whom you spoke with +heeds your words. She has never done wrong, but now she wants to marry. I +want her for my wife.' Ask him to take that scar from your face. That will +be his sign. I will know he is pleased. But if he refuses, or if you fail +to find his lodge, then do not return to me." + +"Oh!" cried the young man, "at first your words were good. I was glad. But +now it is dark. My heart is dead. Where is that far-off lodge? where the +trail, which no one yet has travelled?" + +"Take courage, take courage!" said the girl; and she went to her lodge. + + +II + +Scarface was very sad. He sat down and covered his head with his robe and +tried to think what to do. After a while he got up, and went to an old +woman who had been kind to him. "Pity me," he said. "I am very poor. I am +going away now on a long journey. Make me some moccasins." + +"Where are you going?" asked the old woman. "There is no war; we are very +peaceful here." + +"I do not know where I shall go," replied Scarface. "I am in trouble, but I +cannot tell you now what it is." + +So the old woman made him some moccasins, seven pairs, with parfleche +soles, and also she gave him a sack of food,--pemmican of berries, pounded +meat, and dried back fat; for this old woman had a good heart. She liked +the young man. + +All alone, and with a sad heart, he climbed the bluffs and stopped to take +a last look at the camp. He wondered if he would ever see his sweetheart +and the people again. "_ Hai'-yu!_ Pity me, O Sun," he prayed, and turning, +he started to find the trail. + +For many days he travelled on, over great prairies, along timbered rivers +and among the mountains, and every day his sack of food grew lighter; but +he saved it as much as he could, and ate berries, and roots, and sometimes +he killed an animal of some kind. One night he stopped by the home of a +wolf. "_Hai-yah!_" said that one; "what is my brother doing so far from +home?" + +"Ah!" replied Scarface, "I seek the place where the Sun lives; I am sent to +speak with him." + +"I have travelled far," said the wolf. "I know all the prairies, the +valleys, and the mountains, but I have never seen the Sun's home. Wait; I +know one who is very wise. Ask the bear. He may tell you." + +The next day the man travelled on again, stopping now and then to pick a +few berries, and when night came he arrived at the bear's lodge. + +"Where is your home?" asked the bear. "Why are you travelling alone, my +brother?" + +"Help me! Pity me!" replied the young man; "because of her words[1] I seek +the Sun. I go to ask him for her." + +[Footnote 1: A Blackfoot often talks of what this or that person said, +without mentioning names.] + +"I know not where he stops," replied the bear. "I have travelled by many +rivers, and I know the mountains, yet I have never seen his lodge. There is +some one beyond, that striped-face, who is very smart. Go and ask him." + +The badger was in his hole. Stooping over, the young man shouted: "Oh, +cunning striped-face! Oh, generous animal! I wish to speak with you." + +"What do you want?" said the badger, poking his head out of the hole. + +"I want to find the Sun's home," replied Scarface. "I want to speak with +him." + +"I do not know where he lives," replied the badger. "I never travel very +far. Over there in the timber is a wolverine. He is always travelling +around, and is of much knowledge. Maybe he can tell you." + +Then Scarface went to the woods and looked all around for the wolverine, +but could not find him. So he sat down to rest "_Hai'-yu! Hai'-yu!_" he +cried. "Wolverine, take pity on me. My food is gone, my moccasins worn out. +Now I must die." + +"What is it, my brother?" he heard, and looking around, he saw the animal +sitting near. + +"She whom I would marry," said Scarface, "belongs to the Sun; I am trying +to find where he lives, to ask him for her." + +"Ah!" said the wolverine. "I know where he lives. Wait; it is nearly +night. To-morrow I will show you the trail to the big water. He lives on +the other side of it." + +Early in the morning, the wolverine showed him the trail, and Scarface +followed it until he came to the water's edge. He looked out over it, and +his heart almost stopped. Never before had any one seen such a big +water. The other side could not be seen, and there was no end to +it. Scarface sat down on the shore. His food was all gone, his moccasins +worn out. His heart was sick. "I cannot cross this big water," he said. "I +cannot return to the people. Here, by this water, I shall die." + +Not so. His Helpers were there. Two swans came swimming up to the +shore. "Why have you come here?" they asked him. "What are you doing? It is +very far to the place where your people live." + +"I am here," replied Scarface, "to die. Far away, in my country, is a +beautiful girl. I want to marry her, but she belongs to the Sun. So I +started to find him and ask for her. I have travelled many days. My food is +gone. I cannot go back. I cannot cross this big water, so I am going to +die." + +"No," said the swans; "it shall not be so. Across this water is the home of +that Above Person. Get on our backs, and we will take you there." + +Scarface quickly arose. He felt strong again. He waded out into the water +and lay down on the swans' backs, and they started off. Very deep and black +is that fearful water. Strange people live there, mighty animals which +often seize and drown a person. The swans carried him safely, and took him +to the other side. Here was a broad hard trail leading back from the +water's edge. + +"_Kyi_" said the swans. "You are now close to the Sun's lodge. Follow that +trail, and you will soon see it." + + +III + +Scarface started up the trail, and pretty soon he came to some beautiful +things, lying in it. There was a war shirt, a shield, and a bow and +arrows. He had never seen such pretty weapons; but he did not touch +them. He walked carefully around them, and travelled on. A little way +further on, he met a young man, the handsomest person he had ever seen. His +hair was very long, and he wore clothing made of strange skins. His +moccasins were sewn with bright colored feathers. The young man said to +him, "Did you see some weapons lying on the trail?" + +"Yes," replied Scarface; "I saw them." + +"But did you not touch them?" asked the young man. + +"No; I thought some one had left them there, so I did not take them." + +"You are not a thief," said the young man. "What is your name?" + +"Scarface." + +"Where are you going?" + +"To the Sun." + +"My name," said the young man, "is A-pi-su'-ahts[1]. The Sun is my father; +come, I will take you to our lodge. My father is not now at home, but he +will come in at night." + +[Footnote 1: Early Riser, i.e. The Morning Star.] + +Soon they came to the lodge. It was very large and handsome; strange +medicine animals were painted on it. Behind, on a tripod, were strange +weapons and beautiful clothes--the Sun's. Scarface was ashamed to go in, +but Morning Star said, "Do not be afraid, my friend; we are glad you have +come." + +They entered. One person was sitting there, Ko-ko-mik'-e-is[2], the Sun's +wife, Morning Star's mother. She spoke to Scarface kindly, and gave him +something to eat. "Why have you come so far from your people?" she asked. + +[Footnote 2: Night red light, the Moon.] + +Then Scarface told her about the beautiful girl he wanted to marry. "She +belongs to the Sun," he said. "I have come to ask him for her." + +When it was time for the Sun to come home, the Moon hid Scarface under a +pile of robes. As soon as the Sun got to the doorway, he stopped, and said, +"I smell a person." + +"Yes, father," said Morning Star; "a good young man has come to see you. I +know he is good, for he found some of my things on the trail and did not +touch them." + +Then Scarface came out from under the robes, and the Sun entered and sat +down. "I am glad you have come to our lodge," he said. "Stay with us as +long as you think best. My son is lonesome sometimes; be his friend." + +The next day the Moon called Scarface out of the lodge, and said to him: +"Go with Morning Star where you please, but never hunt near that big water; +do not let him go there. It is the home of great birds which have long +sharp bills; they kill people. I have had many sons, but these birds have +killed them all. Morning Star is the only one left." + +So Scarface stayed there a long time and hunted with Morning Star. One day +they came near the water, and saw the big birds. + +"Come," said Morning Star; "let us go and kill those birds." + +"No, no!" replied Scarface; "we must not go there. Those are very terrible +birds; they will kill us." + +Morning Star would not listen. He ran towards the water, and Scarface +followed. He knew that he must kill the birds and save the boy. If not, the +Sun would be angry and might kill him. He ran ahead and met the birds, +which were coming towards him to fight, and killed every one of them with +his spear: not one was left. Then the young men cut off their heads, and +carried them home. Morning Star's mother was glad when they told her what +they had done, and showed her the birds' heads. She cried, and called +Scarface "my son." When the Sun came home at night, she told him about it, +and he too was glad. "My son," he said to Scarface, "I will not forget what +you have this day done for me. Tell me now, what can I do for you?" + +"_Hai'-yu_" replied Scarface. "_Hai'-yu_, pity me. I am here to ask you for +that girl. I want to marry her. I asked her, and she was glad; but she says +you own her, that you told her not to marry." + +"What you say is true," said the Sun. "I have watched the days, so I know +it. Now, then, I give her to you; she is yours. I am glad she has been +wise. I know she has never done wrong. The Sun pities good women. They +shall live a long time. So shall their husbands and children. Now you will +soon go home. Let me tell you something. Be wise and listen: I am the only +chief. Everything is mine. I made the earth, the mountains, prairies, +rivers, and forests. I made the people and all the animals. This is why I +say I alone am the chief. I can never die. True, the winter makes me old +and weak, but every summer I grow young again." + +Then said the Sun: "What one of all animals is smartest? The raven is, for +he always finds food. He is never hungry. Which one of all the animals is +most _Nat-o'-ye_[1]? The buffalo is. Of all animals, I like him best. He +is for the people. He is your food and your shelter. What part of his body +is sacred? The tongue is. That is mine. What else is sacred? Berries +are. They are mine too. Come with me and see the world." He took Scarface +to the edge of the sky, and they looked down and saw it. It is round and +flat, and all around the edge is the jumping-off place [or walls straight +down]. Then said the Sun: "When any man is sick or in danger, his wife may +promise to build me a lodge, if he recovers. If the woman is pure and true, +then I will be pleased and help the man. But if she is bad, if she lies, +then I will be angry. You shall build the lodge like the world, round, with +walls, but first you must build a sweat house of a hundred sticks. It shall +be like the sky [a hemisphere], and half of it shall be painted red. That +is me. The other half you will paint black. That is the night." + +[Footnote 1: This word may be translated as "of the Sun," "having Sun +power," or more properly, something sacred.] + +Further said the Sun: "Which is the best, the heart or the brain? The brain +is. The heart often lies, the brain never." Then he told Scarface +everything about making the Medicine Lodge, and when he had finished, he +rubbed a powerful medicine on his face, and the scar disappeared. Then he +gave him two raven feathers, saying: "These are the sign for the girl, that +I give her to you. They must always be worn by the husband of the woman who +builds a Medicine Lodge." + +The young man was now ready to return home. Morning Star and the Sun gave +him many beautiful presents. The Moon cried and kissed him, and called him +"my son." Then the Sun showed him the short trail. It was the Wolf Road +(Milky Way). He followed it, and soon reached the ground. + + +IV + +It was a very hot day. All the lodge skins were raised, and the people sat +in the shade. There was a chief, a very generous man, and all day long +people kept coming to his lodge to feast and smoke with him. Early in the +morning this chief saw a person sitting out on a butte near by, close +wrapped in his robe. The chief's friends came and went, the sun reached the +middle, and passed on, down towards the mountains. Still this person did +not move. When it was almost night, the chief said: "Why does that person +sit there so long? The heat has been strong, but he has never eaten nor +drunk. He may be a stranger; go and ask him in." + +So some young men went up to him, and said: "Why do you sit here in the +great heat all day? Come to the shade of the lodges. The chief asks you to +feast with him." + +Then the person arose and threw off his robe, and they were surprised. He +wore beautiful clothes. His bow, shield, and other weapons were of strange +make. But they knew his face, although the scar was gone, and they ran +ahead, shouting, "The scarface poor young man has come. He is poor no +longer. The scar on his face is gone." + +All the people rushed out to see him. "Where have you been?" they +asked. "Where did you get all these pretty things?" He did not +answer. There in the crowd stood that young woman; and taking the two raven +feathers from his head, he gave them to her, and said: "The trail was very +long, and I nearly died, but by those Helpers, I found his lodge. He is +glad. He sends these feathers to you. They are the sign." + +Great was her gladness then. They were married, and made the first Medicine +Lodge, as the Sun had said. The Sun was glad. He gave them great age. They +were never sick. When they were very old, one morning, their children said: +"Awake! Rise and eat." They did not move. In the night, in sleep, without +pain, their shadows had departed for the Sand Hills. + + + +ORIGIN OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI[1] + + +I + +THE BULL BAND + +[Footnote 1: An account of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, with a list of its +different bands or societies and their duties, will be found in the chapter +on Social Organization.] + +The people had built a great pis'kun, very high and strong, so that no +buffalo could escape; but somehow the buffalo would not jump over the +cliff. When driven toward it, they would run nearly to the edge, and then, +swerving to the right or left, they would go down the sloping hills and +cross the valley in safety. So the people were hungry, and began to starve. + +One morning, early, a young woman went to get water, and she saw a herd of +buffalo feeding on the prairie, right on the edge of the cliff above the +pis'kun. "Oh!" she cried out, "if you will only jump off into the pis'kun, +I will marry one of you." This she said for fun, not meaning it, and great +was her wonder when she saw the buffalo come jumping, tumbling, falling +over the cliff. + +Now the young woman was scared, for a big bull with one bound cleared the +pis'kun walls and came toward her. "Come," he said, taking hold of her +arm. "No, no!" she replied pulling back. "But you said if the buffalo would +jump over, you would marry one; see, the pis'kun is filled." And without +more talk he led her up over the bluff, and out on to the prairie. + +When the people had finished killing the buffalo and cutting up the meat, +they missed this young woman, and her relations were very sad, because they +could not find her. Then her father took his bow and quiver, and said, "I +will go and find her." And he went up over the bluff and out on the +prairie. + +After he had travelled some distance he came to a wallow, and a little way +off saw a herd of buffalo. While sitting by the wallow,--for he was +tired--and thinking what he should do, a magpie came and lit near him. "Ha! +_Ma-me-at-si-kim-i"_ he said, "you are a beautiful bird; help me. Look +everywhere as you travel about, and if you see my daughter, tell her, 'Your +father waits by the wallow.'" The magpie flew over by the herd of buffalo, +and seeing the young woman, he lit on the ground near her, and commenced +picking around, turning his head this way and that way, and, when close to +her, he said, "Your father waits by the wallow." "Sh-h-h! sh-h-h!" replied +the girl, in a whisper, looking around scared, for her bull husband was +sleeping near by. "Don't speak so loud. Go back and tell him to wait." + +"Your daughter is over there with the buffalo. She says 'wait!'" said the +magpie, when he had flown back to the man. + +By and by the bull awoke, and said to his wife, "Go and get me some water." +Then the woman was glad, and taking a horn from his head she went to the +wallow. "Oh, why did you come?" she said to her father. "You will surely be +killed." + +"I came to take my daughter home; come, let us hurry." + +"No, no!" she replied; "not now. They would chase us and kill us. Wait till +he sleeps again, and I will try to get away," and, filling the horn with +water, she went back. + +The bull drank a swallow of the water. "Ha!" said he, "a person is close by +here." + +"No one," replied the woman; but her heart rose up. + +The bull drank a little more, and then he stood up and bellowed, "_Bu-u-u! +m-m-ah-oo!"_ Oh, fearful sound! Up rose the bulls, raised their short tails +and shook them, tossed their great heads, and bellowed back. Then they +pawed the dirt, rushed about here and there, and coming to the wallow, +found that poor man. There they trampled him with their great hoofs, hooked +him and trampled him again, and soon not even a small piece of his body +could be seen. + +Then his daughter cried, "_Oh! ah! Ni-nah-ah! Oh! ah! Ni-nah-ah!_" (My +father! My father!) "Ah!" said her bull husband, "you mourn for your +father. You see now how it is with us. We have seen our mothers, fathers, +many of our relations, hurled over the rocky walls, and killed for food by +your people. But I will pity you. I will give you one chance. If you can +bring your father to life, you and he can go back to your people." + +Then the woman said to the magpie: "Pity me. Help me now; go and seek in +the trampled mud; try and find a little piece of my father's body, and +bring it to me." + +The magpie flew to the place. He looked in every hole, and tore up the mud +with his sharp nose. At last he found something white; he picked the mud +from around it, and then pulling hard, he brought out a joint of the +backbone, and flew with it back to the woman. + +She placed it on the ground, covered it with her robe, and then +sang. Removing the robe, there lay her father's body as if just dead. Once +more she covered it with the robe and sang, and when she took away the +robe, he was breathing, and then he stood up. The buffalo were surprised; +the magpie was glad, and flew round and round, making a great noise. + +"We have seen strange things this day," said her bull husband. "He whom we +trampled to death, even into small pieces, is alive again. The people's +medicine is very strong. Now, before you go, we will teach you our dance +and our song. You must not forget them."[1] When the dance was over, the +bull said: "Go now to your home, and do not forget what you have +seen. Teach it to the people. The medicine shall be a bull's head and a +robe. All the persons who are to be 'Bulls' shall wear them when they +dance." + +[Footnote 1: Here the narrator repeated the song and showed the dance. As +is fitting to the dance of such great beasts, the air is slow and solemn, +and the step ponderous and deliberate.] + +Great was the joy of the people, when the man returned with his +daughter. He called a council of the chiefs, and told them all that had +happened. Then the chiefs chose certain young men, and this man taught them +the dance and song of the bulls, and told them what the medicine should +be. This was the beginning of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_. + + + + +II + +THE OTHER BANDS + + +For a long time the buffalo had not been seen. The pis'kun was useless, and +the hunters could find no food for the people. Then a man who had two +wives, a daughter, and two sons, said: "I shall not stop here to +die. To-morrow we will move toward the mountains, where we shall perhaps +find deer and elk, sheep and antelope, or, if not, at least we shall find +plenty of beaver and birds. Thus we shall survive." + +When morning came, they packed the travois, lashed them on the dogs, and +then moved out. It was yet winter, and they travelled slowly. They were +weak, and could go but a little way in a day. The fourth night came, and +they sat in their lodge, very tired and hungry. No one spoke, for those who +are hungry do not care for words. Suddenly the dogs began to bark, and +soon, pushing aside the door-curtain, a young man entered. + +"_O'kyi!_" said the old man, and he motioned the stranger to a +sitting-place. + +They looked at this person with surprise and fear, for there was a black +wind[1] which had melted the snow, and covered the prairie with water, yet +this person's leggings and moccasins were dry. They sat in silence a long +time. + +[Footnote 1: The "Chinook."] + +Then said he: "Why is this? Why do you not give me some food?" + +"Ah!" replied the old man, "you behold those who are truly poor. We have no +food. For many days the buffalo did not come in sight, and we shot deer and +other animals which people eat, and when all these had been killed, we +began to starve. Then said I, 'We will not stay here to starve to death'; +and we started for the mountains. This is the fourth night of our travels." + +"Ah!" said the young man. "Then your travels are ended. Close by here, we +are camped by our pis'kun. Many buffalo have been run in, and our +parfleches are filled with dried meat. Wait; I will go and bring you some." + +As soon as he went out, they began to talk about this strange person. They +were very much afraid of him, and did not know what to do. The children +began to cry, and the women were trying to quiet them, when the young man +returned, bringing some meat and three _pis-tsi-ko'-an._[2] + +[Footnote 2: Unborn buffalo calves.] + +"_Kyi!_" said he. "To-morrow move over to our lodges. Do not be afraid. No +matter what strange things you see, do not fear. All will be your +friends. Now, one thing I caution you about. In this be careful. If you +should find an arrow lying about, in the pis'kun, or outside, no matter +where, do not touch it; neither you, nor your wives nor children." Having +said this, he went out. + +Then the old man took his pipe and smoked and prayed, saying: "Hear now, +Sun! Listen, Above People. Listen, Under Water People. Now you have taken +pity. Now you have given us food. We are going to those strange ones, who +walk through water with dry moccasins. Protect us among those to-be-feared +people. Let us survive. Man, woman, child, give us long life; give us long +life!" + +Once more the smell of roasting meat. The children played. They talked and +laughed who had so long been silent. They ate plenty and lay down and +slept. + +Early in the morning, as soon as the sun rose, they took down their lodge, +packed up, and started for the strange camp. They found it was a wonderful +place. There by the pis'kun, and far up and down the valley were the lodges +of meat-eaters. They could not see them all, but close by they saw the +lodges of the Bear band, the Fox band, and the Badger band. The father of +the young man who had given them meat was chief of the Wolf band, and by +that band they pitched their lodge. Ah! That was a happy place. Food there +was plenty. All day people shouted out for feasts, and everywhere was heard +the sound of drums and song and dancing. + +The new-comers went to the pis'kun for meat, and one of the children found +an arrow lying on the ground. It was a beautiful arrow, the stone point +long and sharp, the shaft round and straight. All around the people were +busy; no one was looking. The boy picked up the arrow and hid it under his +robe. Then there was a fearful noise. All the animals howled and growled, +and ran toward him. But the chief Wolf said: "Hold! We will let him go this +time; for he is young yet, and not of good sense." So they let him go. + +When night came, some one shouted out for a feast, saying: +"_Wo'-ka-hit! Wo'-ka-hit! Mah-kwe'-i-ke-tum-ok-ah-wah-hit. +Ke-t[)u]k'-ka-p[)u]k'-si-pim."_ ("Listen! Listen! Wolf, you are to +feast. Enter with your friend.") "We are asked," said the chief Wolf to his +new friend, and together they went to the lodge. + +Within, the fire burned brightly, and many men were already there, the old +and wise of the Raven band. Hanging behind the seats were the writings[1] +of many deeds. Food was placed before them,--pemmican of berries and dried +back fat; and when they had eaten, a pipe was lighted. Then spoke the +Raven chief: "Now, Wolf, I am going to give our new friend a present. What +say you?" + +[Footnote 1: That is, the painting on cowskin of the various battles and +adventures in which the owner of the lodge had taken part.] + +"It is as you say," replied the Wolf. "Our new friend will be glad." + +Then the Raven chief took from the long parfleche sack a slender stick, +beautifully dressed with many colored feathers; and on the end of it was +fastened the skin of a raven, head, wings, feet, and all. "We," he said, +"are the _Mas-to-pah'-ta-kiks_ (Raven carriers, or those who bear the +Raven). Of all the above animals, of all the flyers, where is one so smart? +None. The Raven's eyes are sharp. His wings are strong. He is a great +hunter and never hungry. Far, far off on the prairie he sees his food, and +deep hidden in the pines it does not escape his eye. Now the song and the +dance." + +When he had finished singing and dancing, he gave the stick to the man, and +said: "Take it with you, and when you have returned to your people, you +shall say: Now there are already the Bulls, and he who is the Raven chief +says: 'There shall be more, there shall be the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, so that +the people may survive, and of them shall be the Raven carriers.' You will +call a council of the chiefs and wise old men, and they will choose the +persons. Teach them the song and the dance, and give them the medicine. It +shall be theirs forever." + +Soon they heard another person shouting for a feast, and, going, they +entered the lodge of the _Sin-o-pah_ chief. Here, too, were the old men +assembled. After they had eaten of that set before them, the chief said: +"Those among whom you are newly arrived are generous. They do not look at +their possessions, but give to the stranger and pity the poor. The Kit-fox +is a little animal, but what one is smarter? None. His hair is like the +dead prairie grass. His eyes are sharp, his feet noiseless, his brain +cunning. His ears receive the far-off sound. Here is our medicine, take +it." And he gave the stick. It was long, crooked at one end, wound with +fur, and tied here and there to it were eagle feathers. At the end was a +fox's skin. Again the chief said: "Hear our song. Do not forget it; and the +dance, too, you must remember. When you get home, teach them to the +people." + +Again they heard the feast shout, and he who called was the Bear chief. Now +when they had smoked, the chief said: "What say you, friend Wolf? Shall we +give our new friend something?" + +"As you say," replied the Wolf. "It is yours to give." + +Then said the Bear: "There are many animals, and some of them are +powerful. But the Bear is the strongest and bravest of all. He fears +nothing, and is always ready to fight." Then he put on a necklace of bear +claws, a belt of bear fur, and around his head a band of the fur; and sang +and danced. When he had finished, he gave them to the man, saying: "Teach +the people our song and dance, and give them this medicine. It is +powerful." + +It was now very late. The Seven Persons had arrived at midnight, yet again +they heard the feast shout from the far end of camp. In this lodge the men +were painted with streaks of red and their hair was all brushed to one +side. After the feast the chief said: "We are different from all the +others here. We are called the _Mt-siks[1]_ We are death. We know not +fear. Even if our enemies are in number like the grass, we do not turn +away, but fight and conquer. Bows are good weapons. Spears are better, but +our weapon is the knife." Then the chief sang and danced, and afterwards he +gave the Wolf's friend the medicine. It was a long knife, and many scalps +were tied on the handle. "This," he said, "is for the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_." + +[Footnote 1: Brave, courageous.] + +Once more they were called to a feast and entered the Badger chief's +lodge. He taught the man the Badger song and dance and gave him the +medicine. It was a large rattle, ornamented with beaver claws and bright +feathers. They smoked two pipes in the Badger's lodge, and then went home +and slept. + +Early next day, the man and his family took down their lodge, and prepared +to move camp. Many women came and made them presents of dried meat, +pemmican, and berries. They were given so much they could not take it all +with them. It was many days before they joined the main camp, for the +people, too, had moved to the south after buffalo. As soon as the lodge was +pitched, the man called all the chiefs to come and feast, and he told them +all he had seen, and showed them the medicines. The chiefs chose certain +young men for the different bands, and this man taught them the songs and +dances, and gave each band their medicine. + + + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE PIPE + + +Thunder--you have heard him, he is everywhere. He roars in the mountains, +he shouts far out on the prairie. He strikes the high rocks, and they fall +to pieces. He hits a tree, and it is broken in slivers. He strikes the +people, and they die. He is bad. He does not like the towering cliff, the +standing tree, or living man. He likes to strike and crush them to the +ground. Yes! yes! Of all he is most powerful; he is the one most +strong. But I have not told you the worst: he sometimes steals women. + +Long ago, almost in the beginning, a man and his wife were sitting in their +lodge, when Thunder came and struck them. The man was not killed. At first +he was as if dead, but after a while he lived again, and rising looked +about him. His wife was not there. "Oh, well," he thought, "she has gone to +get some water or wood," and he sat a while; but when the sun had +under-disappeared, he went out and inquired about her of the people. No one +had seen her. He searched throughout the camp, but did not find her. Then +he knew that Thunder had stolen her, and he went out on the hills alone and +mourned. + +When morning came, he rose and wandered far away, and he asked all the +animals he met if they knew where Thunder lived. They laughed, and would +not answer. The Wolf said: "Do you think we would seek the home of the only +one we fear? He is our only danger. From all others we can run away; but +from him there is no running. He strikes, and there we lie. Turn back! go +home! Do not look for the dwelling-place of that dreadful one." But the man +kept on, and travelled far away. Now he came to a lodge,--a queer lodge, +for it was made of stone; just like any other lodge, only it was made of +stone. Here lived the Raven chief. The man entered. + +"Welcome, my friend," said the chief of Ravens. "Sit down, sit down." And +food was placed before him. + +Then, when he had finished eating, the Raven said, "Why have you come?" + +"Thunder has stolen my wife," replied the man. "I seek his dwelling-place +that I may find her." + +"Would you dare enter the lodge of that dreadful person?" asked the +Raven. "He lives close by here. His lodge is of stone, like this; and +hanging there, within, are eyes,--the eyes of those he has killed or +stolen. He has taken out their eyes and hung them in his lodge. Now, then, +dare you enter there?" + +"No," replied the man. "I am afraid. What man could look at such dreadful +things and live?" + +"No person can," said the Raven. "There is but one old Thunder fears. There +is but one he cannot kill. It is I, it is the Ravens. Now I will give you +medicine, and he shall not harm you. You shall enter there, and seek among +those eyes your wife's; and if you find them, tell that Thunder why you +came, and make him give them to you. Here, now, is a raven's wing. Just +point it at him, and he will start back quick; but if that fail, take +this. It is an arrow, and the shaft is made of elk-horn. Take this, I say, +and shoot it through the lodge." + +"Why make a fool of me?" the poor man asked. "My heart is sad. I am +crying." And he covered his head with his robe, and wept. + +"Oh," said the Raven, "you do not believe me. Come out, come out, and I +will make you believe." When they stood outside, the Raven asked, "Is the +home of your people far?" + +"A great distance," said the man. + +"Can you tell how many days you have travelled?" + +"No," he replied, "my heart is sad. I did not count the days. The berries +have grown and ripened since I left." + +"Can you see your camp from here?" asked the Raven. + +The man did not speak. Then the Raven rubbed some medicine on his eyes and +said, "Look!" The man looked, and saw the camp. It was close. He saw the +people. He saw the smoke rising from the lodges. + +"Now you will believe," said the Raven. "Take now the arrow and the wing, +and go and get your wife." + +So the man took these things, and went to the Thunder's lodge. He entered +and sat down by the door-way. The Thunder sat within and looked at him with +awful eyes. But the man looked above, and saw those many pairs of eyes. +Among them were those of his wife. + +"Why have you come?" said the Thunder in a fearful voice. + +"I seek my wife," the man replied, "whom you have stolen. There hang her +eyes." + +"No man can enter my lodge and live," said the Thunder; and he rose to +strike him. Then the man pointed the raven wing at the Thunder, and he fell +back on his couch and shivered. But he soon recovered, and rose again. Then +the man fitted the elk-horn arrow to his bow, and shot it through the lodge +of rock; right through that lodge of rock it pierced a jagged hole, and let +the sunlight in. + +"Hold," said the Thunder. "Stop; you are the stronger. Yours the great +medicine. You shall have your wife. Take down her eyes." Then the man cut +the string that held them, and immediately his wife stood beside him. + +"Now," said the Thunder, "you know me. I am of great power. I live here in +summer, but when winter comes, I go far south. I go south with the +birds. Here is my pipe. It is medicine. Take it, and keep it. Now, when I +first come in the spring, you shall fill and light this pipe, and you shall +pray to me, you and the people. For I bring the rain which makes the +berries large and ripe. I bring the rain which makes all things grow, and +for this you shall pray to me, you and all the people." + +Thus the people got the first medicine pipe. It was long ago. + + + +THE BEAVER MEDICINE + +This story goes back many years, to a time before the Indians went to war +against each other. Then there was peace among all the tribes. They met, +and did not kill each other. They had no guns and they had no horses. When +two tribes met, the head chiefs would take each a stick and touch each +other. Each had counted a _coup_ on the other, and they then went back to +their camps. It was more a friendly than a hostile ceremony. + +Oftentimes, when a party of young men had gone to a strange camp, and had +done this to those whom they had visited, they would come back to their +homes and would tell the girls whom they loved that they had counted a +_coup_ on this certain tribe of people. After the return of such a party, +the young women would have a dance. Each one would wear clothing like that +of the man she loved, and as she danced, she would count a _coup_, saying +that she herself had done the deed which her young lover had really done. +Such was the custom of the people. + +There was a chief in a camp who had three wives, all very pretty women. He +used to say to these women, whenever a dance was called: "Why do not you go +out and dance too? Perhaps you have some one in the camp that you love, and +for whom you would like to count a _coup_" Then the women would say, "No, +we do not wish to join the dance; we have no lovers." + +There was in the camp a poor young man, whose name was pi-kunni. He had no +relations, and no one to tan robes or furs for him, and he was always badly +clad and in rags. Whenever he got some clothing, he wore it as long as it +would hold together. This young man loved the youngest wife of the chief, +and she loved him. But her parents were not rich, and they could not give +her to pi-k[)u]nni, and when the chief wanted her for a wife, they gave +her to him. Sometimes pi-k[)u]nni and this girl used to meet and talk +together, and he used to caution her, saying, "Now be careful that you do +not tell any one that you see me." She would say, "No, there is no danger; +I will not let it be known." + +One evening, a dance was called for the young women to dance, and the chief +said to his wives: "Now, women, you had better go to this dance. If any of +you have persons whom you love, you might as well go and dance for them." +Two of them said: "No, we will not go. There is no one that we love." But +the third said, "Well, I think I will go and dance." The chief said to her, +"Well, go then; your lover will surely dress you up for the dance." + +The girl went to where pi-k[)u]nni as living in an old woman's lodge, very +poorly furnished, and told him what she was going to do, and asked him to +dress her for the dance. He said to her: "Oh, you have wronged me by coming +here, and by going to the dance. I told you to keep it a secret." The girl +said: "Well, never mind; no one will know your dress. Fix me up, and I will +go and join the dance anyway." "Why," said Api-k[)u]nni, "I never have been +to war. I have never counted any _coups_. You will go and dance and will +have nothing to say. The people will laugh at you." But when he found that +the girl wanted to go, he painted her forehead with red clay, and tied a +goose skin, which he had, about her head, and lent her his badly tanned +robe, which in spots was hard like a parfleche. He said to her, "If you +will go to the dance, say, when it comes your turn to speak, that when the +water in the creeks gets warm, you are going to war, and are going to count +a _coup_ on some people." + +The woman went to the dance, and joined in it. All the people were laughing +at her on account of her strange dress,--a goose skin around her head, and +a badly tanned robe about her. The people in the dance asked her: "Well, +what are you dancing for? What can you tell?" The woman said, "I am dancing +here to-day, and when the water in the streams gets warm next spring, I am +going to war; and then I will tell you what I have done to any people." The +chief was standing present, and when he learned who it was that his young +wife loved, he was much ashamed and went to his lodge. + +When the dance was over, this young woman went to the lodge of the poor +young man to give back his dress to him. Now, while she had been gone, +pi-k[)u]nni had been thinking over all these things, and he was very much +ashamed. He took his robe and his goose skin and went away. He was so +ashamed that he went away at once, travelling off over the prairie, not +caring where he went, and crying all the time. As he wandered away, he came +to a lake, and at the foot of this lake was a beaver dam, and by the dam a +beaver house. He walked out on the dam and on to the beaver house. There he +stopped and sat down, and in his shame cried the rest of the day, and at +last he fell asleep on the beaver house. + +While he slept, he dreamed that a beaver came to him--a very large +beaver--and said: "My poor young man, come into my house. I pity you, and +will give you something that will help you." So pi-k[)u]nni got up, and +followed the beaver into the house. When he was in the house, he awoke, and +saw sitting opposite him a large white beaver, almost as big as a man. He +thought to himself, "This must be the chief of all the beavers, white +because very old." The beaver was singing a song. It was a very strange +song, and he sang it a long time. Then he said to pi-k[)u]nni, "My son, +why are you mourning?" and the young man told him everything that had +happened, and how he had been shamed. Then the beaver said: "My son, stay +here this winter with me. I will provide for you. When the time comes, and +you have learned our songs and our ways, I will let you go. For a time make +this your home." So pi-k)u]nni stayed there with the beaver, and the +beaver taught him many strange things. All this happened in the fall. + +Now the chief in the camp missed this poor young man, and he asked the +people where he had gone. No one knew. They said that the last that had +been seen of him he was travelling toward the lake where the beaver dam +was. + +pi-k[)u]nni had a friend, another poor young man named Wolf Tail, and +after a while, Wolf Tail started out to look for his friend. He went toward +this lake, looking everywhere, and calling out his name. When he came to +the beaver house, he kicked on the top and called, "Oh, my brother, are you +here?" pi-k[)u]nni answered him, and said: "Yes, I am here. I was brought +in while I was asleep, and I cannot give you the secret of the door, for I +do not know it myself." Wolf Tail said to him, "Brother, when the weather +gets warm a party is going to start from camp to war." pi-k[)u]nni said: +"Go home and try to get together all the moccasins you can, but do not tell +them that I am here. I am ashamed to go back to the camp. When the party +starts, come this way and bring me the moccasins, and we two will start +from here." He also said: "I am very thin. The beaver food here does not +agree with me. We are living on the bark of willows." Wolf Tail went back +to the camp and gathered together all the moccasins that he could, as he +had been asked to do. + +When the spring came, and the grass began to start, the war party set +out. At this time the beaver talked to pikunni a long time, and told him +many things. He dived down into the water, and brought up a long stick of +aspen wood, cut off from it a piece as long as a man's arm, trimmed the +twigs off it, and gave it to the young man. "Keep this," the beaver said, +"and when you go to war take it with you." The beaver also gave him a +little sack of medicine, and told him what he must do. + +When the party started out, Wolf Tail came to the beaver house, bringing +the moccasins, and his friend came out of the house. They started in the +direction the party had taken and travelled with them, but off to one +side. When they stopped at night, the two young men camped by themselves. + +They travelled for many days, until they came to Bow River, and found that +it was very high. On the other side of the river, they saw the lodges of a +camp. In this camp a man was making a speech, and Api-k[)u]nni said to his +friend, "Oh, my brother, I am going to kill that man to-day, so that my +sweetheart may count _coup_ on him." These two were at a little distance +from the main party, above them on the river. The people in the camp had +seen the Blackfeet, and some had come down to the river. When Api-kunni had +said this to Wolf Tail, he took his clothes off and began to sing the song +the beaver had taught him. This was the song:-- + +I am like an island, +For on an island I got my power. +In battle I live +While people fall away from me. + +While he sang this, he had in his hand the stick which the beaver had given +him. This was his only weapon. + +He ran to the bank, jumped in and dived, and came up in the middle of the +river, and started to swim across. The rest of the Blackfeet saw one of +their number swimming across the river, and they said to each other: "Who +is that? Why did not some one stop him?" While he was swimming across, the +man who had been making the speech saw him and went down to meet him. He +said: "Who can this man be, swimming across the river? He is a stranger. I +will go down and meet him, and kill him." As the boy was getting close to +the shore, the man waded out in the stream up to his waist, and raised his +knife to stab the swimmer. When pi-k[)u]nni got near him, he dived under +the water and came up close to the man, and thrust the beaver stick through +his body, and the man fell down in the water and died. pi-k[)u]nni caught +the body, and dived under the water with it, and came up on the other side +where he had left his friend. Then all the Blackfeet set up the war whoop, +for they were glad, and they could hear a great crying in the camp. The +people there were sorry for the man who was killed. + +People in those days never killed one another, and this was the first man +ever killed in war. + +They dragged the man up on the bank, and pi-k[)u]nni said to his brother, +"Cut off those long hairs on the head." The young man did as he was +told. He scalped him and counted _coup_ on him; and from that time forth, +people, when they went to war, killed one another and scalped the dead +enemy, as this poor young man had done. Two others of the main party came +to the place, and counted _coup_ on the dead body, making four who had +counted _coup_. From there, the whole party turned about and went back to +the village whence they had come. + +When they came in sight of the lodges, they sat down in a row facing the +camp. The man who had killed the enemy was sitting far in front of the +others. Behind him sat his friend, and behind Wolf Tail, sat the two who +had counted _coup_ on the body. So these four were strung out in front of +the others. The chief of the camp was told that some people were sitting on +a hill near by, and when he had gone out and looked, he said: "There is +some one sitting way in front. Let somebody go out and see about it." A +young man ran out to where he could see, and when he had looked, he ran +back and said to the chief, "Why, that man in front is the poor young man." + +The old chief looked around, and said: "Where is that young woman, my wife? +Go and find her." They went to look for her, and found her out gathering +rosebuds, for while the young man whom she loved was away, she used to go +out and gather rosebuds and dry them for him. When they found her, she had +her bosom full of them. When she came to the lodge, the chief said to her: +"There is the man you love, who has come. Go and meet him." She made ready +quickly and ran out and met him. He said: "Give her that hair of the dead +man. Here is his knife. There is the coat he had on, when I killed +him. Take these things back to the camp, and tell the people who made fun +of you that this is what you promised them at the time of that dance." + +The whole party then got up and walked to the camp. The woman took the +scalp, knife and coat to the lodge, and gave them to her husband. The chief +invited pi-knni to come to his lodge to visit him. He said: "I see that +you have been to war, and that you have done more than any of us have ever +done. This is a reason why you should be a chief. Now take my lodge and +this woman, and live here. Take my place and rule these people. My two +wives will be your servants." When pi-knni heard this, and saw the young +woman sitting there in the lodge, he could not speak. Something seemed to +rise up in his throat and choke him. + +So this young man lived in the camp and was known as their chief. + +After a time, he called his people together in council and told them of the +strange things the beaver had taught him, and the power that the beaver had +given him. He said: "This will be a benefit to us while we are a people +now, and afterward it will be handed down to our children, and if we follow +the words of the beaver we will be lucky. This seed the beaver gave me, and +told me to plant it every year. When we ask help from the beaver, we will +smoke this plant." + +This plant was the Indian tobacco, and it is from the beaver that the +Blackfeet got it. Many strange things were taught this man by the beaver, +which were handed down and are followed till to-day. + + + +THE BUFFALO ROCK + + +A small stone, which is usually a fossil shell of some kind, is known by +the Blackfeet as I-nis'-kim, the buffalo stone. This object is strong +medicine, and, as indicated in some of these stories, gives its possessor +great power with buffalo. The stone is found on the prairie, and the +person who succeeds in obtaining one is regarded as very fortunate. +Sometimes a man, who is riding along on the prairie, will hear a peculiar +faint chirp, such as a little bird might utter. The sound he knows is made +by a buffalo rock. He stops and searches on the ground for the rock, and if +he cannot find it, marks the place and very likely returns next day, either +alone or with others from the camp, to look for it again. If it is found, +there is great rejoicing. How the first buffalo rock was obtained, and its +power made known, is told in the following story. + +Long ago, in the winter time, the buffalo suddenly disappeared. The snow +was so deep that the people could not move in search of them, for in those +days they had no horses. So the hunters killed deer, elk, and other small +game along the river bottoms, and when these were all killed off or driven +away, the people began to starve. + +One day, a young married man killed a jack-rabbit. He was so hungry that he +ran home as fast as he could, and told one of his wives to hurry and get +some water to cook it. While the young woman was going along the path to +the river, she heard a beautiful song. It sounded close by, but she looked +all around and could see no one. The song seemed to come from a cotton-wood +tree near the path. Looking closely at this tree she saw a queer rock +jammed in a fork, where the tree was split, and with it a few hairs from a +buffalo, which had rubbed there. The woman was frightened and dared not +pass the tree. Pretty soon the singing stopped, and the I-nis'-kim [buffalo +rock] spoke to the woman and said: "Take me to your lodge, and when it is +dark, call in the people and teach them the song you have just heard. Pray, +too, that you may not starve, and that the buffalo may come back. Do this, +and when day comes, your hearts will be glad." + +The woman went on and got some water, and when she came back, took the rock +and gave it to her husband, telling him about the song and what the rock +had said. As soon as it was dark, the man called the chiefs and old men to +his lodge, and his wife taught them this song. They prayed, too, as the +rock had said should be done. Before long, they heard a noise far off. It +was the tramp of a great herd of buffalo coming. Then they knew that the +rock was very powerful, and, ever since that, the people have taken care of +it and prayed to it. + +[NOTE.--I-nis'-kims are usually small _Ammonites_, or sections of +_Baculites,_ or sometimes merely oddly shaped nodules of flint. It is said +of them that if an I-nis'-kim is wrapped up and left undisturbed for a long +time, it will have young ones; two small stones similar in shape to the +original one will be found in the package with it.] + + + +ORIGIN OF THE WORM PIPE + + +There was once a man who was very fond of his wife. After they had been +married for some time they had a child, a boy. After that, the woman got +sick, and did not get well. The young man did not wish to take a second +woman. He loved his wife so much. The woman grew worse and +worse. Doctoring did not seem to do her any good. At last she died. The man +used to take his baby on his back and travel out, walking over the hills +crying. He kept away from the camp. After some time, he said to the little +child: "My little boy, you will have to go and live with your +grandmother. I am going to try and find your mother, and bring her back." +He took the baby to his mother's lodge, and asked her to take care of it, +and left it with her. Then he started off, not knowing where he was going +nor what he was going to do. + +He travelled toward the Sand Hills. The fourth night out he had a dream. He +dreamed that he went into a little lodge, in which lived an old woman. This +old woman said to him, "Why are you here, my son?" He said: "I am mourning +day and night, crying all the while. My little son, who is the only one +left me, also mourns." "Well," said the old woman, "for whom are you +mourning?" He said: "I am mourning for my wife. She died some time ago. I +am looking for her." "Oh!" said the old woman, "I saw her. She passed this +way. I myself am not powerful medicine, but over by that far butte lives +another old woman. Go to her, and she will give you power to enable you to +continue your journey. You could not go there by yourself without +help. Beyond the next butte from her lodge, you will find the camp of the +ghosts." + +The next morning he awoke and went on to the next butte. It took him a long +day to get there, but he found no lodge there, so he lay down and went to +sleep. Again he dreamed. In his dream, he saw a little lodge, and an old +woman came to the door-way and called him. He went in, and she said to him: +"My son, you are very poor. I know why you have come this way. You are +seeking your wife, who is now in the ghost country. It is a very hard thing +for you to get there. You may not be able to get your wife back, but I have +great power, and I will do all I can for you. If you do exactly as I tell +you, you may succeed." She then spoke to him with wise words, telling him +what he should do. Also she gave him a bundle of medicine, which would help +him on his journey. + +Then she said: "You stay here for a while, and I will go over there [to the +ghosts' camp], and try to bring some of your relations; and if I am able to +bring them back, you may return with them, but on the way you must shut +your eyes. If you should open them and look about you, you would die. Then +you would never come back. When you get to the camp, you will pass by a big +lodge, and they will say to you, 'Where are you going, and who told you to +come here?' You will reply, 'My grandmother, who is standing out here with +me, told me to come.' They will try to scare you. They will make fearful +noises, and you will see strange and terrible things; but do not be +afraid." + +Then the old woman went away, and after a time came back with one of the +man's relations. He went with this relation to the ghosts' camp. When they +came to the big lodge, some one called out and asked the man what he was +doing, and he answered as the old woman had told him to do. As he passed on +through the camp, the ghosts tried to scare him with all kinds of fearful +sights and sounds, but he kept up a brave heart. + +He came to another lodge, and the man who owned it came out, and asked him +where he was going. He said: "I am looking for my dead wife, I mourn for +her so much that I cannot rest. My little boy, too, keeps crying for his +mother. They have offered to give me other wives, but I do not want them. I +want the one for whom I am searching." + +The ghost said to him: "It is a fearful thing that you have come here. It +is very likely that you will never go away. There never was a person here +before." The ghost asked him to come into the lodge, and he went. + +Now this chief ghost said to him: "You will stay here four nights, and you +will see your wife; but you must be very careful or you will never go +back. You will die right here." + +Then the chief went outside and called out for a feast, inviting this man's +father-in-law and other relations, who were in the camp, saying, "Your +son-in-law invites you to a feast," as if to say that their son-in-law was +dead, and had become a ghost, and had arrived at the ghost camp. + +Now when these invited people, the relations and some of the principal men +of the camp, had reached the lodge, they did not like to go in. They called +out, "There is a person here." It seems as if there was something about him +that they could not bear the smell of. The ghost chief burned sweet pine in +the fire, which took away this smell, and the people came in and sat +down. Then the host said to them: "Now pity this son-in-law of yours. He is +seeking his wife. Neither the great distance nor the fearful sights that he +has seen here have weakened his heart. You can see for yourselves he is +tender-hearted. He not only mourns for his wife, but mourns because his +little boy is now alone with no mother; so pity him and give him back his +wife." The ghosts consulted among themselves, and one said to the person, +"Yes, you will stay here four nights; then we will give you a medicine +pipe, the Worm Pipe, and we will give you back your wife, and you may +return to your home." + +Now, after the third night, the chief ghost called together all the people, +and they came, the man's wife with them. One of them came beating a drum; +and following him was another ghost, who carried the Worm Pipe, which they +gave to him. Then said the chief ghost: "Now, be very careful. Tomorrow +you and your wife will start on your homeward journey. Your wife will carry +the medicine pipe, and some of your relations are going along with you for +four days. During this time, you must not open your eyes, or you will +return here and be a ghost forever. You see that your wife is not now a +person; but in the middle of the fourth day you will be told to look, and +when you have opened your eyes, you will see that your wife has become a +person, and that your ghost relations have disappeared." + +His father-in-law spoke to him before he went away, and said: "When you get +near home, you must not go at once into the camp. Let some of your +relations know that you have arrived, and ask them to build a sweat house +for you. Go into this sweat house and wash your body thoroughly, leaving +no part of it, however small, uncleansed; for if you do you will be nothing +[will die]. There is something about us ghosts difficult to remove. It is +only by a thorough sweat that you can remove it. Take care, now, that you +do as I tell you. Do not whip your wife, nor strike her with a knife, nor +hit her with fire; for if you do, she will vanish before your eyes and +return to the Sand Hills." + +Now they left the ghost country to go home, and on the fourth day, the wife +said to her husband, "Open your eyes." He looked about him and saw that +those who had been with them had vanished, but he found that they +were standing in front of the old woman's lodge by the butte. She came out +and said: "Here, give me back those mysterious medicines of mine, which +enabled you to accomplish your purpose." He returned them to her, and +became then fully a person once more. + +Now, when they drew near to the camp, the woman went on ahead, and sat down +on a butte. Then some curious persons came out to see who it might be. As +they approached, the woman called out to them: "Do not come any nearer. Go +tell my mother and my relations to put up a lodge for us, a little way from +camp, and to build a sweat house near by it." When this had been done, the +man and his wife went in and took a thorough sweat, and then they went into +the lodge, and burned sweet grass and purified their clothing and the Worm +Pipe; and then their relations and friends came in to see them. The man +told them where he had been, and how he had managed to get back his wife, +and that the pipe hanging over the door-way was a medicine pipe, the Worm +Pipe, presented to him by his ghost father-in-law. That is how the people +came to possess the Worm Pipe. This pipe belongs to that band of the +Piegans known as _Esk'-sin-i-tup'piks,_ the Worm People. + +Not long after this, in the night, this man told his wife to do something; +and when she did not begin at once, he picked up a brand from the fire, not +that he intended to strike her with it, but he made as if he would hit her, +when all at once she vanished, and was never seen again. + + + +THE GHOSTS' BUFFALO + + +A long time ago there were four Blackfeet, who went to war against the +Crees. They travelled a long way, and at last their horses gave out, and +they started back toward their homes. As they were going along they came to +the Sand Hills; and while they were passing through them, they saw in the +sand a fresh travois trail, where people had been travelling. + +One of the men said: "Let us follow this trail until we come up with some +of our people. Then we will camp with them." They followed the trail for a +long way, and at length one of the Blackfeet, named E-k[=u]s'-kini,--a very +powerful person,--said to the others: "Why follow this longer? It is just +nothing." The others said: "Not so. These are our people. We will go on +and camp with them." They went on, and toward evening, one of them found a +stone maul and a dog travois. He said: "Look at these things. I know this +maul and this travois. They belonged to my mother, who died. They were +buried with her. This is strange." He took the things. When night overtook +the men, they camped. + +Early in the morning, they heard, all about them, sounds as if a camp of +people were there. They heard a young man shouting a sort of war cry, as +young men do; women chopping wood; a man calling for a feast, asking people +to come to his lodge and smoke,--all the different sounds of the camp. They +looked about, but could see nothing; and then they were frightened and +covered their heads with their robes. At last they took courage, and started +to look around and see what they could learn about this strange thing. For +a little while they saw nothing, but pretty soon one of them said: "Look +over there. See that pis'kun. Let us go over and look at it." As they were +going toward it, one of them picked up a stone pointed arrow. He said: +"Look at this. It belonged to my father. This is his place." They started +to go on toward the pis'kun, but suddenly they could see no pis'kun. It had +disappeared all at once. + +A little while after this, one of them spoke up, and said: "Look over +there. There is my father running buffalo. There! he has killed. Let us go +over to him." They all looked where this man pointed, and they could see a +person on a white horse, running buffalo. While they were looking, the +person killed the buffalo, and got off his horse to butcher it. They +started to go over toward him, and saw him at work butchering, and saw him +turn the buffalo over on its back; but before they got to the place where +he was, the person got on his horse and rode off, and when they got to +where he had been skinning the buffalo, they saw lying on the ground only a +dead mouse. There was no buffalo there. By the side of the mouse was a +buffalo chip, and lying on it was an arrow painted red. The man said: "That +is my father's arrow. That is the way he painted them." He took it up in +his hands; and when he held it in his hands, he saw that it was not an +arrow but a blade of spear grass. Then he laid it down, and it was an arrow +again. + +Another Blackfoot found a buffalo rock, I-nis'-kim. + +Some time after this, the men got home to their camp. The man who had +taken the maul and the dog travois, when he got home and smelled the smoke +from the fire, died, and so did his horse. It seems that the shadow of the +person who owned the things was angry at him and followed him home. Two +others of these Blackfeet have since died, killed in war; but +E-k[=u]s'-kini is alive yet. He took a stone and an iron arrow point that +had belonged to his father, and always carried them about with him. That is +why he has lived so long. The man who took the stone arrow point found +near the pis'kun, which had belonged to his father, took it home with +him. This was his medicine. After that he was badly wounded in two fights, +but he was not killed; he got well. + +The one who took the buffalo rock, I-nis'-kim, it afterward made strong to +call the buffalo into the pis'kun. He would take the rock and put it in his +lodge close to the fire, where he could look at it, and would pray over it +and make medicine. Sometimes he would ask for a hundred buffalo to jump +into the pis'kun, and the next day a hundred would jump in. He was +powerful. + + + + + +STORIES OF OLD MAN + + + + + +THE BLACKFOOT GENESIS + + +All animals of the Plains at one time heard and knew him, and all birds of +the air heard and knew him. All things that he had made understood him, +when he spoke to them,--the birds, the animals, and the people. + +Old Man was travelling about, south of here, making the people. He came +from the south, travelling north, making animals and birds as he passed +along. He made the mountains, prairies, timber, and brush first. So he went +along, travelling northward, making things as he went, putting rivers here +and there, and falls on them, putting red paint here and there in the +ground,--fixing up the world as we see it to-day. He made the Milk River +(the Teton) and crossed it, and, being tired, went up on a little hill and +lay down to rest. As he lay on his back, stretched out on the ground, with +arms extended, he marked himself out with stones,--the shape of his body, +head, legs, arms, and everything. There you can see those rocks +to-day. After he had rested, he went on northward, and stumbled over a +knoll and fell down on his knees. Then he said, "You are a bad thing to be +stumbling against"; so he raised up two large buttes there, and named them +the Knees, and they are called so to this day. He went on further north, +and with some of the rocks he carried with him he built the Sweet Grass +Hills. + +Old Man covered the plains with grass for the animals to feed on. He marked +off a piece of ground, and in it he made to grow all kinds of roots and +berries,--camas, wild carrots, wild turnips, sweet-root, bitter-root, +sarvis berries, bull berries, cherries, plums, and rosebuds. He put trees +in the ground. He put all kinds of animals on the ground. When he made the +bighorn with its big head and horns, he made it out on the prairie. It did +not seem to travel easily on the prairie; it was awkward and could not go +fast. So he took it by one of its horns, and led it up into the mountains, +and turned it loose; and it skipped about among the rocks, and went up +fearful places with ease. So he said, "This is the place that suits you; +this is what you are fitted for, the rocks and the mountains." While he was +in the mountains, he made the antelope out of dirt, and turned it loose, to +see how it would go. It ran so fast that it fell over some rocks and hurt +itself. He saw that this would not do, and took the antelope down on the +prairie, and turned it loose; and it ran away fast and gracefully, and he +said, "This is what you are suited to." + +One day Old Man determined that he would make a woman and a child; so he +formed them both--the woman and the child, her son--of clay. After he had +moulded the clay in human shape, he said to the clay, "You must be people," +and then he covered it up and left it, and went away. The next morning he +went to the place and took the covering off, and saw that the clay shapes +had changed a little. The second morning there was still more change, and +the third still more. The fourth morning he went to the place, took the +covering off, looked at the images, and told them to rise and walk; and +they did so. They walked down to the river with their Maker, and then he +told them that his name was _Na'pi,_ Old Man. + +As they were standing by the river, the woman said to him, "How is it? will +we always live, will there be no end to it?" He said: "I have never thought +of that. We will have to decide it. I will take this buffalo chip and throw +it in the river. If it floats, when people die, in four days they will +become alive again; they will die for only four days. But if it sinks, +there will be an end to them." He threw the chip into the river, and it +floated. The woman turned and picked up a stone, and said: "No, I will +throw this stone in the river; if it floats we will always live, if it +sinks people must die, that they may always be sorry for each other."[1] +The woman threw the stone into the water, and it sank. "There," said Old +Man, "you have chosen. There will be an end to them." + +[Footnote 1: That is, that their friends who survive may always remember +them.] + +It was not many nights after, that the woman's child died, and she cried a +great deal for it. She said to Old Man: "Let us change this. The law that +you first made, let that be a law." He said: "Not so. What is made law must +be law. We will undo nothing that we have done. The child is dead, but it +cannot be changed. People will have to die." + +That is how we came to be people. It is he who made us. + +The first people were poor and naked, and did not know how to get a +living. Old Man showed them the roots and berries, and told them that they +could eat them; that in a certain month of the year they could peel the +bark off some trees and eat it, that it was good. He told the people that +the animals should be their food, and gave them to the people, saying, +"These are your herds." He said: "All these little animals that live in the +ground--rats, squirrels, skunks, beavers--are good to eat. You need not +fear to eat of their flesh." He made all the birds that fly, and told the +people that there was no harm in their flesh, that it could be eaten. The +first people that he created he used to take about through the timber and +swamps and over the prairies, and show them the different plants. Of a +certain plant he would say, "The root of this plant, if gathered in a +certain month of the year, is good for a certain sickness." So they +learned the power of all herbs. In those days there were buffalo. Now the +people had no arms, but those black animals with long beards were armed; +and once, as the people were moving about, the buffalo saw them, and ran +after them, and hooked them, and killed and ate them. One day, as the Maker +of the people was travelling over the country, he saw some of his children, +that he had made, lying dead, torn to pieces and partly eaten by the +buffalo. When he saw this he was very sad. He said: "This will not do. I +will change this. The people shall eat the buffalo." + +He went to some of the people who were left, and said to them, "How is it +that you people do nothing to these animals that are killing you?" The +people said: "What can we do? We have no way to kill these animals, while +they are armed and can kill us." Then said the Maker: "That is not hard. I +will make you a weapon that will kill these animals." So he went out, and +cut some sarvis berry shoots, and brought them in, and peeled the bark off +them. He took a larger piece of wood, and flattened it, and tied a string +to it, and made a bow. Now, as he was the master of all birds and could do +with them as he wished, he went out and caught one, and took feathers from +its wing, and split them, and tied them to the shaft of wood. He tied four +feathers along the shaft, and tried the arrow at a mark, and found that it +did not fly well. He took these feathers off, and put on three; and when he +tried it again, he found that it was good. He went out and began to break +sharp pieces off the stones. He tried them, and found that the black flint +stones made the best arrow points, and some white flints. Then he taught +the people how to use these things. + +Then he said: "The next time you go out, take these things with you, and +use them as I tell you, and do not run from these animals. When they run at +you, as soon as they get pretty close, shoot the arrows at them, as I have +taught you; and you will see that they will run from you or will run in a +circle around you." + +Now, as people became plenty, one day three men went out on to the plain to +see the buffalo, but they had no arms. They saw the animals, but when the +buffalo saw the men, they ran after them and killed two of them, but one +got away. One day after this, the people went on a little hill to look +about, and the buffalo saw them, and said, "_Saiyah_, there is some more of +our food," and they rushed on them. This time the people did not run. They +began to shoot at the buffalo with the bows and arrows _Na'pi_ had given +them, and the buffalo began to fall; but in the fight a person was killed. + +At this time these people had flint knives given them, and they cut up the +bodies of the dead buffalo. It is not healthful to eat the meat raw, so Old +Man gathered soft dry rotten driftwood and made punk of it, and then got a +piece of hard wood, and drilled a hole in it with an arrow point, and gave +them a pointed piece of hard wood, and taught them how to make a fire with +fire sticks, and to cook the flesh of these animals and eat it. + +They got a kind of stone that was in the land, and then took another harder +stone and worked one upon the other, and hollowed out the softer one, and +made a kettle of it. This was the fashion of their dishes. + +Also Old Man said to the people: "Now, if you are overcome, you may go and +sleep, and get power. Something will come to you in your dream, that will +help you. Whatever these animals tell you to do, you must obey them, as +they appear to you in your sleep. Be guided by them. If anybody wants help, +if you are alone and travelling, and cry aloud for help, your prayer will +be answered. It may be by the eagles, perhaps by the buffalo, or by the +bears. Whatever animal answers your prayer, you must listen to him." That +was how the first people got through the world, by the power of their +dreams. + +After this, Old Man kept on, travelling north. Many of the animals that he +had made followed him as he went. The animals understood him when he spoke +to them, and he used them as his servants. When he got to the north point +of the Porcupine Mountains, there he made some more mud images of people, +and blew breath upon them, and they became people. He made men and women. +They asked him, "What are we to eat?" He made many images of clay, in the +form of buffalo. Then he blew breath on these, and they stood up; and when +he made signs to them, they started to run. Then he said to the people, +"Those are your food." They said to him, "Well, now, we have those animals; +how are we to kill them?" "I will show you," he said. He took them to the +cliff, and made them build rock piles like this; and he made the people +hide behind these piles of rock, and said, "When I lead the buffalo this +way, as I bring them opposite to you, rise up." + +After he had told them how to act, he started on toward a herd of +buffalo. He began to call them, and the buffalo started to run toward him, +and they followed him until they were inside the lines. Then he dropped +back; and as the people rose up, the buffalo ran in a straight line and +jumped over the cliff. He told the people to go and take the flesh of those +animals. They tried to tear the limbs apart, but they could not. They tried +to bite pieces out, and could not. So Old Man went to the edge of the +cliff, and broke some pieces of stone with sharp edges, and told them to +cut the flesh with these. When they had taken the skins from these animals, +they set up some poles and put the hides on them, and so made a shelter to +sleep under. There were some of these buffalo that went over the cliff that +were not dead. Their legs were broken, but they were still alive. The +people cut strips of green hide, and tied stones in the middle, and made +large mauls, and broke in the skulls of the buffalo, and killed them. + +After he had taught those people these things, he started off again, +travelling north, until he came to where Bow and Elbow rivers meet. There +he made some more people, and taught them the same things. From here he +again went on northward. When he had come nearly to the Red Deer's River, +he reached the hill where the Old Man sleeps. There he lay down and rested +himself. The form of his body is to be seen there yet. + +When he awoke from his sleep, he travelled further northward and came to a +fine high hill. He climbed to the top of it, and there sat down to rest. He +looked over the country below him, and it pleased him. Before him the hill +was steep, and he said to himself, "Well, this is a fine place for sliding; +I will have some fun," and he began to slide down the hill. The marks where +he slid down are to be seen yet, and the place is known to all people as +the "Old Man's Sliding Ground." + +This is as far as the Blackfeet followed Old Man. The Crees know what he +did further north. + +In later times once, _Na'pi_ said, "Here I will mark you off a piece of +ground," and he did so.[1] Then he said: "There is your land, and it is +full of all kinds of animals, and many things grow in this land. Let no +other people come into it. This is for you five tribes (Blackfeet, Bloods, +Piegans, Gros Ventres, Sarcees). When people come to cross the line, take +your bows and arrows, your lances and your battle axes, and give them battle +and keep them out. If they gain a footing, trouble will come to you." + +[Footnote 1: The boundaries of this land are given as running east from a +point in the summit of the Rocky Mountains west of Fort Edmonton, taking in +the country to the east and south, including the Porcupine Hills, Cypress +Mountains, and Little Rocky Mountains, down to the mouth of the Yellowstone +on the Missouri; then west to the head of the Yellowstone, and across the +Rocky Mountains to the Beaverhead; thence to the summit of the Rocky +Mountains and north along them to the starting-point.] + +Our forefathers gave battle to all people who came to cross these lines, +and kept them out. Of late years we have let our friends, the white people, +come in, and you know the result. We, his children, have failed to obey his +laws. + + + +THE DOG AND THE STICK + + +This happened long ago. In those days the people were hungry. No buffalo +nor antelope were seen on the prairie. The deer and the elk trails were +covered with grass and leaves; not even a rabbit could be found in the +brush. Then the people prayed, saying: "Oh, Old Man, help us now, or we +shall die. The buffalo and deer are gone. Uselessly we kindle the morning +fires; useless are our arrows; our knives stick fast in the sheaths." + +Then Old Man started out to find the game, and he took with him a young +man, the son of a chief. For many days they travelled the prairies and ate +nothing but berries and roots. One day they climbed a high ridge, and when +they had reached the top, they saw, far off by a stream, a single lodge. + +"What kind of a person can it be," said the young man, "who camps there all +alone, far from friends?" + +"That," said Old Man, "is the one who has hidden all the buffalo and deer +from the people. He has a wife and a little son." + +Then they went close to the lodge, and Old Man changed himself into a +little dog, and he said, "That is I." Then the young man changed himself +into a root-digger,[1] and he said, "That is I." + +[Footnote 1: A carved and painted stick about three feet long, shaped like +a sacking needle, used by women to unearth roots.] + +Now the little boy, playing about, found the dog, and he carried it to his +father, saying, "Look! See what a pretty little dog I have found." "Throw +it away," said his father; "it is not a dog." And the little boy cried, but +his father made him carry the dog away. Then the boy found the root-digger; +and, again picking up the dog, he carried them both to the lodge, saying, +"Look, mother! see the pretty root-digger I have found!" + +"Throw them both away," said his father; "that is not a stick, that is not +a dog." + +"I want that stick," said the woman; "let our son have the little dog." + +"Very well," said her husband, "but remember, if trouble comes, you bring +it on yourself and on our son." Then he sent his wife and son off to pick +berries; and when they were out of sight, he went out and killed a buffalo +cow, and brought the meat into the lodge and covered it up, and the bones, +skin and offal he threw in the creek. When his wife returned, he gave her +some of the meat to roast; and while they were eating, the little boy fed +the dog three times, and when he gave it more, his father took the meat +away, saying, "That is not a dog, you shall not feed it more." + +In the night, when all were asleep, Old Man and the young man arose in +their right shapes, and ate of the meat. "You were right," said the young +man; "this is surely the person who has hidden the buffalo from us." +"Wait," said Old Man; and when they had finished eating, they changed +themselves back into the stick and the dog. + +In the morning the man sent his wife and son to dig roots, and the woman +took the stick with her. The dog followed the little boy. Now, as they +travelled along in search of roots, they came near a cave, and at its mouth +stood a buffalo cow. Then the dog ran into the cave, and the stick, +slipping from the woman's hand, followed, gliding along like a snake. In +this cave they found all the buffalo and other game, and they began to +drive them out; and soon the prairie was covered with buffalo and +deer. Never before were seen so many. + +Pretty soon the man came running up, and he said to his wife, "Who now +drives out my animals?" and she replied, "The dog and the stick are now in +there." "Did I not tell you," said he, "that those were not what they +looked like? See now the trouble you have brought upon us," and he put an +arrow on his bow and waited for them to come out. But they were cunning, +for when the last animal--a big bull--was about to go out, the stick +grasped him by the hair under his neck, and coiled up in it, and the dog +held on by the hair beneath, until they were far out on the prairie, when +they changed into their true shapes, and drove the buffalo toward camp. + +When the people saw the buffalo coming, they drove a big band of them to +the pis'kun; but just as the leaders were about to jump off, a raven came +and flapped its wings in front of them and croaked, and they turned off +another way. Every time a band of buffalo was driven near the pis'kun, this +raven frightened them away. Then Old Man knew that the raven was the one +who had kept the buffalo cached. + +So he went and changed himself into a beaver, and lay stretched out on the +bank of the river, as if dead; and the raven, which was very hungry, flew +down and began to pick at him. Then Old Man caught it by the legs and ran +with it to camp, and all the chiefs came together to decide what should be +done with it. Some said to kill it, but Old Man said, "No! I will punish +it," and he tied it over the lodge, right in the smoke hole. + +As the days went by, the raven grew poor and weak, and his eyes were +blurred with the thick smoke, and he cried continually to Old Man to pity +him. One day Old Man untied him, and told him to take his right shape, +saying: "Why have you tried to fool Old Man? Look at me! I cannot die. Look +at me! Of all peoples and tribes I am the chief. I cannot die. I made the +mountains. They are standing yet. I made the prairies and the rocks. You +see them yet. Go home, then, to your wife and your child, and when you are +hungry hunt like any one else, or you shall die." + + + +THE BEARS + + +Now Old Man was walking along, and far off he saw many wolves; and when he +came closer, he saw there the chief of the wolves, a very old one, and +sitting around him were all his children. + +Old Man said, "Pity me, Wolf Chief; make me into a wolf, that I may live +your way and catch deer and everything that runs fast." + +"Come near then," said the Wolf Chief, "that I may rub your body with my +hands, so that hair will cover you." + +"Hold," said Old Man; "do not cover my body with hair. On my head, arms, +and legs only, put hair." + +When the Chief Wolf had done so, he said to Old Man: "You shall have three +companions to help you, one is a very swift runner, another a good runner, +and the last is not very fast. Take them with you now, and others of my +younger children who are learning to hunt, but do not go where the wind +blows; keep in the shelter, or the young ones will freeze to death." Then +they went hunting, and Old Man led them on the high buttes, where it was +very cold. + +At night, they lay down to sleep, and Old Man nearly froze; and he said to +the wolves, "Cover me with your tails." So all the wolves lay down around +him, and covered his body with their tails, and he soon got warm and slept. +Before long he awoke and said angrily, "Take off those tails," and the +wolves moved away; but after a little time he again became cold, and cried +out, "Oh my young brothers, cover me with your tails or I shall freeze." +So they lay down by him again and covered his body with their tails. + +When it was daylight, they all rose and hunted. They saw some moose, and, +chasing them, killed three. Now, when they were about to eat, the Chief +Wolf came along with many of his children, and one wolf said, "Let us make +pemmican of those moose"; and every one was glad. Then said the one who +made pemmican, "No one must look, everybody shut his eyes, while I make the +pemmican"; but Old Man looked, and the pemmican-maker threw a round bone +and hit him on the nose, and it hurt. Then Old Man said, "Let me make the +pemmican." So all the wolves shut their eyes, and Old Man took the round +bone and killed the wolf who had hit him. Then the Chief Wolf was angry, +and he said, "Why did you kill your brother?" "I didn't mean to," replied +Old Man. "He looked and I threw the round bone at him, but I only meant to +hurt him a little." Then said the Chief Wolf: "You cannot live with us any +longer. Take one of your companions, and go off by yourselves and hunt." So +Old Man took the swift runner, and they went and lived by themselves a long +time; and they killed all the elk, and deer, and antelope, and moose they +wanted. + +One morning they awoke, and Old Man said: "Oh my young brother, I have had +a bad dream. Hereafter, when you chase anything, if it jumps a stream, you +must not follow it. Even a little spring you must not jump." And the wolf +promised not to jump over water. + +Now one day the wolf was chasing a moose, and it ran on to an island. The +stream about it was very small; so the wolf thought: "This is such a little +stream that I must jump it. That moose is very tired, and I don't think it +will leave the island." So he jumped on to the island, and as soon as he +entered the brush, a bear caught him, for the island was the home of the +Chief Bear and his two brothers. Old Man waited a long time for the wolf to +come back, and then went to look for him. He asked all the birds he met if +they had seen him, but they all said they had not. + +At last he saw a kingfisher, who was sitting on a limb overhanging the +water. "Why do you sit there, my young brother?" said Old Man. "Because," +replied the kingfisher, "the Chief Bear and his brothers have killed your +wolf; they have eaten the meat and thrown the fat into the river, and +whenever I see a piece come floating along, I fly down and get it." Then +said Old Man, "Do the Bear Chief and his brothers often come out? and where +do they live?" "They come out every morning to play," said the kingfisher; +"and they live upon that island." + +Old Man went up there and saw their tracks on the sand, where they had been +playing, and he turned himself into a rotten tree. By and by the bears came +out, and when they saw the tree, the Chief Bear said: "Look at that rotten +tree. It is Old Man. Go, brothers, and see if it is not." So the two +brothers went over to the tree, and clawed it; and they said, "No, brother, +it is only a tree." Then the Chief Bear went over and clawed and bit the +tree, and although it hurt Old Man, he never moved. Then the Bear Chief was +sure it was only a tree, and he began to play with his brothers. Now while +they were playing, and all were on their backs, Old Man leaned over and +shot an arrow into each one of them; and they cried out loudly and ran back +on the island. Then Old Man changed into himself, and walked down along the +river. Pretty soon he saw a frog jumping along, and every time it jumped it +would say, "_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu_!" And sometimes it would stop and sing:-- + +"_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu! Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!_ Chief Bear! Chief Bear! +_Nap'-i I-nit'-si-wah Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!"_ Old Man kill him Chief +Bear! "What do you say?" cried Old Man. The frog repeated what he had said. + +"Ah!" exclaimed Old Man, "tell me all about it." + +"The Chief Bear and his brothers," replied the frog, "were playing on the +sand, when Old Man shot arrows into them. They are not dead, but the arrows +are very near their hearts; if you should shove ever so little on them, the +points would cut their hearts. I am going after medicine now to cure them." + +Then Old Man killed the frog and skinned her, and put the hide on himself +and swam back to the island, and hopped up toward the bears, crying at +every step, "_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!_" just as the frog had done. + +"Hurry," cried the Chief Bear. + +"Yes," replied Old Man, and he went up and shoved the arrow into his heart. + +"I cured him; he is asleep now," he cried, and he went up and shoved the +arrow into the biggest brother's heart. "I cured them; they are asleep +now"; and he went up and shoved the arrow into the other bear's heart. Then +he built a big fire and skinned the bears, and tried out the fat and poured +it into a hollow in the ground; and he called all the animals to come and +roll in it, that they might be fat. And all the animals came and rolled in +it. The bears came first and rolled in it, that is the reason they get so +fat. Last of all came the rabbits, and the grease was almost all gone; but +they filled their paws with it and rubbed it on their backs and between +their hind legs. That is the reason why rabbits have two such large layers +of fat on their backs, and that is what makes them so fat between the hind +legs. + +[NOTE.--The four preceding stories show the serious side of Old Man's +character. Those which follow represent him as malicious, foolish, and +impotent.] + + + +THE WONDERFUL BIRD + + +One day, as Old Man was walking about in the woods, he saw something very +queer. A bird was sitting on the limb of a tree making a strange noise, and +every time it made this noise, its eyes would go out of its head and fasten +on the tree; then it would make another kind of a noise, and its eyes would +come back to their places. + +"Little Brother," cried Old Man, "teach me how to do that." + +"If I show you how to do that," replied the bird, "you must not let your +eyes go out of your head more than three times a day. If you do, you will +be sorry." + +"Just as you say, Little Brother. The trick is yours, and I will listen to +you." + +When the bird had taught Old Man how to do it, he was very glad, and did it +three times right away. Then he stopped. "That bird has no sense," he +said. "Why did he tell me to do it only three times? I will do it again, +anyhow." So he made his eyes go out a fourth time; but now he could not +call them back. Then he called to the bird, "Oh Little Brother, come help +me get back my eyes." The little bird did not answer him. It had flown +away. Then Old Man felt all over the trees with his hands, but he could not +find his eyes; and he wandered about for a long time, crying and calling +the animals to help him. + +A wolf had much fun with him. The wolf had found a dead buffalo, and taking +a piece of the meat which smelled bad, he would hold it close to Old +Man. "I smell something dead," Old Man would say. "I wish I could find it; I +am nearly starved to death." And he would feel all around for it. Once, +when the wolf was doing this, Old Man caught him, and, plucking out one of +his eyes, he put it in his own head. Then he could see, and was able to +find his own eyes; but he could never again do the trick the little bird +had taught him. + + + +THE RACE + + +Once Old Man was travelling around, when he heard some very queer +singing. He had never heard anything like this before, and looked all +around to see who it was. At last he saw it was the cottontail rabbits, +singing and making medicine. They had built a fire, and got a lot of hot +ashes, and they would lie down in these ashes and sing while one covered +them up. They would stay there only a short time though, for the ashes were +very hot. + +"Little Brothers," said Old Man, "that is very wonderful, how you lie in +those hot ashes and coals without burning. I wish you would teach me how to +do it." + +"Come on, Old Man," said the rabbits, "we will show you how to do it. You +must sing our song, and only stay in the ashes a short time." So Old Man +began to sing, and he lay down, and they covered him with coals and ashes, +and they did not burn him at all. + +"That is very nice," he said. "You have powerful medicine. Now I want to +know it all, so you lie down and let me cover you up." + +So the rabbits all lay down in the ashes, and Old Man covered them up, and +then he put the whole fire over them. One old rabbit got out, and Old Man +was about to put her back when she said, "Pity me, my children are about to +be born." + +"All right," replied Old Man. "I will let you go, so there will be some +more rabbits; but I will roast these nicely and have a feast." And he put +more wood on the fire. When the rabbits were cooked, he cut some red willow +brush and laid them on it to cool. The grease soaked into these branches, +so, even to-day if you hold red willow over a fire, you will see the grease +on the bark. You can see, too, that ever since, the rabbits have a burnt +place on their backs, where the one that got away was singed. + +Old Man sat down, and was waiting for the rabbits to cool a little, when a +coyote came along, limping very badly. "Pity me, Old Man," he said, "you +have lots of cooked rabbits; give me one of them." + +"Go away," exclaimed Old Man. "If you are too lazy to catch your food, I +will not help you." + +"My leg is broken," said the coyote. "I can't catch anything, and I am +starving. Just give me half a rabbit." + +"I don't care if you die," replied Old Man. "I worked hard to cook all +these rabbits, and I will not give any away. But I will tell you what we +will do. We will run a race to that butte, way out there, and if you beat +me you can have a rabbit." + +"All right," said the coyote. So they started. Old Man ran very fast, and +the coyote limped along behind, but close to him, until they got near to +the butte. Then the coyote turned round and ran back very fast, for he was +not lame at all. It took Old Man a long time to go back, and just before he +got to the fire, the coyote swallowed the last rabbit, and trotted off over +the prairie. + + + +THE BAD WEAPONS + + +Once Old Man was fording a river, when the current carried him down stream, +and he lost his weapons. He was very hungry, so he took the first wood he +could find, and made a bow and arrows, and a handle for his knife and +spear. When he had finished them, he started up a mountain. Pretty soon he +saw a bear digging roots, and he thought he would have some fun, so he hid +behind a log and called out, "No-tail animal, what are you doing?" The +bear looked up, but, seeing no one, kept on digging. + +Then Old Man called out again, "Hi! you dirt-eater!" and then he dodged +back out of sight. Then the bear sat up again, and this time he saw Old Man +and ran after him. + +Old Man began shooting arrows at him, but the points only stuck in the +skin, for the shafts were rotten and snapped off. Then he threw his spear, +but that too was rotten, and broke. He tried to stab the bear, but his +knife handle was also rotten and broke, so he turned and ran; and the bear +pursued him. As he ran, he looked about for some weapon, but there was +none, not even a rock. He called out to the animals to help him, but none +came. His breath was almost gone, and the bear was very close to him, when +he saw a bull's horn lying on the ground. He picked it up, placed it on his +head, and, turning around, bellowed so loudly that the bear was scared and +ran away. + + + +THE ELK + + +Old Man was very hungry. He had been a long time without food, and was +thinking how he could get something to eat, when he saw a band of elk on a +ridge. So he went up to them and said, "Oh, my brothers, I am lonesome +because I have no one to follow me." + +"Go on, Old Man," said the elk, "we will follow you." Old Man led them +about a long time, and when it was dark, he came near a high-cut bank. He +ran around to one side where there was a slope, and he went down and then +stood right under the steep bluff, and called out, "Come on, that is a nice +jump, you will laugh." + +So the elk jumped off, all but one cow, and were killed. + +"Come on," said Old Man, "they have all jumped but you, it is nice." + +"Take pity on me," replied the cow. "My child is about to be born, and I am +very heavy. I am afraid to jump." + +"Go on, then," answered Old Man; "go and live; then there will be plenty of +elk again some day." + +Now Old Man built a fire and cooked some ribs, and then he skinned all the +elk, cut up the meat to dry, and hung the tongues up on a pole. + +Next day he went off, and did not come back until night, when he was very +hungry again. "I'll roast some ribs," he said, "and a tongue, and I'll +stuff a marrow gut and cook that. I guess that will be enough for +to-night." But when he got to the place, the meat was all gone. The wolves +had eaten it. "I was smart to hang up those tongues," he said, "or I would +not have had anything to eat." But the tongues were all hollow. The mice +had eaten the meat out, leaving only the skin. So Old Man starved again. + + + +OLD MAN DOCTORS + + +A pis'kun had been built, and many buffalo had been run in and killed. The +camp was full of meat. Great sheets of it hung in the lodges and on the +racks outside; and now the women, having cut up all the meat, were working +on the hides, preparing some for robes, and scraping the hair from others, +to make leather. + +About this time, Old Man came along. He had come from far and was very +tired, so he entered the first lodge he came to and sat down. Now this +lodge belonged to three old women. Their husbands had died or been killed +in war, and they had no relations to help them, so they were very +poor. After Old Man had rested a little, they set a dish of food before +him. It was dried bull meat, very tough, and some pieces of belly fat. + +"_Hai'-yah ho_!" cried Old Man, after he had tasted a piece. "You treat me +badly. A whole pis'kun of fat buffalo just killed; the camp red with meat, +and here these old women give me tough bull meat and belly fat to eat. +Hurry now! roast me some ribs and a piece of back fat." + +"Alas!" exclaimed one old woman. "We have no good food. All our helpers are +dead, and we take what others leave. Bulls and poor cows are all the people +leave us." + +"Ah!" said Old Man, "how poor! you are very poor. Take courage now. I will +help you. To-morrow they will run another band into the pis'kun. I will be +there. I will kill the fattest cow, and you can have it all." + +Then the old women were glad. They talked to one another, saying, "Very good +heart, Old Man. He helps the poor. Now we will live. We will have marrow +guts and liver. We will have paunch and fat kidneys." + +Old Man said nothing more. He ate the tough meat and belly fat, and rolled +up in his robe and went to sleep. + +Morning came. The people climbed the bluffs and went out on to the prairie, +where they hid behind the piles of rock and bushes, which reached far out +from the cliff in lines which were always further and further apart. After +a while, he who leads the buffalo was seen coming, bringing a large band +after him. Soon they were inside the lines. The people began to rise up +behind them, shouting and waving their robes. Now they reached the edge of +the bluff. The leaders tried to stop and turn, but those behind kept +pushing on, and nearly the whole band dashed down over the rocks, only a +few of the last ones turning aside and escaping. + +The lodges were now deserted. All the people were gone to the pis'kun to +kill the buffalo and butcher them. Where was Old Man? Did he take his bow +and arrows and go to the pis'kun to kill a fat cow for the poor old women? +No. He was sneaking around, lifting the door-ways of the lodges and +looking in. Bad person, Old Man. In the chiefs lodge he saw a little child, +a girl, asleep. Outside was a buffalo's gall, and taking a long stick he +dipped the end of it in the gall; and then, reaching carefully into the +lodge, he drew it across the lips of the child asleep. Then he threw the +stick away, and went in and sat down. Soon the girl awoke and began to +cry. The gall was very bitter and burned her lips. + +"Pity me, Old Man," she said. "Take this fearful thing from my lips." + +"I do not doctor unless I am paid," he replied. Then said the girl: "See +all my father's Weapons hanging there. His shield, war head-dress, scalps, +and knife. Cure me now, and I will give you some of them." + +"I have more of such things than I want," he replied. (What a liar! he had +none at all.) + +Again said the girl, "Pity me, help me now, and I will give you my father's +white buffalo robe." + +"I have plenty of white robes," replied Old Man. (Again he lied, for he +never had one.) + +"Old Man," again said the girl, "in this lodge lives a widow woman, my +father's relation. Remove this fearful thing from my lips, and I will have +my father give her to you." + +"Now you speak well," replied Old Man. "I am a little glad. I have many +wives" (he had none), "but I would just as soon have another one." + +So he went close to the child and pretended to doctor her, but instead of +that, he killed her and ran out. He went to the old women's lodge, and +wrapped a strip of cowskin about his head, and commenced to groan, as if he +was very sick. + +Now the people began to come from the pis'kun, carrying great loads of +meat. This dead girl's mother came, and when she saw her child lying dead, +and blood on the ground, she ran back crying out: "My daughter has been +killed! My daughter has been killed!" + +Then all the people began to shout out and run around, and the warriors and +young men looked in the lodges, and up and down the creek in the brush, but +they could find no one who might have killed the child. + +Then said the father of the dead girl: "Now, to-day, we will find out who +killed this child. Every man in this camp--every young man, every old +man--must come and jump across the creek; and if any one does not jump +across, if he falls in the water, that man is the one who did the +killing." All heard this, and they began to gather at the creek, one behind +another; and the women and children went to look on, for they wanted to see +the person who had killed the little child. Now they were ready. They were +about to jump, when some one cried out, "Old Man is not here." + +"True," said the chief, looking around, "Old Man is not here." And he sent +two young men to bring him. + +"Old Man!" they cried out, when they came to the lodge, "a child has been +killed. We have all got to jump to find out who did it. The chief has sent +for you. You will have to jump, too." + +"_Ki'-yo!_" exclaimed the old women. "Old Man is very sick. Go off, and let +him alone. He is so sick he could not kill meat for us to-day." + +"It can't be helped," the young men replied. "The chief says every one must +jump." + +So Old Man went out toward the creek very slowly, and very much scared. He +did not know what to do. As he was going along he saw a _ni'-po-muk-i_[1] +and he said: "Oh my little brother, pity me. Give me some of your power to +jump the creek, and here is my necklace. See how pretty it is. I will give +it to you." + +[Footnote 1: The chickadee.] + +So they traded; Old Man took some of the bird's power, and the bird took +Old Man's necklace and put it on. + +Now they jump. _Wo'-ka-hi!_ they jump way across and far on to the +ground. Now they jump; another! another! another! Now it comes Old Man's +turn. He runs, he jumps, he goes high, and strikes the ground far beyond +any other person's jump. Now comes the _ni'-po-muk-i. "Wo'-ka-hi!_" the men +shout. "_Ki'-yo!_" cry the women, "the bird has fallen in the creek." The +warriors are running to kill him. "Wait! Hold on!" cries the bird. "Let me +speak a few words. Every one knows I am a good jumper. I can jump further +than any one; but Old Man asked me for some of my power, and I gave it to +him, and he gave me this necklace. It is very heavy and pulled me +down. That is why I fell into the creek." + +Then the people began to shout and talk again, some saying to kill the +bird, and some not, when Old Man shouted out: "Wait, listen to me. What's +the use of quarrelling or killing anybody? Let us go back, and I will +doctor the child alive." + +Good words. The people were glad. So they went back, and got ready for the +doctoring. First, Old Man ordered a large fire built in the lodge where the +dead girl was lying. Two old men were placed at the back of the lodge, +facing each other. They had spears, which they held above their heads and +were to thrust back and forth at each other in time to the singing. Near +the door-way were placed two old women, facing each other. Each one held a +_puk'-sah-tchis,_[1]--a maul,--with which she was to beat time to the +singing. The other seats in the lodge were taken by people who were to +sing. Now Old Man hung a big roll of belly fat close over the fire, so that +the hot grease began to drip, and everything was ready, and the singing +began. This was Old Man's song:-- + +[Footnote 1: A round or oblong stone, to which a handle was bound by +rawhide thongs, used for breaking marrow bones, etc.] + +[Illustration:] + +Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, etc. I don't +care, I don't care, I don't care. + +And so they sung for a long time, the old men jabbing their spears at each +other, and the old women pretending to hit each other with their mauls. + +After a while they rested, and Old Man said: "Now I want every one to shut +their eyes. No one can look. I am going to begin the real doctoring." So +the people shut their eyes, and the singing began again. Then Old Man took +the dripping hot fat from the fire, gave it a mighty swing around the +circle in front of the people's faces, jumped out the door-way, and ran +off. Every one was burned. The two old men wounded each other with their +spears. The old women knocked each other on the head with their mauls. The +people cried and groaned, wiped their burned faces, and rushed out the +door; but Old Man was gone. They saw him no more. + + + +THE ROCK + + +Once Old Man was travelling, and becoming tired he sat down on a rock to +rest. After a while he started to go on, and because the sun was hot he +threw his robe over the rock, saying: "Here, I give you my robe, because +you are poor and have let me rest on you. Always keep it." + +He had not gone very far, when it began to rain, and meeting a coyote he +said: "Little brother, run back to that rock, and ask him to lend me his +robe. We will cover ourselves with it and keep dry." So the coyote ran back +to the rock, but returned without the robe. "Where is the robe?" asked Old +Man. "_Sai-yah!"_ replied the coyote. "The rock said you gave him the +robe, and he was going to keep it." + +Then Old Man was very angry, and went back to the rock and jerked the robe +off it, saying: "I only wanted to borrow this robe until the rain was over, +but now that you have acted so mean about it, I will keep it. You don't +need a robe anyhow. You have been out in the rain and snow all your life, +and it will not hurt you to live so always." + +With the coyote he went off into a coule, and sat down. The rain was +falling, and they covered themselves with the robe and were very +comfortable. Pretty soon they heard a loud noise, and Old Man told the +coyote to go up on the hill and see what it was. Soon he came running back, +saying, "Run! run! the big rock is coming"; and they both ran away as fast +as they could. The coyote tried to crawl into a badger hole, but it was too +small for him and he stuck fast, and before he could get out, the rock +rolled over him and crushed his hind parts. Old Man was scared, and as he +ran he threw off his robe and what clothes he could, so that he might run +faster. The rock kept gaining on him all the time. + +Not far off was a band of buffalo bulls, and Old Man cried out to them, +saying, "Oh my brothers, help me, help me. Stop that rock." The bulls ran +and tried to stop it, but it crushed their heads. Some deer and antelope +tried to help Old Man, but they were killed, too. A lot of rattlesnakes +formed themselves into a lariat, and tried to catch it; but those at the +noose end were all cut to pieces. The rock was now close to Old Man, so +close that it began to hit his heels; and he was about to give up, when he +saw a flock of bull bats circling over his head. "Oh my little brothers," +he cried, "help me. I am almost dead." Then the bull bats flew down, one +after another, against the rock; and every time one of them hit it he +chipped off a piece, and at last one hit it fair in the middle and broke it +into two pieces. + +Then Old Man was very glad. He went to where there was a nest of bull bats, +and made the young ones' mouths very wide and pinched off their bills, to +make them pretty and queer looking. That is the reason they look so to-day. + + + +THE THEFT FROM THE SUN + + +Once Old Man was travelling around, when he came to the Sun's lodge, and +the Sun asked him to stay a while. Old Man was very glad to do so. + +One day the meat was all gone, and the Sun said, "_Kyi_! Old Man, what say +you if we go and kill some deer?" + +"You speak well," replied Old Man. "I like deer meat." + +The Sun took down a bag and pulled out a beautiful pair of leggings. They +were embroidered with porcupine quills and bright feathers. "These," said +the Sun, "are my hunting leggings. They are great medicine. All I have to +do is to put them on and walk around a patch of brush, when the leggings +set it on fire and drive the deer out so that I can shoot them." + +"_Hai-yah_!" exclaimed Old Man. "How wonderful!" He made up his mind he +would have those leggings, if he had to steal them. + +They went out to hunt, and the first patch of brush they came to, the Sun +set on fire with his hunting leggings. A lot of white-tail deer ran out, +and they each shot one. + +That night, when they went to bed, the Sun pulled off his leggings and +placed them to one side. Old Man saw where he put them, and in the middle +of the night, when every one was asleep, he stole them and went off. He +travelled a long time, until he had gone far and was very tired, and then, +making a pillow of the leggings, lay down and slept. In the morning, he +heard some one talking. The Sun was saying, "Old Man, why are my leggings +under your head?" He looked around, and saw he was in the Sun's lodge, and +thought he must have wandered around and got lost, and returned +there. Again the Sun spoke and said, "What are you doing with my leggings?" +"Oh," replied Old Man, "I couldn't find anything for a pillow, so I just +put these under my head." + +Night came again, and again Old Man stole the leggings and ran off. This +time he did not walk at all; he just kept running until pretty near +morning, and then lay down and slept. You see what a fool he was. He did +not know that the whole world is the Sun's lodge. He did not know that, no +matter how far he ran, he could not get out of the Sun's sight. When +morning came, he found himself still in the Sun's lodge. But this time the +Sun said: "Old Man, since you like my leggings so much, I will give them to +you. Keep them." Then Old Man was very glad and went away. + +One day his food was all gone, so he put on the medicine leggings and set +fire to a piece of brush. He was just going to kill some deer that were +running out, when he saw that the fire was getting close to him. He ran +away as fast as he could, but the fire gained on him and began to burn his +legs. His leggings were all on fire. He came to a river and jumped in, and +pulled off the leggings as soon as he could. They were burned to pieces. + +Perhaps the Sun did this to him because he tried to steal the leggings. + + + +THE FOX + + +One day Old Man went out hunting and took the fox with him. They hunted for +several days, but killed nothing. It was nice warm weather in the late +fall. After they had become very hungry, as they were going along one day, +Old Man went up over a ridge and on the other side he saw four big buffalo +bulls lying down; but there was no way by which they could get near +them. He dodged back out of sight and told the fox what he had seen, and +they thought for a long time, to see if there was no way by which these +bulls might be killed. + +At last Old Man said to the fox: "My little brother, I can think of only +one way to get these bulls. This is my plan, if you agree to it. I will +pluck all the fur off you except one tuft on the end of your tail. Then you +go over the hill and walk up and down in sight of the bulls, and you will +seem so funny to them that they will laugh themselves to death." + +The fox did not like to do this, but he could think of nothing better, so +he agreed to what Old Man proposed. Old Man plucked him perfectly bare, +except the end of his tail, and the fox went over the ridge and walked up +and down. When he had come close to the bulls, he played around and walked +on his hind legs and went through all sorts of antics. When the bulls first +saw him, they got up on their feet, and looked at him. They did not know +what to make of him. Then they began to laugh, and the more they looked at +him, the more they laughed, until at last one by one they fell down +exhausted and died. Then Old Man came over the hill, and went down to the +bulls, and began to butcher them. By this time it had grown a little +colder. + +"Ah, little brother," said Old Man to the fox, "you did splendidly. I do +not wonder that the bulls laughed themselves to death. I nearly died myself +as I watched you from the hill. You looked very funny." While he was saying +this, he was working away skinning off the hides and getting the meat ready +to carry to camp, all the time talking to the fox, who stood about, his +back humped up and his teeth chattering with the cold. Now a wind sprang up +from the north and a few snowflakes were flying in the air. It was growing +colder and colder. Old Man kept on talking, and every now and then he would +say something to the fox, who was sitting behind him perfectly still, with +his jaw shoved out and his teeth shining. + +At last Old Man had the bulls all skinned and the meat cut up, and as he +rose up he said: "It is getting pretty cold, isn't it? Well, we do not care +for the cold. We have got all our winter's meat, and we will have nothing +to do but feast and dance and sing until spring." The fox made no +answer. Then Old Man got angry, and called out: "Why don't you answer me? +Don't you hear me talking to you?" The fox said nothing. Then Old Man was +mad, and he said, "Can't you speak?" and stepped up to the fox and gave him +a push with his foot, and the fox fell over. He was dead, frozen stiff with +the cold. + + + +OLD MAN AND THE LYNX + + +Old Man was travelling round over the prairie, when he saw a lot of +prairie-dogs sitting in a circle. They had built a fire, and were sitting +around it. Old Man went toward them, and when he got near them, he began to +cry, and said, "Let me, too, sit by that fire." The prairie-dogs said: "All +right, Old Man. Don't cry. Come and sit by the fire." Old Man sat down, +and saw that the prairie-dogs were playing a game. They would put one of +their number in the fire and cover him up with the hot ashes; and then, +after he had been there a little while, he would say _sk, sk_, and they +would push the ashes off him, and pull him out. + +Old Man said, "Teach me how to do that"; and they told him what to do, and +put him in the fire, and covered him up with the ashes, and after a little +while he said _sk, sk_, like a prairie-dog, and they pulled him out +again. Then he did it to the prairie-dogs. At first he put them in one at a +time, but there were many of them, and pretty soon he got tired, and said, +"Come, I will put you all in at once." They said, "Very well, Old Man," and +all got in the ashes; but just as Old Man was about to cover them up, one +of them, a female heavy with young, said, "Do not cover me up; the heat may +hurt my children, which are about to be born." Old Man said: "Very well. If +you do not want to be covered up, you can sit over by the fire and watch +the rest." Then he covered up all the others. + +At length the prairie-dogs said _sk, sk_, but Old Man did not sweep the +ashes off and pull them out of the fire. He let them stay there and die. The +old she one ran off to a hole and, as she went down in it, said _sk, +sk_. Old Man chased her, but he got to the hole too late to catch her. So +he said: "Oh, well, you can go. There will be more prairie-dogs by and by." + +When the prairie-dogs were roasted, Old Man cut a lot of red willow brush +to lay them on, and then sat down and began to eat. He ate until he was +full, and then felt sleepy. He said to his nose: "I am going to sleep +now. Watch for me and wake me up in case anything comes near." Then Old Man +slept. Pretty soon his nose snored, and he woke up and said, "What is it?" +The nose said, "A raven is flying over there." Old Man said, "That is +nothing," and went to sleep again. Soon his nose snored again. Old Man +said, "What is it now?" The nose said, "There is a coyote over there, +coming this way." Old Man said, "A coyote is nothing," and again went to +sleep. Presently his nose snored again, but Old Man did not wake up. Again +it snored, and called out, "Wake up, a bob-cat is coming." Old Man paid no +attention. He slept on. + +The bob-cat crept up to where the fire was, and ate up all the roast +prairie-dogs, and then went off and lay down on a flat rock, and went to +sleep. All this time the nose kept trying to wake Old Man up, and at last +he awoke, and the nose said: "A bob-cat is over there on that flat rock. He +has eaten all your food." Then Old Man called out loud, he was so angry. He +went softly over to where the bob-cat lay, and seized it, before it could +wake up to bite or scratch him. The bob-cat cried out, "Hold on, let me +speak a word or two." But Old Man would not listen; he said, "I will teach +you to steal my food." He pulled off the lynx's tail, pounded his head +against the rock so as to make his face flat, pulled him out long, so as to +make him small-bellied, and then threw him away into the brush. As he went +sneaking off, Old Man said, "There, that is the way you bob-cats shall +always be." That is the reason the lynxes look so today. + +Old Man went back to the fire, and looked at the red willow sticks where +his food had been, and it made him mad at his nose. He said, "You fool, why +did you not wake me?" He took the willow sticks and thrust them in the +coals, and when they took fire, he burned his nose. This pained him +greatly, and he ran up on a hill and held his nose to the wind, and called +on it to blow hard and cool him. A hard wind came, and it blew him away +down to Birch Creek. As he was flying along, he caught at the weeds and +brush to try to stop himself, but nothing was strong enough to hold him. At +last he seized a birch tree. He held on to this, and it did not give +way. Although the wind whipped him about, this way and that, and tumbled +him up and down, the tree held him. He kept calling to the wind to blow +gently, and finally it listened to him and went down. + +So he said: "This is a beautiful tree. It has kept me from being blown away +and knocked all to pieces. I will ornament it and it shall always be like +that." So he gashed it across with his stone knife, as you see it to-day. + + + + + +THE STORY OF THE THREE TRIBES + + + + + +THE PAST AND THE PRESENT + + +Fifty years ago the name Blackfoot was one of terrible meaning to the white +traveller who passed across that desolate buffalo-trodden waste which lay +to the north of the Yellowstone River and east of the Rocky Mountains. This +was the Blackfoot land, the undisputed home of a people which is said to +have numbered in one of its tribes--the Pi-k[)u]n'-i--8000 lodges, or +40,000 persons. Besides these, there were the Blackfeet and the Bloods, +three tribes of one nation, speaking the same language, having the same +customs, and holding the same religious faith. + +But this land had not always been the home of the Blackfeet. Long ago, +before the coming of the white men, they had lived in another country far +to the north and east, about Lesser Slave Lake, ranging between Peace River +and the Saskatchewan, and having for their neighbors on the north the +Beaver Indians. Then the Blackfeet were a timber people. It is said that +about two hundred years ago the Chippeweyans from the east invaded this +country and drove them south and west. Whether or no this is true, it is +quite certain that not many generations back the Blackfeet lived on the +North Saskatchewan River and to the north of that stream.[1] Gradually +working their way westward, they at length reached the Rocky Mountains, +and, finding game abundant, remained there until they obtained horses, in +the very earliest years of the present century. When they secured horses and +guns, they took courage and began to venture out on to the plains and to go +to war. From this time on, the Blackfeet made constant war on their +neighbors to the south, and in a few years controlled the whole country +between the Saskatchewan on the north and the Yellowstone on the south. + +[Footnote 1: For a more extended account of this migration, see _American +Anthropologist_, April, 1892, p. 153.] + +It was, indeed, a glorious country which the Blackfeet had wrested from +their southern enemies. Here nature has reared great mountains and spread +out broad prairies. Along the western border of this region, the Rocky +Mountains lift their snow-clad peaks above the clouds. Here and there, from +north to south, and from east to west, lie minor ranges, black with pine +forests if seen near at hand, or in the distance mere gray silhouettes +against a sky of blue. Between these mountain ranges lies everywhere the +great prairie; a monotonous waste to the stranger's eye, but not without +its charm. It is brown and bare; for, except during a few short weeks in +spring, the sparse bunch-grass is sear and yellow, and the silver gray of +the wormwood lends an added dreariness to the landscape. Yet this seemingly +desert waste has a beauty of its own. At intervals it is marked with green +winding river valleys, and everywhere it is gashed with deep ravines, their +sides painted in strange colors of red and gray and brown, and their +perpendicular walls crowned with fantastic columns and figures of stone or +clay, carved out by the winds and the rains of ages. Here and there, rising +out of the plain, are curious sharp ridges, or square-topped buttes with +vertical sides, sometimes bare, and sometimes dotted with pines,--short, +sturdy trees, whose gnarled trunks and thick, knotted branches have been +twisted and wrung into curious forms by the winds which blow unceasingly, +hour after hour, day after day, and month after month, over mountain range +and prairie, through gorge and coule. + +These prairies now seem bare of life, but it was not always so. Not very +long ago, they were trodden by multitudinous herds of buffalo and antelope; +then, along the wooded river valleys and on the pine-clad slopes of the +mountains, elk, deer, and wild sheep fed in great numbers. They are all +gone now. The winter's wind still whistles over Montana prairies, but +nature's shaggy-headed wild cattle no longer feel its biting blasts. Where +once the scorching breath of summer stirred only the short stems of the +buffalo-grass, it now billows the fields of the white man's +grain. Half-hidden by the scanty herbage, a few bleached skeletons alone +remain to tell us of the buffalo; and the broad, deep trails, over which +the dark herds passed by thousands, are now grass-grown and fast +disappearing under the effacing hand of time. The buffalo have disappeared, +and the fate of the buffalo has almost overtaken the Blackfeet. + +As known to the whites, the Blackfeet were true prairie Indians, seldom +venturing into the mountains, except when they crossed them to war with the +Kutenais, the Flatheads, or the Snakes. They subsisted almost wholly on the +flesh of the buffalo. They were hardy, untiring, brave, ferocious. Swift +to move, whether on foot or horseback, they made long journeys to war, and +with telling force struck their enemies. They had conquered and driven out +from the territory which they occupied the tribes who once inhabited it, +and maintained a desultory and successful warfare against all invaders, +fighting with the Crees on the north, the Assinaboines on the east, the +Crows on the south, and the Snakes, Kalispels, and Kutenais on the +southwest and west. In those days the Blackfeet were rich and powerful. +The buffalo fed and clothed them, and they needed nothing beyond what +nature supplied. This was their time of success and happiness. + +Crowded into a little corner of the great territory which they once +dominated, and holding this corner by an uncertain tenure, a few Blackfeet +still exist, the pitiful remnant of a once mighty people. Huddled together +about their agencies, they are facing the problem before them, striving, +helplessly but bravely, to accommodate themselves to the new order of +things; trying in the face of adverse surroundings to wrench themselves +loose from their accustomed ways of life; to give up inherited habits and +form new ones; to break away from all that is natural to them, from all +that they have been taught--to reverse their whole mode of existence. They +are striving to earn their living, as the white man earns his, by toil. The +struggle is hard and slow, and in carrying it on they are wasting away and +growing fewer in numbers. But though unused to labor, ignorant of +agriculture, unacquainted with tools or seeds or soils, knowing nothing of +the ways of life in permanent houses or of the laws of health, scantily +fed, often utterly discouraged by failure, they are still making a noble +fight for existence. + +Only within a few years--since the buffalo disappeared--has this change +been going on; so recently has it come that the old order and the new meet +face to face. In the trees along the river valleys, still quietly resting +on their aerial sepulchres, sleep the forms of the ancient hunter-warrior +who conquered and held this broad land; while, not far away, Blackfoot +farmers now rudely cultivate their little crops, and gather scanty harvests +from narrow fields. + +It is the meeting of the past and the present, of savagery and +civilization. The issue cannot be doubtful. Old methods must pass away. The +Blackfeet will become civilized, but at a terrible cost. To me there is an +interest, profound and pathetic, in watching the progress of the struggle. + + + +DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS + + +Indians are usually represented as being a silent, sullen race, seldom +speaking, and never laughing nor joking. However true this may be in regard +to some tribes, it certainly was not the case with most of those who lived +upon the great Plains. These people were generally talkative, merry, and +light-hearted; they delighted in fun, and were a race of jokers. It is true +that, in the presence of strangers, they were grave, silent, and reserved, +but this is nothing more than the shyness and embarrassment felt by a child +in the presence of strangers. As the Indian becomes acquainted, this +reserve wears off; he is at his ease again and appears in his true colors, +a light-hearted child. Certainly the Blackfeet never were a taciturn and +gloomy people. Before the disappearance of the buffalo, they were happy and +cheerful. Why should they not have been? Food and clothing were to be had +for the killing and tanning. All fur animals were abundant, and thus the +people were rich. Meat, really the only food they cared for, was plenty and +cost nothing. Their robes and furs were exchanged with the traders for +bright-colored blankets and finery. So they wanted nothing. + +It is but nine years since the buffalo disappeared from the land. Only nine +years have passed since these people gave up that wild, free life which was +natural to them, and ah! how dear! Let us go back in memory to those happy +days and see how they passed the time. + +The sun is just rising. Thin columns of smoke are creeping from the smoke +holes of the lodges, and ascending in the still morning air. Everywhere the +women are busy, carrying water and wood, and preparing the simple meal. +And now we see the men come out, and start for the river. Some are +followed by their children; some are even carrying those too small to +walk. They have reached the water's edge. Off drop their blankets, and with +a plunge and a shivering _ah-h-h_ they dash into the icy waters. Winter and +summer, storm or shine, this was their daily custom. They said it made them +tough and healthy, and enabled them to endure the bitter cold while hunting +on the bare bleak prairie. By the time they have returned to the lodges, +the women have prepared the early meal. A dish of boiled meat--some three +or four pounds--is set before each man; the children are served as much as +they can eat, and the wives take the rest. The horses are now seen coming +in, hundreds and thousands of them, driven by boys and young men who +started out after them at daylight. If buffalo are close at hand, and it +has been decided to make a run, each hunter catches his favorite buffalo +horse, and they all start out together; they are followed by women, on the +travois or pack horses, who will do most of the butchering, and transport +the meat and hides to camp. If there is no band of buffalo near by, they go +off, singly or by twos and threes, to still-hunt scattering buffalo, or +deer, or elk, or such other game as may be found. The women remaining in +camp are not idle. All day long they tan robes, dry meat, sew moccasins, +and perform a thousand and one other tasks. The young men who have stayed +at home carefully comb and braid their hair, paint their faces, and, if the +weather is pleasant, ride or walk around the camp so that the young women +may look at them and see how pretty they are. + +Feasting began early in the morning, and will be carried on far into the +night. A man who gives a feast has his wives cook the choicest food they +have, and when all is ready, he goes outside the lodge and shouts the +invitation, calling out each guest's name three times, saying that he is +invited to eat, and concludes by announcing that a certain number of +pipes--generally three--will be smoked. The guests having assembled, each +one is served with a dish of food. Be the quantity large or small, it is +all that he will get. If he does not eat it all, he may carry home what +remains. The host does not eat with his guests. He cuts up some tobacco, +and carefully mixes it with _l'herbe_, and when all have finished eating, +he fills and lights a pipe, which is smoked and passed from one to another, +beginning with the first man on his left. When the last person on the left +of the host has smoked, the pipe is passed back around the circle to the +one on the right of the door, and smoked to the left again. The guests do +not all talk at once. When a person begins to speak, he expects every one +to listen, and is never interrupted. During the day the topics for +conversation are about the hunting, war, stories of strange adventures, +besides a good deal of good-natured joking and chaffing. When the third and +last pipeful of tobacco has been smoked, the host ostentatiously knocks out +the ashes and says "_Kyi"_ whereupon all the guests rise and file out. +Seldom a day passed but each lodge-owner in camp gave from one to three +feasts. In fact almost all a man did, when in camp, was to go from one of +these gatherings to another. + +A favorite pastime in the day was gambling with a small wheel called +_it-se'-wah._ This wheel was about four inches in diameter, and had five +spokes, on which were strung different-colored beads, made of bone or +horn. A level, smooth piece of ground was selected, at each end of which +was placed a log. At each end of the course were two men, who gambled +against each other. A crowd always surrounded them, betting on the +sides. The wheel was rolled along the course, and each man at the end +whence it started, darted an arrow at it. The cast was made just before +the wheel reached the log at the opposite end of the track, and points were +counted according as the arrow passed between the spokes, or when the +wheel, stopped by the log, was in contact with the arrow, the position and +nearness of the different beads to the arrow representing a certain number +of points. The player who first scored ten points won. It was a very +difficult game, and one had to be very skilful to win. + +Another popular game was what with more southern tribes is called "hands"; +it is like "Button, button, who's got the button?" Two small, oblong bones +were used, one of which had a black ring around it. Those who participated +in this game, numbering from two to a dozen, were divided into two equal +parties, ranged on either side of the lodge. Wagers were made, each person +betting with the one directly opposite him. Then a man took the bones, and, +by skilfully moving his hands and changing the objects from one to the +other, sought to make it impossible for the person opposite him to decide +which hand held the marked one. Ten points were the game, counted by +sticks, and the side which first got the number took the stakes. A song +always accompanied this game, a weird, unearthly air,--if it can be so +called,--but when heard at a little distance, very pleasant and +soothing. At first a scarcely audible murmur, like the gentle soughing of +an evening breeze, it gradually increased in volume and reached a very high +pitch, sank quickly to a low bass sound, rose and fell, and gradually died +away, to be again repeated. The person concealing the bones swayed his +body, arms, and hands in time to the air, and went through all manner of +graceful and intricate movements for the purpose of confusing the +guesser. The stakes were sometimes very high, two or three horses or more, +and men have been known to lose everything they possessed, even to their +clothing. + +The children, at least the boys, played about and did as they pleased. Not +so with the girls. Their duties began at a very early age. They carried +wood and water for their mothers, sewed moccasins, and as soon as they were +strong enough, were taught to tan robes and furs, make lodges, travois, and +do all other woman's--and so menial--work. The boys played at mimic +warfare, hunted around in the brush with their bows and arrows, made mud +images of animals, and in summer spent about half their time in the +water. In winter, they spun tops on the ice, slid down hill on a +contrivance made of buffalo ribs, and hunted rabbits. + +Shortly after noon, the hunters began to return, bringing in deer, +antelope, buffalo, elk, occasionally bear, and, sometimes, beaver which +they had trapped. The camp began to be more lively. In all directions +persons could be heard shouting out invitations to feasts. Here a man was +lying back on his couch singing and drumming; there a group of young men +were holding a war dance; everywhere the people were eating, singing, +talking, and joking. As the light faded from the western sky and darkness +spread over the camp, the noise and laughter increased. In many lodges, the +people held social dances, the women, dressed in their best gowns, ranged +on one side, the men on the other; all sung, and three or four drummers +furnished an accompaniment; the music was lively if somewhat jerky. At +intervals the people rose and danced, the "step" being a bending of the +knees and swinging of the body, the women holding their arms and hands in +various graceful positions. + +With the night came the rehearsal of the wondrous doings of the gods. These +tales may not be told in the daytime. Old Man would not like that, and +would cause any one who narrated them while it was light to become +blind. All Indians are natural orators, but some far exceed others in their +powers of expression. Their attitudes, gestures, and signs are so +suggestive that they alone would enable one to understand the stories they +relate. I have seen these story-tellers so much in earnest, so entirely +carried away by the tale they were relating, that they fairly trembled with +excitement. They held their little audiences spell-bound. The women +dropped their half-sewn moccasin from their listless hands, and the men let +the pipe go out. These stories for the most part were about the ancient +gods and their miraculous doings. They were generally related by the old +men, warriors who had seen their best days. Many of them are recorded in +this book. They are the explanations of the phenomena of life, and contain +many a moral for the instruction of youth. + +The _I-k[)u]n-[)u]h'-kah-tsi_ contributed not a little to the entertainment +of every-day life. Frequent dances were held by the different bands of the +society, and the whole camp always turned out to see them. The animal-head +masks, brightly painted bodies, and queer performances were dear to the +Indian heart. + +Such was the every-day life of the Blackfeet in the buffalo days. When the +camp moved, the women packed up their possessions, tore down the lodges, +and loaded everything on the backs of the ponies or on the +travois. Meantime the chiefs had started on, and the soldiers--the Brave +band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_--followed after them. After these leaders +had gone a short distance, a halt was made to allow the column to close +up. The women, children, horses, and dogs of the camp marched in a +disorderly, straggling fashion, often strung out in a line a mile or two +long. Many of the men rode at a considerable distance ahead, and on each +side of the marching column, hunting for any game that might be found, or +looking over the country for signs of enemies. + +Before the Blackfeet obtained horses in the very first years of the present +century, and when their only beasts of burden were dogs, their possessions +were transported by these animals or on men's backs. We may imagine that +in those days the journeys made were short ones, the camp travelling but a +few miles. + +In moving the camp in ancient days, the heaviest and bulkiest things to be +transported were the lodges. These were sometimes very large, often +consisting of thirty cow-skins, and, when set up, containing two or three +fires like this [Illustration:] or in ground plan like this +[Illustration:]. The skins of these large lodges were sewn together in +strips, of which there would be sometimes as many as four; and, when the +lodge was set up, these strips were pinned together as the front of a +common lodge is pinned to-day. The dogs carried the provisions, tools, and +utensils, sometimes the lodge strips, if these were small enough, or +anything that was heavy, and yet could be packed in small compass; for +since dogs are small animals, and low standing, they cannot carry bulky +burdens. Still, some of the dogs were large enough to carry a load of one +hundred pounds. Dogs also hauled the travois, on which were bundles and +sometimes babies. This was not always a safe means of transportation for +infants, as is indicated by an incident related by John Monroe's mother as +having occurred in her father's time. The camp, on foot of course, was +crossing a strip of open prairie lying between two pieces of timber, when a +herd of buffalo, stampeding, rushed through the marching column. The +loaded dogs rushed after the buffalo, dragging the travois after them and +scattering their loads over the prairie. Among the lost chattels were two +babies, dropped off somewhere in the long grass, which were never found. + +There were certain special customs and beliefs which were a part of the +every-day life of the people. + +In passing the pipe when smoking, it goes from the host, who takes the +first smoke, to the left, passing from hand to hand to the door. It may not +be passed across the door to the man on the other side, but must come +back,--no one smoking,--pass the host, and go round to the man across the +door from the last smoker. This man smokes and passes it to the one on his +left, and so it goes on until it reaches the host again. A person entering +a lodge where people are smoking must not pass in front of them, that is, +between the smokers and the fire. + +A solemn form of affirmation, the equivalent of the civilized oath, is +connected with smoking, which, as is well known, is with many tribes of +Indians a sacred ceremony. If a man sitting in a lodge tells his companions +some very improbable story, something that they find it very hard to +believe, and they want to test him, to see if he is really telling the +truth, the pipe is given to a medicine man, who paints the stem red and +prays over it, asking that if the man's story is true he may have long +life, but if it is false his life may end in a short time. The pipe is then +filled and lighted, and passed to the man, who has seen and overheard what +has been done and said. The medicine man says to him: "Accept this pipe, +but remember that, if you smoke, your story must be as sure as that there +is a hole through this pipe, and as straight as the hole through this +stem. So your life shall be long and you shall survive, but if you have +spoken falsely your days are counted." The man may refuse the pipe, saying, +"I have told you the truth; it is useless to smoke this pipe." If he +declines to smoke, no one believes what he has said; he is looked upon as +having lied. If, however, he takes the pipe and smokes, every one believes +him. It is the most solemn form of oath. The Blackfoot pipes are usually +made of black or green slate or sandstone. + +The Blackfeet do not whip their children, but still they are not without +some training. Children must be taught, or they will not know anything; if +they do not know anything, they will have no sense; and if they have no +sense they will not know how to act. They are instructed in manners, as +well as in other more general and more important matters. + +If a number of boys were in a lodge where older people were sitting, very +likely the young people would be talking and laughing about their own +concerns, and making so much noise that the elders could say nothing. If +this continued too long, one of the older men would be likely to get up and +go out and get a long stick and bring it in with him. When he had seated +himself, he would hold it up, so that the children could see it and would +repeat a cautionary formula, "I will give you gum!" This was a warning to +them to make less noise, and was always heeded--for a time. After a little, +however, the boys might forget and begin to chatter again, and presently +the man, without further warning, would reach over and rap one of them on +the head with the stick, when quiet would again be had for a time. + +In the same way, in winter, when the lodge was full of old and young +people, and through lack of attention the fire died down, some older person +would call out, "Look out for the skunk!" which would be a warning to the +boys to put some sticks on the fire. If this was not done at once, the man +who had called out might throw a stick of wood across the lodge into the +group of children, hitting and hurting one or more of them. It was taught +also that, if, when young and old were in the lodge and the fire had burned +low, an older person were to lay the unburned ends of the sticks upon the +fire, all the children in the lodge would have the scab, or itch. So, at +the call "Look out for the scab!" some child would always jump to the fire, +and lay up the sticks. + +There were various ways of teaching and training the children. Men would +make long speeches to groups of boys, playing in the camps, telling them +what they ought to do to be successful in life. They would point out to +them that to accomplish anything they must be brave and untiring in war; +that long life was not desirable; that the old people always had a hard +time, were given the worst side of the lodge and generally neglected; that +when the camp was moved they suffered from cold; that their sight was dim, +so that they could not see far; that their teeth were gone, so that they +could not chew their food. Only discomfort and misery await the old. Much +better, while the body is strong and in its prime, while the sight is +clear, the teeth sound, and the hair still black and long, to die in battle +fighting bravely. The example of successful warriors would be held up to +them, and the boys urged to emulate their brave deeds. To such advice some +boys would listen, while others would not heed it. + +The girls also were instructed. All Indians like to see women more or less +sober and serious-minded, not giggling all the time, not silly. A Blackfoot +man who had two or three girls would, as they grew large, often talk to +them and give them good advice. After watching them, and taking the measure +of their characters, he would one day get a buffalo's front foot and +ornament it fantastically with feathers. When the time came, he would call +one of his daughters to him and say to her: "Now I wish you to stand here +in front of me and look me straight in the eye without laughing. No matter +what I may do, do not laugh." Then he would sing a funny song, shaking the +foot in the girl's face in time to the song, and looking her steadily in +the eye. Very likely before he had finished, she would begin to giggle. If +she did this, the father would stop singing and tell her to finish +laughing; and when she was serious again, he would again warn her not to +laugh, and then would repeat his song. This time perhaps she would not +laugh while he was singing. He would go through with this same performance +before all his daughters. To such as seemed to have the steadiest +characters, he would give good advice. He would talk to each girl of the +duties of a woman's life and warn her against the dangers which she might +expect to meet. + +At the time of the Medicine Lodge, he would take her to the lodge and point +out to her the Medicine Lodge woman. He would say: "There is a good +woman. She has built this Medicine Lodge, and is greatly honored and +respected by all the people. Once she was a girl just like you; and you, if +you are good and live a pure life, may some day be as great as she is +now. Remember this, and try to live a worthy life." + +At the time of the Medicine Lodge, the boys in the camp also gathered to +see the young men count their _coups_. A man would get up, holding in one +hand a bundle of small sticks, and, taking one stick from the bundle, he +would recount some brave deed, throwing away a stick as he completed the +narrative of each _coup_, until the sticks were all gone, when he sat down, +and another man stood up to begin his recital. As the boys saw and heard +all this, and saw how respected those men were who had done the most and +bravest things, they said to themselves, "That man was once a boy like us, +and we, if we have strong hearts, may do as much as he has done." So even +the very small boys used often to steal off from the camp, and follow war +parties. Often they went without the knowledge of their parents, and poorly +provided, without food or extra moccasins. They would get to the enemy's +camp, watch the ways of the young men, and so learn about going to war, how +to act when on the war trail so as to be successful. Also they came to know +the country. + +The Blackfeet men often went off by themselves to fast and dream for +power. By no means every one did this, and, of those who attempted it, only +a few endured to the end,--that is, fasted the whole four days,--and +obtained the help sought. The attempt was not usually made by young boys +before they had gone on their first war journey. It was often undertaken by +men who were quite mature. Those who underwent this suffering were obliged +to abstain from food or drink for four days and four nights, resting for +two nights on the right side, and for two nights on the left. It was deemed +essential that the place to which a man resorted for this purpose should be +unfrequented, where few or no persons had walked; and it must also be a +place that tried the nerve, where there was some danger. Such situations +were mountain peaks; or narrow ledges on cut cliffs, where a careless +movement might cause a man to fall to his death on the rocks below; or +islands in lakes, which could only be reached by means of a raft, and where +there was danger that a person might be seized and carried off by the +_S[=u]'-y[=e] t[)u]p'-pi_, or Under Water People; or places where the dead +had been buried, and where there was much danger from ghosts. Or a man +might lie in a well-worn buffalo trail, where the animals were frequently +passing, and so he might be trodden on by a travelling band of buffalo; or +he might choose a locality where bears were abundant and dangerous. +Wherever he went, the man built himself a little lodge of brush, moss, and +leaves, to keep off the rain; and, after making his prayers to the sun and +singing his sacred songs, he crept into the hut and began his fast. He was +not allowed to take any covering with him, nor to roof over his shelter +with skins. He always had with him a pipe, and this lay by him, filled, so +that, when the spirit, or dream, came, it could smoke. They did not appeal +to any special class of helpers, but prayed to all alike. Often by the end +of the fourth day, a secret helper--usually, but by no means always, in the +form of some animal--appeared to the man in a dream, and talked with him, +advising him, marking out his course through life, and giving him its +power. There were some, however, on whom the power would not work, and a +much greater number who gave up the fast, discouraged, before the +prescribed time had been completed, either not being able to endure the +lack of food and water, or being frightened by the strangeness or +loneliness of their surroundings, or by something that they thought they +saw or heard. It was no disgrace to fail, nor was the failure necessarily +known, for the seeker after power did not always, nor perhaps often, tell +any one what he was going to do. + +Three modes of burial were practised by the Blackfeet. They buried their +dead on platforms placed in trees, on platforms in lodges, and on the +ground in lodges. If a man dies in a lodge, it is never used again. The +people would be afraid of the man's ghost. The lodge is often used to wrap +the body in, or perhaps the man may be buried in it. + +As soon as a person is dead, be it man, woman, or child, the body is +immediately prepared for burial, by the nearest female relations. Until +recently, the corpse was wrapped in a number of robes, then in a lodge +covering, laced with rawhide ropes, and placed on a platform of lodge +poles, arranged on the branches of some convenient tree. Some times the +outer wrapping--the lodge covering--was omitted. If the deceased was a man, +his weapons, and often his medicine, were buried with him. With women a few +cooking utensils and implements for tanning robes were placed on the +scaffolds. When a man was buried on a platform in a lodge, the platform was +usually suspended from the lodge poles. + +Sometimes, when a great chief or noted warrior died, his lodge would be +moved some little distance from the camp, and set up in a patch of +brush. It would be carefully pegged down all around, and stones piled on +the edges to make it additionally firm. For still greater security, a rope +fastened to the lodge poles, where they come together at the smoke hole, +came down, and was securely tied to a peg in the ground in the centre of +the lodge, where the fireplace would ordinarily be. Then the beds were made +up all around the lodge, and on one of them was placed the corpse, lying as +if asleep. The man's weapons, pipe, war clothing, and medicine were placed +near him, and the door then closed. No one ever again entered such a +lodge. Outside the lodge, a number of his horses, often twenty or more, +were killed, so that he might have plenty to ride on his journey to the Sand +Hills, and to use after arriving there. If a man had a favorite horse, he +might order it to be killed at his grave, and his order was always carried +out. In ancient times, it is said, dogs were killed at the grave. + +Women mourn for deceased relations by cutting their hair short. For the +loss of a husband or son (but not a daughter), they not only cut their +hair, but often take off one or more joints of their fingers, and always +scarify the calves of their legs. Besides this, for a month or so, they +daily repair to some place near camp, generally a hill or little rise of +ground, and there cry and lament, calling the name of the deceased over and +over again. This may be called a chant or song, for there is a certain tune +to it. It is in a minor key and very doleful. Any one hearing it for the +first time, even though wholly unacquainted with Indian customs, would at +once know that it was a mourning song, or at least was the utterance of one +in deep distress. There is no fixed period for the length of time one must +mourn. Some keep up this daily lament for a few weeks only, and others much +longer. I once came across an old wrinkled woman, who was crouched in the +sage brush, crying and lamenting for some one, as if her heart would +break. On inquiring if any one had lately died, I was told she was mourning +for a son she had lost more than twenty years before. + +Men mourn by cutting a little of their hair, going without leggings, and +for the loss of a son, sometimes scarify their legs. This last, however, is +never done for the loss of a wife, daughter, or any relative except a son. + +Many Blackfeet change their names every season. Whenever a Blackfoot counts +a new _coup_, he is entitled to a new name. A Blackfoot will never tell his +name if he can avoid it. He believes that if he should speak his name, he +would be unfortunate in all his undertakings. It was considered a gross +breach of propriety for a man to meet his mother-in-law, and if by any +mischance he did so, or what was worse, if he spoke to her, she demanded a +very heavy payment, which he was obliged to make. The mother-in-law was +equally anxious to avoid meeting or speaking to her son-in-law. + + + +HOW THE BLACKFOOT LIVED + + +The primitive clothing of the Blackfeet was made of the dressed skins of +certain animals. Women seldom wore a head covering. Men, however, in winter +generally used a cap made of the skin of some small animal, such as the +antelope, wolf, badger, or coyote. As the skin from the head of these +animals often formed part of the cap, the ears being left on, it made a +very odd-looking head-dress. Sometimes a cap was made of the skin of some +large bird, such as the sage-hen, duck, owl, or swan. + +The ancient dress of the women was a shirt of cowskin, with long sleeves +tied at the wrist, a skirt reaching half-way from knees to ankles, and +leggings tied above the knees, with sometimes a supporting string running +from the belt to the leggings. In more modern times, this was modified, and +a woman's dress consisted of a gown or smock, reaching from the neck to +below the knees. There were no sleeves, the armholes being provided with +top coverings, a sort of cape or flap, which reached to the +elbows. Leggings were of course still worn. They reached to the knee, and +were generally made, as was the gown, of the tanned skins of elk, deer, +sheep, or antelope. Moccasins for winter use were made of buffalo robe, and +of tanned buffalo cowskin for summer wear. The latter were always made with +parfleche soles, which greatly increased their durability, and were often +ornamented over the instep or toes with a three-pronged figure, worked in +porcupine quills or beads, the three prongs representing, it is said, the +three divisions or tribes of the nation. The men wore a shirt, breech-clout, +leggings which reached to the thighs, and moccasins. In winter both men and +women wore a robe of tanned buffalo skin, and sometimes of beaver. In +summer a lighter robe was worn, made of cowskin or buckskin, from which the +hair had been removed. Both sexes wore belts, which supported and confined +the clothing, and to which were attached knife-sheaths and other useful +articles. + +Necklaces and ear-rings were worn by all, and were made of shells, bone, +wood, and the teeth and claws of animals. Elk tushes were highly prized, +and were used for ornamenting women's dresses. A gown profusely decorated +with them was worth two good horses. Eagle feathers were used by the men to +make head-dresses and to ornament shields and also weapons. Small bunches +of owl or grouse feathers were sometimes tied to the scalp locks. It is +doubtful if the women ever took particular care of their hair. The men, +however, spent a great deal of time brushing, braiding, and ornamenting +their scalp locks. Their hair was usually worn in two braids, one on each +side of the head. Less frequently, four braids were made, one behind and in +front of each ear. Sometimes, the hair of the forehead was cut off square, +and brushed straight up; and not infrequently it was made into a huge +topknot and wound with otter fur. Often a slender lock, wound with brass +wire or braided, hung down from one side of the forehead over the face. + +As a rule, the men are tall, straight, and well formed. Their features are +regular, the eyes being large and well set, and the nose generally +moderately large, straight, and thin. Their chests are splendidly +developed. The women are quite tall for their sex, but, as a rule, not so +good-looking as the men. Their hands are large, coarse, and knotted by hard +labor; and they early become wrinkled and careworn. They generally have +splendid constitutions. I have known them to resume work a day after +childbirth; and once, when travelling, I knew a woman to halt, give birth to +a child, and catch up with the camp inside of four hours. + +As a rule, children are hardy and vigorous. They are allowed to do about as +they please from the time they are able to walk. I have often seen them +playing in winter in the snow, and spinning tops on the ice, barefooted and +half-naked. Under such conditions, those which have feeble constitutions +soon die. Only the hardiest reach maturity and old age. + +It is said that very long ago the people made houses of mud, sticks, and +stones. It is not known what was their size or shape, and no traces of them +are known to have been found. For a very long time, the lodge seems to have +been their only dwelling. In ancient times, before they had knives of +metal, stones were used to hold down the edges of the lodge, to keep it +from being blown away. These varied in size from six inches to a foot or +more in diameter. Everywhere on the prairie, one may now see circles of +these stones, and, within these circles, the smaller ones, which surrounded +the fireplace. Some of them have lain so long that only the tops now +project above the turf, and undoubtedly many of them are buried out of +sight. + +Lodges were always made of tanned cowskin, nicely cut and sewn together, so +as to form an almost perfect cone. At the top were two large flaps, called +ears, which were kept extended or closed, according to the direction and +strength of the wind, to create a draft and keep the lodge free from +smoke. The lodge covering was supported by light, straight pine or spruce +poles, about eighteen of which were required. Twelve cowskins made a lodge +about fourteen feet in diameter at the base, and ten feet high. I have +heard of a modern one which contained forty skins. It was over thirty feet +in diameter, and was so heavy that the skins were sewn in two pieces which +buttoned together. + +An average-sized dwelling of this kind contained eighteen skins and was +about sixteen feet in diameter. The lower edge of the lodge proper was +fastened, by wooden pegs, to within an inch or two of the ground. Inside, a +lining, made of brightly painted cowskin, reached from the ground to a +height of five or six feet. An air space of the thickness of the lodge +poles--two or three inches--was thus left between the lining and the lodge +covering, and the cold air, rushing up through it from the outside, made a +draft, which aided the ears in freeing the lodge of smoke. The door was +three or four feet high and was covered by a flap of skin, which hung down +on the outside. Thus made, with plenty of buffalo robes for seats and +bedding, and a good stock of firewood, a lodge was very comfortable, even +in the coldest weather. + +It was not uncommon to decorate the outside of the lodge with buffalo tails +and brightly painted pictures of animals. Inside, the space around was +partitioned off into couches, or seats, each about six feet in length. At +the foot and head of every couch, a mat, made of straight, peeled willow +twigs, fastened side by side, was suspended on a tripod at an angle of +forty-five degrees, so that between the couches spaces were left like an +inverted V, making convenient places to store articles which were not in +use. The owner of the lodge always occupied the seat or couch at the back +of the lodge, directly opposite the door-way, the places on his right being +occupied by his wives and daughters; though sometimes a Blackfoot had so +many wives that they occupied the whole lodge. The places on his left were +reserved for his sons and visitors. When a visitor entered a lodge, he was +assigned a seat according to his rank,--the nearer to the host, the greater +the honor. + +Bows were generally made of ash wood, which grows east of the mountains +toward the Sand Hills. When for any reason they could not obtain ash, they +used the wood of the choke-cherry tree, but this had not strength nor +spring enough to be of much service. I have been told also that sometimes +they used hazle wood for bows. + +Arrows were made of shoots of the sarvis berry wood, which was straight, +very heavy, and not brittle. They were smoothed and straightened by a stone +implement. The grooves were made by pushing the shafts through a rib or +other flat bone in which had been made a hole, circular except for one or +two projections on the inside. These projections worked out the groove. The +object of these grooves is said to have been to allow the blood to flow +freely. Each man marked his arrows by painting them, or by some special +combination of colored feathers. The arrow heads were of two kinds,--barbed +slender points for war, and barbless for hunting. Knives were originally +made of stone, as were also war clubs, mauls, and some of the scrapers for +fleshing and graining hides. Some of the flint knives were long, others +short. A stick was fitted to them, forming a wooden handle. The handles of +mauls and war clubs were usually made of green sticks fitted as closely as +possible into a groove made in the stone, the whole being bound together by +a covering of hide put on green, tightly fitted and strongly sewed. This, +as it shrunk in drying, bound the different parts of the implement together +in the strongest possible manner. Short, heavy spears were used, the points +being of stone or bone, barbed. + +I have heard no explanation among the Blackfeet of the origin of fire. In +ancient times, it was obtained by means of fire sticks, as described +elsewhere. The starting of the spark with these sticks is said to have been +hard work. At almost their first meeting with the whites, they obtained +flints and steels, and learned how to use them. + +In ancient times,--in the days of fire sticks and even later, within the +memory of men now living,--fire used to be carried from place to place in a +"fire horn." This was a buffalo horn slung by a string over the shoulder +like a powderhorn. The horn was lined with moist, rotten wood, and the open +end had a wooden stopper or plug fitted to it. On leaving camp in the +morning, the man who carried the horn took from the fire a small live coal +and put it in the horn, and on this coal placed a piece of punk, and then +plugged up the horn with the stopper. The punk smouldered in this almost +air-tight chamber, and, in the course of two or three hours, the man looked +at it, and if it was nearly consumed, put another piece of punk in the +horn. The first young men who reached the appointed camping ground would +gather two or three large piles of wood in different places, and as soon as +some one who carried a fire horn reached camp, he turned out his spark at +one of these piles of wood, and a little blowing and nursing gave a blaze +which started the fire. The other fires were kindled from this first one, +and when the women reached camp and had put the lodges up, they went to +these fires, and got coals with which to start those in their lodges. This +custom of borrowing coals persisted up to the last days of the buffalo, and +indeed may even be noticed still. + +The punk here mentioned is a fungus, which grows on the birch tree. The +Indians used to gather this in large quantities and dry it. It was very +abundant at the Touchwood Hills (whence the name) on Beaver Creek, a +tributary of the Saskatchewan from the south. + +The Blackfeet made buckets, cups, basins, and dishes from the lining of the +buffalo's paunch. This was torn off in large pieces, and was stretched over +a flattened willow or cherry hoop at the bottom and top. These hoops were +sometimes inside and sometimes outside the bucket or dish. In the latter +case, the hoop at the bottom was often sewed to the paunch, which came down +over it, double on the outside, the needle holes being pitched with gum or +tallow. The hoop at the upper edge was also sewed to the paunch, and a +rawhide bail passed under it, to carry it by. These buckets were shaped +somewhat like our wooden ones, and were of different sizes, some of them +holding four or five gallons. They were more or less flexible, and when +carried in a pack, they could be flattened down like a crush hat, and so +took up but little room. If set on the ground when full, they would stand +up for a while, but as they soon softened and fell down, they were usually +hung up by the bail on a little tripod. Cups were made in the same way as +buckets, but on a smaller scale and without the bail. Of course, nothing +hot could be placed in these vessels. + +It is doubtful if the Blackfeet ever made any pottery or basket ware. They, +however, made bowls and kettles of stone. There is an ancient children's +song which consists of a series of questions asked an elk, and its replies +to the same. In one place, the questioner sings, "Elk, what is your bowl +(or dish)?" and the elk answers, "_Ok-wi-tok-so-ka_," stone bowl. On this +point, Wolf Calf, a very old man, states that in early days the Blackfeet +sometimes boiled their meat in a stone bowl made out of a hard clayey +rock.[1] Choosing a fragment of the right size and shape, they would pound +it with another heavier rock, dealing light blows until a hollow had been +made in the top. This hollow was made deeper by pounding and grinding; and +when it was deep enough, they put water in it, and set it on the fire, and +the water would boil. These pots were strong and would last a long time. I +do not remember that any other tribe of Plains Indians made such stone +bowls or mortars, though, of course, they were commonly made, and in +singular perfection, by the Pacific Coast tribes; and I have known of rare +cases in which basalt mortars and small soapstone ollas have been found on +the central plateau of the continent in southern Wyoming. These articles, +however, had no doubt been obtained by trade from Western tribes. + +[Footnote 1: See The Blackfoot Genesis, p. 141.] + +Serviceable ladles and spoons were made of wood and of buffalo and mountain +sheep horn. Basins or flat dishes were sometimes made of mountain sheep +horn, boiled, split, and flattened, and also of split buffalo horn, fitted +and sewn together with sinew, making a flaring, saucer-shaped dish. These +were used as plates or eating dishes. Of course, they leaked a little, for +the joints were not tight. Wooden bowls and dishes were made from knots and +protuberances of trees, dug out and smoothed by fire and the knife or by +the latter alone. + +It is not known that these people ever made spears, hooks, or other +implements for capturing fish. They appear never to have used boats of any +kind, not even "bull boats." Their highest idea of navigation was to lash +together a few sticks or logs, on which to transport their possessions +across a river. + +Red, brown, yellow, and white paints were made by burning clays of these +colors, which were then pulverized and mixed with a little grease. Black +paint was made of charred wood. + +Bags and sacks were made of parfleche, usually ornamented with buckskin +fringe, and painted with various designs in bright colors. Figures having +sharp angles are most common. + +The diet of the Blackfeet was more varied than one would think. Large +quantities of sarvis berries (_Amelanchier alnifolia_) were gathered +whenever there was a crop (which occurs every other year), dried, and +stored for future use. These were gathered by women, who collected the +branches laden with ripe fruit, and beat them over a robe spread upon the +ground. Choke-cherries were also gathered when ripe, and pounded up, stones +and all. A bushel of the fruit, after being pounded up and dried, was +reduced to a very small quantity. This food was sometimes eaten by itself, +but more often was used to flavor soups and to mix with pemmican. Bull +berries (_Shepherdia argentea_) were a favorite fruit, and were gathered in +large quantities, as was also the white berry of the red willow. This last +is an exceedingly bitter, acrid fruit, and to the taste of most white men +wholly unpleasant and repugnant. The Blackfeet, however, are very fond of +it; perhaps because it contains some property necessary to the nourishment +of the body, which is lacking in their every-day food. + +The camas root, which grows abundantly in certain localities on the east +slope of the Rockies, was also dug, cooked, and dried. The bulbs were +roasted in pits, as by the Indians on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, +the Kalispels, and others. It is gathered while in the bloom--June 15 to +July 15. A large pit is dug in which a hot fire is built, the bottom being +first lined with flat stones. After keeping up this fire for several hours, +until the stones and earth are thoroughly heated, the coals and ashes are +removed. The pit is then lined with grass, and is filled almost to the top +with camas bulbs. Over these, grass is laid, then twigs, and then earth to +a depth of four inches. On this a fire is built, which is kept up for from +one to three days, according to the quantity of the bulbs in the pit. + +When the pit is opened, the small children gather about it to suck the +syrup, which has collected on the twigs and grass, and which is very +sweet. The fresh-roasted camas tastes something like a roasted chestnut, +with a little of the flavor of the sweet potato. After being cooked, the +roots are spread out in the sun to dry, and are then put in sacks to be +stored away. Sometimes a few are pounded up with sarvis berries, and dried. + +Bitter-root is gathered, dried, and boiled with a little sugar. It is a +slender root, an inch or two long and as thick as a goose quill, white in +color, and looking like short lengths of spaghetti. It is very starchy. + +In the spring, a certain root called _mats_ was eaten in great +quantities. This plant was known to the early French employees of the +Hudson's Bay and American Fur Companies as _pomme blanche (Psoralea +esculenta)_. + +All parts of such animals as the buffalo, elk, deer, etc., were eaten, save +only the lungs, gall, and one or two other organs. A favorite way of eating +the paunch or stomach was in the raw state. Liver, too, was sometimes eaten +raw. The unborn calf of a fresh-killed animal, especially buffalo, was +considered a great delicacy. The meat of this, when boiled, is white, +tasteless, and insipid. The small intestines of the buffalo were sometimes +dried, but more often were stuffed with long, thin strips of meat. During +the stuffing process, the entrail was turned inside out, thus confining +with the meat the sweet white fat that covers the intestine. The next step +was to roast it a little, after which the ends were tied to prevent the +escape of the juices, and it was thoroughly boiled in water. This is a very +great delicacy, and when properly prepared is equally appreciated by whites +and Indians. + +As a rule, there were but two ways of cooking meat,--boiling and +roasting. If roasted, it was thoroughly cooked; but if boiled, it was only +left in the water long enough to lose the red color, say five or ten +minutes. Before they got kettles from the whites, the Blackfeet often +boiled meat in a green hide. A hole was dug in the ground, and the skin, +flesh side up, was laid in it, being supported about the edges of the hole +by pegs. The meat and water having been placed in this hollow, red-hot +stones were dropped in the water until it became hot and the meat was +cooked. + +In time of plenty, great quantities of dried meat were prepared for use +when fresh meat could not be obtained. In making dried meat, the thicker +parts of an animal were cut in large, thin sheets and hung in the sun to +dry. If the weather was not fine, the meat was often hung up on lines or +scaffolds in the upper part of the lodge. When properly cured and if of +good quality, the sheets were about one-fourth of an inch thick and very +brittle. The back fat of the buffalo was also dried, and eaten with the +meat as we eat butter with bread. Pemmican was made of the flesh of the +buffalo. The meat was dried in the usual way; and, for this use, only lean +meat, such as the hams, loin, and shoulders, was chosen. When the time came +for making the pemmican, two large fires were built of dry quaking aspen +wood, and these were allowed to burn down to red coals. The old women +brought the dried meat to these fires, and the sheets of meat were thrown +on the coals of one of them, allowed to heat through, turned to keep them +from burning, and then thrown on the flesh side of a dry hide, that lay on +the ground near by. After a time, the roasting of this dried meat caused a +smoke to rise from the fire in use, which gave the meat a bitter taste, if +cooked in it. They then turned to the other fire, and used that until the +first one had burned clear again. After enough of the roasted meat had been +thrown on the hide, it was flailed out with sticks, and being very brittle +was easily broken up, and made small. It was constantly stirred and pounded +until it was all fine. Meantime, the tallow of the buffalo had been melted +in a large kettle, and the pemmican bags prepared. These were made of +bull's hide, and were in two pieces, cut oblong, and with the corners +rounded off. Two such pieces sewed together made a bag which would hold one +hundred pounds. The pounded meat and tallow--the latter just beginning to +cool--were put in a trough made of bull's hide, a wooden spade being used +to stir the mixture. After it was thoroughly mixed, it was shovelled into +one of the sacks, held open, and rammed down and packed tight with a big +stick, every effort being made to expel all the air. When the bag was full +and packed as tight as possible, it was sewn up. It was then put on the +ground, and the women jumped on it to make it still more tight and +solid. It was then laid away in the sun to cool and dry. It usually took +the meat of two cows to make a bag of one hundred pounds; a very large bull +might make a sack of from eighty to one hundred pounds. + +A much finer grade of pemmican was made from the choicest parts of the +buffalo with marrow fat. To this dried berries and pounded choke-cherries +were added, making a delicious food, which was extremely +nutritious. Pemmican was eaten either dry as it came from the sack, or +stewed with water. + +In the spring, the people had great feasts of the eggs of ducks and other +water-fowl. A large quantity having been gathered, a hole was dug in the +ground, and a little water put in it. At short intervals above the water, +platforms of sticks were built, on which the eggs were laid. A smaller hole +was dug at one side of the large hole, slanting into the bottom of it. When +all was ready, the top of the larger hole was covered with mud, laid upon +cross sticks, and red-hot stones were dropped into the slant, when they +rolled down into the water, heating it, and so cooking the eggs by steam. + +Fish were seldom eaten by these people in early days, but now they seem +very fond of them. Turtles, frogs, and lizards are considered creatures of +evil, and are never eaten. Dogs, considered a great delicacy by the Crees, +Gros Ventres, Sioux, Assinaboines, and other surrounding tribes, were never +eaten by the Blackfeet. No religious motive is assigned for this +abstinence. I once heard a Piegan say that it was wrong to eat dogs. "They +are our true friends," he said. "Men say they are our friends and then turn +against us, but our dogs are always true. They mourn when we are absent, +and are always glad when we return. They keep watch for us in the night +when we sleep. So pity the poor dogs." + +Snakes, grasshoppers, worms, and other insects were never eaten. Salt was +an unknown condiment. Many are now very fond of it, but I know a number, +especially old people, who never eat it. + + + +SOCIAL ORGANIZATION + + +The social organization of the Blackfeet is very simple. The three tribes +acknowledged a blood relationship with each other, and, while distinct, +still considered themselves a nation. In this confederation, it was +understood that there should be no war against each other. However, between +1860 and 1870, when the whiskey trade was in its height, the three tribes +were several times at swords' points on account of drunken brawls. Once, +about sixty or seventy years ago, the Bloods and Piegans had a quarrel so +serious that men were killed on both sides and horses stolen; yet this was +hardly a real war, for only a part of each tribe was involved, and the +trouble was not of long duration. + +Each one of the Blackfoot tribes is subdivided into gentes, a gens being a +body of consanguineal kindred in the male line. It is noteworthy that the +Blackfeet, although Algonquins, have this system of subdivision, and it may +be that among them the gentes are of comparatively recent date. No special +duties are assigned to any one gens, nor has any gens, so far as I know, +any special "medicine" or "totem." + +Below is a list of the gentes of each tribe. + + + BLACKFEET _(Sik'-si-kau)_ + +Gentes: + +_Puh-ksi-nah'-mah-yiks_ Flat Bows. + +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ Many Medicines. + +_Siks-in'-o-kaks_ Black Elks. + +_E'-mi-tah-pahk-sai-yiks_ Dogs Naked. + +_Sa'-yiks_ Liars. + +_Ai-sik'-stuk-iks_ Biters. + +_Tsin-ik-tsis'-tso-yiks_ Early Finished Eating. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + + +BLOODS (_Kai'-nah_) + +_Siksin'-o-kaks_ Black Elks. + +_Ah-kwo'-nis-tsists_ Many Lodge Poles. + +_Ap-ut'-o-si'kai-nah_ North Bloods. + +_Is-ts'-kai-nah_ Woods Bloods. + +_In-uhk!-so-yi-stam-iks_ Long Tail Lodge Poles. + +_Nit'-ik-skiks_ Lone Fighters. + +_Siks-ah'-pun-iks_ Blackblood. + +_Ah-kaik'-sum-iks_ + +_I-sis'-o-kas-im-iks_ Hair Shirts. + +_Ak-kai'-po-kaks_ Many Children. + +_Sak-si-nah'-mah-yiks_ Short Bows. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + +_Ahk-o'-tash-iks_ Many Horses. + + +PIEGANS _(Pi-kun'-i)_ + +_Ah'-pai-tup-iks_ Blood People. + +_Ah-kai-yi-ko-ka'-kin-iks_ White Breasts. + +_Ki'yis_ Dried Meat. + +_Sik-ut'-si-pum-aiks_ Black Patched Moccasins. + +_Sik-o-pok'-si-maiks_ Blackfat Roasters. + +_Tsin-ik-sis'-tso-yiks_ Early Finished Eating. + +_Kut'-ai-im-iks_ They Don't Laugh. + +_I'-pok-si-maiks_ Fat Roasters. + +_Sik'-o-kit-sim-iks_ Black Doors. + +_Ni-taw'-yiks_ Lone Eaters. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + +_Mi-ah-wah'-pit-siks_ Seldom Lonesome. + +_Nit'-ak-os-kit-si-pup-iks_ Obstinate. + +_Nit'-ik-skiks_ Lone Fighters. + +_I-nuks'-iks_ Small Robes. + +_Mi-aw'-kin-ai-yiks_ Big Topknots. + +_Esk'-sin-ai-tup-iks_ Worm People. + +_I-nuk-si'-kah-ko-pwa-iks_ Small Brittle Fat. + +_Kah'-mi-taiks_ Buffalo Dung. + +_Kut-ai-sot'-si-man_ No Parfleche. + +_Ni-tot'-si-ksis-stan-iks_ Kill Close By. + +_Mo-twai'-naiks_ All Chiefs. + +_Mo-kum'-iks_ Red Round Robes. + +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ Many Medicines. + + +It will be readily seen from the translations of the above that each gens +takes its name from some peculiarity or habit it is supposed to possess. It +will also be noticed that each tribe has a few gentes common to one or both +of the other tribes. This is caused by persons leaving their own tribe to +live with another one, but, instead of uniting with some gens of the +adopted tribe, they have preserved the name of their ancestral gens for +themselves and their descendants. + +The Blackfoot terms of relationship will be found interesting. The +principal family names are as follows:-- + + +My father _Ni'-nah._ + +My mother _Ni-kis'-ta._ + +My elder brother _Nis'-ah_ + +My younger brother _Nis-kun'._ + +My older sister _Nin'-sta._ + +My younger sister _Ni-sis'-ah._ + +My uncle _Nis'-ah._ + +My aunt _Ni-kis'-ta._ + +My cousin, male Same as brother. + +My cousin, female Same as sister. + +My grandfather _Na-ahks'._ + +My grandmother _Na-ahks'._ + +My father-in-law _Na-ahks'._ + +My mother-in-law _Na-ahks'._ + +My son _No-ko'-i._ + +My daughter _Ni-tun'._ + +My son-in-law _Nis'-ah._ + +My daughter-in-law _Ni-tot'-o-ke-man._ + +My brother-in-law older than self _Nis-tum-o'._ + +My brother-in-law younger than self _Nis-tum-o'-kun._ + +My sister-in-law _Ni-tot'-o-ke-man._ + +My second cousin _Nimp'-sa._ + +My wife _Nit-o-ke'-man._ + +My husband _No'-ma._ + + +As the members of a gens were all considered as relatives, however remote, +there was a law prohibiting a man from marrying within his gens. Originally +this law was strictly enforced, but like many of the ancient customs it is +no longer observed. Lately, within the last forty or fifty years, it has +become not uncommon for a man and his family, or even two or three +families, on account of some quarrel or some personal dislike of the chief +of their own gens, to leave it and join another band. Thus the gentes often +received outsiders, who were not related by blood to the gens; and such +people or their descendants could marry within the gens. Ancestry became no +longer necessary to membership. + +As a rule, before a young man could marry, he was required to have made +some successful expeditions to war against the enemy, thereby proving +himself a brave man, and at the same time acquiring a number of horses and +other property, which would enable him to buy the woman of his choice, and +afterwards to support her. + +Marriages usually took place at the instance of the parents, though often +those of the young man were prompted by him. Sometimes the father of the +girl, if he desired to have a particular man for a son-in-law, would +propose to the father of the latter for the young man as a husband for his +daughter. + +The marriage in the old days was arranged after this wise: The chief of one +of the bands may have a marriageable daughter, and he may know of a young +man, the son of a chief of another band, who is a brave warrior, of good +character, sober-minded, steadfast, and trustworthy, who he thinks will +make a good husband for his daughter and a good son-in-law. After he has +made up his mind about this, he is very likely to call in a few of his +close relations, the principal men among them, and state to them his +conclusions, so as to get their opinions about it. If nothing is said to +change his mind, he sends to the father of the boy a messenger to state his +own views, and ask how the father feels about the matter. + +On receiving this word, the boy's father probably calls together his close +relations, discusses the matter with them, and, if the match is +satisfactory to him, sends back word to that effect. When this message is +received, the relations of the girl proceed to fit her out with the very +best that they can provide. If she is the daughter of well-to-do or wealthy +people, she already has many of the things that are needed, but what she +may lack is soon supplied. Her mother makes her a new cowskin lodge, +complete, with new lodge poles, lining, and back rests. A chiefs daughter +would already have plenty of good clothing, but if the girl lacks anything, +it is furnished. Her dress is made of antelope skin, white as snow, and +perhaps ornamented with two or three hundred elk tushes. Her leggings are +of deer skin, heavily beaded and nicely fringed, and often adorned with +bells and brass buttons. Her summer blanket or sheet is an elk skin, well +tanned, without the hair and with the dew-claws left on. Her moccasins are +of deer skin, with parfleche soles and worked with porcupine quills. The +marriage takes place as soon as these things can be provided. + +During the days which intervene between the proposal and the marriage, the +young woman each day selects the choicest parts of the meat brought to the +lodge,--the tongue, "boss ribs," some choice berry pemmican or what +not,--cooks these things in the best style, and, either alone, or in +company with a young sister, or a young friend, goes over to the lodge +where the young man lives, and places the food before him. He eats some of +it, little or much, and if he leaves anything, the girl offers it to his +mother, who may eat of it. Then the girl takes the dishes and returns to +her father's lodge. In this way she provides him with three meals a day, +morning, noon, and night, until the marriage takes place. Every one in camp +who sees the girl carrying the food in a covered dish to the young man's +lodge, knows that a marriage is to take place; and the girl is watched by +idle persons as she passes to and fro, so that the task is quite a trying +one for people as shy and bashful as Indians are. When the time for the +marriage has come,--in other words, when the girl's parents are ready,--the +girl, her mother assisting her, packs the new lodge and her own things on +the horses, and moves out into the middle of the circle--about which all +the lodges of the tribe are arranged--and there the new lodge is unpacked +and set up. In front of the lodge are tied, let us say, fifteen horses, the +girl's dowry given by her father. Very likely, too, the father has sent +over to the young man his own war clothing and arms, a lance, a fine +shield, a bow and arrows in otter-skin case, his war bonnet, war shirt, and +war leggings ornamented with scalps,--his complete equipment. This is set +up on a tripod in front of the lodge. The gift of these things is an +evidence of the great respect felt by the girl's father for his +son-in-law. As soon as the young man has seen the preparations being made +for setting up the girl's lodge in the centre of the circle, he sends over +to his father-in-law's lodge just twice the number of horses that the girl +brought with her,--in this supposed case, thirty. + +As soon as this lodge is set up, and the girl's mother has taken her +departure and gone back to her own lodge, the young man, who, until he saw +these preparations, had no knowledge of when the marriage was to take +place, leaves his father's lodge, and, going over to the newly erected one, +enters and takes his place at the back of it. Probably during the day he +will order his wife to take down the lodge, and either move away from the +camp, or at least move into the circle of lodges; for he will not want to +remain with his young wife in the most conspicuous place in the camp. +Often, on the same day, he will send for six or eight of his friends, and, +after feasting them, will announce his intention of going to war, and will +start off the same night. If he does so, and is successful, returning with +horses or scalps, or both, he at once, on arrival at the camp, proceeds to +his father-in-law's lodge and leaves there everything he has brought back, +returning to his own lodge on foot, as poor as he left it. + +We have supposed the proposal in this case to come from the father of the +girl, but if a boy desires a particular girl for his wife, the proposal +will come from his father; otherwise matters are managed in the same way. + +This ceremony of moving into the middle of the circle was only performed in +the case of important people. The custom was observed in what might be +called a fashionable wedding among the Blackfeet. Poorer, less important +people married more quietly. If the girl had reached marriageable age +without having been asked for as a wife, she might tell her mother that she +would like to marry a certain young man, that he was a man she could love +and respect. The mother communicates this to the father of the girl, who +invites the young man to the lodge to a feast, and proposes the match. The +young man returns no answer at the time, but, going back to his father's +lodge, tells him of the offer, and expresses his feelings about it. If he +is inclined to accept, the relations are summoned, and the matter talked +over. A favorable answer being returned, a certain number of horses--what +the young man or his father, or both together, can spare--are sent over to +the girl's father. They send as many as they can, for the more they send, +the more they are thought of and looked up to. The girl, unless her parents +are very poor, has her outfit, a saddle horse and pack horse with saddle +and pack saddle, parfleches, etc. If the people are very poor, she may +have only a riding horse. Her relations get together, and do all in their +power to give her a good fitting out, and the father, if he can possibly do +so, is sure to pay them back what they have given. If he cannot do so, the +things are still presented; for, in the case of a marriage, the relations +on both sides are anxious to do all that they can to give the young people +a good start in life. When all is ready, the girl goes to the lodge where +her husband lives, and goes in. If this lodge is too crowded to receive the +couple, the young man will make arrangements for space in the lodge of a +brother, cousin, or uncle, where there is more room. These are all his +close relations, and he is welcome in any of their lodges, and has rights +there. + +Sometimes, if two young people are fond of each other, and there is no +prospect of their being married, they may take riding horses and a pack +horse, and elope at night, going to some other camp for a while. This makes +the girl's father angry, for he feels that he has been defrauded of his +payments. The young man knows that his father-in-law bears him a grudge, +and if he afterwards goes to war and is successful, returning with six or +seven horses, he will send them all to the camp where his father-in-law +lives, to be tied in front of his lodge. This at once heals the breach, and +the couple may return. Even if he has not been successful in war and +brought horses, which of course he does not always accomplish, he from time +to time sends the old man a present, the best he can. Notwithstanding these +efforts at conciliation, the parents feel very bitterly against him. The +girl has been stolen. The union is no marriage at all. The old people are +ashamed and disgraced for their daughter. Until the father has been +pacified by satisfactory payments, there is no marriage. Moreover, unless +the young man had made a payment, or at least had endeavored to do so, he +would be little thought of among his fellows, and looked down on as a poor +creature without any sense of honor. + +The Blackfeet take as many wives as they wish; but these ceremonies are +only carried out in the case of the first wife, the "sits-beside-him" +woman. In the case of subsequent marriages, if the man had proved a good, +kind husband to his first wife, other men, who thought a good deal of their +daughters, might propose to give them to him, so that they would be well +treated. The man sent over the horses to the new father-in-law's lodge, and +the girl returned to his, bringing her things with her. Or if the man saw a +girl he liked, he would propose for her to her father. + +Among the Blackfeet, there was apparently no form of courtship, such as +prevails among our southern Indians. Young men seldom spoke to young girls +who were not relations, and the girls were carefully guarded. They never +went out of the lodge after dark, and never went out during the day, except +with the mother or some other old woman. The girl, therefore, had very +little choice in the selection of a husband. If a girl was told she must +marry a certain man, she had to obey. She might cry, but her father's will +was law, and she might be beaten or even killed by him, if she did not do +as she was ordered. As a consequence of this severity, suicide was quite +common among the Blackfoot girls. A girl ordered to marry a man whom she +did not like would often watch her chance, and go out in the brush and hang +herself. The girl who could not marry the man she wanted to was likely to +do the same thing. + +The man had absolute power over his wife. Her life was in his hands, and if +he had made a payment for her, he could do with her about as he pleased. On +the whole, however, women who behaved themselves were well treated and +received a good deal of consideration. Those who were light-headed, or +foolish, or obstinate and stubborn were sometimes badly beaten. Those who +were unfaithful to their husbands usually had their noses or ears, or both, +cut off for the first offence, and were killed either by the husband or +some relation, or by the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ for the second. Many of the +doctors of the highest reputation in the tribe were women. It is a common +belief among some of those who have investigated the subject that the wife +in Indian marriage was actually purchased, and became the absolute property +of her husband. Though I have a great respect for some of the opinions +which have been expressed on this subject, I am obliged to take an entirely +different view of the matter. I have talked this subject over many times +with young men and old men of a number of tribes, and I cannot learn from +them, or in any other way, that in primitive times the woman was purchased +from her father. The husband did not have property rights in his wife. She +was not a chattel that he could trade away. He had all personal rights, +could beat his wife, or, for cause, kill her, but he could not sell her to +another man. + +All the younger sisters of a man's wife were regarded as his potential +wives. If he was not disposed to marry them, they could not be disposed of +to any other man without his consent. + +Not infrequently, a man having a marriageable daughter formally gave her to +some young man who had proved himself brave in war, successful in taking +horses, and, above all, of a generous disposition. This was most often done +by men who had no sons to support them in their old age. + +It is said that in the old days, before they had horses, young men did not +expect to marry until they had almost reached middle life,--from +thirty-five to forty years of age. This statement is made by Wolf Calf, +who is now very old, almost one hundred years, he believes, and can +remember back nearly or quite to the time when the Blackfeet obtained their +first horses. In those days, young women did not marry until they were +grown up, while of late years fathers not infrequently sell their daughters +as wives when they are only children. + +The first woman a man marries is called his sits-beside-him wife. She is +invested with authority over all the other wives, and does little except to +direct the others in their work, and look after the comfort of her +husband. Her place in the lodge is on his right-hand side, while the others +have their places or seats near the door-way. This wife is even allowed at +informal gatherings to take a whiff at the pipe, as it is passed around the +circle, and to participate in the conversation. + +In the old days, it was a very poor man who did not have three wives. Many +had six, eight, and some more than a dozen. I have heard of one who had +sixteen. In those times, provided a man had a good-sized band of horses, +the more wives he had, the richer he was. He could always find young men to +hunt for him, if he furnished the mounts, and, of course, the more wives he +had, the more robes and furs they would tan for him. + +If, for any cause, a man wished to divorce himself from a woman, he had but +to send her back to her parents and demand the price paid for her, and the +matter was accomplished. The woman was then free to marry again, provided +her parents were willing. + +When a man dies, his wives become the potential wives of his oldest +brother. Unless, during his life, he has given them outright horses and +other property, at his death they are entitled to none of his +possessions. If he has sons, the property is divided among them, except a +few horses, which are given to his brothers. If he has no sons, all the +property goes to his brothers, and if there are no brothers, it goes to the +nearest male relatives on the father's side. + +The Blackfeet cannot be said to have been slave-holders. It is true that +the Crees call the Blackfeet women "Little Slaves." But this, as elsewhere +suggested, may refer to the region whence they originally came, though it +is often explained that it is on account of the manner in which the +Blackfeet treat their women, killing them or mutilating their features for +adultery and other serious offences. Although a woman, all her life, was +subject to some one's orders, either parent, relative, or husband, a man +from his earliest childhood was free and independent. His father would not +punish him for any misconduct, his mother dared not. At an early age he was +taught to ride and shoot, and horses were given to him. By the time he was +twelve, he had probably been on a war expedition or two. As a rule in +later times, young men married when they were seventeen or eighteen years +of age; and often they resided for several years with their fathers, until +the family became so large that there was not room for them all in the +lodge. + +There were always in the camp a number of boys, orphans, who became the +servants of wealthy men for a consideration; that is, they looked after +their patron's horses and hunted, and in return they were provided with +suitable food and clothing. + +Among the Blackfeet, all men were free and equal, and office was not +hereditary. Formerly each gens was governed by a chief, who was entitled to +his office by virtue of his bravery and generosity. The head chief was +chosen by the chiefs of the gentes from their own number, and was usually +the one who could show the best record in war, as proved at the Medicine +Lodge,[1] at which time he was elected; and for the ensuing year he was +invested with the supreme power. But no matter how brave a man might have +been, or how successful in war, he could not hope to be the chief either of +a gens or of the tribe, unless he was kind-hearted, and willing to share +his prosperity with the poor. For this reason, a chief was never a wealthy +man, for what he acquired with one hand he gave away with the other. It was +he who decided when the people should move camp, and where they should +go. But in this, as in all other important affairs, he generally asked the +advice of the minor chiefs. + +[Footnote 1: See chapter on Religion.] + +The _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ (All Comrades) were directly under the authority of +the head chief, and when any one was to be punished, or anything else was +to be done which came within their province as the tribal police, it was he +who issued the orders. The following were the crimes which the Blackfeet +considered sufficiently serious to merit punishment, and the penalties +which attached to them. + +Murder: A life for a life, or a heavy payment by the murderer or his +relatives at the option of the murdered man's relatives. This payment was +often so heavy as absolutely to strip the murderer of all property. + +Theft: Simply the restoration of the property. + +Adultery: For the first offence the husband generally cut off the offending +wife's nose or ears; for the second offence she was killed by the All +Comrades. Often the woman, if her husband complained of her, would be +killed by her brothers or first cousins, and this was more usual than death +at the hands of the All Comrades. However, the husband could have her put +to death for the first offence, if he chose. + +Treachery (that is, when a member of the tribe went over to the enemy or +gave them any aid whatever): Death at sight. + +Cowardice: A man who would not fight was obliged to wear woman's dress, and +was not allowed to marry. + +If a man left camp to hunt buffalo by himself, thereby driving away the +game, the All Comrades were sent after him, and not only brought him back +by main force, but often whipped him, tore his lodge to shreds, broke his +travois, and often took away his store of dried meat, pemmican, and other +food. + +The tradition of the origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ has elsewhere been +given. This association of the All Comrades consisted of a dozen or more +secret societies, graded according to age, the whole constituting an +association which was in part benevolent and helpful, and in part military, +but whose main function was to punish offences against society at large. All +these societies were really law and order associations. The +M[)u]t'-s[)i]ks, or Braves, was the chief society, but the others helped +the Braves. + +A number of the societies which made up the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ have been +abandoned in recent years, but several of them still exist. Among the +Pi-kun'-i, the list--so far as I have it--is as follows, the societies +being named in order from those of boyhood to old age:-- + +SOCIETIES OF THE ALL COMRADES + +_Ts[)i]-st[=i]ks'_, Little Birds, includes boys from + 15 to 20 years old. + +_K[)u]k-k[=u][=i]cks'_, Pigeons, men who have been to war + several times. + +_T[)u]is-k[)i]s-t[=i]ks_, Mosquitoes, men who are constantly + going to war + +_M[)u]t'-s[)i]ks_, Braves, tried warriors. + +_Kn[)a]ts-o-mi'-ta_, All Crazy Dogs, about forty years old. + +_Ma-stoh'-pa-ta-k[=i]ks_ Raven Bearers. + +_E'-mi-taks_, Dogs, old men. + Dogs and Tails are + different societies, +_Is'-sui_, Tails, but they dress alike + and dance together + and alike. + +_[)E]ts-[=a]i'-nah_, Horns, Bloods, obsolete among the + Piegans, +_Sin'-o-pah_, Kit-foxes, Piegans, but still exists + with Bloods. + +_[)E]-[)i]n'-a-ke_, Catchers or Soldiers, obsolete for 25-30 years, + perhaps longer. + +_St[)u]'m[=i]ks_, Bulls, obsolete for 50 years. + + +There may be other societies of the All Comrades, but these are the only +ones that I know of at present. The M[=u]t'-s[)i]ks, Braves, and the +Knats-o-mi'-ta, All Crazy Dogs, still exist, but many of the others are +being forgotten. Since the necessity for their existence has passed, they +are no longer kept up. They were a part of the old wild life, and when the +buffalo disappeared, and the Blackfeet came to live about an agency, and to +try to work for a subsistence, the societies soon lost their importance. +The societies known as Little Birds, Mosquitoes, and Doves are not really +bands of the All Comrades, but are societies among the boys and young men +in imitation of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, but of comparatively recent +origin. Men not more than fifty years old can remember when these societies +came into existence. Of all the societies of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi,_ the +Sin'-o-pah, or Kit-fox band, has the strongest medicine. This corresponds +to the Horns society among the Bloods. They are the same band with +different names. They have certain peculiar secret and sacred ceremonies, +not to be described here. + +The society of the Stum'-[=i]ks, or Bulls, became obsolete more than fifty +years ago. Their dress was very fine,--bulls' heads and robes. + +The members of the younger society purchased individually, from the next +older one, its rights and privileges, paying horses for them. For example, +each member of the Mosquitoes would purchase from some member of the Braves +his right of membership in the latter society. The man who has sold his +rights is then a member of no society, and if he wishes to belong to one, +must buy into the one next higher. Each of these societies kept some old +men as members, and these old men acted as messengers, orators, and so on. + +The change of membership from one society to another was made in the +spring, after the grass had started. Two, three, or more lodge coverings +were stretched over poles, making one very large lodge, and in this the +ceremonies accompanying the changes took place. + +In later times, the Braves were the most important and best known of any of +the All Comrades societies. The members of this band were soldiers or +police. They were the constables of the camp, and it was their duty to +preserve order, and to punish offenders. Sometimes young men would skylark +in camp at night, making a great noise when people wanted to sleep, and +would play rough practical jokes, that were not at all relished by those +who suffered from them. One of the forms which their high spirits took was +to lead and push a young colt up to the door of a lodge, after people were +asleep, and then, lifting the door, to shove the animal inside and close +the door again. Of course the colt, in its efforts to get out to its +mother, would run round and round the lodge, trampling over the sleepers +and roughly awakening them, knocking things down and creating the utmost +confusion, while the mare would be whinnying outside the lodge, and the +people within, bewildered and confused, did not know what the disturbance +was all about. + +The Braves would punish the young men who did such things,--if they could +catch them,--tearing up their blankets, taking away their property, and +sometimes whipping them severely. They were the peace officers of the camp, +like the _lari p[=u]k'[=u]s_ among the Pawnees. + +Among the property of the Brave society were two stone-pointed arrows, one +"shield you don't sit down with," and one rattle. The man who carried this +rattle was known as Brave Dog, and if it passed from one member of the +society to another, the new owner became known as Brave Dog. The man who +received the shield could not sit down for the next four days and four +nights, but for all that time was obliged to run about the camp, or over +the prairie, whistling like a rabbit. + +The societies known as Soldiers and Bulls had passed out of existence +before the time of men now of middle age. The pipe of the Soldier society +is still in existence, in the hands of Double Runner. The bull's head war +bonnet, which was the insignia of the Bulls society, was formerly in the +possession of Young Bear Chief, at present chief of the Don't Laugh band of +the Piegans. He gave it to White Calf, who presented it to a recent agent. + +In the old days, and, indeed, down to the time of the disappearance of the +buffalo, the camp was always arranged in the form of a circle, the lodges +standing at intervals around the circumference, and in the wide inner space +there was another circle of lodges occupied by the chief of certain bands +of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_. When all the gentes of the tribe were present, +each had its special position in the circle, and always occupied it. The +lodge of the chief of the gens stood just within the circle, and about it +his people camped. The order indicated in the accompanying diagram +represents the Piegan camp as it used to stand thirty-five or forty years +ago. A number of the gentes are now extinct, and it is not altogether +certain just what the position of those should be; for while all the older +men agree on the position to be assigned to certain of the gentes, there +are others about which there are differences of opinion or much +uncertainty. It is stated that the gentes known as Seldom Lonesome, Dried +Meat, and No Parfleche belong to that section of the tribe known as North +Piegans, which, at the time of the first treaty, separated from the +Pi-kun'-i, and elected to live under British rule. + +The lodges of the chiefs of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ which were within the +circle served as lounging and eating places for such members of the bands +as were on duty, and were council lodges or places for idling, as the +occasion demanded. + +When the camp moved, the Blood gens moved first and was followed by the +White Breast gens, and so on around the circle to number 24. On camping, +the Bloods camped first, and the others after them in the order indicated, +number 24 camping last and closing up the circle. DIAGRAM OF OLD-TIME +PIEGAN CAMP, SAY 1850 TO 1855. TWENTY-FOUR LODGES OF CHIEFS OF THE GENTES +ABOUT THE OUTER CIRCLE. + +The inner circle shows lodges of chiefs of certain bands of the +_I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi._ + +[Illustration] + +GENTES OF THE PI-KUN'-I + + 1. Blood People. + 2. White Breasts. + 3. Dried Meat. + 4. Black Patched Moccasins. + 5. Black Fat Roasters. + 6. Early Finished Eating. + 7. Don't Laugh. + 8. Fat Roasters. + 9. Black Doors. +10. Lone Eaters. +11. Skunks. +12. Seldom Lonesome. +13. Obstinate. +14. Lone Fighters. +15. Small Robes. +16. Big Topknots. +17. Worm People. +18. Small Brittle Fat. +19. Buffalo Dung. +20. No Parfleche. +21. Kill Close Bye +22. All Chiefs. +23. Red Round Robes. +24. Many Medicines. + + +BANDS OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI + +a. All Crazy Dogs. +b. Dogs. +c. Tails. +d. Kit-foxes. +e. Raven Bearers. +f. Braves. +g. Mosquitoes. +h. Soldiers. +i. Doves. + + + +HUNTING + + +The Blackfoot country probably contained more game and in greater variety +than any other part of the continent. Theirs was a land whose physical +characteristics presented sharp contrasts. There were far-stretching grassy +prairies, affording rich pasturage for the buffalo and the antelope; rough +breaks and bad lands for the climbing mountain sheep; wooded buttes, loved +by the mule deer; timbered river bottoms, where the white-tailed deer and +the elk could browse and hide; narrow, swampy valleys for the moose; and +snow-patched, glittering pinnacles of rock, over which the sure-footed +white goat took his deliberate way. The climate varied from arid to humid; +the game of the prairie, the timber, and the rocks, found places suited to +their habits. Fur-bearing animals abounded. Noisy hordes of wild fowl +passed north and south in their migrations, and many stopped here to breed. + +The Blackfoot country is especially favored by the warm chinook winds, +which insure mild winters with but little snow; and although on the plains +there is usually little rain in summer, the short prairie grasses are sweet +and rich. All over this vast domain, the buffalo were found in countless +herds. Elk, deer, antelope, mountain sheep, and bear without number were +there. In those days, sheep were to be found on every ridge, and along the +rough bad lands far from the mountains. Now, except a few in the "breaks" +of the Missouri, they occur only on the highest and most inaccessible +mountains, along with the white goats, which, although pre-eminently +mountain animals, were in early days sometimes found far out on the +prairie. + + + +BUFFALO + +The Blackfeet were a race of meat-eaters, and, while they killed large +quantities of other game, they still depended for subsistence on the +buffalo. This animal provided them with almost all that they needed in the +way of food, clothing, and shelter, and when they had an abundance of the +buffalo they lived in comfort. + +Almost every part of the beast was utilized. The skin, dressed with the +hair on, protected them from the winter's cold; freed from the hair, it was +used for a summer sheet or blanket, for moccasins, leggings, shirts, and +women's dresses. The tanned cowskins made their lodges, the warmest and +most comfortable portable shelters ever devised. From the rawhide, the hair +having been shaved off, were made parfleches, or trunks, in which to pack +small articles. The tough, thick hide of the bull's neck, spread out and +allowed to shrink smooth, made a shield for war which would stop an arrow, +and turn a lance thrust or the ball from an old-fashioned, smooth-bore +gun. The green hide served as a kettle, in which to boil meat. The skin of +the hind leg, cut off above the pastern and again some distance above the +hock, was sometimes used as a moccasin or boot, the lower opening being +sewed up for the toe. A variety of small articles, such as cradles, gun +covers, whips, mittens, quivers, bow cases, knife-sheaths, etc., were made +from the hide. Braided strands of hide furnished them with ropes and +lines. The hair was used to stuff cushions and, later, saddles, and parts +of the long black flowing beard to ornament wearing apparel and implements +of war, such as shields and quivers. The horns gave them spoons and +ladles--sometimes used as small dishes--and ornamented their war +bonnets. From the hoofs they made a glue, which they used in fastening the +heads and feathers on their arrows, and the sinew backs on their bows. The +sinews which lie along the back and on the belly were used as thread and +string, and as backing for bows to give them elasticity and strength. From +the ribs were made scrapers used in dressing hides, and runners for small +sledges drawn by dogs; and they were employed by the children in coasting +down hill on snow or ice. The shoulder-blades, lashed to a wooden handle, +formed axes, hoes, and fleshers. From the cannon bones (metatarsals and +metacarpals) were made scrapers for dressing hides. The skin of the tail, +fitted on a stick, was used as a fly brush. These are but a few of the uses +to which the product of the buffalo was put. As has been said, almost every +part of the flesh was eaten. + +Now it must be remembered that in early days the hunting weapons of this +people consisted only of stone-pointed arrows, and with such armament the +capture of game of the larger sorts must have been a matter of some +uncertainty. To drive a rude stone-headed arrow through the tough hide and +into the vitals of the buffalo, could not have been--even under the most +favorable circumstances--other than a difficult matter; and although we may +assume that, in those days, it was easy to steal up to within a few yards +of the unsuspicious animals, we can readily conceive that many arrows must +have been shot without effect, for one that brought down the game. + +Certain ingenious methods were therefore devised to insure the taking of +game in large numbers at one time. This was especially the case with the +buffalo, which were the food and raiment of the people. One of these +contrivances was called pis'kun, deep-kettle; or, since the termination of +the word seems to indicate the last syllable of the word _ah'-pun,_ blood, +it is more likely deep-blood-kettle. This was a large corral, or enclosure, +built out from the foot of a perpendicular cliff or bluff, and formed of +natural banks, rocks, and logs or brush,--anything in fact to make a close, +high barrier. In some places the enclosure might be only a fence of brush, +but even here the buffalo did not break it down, for they did not push +against it, but ran round and round within, looking for a clear space +through which they might pass. From the top of the bluff, directly over +the pis'kun, two long lines of rock piles and brush extended far out on the +prairie, ever diverging from each other like the arms of the letter V, the +opening over the pis'kun being at the angle. + +In the evening of the day preceding a drive of buffalo into the pis'kun a +medicine man, usually one who was the possessor of a buffalo rock, +In-is'-kim, unrolled his pipe, and prayed to the Sun for success. Next +morning the man who was to call the buffalo arose very early, and told his +wives that they must not leave the lodge, nor even look out, until he +returned; that they should keep burning sweet grass, and should pray to the +Sun for his success and safety. Without eating or drinking, he then went up +on the prairie, and the people followed him, and concealed themselves +behind the rocks and bushes which formed the V, or chute. The medicine man +put on a head-dress made of the head of a buffalo, and a robe, and then +started out to approach the animals. When he had come near to the herd, he +moved about until he had attracted the attention of some of the buffalo, +and when they began to look at him, he walked slowly away toward the +entrance of the chute. Usually the buffalo followed, and, as they did so, +he gradually increased his pace. The buffalo followed more rapidly, and the +man continually went a little faster. Finally, when the buffalo were fairly +within the chute, the people began to rise up from behind the rock piles +which the herd had passed, and to shout and wave their robes. This +frightened the hinder-most buffalo, which pushed forward on the others, and +before long the whole herd was running at headlong speed toward the +precipice, the rock piles directing them to the point over the +enclosure. When they reached it, most of the animals were pushed over, and +usually even the last of the band plunged blindly down into the +pis'kun. Many were killed outright by the fall; others had broken legs or +broken backs, while some perhaps were uninjured. The barricade, however, +prevented them from escaping, and all were soon killed by the arrows of the +Indians. + +It is said that there was another way to get the buffalo into this chute. A +man who was very skilful in arousing the buffalo's curiosity, might go out +without disguise, and by wheeling round and round in front of the herd, +appearing and disappearing, would induce them to move toward him, when it +was easy to entice them into the chute. Once there, the people began to +rise up behind them, shouting and waving their robes, and the now +terror-stricken animals rushed ahead, and were driven over the cliff into +the pis'kun, where all were quickly killed and divided among the people, +the chiefs and the leading warrior getting the best and fattest animals. + +The pis'kun was in use up to within thirty-five or forty years, and many +men are still living who have seen the buffalo driven over the cliff. Such +men even now speak with enthusiasm of the plenty that successful drives +brought to the camp. + +The pis'kuns of the Sik'-si-kau, or Blackfoot tribe, differed in some +particulars from those constructed by the Bloods and the Piegans, who live +further to the south, nearer to the mountains, and so in a country which is +rougher and more broken. The Sik'-si-kau built their pis'kuns like the +Crees, on level ground and usually near timber. A large pen or corral was +made of heavy logs about eight feet high. On the side where the wings of +the chute come together, a bridge, or causeway, was built, sloping gently +up from the prairie to the walls of the corral, which at this point were +cut away to the height of the bridge above the ground,--here about +four feet,--so that the animals running up the causeway could jump down into +the corral. The causeway was fenced in on either side by logs, so that the +buffalo could not run off it. After they had been lured within the wings of +the chute, they were driven toward the corral as already described. When +they reached the end of the >, they ran up the bridge, and jumped down into +the pen. When it was full, or all had entered, Indians, who had lain hidden +near by, ran upon the bridge, and placed poles, prepared beforehand, across +the opening through which the animals had entered, and over these poles +hung robes, so as entirely to close the opening. The buffalo will not dash +themselves against a barrier which is entirely closed, even though it be +very frail; but if they can see through it to the outside, they will rush +against it, and their great weight and strength make it easy for them to +break down any but a heavy wall. Mr. Hugh Monroe tells me that he has seen +a pis'kun built of willow brush; and the Cheyennes have stated to me that +their buffalo corrals were often built of brush. Sometimes, if the walls of +the pis'kun were not high, the buffalo tried to jump or climb over them, +and, in doing this, might break them down, and some or all escape. As soon, +however, as the animals were in the corral, the people--women and children +included--ran up and showed themselves all about the walls, and by their +cries kept the buffalo from pressing against the walls. The animals ran +round and round within, and the men standing on the walls shot them down as +they passed. The butchering was done in the pis'kun, and after this was +over, the place was cleaned out, the heads, feet, and least perishable +offal being removed. Wolves, foxes, badgers, and other small carnivorous +animals visited the pis'kun, and soon made away with the entrails. + +In winter, when the snow was on the ground, and the buffalo were to be led +to the pis'kun, the following method was adopted to keep the herd +travelling in the desired direction after they had got between the wings of +the chute. A line of buffalo chips, each one supported on three small +sticks, so that it stood a few inches above the snow, was carried from the +mouth of the pis'kun straight out toward the prairie. The chips were about +thirty feet apart, and ran midway between the wings of the chute. This line +was, of course, conspicuous against the white snow, and when the buffalo +were running down the chute, they always followed it, never turning to the +right nor to the left. In the latter days of the pis'kun, the man who led +the buffalo was often mounted on a white horse. + +Often, when they drove the buffalo over a high vertical cliff, no corral +was built beneath. Most of those driven over were killed or disabled by the +fall, and only a few got away. The pis'kuns, as a rule, were built under +low-cut bluffs, and sometimes the buffalo were driven in by moonlight. + +In connection with the subject of leading or decoying the buffalo, another +matter not generally known may be mentioned. Sometimes, as a matter of +convenience, a herd was brought from a long distance close up to the +camp. This was usually done in the spring of the year, when the horses were +thin in flesh and not in condition to stand a long chase. I myself have +never seen this; but my friend, William Jackson, was once present at such a +drive by the Red River half-breeds, and has described to me the way in +which it was done. + +The camp was on Box Elder Creek near the Musselshell River. It was in the +spring of 1881, and the horses were all pretty well run down and thin, so +that their owners wished to spare them as much as possible. The buffalo +were seven or eight miles distant, and two men were sent out to bring them +to the camp. Other men, leading fresh horses, went with them, and hid +themselves among the hills at different points along the course that the +buffalo were expected to take, at intervals of a mile and a half. They +watched the herd, and were on hand to supply the fresh horses to the men +who were bringing it. + +The buffalo were on a wide flat, and the men rode over the hill and +advanced toward the herd at a walk. At length the buffalo noticed them, and +began to huddle up together and to walk about, and at length to walk +away. Then the men turned, and rode along parallel to the buffalo's course, +and at the same gait that these were taking. When the buffalo began to +trot, the men trotted, and when the herd began to lope, the men loped, and +at length they were all running pretty fast. The men kept about half a mile +from the herd, and up even with the leaders. As they ran, the herd kept +constantly edging a little toward the riders, as if trying to cross in +front of them. This inclination toward the men was least when they were far +off, and greatest when they drew nearer to them. At no time were the men +nearer to the herd than four hundred yards. If the buffalo edged too much +toward the riders, so that the course they were taking would lead them away +from camp, the men would drop back and cross over behind the herd to the +other side, and then, pushing their horses hard, would come up with the +leaders,--but still at a distance from them,--and then the buffalo would +begin to edge toward them, and the herd would be brought back again to the +desired course. If necessary, this was repeated, and so the buffalo were +kept travelling in a course approximately straight. + +By the time the buffalo had got pretty near to the camp, they were pretty +well winded, and the tongues of many of them were hanging out. This herd +was led up among the rolling hills about a mile from the camp, and there +the people were waiting for them, and charged them, when the herd broke up, +the animals running in every direction. + +Occasionally it would happen that for a long time the buffalo would not be +found in a place favorable for driving over the cliff or into a pen. In +such cases, the Indians would steal out on foot, and, on a day when there +was no wind, would stealthily surround the herd. Then they would startle +the buffalo, and yet would keep them from breaking through the circle. The +buffalo would "mill" around until exhausted, and at length, when worn out, +would be shot down by the Indians. This corresponds almost exactly with one +of the methods employed in killing buffalo by the Pawnees in early days +before they had horses.[1] In those days the Pi-k[)u]n'-i were very +numerous, and sometimes when a lot of buffalo were found in a favorable +position, and there was no wind, the people would surround them, and set up +their lodges about them, thus practically building a corral of +lodges. After all preparations had been made, they would frighten the +buffalo, which, being afraid to pass through between the lodges, would run +round and round in a great circle, and when they were exhausted the people +would kill them. + +[Footnote 1: Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales, p. 250.] + +Then they always had plenty of buffalo--if not fresh meat, that which they +had dried. For in winter they would kill large numbers of buffalo, and +would prepare great stores of dried meat. As spring opened, the buffalo +would move down to the more flat prairie country away from the +pis'kuns. Then the Blackfeet would also move away. As winter drew near, the +buffalo would again move up close to the mountains, and the Indians, as +food began to become scarce, would follow them toward the pis'kuns. In the +last of the summer and early autumn, they always had runners out, looking +for the buffalo, to find where they were, and which way they were +moving. In the early autumn, all the pis'kuns were repaired and +strengthened, so as to be in good order for winter. + +In the days before they had horses, and even in later times when the ground +was of such a character as to prevent running the buffalo, an ingenious +method of still-hunting them was practised. A story told by Hugh Monroe +illustrates it. He said: "I was often detailed by the Hudson's Bay Company +to go out in charge of a number of men, to kill meat for the fort. When the +ground was full of holes and wash-outs, so that running was dangerous, I +used to put on a big timber wolf's skin, which I carried for the purpose, +tying it at my neck and waist, and then to sneak up to the buffalo. I used +a bow and arrows, and generally shot a number without alarming them. If one +looked suspiciously at me, I would howl like a wolf. Sometimes the smell of +the blood from the wounded and dying would set the bulls crazy. They would +run up and lick the blood, and sometimes toss the dead ones clear from the +ground. Then they would bellow and fight each other, sometimes goring one +another so badly that they died. The great bulls, their tongues covered +with blood, their eyes flashing, and tails sticking out straight, roaring +and fighting, were terrible to see; and it was a little dangerous for me, +because the commotion would attract buffalo from all directions to see what +was going on. At such times, I would signal to my men, and they would ride +up and scare the buffalo away." + +In more modern times, the height of pleasure to a Blackfoot was to ride a +good horse and run buffalo. When bows and arrows, and, later, +muzzle-loading "fukes" were the only weapons, no more buffalo were killed +than could actually be utilized. But after the Winchester repeater came in +use, it seemed as if the different tribes vied with each other in wanton +slaughter. Provided with one of these weapons and a couple of belts of +cartridges, the hunters would run as long as their horses could keep up +with the band, and literally cover the prairie with carcasses, many of +which were never even skinned. + + + +ANTELOPE + +It is said that once in early times the men determined that they would use +antelope skins for their women's dresses, instead of cowskins. So they +found a place where antelope were plenty, and set up on the prairie long +lines of rock piles, or of bushes, so as to form a chute like a >. Near the +point where the lines joined, they dug deep pits, which they roofed with +slender poles, and covered these with grass and a little dirt. Then the +people scattered out, and while most of them hid behind the rock piles and +bushes, a few started the antelope toward the mouth of the chute. As they +ran by them, the people showed themselves and yelled, and the antelope ran +down the chute and finally reached the pits, and falling into them were +taken, when they were killed and divided among the hunters. Afterward, this +was the common method of securing antelopes up to the coming of the whites. + + + +EAGLES + +Before the whites came to the Blackfoot country, the Indian standard of +value was eagle tail-feathers. They were used to make war head-dresses, to +tie on the head, and to ornament shields, lances, and other +weapons. Besides this, the wings were used for fans, and the body feathers +for arrow-making. Always a wary bird, the eagle could seldom be approached +near enough for killing with the bow and arrow; and, in fact, it seems as +if it was considered improper to kill it in that way. The capture of these +birds appears to have had about it something of a sacred nature, and, as +was always the case among wild Indians when anything important was to be +undertaken, it was invariably preceded by earnest prayers to the Deity for +help and for success. + +There are still living many men who have caught eagles in the ancient +method, and, from several of these, accounts have been received, which, +while essentially similar, yet differ in certain particulars, especially in +the explanations of certain features of the ceremony. + +Wolf Calf's account of this ceremony is as follows:-- + +"A man who started out to catch eagles moved his lodge and his family away +from the main camp, to some place where the birds were abundant. A spot was +chosen on top of a mound or butte within a few miles of his lodge, and here +he dug a pit in the ground as long as his body and somewhat deeper. The +earth removed was carried away to a distance, and scattered about so as to +make no show. When the pit had been made large enough, it was roofed over +with small willow sticks, on which grass was scattered, and over the grass +a little earth and stones were laid, so as to give the place a natural +look, like the prairie all about it. + +"The bait was a piece of bloody neck of a buffalo. This, of course, could +be seen a long way off, and by the meat a stuffed wolf skin was often +placed, standing up, as if the animal were eating. To the piece of neck was +tied a rope, which passed down through the roof of the pit and was held in +the watcher's hand. + +"After all had been made ready, the next day the man rose very early, +before it was light, and, after smoking and praying, left his camp, telling +his wives and children not to use an awl while he was gone. He endeavored +to reach the pit early in the morning, before it became light, and lay down +in it, taking with him a slender stick about six feet long, a human skull, +and a little pemmican. Then he waited. + +"When the morning came, and the eagles were flying, one of them would see +the meat and descend to take it away from the wolf. Finding it held fast by +the rope, the bird began to feed on it; and while it was pecking at the +bait, the watcher seized it by the legs, and drew it into the pit, where he +killed it, either by twisting its neck, or by crushing it with his +knees. Then he laid it to one side, first opening the bill and putting a +little piece of pemmican in its mouth. This was done to make the other +eagles hungry. While he was in the pit, the man neither ate, drank, nor +slept. He had a sleeping-place not far off, to which he repaired each night +after dark, and there he ate and drank. + +"The reason for taking the skull into the hole with the catcher was, in +part, for his protection. It was believed that the ghost of the person to +whom the skull had belonged would protect the watcher against harm from the +eagle, and besides that, the skull, or ghost, would make the watcher +invisible, like a ghost. The eagle would not see him. + +"The stick was used to poke or drive away smaller birds, such as magpies, +crows, and ravens, which might alight on the roof of the pit, and try to +feed on the bait. It was used, also, to drive away the white-headed eagle, +which they did not care to catch. These are powerful birds; they could +almost kill a person. + +"There are two sacred things connected with the catching of eagles,--two +things which must be observed if the eagle-catcher is to have good +luck. The man who is watching must not eat rosebuds. If he does, the eagle, +when he comes down and alights by the bait, will begin to scratch himself +and will not attack the bait. The rosebuds will make him itch. Neither the +man nor his wife must use an awl while he is absent from his lodge, and is +trying to catch the birds. If this is done, the eagles will scratch the +catcher. Sometimes one man would catch a great many eagles." + +In his day, John Monroe was a famous eagle-catcher, and he has given me the +following account of the method as he has practised it. The pit is dug, six +feet long, three wide, and four deep, on top of the highest knoll that can +be found near a stream. The earth taken out is carried a long way off. Over +the pit they put two long poles, one on each side, running lengthwise of +the pit, and other smaller sticks are laid across, resting on the +poles. The smaller sticks are covered with juniper twigs and long grass. The +skin of a wolf, coyote, or fox, is stuffed with grass, and made to look as +natural as possible. A hole is cut in the wolf skin and a rope is passed +through it, one end being tied to a large piece of meat which lies by the +skin, and the other passing through the roof down into the pit. The bait is +now covered with grass, and the man returns to his lodge for the night. + +During the night, he sings his eagle songs and burns sweet grass for the +eagles, rubbing the smoke over his own body to purify himself, so that on +the morrow he will give out no scent. Before day he leaves his lodge +without eating or drinking, goes to the pit and lies down in it. He +uncovers the bait, arranges the roof, and sits there all day holding the +rope. Crows and other birds alight by the bait and peck at it, but he pays +no attention to them. + +The eagle, sailing about high in air, sees the bait, and settles down +slowly. It takes it a long time to make up its mind to come to the bait. In +the pit, the man can hear the sound of the eagle coming. When the bird +settles on the ground, it does not alight on the bait, but at one side of +it, striking the ground with a thud--heavily. The man never mistakes +anything else for that sound. The eagle walks toward the bait, and all the +other birds fly away. It walks on to the roof; and, through the crevices +that have been left between the sticks, the man can see in which direction +the bird's head is. He carefully pushes the stick aside and, reaching out, +grasps the eagle by the two feet. The bird does not struggle much. It is +drawn down into the pit, and the man wrings its neck. Then the opening is +closed, and the roof arranged as before. So the man waits and catches the +eagles that come through the day. Sometimes he sits all day and gets +nothing; again he may get eight or ten in a day. + +When darkness comes, the man leaves his hiding-place, takes his eagles, and +goes home. He carries the birds to a special lodge, prepared outside of the +camp, which is called the eagles' lodge. He places them on the ground in a +row, and raises their heads, resting them on a stick laid in front of the +row. In the mouth of each one is put a piece of pemmican, so that they may +not be afraid of the people. The object of feeding the eagles is that +their spirits may tell other eagles how they are being treated--that they +are being fed by the people. In the lodge is a human skull, and they pray +to it, asking the ghost to help them get the eagles. + +It is said that in one pit, once, forty eagles were killed in a day. The +larger hawks were caught, as well as eagles, though the latter were the +most highly valued. Five eagles used to be worth a good horse, a valuation +which shows that, in the Blackfoot country, eagles were more plenty, or +horses more valuable, than farther south, where, in old times, two eagles +would purchase a horse. + + + +OTHER GAME + +They had no special means of capturing deer in any numbers. These were +usually killed singly. The hunters used to creep up on elk and deer in the +brush, and when they had come close to them, they could drive even their +stone-pointed arrows deep in the flesh. Often their game was killed dead on +the spot, but if not, they left it alone until the next day, when, on going +back to the place, it was usually found near by, either dead or so +desperately wounded that they could secure it. + +Deadfalls were used to catch wolves, foxes, and other fur animals, and +small apertures in the pis'kun walls were provided with nooses and snares +for the same purpose. + +Another way to catch wolves and coyotes was to set heavy stakes in the +ground in a circle, about the carcasses of one or two dead buffalo. The +stakes were placed at an angle of about forty-five degrees, a few inches +apart, and all pointing toward the centre of the circle. At one place, dirt +was piled up against the stakes from the outside, and the wolves, climbing +up on this, jumped down into the enclosure, but were unable to jump +out. Hugh Monroe tells me that, about thirty years ago, he and his sons +made a trap like this, and in one night caught eighty-three wolves and +coyotes. + +In early times, beaver were very abundant and very tame, and were shot with +bows and arrows. + +The Blackfeet were splendid prairie hunters. They had no superiors in the +art of stalking and killing such wary animals as the antelope. Sometimes +they wore hats made of the skin and horns of an antelope head, which were +very useful when approaching the game. Although the prairie was +pre-eminently their hunting-ground, they were also skilful in climbing +mountains and killing sheep and goats. On the other hand, the northern +Crees, who also are a prairie people, are poor mountain hunters. + + + +THE BLACKFOOT IN WAR + + +The Blackfeet were a warlike people. How it may have been in the old days, +before the coming of the white men, we do not know. Very likely, in early +times, they were usually at peace with neighboring tribes, or, if quarrels +took place, battles were fought, and men killed, this was only in angry +dispute over what each party considered its rights. Their wars were +probably not general, nor could they have been very bloody. When, however, +horses came into the possession of the Indians, all this must have soon +become changed. Hitherto there had really been no incentive to war. From +time to time expeditions may have gone out to kill enemies,--for glory, or +to take revenge for some injury,--but war had not yet been made desirable +by the hope of plunder, for none of their neighbors--any more than +themselves--had property which was worth capturing and taking +away. Primitive arms, dogs, clothing, and dried meat were common to all the +tribes, and were their only possessions, and usually each tribe had an +abundance of all these. It was not worth any man's while to make long +journeys and to run into danger merely to increase his store of such +property, when his present possessions were more than sufficient to meet +all his wants. Even if such things had seemed desirable plunder, the amount +of it which could be carried away was limited, since--for a war party--the +only means of transporting captured articles from place to place was on +men's backs, nor could men burdened with loads either run or fight. But +when horses became known, and the Indians began to realize what a change +the possession of these animals was working in their mode of life, when +they saw that, by enormously increasing the transporting power of each +family, horses made far greater possessions practicable, that they insured +the food supply, rendered the moving of the camp easier and more rapid, +made possible long journeys with a minimum of effort, and that they had a +value for trading, the Blackfoot mind received a new idea, the idea that +it was desirable to accumulate property. The Blackfoot saw that, since +horses could be exchanged for everything that was worth having, no one +had as many horses as he needed. A pretty wife, a handsome war bonnet, +a strong bow, a finely ornamented woman's dress,--any or all of these +things a man might obtain, if he had horses to trade for them. The +gambler at "hands," or at the ring game, could bet horses. The man who +was devoted to his last married wife could give her a horse as an evidence +of his affection. + +We can readily understand what a change the advent of the horse must have +worked in the minds of a people like the Blackfeet, and how this changed +mental attitude would react on the Blackfoot way of living. At first, there +were but few horses among them, but they knew that their neighbors to the +west and south--across the mountains and on the great plains beyond the +Missouri and the Yellowstone--had plenty of them; that the K[=u]tenais, the +Kalispels, the Snakes, the Crows, and the Sioux were well provided. They +soon learned that horses were easily driven off, and that, even if followed +by those whose property they had taken, the pursued had a great advantage +over the pursuers; and we may feel sure that it was not long before the +idea of capturing horses from the enemy entered some Blackfoot head and was +put into practice. + +Now began a systematic sending forth of war parties against neighboring +tribes for the purpose of capturing horses, which continued for about +seventy-five or eighty years, and has only been abandoned within the last +six or seven, and since the settlement of the country by the whites made it +impossible for the Blackfeet longer to pass backward and forward through it +on their raiding expeditions. Horse-taking at once became what might be +called an established industry among the Blackfeet. Success brought wealth +and fame, and there was a pleasing excitement about the war journey. +Except during the bitterest weather of the winter, war parties of Blackfeet +were constantly out, searching for camps of their enemies, from whom they +might capture horses. Usually the only object of such an expedition was to +secure plunder, but often enemies were killed, and sometimes the party set +out with the distinct intention of taking both scalps and horses. + +Until some time after they had obtained guns, the Blackfeet were on +excellent terms with the northern Crees, but later the Chippeways from the +east made war on the Blackfeet, and this brought about general hostilities +against all Crees, which have continued up to within a few years. If I +recollect aright, the last fight which occurred between the Pi-kun'-i and +the Crees took place in 1886. In this skirmish, which followed an attempt +by the Crees to capture some Piegan horses, my friend, +Tail-feathers-coming-in-sight-over-the-Hill, killed and counted _coup_ on a +Cree whose scalp he afterward sent me, as an evidence of his prowess. + +The Gros Ventres of the prairie, of Arapaho stock, known to the Blackfeet +as _At-sna,_ or Gut People, had been friends and allies of the Blackfeet +from the time they first came into the country, early in this century, up +to about the year 1862, when, according to Clark, peace was broken through +a mistake.[1] A war party of Snakes had gone to a Gros Ventres camp near +the Bear Paw Mountains and there killed two Gros Ventres and taken a white +pony, which they subsequently gave to a party of Piegans whom they met, and +with whom they made peace. The Gros Ventres afterward saw this horse in the +Piegan camp and supposed that the latter had killed their tribesman, and +this led to a long war. In the year 1867, the Piegans defeated the allied +Crows and Gros Ventres in a great battle near the Cypress Mountains, in +which about 450 of the enemy are said to have been killed. + +[Footnote 1: Indian Sign Language, p. 70.] + +An expression often used in these pages, and which is so familiar to one +who has lived much with Indians as to need no explanation, is the phrase to +count _coup_. Like many of the terms common in the Northwest, this one +comes down to us from the old French trappers and traders, and a _coup_ is, +of course, a blow. As commonly used, the expression is almost a direct +translation of the Indian phrase to strike the enemy, which is in ordinary +use among all tribes. This striking is the literal inflicting a blow on an +individual, and does not mean merely the attack on a body of enemies. + +The most creditable act that an Indian can perform is to show that he is +brave, to prove, by some daring deed, his physical courage, his lack of +fear. In practice, this courage is shown by approaching near enough to an +enemy to strike or touch him with something that is held in the hand--to +come up within arm's length of him. To kill an enemy is praiseworthy, and +the act of scalping him may be so under certain circumstances, but neither +of these approaches in bravery the hitting or touching him with something +held in the hand. This is counting _coup_. + +The man who does this shows himself without fear and is respected +accordingly. With certain tribes, as the Pawnees, Cheyennes, and others, it +was not very uncommon for a warrior to dash up to an enemy and strike him +before making any attempt to injure him, the effort to kill being secondary +to the _coup_. The blow might be struck with anything held in the hand,--a +whip, coupstick, club, lance, the muzzle of a gun, a bow, or what not. It +did not necessarily follow that the person on whom the _coup_ had been +counted would be injured. The act was performed in the case of a woman, who +might be captured, or even on a child, who was being made prisoner. + +Often the dealing the _coup_ showed a very high degree of courage. As +already implied, it might be counted on a man who was defending himself +most desperately, and was trying his best to kill the approaching enemy, +or, even if the attempt was being made on a foe who had fallen, it was +never certain that he was beyond the power of inflicting injury. He might +be only wounded, and, just when the enemy had come close to him, and was +about to strike, he might have strength enough left to raise himself up and +shoot him dead. In their old wars, the Indians rarely took men +captive. The warrior never expected quarter nor gave it, and usually men +fought to the death, and died mute, defending themselves to the last--to +the last, striving to inflict some injury on the enemy. + +The striking the blow was an important event in a man's life, and he who +performed this feat remembered it. He counted it. It was a proud day for +the young warrior when he counted his first _coup_, and each subsequent one +was remembered and numbered in the warrior's mind, just as an American of +to-day remembers the number of times he has been elected to Congress. At +certain dances and religious ceremonies, like that of the Medicine Lodge, +the warriors counted--or rather re-counted--their _coups_. + +While the _coup_ was primarily, and usually, a blow with something held in +the hand, other acts in warfare which involved great danger to him who +performed them were also reckoned _coups_ by some tribes. Thus, for a +horseman to ride over and knock down an enemy, who was on foot, was +regarded among the Blackfeet as a _coup_, for the horseman might be shot at +close quarters, or might receive a lance thrust. It was the same to ride +one's horse violently against a mounted foe. An old Pawnee told me of a +_coup_ that he had counted by running up to a fallen enemy and jumping on +him with both feet. Sometimes the taking of horses counted a _coup_, but +this was not always the case. + +As suggested by what has been already stated, each tribe of the Plains +Indians held its own view as to what constituted a _coup_. The Pawnees were +very strict in their interpretation of the term, and with them an act of +daring was not in itself deemed a _coup_. This was counted only when the +person of an enemy was actually touched. One or two incidents which have +occurred among the Pawnees will serve to illustrate their notions on this +point. + +In the year 1867, the Pawnee scouts had been sent up to Ogallalla, +Nebraska, to guard the graders who were working on the Union Pacific +railroad. While they were there, some Sioux came down from the hills and +ran off a few mules, taking them across the North Platte. Major North took +twenty men and started after them. Crossing the river, and following it up +on the north bank, he headed them off, and before long came in sight of +them. + +The six Sioux, when they found that they were pursued, left the mules that +they had taken, and ran; and the Pawnees, after chasing them eight or ten +miles, caught up with one of them, a brother of the well-known chief +Spotted Tail. Baptiste Bahele, a half-breed Skidi, had a very fast horse, +and was riding ahead of the other Pawnees, and shooting arrows at the +Sioux, who was shooting back at him. At length Baptiste shot the enemy's +horse in the hip, and the Indian dismounted and ran on foot toward a +ravine. Baptiste shot at him again, and this time sent an arrow nearly +through his body, so that the point projected in front. The Sioux caught +the arrow by the point, pulled it through his body, and shot it back at his +pursuer, and came very near hitting him. About that time, a ball from a +carbine hit the Sioux and knocked him down. + +Then there was a race between Baptiste and the Pawnee next behind him, to +see which should count _coup_ on the fallen man. Baptiste was nearest to +him and reached him first, but just as he got to him, and was leaning over +from his horse, to strike the dead man, the animal shied at the body, +swerving to one side, and he failed to touch it. The horse ridden by the +other Pawnee ran right over the Sioux, and his rider leaned down and +touched him. + +Baptiste claimed the _coup_--although acknowledging that he had not +actually touched the man--on the ground that he had exposed himself to all +the danger, and would have hit the man if his horse had not swerved as it +did from the body; but the Pawnees would not allow it, and all gave the +credit of the _coup_ to the other boy, because he had actually touched the +enemy. + +On another occasion three or four young men started on the warpath from the +Pawnee village. When they came near to Spotted Tail's camp on the Platte +River, they crossed the stream, took some horses, and got them safely +across the river. Then one of the boys recrossed, went back to the camp, +and cut loose another horse. He had almost got this one out of the camp, +when an Indian came out of a lodge near by, and sat down. The Pawnee shot +the Sioux, counted _coup_ on him, scalped him, and then hurried across the +river with the whole Sioux camp in pursuit. When the party returned to the +Pawnee village, this boy was the only one who received credit for a _coup_. + +Among the Blackfeet the capture of a shield, bow, gun, war bonnet, war +shirt, or medicine pipe was deemed a _coup_. + +Nothing gave a man a higher place in the estimation of the people than the +counting of _coups_, for, I repeat, personal bravery is of all qualities +the most highly respected by Indians. On special occasions, as has been +said, men counted over again in public their _coups_. This served to +gratify personal vanity, and also to incite the young men to the +performance of similar brave deeds. Besides this, they often made a more +enduring record of these acts, by reproducing them pictographically on +robes, cowskins, and other hides. There is now in my possession an +illuminated cowskin, presented to me by Mr. J. Kipp, which contains the +record of the _coups_ and the most striking events in the life of Red +Crane, a Blackfoot warrior, painted by himself. These pictographs are very +rude and are drawn after the style common among Plains Indians, but no +doubt they were sufficiently lifelike to call up to the mind of the artist +each detail of the stirring events which they record. + +The Indian warrior who stood up to relate some brave deed which he had +performed was almost always in a position to prove the truth of his +statements. Either he had the enemy's scalp, or some trophy captured from +him, to produce as evidence, or else he had a witness of his feat in some +companion. A man seldom boasted of any deed unless he was able to prove his +story, and false statements about exploits against the enemy were most +unusual. Temporary peace was often made between tribes usually at war, and, +at the friendly meetings which took place during such times of peace, +former battles were talked over, the performances of various individuals +discussed, and the acts of particular men in the different rights commented +on. In this way, if any man had falsely claimed to have done brave deeds, +he would be detected. + +An example of this occurred many years ago among the Cheyennes. At that +time, there was a celebrated chief of the Skidi tribe of the Pawnee Nation +whose name was Big Eagle. He was very brave, and the Cheyennes greatly +feared him, and it was agreed among them that the man who could count +_coup_ on Big Eagle should be made warchief of the Cheyennes. After a fight +on the Loup River, a Cheyenne warrior claimed to have counted _coup_ on Big +Eagle by thrusting a lance through his buttocks. On the strength of the +claim, this man was made war chief of the Cheyennes. Some years later, +during a friendly visit made by the Pawnees to the Cheyennes, this incident +was mentioned. Big Eagle was present at the time, and, after inquiring +into the matter, he rose in council, denied that he had ever been struck as +claimed, and, throwing aside his robe, called on the Cheyennes present to +examine his body and to point out the scars left by the lance. None were +found. It was seen that Big Eagle spoke the truth; and the lying Cheyenne, +from the proud position of war chief, sank to a point where he was an +object of contempt to the meanest Indian in his tribe. + +Among the Blackfeet a war party usually, or often, had its origin in a +dream. Some man who has a dream, after he awakes tells of it. Perhaps he +may say: "I dreamed that on a certain stream is a herd of horses that have +been given to me, and that I am going away to get. I am going to war. I +shall go to that place and get my band of horses." Then the men who know +him, who believe that his medicine is strong and that he will have good +luck, make up their minds to follow him. As soon as he has stated what he +intends to do, his women and his female relations begin to make moccasins +for him, and the old men among his relations begin to give him arrows and +powder and ball to fit him out for war. The relations of those who are +going with him do the same for them. + +The leader notifies the young men who are going with him on what day and at +what hour he intends to start. He determines the time for himself, but +does not let the whole camp know it in advance. Of late years, large war +parties have not been desirable. They have preferred to go out in small +bodies. Just before a war party sets out, its members get together and sing +the "peeling a stick song," which is a wolf song. Then they build a sweat +lodge and go into it, and with them goes in an old man, a medicine-pipe +man, who has been a good warrior. They fill the pipe and ask him to pray +for them, that they may have good luck, and may accomplish what they +desire. The medicine-pipe man prays and sings and pours water on the hot +stones, and the warriors with their knives slice bits of skin and flesh +from their bodies,--their arms and breasts and sometimes from the tip of +the tongue,--which they offer to the Sun. Then, after the ceremony is over, +all dripping with perspiration from their vapor bath, the men go down to +the river and plunge in. + +In starting out, a war party often marches in the daytime, but sometimes +they travel at night from the beginning. Often they may make an all night +march across a wide prairie, in passing over which they might be seen if +they travelled in the day. They journey on foot, always. The older men +carry their arms, while the boys bear the moccasins, the ropes, and the +food, which usually consists of dried meat or pemmican. They carry also +coats and blankets and their war bonnets and otter skin medicine. The +leader has but little physical labor to perform. His mind is occupied in +planning the movements of his party. He is treated with the greatest +respect. The others mend his moccasins, and give him the best of the food +which they carry. + +After they get away from the main camp, the leader selects the strongest of +the young men, and sends him ahead to some designated butte, saying, "Go to +that place, and look carefully over the country, and if you see nothing, +make signals to us to come on." This scout goes on ahead, travelling in the +ravines and coules, and keeps himself well hidden. After he has +reconnoitred and made signs that he sees nothing, the party proceeds +straight toward him. + +The party usually starts early in the morning and travels all day, making +camp at sundown. During the day, if they happen to come upon an antelope or +a buffalo, they kill it, if possible, and take some of the meat with +them. They try in every way to economize their pemmican. They always +endeavor to make camp in the thick timber, where they cannot be seen; and +here, when it is necessary, on account of bad weather or for other reasons, +they build a war lodge. Taking four young cotton-woods or aspens, on which +the leaves are left, and lashing them together like lodge poles, but with +the butts up, about these they place other similar trees, also butts up and +untrimmed. The leaves keep the rain off, and prevent the light of the fire +which is built in the lodge from showing through. Sometimes, when on the +prairie, where there is no wood, in stormy weather they will build a +shelter of rocks. When the party has come close to the enemy, or into a +country where the enemy are likely to be found, they build no more fires, +but eat their food uncooked. + +When they see fresh tracks of people, or signs that enemies are in the +country, they stop travelling in the daytime and move altogether by night, +until they come to some good place for hiding, and here they stop and +sleep. When day comes, the leader sends out young men to the different +buttes, to look over the country and see if they can discover the enemy. If +some one of the scouts reports that he has seen a camp, and that the enemy +have been found, the leader directs his men to paint themselves and put on +their war bonnets. This last is a figure of speech, since the war bonnets, +having of late years been usually ornamented with brass bells, could not be +worn in a secret attack, on account of the noise they would make. Before +painting themselves, therefore, they untie their war bonnets, and spread +them out on the ground, as if they were about to be worn, and then when +they have finished painting themselves, tie them up again. When it begins +to get dark, they start on the run for the enemy's camp. They leave their +food in camp, but carry their ropes slung over the shoulder and under the +arm, whips stuck in belts, guns and blankets. + +After they have crept up close to the lodges, the leader chooses certain +men that have strong hearts, and takes them with him into the camp to cut +loose the horses. The rest of the party remain outside the camp, and look +about its outskirts, driving in any horses that may be feeding about, not +tied up. Of those who have gone into the camp, some cut loose one horse, +while others cut all that may be tied about a lodge. Some go only once into +the camp, and some go twice to get the horses. When they have secured the +horses, they drive them off a little way from the camp, at first going +slowly, and then mount and ride off fast. Generally, they travel two +nights and one day before sleeping. + +This is the usual method of procedure of an ordinary expedition to capture +horses, and I have given it very nearly in the language of the men who +explained it to me. + +In their hostile encounters, the Blackfeet have much that is common to many +Plains tribes, and also some customs that are peculiar to themselves. Like +most Indians, they are subject to sudden, apparently causeless, panics, +while at other times they display a courage that is heroic. They are firm +believers in luck, and will follow a leader who is fortunate in his +expeditions into almost any danger. On the other hand, if the leader of a +war party loses his young men, or any of them, the people in the camp think +that he is unlucky, and does not know how to lead a war party. Young men +will not follow him as a leader, and he is obliged to go as a servant or +scout under another leader. He is likely never again to lead a war party, +having learned to distrust his luck. + +If a war party meets the enemy, and kills several of them, losing in the +battle one of its own number, it is likely, as the phrase is, to "cover" +the slain Blackfoot with all the dead enemies save one, and to have a scalp +dance over that remaining one. If a party had killed six of the enemy and +lost a man, it might "cover" the slain Blackfoot with five of the enemy. In +other words, the five dead enemies would pay for the one which the war +party had lost. So far, matters would be even, and they would feel at +liberty to rejoice over the victory gained over the one that is left. + +The Blackfeet sometimes cut to pieces an enemy killed in battle. If a +Blackfoot had a relation killed by a member of another tribe, and afterward +killed one of this tribe, he was likely to cut him all to pieces "to get +even," that is, to gratify his spite--to obtain revenge. Sometimes, after +they had killed an enemy, they dragged his body into camp, so as to give +the children an opportunity to count _coup_ on it. Often they cut the feet +and hands off the dead, and took them away and danced over them for a long +time. Sometimes they cut off an arm or a leg, and often the head, and +danced and rejoiced over this trophy. + +Women and children of hostile tribes were often captured, and adopted into +the Blackfoot tribes with all the rights and privileges of indigenous +members. Men were rarely captured. When they were taken, they were +sometimes killed in cold blood, especially if they had made a desperate +resistance before being captured. At other times, the captive would be kept +for a time, and then the chief would take him off away from the camp, and +give him provisions, clothing, arms, and a horse, and let him go. The +captive man always had a hard time at first. When he was brought into the +camp, the women and children threw dirt on him and counted _coups_ on him, +pounding him with sticks and clubs. He was rarely tied, but was always +watched. Often the man who had taken him prisoner had great trouble to +keep his tribesmen from killing him. + +In the very early days of this century, war parties used commonly to start +out in the spring, going south to the land where horses were abundant, +being absent all summer and the next winter, and returning the following +summer or autumn, with great bands of horses. Sometimes they were gone two +years. They say that on such journeys they used to go to _Spai'yu ksah'ku_, +which means the Spanish lands--_Spai'yu_ being a recently made word, no +doubt from the French _espagnol._ That they did get as far as Mexico, or at +least New Mexico, is indicated by the fact that they brought back branded +horses and a few branded mules; for in these early days there was no stock +upon the Plains, and animals bearing brands were found only in the Spanish +American settlements. The Blackfeet did not know what these marks +meant. From their raids into these distant lands, they sometimes brought +back arms of strange make, lances, axes, and swords, of a form unlike any +that they had seen. The lances had broad heads; some of the axes, as +described, were evidently the old "T. Gray" trade axes of the southwest. A +sword, described as having a long, slender, straight blade, inlaid with a +flower pattern of yellow metal along the back, was probably an old Spanish +rapier. + +In telling of these journeys to Spanish lands, they say of the very long +reeds which grow there, that they are very large at the butt, are jointed, +very hard, and very tall; they grow in marshy places; and the water there +has a strange, mouldy smell. + +It is said, too, that there have been war parties who have crossed the +mountains and gone so far to the west that they have seen the big salt +water which lies beyond, or west of, the Great Salt Lake. Journeys as far +south as Salt Lake were not uncommon, and Hugh Monroe has told me of a war +party he accompanied which went as far as this. + + + +RELIGION + + +In ancient times the chief god of the Blackfeet--their Creator--was _Na'pi_ +(Old Man). This is the word used to indicate any old man, though its +meaning is often loosely given as white. An analysis of the word _Na'pi_, +however, shows it to be compounded of the word _Ni'nah_, man, and the +particle _a'pi_, which expresses a color, and which is never used by +itself, but always in combination with some other word. The Blackfoot word +for white is _Ksik-si-num'_ while _a'pi_, though also conveying the idea of +whiteness, really describes the tint seen in the early morning light when +it first appears in the east--the dawn--not a pure white, but that color +combined with a faint cast of yellow. _Na'pi_, therefore, would seem to +mean dawn-light-color-man, or man-yellowish-white. It is easy to see why +old men should be called by this latter name, for it describes precisely +the color of their hair. + +Dr. Brinton, in his valuable work, American Hero Myths, has suggested a +more profound reason why such a name should be given to the Creator. He +says: "The most important of all things to life is light. This the +primitive savage felt, and personifying it, he made light his chief god. +The beginning of day served, by analogy, for the beginning of the +world. Light comes before the Sun, brings it forth, creates it, as it +were. Hence the Light god is not the Sun god but his antecedent and +Creator." + +It would be absurd to attribute to the Blackfoot of to-day any such +abstract conception of the name of the Creator as that expressed in the +foregoing quotation. The statement that Old Man was merely light +personified would be beyond his comprehension, and if he did understand +what was meant, he would laugh at it, and aver that _Na'pi_ was a real man, +a flesh and blood person like himself. + +The character of Old Man, as depicted in the stories told of him by the +Blackfeet, is a curious mixture of opposite attributes. In the serious +tales, such as those of the creation, he is spoken of respectfully, and +there is no hint of the impish qualities which characterize him in other +stories, in which he is powerful, but also at times impotent; full of all +wisdom, yet at times so helpless that he has to ask aid from the +animals. Sometimes he sympathizes with the people, and at others, out of +pure spitefulness, he plays them malicious tricks that are worthy of a +demon. He is a combination of strength, weakness, wisdom, folly, +childishness, and malice. + +Under various names Old Man is known to the Crees, Chippeways, and other +Algonquins, and many of the stories that are current among the Blackfeet +are told of him among those tribes. The more southern of these tribes do +not venerate him as of old, but the Plains and Timber Crees of the north, +and the north Chippeways, are said still to be firm believers in Old +Man. He was their Creator, and is still their chief god. He is believed in +less by the younger generation than the older. The Crees are regarded by +the Indians of the Northwest as having very powerful medicine, and this all +comes from Old Man. + +Old Man can never die. Long ago he left the Blackfeet and went away to the +West, disappearing in the mountains. Before his departure he told them +that he would always take care of them, and some day would return. Even +now, many of the old people believe that he spoke the truth, and that some +day he will come back, and will bring with him the buffalo, which they +believe the white men have hidden. It is sometimes said, however, that when +he left them he told them also that, when he returned, he would find them +changed--a different people and living in a different way from that which +they practised when he went away. Sometimes, also, it is said that when he +disappeared he went to the East. + +It is generally believed that Old Man is no longer the principal god of the +Blackfeet, that the Sun has taken his place. There is some reason to +suspect, however, that the Sun and Old Man are one, that _N[=a]t[=o]s_' is +only another name for _Na'pi_, for I have been told by two or three old men +that "the Sun is the person whom we call Old Man." However this may be, it +is certain that _Na'pi_--even if he no longer occupies the chief place in +the Blackfoot religious system--is still reverenced, and is still addressed +in prayer. Now, however, every good thing, success in war, in the chase, +health, long life, all happiness, come by the special favor of the Sun. + +The Sun is a man, the supreme chief of the world. The flat, circular earth +in fact is his home, the floor of his lodge, and the over-arching sky is +its covering. The moon, _K[=o]-k[=o]-mik'-[=e]-[)i]s,_ night light, is the +Sun's wife. The pair have had a number of children, all but one of whom +were killed by pelicans. The survivor is the morning star, +_A-pi-su-ahts_--early riser. + +In attributes the Sun is very unlike Old Man. He is a beneficent person, of +great wisdom and kindness, good to those who do right. As a special means +of obtaining his favor, sacrifices must be made. These are often presents +of clothing, fine robes, or furs, and in extreme cases, when the prayer is +for life itself, the offering of a finger, or--still dearer--a lock of +hair. If a white buffalo was killed, the robe was always given to the +Sun. It belonged to him. Of the buffalo, the tongue--regarded as the +greatest delicacy of the whole animal--was especially sacred to the +Sun. The sufferings undergone by men in the Medicine Lodge each year were +sacrifices to the Sun. This torture was an actual penance, like the sitting +for years on top of a pillar, the wearing of a hair shirt, or fasting in +Lent. It was undergone for no other purpose than that of pleasing God--as a +propitiation or in fulfilment of vows made to him. Just as the priests of +Baal slashed themselves with knives to induce their god to help them, so, +and for the same reason, the Blackfoot men surged on and tore out the ropes +tied to their skins. It is merely the carrying out of a religious idea that +is as old as history and as widespread as the globe, and is closely akin to +the motive which to-day, in our own centres of enlightened civilization, +prompts acts of self-denial and penance by many thousands of intelligent +cultivated people. And yet we are horrified at hearing described the +tortures of the Medicine Lodge. + +Besides the Sun and Old Man, the Blackfoot religious system includes a +number of minor deities or rather natural qualities and forces, which are +personified and given shape. These are included in the general terms Above +Persons, Ground Persons, and Under Water Persons. Of the former class, +Thunder is one of the most important, and is worshipped as is elsewhere +shown. He brings the rain. He is represented sometimes as a bird, or, more +vaguely, as in one of the stories, merely as a fearful person. Wind Maker +is an example of an Under Water Person, and it is related that he has been +seen, and his form is described. It is believed by some that he lives under +the water at the head of the Upper St. Mary's Lake. Those who believe this +say that when he wants the wind to blow, he makes the waves roll, and that +these cause the wind to blow,--another example of mistaking effect for +cause, so common among the Indians. The Ground Man is another below +person. He lives under the ground, and perhaps typifies the power of the +earth, which is highly respected by all Indians of the west. The Cheyennes +also have a Ground Man whom they call The Lower One, or Below Person +_(Pun'-[)o]-ts[)i]-hyo)_. The cold and snow are brought by Cold Maker +_(Ai'-so-yim-stan_). He is a man, white in color, with white hair, and clad +in white apparel, who rides on a white horse. He brings the storm with +him. They pray to him to bring, or not to bring, the storm. + +Many of the animals are regarded as typifying some form of wisdom or +craft. They are not gods, yet they have power, which, perhaps, is given +them by the Sun or by Old Man. Examples of this are shown in some of the +stories. + +Among the animals especially respected and supposed to have great power, +are the buffalo, the bear, the raven, the wolf, the beaver, and the +kit-fox. Geese too, are credited with great wisdom and with foreknowledge +of the weather. They are led by chiefs. As is quite natural among a people +like the Blackfeet, the buffalo stood very high among the animals which +they reverenced. It symbolized food and shelter, and was _Nato'y[)e]_ (of +the Sun), sacred. Not a few considered it a medicine animal, and had it for +their dream, or secret helper. It was the most powerful of all the animal +helpers. Its importance is indicated by the fact that buffalo skulls were +placed on the sweat houses built in connection with the Medicine Lodge. A +similar respect for the buffalo exists among many Plains tribes, which were +formerly dependent on it for food and raiment. A reverence for the bear +appears to be common to all North American tribes, and is based not upon +anything that the animal's body yields, but perhaps on the fact that it is +the largest carnivorous mammal of the continent, the most difficult to kill +and extremely keen in all its senses. The Blackfeet believe it to be part +brute and part human, portions of its body, particularly the ribs and feet, +being like those of a man. The raven is cunning. The wolf has great +endurance and much craft. He can steal close to one without being seen. In +the stories given in the earlier pages of this book, many of the attributes +of the different animals are clearly set forth. + +There were various powers and signs connected with these animals so held in +high esteem by the Blackfeet, to which the people gave strict heed. Thus +the raven has the power of giving people far sight. It was also useful in +another way. Often, in going to war, a man would get a raven's skin and +stuff the head and neck, and tie it to the hair of the head behind. If a +man wearing such a skin got near the enemy without knowing it, the skin +would give him warning by tapping him on the back of the head with its +bill. Then he would know that the enemy was near, and would hide. If a +raven flew over a lodge, or a number of lodges, and cried, and then was +joined by other ravens, all flying over the camp and crying, it was a sure +sign that during the day some one would come and tell the news from far +off. The ravens often told the people that game was near, calling to the +hunter and then flying a little way, and then coming back, and again +calling and flying toward the game. + +The wolves are the people's great friends; they travel with the wolves. If, +as they are travelling along, they pass close to some wolves, these will +bark at the people, talking to them. Some man will call to them, "No, I +will not give you my body to eat, but I will give you the body of some one +else, if you will go along with us." This applies both to wolves and +coyotes. If a man goes away from the camp at night, and meets a coyote, and +it barks at him, he goes back to the camp, and says to the people: "Look +out now; be smart. A coyote barked at me to-night." Then the people look +out, and are careful, for it is a sure sign that something bad is going to +happen. Perhaps some one will be shot; perhaps the enemy will charge the +camp. + +If a person is hungry and sings a wolf song, he is likely to find food. Men +going on a hunting trip sing these songs, which bring them good luck. The +bear has very powerful medicine. Sometimes he takes pity on people and +helps them, as in the story of Mik'-api. + +Some Piegans, if they wish to travel on a certain day, have the power of +insuring good weather on that day. It is supposed that they do this by +singing a powerful song. Some of the enemy can cause bad weather, when they +want to steal into the camp. + +People who belonged to the _Sin'-o-pah_ band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi,_ if +they were at war in summer and wanted a storm to come up, would take some +dirt and water and rub it on the kit-fox skin, and this would cause a +rain-storm to come up. In winter, snow and dirt would be rubbed on the skin +and this would bring up a snow-storm. + +Certain places and inanimate objects are also greatly reverenced by the +Blackfeet, and presents are made to them. + +The smallest of the three buttes of the Sweet Grass Hills is regarded as +sacred. "All the Indians are afraid to go there," Four Bears once told +me. Presents are sometimes thrown into the Missouri River, though these are +not offerings made directly to the stream, but are given to the Under Water +People, who live in it. + +Mention has already been made of the buffalo rock, which gives its owner +the power to call the buffalo. + +Another sacred object is the medicine rock of the Marias. It is a huge +boulder of reddish sandstone, two-thirds the way up a steep hill on the +north bank of the Marias River, about five miles from Fort +Conrad. Formerly, this rock rested on the top of the bluff, but, as the +soil about it is worn away by the wind and the rain, it is slowly moving +down the hill. The Indians believe it to be alive, and make presents to +it. When I first visited it, the ground about it was strewn with decaying +remnants of offerings that had been made to it in the past. Among these I +noticed, besides fragments of clothing, eagle feathers, a steel finger ring, +brass ear-rings, and a little bottle made of two copper cartridge cases. + +Down on Milk River, east of the Sweet Grass Hills, is another medicine +rock. It is shaped something like a man's body, and looks like a person +sitting on top of the bluff. Whenever the Blackfeet pass this rock, they +make presents to it. Sometimes, when they give it an article of clothing, +they put it on the rock, "and then," as one of them once said to me, "when +you look at it, it seems more than ever like a person." Down in the big +bend of the Milk River, opposite the eastern end of the Little Rocky +Mountains, lying on the prairie, is a great gray boulder, which is shaped +like a buffalo bull lying down. This is greatly reverenced by all Plains +Indians, Blackfeet included, and they make presents to it. Many other +examples of similar character might be given. + +The Blackfeet make daily prayers to the Sun and to Old Man, and nothing of +importance is undertaken without asking for divine assistance. They are +firm believers in dreams. These, they say, are sent by the Sun to enable us +to look ahead, to tell what is going to happen. A dream, especially if it +is a strong one,--that is, if the dream is very clear and vivid,--is almost +always obeyed. As dreams start them on the war path, so, if a dream +threatening bad luck comes to a member of a war party, even if in the +enemy's country and just about to make an attack on a camp, the party is +likely to turn about and go home without making any hostile +demonstrations. The animal or object which appears to the boy, or man, who +is trying to dream for power, is, as has been said, regarded thereafter as +his secret helper, his medicine, and is usually called his dream +_(Nits-o'-kan)_. + +The most important religious occasion of the year is the ceremony of the +Medicine Lodge. This is a sacrifice, which, among the Blackfeet, is offered +invariably by women. If a woman has a son or husband away at war, and is +anxious about him, or if she has a dangerously sick child, she may make to +the Sun a vow in the following words:-- + +"Listen, Sun. Pity me. You have seen my life. You know that I am pure. I +have never committed adultery with any man. Now, therefore, I ask you to +pity me. I will build you a lodge. Let my son survive. Bring him back to +health, so that I may build this lodge for you." + +The vow to build the Medicine Lodge is repeated in a loud voice, outside +her lodge, so that all the people may hear it, and if any man can impeach +the woman, he is obliged to speak out, in which case she could be punished +according to the law. The Medicine Lodge is always built in summer, at the +season of the ripening of the sarvis berries, and if, before this time, the +person for whom the vow is made dies, the woman is not obliged to fulfil +her vow. She is regarded with suspicion, and it is generally believed that +she has been guilty of the crime she disavowed. As this cannot be proved, +however, she is not punished. + +When the time approaches for the building of the lodge, a suitable locality +is selected, and all the people move to it, putting up their lodges in a +circle about it. In the meantime, at least a hundred buffalo tongues have +been collected, cut, and dried by the woman who may be called the Medicine +Lodge woman. No one but she is allowed to take part in this work. + +Before the tongues are cut and dried, they are laid in a pile in the +medicine woman's lodge. She then gives a feast to the old men, and one of +them, noted for his honesty, and well liked by all, repeats a very long +prayer, asking in substance that the coming Medicine Lodge may be +acceptable to the Sun, and that he will look with favor on the people, and +will give them good health, plenty of food, and success in war. A hundred +songs are then sung, each one different from the others. The feast and +singing of these songs lasts a day and a half.[Illustration: MEDICINE +LODGE] + +Before the Medicine Lodge is erected, four large sweat lodges are built, +all in a line, fronting to the east or toward the rising sun. Two stand in +front of the Medicine Lodge, and two behind it. The two nearest the +Medicine Lodge are built one day, and the others on the day following. The +sticks for the framework of these lodges are cut only by renowned warriors, +each warrior cutting one, and, as he brings it in and lays it down, he +counts a _coup_, which must be of some especially brave deed. The old men +then take the sticks and erect the lodges, placing on top of each a buffalo +skull, one half of which is painted red, the other black, to represent day +and night, or rather the sun and the moon. When the lodges are finished and +the stones heated, the warriors go in to sweat, and with them the medicine +pipe men, who offer up prayers. + +While this is going on, the young men cut the centre post for the Medicine +Lodge, and all the other material for its construction. The women then pack +out the post and the poles on horses, followed by the men shouting, +singing, and shooting. + +In the morning of this day the medicine woman begins a fast, which must +last four days and four nights, with only one intermission, as will shortly +appear. During that time she may not go out of doors, except between sunset +and sunrise. During the whole ceremony her face, hands, and clothing are +covered with the sacred red paint. + +When all the material has been brought to the spot where the lodge is to be +erected, that warrior who, during the previous year, has done the most +cutting and stabbing in battle is selected to cut the rawhide to bind it, +and while he cuts the strings he counts three _coups_. + +The centre post is now placed on the ground, surrounded by the poles and +other smaller posts; and two bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, the Braves, +and the All Crazy Dogs approach. Each band sings four songs, and then they +raise the lodge amid the shouting of the people. It is said that, in old +times, all the bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ took part in this +ceremony. For raising the centre post, which is very heavy, lodge poles are +tied in pairs, with rawhide, so as to form "shears," each pair being +handled by two men. If one of the ropes binding the shears breaks, the men +who hold the pair are said to be unlucky; it is thought that they are soon +to die. As soon as the centre post is up, the wall posts are erected, and +the roof of poles put on, the whole structure being covered with brush. The +door-way faces east or southeast, and the lodge is circular in shape, about +forty feet in diameter, with walls about seven feet high. + +Inside the Medicine Lodge, at the back, or west side, in the principal +place in the lodge, is now built a little box-shaped house, about seven +feet high, six feet long, and four wide. It is made of brush, so tightly +woven that one cannot see inside of it. This is built by a medicine man, +the high priest of this ceremony, who, for four days, the duration of the +ceremony, neither eats nor goes out of it in the daytime. The people come +to him, two at a time, and he paints them with black, and makes for them an +earnest prayer to the Sun, that they may have good health, long lives, and +good food and shelter. This man is supposed to have power over the rain. As +rain would interfere with the ceremonies, he must stop it, if it threatens. + +In the meantime, the sacred dried tongues have been placed in the Medicine +Lodge. The next morning, the Medicine Lodge woman leaves her own lodge, +and, walking very slowly with bowed head, and praying at every step, she +enters the Medicine Lodge, and, standing by the pile of tongues, she cuts +up one of them and holds it toward heaven, offering it to the Sun; then she +eats a part of it and buries the rest in the dirt, praying to the Ground +Man, and calling him to bear witness that she has not defiled his body by +committing adultery. She then proceeds to cut up the tongues, giving a very +small piece to every person, man, woman, or child. Each one first holds it +up to the Sun, and then prays to the Sun, Na'-pi, and the Ground Man for +long life, concluding by depositing a part of the morsel of tongue on the +ground, saying, "I give you this sacred tongue to eat." And now, during the +four days, outside the lodge, goes on the counting of the _coups_. Each +warrior in turn recounts his success in war,--his battles or his +horse-takings. With a number of friends to help him, he goes through a +pantomime of all these encounters, showing how he killed this enemy, took a +gun from that one, or cut horses loose from the lodge of another. When he +has concluded, an old man offers a prayer, and ends by giving him a new +name, saying that he hopes he will live well and long under it. + +Inside the lodge, rawhide ropes are suspended from the centre post, and +here the men fulfil the vows that they have made during the previous +year. Some have been sick, or in great danger at war, and they then vowed +that if they were permitted to live, or escape, they would swing at the +Medicine Lodge. Slits are cut in the skin of their breast, ropes passed +through and secured by wooden skewers, and then the men swing and surge +until the skin gives way and tears out. This is very painful, and some +fairly shriek with agony as they do it, but they never give up, for they +believe that if they should fail to fulfil their vow, they would soon die. + +On the fourth day every one has been prayed for, every one has made to the +Sun his or her present, which is tied to the centre post, the sacred +tongues have all been consumed, and the ceremony ends, every one feeling +better, assured of long life and plenty. + +Most persons have an entirely erroneous idea of the purpose of this annual +ceremony. It has been supposed that it was for the purpose of making +warriors. This is not true. It was essentially a religious festival, +undertaken for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the people according to +their beliefs. Incidentally, it furnished an opportunity for the rehearsal +of daring deeds. But among no tribes who practised it were warriors made by +it. The swinging by the breast and other self-torturings were but the +fulfilment of vows, sacred promises made in time of danger, penances +performed, and not, as many believe, an occasion for young men to test +their courage. + +From the Indians of the tribe, the Medicine Lodge woman receives a very +high measure of respect and consideration. Blackfoot men have said to me, +"We look on the Medicine Lodge woman as you white people do on the Roman +Catholic sisters." Not only is she virtuous in deed, but she must be +serious and clean-minded. Her conversation must be sober. + +Before the coming of the whites, the Blackfeet used to smoke the leaves of +a plant which they call _na-wuh'-to-ski_, and which is said to have been +received long, long ago from a medicine beaver. It was used unmixed with +any other plant. The story of how this came to the tribe is told +elsewhere.[1] This tobacco is no longer planted by the Piegans, nor by the +Bloods, though it is said that an old Blackfoot each year still goes +through the ceremony, and raises a little. The plant grows about ten +inches high and has a long seed stalk growing from the centre. White Calf, +the chief of the Piegans, has the secrets of the tobacco and is perhaps the +only person in the tribe who knows them. From him I have received the +following account of the ceremonies connected with it:-- + +[Footnote 1: The Beaver Medicine, p. 117.] + +Early in the spring, after the last snow-storm, when the flowers begin to +bud (early in the month of May), the women and children go into the timber +and prepare a large bed, clearing away the underbrush, weeds and grass and +leaves and sticks, raking the ground till the earth is thoroughly +pulverized. Elk, deer, and mountain sheep droppings are collected, pounded +fine, and mixed with the seed which is to be sown. + +On the appointed day all the men gather at the bed. Each one holds in his +hand a short, sharp-pointed stick, with which to make a hole in the +ground. The men stand in a row extending across the bed. At a signal they +make the holes in the ground, and drop in some seed, with some sacred +sarvis berries. The tobacco song is sung by the medicine men, all take a +short step forward, make another hole, a foot in front of the last, and +then drop in it some more seed. Another song is sung, another step taken, +and seed is again planted; and this continues until the line of men has +moved all the way across the bed, and the planting is completed. The +tobacco dance follows the planting. + +After the seed has been planted, they leave it and go off after the +buffalo. While away during the summer, some important man--one of the +medicine men who had taken part in the planting--announces to the people +his purpose to go back to look after the crop. He starts, and after he has +reached the place, he builds a little fire in the bed, and offers a prayer +for the crop, asking that it may survive and do well. Then he pulls up one +of the plants, which he takes back with him and shows to the people, so +that all may see how the crop is growing. He may thus visit the place three +or four times in the course of the summer. + +From time to time, while they are absent from the tobacco patch in summer, +moving about after the buffalo, the men gather in some lodge to perform a +special ceremony for the protection of the crop. Each man holds in his hand +a little stick. They sing and pray to the Sun and Old Man, asking that the +grasshoppers and other insects may not eat their plants. At the end of each +song they strike the ground with their sticks, as if killing grasshoppers +and worms. It has sometimes happened that a young man has said that he does +not believe that these prayers and songs protect the plants, that the Sun +does not send messengers to destroy the worms. To such a one a medicine +man will say, "Well, you can go to the place and see for yourself." The +young man gets on his horse and travels to the place. When he comes to the +edge of the patch and looks out on it, he sees many small children at work +there, killing worms. He has not believed in this before, but now he goes +back convinced. Such a young man does not live very long. + +At length the season comes for gathering the crop, and, at a time +appointed, all the camps begin to move back toward the tobacco patch, +timing their marches so that all may reach it on the same day. When they +get there, they camp near it, but no one visits it except the head man of +the medicine men who took charge of the planting. This man goes to the bed, +gathers a little of the plant, and returns to the camp. + +A small boy, six or eight years old, is selected to carry this plant to the +centre of the circle. The man who gathered the tobacco ties it to a little +stick, and, under the tobacco, to the stick he ties a baby's moccasin. The +little boy carries this stick to the centre of the camp, and stands it in +the ground in the middle of the circle, the old man accompanying him and +showing him where to put it. It is left there all night. The next day there +is a great feast, and the kettles of food are all brought to the centre of +the camp. The people all gather there, and a prayer is made. Then they sing +the four songs which belong especially to this festival. The first and +fourth are merely airs without words; the second has words, the purport of +which is, "The sun goes with us." The third song says, "Hear your +children's prayer." After the ceremony is over, every one is at liberty to +go and gather the tobacco. It is dried and put in sacks for use during the +year. The seed is collected for the next planting. When they reach the +patch, if the crop is good, every one is glad. After the gathering, they +all move away again after the buffalo. + +Sometimes a man who was lazy, and had planted no tobacco, would go secretly +to the patch, and pull a number of plants belonging to some one else, and +hide them for his own use. Now, in these prayers that they offer, they do +not ask for mercy for thieves. A man who had thus taken what did not belong +to him would have a lizard appear to him in a dream, and then he would fall +sick and die. The medicine men would know of all this, but they would not +do anything. They would just let him die. + +This tobacco was given us by the one who made us. + +The Blackfoot cosmology is imperfect and vague, and I have been able to +obtain nothing like a complete account of it, for I have found no one who +appeared to know the story of the beginning of all things. + +Some of the Blackfeet now say that originally there was a great womb, in +which were conceived the progenitors of all animals now on earth. Among +these was Old Man. As the time for their birth drew near, the animals used +to quarrel as to which should be the first to be born, and one day, in a +fierce struggle about this, the womb burst, and Old Man jumped first to the +ground. For this reason, he named all the animals Nis-kum'-iks, Young +Brothers; and they, because he was the first-born, called him Old Man. + +There are several different accounts of the creation of the people by Old +Man. One is that he married a female dog, and that their progeny were the +first people. Others, and the ones most often told, have been given in the +Old Man stories already related. + +There is an account of the creation which is essentially an Algonquin myth, +and is told by most of the tribes of this stock from the Atlantic to the +Rocky Mountains, though the hero is variously named. Here is the Blackfoot +version of it:-- + +In the beginning, all the land was covered with water, and Old Man and all +the animals were floating around on a large raft. One day Old Man told the +beaver to dive and try to bring up a little mud. The beaver went down, and +was gone a long time, but could not reach the bottom. Then the loon tried, +and the otter, but the water was too deep for them. At last the muskrat +dived, and he was gone so long that they thought he had drowned, but he +finally came up, almost dead, and when they pulled him on to the raft, they +found, in one of his paws, a little mud. With this, Old Man formed the +world, and afterwards he made the people. + +This myth, while often related by the Blackfoot tribe, is seldom heard +among the Bloods or Piegans. It is uncertain whether all three tribes used +to know it, but have forgotten it, or whether it has been learned in +comparatively modern times by the Blackfeet from the Crees, with whom they +have always had more frequent intercourse and a closer connection than the +other two tribes. + +There is also another version of the origin of death. When Old Man made the +first people, he gave them very strong bodies, and for a long time no one +was sick. At last, a little child fell ill. Each day it grew weaker and +weaker, and at last it fainted. Then the mother went to Old Man, and prayed +him to do something for it. + +"This," said Old Man, "will be the first time it has happened to the +people. You have seen the buffalo fall to the ground when struck with an +arrow. Their hearts stop beating, they do not breathe, and soon their +bodies become cold. They are then dead. Now, woman, it shall be for you to +decide whether death shall come to the people as well as to the other +animals, or whether they shall live forever. Come now with me to the +river." + +When they reached the water's edge, Old Man picked up from the ground a dry +buffalo chip and a stone. "Now, woman," he said, "you will tell me which +one of these to throw into the water. If what I throw floats, your child +shall live; the people shall live forever. If it sinks, then your child +shall die, and all the people shall die, each one when his time comes." + +The woman stood still a long time, looking from the stone to the buffalo +chip, and from the chip to the stone. At last she said, "Throw the stone." +Then Old Man tossed it into the river, and it sank to the bottom. "Woman," +he cried, "go home; your child is dead." Thus, on account of a foolish +woman, we all must die. + +The shadow of a person, the Blackfeet say, is his soul. Northeast of the +Sweet Grass Hills, near the international boundary line, is a bleak, sandy +country called the Sand Hills, and there all the shadows of the deceased +good Blackfeet are congregated. The shadows of those who in this world led +wicked lives are not allowed to go there. After death, these wicked persons +take the shape of ghosts _(Sta-au'_[1]), and are compelled ever after to +remain near the place where they died. Unhappy themselves, they envy those +who are happy, and continually prowl about the lodges of the living, +seeking to do them some injury. Sometimes they tap on the lodge skins and +whistle down the smoke hole, but if the fire is burning within they will +not enter. + +[Footnote 1: The human skeleton is also called _Sta-au', i.e._ +ghost. Compare Cheyenne _Mis-tai'_, ghost.] + +Outside in the dark they do much harm, especially the ghosts of enemies who +have been killed in battle. These sometimes shoot invisible arrows into +persons, causing sickness and death. They have hit people on the head, +causing them to become crazy. They have paralyzed people's limbs, and drawn +their faces out of shape, and done much other harm. Ghosts walk above the +ground, not on it. An example of this peculiarity is seen in the case of +the young man who visited the lodge of the starving family, in the story +entitled Origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi._ + +Ghosts sometimes speak to people. An instance of this is the following, +which occurred to my friend Young Bear Chief, and which he related to +me. He said: "I once went to war, and took my wife with me. I went to +Buffalo Lip Butte, east of the Cypress Mountains; a little creek runs by +it. I took eighteen horses from an Assinaboine camp one night, when it was +very foggy. I found sixteen horses feeding on the hills, and went into the +camp and cut loose two more. Then we went off with the horses. When we +started, it was so foggy that I could not see the stars, and I did not know +which way to run. I kept travelling in what I supposed was the direction +toward home, but I did not know where I was going. After we had gone a long +way, I stopped and got off my horse to fix my belt. My wife did not +dismount, but sat there waiting for me to mount and ride on. + +"I spoke to my wife, and said to her, 'We don't know which way to go.' A +voice spoke up right behind me and said: 'It is well; you go ahead. You are +going right.' When I heard the voice, the top of my head seemed to lift up +and felt as if a lot of needles were sticking into it. My wife, who was +right in front of me, was so frightened that she fainted and fell off her +horse, and it was a long time before she came to. When she got so she could +ride, we went on, and when morning came I found that we were going +straight, and were on the west side of the West Butte of the Sweet Grass +Hills. We got home all right. This must have been a ghost." + +Now and then among the Blackfeet, we find evidences of a belief that the +soul of a dead person may take up its abode in the body of an animal. An +example of this is seen in the story of E-k[=u]s'-kini, p. 90. Owls are +thought to be the ghosts of medicine men. + +The Blackfeet do not consider the Sand Hills a happy hunting ground. There +the dead, who are themselves shadows, live in shadow lodges, hunt shadow +buffalo, go to war against shadow enemies, and in every way lead an +existence which is but a mimicry of this life. In this respect the +Blackfeet are almost alone. I know of scarcely any other American tribe, +certainly none east of the Rocky Mountains, who are wholly without a belief +in a happy future state. The Blackfeet do not especially say that this +future life is an unhappy one, but, from the way in which they speak of it, +it is clear that for them it promises nothing desirable. It is a +monotonous, never ending, and altogether unsatisfying existence,--a life as +barren and desolate as the country which the ghosts inhabit. These people +are as much attached to life as we are. Notwithstanding the unhappy days +which have befallen them of late years,--days of privation and +hunger,--they cling to life. Yet they seem to have no fear of death. When +their time comes, they accept their fate without a murmur, and tranquilly, +quietly pass away. + + + +MEDICINE PIPES AND HEALING + + +The person whom the whites term "medicine man" is called by the Blackfeet +_Ni-namp'-skan_. Mr. Schultz believes this word to be compounded of +_nin'nah_, man, and _namp'-ski_, horned toad (_Phrynosoma_), and in this he +is supported by Mr. Thomas Bird, a very intelligent half-breed, who has +translated a part of the Bible into the Blackfoot language for the +Rev. S. Trivett, a Church of England missionary. These gentlemen conclude +that the word means "all-face man." The horned toad is called _namp'-ski_, +all-face; and as the medicine man, with his hair done up in a huge topknot, +bore a certain resemblance to this creature, he was so named. No one among +the Blackfeet appears to have any idea as to what the word means. + +The medicine pipes are really only pipe stems, very long, and beautifully +decorated with bright-colored feathers and the fur of the weasel and other +animals. It is claimed that these stems were given to the people long, long +ago, by the Sun, and that those who own them are regarded by him with +special favor. + +Formerly these stems were valued at from fifteen to thirty head of horses, +and were bought and sold like any other property. When not in use, they +were kept rolled up in many thicknesses of fine tanned fur, and with them +were invariably a quantity of tobacco, a sacred whistle, two sacred +rattles, and some dried sweet grass, and sweet pine needles. + +In the daytime, in pleasant weather, these sacred bundles were hung out of +doors behind the owners' lodges, on tripods. At night they were suspended +within, above the owners' seat It was said that if at any time a person +should walk completely around the lodge of a medicine man, some bad luck +would befall him. Inside the lodge, no one was allowed to pass between the +fireplace and the pipe stem. No one but a medicine man and his head wife +could move or unroll the bundle. The man and his wife were obliged always +to keep their faces, hands, and clothing painted with _nits'-i-san,_ a dull +red paint, made by burning a certain clay found in the bad lands. + +The _Ni-namp'-skan_ appears to be a priest of the Sun, and prayers offered +through him are thought to be specially favored. So the sacred stem is +frequently unrolled for the benefit of the sick, for those who are about to +undertake a dangerous expedition, such as a party departing to war, for +prayers for the general health and prosperity of the people, and for a +bountiful supply of food. At the present time these ancient ceremonies have +largely fallen into disuse. In fact, since the disappearance of the +buffalo, most of the old customs are dying out. + +The thunder is believed to bring the rain in spring, and the rain makes the +berries grow. It is a rule that after the first thunder is heard in the +spring, every medicine man must give a feast and offer prayers for a large +berry crop. I have never seen this ceremony, but Mr. Schultz was once +permitted to attend one, and has given me the following account of it. He +said: "When I entered the lodge with the other guests, the pipe stem had +already been unrolled. Before the fire were two huge kettles of cooked +sarvis berries, a large bowlful of which was soon set before each guest. +Each one, before eating, took a few of the berries and rubbed them into the +ground, saying, 'Take pity on us, all Above People, and give us good.' + +"When all had finished eating, a large black stone pipe bowl was filled and +fitted to the medicine stem, and the medicine man held it aloft and said: +'Listen, Sun! Listen, Thunder! Listen, Old Man! All Above Animals, all +Above People, listen. Pity us! You will smoke. We fill the sacred pipe. Let +us not starve. Give us rain during this summer. Make the berries large and +sweet. Cover the bushes with them. Look down on us all and pity us. Look +at the women and the little children; look at us all. Let us reach old +age. Let our lives be complete. Let us destroy our enemies. Help the young +men in battle. Man, woman, child, we all pray to you; pity us and give us +good. Let us survive.' + +"He then danced the pipe dance, to be described further on. At this time, +another storm had come up, and the thunder crashed directly over our heads. + +"'Listen,' said the medicine man. 'It hears us. We are not doing this +uselessly'; and he raised his face, animated with enthusiasm, toward the +sky, his whole body trembling with excitement; and, holding the pipe aloft, +repeated his prayer. All the rest of the people were excited, and +repeatedly clasped their arms over their breasts, saying: 'Pity us; good +give us; good give us. Let us survive.' + +"After this, the pipe was handed to a man on the right of the +semi-circle. Another warrior took a lighted brand from the fire, and +counted four _coups_, at the end of each _coup_ touching the pipe bowl with +the brand. When he had counted the fourth _coup_, the pipe was lighted. It +was then smoked in turn around the circle, each one, as he received it, +repeating a short prayer before he put the stem to his lips. When it was +smoked out, a hole was dug in the ground, the ashes were knocked into it +and carefully covered over, and the thunder ceremony was ended." + +In the year 1885, I was present at the unwrapping of the medicine pipe by +Red Eagle, an aged _Ni-namp'-skan_ since dead. On this occasion prayers +were made for the success of a party of Piegans who had started in pursuit +of some Crows who had taken a large band of horses from the Piegans the day +before. The ceremony was a very impressive one, and prayers were offered +not only for the success of this war party, but also for the general good, +as well as for the welfare of special individuals, who were mentioned by +name. The concluding words of the general prayer were as follows: "May all +people have full life. Give to all heavy bodies. Let the young people grow; +increase their flesh. Let all men, women, and children have full life. +Harden the bodies of the old people so that they may reach great age." + +In 1879, Mr. Schultz saw a sacred pipe unwrapped for the benefit of a sick +woman, and on various occasions since he has been present at this +ceremony. All accounts of what takes place agree so closely with what I saw +that I give only one of them. Mr. Schultz wrote me of the first occasion: +"When I entered the lodge, it was already well filled with men who had been +invited to participate in the ceremony. The medicine man was aged and +gray-headed, and his feeble limbs could scarcely support his body. Between +him and his wife was the bundle which contained the medicine pipe, as yet +unwrapped, lying on a carefully folded buffalo robe. Plates of food were +placed before each guest, and after all had finished eating, and a common +pipe had been lighted to be smoked around the circle, the ceremony began. + +"With wooden tongs, the woman took a large coal from the fire, and laid it +on the ground in front of the sacred stem. Then, while every one joined in +singing a chant, a song of the buffalo (without words), she took a bunch of +dried sweet grass, and, raising and lowering her hand in time to the music, +finally placed the grass on the burning coals. As the thin column of +perfumed smoke rose from the burning herb, both she and the medicine man +grasped handfuls of it and rubbed it over their persons, to purify +themselves before touching the sacred roll. They also took each a small +piece of some root from a little pouch, and ate it, signifying that they +purified themselves without and within. + +"The man and woman now faced each other and again began the buffalo song, +keeping time by touching with the clenched hands--the right and left +alternately--the wrappings of the pipe, occasionally making the sign for +buffalo. Now, too, one could occasionally hear the word _Nai-ai'_[1] in +the song. After singing this song for about ten minutes, it was changed to +the antelope song, and, instead of touching the roll with the clenched +hands, which represented the heavy tread of buffalo, they closed the hands, +leaving the index finger extended and the thumbs partly open, and in time +to the music, as in the previous song, alternately touched the wrappers +with the tips of the left and right forefinger, the motions being quick and +firm, and occasionally brought the hands to the side of the head, making +the sign for antelope, and at the same time uttering a loud '_Kuh'_ to +represent the whistling or snorting of that animal. + +[Footnote 1: My shelter; my covering; my robe.] + +"At the conclusion of this song, the woman put another bunch of sweet grass +on a coal, and carefully undid the wrappings of the pipe, holding each one +over the smoke to keep it pure. When the last wrapping was removed, the man +gently grasped the stem and, every one beginning the pipe song, he raised +and lowered it several times, shaking it as he did so, until every feather +and bit of fur and scalp hung loose and could be plainly seen. + +"At this moment the sick woman entered the lodge, and with great +difficulty, for she was very weak, walked over to the medicine woman and +knelt down before her. The medicine woman then produced a small bag of red +paint, and painted a broad band across the sick woman's forehead, a stripe +down the nose, and a number of round dots on each cheek. Then picking up +the pipe stem, which the man had laid down, she held it up toward the sky +and prayed, saying, 'Listen, Sun, pity us! Listen, Old Man, pity us! Above +People, pity us! Under Water People, pity us! Listen, Sun! Listen, Sun! Let +us survive, pity us! Let us survive. Look down on our sick daughter this +day. Pity her and give her a complete life.' At the conclusion of this +short prayer, all the people uttered a loud _m-m-m-h_, signifying that they +took the words to their hearts. Every one now commenced the pipe song, and +the medicine woman passed the stem over different parts of the sick woman's +body, after which she rose and left the lodge. + +"The medicine man now took a common pipe which had been lighted, and blew +four whiffs of smoke toward the sky, four toward the ground, and four on +the medicine pipe stem, and prayed to the Sun, Old Man, and all medicine +animals, to pity the people and give them long life. The drums were then +produced, the war song commenced, and the old man, with a rattle in each +hand, danced four times to the door-way and back. He stooped slightly, kept +all his limbs very rigid, extending his arms like one giving a benediction, +and danced in time to the drumming and singing with quick, sudden +steps. This is the medicine pipe dance, which no one but a pipe-owner is +allowed to perform. Afterward, he picked up the pipe stem, and, holding it +aloft in front of him, went through the same performance. At the +conclusion of the dance, the pipe stem was passed from one to another of +the guests, and each one in turn held it aloft and repeated a short +prayer. The man on my right prayed for the health of his children, the one +on my left for success in a proposed war expedition. This concluded the +ceremony." + +Disease among the Blackfeet is supposed to be caused by evil spirits, +usually the spirits or ghosts of enemies slain in battle. These spirits are +said to wander about at night, and whenever opportunity offers, they shoot +invisible arrows into persons. These cause various internal troubles, such +as consumption, hemorrhages, and diseases of the digestive organs. Mice, +frogs, snakes, and tailed batrachians are said to cause much disease among +women, and hence should be shunned, and on no account handled. + +Less important external ailments and hurts, such as ulcers, boils, sprains, +and so on, are treated by applying various lotions or poultices, compounded +by boiling or macerating certain roots or herbs, known only to the person +supplying them. Rheumatic pains are treated in several ways. Sometimes the +sweat lodge is used, or hot rocks are applied over the place where the pain +is most severe, or actual cautery is practised, by inserting prickly pear +thorns in the flesh, and setting fire to them, when they burn to the very +point. + +The sweat lodge, so often referred to, is used as a curative agent, as well +as in religious ceremonies, and is considered very beneficial in illness of +all kinds. The sweat lodge is built in the shape of a rough hemisphere, +three or four feet high and six or eight in diameter. The frame is usually +of willow branches, and is covered with cow-skins and robes. In the centre +of the floor, a small hole is dug out, in which are to be placed red hot +stones. Everything being ready, those who are to take the sweat remove +their clothing and crowd into the lodge. The hot rocks are then handed in +from the fire outside, and the cowskins pulled down to the ground to +exclude any cold air. If a medicine pipe man is not at hand, the oldest +person present begins to pray to the Sun, and at the same time sprinkles +water on the hot rocks, and a dense steam rises, making the perspiration +fairly drip from the body. Occasionally, if the heat becomes too intense, +the covering is raised for a few minutes to admit a little air. The sweat +bath lasts for a long time, often an hour or more, during which many +prayers are offered, religious songs chanted, and several pipes smoked to +the Sun. As has been said, the sweat lodge is built to represent the Sun's +own lodge or home, that is, the world. The ground inside the lodge stands +for its surface, which, according to Blackfoot philosophy, is flat and +round. The framework represents the sky, which far off, on the horizon, +reaches down to and touches the world. + +As soon as the sweat is over, the men rush out, and plunge into the stream +to cool off. This is invariably done, even in winter, when the ice has to +be broken to make a hole large enough to bathe in. It is said that, when +the small-pox was raging among these Indians, they used the sweat lodge +daily, and that hundreds of them, sick with the disease, were unable to get +out of the river, after taking the bath succeeding a sweat, and were +carried down stream by the current and drowned. + +It is said that wolves, which in former days were extremely numerous, +sometimes went crazy, and bit every animal they met with, sometimes even +coming into camps and biting dogs, horses, and people. Persons bitten by a +mad wolf generally went mad, too. They trembled and their limbs jerked, +they made their jaws work and foamed at the mouth, often trying to bite +other people. When any one acted in this way, his relations tied him hand +and foot with ropes, and, having killed a buffalo, they rolled him up in +the green hide, and then built a fire on and around him, leaving him in the +fire until the hide began to dry and burn. Then they pulled him out and +removed the buffalo hide, and he was cured. While in the fire, the great +heat caused him to sweat profusely, so much water coming out of his body +that none was left in it, and with the water the disease went out, too. +All the old people tell me that they have seen individuals cured in this +manner of a mad wolf's bite. + +Whenever a person is really sick, a doctor is sent for. Custom requires +that he shall be paid for his services before rendering them. So when he is +called, the messenger says to him, "A---- presents to you a horse, and +asks you to come and doctor him." Sometimes the fee may be several horses, +and sometimes a gun, saddle, or some article of wearing-apparel. This fee +pays only for one visit, but the duration of the visit is seldom less than +twelve hours, and sometimes exceeds forty-eight. If, after the expiration +of the visit, the patient feels that he has been benefited, he will +probably send for the doctor again, but if, on the other hand, he continues +to grow worse, he is likely to send for another. Not infrequently two or +more doctors may be present at the same time, taking turns with the +patient. In early days, if a man fell sick, and remained so for three weeks +or a month, he had to start anew in life when he recovered; for, unless +very wealthy, all his possessions had gone to pay doctor's fees. Often the +last horse, and even the lodge, weapons, and extra clothing were so parted +with. Of late years, however, since the disappearance of the buffalo, the +doctors' fees are much more moderate. + +The doctor is named _I-so-kin-[)u]h-kin,_ a word difficult to +translate. The nearest English meaning of the word seems to be "heavy +singer for the sick." As a rule all doctors sing while endeavoring to work +their cures, and, as helpers, a number of women are always present. Disease +being caused by evil spirits, prayers, exhortations, and certain mysterious +methods must be observed to rid the patient of their influence. No two +doctors have the same methods or songs. Herbs are sometimes used, but not +always. One of their medicines is a great yellow fungus which grows on the +pine trees. This is dried and powdered, and administered either dry or in +an infusion. It is a purgative. As a rule, these doctors, while practising +their rites, will not allow any one in the lodge, except the immediate +members of the sick man's family. Mr. Schultz, who on more than one +occasion has been present at a doctoring, gives the following account of +one of the performances. + +"The patient was a man in the last stages of consumption. When the doctor +entered the lodge, he handed the sick man a strip of buckskin, and told him +to tie it around his chest. The patient then reclined on a couch, stripped +to the waist, and the doctor kneeled on the floor beside him. Having +cleared a little space of the loose dirt and dust, the doctor took two +coals from the fire, laid them in this place, and put a pinch of dried +sweet grass on each of them. As the smoke arose from the burning grass, he +held his drum over it, turning it from side to side, and round and +round. This was supposed to purify it. Laying aside the drum, he held his +hands in the smoke, and rubbed his arms and body with it. Then, picking up +the drum, he began to tap it rapidly, and prayed, saying: 'Listen, my +dream. This you told me should be done. This you said should be the +way. You said it would cure the sick. Help me now. Do not lie to me. Help +me, Sun person. Help me to cure this sick man.' + +"He then began to sing, and as soon as the women had caught the air, he +handed the drum to one of them to beat, and, still singing himself, took an +eagle's wing and dipped the tip of it in a cup of 'medicine.' It was a +clear liquid, and looked as if it might be simply water. Placing the tip of +the wing in his mouth, he seemed to bite off the end of it, and, chewing it +a little, spat it out on the patient's breast. Then, in time to the +singing, he brushed it gently off, beginning at the throat and ending at +the lower ribs. This was repeated three times. Next he took the bandage +from the patient, dipped it in the cup of medicine, and, wringing it out, +placed it on the sick man's chest, and rubbed it up and down, and back and +forth, after which he again brushed the breast with the eagle +wing. Finally, he lighted a pipe, and, placing the bowl in his mouth, blew +the smoke through the stem all over the patient's breast, shoulders, neck, +and arms, and finished the ceremony by again brushing with the wing. At +intervals of two or three hours, the whole ceremony was repeated. The +doctor arrived at the lodge of the sick man about noon, and left the next +morning, having received for his services a saddle and two blankets." + +"Listen, my dream--" This is the key to most of the Blackfoot medicine +practices. These doctors for the most part effect their cures by +prayer. Each one has his dream, or secret helper, to whom he prays for aid, +and it is by this help that he expects to restore his patient to health. No +doubt the doctors have the fullest confidence that their practices are +beneficial, and in some cases they undoubtedly do good because of the +implicit confidence felt in them by the patient. + +Often, when a person is sick, he will ask some medicine man to unroll his +pipe. If able to dance, he will take part in the ceremony, but if not, the +medicine man paints him with the sacred symbols. In any case a fervent +prayer is offered by the medicine man for the sick person's recovery. The +medicine man administers no remedies; the ceremony is purely +religious. Being a priest of the Sun, it is thought that god will be more +likely to listen to him than he would to an ordinary man. + +Although the majority of Blackfoot doctors are men, there are also many +women in the guild, and some of them are quite noted for their +success. Such a woman, named Wood Chief Woman, is now alive on the +Blackfoot reservation. She has effected many wonderful cures. Two Bear +Woman is a good doctor, and there are many others. + +In the case of gunshot wounds a man's "dream," or "medicine," often acts +directly and speedily. Many cases are cited in which this charm, often the +stuffed skin of some bird or animal, belonging to the wounded man, becomes +alive, and by its power effects a cure. Many examples of this might be +given but for lack of space. Entirely honest Indians and white men have +seen such cures and believe in them. + + + +THE BLACKFOOT OF TO-DAY + +In the olden times the Blackfeet were very numerous, and it is said that +then they were a strong and hardy people, and few of them were ever +sick. Most of the men who died were killed in battle, or died of old +age. We may well enough believe that this was the case, because the +conditions of their life in those primitive times were such that the weakly +and those predisposed to any constitutional trouble would not survive early +childhood. Only the strongest of the children would grow up to become the +parents of the next generation. Thus a process of selection was constantly +going on, the effect of which was no doubt seen in the general health of +the people. + +With the advent of the whites, came new conditions. Various special +diseases were introduced and swept off large numbers of the people. An +important agent in their destruction was alcohol. + +In the year 1845, the Blackfeet were decimated by the small-pox. This +disease appears to have travelled up the Missouri River; and in the early +years, between 1840 and 1850, it swept away hosts of Mandans, Rees, Sioux, +Crows, and other tribes camped along the great river. I have been told, by +a man who was employed at Fort Union in 1842-43, that the Indians died +there in such numbers that the men of the fort were kept constantly at work +digging trenches in which to bury them, and when winter came, and the +ground froze so hard that it was no longer practicable to bury the dead, +their bodies were stacked up like cord wood in great piles to await the +coming of spring. The disease spread from tribe to tribe, and finally +reached the Blackfeet. It is said by whites who were in the country at the +time, that this small-pox almost swept the Plains bare of Indians. + +In the winter of 1857-58, small-pox again carried off great numbers, but +the mortality was not to be compared with that of 1845. In 1864, measles +ran through all the Blackfoot camps, and was very fatal, and again in 1869 +they had the small-pox. + +Between the years 1860 and 1875, a great deal of whiskey was traded to the +Blackfeet. Having once experienced the delights of intoxication, the +Indians were eager for liquor, and the traders found that robes and furs +could be bought to better advantage for whiskey than for anything else. To +be sure, the personal risk to the trader was considerably increased by the +sale of whiskey, for when drunk the Indians fought like demons among +themselves or with the traders. But, on the other hand, whiskey for +trading to Indians cost but a trifle, and could be worked up, and then +diluted, so that a little would go a long way. + +As a measure of partial self-protection, the traders used to deal out the +liquor from the keg or barrel in a tin scoop so constructed that it would +not stand on a flat surface, so that an Indian, who was drinking, had to +keep the vessel in his hand until the liquor was consumed, or else it would +be spilled and lost. This lessened the danger of any shooting or stabbing +while the Indian was drinking, and an effort was usually made to get him +out of the store as soon as he had finished. Nevertheless, drunken fights +in the trading-stores were of common occurrence, and the life of a +whiskey-trader was one of constant peril. I have talked with many men who +were engaged in this traffic, and some of the stories they tell are +thrilling. It was a common thing in winter for the man who unbarred and +opened the store in the morning to have a dead Indian fall into his arms as +the door swung open. To prop up against the door a companion who had been +killed or frozen to death during the night seems to have been regarded by +the Indians as rather a delicate bit of humor, in the nature of a joke on +the trader. Long histories of the doings of these whiskey trading days have +been related to me, but the details are too repulsive to be set down. The +traffic was very fatal to the Indians. + +The United States has laws which prohibit, under severe penalties, the sale +of intoxicants to Indians, but these laws are seldom enforced. To the north +of the boundary line, however, in the Northwest Territories, the Canadian +Mounted Police have of late years made whiskey-trading perilous +business. Of Major Steell's good work in putting down the whiskey traffic +on the Blackfoot agency in Montana, I shall speak further on, and to-day +there is not very much whiskey sold to the Blackfeet. Constant vigilance is +needed, however, to keep traders from the borders of the reservation. + +In the winter of 1883-84 more than a quarter of the Piegan tribe of the +Blackfeet, which then numbered about twenty-five or twenty-six hundred, +died from starvation. It had been reported to the Indian Bureau that the +Blackfeet were practically self-supporting and needed few supplies. As a +consequence of this report, appropriations for them were small. The +statement was entirely and fatally misleading. The Blackfeet had then +never done anything toward self-support, except to kill buffalo. But just +before this, in the year 1883, the buffalo had been exterminated from the +Blackfoot country. In a moment, and without warning, the people had been +deprived of the food supply on which they had depended. At once they had +turned their attention to the smaller game, and, hunting faithfully the +river bottoms, the brush along the small streams, and the sides of the +mountains, had killed off all the deer, elk, and antelope; and at the +beginning of the winter found themselves without their usual stores of +dried meat, and with nothing to depend on, except the scanty supplies in +the government storehouse. These were ridiculously inadequate to the wants +of twenty-five hundred people, and food could be issued to them only in +driblets quite insufficient to sustain life. The men devoted themselves +with the utmost faithfulness to hunting, killing birds, rabbits, +prairie-dogs, rats, anything that had life; but do the best they might, the +people began to starve. The very old and the very young were the first to +perish; after that, those who were weak and sickly, and at last some even +among the strong and hardy. News of this suffering was sent East, and +Congress ordered appropriations to relieve the distress; but the supplies +had to be freighted in wagons for one hundred and fifty or two hundred +miles before they were available. If the Blackfeet had been obliged to +depend on the supplies authorized by the Indian Bureau, the whole tribe +might have perished, for the red tape methods of the Government are not +adapted to prompt and efficient action in times of emergency. Happily, help +was nearer at hand. The noble people of Montana, and the army officers +stationed at Fort Shaw, did all they could to get supplies to the +sufferers. One or two Montana contractors sent on flour and bacon, on the +personal assurance of the newly appointed agent that he would try to have +them paid. But it took a long time to get even these supplies to the +agency, over roads sometimes hub deep in mud, or again rough with great +masses of frozen clay; and all the time the people were dying. + +During the winter, Major Allen had been appointed agent for the Blackfeet, +and he reached the agency in the midst of the worst suffering, and before +any effort had been made to relieve it. He has told me a heart-rending +story of the frightful suffering which he found among these helpless +people. + +In his efforts to learn exactly what was their condition, Major Allen one +day went into twenty-three houses and lodges to see for himself just what +the Indians had to eat. In only two of these homes did he find anything in +the shape of food. In one house a rabbit was boiling in a pot. The man had +killed it that morning, and it was being cooked for a starving child. In +another lodge, the hoof of a steer was cooking,--only the hoof,--to make +soup for the family. Twenty-three lodges Major Allen visited that day, and +the little rabbit and the steer's hoof were all the food he found. "And +then," he told me, with tears in his eyes, "I broke down. I could go no +further. To see so much misery, and feel myself utterly powerless to +relieve it, was more than I could stand." + +Major Allen had calculated with exactest care the supplies on hand, and at +this time was issuing one-seventh rations. The Indians crowded around the +agency buildings and begged for food. Mothers came to the windows and held +up their starving babies that the sight of their dull, pallid faces, their +shrunken limbs, and their little bones sticking through their skins might +move some heart to pity. Women brought their young daughters to the white +men in the neighborhood, and said, "Here, you may have her, if you will +feed her; I want nothing for myself; only let her have enough to eat, that +she may not die." One day, a deputation of the chiefs came to Major Allen, +and asked him to give them what he had in his storehouses. He explained to +them that it must be some time before the supplies could get there, and +that only by dealing out what he had with the greatest care could the +people be kept alive until provisions came. But they said: "Our women and +children are hungry, and we are hungry. Give us what you have, and let us +eat once and be filled. Then we will die content; we will not beg any +more." He took them into the storehouse, and showed them just what food he +had,--how much flour, how much bacon, how much rice, coffee, sugar, and so +on through the list--and then told them that if this was issued all at +once, there was no hope for them, they would surely die, but that he +expected supplies by a certain day. "And," said he, "if they do not come by +that time, you shall come in here and help yourselves. That I promise +you." They went away satisfied. + +Meanwhile, the supplies were drawing near. The officer in command of Fort +Shaw had supplied fast teams to hurry on a few loads to the agency, but the +roads were so bad that the wagon trains moved with appalling slowness. At +length, however, they had advanced so far that it was possible to send out +light teams, to meet the heavily laden ones, and bring in a few sacks of +flour and bacon; and every little helped. Gradually the suffering was +relieved, but the memory of that awful season of famine will never pass +from the minds of those who witnessed it. + +There is a record of between four and five hundred Indians who died of +hunger at this time, and this includes only those who were buried in the +immediate neighborhood of the agency and for whom coffins were made. It is +probable that nearly as many more died in the camps on other creeks, but +this is mere conjecture. It is no exaggeration to say, however, that from +one-quarter to one-third of the Piegan tribe starved to death during that +winter and the following spring. + +The change from living in portable and more or less open lodges to +permanent dwellings has been followed by a great deal of illness, and at +present the people appear to be sickly, though not so much so as some other +tribes I have known, living under similar conditions further south. + +Like other Indians, the Blackfeet have been several times a prey to bad +agents,--men careless of their welfare, who thought only about drawing +their own pay, or, worse, who used their positions simply for their own +enrichment, and stole from the government and Indians alike everything upon +which they could lay hands. It was with great satisfaction that I secured +the discharge of one such man a few years ago, and I only regret that it +was not in my power to have carried the matter so far that he might have +spent a few years in prison. + +The present agent of the Blackfeet, Major George Steell, is an old-timer in +the country and understands Indians very thoroughly. In one respect, he has +done more for this people than any other man who has ever had charge of +them, for he has been an uncompromising enemy of the whiskey traffic, and +has relentlessly pursued the white men who always gather about an agency to +sell whiskey to the Indians, and thus not only rob them of their +possessions, but degrade them as well. The prison doors of Deer Lodge have +more than once opened to receive men sent there through the energy of Major +Steell. For the good work he has done in this respect, this gentleman +deserves the highest credit, and he is a shining example among Indian +agents. + +As recently as 1887 it was rather unusual to see a Blackfoot Indian clad in +white men's clothing; the only men who wore coats and trousers were the +police and a few of the chiefs; to-day it is quite as unusual to see an +Indian wearing a blanket. Not less striking than this difference in their +way of life, is the change which has taken place in the spirit of the +tribe. + +I was passing through their reservation in 1888, when the chiefs asked me +to meet them in council and listen to what they had to say. + +I learned that they wished to have a message taken to the Great Father in +the East, and, after satisfying myself that their complaint was well +grounded, I promised to do for them what I could. I accomplished what they +desired, and since that time I have taken much active interest in this +people, and my experience with them has shown me very clearly how much may +be accomplished by the unaided efforts of a single individual who +thoroughly understands the needs of a tribe of Indians. During my annual +visits to the Blackfeet reservation, which have extended over two, three, +or four months each season, I see a great many of the men and have long +conversations with them. They bring their troubles to me, asking what they +shall do, and how their condition may be improved. They tell me what things +they want, and why they think they ought to have them. I listen, and talk +to them just as if they were so many children. If their requests are +unreasonable, I try to explain to them, step by step, why it is not best +that what they desire should be done, or tell them that other things which +they ask for seem proper, and that I will do what I can to have them +granted. If one will only take the pains necessary to make things clear to +him, the adult Indian is a reasonable being, but it requires patience to +make him understand matters which to a white man would need no +explanation. As an example, let me give the substance of a conversation had +last autumn with a leading man of the Piegans who lives on Cut Bank River, +about twenty-five miles from the agency. He said to me:-- + +"We ought to have a storehouse over here on Cut Bank, so that we will not +be obliged each week to go over to the agency to get our food. It takes us +a day to go, and a day to come, and a day there; nearly three days out of +every week to get our food. When we are at work cutting hay, we cannot +afford to spend so much time travelling back and forth. We want to get our +crops in, and not to be travelling about all the time. It would be a good +thing, too, to have a blacksmith shop here, so that when our wagons break +down, we will not have to go to the agency to get them mended." + +This is merely the substance of a much longer speech, to which I replied by +a series of questions, something like the following:-- + +"Do you remember talking to me last year, and telling me on this same spot +that you ought to have beef issued to you here, and ought not to have to +make the long journey to the agency for your meat?" "Yes." + +"And that I told you I agreed with you, and believed that some of the +steers could just as well be killed here by the agency herder and issued to +those Indians living near here?" "Yes." + +"That change has been made, has it not? You now get your beef here, don't +you?" "Yes." + +"You know that the Piegans have a certain amount of money coming to them +every year, don't you?" "Yes." + +"And that some of that money goes to pay the expenses of the agency, some +for food, some to pay clerks and blacksmiths, some to buy mowing-machines, +wagons, harness, and rakes, and some to buy the cattle which have been +issued to you?" "Yes." + +"Now, if a government storehouse were to be built over here, clerks hired +to manage it, a blacksmith shop built and another blacksmith hired, that +would all cost money, wouldn't it?" "Yes." + +"And that money would be taken out of the money coming next year to the +Piegans, wouldn't it?" "Yes." + +"And if that money were spent for those things, the people would have just +so many fewer wagons, mowing-machines, rakes, and cattle issued to them +next year, wouldn't they?" "Yes." + +"Well, which would be best for the tribe, which would you rather have, a +store and a blacksmith shop here on Cut Bank, or the money which those +things would cost in cows and farming implements?" + +"I would prefer that we should have the cattle and the tools." + +"I think you are right. It would save trouble to each man, if the +government would build a storehouse for him right next his house, but it +would be a waste of money. Many white men have to drive ten, twenty, or +thirty miles to the store, and you ought not to complain if you have to do +so." + +After this conversation the man saw clearly that his request was an +unreasonable one, but if I had merely told him that he was a fool to want a +store on Cut Bank, he would never have been satisfied, for his experiences +were so limited that he could not have reasoned the thing out for himself. + +In my talks with these people, I praise those who have worked hard and +lived well during the past year, while to those who have been idle or +drunken or have committed crimes, I explain how foolish their course has +been and try to show them how impossible it is for a man to be successful +if he acts like a child, and shows that he is a person of no sense. A +little quiet talk will usually demonstrate to them that they have been +unwise, and they make fresh resolutions and promise amendment. Of course +the only argument I use is to tell them that one course will be for their +material advancement, and is the way a white man would act, while the other +will tend to keep them always poor. + +Some years ago, the Blackfeet made a new treaty, by which they sold to the +government a large portion of their lands. By this treaty, which was +ratified by Congress in May, 1887, they are to receive $150,000 annually +for a period of ten years, when government support is to be withdrawn. This +sum is a good deal more than is required for their subsistence, and, by the +terms of the treaty, the surplus over what is required for their food and +clothing is to be used in furnishing to the Indians farming implements, +seed, live stock, and such other things as will help them to become +self-supporting. + +The country which the Blackfeet inhabit lies just south of the parallel of +49, close to the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is very cold and +dry. Crops can be grown there successfully not more than once in four or +five years, and the sole products to be depended on are oats and potatoes, +which are raised only by means of irrigation. It is evident, therefore, +that the Piegan tribe of the Blackfeet can never become an agricultural +people. Their reservation, however, is well adapted to stock-raising, and +in past years the cattlemen from far and from near have driven their herds +on to the reservation to eat the Blackfoot grass; and the remonstrances of +the Indians have been entirely disregarded. Some years ago, I came to the +conclusion that the proper occupation for these Indians was +stock-raising. Horses they already had in some numbers, but horses are not +so good for them as cattle, because horses are more readily sold than +cattle, and an Indian is likely to trade his horse for whiskey and other +useless things. Cattle they are much less likely to part with, and besides +this, require more attention than horses, and so are likely to keep the +Indians busy and to encourage them to work. + +Within the past three or four years, I have succeeded in inducing the +Indian Bureau to employ a part of the treaty money coming to the Blackfeet +in purchasing for them cattle. + +It was impressed upon them that they must care for the cattle, not kill and +eat any of them, but keep them for breeding purposes. It was represented to +them that, if properly cared for, the cattle would increase each year, +until a time might come when each Indian would be the possessor of a herd, +and would then be rich like the white cattlemen. + +The severe lesson of starvation some years before had not failed to make an +impression, and it was perhaps owing to this terrible experience that the +Piegans did not eat the cows as soon as they got them, as other Indian +tribes have so often done. Instead of this, each man took the utmost care +of the two or three heifers he received. Little shelters and barns were +built to protect them during the winter. Indians who had never worked +before, now tried to borrow a mowing-machine, so as to put up some hay for +their animals. The tribe seemed at once to have imbibed the idea of +property, and each man was as fearful lest some accident should happen to +his cows as any white man might have been. Another issue of cattle was +made, and the result is that now there is hardly an individual in the tribe +who is not the possessor of one or more cows. Scarcely any of the issued +cattle have been eaten; there has been almost no loss from lack of care; +the original stock has increased and multiplied, and now the Piegans have a +pretty fair start in cattle. + +This material advancement is important and encouraging. But richer still +is the promise for the future. A few years ago, the Blackfeet were all +paupers, dependent on the bounty of the government and the caprice of the +agent. Now, they feel themselves men, are learning self-help and +self-reliance, and are looking forward to a time when they shall be +self-supporting. If their improvement should be as rapid for the next five +years as it has been for the five preceding 1892, a considerable portion of +the tribe will be self-supporting at the date of expiration of the treaty. + +It is commonly believed that the Indian is hopelessly lazy, and that he +will do no work whatever. This misleading notion has been fostered by the +writings of many ignorant people, extending over a long period of time. The +error had its origin in the fact that the work which the savage Indian does +is quite different from that performed by the white laborer. But it is +certain that no men ever worked harder than Indians on a journey to war, +during which they would march on foot hundreds of miles, carrying heavy +loads on their backs, then have their fight, or take their horses, and +perhaps ride for several days at a stretch, scarcely stopping to eat or +rest. That they did not labor regularly is of course true, but when they +did work, their toil was very much harder than that ever performed by the +white man. + +The Blackfeet now are willing to work in the same way that the white man +works. They appreciate, as well as any one, the fact that old things have +passed away, and that they must now adapt themselves to new surroundings. +Therefore, they work in the hay fields, tend stock, chop logs in the +mountains, haul firewood, drive freighting teams, build houses and fences, +and, in short, do pretty much all the work that would be done by an +ordinary ranchman. They do not perform it so well as white men would; they +are much more careless in their handling of tools, wagons, mowing-machines, +or other implements, but they are learning all the time, even if their +progress is slow. + +The advance toward civilization within the past five years is very +remarkable and shows, as well as anything could show, the adaptability of +the Indian. At the same time, I believe that if it had not been for that +fateful experience known as "the starvation winter," the progress made by +the Blackfeet would have been very much less than it has been. The Indian +requires a bitter lesson to make him remember. + +But besides this lesson, which at so terrible a cost demonstrated to him +the necessity of working, there has been another factor in the progress of +the Blackfoot. If he has learned the lesson of privation and suffering, the +record given in these pages has shown that he is not less ready to respond +to encouragement, not less quickened and sustained by friendly +sympathy. Without such encouragement he will not persevere. If his crops +fail him this year, he has no heart to plant the next. A single failure +brings despair. Yet if he is cheered and helped, he will make other +efforts. The Blackfeet have been thus sustained; they have felt that there +was an inducement for them to do well, for some one whom they trusted was +interested in their welfare, was watching their progress, and was trying to +help them. They knew that this person had no private interest to serve, but +wished to do the best that he could for his people. Having an exaggerated +idea of his power to aid them, they have tried to follow his advice, so as +to obtain his good-will and secure his aid with the government. Thus they +have had always before them a definite object to strive for. + +The Blackfoot of to-day is a working man. He has a little property which he +is trying to care for and wishes to add to. With a little help, with +instruction, and with encouragement to persevere, he will become in the +next few years self-supporting, and a good citizen. + + + + +INDEX + +Above Persons, +Adoption of captives, +Adultery, penalty for, +Adventure, Stories of, +Adventures of Bull Turns Round, +Affirmation, solemn form of, +_Ah-kaik'-sum-iks_ +_Ah-kai-yi-ko-ka'-kin-iks,_ +_Ah-kai'-po-kaks_ +_Ah-kwo'-nis-tsists,_ +_Ahk-o'-tash-iks,_ +Ahk-sa'-ke-wah, +_Ah'pai-tup-iks,_ +_Ai-sik'-stuk-iks,_ +A[=i]-sin'-o-ko-ki, +_Ai'-so-yim-stan,_ +Alcohol, agent of destruction, +Algonquin myth, +Algonquin tribes, +All-are-his-children, +All Comrades, +All Crazy Dogs, +Allen, Major, +All-face man, +Almost-a-Dog, +_Amelanchier alnifolia_, +_American Anthropologist_, +American Hero Myths, +Ancient customs dying out, +Ancient Times, Stories of, +Animals, birth of, + creation of, +Animal powers, +Animal powers and signs, +Animals to be food, +Antelope, method of taking, + song, + where created, +_Anthropologist, American_ +_A'pi,_ +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks,_ +Ap'i-kunni, +Api-su'-ahts, +_Ap-ut'-o-si-kai-nah,_ +Armells Creek, +Arrows, +Assinaboines (tribe), +A'-tsi-tsi, +Authority of "sits beside him" woman, +A-wah-heh', + +Back fat (of buffalo), + Creek, +Bad Weapons, The, +Bad Wife, The, +Badger, +Badger Creek, +Bags, +Basins, +Battle near Cypress Mountains, +Bear, +Bears, The +Beaver, how taken, + Creek, + Indians, + Medicine, The, + song, +Belly River, + Buttes, +Belt, +Berries created, +Berry of the red willow, +Big Eagle, +Big Nose, +Big Topknots, +Bighorn, where created +Birch tree +Bird, Thomas +Birds created +Birth of the animals +Biters +Bitter-root +Black Elks (Blackfoot gens) + (Blood gens) +Blackfat Roasters +Blackfeet + as known to the whites +Blackfoot + cosmology + country, boundaries of + Crossing + Genesis, The + in War, The +Black Doors +Black Patched Moccasins +Blood (tribe) +Blood People +Boiling meat +Bow River +Bowls of stone +Bows +Box Elder Creek +Boys, advice to +Brave (band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi),_ +Bravery held in high esteem + proofs of required +Braves, duties of +Braves' society +Brinton, Dr. +Brush created +Buckets +Buffalo + bringing to camp + corral of Cheyennes + created + driven over cliffs + Dung (gens) + eating the people + hunting disguised + hidden + slaughter, modern + value of to the people + surrounding +Buffalo Lip Butte +Buffalo Rock, The + what it is +Buffalo song +Bull bats +Bull berries +Bulls +Bulls' society +Bunch of lodges +Burial +Buttes created + +Camas + root, how prepared +Camp arranged in circle +Camp, order of moving +Canadian mounted police +Casey, Lieutenant +Catchers +Cattle issued +Cause of disease. +Centre post of Medicine Lodge +Ceremony of Medicine Lodge + of unwrapping pipe-stem +Cheyennes + buffalo corral of +Chickadee +Chief +Children in lodge + sports of + training of +Children, The Lost +Chippeways +Chippeweyans +Chinook winds +Choke-cherries, how prepared +Clark (W.P.) +Clay images, of buffalo + in human shape +Clot of blood +Clothing + made of buffalo hide +Cold Maker +Confederation of three tribes +Corral of Cheyennes, buffalo +Cosmology, Blackfoot +Counting _coup_ + _coup_ at Medicine Lodge +Country of the Blackfoot +_Coup_, _et seq_. + among Blackfeet. + different tribes. + counting, in early times. +"Covering" the slain. +Cowardice, penalty for. +Coyotes, how taken. +Creation, _et seq_. +Creator. +Cree (tribe), _et seq_. +Crimes to be punished. +Crops in Blackfoot country. +Crow (tribe). +Cups, how made. +Custer, General, xiv. +Customs, ancient, dying out. +Customs, Daily Life and. +Cut Bank River. +Cutting rawhide for Medicine Lodge. +Cypress Mountains. +Daily Life and Customs. +Dance, medicine pipe. + young women's. +Dawson, Mrs. Thomas, xiv. +Dead return to life. +Death, origin of. +Deer, how taken. +Deer Lodge. +Diet. +Disease. +Diseases introduced by whites. +Dishes. +Divorce. +Doctors. +Dog and the Stick, The. +Dogs beasts of burden, _et seq_. + killed at grave. + not eaten. +Dogs Naked. +Don't Laugh band. +Double Runner, vii, xv. +Doves. +Dream helper, _et seq_. + originates war party. + person, _et seq_. +Dreaming for power, _et seq_. +Dreams, 3 _et seq_.. + belief in. +Dress. +Dried meat. +Dried Meat (gens). +Dwelling. +Duties of first wife. +Eagle catching. + songs. + lodge. +Early Finished Eating. +Riser. + wars bloodless. +Ear-rings. +Eggs of waterfowl, how cooked. +_[=E]-in'-a-ke_. +E-kus'-kini, _et seq_. +Elbow river. +Elk, how taken. + The. + tushes. +Elkhorn arrow. +Elk River. +Elopement. +_E'-mi-tah-pahk-sai-yiks,_. +_E'-mi-taks,_. +_Esk'-sin-ai-t[)u]p-iks,_. +_Esk'-sin-i-t[)u]ppiks_. +_[)E]ts-k[=a]i'-nah,_. +Everyday life, _et seq_. +Family names. +Fast of Medicine Lodge woman. +Fast Runners, The. +Fat Roasters. +Feast, invitations to. +Feasting in the camps. +Fighting between Bloods and Piegans. +Fire, how obtained. + carried. +First killing in war. + mauls. + medicine pipe. + people. + pis'kun. + scalping. + shelter to sleep under. + stone knives. +Fish. + hooks. +Fish spears, +Flat Bows, +Flatheads, +Flesh of animals eaten, +Fleshers, how made, +Flint and steel, +Folk-lore, +Food of war party, +_Forest and Stream_, +Fort Conrad, + McLeod, + Pitt, + Union, +Four Bears, +Fox, The, +Fox-eye, +Frogs, +Fungus for punk, +Fur animals, how caught, +Future life, + +Gambling, +Game, hidden, + in Blackfoot country, +Game played by prairie dogs, +Genesis, The Blackfoot, +Gentes of the Blackfeet, + Bloods, + Kai'nah, + Piegans, + Pi-k[)u]n'i, + Sik'si-kau, + now extinct, +Ghost, + bear, + country, + Woman, Heavy Collar and The, +Ghosts, +Ghosts' Buffalo, The, +Ghosts, camp of the, +Girls, carefully guarded, + instructed, + outfit for marriage, +Girl stolen, +Gown of women, +Grasshoppers, +Grease on red willow bark, +Great Bear (constellation), + Falls, +Grizzly Bear, +Grooved arrow shafts, +Gros Ventres, +Ground Man, +Ground Man (of Cheyennes), +Ground Persons, + +Hair, care of, + mode of wearing, +Handles of knives, +"Hands," +Hats of antelope skin, +Head chief, how chosen, +Heavy Collar, + and the Ghost Woman, + Runner, +Help from animals, +Hill where Old Man sleeps, +Horned toad, +Horns, +Horses cause of war, + killed at grave, + when obtained, +How the Blackfoot lived, +Hunting, + alone punished, +Husband's personal rights in wife, + power over wife, + property rights in wife, + +_I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, + origin of, +Implements of the dead, + made of buffalo hide, +Indian a man, + sign language, + tobacco, +Indians and their Stories, + Beaver, + general ignorance about, +Infants lost, +_I-nis'-kim_, +_In-uhk'-so-yi-stam-iks_, +_I-nuk-si'-kah-ko-pwa-iks_, +_I-nuks'-iks_, +Invitation to feasts, +_I'-pok-si-maiks_, +_I-sis'-o-kas-im-iks_, +_I-so-kin'-uh-kin_, +_Is'-sui_, +_Is-ti'-kai-nah_ +"It fell on them" creek, +_It-se'-wah,_ + +Jackson, William, + +_Kah'-mi-taiks_ +Kai'-nah, +Kalispels, +Kettles of stone, +Kill Close By, +Kipp, Joseph, +Kit-fox, +Kit-fox (society), +Kit-foxes, +_Ki'-yis,_ +_Knats-o-mi'-ta,_ +Knives of stone, +Ko-ko-mik'-e-is, +Kom-in'-a-kus, +_Ksik-si-num'_ +_Kuk-kuiks'_ +_Kut'-ai-[=i]m-iks,_ +_Kut-ai-sot'-si-man,_ +Kutenais, +Kut-o'-yis, + +Ladles of horn, + of wood, +_Lari p[=u]k'[=u]s_ +Lesser Slave Lake, +_L'herbe_, +Liars, +Life among the Blackfeet, +Little Birds, +Little Blackfoot, +"Little Slaves," +Lizards, +Lodge for dreaming, + of stone, +Lodges, ancient, + how made, + decoration of, + of chiefs of the _I-kun-uk'-kak-tsi,_ +Lone Eaters, + Fighters, + Medicine Person, +Long Tail Lodge Poles, +Lost Children, The, +Lost Woman, The, +Low Horn, + +Mad Wolf, +Maker, the, +Mandans, +Man-eater, +Many Children, + Lodge Poles, + Horses, + Medicines, +March of the camp, + of war party, +Marriage, girl's outfit for, + how arranged, + of important people, + poorer people, + prerequisites for, + prohibited within gens, +_Ma-stoh'-pah-ta-kiks,_ +Material advancement, +_Mats_, +Mauls, + how made, +Measles, +Medicine leggings, +Medicine Lodge, the, + man, + Pipes and Healing, + rock of the Marias, + woman, +Mexico, +_Mi-ah-wah'-pit-siks,_ +_Mi-aw'-kin-ai-yiks_ +Mik-a'pi, +Miles, General, +Milk River, +Missouri River, +_Mis-tai'_ +Moccasins, +_Mo-k[)u]m'-iks,_ +Monroe, Hugh, + John, +Morning Star, +Mosquitoes, +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ +Mother-in-law, meeting, + not to be spoken to, +_Mo-twai'-naiks_ +Mountains created, +Mourning, + chant, + for the dead, +Muddy River, +Murder, penalty for +Musselshell River, +_M[)u]t'-siks_, + +_Na-ahks'_, +_Nai-ai'_, +Name, changing, + unwillingness to speak, +_Namp'-ski_, +_Na'-pi_, +_Nat-[=o]s'_, +_Nat-o'-ye_, +_Na-wuh'-to-ski_, +Necklaces, +New Mexico, +Night red light, +_Ni-kis'-ta_, +_Nimp'-sa_, +_Ni'-nah_, +_Ni-namp'-skan_, +_Nin'-nah_, +_Nin'-sta_, +_Ni'-po-m[=u]k-i_, +_Nis'-ah_, +_Ni-sis'-ah_, +Nis-kum'-iks, +_Nis-k[=u]n'_, +_Nis-t[=u]m-o'_, +_Nit-t[=u]m-o'-kun_, +_Nit'-ak-os-kit-si-pup-iks_, +_Ni-taw'-yiks_, +_Nit'-ik-skiks_, +_Nit-o-k[=e]-man_, +_Ni-tot'-o-ke-man_, +_Ni-tot'-si-ksis-stan-iks_, +_Nits'-i-san_, +_Nits-o'-kan_, +_Ni-tun'_, +No parfleche, +_No-ko'-i_, +_No'-ma_, +North Bloods, +North, Major, +North Saskatchewan River, +Northwest Territories, +Number of wives, + +Oath, Indian, +Obstinate (gens), +Office not hereditary, +Ojibwas, +_Ok-wi-tok-so-ka_, +Old Man, + and the Lynx, + character of, + disappearance of, + Doctors, + known to other tribes, + makes first weapons, + makes fire sticks, + sleeps, hill where, + Stories of, +Old Man's predictions, + River, + Sliding Ground, +Origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, + medicine pipe, + worm pipe, +Orpheus and Eurydice, +Other game, +Owl Bear, +Owls ghosts of medicine men, +Owner's seat in lodge, + +Paints, +Parfleche soles of moccasins, +Past and the Present, The, +Pawnee _coups_, + Hero Stories and Folk Tales, +Pawnees, +Peace with Gros Ventres broken, + the Snakes, The, +Pemmican, +Penalty for adultery, + for cowardice, + for murder, + for theft, + for treachery, +Penances, +Pend d'Oreille, +People created, +_Phrynosoma_, +Physical characteristics, +Pictographs of _coups_, +Piegans, +Pi-kun'i, +_Pi-n[)u]t-u'-ye is-tsim'-o-kan_, +Pipe dance, medicine, + of the Soldier Society, + stems, +Pipes, material of, +Pis'kun, + etymology of, + bringing buffalo to, + how constructed, + of the Blackfeet, + of the Crees, + of the Sik'-si-kau, +_Pis-tsi-ko'-an_, +Places chosen for dreaming, +Plants, medical properties of, +Plunder from the south, +_Pomme blanche_, +Pottery, +Power, dreaming for, + of herbs, + to bring on storms, +Powers, animal, +Prayers, + in sweat house, + to the Thunder, +Preparations for burial, + for dreaming, + for the attack, + for war parties, +Presents to husband from father-in-law, + to the sun, +Product of the buffalo, +Property buried with dead, + of Brave Society, + of deceased, disposition of, +_Psoralea esculenta_, +_Puh-ksi-nah'-mah-yiks_, +_Puk'-sah-tchis_, +Punishment for hunting alone, + for infidelity, + for stealing tobacco, +Punk, +_P[=u]n'-o-ts[)i]-hyo_, +Purification by smoke, + +Quarrels between the three tribes, + +Rabid Wolf, + wolves, +Rabies, cure for, +Race, the, +Raven Band of the _I-k[)u]n-uh'-kah-tsi_, + Bearers, + Carriers, +Ravens, +Red Deer's River, + Eagle, + Old Man, + River half-breeds, + Round Robes, +Religion, +River, Badger, + Belly, + Big, + Bow, + Elbow, + Elk, + Milk, + Missouri, + Muddy, + North Saskatchewan, + Old Man's, + Peace, + person, + Red Deer's, + Saskatchewan, + St. Mary's, + Teton, + Yellowstone, +Roasting meat, +Robes, +Rock, The, +Root-digger, +Ross, Miss Cora M., +Round, +Running Rabbit, +Russell, William, + +Sacks, +Sacred bundles, where kept, +Sacred objects, + things connected with eagle catching, +Sacrifice, +Sacrifices to sun, + of war party, +_Sai'-yiks_, +_Sak-si-nak'-mah-yiks_, +Salt, +Sand Hills, +Sarcees, +Sarvis berries, + Berry Creek, +Saskatchewan River, +Saskatoon Creek, +Scarface, +Schultz, J.W., +Scout of war party, +Screech Owl, +Seats in lodge, +Secret helper, +Seeking the Sun's Lodge, + Thunder's Lodge, +Seldom Lonesome, +Self-torturings in Medicine Lodge, +Servants, +Seven Persons, +Seven Persons Creek, +Shadow, +Shelter for war party, + to sleep under, +_Shepherdia argentea_, +Short Bows, +Sign language, +Signs, +Signs and powers of animals, +_Sik-o-kit-sim-iks_. +_Sik-o-pok'-si-maiks_. +Sik'-si-kau, +_Siks-ah'-pun-iks_, +_Siks-in'-o-kaks_ (Blackfoot), + (Blood), +_Sik-ut'-si-pum-aiks_, +_Sin'-o-pah_, +Sioux, +"Sits beside him" woman, +Skeleton, +Skidi tribe, +Skull taken into eagle pit, +Skunks, +Sleeping for power, +Small Brittle Fat, +Small Leggings, + Robes, +Smallpox, +Smell of a person, +Smoking, rules in, +Snakes, +Snakes (tribe), + Peace with, The, +Snares, +Social organization, +Societies of the All Comrades, +Soldiers, +Song, antelope, + beaver, + buffalo, + pipe, + war party, +Soul, +_Spai'-yu ksah'-ku_, +Spanish lands, +Spear heads, +Spears, +Spoons, +Sports of children, + of adults, +Spotted Tail's camp, +St. Mary's River, +_Sta-au'_, +Starvation winter, +Steell, Major, +Stockraising, +Stolen by the Thunder, +Stone bowls, + kettles, + knives, + pointed arrows, +_Ston'-i-t[)a]pi_, +Stories of Adventure, + of Ancient Times, + of Old Man, +Story of the Three Tribes, The, +Story-telling, +Striped-face, +Struck by the Thunder, +_St[)u]'miks,_ +Suicide among girls, +Sun, +Sun dogs, +Sun River, +Sun's Lodge, +Sun's Lodge, seeking the, +Surrounding buffalo, +_S[=u]'-ye-st[)u]'-miks_, +_S[=u]'-ye-t[)u]ppi_, +_Su-yoh-pah'-wah-ku_, +Sweat bath, +Sweat lodge, + houses for Medicine Lodge, +Sweet-grass, +Sweet Grass Hills, +Swindling the Indians, + +Tail-feathers-coming-in-sight-over-the-Hill, +Tails, +Taking horses, +Temperament, +Teton River, +The Bad Weapons, + Bears, + Beaver Medicine, + Blackfoot Genesis, + Blackfoot in War, + Buffalo Rock, + Dog and the Stick, + Elk, + Fox, + Ghosts' Buffalo, + Past and the Present, + Race, + Rock, + Theft from the Sun, + Wonderful Bird, +Theft from the Sun, The, + penalty for, +They Don't Laugh, +Things sacred to the Sun, +Three Tribes, The Story of, +Thunder, + bird, + described, + brings the rain, + steals women, +Tobacco, Indians', + songs, +Tobacco thief punished, +Tongues for Medicine Lodge, +Touchwood Hills, +Training of children, +Transmigration of souls, +Trapping wolves, +Treachery, penalty for, +Treatment of dead enemies, + of women, +Trial by jumping, +Trivett, Rev. S., +_Tsin-ik-tsis'-tso-yiks_, +_Ts[)i]-st[=i]ks_, +_T[)u]is-kis't[=i]ks_, +Turtles, +Two Medicine (Lodge Creek), + War Trails, + +Under Water People, + Persons, +Uses of buffalo products, + +Version of the origin of death, +Visitor's seat in lodge, + +War bonnet, + bonnet of Bulls Society, + clubs, how made, + head-dress, + journeys, duration of, + journeys to the southwest, + lodges, + lodges, how built, + systematized, + with the Gros Ventres, +War parties, +Warrior's outfit, contributions to, +Whiskey trading, +White beaver, + Breasts, + Calf, +Widows, +Wife, standing of, + duties of first, + The Bad, +Wind Maker, + Sucker, +Wolf Calf, + Tail, + Man, The, + Road, + song, +Wolverine, +Wolves, +Wolves, rabid, +Woman doctors, +Woman, standing of, + The Lost, +Woman's dress, + seat in lodge, +Wonderful Bird, The, +Wood for bows, +Woods Bloods, +Worm People, + Pipe, +Worms, + +Yellowstone River, +Young Bear Chief, + women's dance, +Younger sisters potential wives, + + + + + +A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR + +Although GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL (1849-1938) won distinction as an +ethnologist, author, editor, and explorer, perhaps his most enduring +achievement was that cited by President Coolidge when he presented the +Theodore Roosevelt Gold Medal of Honor to Grinnell in 1925: "Few have done +as much as you, and none has done more, to preserve vast areas of +picturesque wilderness for the eyes of posterity...." It was largely +thanks to Grinnell that Glacier National Park was created, and in +Yellowstone Park, as the President said, he "prevented the exploitation and +therefore the destruction of the natural beauty." Grinnell was a member of +the Marsh, Custer, and Ludlow expeditions in the 1870's, and during those +years prepared reports on birds and mammals of the northwestern Great +Plains region which are still authoritative. From those years, also, dates +his interest in the Indians, particularly the Pawnee, Blackfoot, and +Cheyenne. Among the score of books resulting from his lifelong study of the +Plains tribes, _The Fighting Cheyenne_ (1915) and _The Cheyenne Indians_ +(1923), _Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales_ (1889), and BLACKFOOT LODGE +TALES (1892) are perhaps the best known. A friend of the famed North +brothers, who commanded the Pawnee Scouts, Grinnell encouraged Captain +Luther North to set down his recollections, and contributed a foreword to +the book. Titled _Man of the Plains_, this work was published for the first +time in its entirety by the University of Nebraska Press (1961). + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES*** + + +******* This file should be named 11547-8.txt or 11547-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/4/11547 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: +https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: +https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** diff --git a/old/11547-8.zip b/old/11547-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b1669f3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11547-8.zip diff --git a/old/11547.txt b/old/11547.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea44980 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11547.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10567 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Blackfoot Lodge Tales, by George Bird Grinnell + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Blackfoot Lodge Tales + +Author: George Bird Grinnell + +Release Date: March 11, 2004 [eBook #11547] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES*** + + +Juliet Sutherland, Thomas Hutchinson and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + + + +Blackfoot Lodge Tales + +_The Story of a Prairie People_ + +GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL + + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION + +INDIANS AND THEIR STORIES + + + +_STORIES OF ADVENTURE_ + + +THE PEACE WITH THE SNAKES + +THE LOST WOMAN + +ADVENTURES OF BULL TURNS ROUND + +K[)U]T-O'-YIS + +THE BAD WIFE + +THE LOST CHILDREN + +MIK-A'PI--RED OLD MAN + +HEAVY COLLAR AND THE GHOST WOMAN + +THE WOLF-MAN + +THE FAST RUNNERS + +TWO WAR TRAILS + + + +_STORIES OF ANCIENT TIMES_ + + +SCARFACE + +ORIGIN OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE PIPE + +THE BEAVER MEDICINE + +THE BUFFALO ROCK + +ORIGIN OF THE WORM PIPE + +THE GHOSTS' BUFFALO + + + +_STORIES OF OLD MAN_ + + +THE BLACKFOOT GENESIS + +THE DOG AND THE STICK + +THE BEARS + +THE WONDERFUL BIRD + +THE RACE + +THE BAD WEAPONS + +THE ELK + +OLD MAN DOCTORS + +THE ROCK + +THE THEFT FROM THE SUN + +THE FOX + +OLD MAN AND THE LYNX + + + +_THE STORY OF THE THREE TRIBES_. + + +THE PAST AND THE PRESENT + +DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS + +HOW THE BLACKFOOT LIVED + +SOCIAL ORGANIZATION + +HUNTING + +THE BLACKFOOT IN WAR + +RELIGION + +MEDICINE PIPES AND HEALING + +THE BLACKFOOT OF TO-DAY + + + + + +BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES + + + + + +We were sitting about the fire in the lodge on Two Medicine. Double Runner, +Small Leggings, Mad Wolf, and the Little Blackfoot were smoking and +talking, and I was writing in my note-book. As I put aside the book, and +reached out my hand for the pipe, Double Runner bent over and picked up a +scrap of printed paper, which had fallen to the ground. He looked at it for +a moment without speaking, and then, holding it up and calling me by name, +said:-- + +"_Pi-nut-u-ye is-tsim-okan,_ this is education. Here is the difference +between you and me, between the Indians and the white people. You know what +this means. I do not. If I did know, I should be as smart as you. If all +my people knew, the white people would not always get the best of us." + +"_Nisah_ (elder brother), your words are true. Therefore you ought to see +that your children go to school, so that they may get the white man's +knowledge. When they are men, they will have to trade with the white +people; and if they know nothing, they can never get rich. The times have +changed. It will never again be as it was when you and I were young." + +"You say well, _Pi-nut-u-ye is-tsim-okan,_ I have seen the days; and I know +it is so. The old things are passing away, and the children of my children +will be like white people. None of them will know how it used to be in +their father's days unless they read the things which we have told you, and +which you are all the time writing down in your books." + +"They are all written down, _Nisah_, the story of the three tribes, +Sik-si-kau, Kainah, and Pik[)u]ni." + + + + +INDIANS AND THEIR STORIES + + +The most shameful chapter of American history is that in which is recorded +the account of our dealings with the Indians. The story of our government's +intercourse with this race is an unbroken narrative of injustice, fraud, +and robbery. Our people have disregarded honesty and truth whenever they +have come in contact with the Indian, and he has had no rights because he +has never had the power to enforce any. + +Protests against governmental swindling of these savages have been made +again and again, but such remonstrances attract no general +attention. Almost every one is ready to acknowledge that in the past the +Indians have been shamefully robbed, but it appears to be believed that +this no longer takes place. This is a great mistake. We treat them now much +as we have always treated them. Within two years, I have been present on a +reservation where government commissioners, by means of threats, by bribes +given to chiefs, and by casting fraudulently the votes of absentees, +succeeded after months of effort in securing votes enough to warrant them +in asserting that a tribe of Indians, entirely wild and totally ignorant of +farming, had consented to sell their lands, and to settle down each upon +160 acres of the most utterly arid and barren land to be found on the North +American continent. The fraud perpetrated on this tribe was as gross as +could be practised by one set of men upon another. In a similar way the +Southern Utes were recently induced to consent to give up their reservation +for another. + + +Americans are a conscientious people, yet they take no interest in these +frauds. They have the Anglo-Saxon spirit of fair play, which sympathizes +with weakness, yet no protest is made against the oppression which the +Indian suffers. They are generous; a famine in Ireland, Japan, or Russia +arouses the sympathy and calls forth the bounty of the nation, yet they +give no heed to the distress of the Indians, who are in the very midst of +them. They do not realize that Indians are human beings like themselves. + +For this state of things there must be a reason, and this reason is to be +found, I believe, in the fact that practically no one has any personal +knowledge of the Indian race. The few who are acquainted with them are +neither writers nor public speakers, and for the most part would find it +easier to break a horse than to write a letter. If the general public knows +little of this race, those who legislate about them are equally +ignorant. From the congressional page who distributes the copies of a +pending bill, up through the representatives and senators who vote for it, +to the president whose signature makes the measure a law, all are entirely +unacquainted with this people or their needs. + +Many stories about Indians have been written, some of which are interesting +and some, perhaps, true. All, however, have been written by civilized +people, and have thus of necessity been misleading. The reason for this is +plain. The white person who gives his idea of a story of Indian life +inevitably looks at things from the civilized point of view, and assigns to +the Indian such motives and feelings as govern the civilized man. But often +the feelings which lead an Indian to perform a particular action are not +those which would induce a white man to do the same thing, or if they are, +the train of reasoning which led up to the Indian's motive is not the +reasoning of the white man. + +In a volume about the Pawnees,[1] I endeavored to show how Indians think +and feel by letting some of them tell their own stories in their own +fashion, and thus explain in their own way how they look at the every-day +occurrences of their life, what motives govern them, and how they reason. + +[Footnote 1: Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales.] + +In the present volume, I treat of another race of Indians in precisely the +same way. I give the Blackfoot stories as they have been told to me by the +Indians themselves, not elaborating nor adding to them. In all cases except +one they were written down as they fell from the lips of the storyteller. +Sometimes I have transposed a sentence or two, or have added a few words of +explanation; but the stories as here given are told in the words of the +original narrators as nearly as it is possible to render those words into +the simplest every-day English. These are Indians' stories, pictures of +Indian life drawn by Indian artists, and showing this life from the +Indian's point of view. Those who read these stories will have the +narratives just as they came to me from the lips of the Indians themselves; +and from the tales they can get a true notion of the real man who is +speaking. He is not the Indian of the newspapers, nor of the novel, nor of +the Eastern sentimentalist, nor of the Western boomer, but the real Indian +as he is in his daily life among his own people, his friends, where he is +not embarrassed by the presence of strangers, nor trying to produce +effects, but is himself--the true, natural man. + +And when you are talking with your Indian friend, as you sit beside him and +smoke with him on the bare prairie during a halt in the day's march, or at +night lie at length about your lonely camp fire in the mountains, or form +one of a circle of feasters in his home lodge, you get very near to +nature. Some of the sentiments which he expresses may horrify your +civilized mind, but they are not unlike those which your own small boy +might utter. The Indian talks of blood and wounds and death in a +commonplace, matter-of-fact way that may startle you. But these things used +to be a part of his daily life; and even to-day you may sometimes hear a +dried-up, palsied survivor of the ancient wars cackle out his shrill laugh +when he tells as a merry jest, a bloodcurdling story of the torture he +inflicted on some enemy in the long ago. + +I have elsewhere expressed my views on Indian character, the conclusions +founded on an acquaintance with this race extending over more than twenty +years, during which time I have met many tribes, with some of whom I have +lived on terms of the closest intimacy. + +The Indian is a man, not very different from his white brother, except that +he is undeveloped. In his natural state he is kind and affectionate in his +family, is hospitable, honest and straightforward with his fellows,--a true +friend. If you are his guest, the best he has is at your disposal; if the +camp is starving, you will still have set before you your share of what +food there may be in the lodge. For his friend he will die, if need be. He +is glad to perform acts of kindness for those he likes. While travelling in +the heats of summer over long, waterless stretches of prairie, I have had +an Indian, who saw me suffering from thirst, leave me, without mentioning +his errand, and ride thirty miles to fetch me a canteen of cool water. + +The Indian is intensely religious. No people pray more earnestly nor more +frequently. This is especially true of all Indians of the Plains. + +The Indian has the mind and feelings of a child with the stature of a man; +and if this is clearly understood and considered, it will readily account +for much of the bad that we hear about him, and for many of the evil traits +which are commonly attributed to him. Civilized and educated, the Indian of +the better class is not less intelligent than the average white man, and he +has every capacity for becoming a good citizen. + +This is the view held not only by myself, but by all of the many old +frontiersmen that I have known, who have had occasion to live much among +Indians, and by most experienced army officers. It was the view held by my +friend and schoolmate, the lamented Lieutenant Casey, whose good work in +transforming the fierce Northern Cheyennes into United States soldiers is +well known among all officers of the army, and whose sad death by an Indian +bullet has not yet, I believe, been forgotten by the public. + +It is proper that something should be said as to how this book came to be +written. + +About ten years ago, Mr. J.W. Schultz of Montana, who was then living in +the Blackfoot camp, contributed to the columns of the _Forest and Stream_, +under the title "Life among the Blackfeet," a series of sketches of that +people. These papers seemed to me of unusual interest, and worthy a record +in a form more permanent than the columns of a newspaper; but no +opportunity was then presented for filling in the outlines given in them. + +Shortly after this, I visited the Pi-k[)u]n-i tribe of the Black-feet, and +I have spent more or less time in their camps every year since. I have +learned to know well all their principal men, besides many of the Bloods +and the Blackfeet, and have devoted much time and effort to the work of +accumulating from their old men and best warriors the facts bearing on the +history, customs, and oral literature of the tribe, which are presented in +this volume. + +In 1889 my book on the Pawnees was published, and seemed to arouse so much +interest in Indian life, from the Indian's standpoint, that I wrote to +Mr. Schultz, urging him, as I had often done before, to put his +observations in shape for publication, and offered to edit his work, and to +see it through the press. Mr. Schultz was unwilling to undertake this task, +and begged me to use all the material which I had gathered, and whatever he +could supply, in the preparation of a book about the Blackfeet. + +A portion of the material contained in these pages was originally made +public by Mr. Schultz, and he was thus the discoverer of the literature of +the Blackfeet. My own investigations have made me familiar with all the +stories here recorded, from original sources, but some of them he first +published in the columns of the _Forest and Stream_. For this work he is +entitled to great credit, for it is most unusual to find any one living the +rough life beyond the frontier, and mingling in daily intercourse with +Indians, who has the intelligence to study their traditions, history, and +customs, and the industry to reduce his observations to writing. + +Besides the invaluable assistance given me by Mr. Schultz, I acknowledge +with gratitude the kindly aid of Miss Cora M. Ross, one of the school +teachers at the Blackfoot agency, who has furnished me with a version of +the story of the origin of the Medicine Lodge; and of Mrs. Thomas Dawson, +who gave me help on the story of the Lost Children. William Jackson, an +educated half-breed, who did good service from 1874 to 1879, scouting under +Generals Custer and Miles, and William Russell, half-breed, at one time +government interpreter at the agency, have both given me valuable +assistance. The latter has always placed himself at my service, when I +needed an interpreter, while Mr. Jackson has been at great pains to assist +me in securing several tales which I might not otherwise have obtained, and +has helped me in many ways. The veteran prairie man, Mr. Hugh Monroe, and +his son, John Monroe, have also given me much information. Most of the +stories I owe to Blackfeet, Bloods, and Piegans of pure race. Some of these +men have died within the past few years, among them the kindly and +venerable Red Eagle; Almost-a-Dog, a noble old man who was regarded with +respect and affection by Indians and whites; and that matchless orator, +Four Bears. Others, still living, to whom I owe thanks, are Wolf Calf, Big +Nose, Heavy Runner, Young Bear Chief, Wolf Tail, Rabid Wolf, Running +Rabbit, White Calf, All-are-his-Children, Double Runner, Lone Medicine +Person, and many others. + +The stories here given cover a wide range of subjects, but are fair +examples of the oral literature of the Blackfeet. They deal with religion, +the origin of things, the performances of medicine men, the bravery and +single-heartedness of warriors. + +It will be observed that in more than one case two stories begin in the +same way, and for a few paragraphs are told in language which is almost +identical. In like manner it is often to be noted that in different stories +the same incidents occur. This is all natural enough, when it is remembered +that the range of the Indians' experiences is very narrow. The incidents +of camp life, of hunting and war excursions, do not offer a very wide +variety of conditions; and of course the stories of the people deal chiefly +with matters with which they are familiar. They are based on the every-day +life of the narrators. + +The reader of these Blackfoot stories will not fail to notice many curious +resemblances to tales told among other distant and different peoples. Their +similarity to those current among the Ojibwas, and other Eastern Algonquin +tribes, is sufficiently obvious and altogether to be expected, nor is it at +all remarkable that we should find, among the Blackfeet, tales identical +with those told by tribes of different stock far to the south; but it is a +little startling to see in the story of the Worm Pipe a close parallel to +the classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In another of the stories is an +incident which might have been taken bodily from the Odyssey. + +Well-equipped students of general folk-lore will find in these tales much +to interest them, and to such may be left the task of commenting on this +collection. + + + + +STORIES OF ADVENTURE + + + +THE PEACE WITH THE SNAKES + + +I + +In those days there was a Piegan chief named Owl Bear. He was a great +chief, very brave and generous. One night he had a dream: he saw many dead +bodies of the enemy lying about, scalped, and he knew that he must go to +war. So he called out for a feast, and after the people had eaten, he +said:-- + +"I had a strong dream last night. I went to war against the Snakes, and +killed many of their warriors. So the signs are good, and I feel that I +must go. Let us have a big party now, and I will be the leader. We will +start to-morrow night." + +Then he told two old men to go out in the camp and shout the news, so that +all might know. A big party was made up. Two hundred men, they say, went +with this chief to war. The first night they travelled only a little way, +for they were not used to walking, and soon got tired. + +In the morning the chief got up early and went and made a sacrifice, and +when he came back to the others, some said, "Come now, tell us your dream +of this night." + +"I dreamed good," said Owl Bear. "I had a good dream. We will have good +luck." + +But many others said they had bad dreams. They saw blood running from their +bodies. + +Night came, and the party started on, travelling south, and keeping near +the foot-hills; and when daylight came, they stopped in thick pine woods +and built war lodges. They put up poles as for a lodge, and covered them +very thick with pine boughs, so they could build fires and cook, and no one +would see the light and smoke; and they all ate some of the food they +carried, and then went to sleep. + +Again the chief had a good dream, but the others all had bad dreams, and +some talked about turning back; but Owl Bear laughed at them, and when +night came, all started on. So they travelled for some nights, and all +kept dreaming bad except the chief. He always had good dreams. One day +after a sleep, a person again asked Owl Bear if he dreamed good. "Yes," he +replied. "I have again dreamed of good luck." + +"We still dream bad," the person said, "and now some of us are going to +turn back. We will go no further, for bad luck is surely ahead." "Go back! +go back!" said Owl Bear. "I think you are cowards; I want no cowards with +me." They did not speak again. Many of them turned around, and started +north, toward home. + +Two more days' travel. Owl Bear and his warriors went on, and then another +party turned back, for they still had bad dreams. All the men now left with +him were his relations. All the others had turned back. + +They travelled on, and travelled on, always having bad dreams, until they +came close to the Elk River.[1] Then the oldest relation said, "Come, my +chief, let us all turn back. We still have bad dreams. We cannot have good +luck." + +[Footnote 1: Yellowstone River.] + +"No," replied Owl Bear, "I will not turn back." + +Then they were going to seize him and tie his hands, for they had talked of +this before. They thought to tie him and make him go back with them. Then +the chief got very angry. He put an arrow on his bow, and said: "Do not +touch me. You are my relations; but if any of you try to tie me, I will +kill you. Now I am ashamed. My relations are cowards and will turn back. I +have told you I have always dreamed good, and that we would have good luck. +Now I don't care; I am covered with shame. I am going now to the Snake camp +and will give them my body. I am ashamed. Go! go! and when you get home put +on women's dresses. You are no longer men." + +They said no more. They turned back homeward, and the chief was all +alone. His heart was very sad as he travelled on, and he was much ashamed, +for his relations had left him. + + +II + +Night was coming on. The sun had set and rain was beginning to fall. Owl +Bear looked around for some place where he could sleep dry. Close by he saw +a hole in the rocks. He got down on his hands and knees and crept in. Here +it was very dark. He could see nothing, so he crept very slowly, feeling as +he went. All at once his hand touched something strange. He felt of it. It +was a person's foot, and there was a moccasin on it. He stopped, and sat +still. Then he felt a little further. Yes, it was a person's leg. He could +feel the cowskin legging. Now he did not know what to do. He thought +perhaps it was a dead person; and again, he thought it might be one of his +relations, who had become ashamed and turned back after him. + +Pretty soon he put his hand on the leg again and felt along up. He touched +the person's belly. It was warm. He felt of the breast, and could feel it +rise and fall as the breath came and went; and the heart was beating +fast. Still the person did not move. Maybe he was afraid. Perhaps he +thought that was a ghost feeling of him. + +Owl Bear now knew this person was not dead. He thought he would try if he +could learn who the man was, for he was not afraid. His heart was sad. His +people and his relations had left him, and he had made up his mind to give +his body to the Snakes. So he began and felt all over the man,--of his +face, hair, robe, leggings, belt, weapons; and by and by he stopped feeling +of him. He could not tell whether it was one of his people or not. + +Pretty soon the strange person sat up and felt all over Owl Bear; and when +he had finished, he took the Piegan's hand and opened it and held it up, +waving it from side to side, saying by signs, "Who are you?" + +Owl Bear put his closed hand against the person's cheek and rubbed it; he +said in signs, "Piegan!" and then he asked the person who he was. A finger +was placed against his breast and moved across it _zigzag_. It was the sign +for "Snake." + +"_Hai yah_!" thought Owl Bear, "a Snake, my enemy." For a long time he sat +still, thinking. By and by he drew his knife from his belt and placed it in +the Snake's hand, and signed, "Kill me!" He waited. He thought soon his +heart would be cut. He wanted to die. Why live? His people had left him. + +Then the Snake took Owl Bear's hand and put a knife in it and motioned that +Owl Bear should cut his heart, but the Piegan would not do it. He lay down, +and the Snake lay down beside him. Maybe they slept. Likely not. + +So the night went and morning came. It was light, and they crawled out of +the cave, and talked a long time together by signs. Owl Bear told the Snake +where he had come from, how his party had dreamed bad and left him, and +that he was going alone to give his body to the Snakes. + +Then the Snake said: "_I_ was going to war, too. I was going against the +Piegans. Now I am done. Are you a chief?" + +"I am the head chief," replied Owl Bear. "I lead. All the others follow." + +"I am the same as you," said the Snake. "I am the chief. I like you. You +are brave. You gave me your knife to kill you with. How is your heart? +Shall the Snakes and the Piegans make peace?" + +"Your words are good," replied Owl Bear. "I am glad." + +"How many nights will it take you to go home and come back here with your +people?" asked the Snake. + +Owl Bear thought and counted. "In twenty-five nights," he replied, "the +Piegans will camp down by that creek." + +"My trail," said the Snake, "goes across the mountains. I will try to be +here in twenty-five nights, but I will camp with my people just behind that +first mountain. When you get here with the Piegans, come with one of your +wives and stay all night with me. In the morning the Snakes will move and +put up their lodges beside the Piegans." + +"As you say," replied the chief, "so it shall be done." Then they built a +fire and cooked some meat and ate together. + +"I am ashamed to go home," said Owl Bear. "I have taken no horses, no +scalps. Let me cut off your side locks?" + +"Take them," said the Snake. + +Owl Bear cut off the chiefs braids close to his head, and then the Snake +cut off the Piegan's braids. Then they exchanged clothes and weapons and +started out, the Piegan north, the Snake south. + + +III + +"Owl Bear has come! Owl Bear has come!" the people were shouting. + +The warriors rushed to his lodge. _Whish_! how quickly it was filled! +Hundreds stood outside, waiting to hear the news. + +For a long time the chief did not speak. He was still angry with his +people. An old man was talking, telling the news of the camp. Owl Bear did +not look at him. He ate some food and rested. Many were in the lodge who +had started to war with him. They were now ashamed. They did not speak, +either, but kept looking at the fire. After a long time the chief said: "I +travelled on alone. I met a Snake. I took his scalp and clothes, and his +weapons. See, here is his scalp!" And he held up the two braids of hair. + +No one spoke, but the chief saw them nudge each other and smile a little; +and soon they went out and said to one another: "What a lie! That is not an +enemy's scalp; there is no flesh on it He has robbed some dead person." + +Some one told the chief what they said, but he only laughed and replied:-- + +"_I_ do not care. They were too much afraid even to go on and rob a dead +person. They should wear women's dresses." + +Near sunset, Owl Bear called for a horse, and rode all through camp so +every one could hear, shouting out: "Listen! listen! To-morrow we move +camp. We travel south. The Piegans and Snakes are going to make peace. If +any one refuses to go, I will kill him. All must go." + +Then an old medicine man came up to him and said: "_Kyi_, Owl Bear! listen +to me. Why talk like this? You know we are not afraid of the Snakes. Have +we not fought them and driven them out of this country? Do you think we are +afraid to go and meet them? No. We will go and make peace with them as you +say, and if they want to fight, we will fight. Now you are angry with those +who started to war with you. Don't be angry. Dreams belong to the Sun. He +gave them to us, so that we can see ahead and know what will happen. The +Piegans are not cowards. Their dreams told them to turn back. So do not be +angry with them any more." + +"There is truth in what you say, old man," replied Owl Bear; "I will take +your words." + + +IV + +In those days the Piegans were a great tribe. When they travelled, if you +were with the head ones, you could not see the last ones, they were so far +back. They had more horses than they could count, so they used fresh horses +every day and travelled very fast. On the twenty-fourth day they reached +the place where Owl Bear had told the Snake they would camp, and put up +their lodges along the creek. Soon some young men came in, and said they +had seen some fresh horse trails up toward the mountain. + +"It must be the Snakes," said the chief; "they have already arrived, +although there is yet one night." So he called one of his wives, and +getting on their horses they set out to find the Snake camp. They took the +trail up over the mountain, and soon came in sight of the lodges. It was a +big camp. Every open place in the valley was covered with lodges, and the +hills were dotted with horses; for the Snakes had a great many more horses +than the Piegans. + +Some of the Snakes saw the Piegans coming, and they ran to the chief, +saying: "Two strangers are in sight, coming this way. What shall be done?" + +"Do not harm them," replied the chief. "They are friends of mine. I have +been expecting them." Then the Snakes wondered, for the chief had told them +nothing about his war trip. + +Now when Owl Bear had come to the camp, he asked in signs for the chiefs +lodge, and they pointed him to one in the middle. It was small and old. The +Piegan got off his horse, and the Snake chief came out and hugged him and +kissed him, and said: "I am glad you have come to-day to my lodge. So are +my people. You are tired. Enter my lodge and we will eat." So they went +inside and many of the Snakes came in, and they had a great feast. + +Then the Snake chief told his people how he had met the Piegan, and how +brave he was, and that now they were going to make a great peace; and he +sent some men to tell the people, so that they would be ready to move camp +in the morning. Evening came. Everywhere people were shouting out for +feasts, and the chief took Owl Bear to them. It was very late when they +returned. Then the Snake had one of his wives make a bed at the back of the +lodge; and when it was ready he said: "Now, my friend, there is your +bed. This is now your lodge; also the woman who made the bed, she is now +your wife; also everything in this lodge is yours. The parfleches, saddles, +food, robes, bowls, everything is yours. I give them to you because you are +my friend and a brave man." + +"You give me too much," replied Owl Bear. "I am ashamed, but I take your +words. I have nothing with me but one wife. She is yours." + +Next morning camp was broken early. The horses were driven in, and the +Snake chief gave Owl Bear his whole band,--two hundred head, all large, +powerful horses. + +All were now ready, and the chiefs started ahead. Close behind them were +all the warriors, hundreds and hundreds, and last came the women and +children, and the young men driving the loose horses. As they came in sight +of the Piegan camp, all the warriors started out to meet them, dressed in +their war costumes and singing the great war song. There was no wind, and +the sound came across the valley and up the hill like the noise of +thunder. Then the Snakes began to sing, and thus the two parties advanced. +At last they met. The Piegans turned and rode beside them, and so they came +to the camp. Then they got off their horses and kissed each other. Every +Piegan asked a Snake into his lodge to eat and rest, and the Snake women +put up their lodges beside the Piegan lodges. So the great peace was made. + +In Owl Bear's lodge there was a great feast, and when they had finished he +said to his people: "Here is the man whose scalp I took. Did I say I killed +him? No. I gave him my knife and told him to kill me. He would not do it; +and he gave me his knife, but I would not kill him. So we talked together +what we should do, and now we have made peace. And now (turning to the +Snake) this is your lodge, also all the things in it. My horses, too, I +give you. All are yours." + +So it was. The Piegan took the Snake's wife, lodge, and horses, and the +Snake took the Piegan's, and they camped side by side. All the people +camped together, and feasted each other and made presents. So the peace was +made. + + +V + +For many days they camped side by side. The young men kept hunting, and the +women were always busy drying meat and tanning robes and cowskins. Buffalo +were always close, and after a while the people had all the meat and robes +they could carry. Then, one day, the Snake chief said to Owl Bear: "Now, my +friend, we have camped a long time together, and I am glad we have made +peace. We have dug a hole in the ground, and in it we have put our anger +and covered it up, so there is no more war between us. And now I think it +time to go. To-morrow morning the Snakes break camp and go back south." + +"Your words are good," replied Owl Bear. "I too am glad we have made this +peace. You say you must go south, and I feel lonesome. I would like you to +go with us so we could camp together a long time, but as you say, so it +shall be done. To-morrow you will start south. I too shall break camp, for +I would be lonesome here without you; and the Piegans will start in the +home direction." + +The lodges were being taken down and packed. The men sat about the +fireplaces, taking a last smoke together. + +They were now great friends. Many Snakes had married Piegan women, and many +Piegans had married Snake women. At last all was ready. The great chiefs +mounted their horses and started out, and soon both parties were strung out +on the trail. + +Some young men, however, stayed behind to gamble a while. It was yet early +in the morning, and by riding fast it would not take them long to catch up +with their camps. All day they kept playing; and sometimes the Piegans +would win, and sometimes the Snakes. + +It was now almost sunset. "Let us have one horse race," they said, "and we +will stop." Each side had a good horse, and they ran their best; but they +came in so close together it could not be told who won. The Snakes claimed +that their horse won, and the Piegans would not allow it. So they got +angry and began to quarrel, and pretty soon they began to fight and to +shoot at each other, and some were killed. + +Since that time the Snakes and Piegans have never been at peace. + + + +THE LOST WOMAN + + +I + +A long time ago the Blackfeet were camped on Backfat Creek. There was in +the camp a man who had but one wife, and he thought a great deal of her. He +never wanted to have two wives. As time passed they had a child, a little +girl. Along toward the end of the summer, this man's wife wanted to get +some berries, and she asked her husband to take her to a certain place +where berries grew, so that she could get some. The man said to his wife: +"At this time of the year, I do not like to go to that place to pick +berries. There are always Snake or Crow war parties travelling about +there." The woman wanted very much to go, and she coaxed her husband about +it a great deal; and at last he said he would go, and they started, and +many women followed them. + +When they came to where the berries grew, the man said to his wife: "There +are the berries down in that ravine. You may go down there and pick them, +and I will go up on this hill and stand guard. If I see any one coming, I +will call out to you, and you must all get on your horses and run." So the +women went down to pick berries. + +The man went up on the hill and sat down and looked over the country. After +a little time, he looked down into another ravine not far off, and saw that +it was full of horsemen coming. They started to gallop up towards him, and +he called out in a loud voice, "Run, run, the enemy is rushing on us." The +women started to run, and he jumped on his horse and followed them. The +enemy rushed after them, and he drew his bow and arrows, and got ready to +fight and defend the women. After they had gone a little way, the enemy had +gained so much that they were shooting at the Blackfeet with their arrows, +and the man was riding back and forth behind the women, and whipping up the +horses, now of one, now of another, to make them go faster. The enemy kept +getting closer, and at last they were so near that they were beginning to +thrust at him with their lances, and he was dodging them and throwing +himself down, now on one side of his horse, and then on the other. + +At length he found that he could no longer defend all the women, so he made +up his mind to leave those that had the slowest horses to the mercy of the +enemy, while he would go on with those that had the faster ones. When he +found that he must leave the women, he was excited and rode on ahead; but +as he passed, he heard some one call out to him, "Don't leave me," and he +looked to one side, and saw that he was leaving his wife. When he heard his +wife call out thus to him, he said to her: "There is no life for me +here. You are a fine-looking woman. They will not kill you, but there is no +life for me." She answered: "No, take pity on me. Do not leave me. My horse +is giving out. Let us both get on one horse and then, if we are caught, we +will die together." When he heard this, his heart was touched and he said: +"No, wife, I will not leave you. Run up beside my horse and jump on behind +me." The enemy were now so near that they had killed or captured some of +the women, and they had come up close enough to the man so that they got +ready to hit at him with their war clubs. His horse was now wounded in +places with arrows, but it was a good, strong, fast horse. + +His wife rode up close to him, and jumped on his horse behind him. When he +started to run with her, the enemy had come up on either side of him, and +some were behind him, but they were afraid to shoot their arrows for fear +of hitting their own people, so they struck at the man with their war +clubs. But they did not want to kill the woman, and they did not hurt +him. They reached out with their hands to try to pull the woman off the +horse; but she had put her arms around her husband and held on tight, and +they could not get her off, but they tore her clothing off her. As she held +her husband, he could not use his arrows, and could not fight to defend +himself. His horse was now going very slowly, and all the enemy had caught +up to them, and were all around them. + +The man said to his wife: "Never mind, let them take you: they will not +kill you. You are too handsome a woman for them to kill you." His wife +said, "No, it is no harm for us both to die together." When he saw that his +wife would not get off the horse and that he could not fight, he said to +her: "Here, look out! You are crowding me on to the neck of the horse. Sit +further back." He began to edge himself back, and at last, when he got his +wife pretty far back on the horse, he gave a great push and shoved her off +behind. When she fell off, his horse had more speed and began to run away +from the enemy, and he would shoot back his arrows; and now, when they +would ride up to strike him with their hatchets, he would shoot them and +kill them, and they began to be afraid of him, and to edge away from +him. His horse was very long-winded; and now, as he was drawing away from +the enemy, there were only two who were yet able to keep up with him. The +rest were being left behind, and they stopped, and went back to where the +others had killed or captured the women; and now only two men were +pursuing. + +After a little while, the Blackfoot jumped off his horse to fight on foot, +and the two enemies rode up on either side of him, but a long way off, and +jumped off their horses. When he saw the two on either side of him, he took +a sheaf of arrows in his hand and began to rush, first toward the one on +the right, and then toward the one on the left. As he did this, he saw that +one of the men, when he ran toward him and threatened to shoot, would draw +away from him, while the other would stand still. Then he knew that one of +them was a coward and the other a brave man. But all the time they were +closing in on him. When he saw that they were closing in on him, he made a +rush at the brave man. This one was shooting arrows all the time; but the +Blackfoot did not shoot until he got close to him, and then he shot an +arrow into him and ran up to him and hit him with his stone axe and killed +him. Then he turned to the cowardly one and ran at him. The man turned to +run, but the Blackfoot caught him and hit him with his axe and killed him. + +After he had killed them, he scalped them and took their arrows, their +horses, and the stone knives that they had. Then he went home, and when he +rode into the camp he was crying over the loss of his wife. When he came to +his lodge and got off his horse, his friends went up to him and asked what +was the matter. He told them how all the women had been killed, and how he +had been pursued by two enemies, and had fought with them and killed them +both, and he showed them the arrows and the horses and the scalps. He told +the women's relations that they had all been killed; and all were in great +sorrow, and crying over the loss of their friends. + +The next morning they held a council, and it was decided that a party +should go out and see where the battle had been, and find out what had +become of the women. When they got to the place, they found all the women +there dead, except this man's wife. Her they could not find. They also +found the two Indians that the man had said that he had killed, and, +besides, many others that he had killed when he was running away. + + +II + +When he got back to the camp, this Blackfoot picked up his child and put it +on his back, and walked round the camp mourning and crying, and the child +crying, for four days and four nights, until he was exhausted and worn out, +and then he fell asleep. When the rest of the people saw him walking about +mourning, and that he would not eat nor drink, their hearts were very sore, +and they felt very sorry for him and for the child, for he was a man +greatly thought of by the people. + +While he lay there asleep, the chief of the camp came to him and woke him, +and said: "Well, friend, what have you decided on? What is your mind? What +are you going to do?" The man answered: "My child is lonely. It will not +eat. It is crying for its mother. It will not notice any one. I am going +to look for my wife." The chief said, "I cannot say anything." He went +about to all the lodges and told the people that this man was going away to +seek his wife. + +Now there was in the camp a strong medicine man, who was not married and +would not marry at all. He had said, "When I had my dream, it told me that +I must never have a wife." The man who had lost his wife had a very +beautiful sister, who had never married. She was very proud and very +handsome. Many men had wanted to marry her, but she would not have anything +to do with any man. The medicine man secretly loved this handsome girl, the +sister of the poor man. When he heard of this poor man's misfortune, the +medicine man was in great sorrow, and cried over it. He sent word to the +poor man, saying: "Go and tell this man that I have promised never to take +a wife, but that if he will give me his beautiful sister, he need not go to +look for his wife. I will send my secret helper in search of her." + +When the young girl heard what this medicine man had said, she sent word to +him, saying, "Yes, if you bring my brother's wife home, and I see her +sitting here by his side, I will marry you, but not before." But she did +not mean what she said. She intended to deceive him in some way, and not to +marry him at all. When the girl sent this message to him, the medicine man +sent for her and her brother to come to his lodge. When they had come, he +spoke to the poor man and said, "If I bring your wife here, are you willing +to give me your sister for my wife?" The poor man answered, "Yes." But the +young girl kept quiet in his presence, and had nothing to say. Then the +medicine man said to them: "Go. To-night in the middle of the night you +will hear me sing." He sent everybody out of his lodge, and said to the +people: "I will close the door of my lodge, and I do not want any one to +come in to-night, nor to look through the door. A spirit will come to me +to-night." He made the people know, by a sign put out before the door of +his lodge, that no one must enter it, until such time as he was through +making his medicine. Then he built a fire, and began to get out all his +medicine. He unwrapped his bundle and took out his pipe and his rattles and +his other things. After a time, the fire burned down until it was only +coals and his lodge was dark, and on the fire he threw sweet-scented herbs, +sweet grass, and sweet pine, so as to draw his dream-helper to him. + +Now in the middle of the night he was in the lodge singing, when suddenly +the people heard a strange voice in the lodge say: "Well, my chief, I have +come. What is it?" The medicine man said, "I want you to help me." The +voice said, "Yes, I know it, and I know what you want me to do." The +medicine man asked, "What is it?" The voice said, "You want me to go and +get a woman." The medicine man answered: "That is what I want. I want you +to go and get a woman--the lost woman." The voice said to him, "Did I not +tell you never to call me, unless you were in great need of my help?" The +medicine man answered, "Yes, but that girl that was never going to be +married is going to be given to me through your help." Then the voice +said, "Oh!" and it was silent for a little while. Then it went on and said: +"Well, we have a good feeling for you, and you have been a long time not +married; so we will help you to get that girl, and you will have her. Yes, +we have great pity on you. We will go and look for this woman, and will try +to find her, but I cannot promise you that we will bring her; but we will +try. We will go, and in four nights I will be back here again at this same +time, and I think that I can bring the woman; but I will not promise. While +I am gone, I will let you know how I get on. Now I am going away." And +then the people heard in the lodge a sound like a strong wind, and nothing +more. He was gone. + +Some people went and told the sister what the medicine man and the voice +had been saying, and the girl was very down-hearted, and cried over the +idea that she must be married, and that she had been forced into it in this +way. + + +III + +When the dream person went away, he came late at night to the camp of the +Snakes, the enemy. The woman who had been captured was always crying over +the loss of her man and her child. She had another husband now. The man who +had captured her had taken her for his wife. As she was lying there, in her +husband's lodge, crying for sorrow for her loss, the dream person came to +her. Her husband was asleep. The dream-helper touched her and pushed her a +little, and she looked up and saw a person standing by her side; but she +did not know who it was. The person whispered in her ear, "Get up, I want +to take you home." She began to edge away from her husband, and at length +got up, and all the time the person was moving toward the door. She +followed him out, and saw him walk away from the lodge, and she went +after. The person kept ahead, and the woman followed him, and they went +away, travelling very fast. After they had travelled some distance, she +called out to the dream person to stop, for she was getting tired. Then the +person stopped, and when he saw the woman sitting, he would sit down, but +he would not talk to her. + +As they travelled on, the woman, when she got tired, would sit down, and +because she was very tired, she would fall asleep; and when she awoke and +looked up, she always saw the person walking away from her, and she would +get up and follow him. When day came, the shape would be far ahead of her, +but at night it would keep closer. When she spoke to this person, the +woman would call him "young man." At one time she said to him, "Young man, +my moccasins are all worn out, and my feet are getting very sore, and I am +very tired and hungry." When she had said this, she sat down and fell +asleep, and as she was falling asleep, she saw the person going away from +her. He went back to the lodge of the medicine man. + +During this night the camp heard the medicine man singing his song, and +they knew that the dream person must be back again, or that his chief must +be calling him. The medicine man had unwrapped his bundle, and had taken +out all his things, and again had a fire of coals, on which he burned sweet +pine and sweet grass. Those who were listening heard a voice say: "Well, my +chief, I am back again, and I am here to tell you something. I am bringing +the woman you sent me after. She is very hungry and has no moccasins. Get +me those things, and I will take them back to her." The medicine man went +out of the lodge, and called to the poor man, who was mourning for his +wife, that he wanted to see him. The man came, carrying the child on his +back, to hear what the medicine man had to say. He said to him: "Get some +moccasins and something to eat for your wife. I want to send them to +her. She is coming." The poor man went to his sister, and told her to give +him some moccasins and some pemmican. She made a bundle of these things, +and the man took them to the medicine man, who gave them to the dream +person; and again he disappeared out of the lodge like a wind. + + +IV + +When the woman awoke in the morning and started to get up, she hit her face +against a bundle lying by her, and when she opened it, she found in it +moccasins and some pemmican; and she put on the moccasins and ate, and +while she was putting on the moccasins and eating, she looked over to where +she had last seen the person, and he was sitting there with his back toward +her. She could never see his face. When she had finished eating, he got up +and went on, and she rose and followed. They went on, and the woman +thought, "Now I have travelled two days and two nights with this young man, +and I wonder what kind of a man he is. He seems to take no notice of me." +So she made up her mind to walk fast and to try to overtake him, and see +what sort of a man he was. She started to do so, but however fast she +walked, it made no difference. She could not overtake him. Whether she +walked fast, or whether she walked slow, he was always the same distance +from her. They travelled on until night, and then she lay down again and +fell asleep. She dreamed that the young man had left her again. + +The dream person had really left her, and had gone back to the medicine +man's lodge, and said to him: "Well, my chief, I am back again. I am +bringing the woman. You must tell this poor man to get on his horse, and +ride back toward Milk River (the Teton). Let him go in among the high hills +on this side of the Muddy, and let him wait there until daylight, and look +toward the hills of Milk River; and after the sun is up a little way, he +will see a band of antelope running toward him, along the trail that the +Blackfeet travel. It will be his wife who has frightened these +antelope. Let him wait there for a while, and he will see a person +coming. This will be his wife. Then let him go to meet her, for she has no +moccasins. She will be glad to see him, for she is crying all the time." + +The medicine man told the poor man this, and he got on his horse and +started, as he had been told. He could not believe that it was true. But he +went. At last he got to the place, and a little while after the sun had +risen, as he was lying on a hill looking toward the hills of the Milk +River, he saw a band of antelope running toward him, as he had been told he +would see. He lay there for a long time, but saw nothing else come in +sight; and finally he got angry and thought that what had been told him was +a lie, and he got up to mount his horse and ride back. Just then he saw, +away down, far off on the prairie, a small black speck, but he did not +think it was moving, it was so far off,--barely to be seen. He thought +maybe it was a rock. He lay down again and took sight on the speck by a +straw of grass in front of him, and looked for a long time, and after a +while he saw the speck pass the straw, and then he knew it was +something. He got on his horse and started to ride up and find out what it +was, riding way around it, through the hills and ravines, so that he would +not be seen. He rode up in a ravine behind it, pretty near to it, and then +he could see it was a person on foot. He got out his bow and arrows and +held them ready to use, and then started to ride up to it. He rode toward +the person, and at last he got near enough to see that it was his +wife. When he saw this, he could not help crying; and as he rode up, the +woman looked back, and knew first the horse, and then her husband, and she +was so glad that she fell down and knew nothing. + +After she had come to herself and they had talked together, they got on the +horse and rode off toward camp. When he came over the hill in sight of +camp, all the people began to say, "Here comes the man"; and at last they +could see from a distance that he had some one on the horse behind him, and +they knew that it must be his wife, and they were glad to see him bringing +her back, for he was a man thought a great deal of, and everybody liked him +and liked his wife and the way he was kind to her. + +Then the handsome girl was given to the medicine man and became his wife. + + + +ADVENTURES OF BULL TURNS ROUND + + +I + +Once the camp moved, but one lodge stayed. It belonged to Wolf Tail; and +Wolf Tail's younger brother, Bull Turns Round, lived with him. Now their +father loved both his sons, but he loved the younger one most, and when he +went away with the big camp, he said to Wolf Tail: "Take care of your young +brother; he is not yet a strong person. Watch him that nothing befall him." + +One day Wolf Tail was out hunting, and Bull Turns Round sat in front of the +lodge making arrows, and a beautiful strange bird lit on the ground before +him. Then cried one of Wolf Tail's wives, "Oh, brother, shoot that little +bird." "Don't bother me, sister," he replied, "I am making arrows." Again +the woman said, "Oh, brother, shoot that bird for me." Then Bull Turns +Round fitted an arrow to his bow and shot the bird, and the woman went and +picked it up and stroked her face with it, and her face swelled up so big +that her eyes and nose could not be seen. But when Bull Turns Round had +shot the bird, he went off hunting and did not know what had happened to +the woman's face. + +Now when Wolf Tail came home and saw his wife's face, he said, "What is the +matter?" and his wife replied: "Your brother has pounded me so that I +cannot see. Go now and kill him." But Wolf Tail said, "No, I love my +brother; I cannot kill him." Then his wife cried and said: "I know you do +not love me; you are glad your brother has beaten me. If you loved me, you +would go and kill him." + +Then Wolf Tail went out and looked for his brother, and when he had found +him, he said: "Come, let us get some feathers. I know where there is an +eagle's nest;" and he took him to a high cliff, which overhung the river, +and on the edge of this cliff was a dead tree, in the top of which the +eagles had built their nest. Then said Wolf Tail, "Climb up, brother, and +kill the eagles;" and when Bull Turns Round had climbed nearly to the top, +Wolf Tail called out, "I am going to push the tree over the cliff, and you +will be killed." + +"Oh, brother! oh, brother! pity me; do not kill me," said Bull Turns Round. + +"Why did you beat my wife's face so?" said Wolf Tail. + +"I didn't," cried the boy; "I don't know what you are talking about." + +"You lie," said Wolf Tail, and he pushed the tree over the cliff. He looked +over and saw his brother fall into the water, and he did not come up +again. Then Wolf Tail went home and took down his lodge, and went to the +main camp. When his father saw him coming with only his wives, he said to +him, "Where is your young brother?" And Wolf Tail replied: "He went hunting +and did not come back. We waited four days for him. I think the bears must +have killed him." + + +II + +Now when Bull Turns Round fell into the river, he was stunned, and the +water carried him a long way down the stream and finally lodged him on a +sand shoal. Near this shoal was a lodge of Under Water People +(_S[=u]'-y[=e]-t[)u]p'-pi_), an old man, his wife, and two daughters. This +old man was very rich: he had great flocks of geese, swans, ducks, and +other water-fowl, and a big herd of buffalo which were tame. These buffalo +always fed near by, and the old man called them every evening to come and +drink. But he and his family ate none of these. Their only food was the +bloodsucker.[1] + +[Footnote 1: Blackfoot--_Est'-st[)u]k-ki_, suck-bite; from _Est-ah-tope_, +suck, and _I-sik-st[)u]k-ki_, bite.] + +Now the old man's daughters were swimming about in the evening, and they +found Bull Turns Round lying on the shoal, dead, and they went home and +told their father, and begged him to bring the person to life, and give him +to them for a husband. "Go, my daughters," he said, "and make four sweat +lodges, and I will bring the person." He went and got Bull Turns Round, and +when the sweat lodges were finished, the old man took him into one of them, +and when he had sprinkled water on the hot rocks, he scraped a great +quantity of sand off Bull Turns Round. Then he took him into another lodge +and did the same thing, and when he had taken him into the fourth sweat +lodge and scraped all the sand off him, Bull Turns Round came to life, and +the old man led him out and gave him to his daughters. And the old man gave +his son-in-law a new lodge and bows and arrows, and many good presents. + +Then the women cooked some bloodsuckers, and gave them to their husband, +but when he smelled of them he could not eat, and he threw them in the +fire. Then his wives asked him what he would eat. "Buffalo," he replied, +"is the only meat for men." + +"Oh, father!" cried the girls, running to the old man's lodge, "our husband +will not eat our food. He says buffalo is the only meat for men." + +"Go then, my daughters," said the old man, "and tell your husband to kill a +buffalo, but do not take nor break any bones, for I will make it alive +again." Then the old man called the buffalo to come and drink, and Bull +Turns Round shot a fat cow and took all the meat. And when he had roasted +the tongue, he gave each of his wives a small piece of it, and they liked +it, and they roasted and ate plenty of the meat. + + + +III + +One day Bull Turns Round went to the old man and said, "I mourn for my +father." + +"How did you come to be dead on the sand shoal?" asked the old man. Then +Bull Turns Round told what his brother had done to him. + +"Take this piece of sinew," said the old man. "Go and see your father. When +you throw this sinew on the fire, your brother and his wife will roll, and +twist up and die." Then the old man gave him a herd of buffalo, and many +dogs to pack the lodge, and other things; and Bull Turns Round took his +wives, and went to find his father. + +One day, just after sunset, they came in sight of the big camp, and they +went and pitched the lodge on the top of a very high butte; and the buffalo +fed close by, and there were so many of them that they covered the whole +hill. + +Now the people were starving, and some had died, for they had no +buffalo. In the morning, early, a man arose whose son had starved to death, +and when he went out and saw this lodge on the top of the hill, and all the +buffalo feeding by it, he cried out in a loud voice; and the people all +came out and looked at it, and they were afraid, for they thought it was +_St[=o]n'-i-t[)a]p-i_.[1] Then said the man whose son had died: "I am no +longer glad to live. I will go up to this lodge, and find out what this +is." Now when he said this, all the men grasped their bows and arrows and +followed him, and when they went up the hill, the buffalo just moved out of +their path and kept on feeding; and just as they came to the lodge, Bull +Turns Round came out, and all the people said, "Here is the one whom we +thought the bears had killed." Wolf Tail ran up, and said, "Oh, brother, +you are not dead. You went to get feathers, but we thought you had been +killed." Then Bull Turns Round called his brother into the lodge, and he +threw the sinew on the fire; and Wolf Tail, and his wife, who was standing +outside, twisted up and died. + +[Footnote 1: There is no word in English which corresponds to this. It is +used when speaking of things wonderful or supernatural.] + +Then Bull Turns Round told his father all that had happened to him; and +when he learned that the people were starving, he filled his mouth with +feathers and blew them out, and the buffalo ran off in every direction, and +he said to the people, "There is food, go chase it." Then the people were +very glad, and they came each one and gave him a present. They gave him +war shirts, bows and arrows, shields, spears, white robes, and many curious +things. + + + + +K[)U]T-O'-YIS + +Long ago, down where Two Medicine and Badger Creeks come together, there +lived an old man. He had but one wife and two daughters. One day there came +to his camp a young man who was very brave and a great hunter. The old man +said: "Ah! I will have this young man to help me. I will give him my +daughters for wives." So he gave him his daughters. He also gave this +son-in-law all his wealth, keeping for himself only a little lodge, in +which he lived with his old wife. The son-in-law lived in a lodge that was +big and fine. + +At first the son-in-law was very good to the old people. Whenever he +killed anything, he gave them part of the meat, and furnished plenty of +robes and skins for their bedding and clothing. But after a while he began +to be very mean to them. + +Now the son-in-law kept the buffalo hidden under a big log jam in the +river. Whenever he wanted to kill anything, he would have the old man go to +help him; and the old man would stamp on the log jam and frighten the +buffalo, and when they ran out, the young man would shoot one or two, never +killing wastefully. But often he gave the old people nothing to eat, and +they were hungry all the time, and began to grow thin and weak. + +One morning, the young man called his father-in-law to go down to the log +jam and hunt with him. They started, and the young man killed a fat buffalo +cow. Then he said to the old man, "Hurry back now, and tell your children +to get the dogs and carry this meat home, then you can have something to +eat." And the old man did as he had been ordered, thinking to himself: +"Now, at last, my son-in-law has taken pity on me. He will give me part of +this meat." When he returned with the dogs, they skinned the cow, cut up +the meat and packed it on the dog travois, and went home. Then the young +man had his wives unload it, and told his father-in-law to go home. He did +not give him even a piece of liver. Neither would the older daughter give +her parents anything to eat, but the younger took pity on the old people +and stole a piece of meat, and when she got a chance threw it into the +lodge to the old people. The son-in-law told his wives not to give the old +people anything to eat. The only way they got food was when the younger +woman would throw them a piece of meat unseen by her husband and sister. + +Another morning, the son-in-law got up early, and went and kicked on the +old man's lodge to wake him, and called him to get up and help him, to go +and pound on the log jam to drive out the buffalo, so that he could kill +some. When the old man pounded on the jam, a buffalo ran out, and the +son-in-law shot it, but only wounded it. It ran away, but at last fell down +and died. The old man followed it, and came to where it had lost a big clot +of blood from its wound. When he came to where this clot of blood was lying +on the ground, he stumbled and fell, and spilled his arrows out of his +quiver; and while he was picking them up, he picked up also the clot of +blood, and hid it in his quiver. "What are you picking up?" called out the +son-in-law. "Nothing," said the old man; "I just fell down and spilled my +arrows, and am putting them back." "Curse you, old man," said the +son-in-law, "you are lazy and useless. Go back and tell your children to +come with the dogs and get this dead buffalo." He also took away his bow +and arrows from the old man. + +The old man went home and told his daughters, and then went over to his own +lodge, and said to his wife: "Hurry now, and put the kettle on the fire. I +have brought home something from the butchering." "Ah!" said the old woman, +"has our son-in-law been generous, and given us something nice?" "No," +answered the old man; "hurry up and put the kettle on." When the water +began to boil, the old man tipped his quiver up over the kettle, and +immediately there came from the pot a noise as of a child crying, as if it +were being hurt, burnt or scalded. They looked in the kettle, and saw there +a little boy, and they quickly took it out of the water. They were very +much surprised. The old woman made a lashing to put the child in, and then +they talked about it. They decided that if the son-in-law knew that it was +a boy, he would kill it, so they resolved to tell their daughters that the +baby was a girl. Then he would be glad, for he would think that after a +while he would have it for a wife. They named the child K[)u]t-o'-yis (Clot +of Blood). + +The son-in-law and his wives came home, and after a while he heard the +child crying. He told his youngest wife to go and find out whether that +baby was a boy or a girl; if it was a boy, to tell them to kill it. She +came back and told them that it was a girl. He did not believe this, and +sent his oldest wife to find out the truth of the matter. When she came +back and told him the same thing, he believed that it was really a +girl. Then he was glad, for he thought that when the child had grown up he +would have another wife. He said to his youngest wife, "Take some pemmican +over to your mother; not much, just enough so that there will be plenty of +milk for the child." + +Now on the fourth day the child spoke, and said, "Lash me in turn to each +one of these lodge poles, and when I get to the last one, I will fall out +of my lashing and be grown up." The old woman did so, and as she lashed +him to each lodge pole he could be seen to grow, and finally when they +lashed him to the last pole, he was a man. After K[)u]t-o'-yis had looked +about the inside of the lodge, he looked out through a hole in the lodge +covering, and then, turning round, he said to the old people: "How is it +there is nothing to eat in this lodge? I see plenty of food over by the +other lodge." "Hush up," said the old woman, "you will be heard. That is +our son-in-law. He does not give us anything at all to eat." "Well," said +K[)u]t-o'-yis, "where is your pis'kun?" The old woman said, "It is down by +the river. We pound on it and the buffalo come out." + +Then the old man told him how his son-in-law abused him. "He has taken my +weapons from me, and even my dogs; and for many days we have had nothing to +eat, except now and then a small piece of meat our daughter steals for us." + +"Father," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "have you no arrows?" "No, my son," he +replied; "but I have yet four stone points." + +"Go out then and get some wood," said K[)u]t-o'-yis. "We will make a bow +and arrows. In the morning we will go down and kill something to eat." + +Early in the morning K[)u]t-o'-yis woke the old man, and said, "Come, we +will go down now and kill when the buffalo come out." When they had reached +the river, the old man said: "Here is the place to stand and shoot. I will +go down and drive them out." As he pounded on the jam, a fat cow ran out, +and K[)u]t-o'-yis killed it. + +Meantime the son-in-law had gone out, and as usual knocked on the old man's +lodge, and called to him to get up and go down to help him kill. The old +woman called to him that her husband had already gone down. This made the +son-in-law very angry. He said: "I have a good mind to kill you right now, +old woman. I guess I will by and by." + +The son-in-law went on down to the jam, and as he drew near, he saw the old +man bending over, skinning a buffalo. "Old man," said he, "stand up and +look all around you. Look well, for it will be your last look." Now when +he had seen the son-in-law coming, K[)u]t-o'-yis had lain down and hidden +himself behind the buffalo's carcass. He told the old man to say to his +son-in-law, "You had better take your last look, for I am going to kill +you, right now." The old man said this. "Ah!" said the son-in-law, "you +make me angrier still, by talking back to me." He put an arrow to his bow +and shot at the old man, but did not hit him. K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old +man to pick up the arrow and shoot it back at him, and he did so. Now they +shot at each other four times, and then the old man said to K[)u]t-o'-yis: +"I am afraid now. Get up and help me." So K[)u]t-o'-yis got up on his feet +and said: "Here, what are you doing? I think you have been badly treating +this old man for a long time." + +Then the son-in-law smiled pleasantly, for he was afraid of +K[)u]t-o'-yis. "Oh, no," he said, "no one thinks more of this old man than +I do. I have always taken great pity on him." + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis said: "You lie. I am going to kill you now." He shot him +four times, and the man died. Then K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old man to go and +bring down the daughter who had acted badly toward him. He did so, and +K[)u]t-o'-yis killed her. Then he went up to the lodges and said to the +younger woman, "Perhaps you loved your husband." "Yes," she said, "I love +him." So he killed her, too. Then he said to the old people: "Go over there +now, and live in that lodge. There is plenty there to eat, and when it is +gone I will kill more. As for myself, I will make a journey around +about. Where are there any people? In what direction?" "Well," said the old +man, "up above here on Badger Creek and Two Medicine, where the pis'kun is, +there are some people." + +K[)u]t-o'-yis went up to where the pis'kun was, and saw there many lodges +of people. In the centre of the camp was a large lodge, with a figure of a +bear painted on it. He did not go into this lodge, but went into a very +small one near by, where two old women lived; and when he went in, he asked +them for something to eat. They set before him some lean dried meat and +some belly fat. "How is this?" he asked. "Here is a pis'kun with plenty of +fat meat and back fat. Why do you not give me some of that?" "Hush," said +the old women. "In that big lodge near by, lives a big bear and his wives +and children. He takes all those nice things and leaves us nothing. He is +the chief of this place." + +Early in the morning, K[)u]t-o'-yis told the old women to get their dog +travois, and harness it, and go over to the pis'kun, and that he was going +to kill for them some fat meat. He reached there just about the time the +buffalo were being driven in, and shot a cow, which looked very scabby, but +was really very fat. Then he helped the old women to butcher, and when they +had taken the meat to camp, he said to them, "Now take all the choice fat +pieces, and hang them up so that those who live in the bear lodge will +notice them." + +They did this, and pretty soon the old chief bear said to his children: "Go +out now, and look around. The people have finished killing by this +time. See where the nicest pieces are, and bring in some nice back fat." A +young bear went out of the lodge, stood up and looked around, and when it +saw this meat close by, at the old women's lodge, it went over and began to +pull it down. "Hold on there," said K[)u]t-o'-yis. "What are you doing +here, taking the old women's meat?" and he hit him over the head with a +stick that he had. The young bear ran home crying, and said to his father, +"A young man has hit me on the head." Then all the bears, the father and +mother, and uncles and aunts, and all the relations, were very angry, and +all rushed out toward the old women's lodge. + +K[)u]t-o'-yis killed them all, except one little child bear, a female, +which escaped. "Well," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "you can go and breed bears, so +there will be more." + +Then said K[)u]t-o'-yis to the old women: "Now, grand-mothers, where are +there any more people? I want to travel around and see them." The old women +said: "The nearest ones are at the point of rocks (on Sun River). There is +a pis'kun there." So K[)u]t-o'-yis travelled off toward this place, and +when he reached the camp, he entered an old woman's lodge. + +The old woman set before him a plate of bad food. "How is this?" he +asked. "Have you nothing better than this to set before a stranger? You +have a pis'kun down there, and must get plenty of fat meat. Give me some +pemmican." "We cannot do that," the old woman replied, "because there is a +big snake here, who is chief of the camp. He not only takes the best +pieces, but often he eats a handsome young woman, when he sees one." When +K[)u]t-o'-yis heard this he was angry, and went over and entered the +snake's lodge. The women were cooking up some sarvis berries. He picked up +the dish, and ate the berries, and threw the dish out of the door. Then he +went over to where the snake was lying asleep, pricked him with his knife, +and said: "Here, get up. I have come to see you." This made the snake +angry. He partly raised himself up and began to rattle, when K[)u]t-o'-yis +cut him into pieces with his knife. Then he turned around and killed all +his wives and children, except one little female snake, which escaped by +crawling into a crack in the rocks. "Oh, well," said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "you +can go and breed young snakes, so there will be more. The people will not +be afraid of little snakes." K[)u]t-o'-yis said to the old woman, "Now you +go into this snake's lodge and take it for yourself, and everything that is +in it." + +Then he asked them where there were some more people. They told him that +there were some people down the river, and some up in the mountains. But +they said: "Do not go there, for it is bad, because Ai-sin'-o-ko-ki (Wind +Sucker) lives there. He will kill you." It pleased K[)u]t-o'-yis to know +that there was such a person, and he went to the mountains. When he got to +the place where Wind Sucker lived, he looked into his mouth, and could see +many dead people there,--some skeletons and some just dead. He went in, and +there he saw a fearful sight. The ground was white as snow with the bones +of those who had died. There were bodies with flesh on them; some were just +dead, and some still living. He spoke to a living person, and asked, "What +is that hanging down above us?" The person answered that it was Wind +Sucker's heart. Then said K[)u]t-o'-yis: "You who still draw a little +breath, try to shake your heads (in time to the song), and those who are +still able to move, get up and dance. Take courage now, we are going to +have the ghost dance." So K[)u]t-o'-yis bound his knife, point upward, to +the top of his head and began to dance, singing the ghost song, and all the +others danced with him; and as he danced up and down, the point of the +knife cut Wind Sucker's heart and killed him. K[)u]t-o'-yis took his knife +and cut through Wind Sucker's ribs, and freed those who were able to crawl +out, and said to those who could still travel to go and tell their people +that they should come here for the ones who were still alive but unable to +walk. + +Then he asked some of these people: "Where are there any other people? I +want to visit all the people." They said to him: "There is a camp to the +westward up the river, but you must not take the left-hand trail going up, +because on that trail lives a woman, a handsome woman, who invites men to +wrestle with her and then kills them. You must avoid her." This was what +K[)u]t-o'-yis was looking for. This was his business in the world, to kill +off all the bad things. So he asked the people just where this woman lived, +and asked where it was best to go to avoid her. He did this, because he did +not wish the people to know that he wanted to meet her. + +He started on his way, and at length saw this woman standing by the +trail. She called out to him, "Come here, young man, come here; I want to +wrestle with you." "No," replied the young man, "I am in a hurry. I cannot +stop." But the woman called again, "No, no, come now and wrestle once with +me." When she had called him four times, K[)u]t-o'-yis went up to her. Now +on the ground, where this woman wrestled with people, she had placed many +broken and sharp flints, partly hiding them by the grass. They seized each +other, and began to wrestle over these broken flints, but K[)u]t-o'-yis +looked at the ground and did not step on them. He watched his chance, and +suddenly gave the woman a wrench, and threw her down on a large sharp +flint, which cut her in two; and the parts of her body fell asunder. + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis went on, and after a while came to where a woman kept a +sliding place; and at the far end of it there was a rope, which would trip +people up, and when they were tripped, they would fall over a high cliff +into deep water, where a great fish would eat them. When this woman saw him +coming, she cried out, "Come over here, young man, and slide with me." +"No," he replied, "I am in a hurry." She kept calling him, and when she +had called the fourth time, he went over to slide with her. "This sliding," +said the woman, "is a very pleasant pastime." "Ah!" said K[)u]t-o'-yis, "I +will look at it." He looked at the place, and, looking carefully, he saw +the hidden rope. So he started to slide, and took out his knife, and when +he reached the rope, which the woman had raised, he cut it, and when it +parted, the woman fell over backward into the water, and was eaten up by +the big fish. + +Again he went on, and after a while he came to a big camp. This was the +place of a man-eater. K[)u]t-o'-yis called a little girl he saw near by, +and said to her: "Child, I am going into that lodge to let that man-eater +kill and eat me. Watch close, therefore, and when you can get hold of one +of my bones, take it out and call all the dogs, and when they have all come +up to you, throw it down and cry out, 'K[)u]t-o'-yis, the dogs are eating +your bones!'" + +Then K[)u]t-o'-yis entered the lodge, and when the man-eater saw him, he +cried out, "_O'ki, O'ki,"_ and seemed glad to see him, for he was a fat +young man. The man-eater took a large knife, and went up to K[)u]t-o'-yis, +and cut his throat, and put him into a great stone kettle to cook. When the +meat was cooked, he drew the kettle from the fire, and ate the body, limb +by limb, until it was all eaten up. + +Then the little girl, who was watching, came up to him, and said, "Pity me, +man-eater, my mother is hungry and asks you for those bones." So the old +man bunched them up together and handed them to her. She took them out, and +called all the dogs to her, and threw the bones down to the dogs, crying +out, "Look out, K[)u]t-o'-yis; the dogs are eating you!" and when she said +that, K[)u]t-o'-yis arose from the pile of bones. + +Again he went into the lodge, and when the man-eater saw him, he cried out, +"How, how, how! the fat young man has survived," and seemed +surprised. Again he took his knife and cut K[)u]t-o'-yis' throat, and threw +him into the kettle. Again, when the meat was cooked, he ate it up, and +again the little girl asked for the bones, which he gave her; and, taking +them out, she threw them to the dogs, crying, "K[)u]t-o'-yis, the dogs are +eating you!" and K[)u]t-o'-yis again arose from the bones. + +When the man-eater had cooked him four times, he again went into the lodge, +and, seizing the man-eater, he threw him into the boiling kettle, and his +wives and children too, and boiled them to death. + +The man-eater was the seventh and last of the bad animals and people who +were destroyed by K[)u]t-o'-yis. + + + +THE BAD WIFE + + +I + +There was once a man who had but one wife. He was not a chief, but a very +brave warrior. He was rich, too, so he could have had plenty of wives if he +wished; but he loved his wife very much, and did not want any more. He was +very good to this woman. She always wore the best clothes that could be +found. If any other woman had a fine buckskin dress, or something very +pretty, the man would buy it for her. + +It was summer. The berries were ripe, and the woman kept saying to her +husband, "Let us go and pick some berries for winter." "No," replied the +man. "It is dangerous now. The enemy is travelling all around." But still +the woman kept teasing him to go. So one day he told her to get ready. Some +other women went, too. They all went on horseback, for the berries were a +long way from camp. When they got to the place, the man told the women to +keep near their horses all the time. He would go up on a butte near by and +watch. "Be careful," he said. "Keep by your horses, and if you see me +signal, throw away your berries, get on your horses and ride towards camp +as fast as you can." + +They had not picked many berries before the man saw a war party coming. He +signalled the women, and got on his horse and rode towards them. It +happened that this man and his wife both had good horses, but the others, +all old women, rode slow old travois horses, and the enemy soon overtook +and killed them. Many kept on after the two on good horses, and after a +while the woman's horse began to get tired; so she asked her husband to let +her ride on his horse with him. The woman got up behind him, and they went +on again. The horse was a very powerful one, and for a while went very +fast; but two persons make a heavy load, and soon the enemy began to gain +on them. The man was now in a bad plight; the enemy were overtaking him, +and the woman holding him bound his arms so that he could not use his bow. + +"Get off," he said to her. "The enemy will not kill you. You are too young +and pretty. Some one of them will take you, and I will get a big party of +our people and rescue you." + +"No, no," cried the woman; "let us die here together." + +"Why die?" cried the man. "We are yet young, and may live a long time +together. If you don't get off, they will soon catch us and kill me, and +then they will take you anyhow. Get off, and in only a short time I will +get you back." + +"No, no," again cried the woman; "I will die here with you." + +"Crazy person!" cried the man, and with a quick jerk he threw the woman +off. + +As he said, the enemy did not kill her. The first one who came up counted +_coup_ and took her. The man, now that his horse was lightened, easily ran +away from the war party, and got safe to camp. + + +II + +Then there was great mourning. The relatives of the old women who had been +killed, cut their hair and cried. The man, too, cut off his hair and +mourned. He knew that his wife was not killed, but he felt very badly +because he was separated from her. He painted himself black, and walked all +through the camp, crying. His wife had many relations, and some of them +went to the man and said: "We pity you very much. We mourn, too, for our +sister. But come. Take courage. We will go with you, and try to get her +back." + +"It is good," replied the man. "I feel as if I should die, stopping +uselessly here. Let us start soon." + +That evening they got ready, and at daylight started out on foot. There +were seven of them in all. The husband, five middle-aged men, the woman's +relations, and a young man, her own young brother. He was a very pretty +boy. His hair was longer than any other person's in camp. + +They soon found the trail of the war party, and followed it for some +days. At last they came to the Big River,[1] and there, on the other side, +they saw many lodges. They crept down a coulee into the valley, and hid in +a small piece of timber just opposite the camp. Toward evening the man +said: "_Kyi_, my brothers. To-night I will swim across and look all through +the camp for my wife. If I do not find her, I will cache and look again +to-morrow evening. But if I do not return before daylight of the second +night, then you will know I am killed. Then you will do as you think best. +Maybe you will want to take revenge. Maybe you will go right back +home. That will be as your hearts feel." + +[Footnote 1: Missouri River.] + +As soon as it was dark, he swam across the river and went all about through +the camp, peeping in through the doorways of the lodges, but he did not see +his wife. Still, he knew she must be there. He had followed the trail of +the party to this place. They had not killed her on the way. He kept +looking in at the lodges until it was late, and the people let the fires go +out and went to bed. Then the man went down to where the women got their +water from the river. Everywhere along the stream was a cut bank, but in +one place a path of steps had been made down to the water's edge. Near this +path, he dug a hole in the bank and crawled into it, closing up the +entrance, except one small hole, through which he could look, and watch the +people who came to the river. + +As soon as it was daylight, the women began to come for water. _Tum, tum, +tum, tum_, he could hear their footsteps as they came down the path, and he +looked eagerly at every one. All day long the people came and went,--the +young and old; and the children played about near him. He saw many strange +people that day. It was now almost sunset, and he began to think that he +would not see his wife there. _Tum, tum, tum, tum_, another woman came +down the steps, and stopped at the water's edge. Her dress was strange, but +he thought he knew the form. She turned her head and looked down the river, +and he saw her face. It was his wife. He pushed away the dirt, crawled +out, went to her and kissed her. "_Kyi_," he said, "hurry, and let us swim +across the river. Five of your relations and your own young brother are +waiting for us in that piece of timber." + +"Wait," replied his wife. "These people have given me a great many pretty +things. Let me go back. When it is night I will gather them up, steal a +horse, and cross over to you." + +"No, no," cried the man. "Let the pretty things go; come, let us cross at +once." + +"Pity me," said the woman. "Let me go and get my things. I will surely come +to-night. I speak the truth." + +"How do you speak the truth?"[1] asked her husband. + +[Footnote 1: Blackfoot--_Tsa-ki-an-ist-o-man-i?_ i.e., How you like truth?] + +"That my relations there across the river may be safe and live long, I +speak the truth." + +"Go then," said the man, "and get your things. I will cross the river now." +He went up on the bank and walked down the river, keeping his face +hidden. No one noticed him, or if they did, they thought he belonged to the +camp. As soon as he had passed the first bend, he swam across the river, +and soon joined his relations. + +"I have seen my wife," he said to them. "She will come over as soon as it +is dark. I let her go back to get some things that were given her." + +"You are crazy," said one of the men, "very crazy. She already loves this +new man she has, or she would not have wanted to go back." + +"Stop that," said the husband; "do not talk bad of her. She will surely +come." + + +III + +The woman went back to her lodge with the water, and, sitting down near the +fireplace, she began to act very strangely. She took up pieces of charred +wood, dirt, and ashes in her hands and ate them, and made queer noises. + +"What is it?" asked the man who had taken her for a wife. "What is the +matter with you?" He spoke in signs. + +The woman also spoke in signs. She answered him: "The Sun told me that +there are seven persons across the river in that piece of timber. Five of +them are middle-aged, another is a young boy with very long hair, another +is a man who mourns. His hair is cut short." + +The Snake did not know what to do, so he called in some chiefs and old men +to advise with him. They thought that the woman might be very strong +medicine. At all events, it would be a good thing to go and look. So the +news was shouted out, and in a short time all the warriors had mounted +their best horses, and started across the river. It was then almost dark, +so they surrounded the piece of timber, and waited for morning to begin the +search. + +"_Kyi_," said one of the woman's relations to her husband. "Did I not +speak the truth? You see now what that woman has done for us." + +At daylight the poor husband strung his bow, took a handful of arrows from +his quiver, and said: "This is my fault. I have brought you to this. It is +right that I should die first," and he started to go out of the timber. + +"Wait," said the eldest relative. "It shall not be so. I am the first to +go. I cannot stay back to see my brother die. You shall go out last." So he +jumped out of the brush, and began shooting his arrows, but was soon +killed. + +"My brother is too far on the road alone,"[1] cried another relation, and +he jumped out and fought, too. What use, one against so many? The Snakes +soon had his scalp. + +[Footnote 1: Meaning that his brother's spirit, or shadow, was travelling +alone the road to the Sand Hills, and that he must overtake him.] + +So they went out, one after another, and at last the husband was alone. He +rushed out very brave, and shot his arrows as fast as he could. "Hold!" +cried the Snake man to his people. "Do not kill him; catch him. This is the +one my wife said to bring back alive. See! his hair is cut short." So, when +the man had shot away all his arrows, they seized and tied him, and, taking +the scalps of the others, returned to camp. + +They took the prisoner into the lodge where his wife was. His hands were +tied behind his back, and they tied his feet, too. He could not move. + +As soon as the man saw his wife, he cried. He was not afraid. He did not +care now how soon he died. He cried because he was thinking of all the +trouble and death this woman had caused. "What have I done to you," he +asked his wife, "that you should treat me this way? Did I not always use +you well? I never struck you. I never made you work hard." + +"What does he say?" asked the Snake man. + +"He says," replied the woman, "that when you are done smoking, you must +knock the ashes and fire out of your pipe on his breast." + +The Snake was not a bad-hearted man, but he thought now that this woman had +strong medicine, that she had Sun power; so he thought that everything must +be done as she said. When the man had finished smoking, he emptied the pipe +on the Piegan's breast, and the fire burned him badly. + +Then the poor man cried again, not from the pain, but to think what a bad +heart this woman had. Again he spoke to her. "You cannot be a person," he +said. "I think you are some fearful animal, changed to look like a woman." + +"What is he saying now?" asked the Snake. + +"He wants some boiling water poured on his head," replied the woman. + +"It shall be as he says," said the Snake; and he had his women heat some +water. When it was ready, one of them poured a little of it here and there +on the captive's head and shoulders. Wherever the hot water touched, the +hair came out and the skin peeled off. The pain was so bad that the Piegan +nearly fainted. When he revived, he said to his wife: "Pity me. I have +suffered enough. Let them kill me now. Let me hurry to join those who are +already travelling to the Sand Hills." + +The woman turned to the Snake chief, and said, "The man says that he wants +you to give him to the Sun." + +"It is good," said the Snake. "To-morrow we move camp. Before we leave +here, we will give him to the Sun." + +There was an old woman in this camp who lived all alone, in a little lodge +of her own. She had some friends and relations, but she said she liked to +live by herself. She had heard that a Piegan had been captured, and went to +the lodge where he was. When she saw them pour the boiling water on him, +she cried and felt badly. This old woman had a very good heart. She went +home and lay down by her dog, and kept crying, she felt so sorry for this +poor man. Pretty soon she heard people shouting out the orders of the +chief. They said: "Listen! listen! To-morrow we move camp. Get ready now +and pack up everything. Before we go, the Piegan man will be given to the +Sun." + +Then the old woman knew what to do. She tied a piece of buckskin around her +dog's mouth, so he could not bark, and then she took him way out in the +timber and tied him where he could not be seen. She also filled a small +sack with pemmican, dried meat, and berries, and put it near the dog. + +In the morning the people rose early. They smoothed a cotton-wood tree, by +taking off the bark, and painted it black. Then they stood the Piegan up +against it, and fastened him there with a great many ropes. When they had +tied him so he could not move, they painted his face black, and the chief +Snake made a prayer, and gave him to the Sun. + +Every one was now busy getting ready to move camp. This old woman had lost +her dog, and kept calling out for him and looking all around. "_Tsis'-i!_" +she cried. "_Tsis'-i!_ Come here. Knock the dog on the head![1] Wait till I +find him, and I'll break his neck." + +[Footnote 1: A Blackfoot curse.] + +The people were now all packed up, and some had already started on the +trail. "Don't wait for me," the old woman said. "Go on, I'll look again for +my dog, and catch up with you." + +When all were gone, the old woman went and untied her dog, and then, going +up to where the Piegan was tied, she cut the ropes, and he was free. But +already the man was very weak, and he fell down on the ground. She rubbed +his limbs, and pretty soon he felt better. The old woman was so sorry for +him that she cried again, and kissed him. Then the man cried, too. He was +so glad that some one pitied him. By and by he ate some of the food the old +woman had given him, and felt strong again. He said to her in signs: "I am +not done. I shall go back home now, but I will come again. I will bring all +the Piegans with me, and we will have revenge." + +"You say well," signed the old woman. + +"Help me," again said the man. "If, on the road you are travelling, this +camp should separate, mark the trail my wife takes with a stick. You, too, +follow the party she goes with, and always put your lodge at the far end of +the village. When I return with my people, I will enter your lodge, and +tell you what to do." + +"I take your speech," replied the old woman. "As you say, so it shall be." +Then she kissed him again, and started on after her people. The man went to +the river, swam across, and started for the North. + + +IV + +Why are the people crying? Why is all this mourning? Ah! the poor man has +returned home, and told how those who went with him were killed. He has +told them the whole story. They are getting ready for war. Every one able +to fight is going with this man back to the Snakes. Only a few will be +left to guard the camp. The mother of that bad woman is going, too. She has +sharpened her axe, and told what she will do when she sees her +daughter. All are ready. The best horses have been caught up and saddled, +and the war party has started,--hundreds and hundreds of warriors. They are +strung out over the prairie as far as you can see. + +When they got to the Missouri River, the poor man showed them where the +lodge in which they had tortured him had stood. He took them to see the +tree, where he had been bound. The black paint was still on it. + +From here, they went slowly. Some young men were sent far ahead to +scout. The second day, they came back to the main body, and said they had +found a camping place just deserted, and that there the trail forked. The +poor man then went ahead, and at the forks he found a willow twig stuck in +the ground, pointing to the left hand trail. When the others came up, he +said to them: "Take care of my horse now, and travel slowly. I will go +ahead on foot and find the camp. It must be close. I will go and see that +old woman, and find out how things are." + +Some men did not want him to do this; they said that the old woman might +tell about him, and then they could not surprise the camp. + +"No," replied the man. "It will not be so. That old woman is almost the +same as my mother. I know she will help us." + +He went ahead carefully, and near sunset saw the camp. When it was dark, +he crept near it and entered the old woman's lodge. She had placed it +behind, and a little way off from, the others. When he went in the old +woman was asleep, but the fire was still burning a little. He touched her, +and she jumped up and started to scream; but he put his hand on her mouth, +and when she saw who it was she laughed and kissed him. "The Piegans have +come," he told her. "We are going to have revenge on this camp to-night. Is +my wife here?" + +"Still here," replied the old woman. "She is chief now. They think her +medicine very strong." + +"Tell your friends and relations," said the Piegan, "that you have had a +dream, and that they must move into the brush yonder. Have them stay there +with you, and they will not be hurt. I am going now to get my people." + +It was very late in the night. Most of the Snakes were in bed and +asleep. All at once the camp was surrounded with warriors, shouting the war +cry and shooting, stabbing, and knocking people on the head as fast as they +came out of the lodges. + +That Piegan woman cried out: "Don't hurt me. I am a Piegan. Are any of my +people here?" + +"Many of your relations are here," some one said. "They will protect you." + +Some young men seized and tied her, as her husband had said to do. They had +hard work to keep her mother from killing her. "_Hai yah_!" the old woman +cried. "There is my Snake woman daughter. Let me split her head open." + +The fight was soon over. The Piegans killed the people almost as fast as +they came out of their lodges. Some few escaped in the darkness. When the +fight was over, the young warriors gathered up a great pile of lodge poles +and brush, and set fire to it. Then the poor man tore the dress off his bad +wife, tied the scalp of her dead Snake man around her neck, and told her to +dance the scalp dance in the fire. She cried and hung back, calling out for +pity. The people only laughed and pushed her into the fire. She would run +through it, and then those on the other side would push her back. So they +kept her running through the fire, until she fell down and died. + +The old Snake woman had come out of the brush with her relations. Because +she had been so good, the Piegans gave her, and those with her, one-half of +all the horses and valuable things they had taken. "_Kyi!_" said the Piegan +chief. "That is all for you, because you helped this poor man. To-morrow +morning we start back North. If your heart is that way, go too and live +with us." So these Snakes joined the Piegans and lived with them until they +died, and their children married with the Piegans, and at last they were no +longer Snake people.[1] + +[Footnote 1: When the Hudson's Bay Company first established a fort at +Edmonton, a daughter of one of these Snakes married a white employee of the +company, named, in Blackfoot, _O-wai_, Egg.] + + + +THE LOST CHILDREN + +Once a camp of people stopped on the bank of a river. There were but a few +lodges of them. One day the little children in the camp crossed the river +to play on the other side. For some time they stayed near the bank, and +then they went up over a little hill, and found a bed of sand and gravel; +and there they played for a long time. + +There were eleven of these children. Two of them were daughters of the +chief of the camp, and the smaller of these wanted the best of +everything. If any child found a pretty stone, she would try to take it for +herself. The other children did not like this, and they began to tease the +little girl, and to take her things away from her. Then she got angry and +began to cry, and the more she cried, the more the children teased her; so +at last she and her sister left the others, and went back to the camp. + +When they got there, they told their father what the other children had +done to them, and this made the chief very angry. He thought for a little +while, and then got up and went out of the lodge, and called aloud, so that +everybody might hear, saying: "Listen! listen! Your children have teased my +child and made her cry. Now we will move away, and leave them behind. If +they come back before we get started, they shall be killed. If they follow +us and overtake the camp, they shall be killed. If the father and mother of +any one of them take them into their lodge, I will kill that father and +mother. Hurry now, hurry and pack up, so that we can go. Everybody tear +down the lodges, as quickly as you can." + +When the people heard this, they felt very sorry, but they had to do as the +chief said; so they tore down the lodges, and quickly packed the dog +travois, and started off. They packed in such a hurry that they left many +little things lying in camp,--knives and awls, bone needles and moccasins. + +The little children played about in the sand for a long time, but at last +they began to get hungry; and one little girl said to the others, "I will +go back to the camp, and get some dried meat and bring it here, so that we +may eat." And she started to go to the camp. When she came to the top of +the hill and looked across the river, she saw that there were no lodges +there, and did not know what to think of it. She called down to the +children, and said, "The camp has gone"; but they did not believe her, and +went on playing. She kept on calling, and at last some of them came to her, +and then all, and saw that it was as she had said. They went down to the +river, and crossed it, and went to where the lodges had stood. When they +got there, they saw on the ground the things that had been left out in +packing; and as each child saw and knew something that had belonged to its +own parents, it cried and sang a little song, saying: "Mother, here is your +bone needle; why did you leave your children?" "Father, here is your arrow; +why did you leave your children?" It was very mournful, and they all cried. + +There was among them a little girl who had on her back her baby brother, +whom she loved dearly. He was very young, a nursing child, and already he +was hungry and beginning to fret. This little girl said to the others: "We +do not know why they have gone, but we know they have gone. We must follow +the trail of the camp, and try to catch up with them." So the children +started to follow the camp. They travelled on all day; and just at night +they saw, near the trail, a little lodge. They had heard the people talk of +a bad old woman who killed and ate persons, and some of the children +thought that this old woman might live here; and they were afraid to go to +the lodge. Others said: "Perhaps some person lives here who has a good +heart. We are very tired and very hungry and have nothing to eat and no +place to keep warm. Let us go to this lodge." + +They went to it; and when they went in, they saw sitting by the fire an old +woman. She spoke kindly to them, and asked them where they were travelling; +and they told her that the camp had moved on and left them, and that they +were trying to find their people, that they had nothing to eat, and were +tired and hungry. The old woman fed them, and told them to sleep here +to-night, and to-morrow they could go on and find their people. "The camp," +she said, "passed here to-day when the sun was low. They have not gone +far. To-morrow you will overtake them." She spread some robes on the ground +and said: "Now lie here and sleep. Lie side by side with your heads toward +the fire, and when morning comes, you can go on your journey." The +children lay down and soon slept. + +In the middle of the night, the old woman got up, and built a big fire, and +put on it a big stone kettle, full of water. Then she took a big knife, +and, commencing at one end of the row, began to cut off the heads of the +children, and to throw them into the pot. The little girl with the baby +brother lay at the other end of the row, and while the old woman was doing +this, she awoke and saw what was taking place. When the old woman came near +to her, she jumped up and began to beg that she would not kill her. "I am +strong," she said. "I will work hard for you. I can bring your wood and +water, and tan your skins. Do not kill my little brother and me. Take pity +on us and save us alive. Everybody has left us, but do you have pity. You +shall see how quickly I will work, how you will always have plenty of +wood. I can work quickly and well." The old woman thought for a little +while, then she said: "Well, I will let you live for a time, anyhow. You +shall sleep safely to-night." + +The next day, early, the little girl took her brother on her back, and went +out and gathered a big pile of wood, and brought it to the lodge before the +old woman was awake. When she got up, she called to the girl, "Go to the +river and get a bucket of water." The girl put her brother on her back, and +took the bucket to go. The old woman said to her: "Why do you carry that +child everywhere? Leave him here." The girl said: "Not so. He is always +with me, and if I leave him he will cry and make a great noise, and you +will not like that." The old woman grumbled, but the girl went on down to +the river. + +When she got there, just as she was going to fill her bucket, she saw +standing by her a great bull. It was a mountain buffalo, one of those who +live in the timber; and the long hair of its head was all full of pine +needles and sticks and branches, and matted together. (It was a +_Su'ye-st[)u]'mik_, a water bull.) When the girl saw him, she prayed him to +take her across the river, and so to save her and her little brother from +the bad old woman. The bull said, "I will take you across, but first you +must take some of the sticks out of my head." The girl begged him to start +at once; but the bull said, "No, first take the sticks out of my head." The +girl began to do it, but before she had done much, she heard the old woman +calling to her to bring the water. The girl called back, "I am trying to +get the water clear," and went on fixing the buffalo's head. The old woman +called again, saying, "Hurry, hurry with that water." The girl answered, +"Wait, I am washing my little brother." Pretty soon the old woman called +out, "If you don't bring that water, I will kill you and your brother." By +this time the girl had most of the sticks out of the bull's head, and he +told her to get on his back, and went into the water and swam with her +across the river. As he reached the other bank, the girl could see the old +woman coming from her lodge down to the river with a big stick in her hand. + +When the bull reached the bank, the girl jumped off his back and started +off on the trail of the camp. The bull swam back again to the other side of +the river, and there stood the old woman. This bull was a sort of servant +of the old woman. She said to him: "Why did you take those children across +the river? Take me on your back now and carry me across quickly, so that I +can catch them." The bull said, "First take these sticks out of my head." +"No," said the old woman; "first take me across, then I will take the +sticks out." The bull repeated, "First take the sticks out of my head, then +I will take you across." This made the old woman very mad, and she hit him +with the stick she had in her hand; but when she saw that he would not go, +she began to pull the sticks out of his head very roughly, tearing out +great handfuls of hair, and every moment ordering him to go, and +threatening what she would do to him when she got back. At last the bull +took her on his back, and began to swim across with her, but he did not +swim fast enough to please her, so she began to pound him with her club to +make him go faster; and when the bull got to the middle of the river, he +rolled over on his side, and the old woman slipped off, and was carried +down the river and drowned. + +The girl followed the trail of the camp for several days, feeding on +berries and roots that she dug; and at last one night after dark she +overtook the camp. She went into the lodge of an old woman, who was camped +off at one side, and the old woman pitied her and gave her some food, and +told her where her father's lodge was. The girl went to it, but when she +went in, her parents would not receive her. She had tried to overtake them +for the sake of her little brother, who was growing thin and weak because +he had not nursed; and now her mother was afraid to have her stay with +them. She even went and told the chief that her children had come back. Now +when the chief heard that these two children had come back, he was angry; +and he ordered that the next day they should be tied to a post in the camp, +and that the people should move on and leave them here. "Then," he said, +"they cannot follow us." + +The old woman who had pitied the children, when she heard what the chief +had ordered, made up a bundle of dried meat, and hid it in the grass near +the camp. Then she called her dog to her,--a little curly dog. She said to +the dog:-- + +"Now listen. To-morrow when we are ready to start, I will call you to come +to me, but you must pay no attention to what I say. Run off, and pretend to +be chasing squirrels. I will try to catch you, and if I do so, I will +pretend to whip you; but do not follow me. Stay behind, and when the camp +has passed out of sight, chew off the strings that bind those children; and +when you have done this, show them where I have hidden that food. Then you +can follow the camp and catch up to us." The dog stood before the old +woman, and listened to all that she said, turning his head from side to +side, as if paying close attention. + +Next morning it was done as the chief had said. The children were tied to +the tree with raw hide strings, and the people tore down all the lodges and +moved off. The old woman called her dog to follow her, but he was digging +at a gopher hole and would not come. Then she went up to him and struck at +him hard with her whip, but he dodged and ran away, and then stood looking +at her. Then the old woman got very mad and cursed him, but he paid no +attention; and finally she left him, and followed the camp. When the +people had all passed out of sight, the dog went to the children, and +gnawed the strings which tied them, until he had bitten them through. So +the children were free. + +Then the dog was glad, and danced about and barked and ran round and +round. Pretty soon he came up to the little girl, and looked up in her +face, and then started away, trotting. Every little while he would stop +and look back. The girl thought he wanted her to follow him. She did so, +and he took her to where the bundle of dried meat was, and showed it to +her. Then, when he had done this, he jumped up on her, and licked the +baby's face, and then started off, running as hard as he could along the +trail of the camp, never stopping to look back. The girl did not follow +him. She now knew that it was no use to go to the camp again. Their +parents would not receive them, and the chief would perhaps order them to +be killed. + +She went on her way, carrying her little brother and the bundle of dried +meat. She travelled for many days, and at last came to a place where she +thought she would stop. Here she built a little lodge of poles and brush, +and stayed there. One night she had a dream, and an old woman came to her +in the dream, and said to her, "To-morrow take your little brother, and tie +him to one of the lodge poles, and the next day tie him to another, and so +every day tie him to one of the poles, until you have gone all around the +lodge and have tied him to each pole. Then you will be helped, and will no +more have bad luck." + +When the girl awoke in the morning, she remembered what the dream had told +her, and she bound her little brother to one of the lodge poles; and each +day after this she tied him to one of the poles. Each day he grew larger, +until, when she had gone all around the lodge, he was grown to be a fine +young man. + +Now the girl was glad, and proud of her young brother who was so large and +noble-looking. He was quiet, not speaking much, and sometimes for days he +would not say anything. He seemed to be thinking all the time. One morning +he told the girl that he had a dream and that he wished her to help him +build a pis'kun. She was afraid to ask him about the dream, for she thought +if she asked questions he might not like it. So she just said she was ready +to do what he wished. They built the pis'kun, and when it was finished, the +boy said to his sister: "The buffalo are to come to us, and you are not to +see them. When the time comes, you are to cover your head and to hold your +face close to the ground; and do not lift your head nor look, until I throw +a piece of kidney to you." The girl said, "It shall be as you say." + +When the time came, the boy told her where to go; and she went to the +place, a little way from the lodge, not far from the corral, and sat down +on the ground, and covered her head, holding her face close to the +earth. After she had sat there a little while, she heard the sound of +animals running, and she was excited and curious, and raised her head to +look; but all she saw was her brother, standing near, looking at +her. Before he could speak, she said to him: "I thought I heard buffalo +coming, and because I was anxious for food, I forgot my promise and +looked. Forgive me this time, and I will try again." Again she bent her +face to the ground, and covered her head. + +Soon she heard again the sound of animals running, at first a long way off, +and then coming nearer and nearer, until at last they seemed close, and she +thought they were going to run over her. She sprang up in fright and looked +about, but there was nothing to be seen but her brother, looking sadly at +her. She went close to him and said: "Pity me. I was afraid, for I thought +the buffalo were going to run over me." He said: "This is the last time. If +again you look, we will starve; but if you do not look, we will always have +plenty, and will never be without meat." The girl looked at him, and said, +"I will try hard this time, and even if those animals run right over me, I +will not look until you throw the kidney to me." Again she covered her +head, pressing her face against the earth and putting her hands against her +ears, so that she might not hear. Suddenly, sooner than she thought, she +felt the blow from the meat thrown at her, and, springing up, she seized +the kidney and began to eat it. Not far away was her brother, bending over +a fat cow; and, going up to him, she helped him with the butchering. After +that was done, she kindled a fire and cooked the best parts of the meat, +and they ate and were satisfied. + +The boy became a great hunter. He made fine arrows that went faster than a +bird could fly, and when he was hunting, he watched all the animals and all +the birds, and learned their ways, and how to imitate them when they +called. While he was hunting, the girl dressed buffalo hides and the skins +of deer and other animals. She made a fine new lodge, and the boy painted +it with figures of all the birds and the animals he had killed. + +One day, when the girl was bringing water, she saw a little way off a +person coming. When she went in the lodge, she told her brother, and he +went out to meet the stranger. He found that he was friendly and was +hunting, but had had bad luck and killed nothing. He was starving and in +despair, when he saw this lone lodge and made up his mind to go to it. As +he came near it, he began to be afraid, and to wonder if the people who +lived there were enemies or ghosts; but he thought, "I may as well die here +as starve," so he went boldly to it. The strange person was very much +surprised to see this handsome young man with the kind face, who could +speak his own language. The boy took him into the lodge, and the girl put +food before him. After he had eaten, he told his story, saying that the +game had left them, and that many of his people were dying of hunger. As +he talked, the girl listened; and at last she remembered the man, and knew +that he belonged to her camp. She asked him questions, and he talked about +all the people in the camp, and even spoke of the old woman who owned the +dog. The boy advised the stranger, after he had rested, to return to his +camp, and tell the people to move up to this place, that here they would +find plenty of game. After he had gone, the boy and his sister talked of +these things. The girl had often told him what she had suffered, what the +chief had said and done, and how their own parents had turned against her, +and that the only person whose heart had been good to her was this old +woman. As the young man heard all this again, he was angry at his parents +and the chief, but he felt great kindness for the old woman and her +dog. When he learned that those bad people were living, he made up his mind +that they should suffer and die. + +When the strange person reached his own camp, he told the people how well +he had been treated by these two persons, and that they wished him to bring +the whole camp to where they were, and that there they should have plenty. +This made great joy in the camp, and all got ready to move. When they +reached the lost children's camp, they found everything as the stranger had +said. The brother gave a feast; and to those whom he liked he gave many +presents, but to the old woman and the dog he gave the best presents of +all. To the chief nothing at all was given, and this made him very much +ashamed. To the parents no food was given, but the boy tied a bone to the +lodge poles above the fire, and told the parents to eat from it without +touching it with their hands. They were very hungry, and tried to eat from +this bone; and as they were stretching out their necks to reach it--for it +was above them--the boy cut off their heads with his knife. This frightened +all the people, the chief most of all; but the boy told them how it all +was, and how he and his sister had survived. + +When he had finished speaking, the chief said he was sorry for what he had +done, and he proposed to his people that this young man should be made +their chief. They were glad to do this. The boy was made the chief, and +lived long to rule the people in that camp. + + + +MIK-A'PI--RED OLD MAN + + +I + +It was in the valley of "It fell on them"[1] Creek, near the mountains, +that the Pik[)u]n'i were camped when Mik-a'pi went to war. It was far back, +in the days of stone knives, long before the white people had come. This +was the way it happened. + +[Footnote 1: Armells Creek in Northern Montana is called +_Et-tsis-ki-ots-op_, "It fell on them." A longtime ago a number of +Blackfeet women were digging in a bank near this creek for the red clay +which they use for paint, when the bank gave way and fell on them, burying +and killing them.] + +Early in the morning a band of buffalo were seen in the foot-hills of the +mountains, and some hunters went out to get meat. Carefully they crawled +along up the coulees and drew near to the herd; and, when they had come +close to them, they began to shoot, and their arrows pierced many fat +cows. But even while they were thus shooting, they were surprised by a war +party of Snakes, and they began to run back toward the camp. There was one +hunter, named Fox-eye, who was very brave. He called to the others to stop, +saying: "They are many and we are few, but the Snakes are not brave. Let us +stop and fight them." But the other hunters would not listen. "We have no +shields," they said, "nor our war medicine. There are many of the +enemy. Why should we foolishly die?" + +They hurried on to camp, but Fox-eye would not turn back. He drew his +arrows from the quiver, and prepared to fight. But, even as he placed an +arrow, a Snake had crawled up by his side, unseen. In the still air, the +Piegan heard the sharp twang of a bow string, but, before he could turn his +head, the long, fine-pointed arrow pierced him through and through. The bow +and arrows dropped from his hands, he swayed, and then fell forward on the +grass, dead. But now the warriors came pouring from the camp to aid +him. Too late! The Snakes quickly scalped their fallen enemy, scattered up +the mountain, and were lost to sight. + +Now Fox-eye had two wives, and their father and mother and all their near +relations were dead. All Fox-eye's relatives, too, had long since gone to +the Sand Hills[1]. So these poor widows had no one to avenge them, and they +mourned deeply for the husband so suddenly taken from them. Through the +long days they sat on a near hill and mourned, and their mourning was very +sad. + +[Footnote 1: Sand Hills: the shadow land; place of ghosts; the Blackfoot +future world.] + +There was a young warrior named Mik-a'pi. Every morning he was awakened by +the crying of these poor widows, and through the day his heart was touched +by their wailing. Even when he went to rest, their mournful cries reached +him through the darkness, and he could not sleep. So he sent his mother to +them. "Tell them," he said, "that I wish to speak to them." When they had +entered, they sat close by the door-way, and covered their heads. + +"_Kyi!"_ said Mik-a'pi. "For days and nights I have heard your mourning, +and I too have silently mourned. My heart has been very sad. Your husband +was my near friend, and now he is dead and no relations are left to avenge +him. So now, I say, I will take the load from your hearts. I will avenge +him. I will go to war and take many scalps, and when I return, they shall +be yours. You shall paint your faces black, and we will all rejoice that +Fox-eye is avenged." + +When the people heard that Mik-a'pi was going to war, many warriors wished +to join him, but he refused them; and when he had taken a medicine sweat, +and got a medicine-pipe man to make medicine for him during his absence, he +started from the camp one evening, just after sunset. It is only the +foolish warrior who travels in the day; for other war parties may be out, +or some camp-watcher sitting on a hill may see him from far off, and lay +plans to destroy him. Mik-a'pi was not one of these. He was brave but +cautious, and he had strong medicine. Some say that he was related to the +ghosts, and that they helped him. Having now started to war against the +Snakes, he travelled in hidden places, and at sunrise would climb a hill +and look carefully in all directions, and during the long day would lie +there, and watch, and take short sleeps. + +Now, when Mik-a'pi had come to the Great Falls (of the Missouri), a heavy +rain set in; and, seeing a hole in the rocks, he crawled in and lay down in +the farther end to sleep. The rain did not cease, and when night came he +could not travel because of the darkness and storm; so he lay down to sleep +again. But soon he heard something coming into the cave toward him, and +then he felt a hand laid on his breast, and he put out his hand and touched +a person. Then Mik-a'pi put the palm of his hand on the person's breast and +jerked it to and fro, and then he touched the person with the point of his +finger, which, in the sign language, means, "Who are you?" + +The strange person then took Mik-a'pi's hand, and made him feel of his own +right hand. The thumb and all the fingers were closed except the +forefinger, which was extended; and when Mik-a'pi touched it the person +moved his hand forward with a zigzag motion, which means "Snake." Then +Mik-a'pi was glad. Here had come to him one of the tribe he was +seeking. But he thought it best to wait for daylight before attacking +him. So, when the Snake in signs asked him who he was, he replied, by +making the sign for paddling a canoe, that he was a Pend d'Oreille, or +River person. For he knew that the Snakes and the Pend d'Oreilles were at +peace. + +Then they both lay down to sleep, but Mik-a'pi did not sleep. Through the +long night he watched for the first dim light, so that he might kill his +enemy. The Snake slept soundly; and just at daybreak Mik-a'pi quietly +strung his bow, fitted an arrow, and, taking aim, sent the thin shaft +through his enemy's heart. The Snake quivered, half rose up, and with a +groan fell back dead. Then Mik-a'pi took his scalp and his bow and arrows, +and also his bundle of moccasins; and as daylight had come, he went out of +the cave and looked all about. No one was in sight. Probably the Snake, +like himself, had gone alone to war. But, ever cautious, he travelled only +a short distance, and waited for night before going on. The rain had ceased +and the day was warm. He took a piece of dried meat and back fat from his +pouch and ate them, and, after drinking from the river, he climbed up on a +high rock wall and slept. + +Now in his dream he fought with a strange people, and was wounded. He felt +blood trickling from his wounds, and when he awoke, he knew that he had +been warned to turn back. The signs also were bad. He saw an eagle rising +with a snake, which dropped from its claws and escaped. The setting sun, +too, was painted[1],--a sure warning to people that danger is near. But, in +spite of all these things, Mik-a'pi determined to go on. He thought of the +poor widows mourning and waiting for revenge. He thought of the glad +welcome of the people, if he should return with many scalps; and he thought +also of two young sisters, whom he wanted to marry. Surely, if he could +return and bring the proofs of brave deeds, their parents would be glad to +give them to him. + +[Footnote 1: Sun dogs.] + + + +II + +It was nearly night. The sun had already disappeared behind the +sharp-pointed gray peaks. In the fading light the far-stretching prairie +was turning dark. In a valley, sparsely timbered with quaking aspens and +cotton-woods, stood a large camp. For a long distance up and down the river +rose the smoke of many lodges. Seated on a little hill overlooking the +valley, was a single person. With his robe drawn tightly around him, he sat +there motionless, looking down on the prairie and valley below. + +Slowly and silently something was crawling through the grass toward +him. But he heard nothing. Still he gazed eastward, seeking to discover any +enemy who might be approaching. Still the dark object crawled slowly +onward. Now it was so close to him that it could almost touch him. The +person thought he heard a sound, and started to turn round. Too late! Too +late! A strong arm grasped him about the neck and covered his mouth. A long +jagged knife was thrust into his breast again and again, and he died +without a cry. Strange that in all that great camp no one should have seen +him killed! + +Still extended on the ground, the dark figure removed the scalp. Slowly he +crawled back down the hill, and was lost in the gathering darkness. It was +Mik-a'pi, and he had another Snake scalp tied to his belt. His heart was +glad, yet he was not satisfied. Some nights had passed since the bad signs +had warned him, yet he had succeeded. "One more," he said. "One more scalp +I must have, and then I will go back." So he went far up on the mountain, +and hid in some thick pines and slept. When daylight came, he could see +smoke rise as the women started their fires. He also saw many people rush +up on the hill, where the dead watcher lay. He was too far off to hear +their angry shouts and mournful cries, but he sung to himself a song of war +and was happy. + +Once more the sun went to his lodge behind the mountains, and as darkness +came Mik-a'pi slowly descended the mountain and approached the camp. This +was the time of danger. Behind each bush, or hidden in a bunch of the tall +rye grass, some person might be watching to warn the camp of an approaching +enemy. Slowly and like a snake, he crawled around the outskirts of the +camp, listening and looking. He heard a cough and saw a movement of a +bush. There was a Snake. Could he kill him and yet escape? He was close +to him now. So he sat and waited, considering how to act. For a long time +he sat there waiting. The moon rose and travelled high in the sky. The +Seven Persons[1] slowly swung around, and pointed downward. It was the +middle of the night. Then the person in the bush stood up and stretched out +his arms and yawned, for he was tired of watching, and thought that no +danger was near; but as he stood thus, an arrow pierced his breast. He gave +a loud yell and tried to run, but another arrow struck him and he fell. + +[Footnote 1: The constellation of the Great Bear.] + +At the sound the warriors rushed forth from the lodges and the outskirts of +the camp; but as they came, Mik-a'pi tore the scalp from his fallen enemy, +and started to run toward the river. Close behind him followed the Snakes. +Arrows whizzed about him. One pierced his arm. He plucked it out. Another +struck his leg, and he fell. Then a great shout arose from the +Snakes. Their enemy was down. Now they would be revenged for two lately +taken lives. But where Mik-a'pi fell was the verge of a high rock wall; +below rushed the deep river, and even as they shouted, he rolled from the +wall, and disappeared in the dark water far below. In vain they searched +the shores and bars. They did not find him. + +Mik-a'pi had sunk deep in the water. The current was swift, and when at +last he rose to the surface, he was far below his pursuers. The arrow in +his leg pained him, and with difficulty he crawled out on a +sand-bar. Luckily the arrow was lance-shaped instead of barbed, so he +managed to draw it out. Near by on the bar was a dry pine log, lodged there +by the high spring water. This he managed to roll into the stream; and, +partly resting on it, he again drifted down with the current. All night he +floated down the river, and when morning came he was far from the camp of +the Snakes. Benumbed with cold and stiff from the arrow wounds, he was glad +to crawl out on the bank, and lie down in the warm sunshine. Soon he slept. + + +III + +The sun was already in the middle when he awoke. His wounds were swollen +and painful; yet he hobbled on for a time, until the pain became so great +he could go no further, and he sat down, tired and discouraged. + +"True the signs," he said. "How crazy I was to go against them! Useless now +my bravery, for here I must stay and die. The widows will still mourn; and +in their old age who will take care of my father and my mother? Pity me +now, oh Sun! Help me, oh great Above Medicine Person! Look down on your +wounded and suffering child. Help me to survive!" + +What was that crackling in the brush near by? Was it the Snakes on his +trail? Mik-a'pi strung his bow and drew out his arrows. No; it was not a +Snake. It was a bear. There he stood, a big grizzly bear, looking down at +the wounded man. "What does my brother here?" he said. "Why does he pray +to survive?" + +"Look at my leg," said Mik-a'pi, "swollen and sore. Look at my wounded +arm. I can hardly draw the bow. Far the home of my people, and my strength +is gone. Surely here I must die, for I cannot travel and I have no food." + +"Now courage, my brother," said the bear. "Now not faint heart, my brother, +for I will help you, and you shall survive." + +When he had said this, he lifted Mik-a'pi and carried him to a place of +thick mud; and here he took great handfuls[1] of the mud and plastered the +wounds, and he sung a medicine song while putting on the mud. Then he +carried Mik-a'pi to a place where were many sarvis berries, and broke off +great branches of the fruit, and gave them to him, saying, "Eat, my +brother, eat!" and he broke off more branches, full of large ripe berries, +for him; but already Mik-a'pi was satisfied and could eat no more. Then +said the bear, "Lie down, now, on my back, and hold tight by my hair, and +we will travel on." And when Mik-a'pi had got on and was ready, he started +off on a long swinging trot. + +[Footnote 1: The bear's paws are called _O-kits-iks,_ the term also for a +person's hands. The animal itself is regarded as almost human.] + +All through the night he travelled on without stopping. When morning came, +they rested awhile, and ate more berries; and again the bear plastered his +wounds with mud. In this way they travelled on, until, on the fourth day, +they came close to the lodges of the Pik[)u]n'i; and the people saw them +coming and wondered. + +"Get off, my brother, get off," said the bear. "There are your people. I +must leave you." And without another word, he turned and went off up the +mountain. + +All the people came out to meet the warrior, and they carried him to the +lodge of his father. He untied the three scalps from his belt and gave them +to the widows, saying: "You are revenged. I wipe away your tears." And +every one rejoiced. All his female relations went through the camp, +shouting his name and singing, and every one prepared for the scalp dance. + +First came the widows. Their faces were painted black, and they carried the +scalps tied on poles. Then came the medicine men, with their medicine pipes +unwrapped; then the bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, all dressed in war +costume; then came the old men; and last the women and children. They all +sang the war song and danced. They went all through the village in single +file, stopping here and there to dance, and Mik-a'pi sat outside the lodge, +and saw all the people dance by him. He forgot his pain and was proud, and +although he could not dance, he sang with them. + +Soon they made the Medicine Lodge, and, first of all the warriors, Mik-a'pi +was chosen to cut the raw-hide which binds the poles, and as he cut the +strands, he counted the _coups_ he had made. He told of the enemies he had +killed, and all the people shouted his name and praised him. The father of +those two young sisters gave them to him. He was glad to have such a +son-in-law. Long lived Mik-a'pi. Of all the great chiefs who have lived and +died, he was the greatest. He did many other great and daring things. It +must be true, as the old men have said, that he was helped by the ghosts, +for no one can do such things without help from those fearful and unknown +persons. + + + +HEAVY COLLAR AND THE GHOST WOMAN + + +The Blood camp was on Old Man's River, where Fort McLeod now stands. A +party of seven men started to war toward the Cypress Hills. Heavy Collar +was the leader. They went around the Cypress Mountains, but found no +enemies and started back toward their camp. On their homeward way, Heavy +Collar used to take the lead. He would go out far ahead on the high hills, +and look over the country, acting as scout for the party. At length they +came to the south branch of the Saskatchewan River, above Seven Persons' +Creek. In those days there were many war parties about, and this party +travelled concealed as much as possible in the coulees and low places. + +As they were following up the river, they saw at a distance three old bulls +lying down close to a cut bank. Heavy Collar left his party, and went out +to kill one of these bulls, and when he had come close to them, he shot one +and killed it right there. He cut it up, and, as he was hungry, he went +down into a ravine below him, to roast a piece of meat; for he had left his +party a long way behind, and night was now coming on. As he was roasting +the meat, he thought,--for he was very tired,--"It is a pity I did not +bring one of my young men with me. He could go up on that hill and get some +hair from that bull's head, and I could wipe out my gun." While he sat +there thinking this, and talking to himself, a bunch of this hair came over +him through the air, and fell on the ground right in front of him. When +this happened, it frightened him a little; for he thought that perhaps some +of his enemies were close by, and had thrown the bunch of hair at +him. After a little while, he took the hair, and cleaned his gun and loaded +it, and then sat and watched for a time. He was uneasy, and at length +decided that he would go on further up the river, to see what he could +discover. He went on, up the stream, until he came to the mouth of the +St. Mary's River. It was now very late in the night, and he was very tired, +so he crept into a large bunch of rye-grass to hide and sleep for the +night. + +The summer before this, the Blackfeet _(Sik-si-kau)_ had been camped on +this bottom, and a woman had been killed in this same patch of rye-grass +where Heavy Collar had lain down to rest. He did not know this, but still +he seemed to be troubled that night. He could not sleep. He could always +hear something, but what it was he could not make out. He tried to go to +sleep, but as soon as he dozed off he kept thinking he heard something in +the distance. He spent the night there, and in the morning when it became +light, there he saw right beside him the skeleton of the woman who had been +killed the summer before. + +That morning he went on, following up the stream to Belly River. All day +long as he was travelling, he kept thinking about his having slept by this +woman's bones. It troubled him. He could not forget it. At the same time he +was very tired, because he had walked so far and had slept so little. As +night came on, he crossed over to an island, and determined to camp for the +night. At the upper end of the island was a large tree that had drifted +down and lodged, and in a fork of this tree he built his fire, and got in a +crotch of one of the forks, and sat with his back to the fire, warming +himself, but all the time he was thinking about the woman he had slept +beside the night before. As he sat there, all at once he heard over beyond +the tree, on the other side of the fire, a sound as if something were being +dragged toward him along the ground. It sounded as if a piece of a lodge +were being dragged over the grass. It came closer and closer. + +Heavy Collar was scared. He was afraid to turn his head and look back to +see what it was that was coming. He heard the noise come up to the tree in +which his fire was built, and then it stopped, and all at once he heard +some one whistling a tune. He turned around and looked toward the sound, +and there, sitting on the other fork of the tree, right opposite to him, +was the pile of bones by which he had slept, only now all together in the +shape of a skeleton. This ghost had on it a lodge covering. The string, +which is tied to the pole, was fastened about the ghost's neck; the wings +of the lodge stood out on either side of its head, and behind it the lodge +could be seen, stretched out and fading away into the darkness. The ghost +sat on the old dead limb and whistled its tune, and as it whistled, it +swung its legs in time to the tune. + +When Heavy Collar saw this, his heart almost melted away. At length he +mustered up courage, and said: "Oh ghost, go away, and do not trouble me. I +am very tired; I want to rest." The ghost paid no attention to him, but +kept on whistling, swinging its legs in time to the tune. Four times he +prayed to her, saying: "Oh ghost, take pity on me! Go away and leave me +alone. I am tired; I want to rest." The more he prayed, the more the ghost +whistled and seemed pleased, swinging her legs, and turning her head from +side to side, sometimes looking down at him, and sometimes up at the stars, +and all the time whistling. + +When he saw that she took no notice of what he said, Heavy Collar got angry +at heart, and said, "Well, ghost, you do not listen to my prayers, and I +shall have to shoot you to drive you away." With that he seized his gun, +and throwing it to his shoulder, shot right at the ghost. When he shot at +her, she fell over backward into the darkness, screaming out: "Oh Heavy +Collar, you have shot me, you have killed me! You dog, Heavy Collar! there +is no place on this earth where you can go that I will not find you; no +place where you can hide that I will not come." + +As she fell back and said this, Heavy Collar sprang to his feet, and ran +away as fast as he could. She called after him: "I have been killed once, +and now you are trying to kill me again. Oh Heavy Collar!" As he ran away, +he could still hear her angry words following him, until at last they died +away in the distance. He ran all night long, and whenever he stopped to +breathe and listen, he seemed to hear in the distance the echoes of her +voice. All he could hear was, "Oh Heavy Collar!" and then he would rush +away again. He ran until he was all tired out, and by this time it was +daylight. He was now quite a long way below Fort McLeod. He was very +sleepy, but dared not lie down, for he remembered that the ghost had said +that she would follow him. He kept walking on for some time, and then sat +down to rest, and at once fell asleep. + +Before he had left his party, Heavy Collar had said to his young men: "Now +remember, if any one of us should get separated from the party, let him +always travel to the Belly River Buttes. There will be our meeting-place." +When their leader did not return to them, the party started across the +country and went toward the Belly River Buttes. Heavy Collar had followed +the river up, and had gone a long distance out of his way; and when he +awoke from his sleep he too started straight for the Belly River Buttes, as +he had said he would. + +When his party reached the Buttes, one of them went up on top of the hill +to watch. After a time, as he looked down the river, he saw two persons +coming, and as they came nearer, he saw that one of them was Heavy Collar, +and by his side was a woman. The watcher called up the rest of the party, +and said to them: "Here comes our chief. He has had luck. He is bringing a +woman with him. If he brings her into camp, we will take her away from +him." And they all laughed. They supposed that he had captured her. They +went down to the camp, and sat about the fire, looking at the two people +coming, and laughing among themselves at the idea of their chief bringing +in a woman. When the two persons had come close, they could see that Heavy +Collar was walking fast, and the woman would walk by his side a little way, +trying to keep up, and then would fall behind, and then trot along to catch +up to him again. Just before the pair reached camp there was a deep ravine +that they had to cross. They went down into this side by side, and then +Heavy Collar came up out of it alone, and came on into the camp. + +When he got there, all the young men began to laugh at him and to call out, +"Heavy Collar, where is your woman?" He looked at them for a moment, and +then said: "Why, I have no woman. I do not understand what you are talking +about." One of them said: "Oh, he has hidden her in that ravine. He was +afraid to bring her into camp." Another said, "Where did you capture her, +and what tribe does she belong to?" Heavy Collar looked from one to +another, and said: "I think you are all crazy. I have taken no woman. What +do you mean?" The young man said: "Why, that woman that you had with you +just now: where did you get her, and where did you leave her? Is she down +in the coulee? We all saw her, and it is no use to deny that she was with +you. Come now, where is she?" When they said this, Heavy Collar's heart +grew very heavy, for he knew that it must have been the ghost woman; and he +told them the story. Some of the young men could not believe this, and they +ran down to the ravine, where they had last seen the woman. There they saw +in the soft dirt the tracks made by Heavy Collar, when he went down into +the ravine, but there were no other tracks near his, where they had seen +the woman walking. When they found that it was a ghost that had come along +with Heavy Collar, they resolved to go back to their main camp. The party +had been out so long that their moccasins were all worn out, and some of +them were footsore, so that they could not travel fast, but at last they +came to the cut banks, and there found their camp--seven lodges. + +That night, after they had reached camp, they were inviting each other to +feasts. It was getting pretty late in the night, and the moon was shining +brightly, when one of the Bloods called out for Heavy Collar to come and +eat with him. Heavy Collar shouted, "Yes, I will be there pretty soon." He +got up and went out of the lodge, and went a little way from it, and sat +down. While he was sitting there, a big bear walked out of the brush close +to him. Heavy Collar felt around him for a stone to throw at the bear, so +as to scare it away, for he thought it had not seen him. As he was feeling +about, his hand came upon a piece of bone, and he threw this over at the +bear, and hit it. Then the bear spoke, and said: "Well, well, well, Heavy +Collar; you have killed me once, and now here you are hitting me. Where is +there a place in this world where you can hide from me? I will find you, I +don't care where you may go." When Heavy Collar heard this, he knew it was +the ghost woman, and he jumped up and ran toward his lodge, calling out, +"Run, run! a ghost bear is upon us!" + +All the people in the camp ran to his lodge, so that it was crowded full of +people. There was a big fire in the lodge, and the wind was blowing hard +from the west. Men, women, and children were huddled together in the lodge, +and were very much afraid of the ghost. They could hear her walking toward +the lodge, grumbling, and saying: "I will kill all these dogs. Not one of +them shall get away." The sounds kept coming closer and closer, until they +were right at the lodge door. Then she said, "I will smoke you to death." +And as she said this, she moved the poles, so that the wings of the lodge +turned toward the west, and the wind could blow in freely through the smoke +hole. All this time she was threatening terrible things against them. The +lodge began to get full of smoke, and the children were crying, and all +were in great distress--almost suffocating. So they said, "Let us lift one +man up here inside, and let him try to fix the ears, so that the lodge will +get clear of smoke." They raised a man up, and he was standing on the +shoulders of the others, and, blinded and half strangled by the smoke, was +trying to turn the wings. While he was doing this, the ghost suddenly hit +the lodge a blow, and said, "_Un_!" and this scared the people who were +holding the man, and they jumped and let him go, and he fell down. Then the +people were in despair, and said, "It is no use; she is resolved to smoke +us to death." All the time the smoke was getting thicker in the lodge. + +Heavy Collar said: "Is it possible that she can destroy us? Is there no one +here who has some strong dream power that can overcome this ghost?" + +His mother said: "I will try to do something. I am older than any of you, +and I will see what I can do." So she got down her medicine bundle and +painted herself, and got out a pipe and filled it and lighted it, and stuck +the stem out through the lodge door, and sat there and began to pray to the +ghost woman. She said: "Oh ghost, take pity on us, and go away. We have +never wronged you, but you are troubling us and frightening our +children. Accept what I offer you, and leave us alone." + +A voice came from behind the lodge and said: "No, no, no; you dogs, I will +not listen to you. Every one of you must die." + +The old woman repeated her prayer: "Ghost, take pity on us. Accept this +smoke and go away." + +Then the ghost said: "How can you expect me to smoke, when I am way back +here? Bring that pipe out here. I have no long bill to reach round the +lodge." So the old woman went out of the lodge door, and reached out the +stem of the pipe as far as she could reach around toward the back of the +lodge. The ghost said: "No, I do not wish to go around there to where you +have that pipe. If you want me to smoke it, you must bring it here." The +old woman went around the lodge toward her, and the ghost woman began to +back away, and said, "No, I do not smoke that kind of a pipe." And when the +ghost started away, the old woman followed her, and she could not help +herself. + +She called out, "Oh my children, the ghost is carrying me off!" Heavy +Collar rushed out, and called to the others, "Come, and help me take my +mother from the ghost." He grasped his mother about the waist and held her, +and another man took him by the waist, and another him, until they were all +strung out, one behind the other, and all following the old woman, who was +following the ghost woman, who was walking away. + +All at once the old woman let go of the pipe, and fell over dead. The ghost +disappeared, and they were troubled no more by the ghost woman. + + + +THE WOLF-MAN + + +There was once a man who had two bad wives. They had no shame. The man +thought if he moved away where there were no other people, he might teach +these women to become good, so he moved his lodge away off on the prairie. +Near where they camped was a high butte, and every evening about sundown, +the man would go up on top of it, and look all over the country to see +where the buffalo were feeding, and if any enemies were approaching. There +was a buffalo skull on the hill, which he used to sit on. + +"This is very lonesome," said one woman to the other, one day. "We have no +one to talk with nor to visit." + +"Let us kill our husband," said the other. "Then we will go back to our +relations and have a good time." + +Early in the morning, the man went out to hunt, and as soon as he was out +of sight, his wives went up on top of the butte. There they dug a deep pit, +and covered it over with light sticks, grass, and dirt, and placed the +buffalo skull on top. + +In the afternoon they saw their husband coming home, loaded down with meat +he had killed. So they hurried to cook for him. After eating, he went up on +the butte and sat down on the skull. The slender sticks gave way, and he +fell into the pit. His wives were watching him, and when they saw him +disappear, they took down the lodge, packed everything on the dog travois, +and moved off, going toward the main camp. When they got near it, so that +the people could hear them, they began to cry and mourn. + +"Why is this?" they were asked. "Why are you mourning? Where is your +husband?" + +"He is dead," they replied. "Five days ago he went out to hunt, and he +never came back." And they cried and mourned again. + +When the man fell into the pit, he was hurt. After a while he tried to get +out, but he was so badly bruised he could not climb up. A wolf, travelling +along, came to the pit and saw him, and pitied him. _Ah-h-w-o-o-o-o! +Ah-h-w-o-o-o-o!_ he howled, and when the other wolves heard him they all +came running to see what was the matter. There came also many coyotes, +badgers, and kit-foxes. + +"In this hole," said the wolf, "is my find. Here is a fallen-in man. Let us +dig him out, and we will have him for our brother." + +They all thought the wolf spoke well, and began to dig. In a little while +they had a hole close to the man. Then the wolf who found him said, "Hold +on; I want to speak a few words to you." All the animals listening, he +continued, "We will all have this man for our brother, but I found him, so +I think he ought to live with us big wolves." All the others said that this +was well; so the wolf went into the hole, and tearing down the rest of the +dirt, dragged the almost dead man out. They gave him a kidney to eat, and +when he was able to walk a little, the big wolves took him to their +home. Here there was a very old blind wolf, who had powerful medicine. He +cured the man, and made his head and hands look like those of a wolf. The +rest of his body was not changed. + +In those days the people used to make holes in the pis'kun walls and set +snares, and when wolves and other animals came to steal meat, they were +caught by the neck. One night the wolves all went down to the pis'kun to +steal meat, and when they got close to it, the man-wolf said: "Stand here a +little while. I will go down and fix the places, so you will not be +caught." He went on and sprung all the snares; then he went back and called +the wolves and others,--the coyotes, badgers, and foxes,--and they all went +in the pis'kun and feasted, and took meat to carry home. + +In the morning the people were surprised to find the meat gone, and their +nooses all drawn out. They wondered how it could have been done. For many +nights the nooses were drawn and the meat stolen; but once, when the wolves +went there to steal, they found only the meat of a scabby bull, and the +man-wolf was angry, and cried out: "Bad-you-give-us-o-o-o! +Bad-you-give-us-o-o-o-o!" + +The people heard him, and said: "It is a man-wolf who has done all this. We +will catch him." So they put pemmican and nice back fat in the pis'kun, and +many hid close by. After dark the wolves came again, and when the man-wolf +saw the good food, he ran to it and began eating. Then the people all +rushed in and caught him with ropes and took him to a lodge. When they got +inside to the light of the fire, they knew at once who it was. They said, +"This is the man who was lost." + +"No," said the man, "I was not lost. My wives tried to kill me. They dug a +deep hole, and I fell into it, and I was hurt so badly that I could not get +out; but the wolves took pity on me and helped me, or I would have died +there." + +When the people heard this, they were angry, and they told the man to do +something. + +"You say well," he replied. "I give those women to the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi;_ +they know what to do." + +After that night the two women were never seen again. + + + +THE FAST RUNNERS + + +Once, long ago, the antelope and the deer met on the prairie. At this time +both of them had galls and both dew claws. They began to talk together, and +each was telling the other what he could do. Each one told how fast he +could run, and before long they were disputing as to which could run the +faster. Neither would allow that the other could beat him, so they agreed +that they would have a race to decide which was the swifter, and they bet +their galls on the race. When they ran, the antelope proved the faster +runner, and beat the deer and took his gall. + +Then the deer said: "Yes, you have beaten me on the prairie, but that is +not where I live. I only go out there sometimes to feed, or when I am +travelling around. We ought to have another race in the timber. That is my +home, and there I can run faster than you can." + +The antelope felt very big because he had beaten the deer in the race, and +he thought wherever they might be, he could run faster than the deer. So he +agreed to race in the timber, and on this race they bet their dew claws. + +They ran through the thick timber, among the brush and over fallen logs, +and this time the antelope ran slowly, because he was not used to this kind +of travelling, and the deer easily beat him, and took his dew claws. + +Since then the deer has had no gall, and the antelope no dew claws. + +[NOTE. A version of the first portion of this story is current among the +Pawnees, and has been printed in Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales.] + + + +TWO WAR TRAILS + + +I + +Many years ago there lived in the Blood camp a boy named Screech Owl +(A'-tsi-tsi). He was rather a lonely boy, and did not care to go with other +boys. He liked better to be by himself. Often he would go off alone, and +stay out all night away from the camp. He used to pray to all kinds of +birds and animals that he saw, and ask them to take pity on him and help +him, saying that he wanted to be a warrior. He never used paint. He was a +fine looking young man, and he thought it was foolish to use paint to make +oneself good looking. + +When Screech Owl was about fourteen years old, a large party of Blackfeet +were starting to war against the Crees and the Assinaboines. The young man +said to his father: "Father, with this war party many of my cousins are +going. I think that now I am old enough to go to war, and I would like to +join them." His father said, "My son, I am willing; you may go." So he +joined the party. + +His father gave his son his own war horse, a black horse with a white spot +on its side--a very fast horse. He offered him arms, but the boy refused +them all, except a little trapping axe. He said, "I think this hatchet will +be all that I shall need." Just as they were about to start, his father +gave the boy his own war headdress. This was not a war bonnet, but a plume +made of small feathers, the feathers of thunder birds, for the thunder bird +was his father's medicine. He said to the boy, "Now, my son, when you go +into battle, put this plume in your head, and wear it as I have worn it." + +The party started and travelled north-east, and at length they came to +where Fort Pitt now stands, on the Saskatchewan River. When they had got +down below Fort Pitt, they saw three riders, going out hunting. These men +had not seen the war party. The Blackfeet started around the men, so as to +head them off when they should run. When they saw the men, the Screech Owl +got off his horse, and took off all his clothes, and put on his father's +war plume, and began to ride around, singing his father's war song. The +older warriors were getting ready for the attack, and when they saw this +young boy acting in this way, they thought he was making fun of the older +men, and they said: "Here, look at this boy! Has he no shame? He had better +stay behind." When they got on their horses, they told him to stay behind, +and they charged the Crees. But the boy, instead of staying behind, charged +with them, and took the lead, for he had the best horse of all. He, a boy, +was leading the war party, and still singing his war song. + +The three Crees began to run, and the boy kept gaining on them. They did +not want to separate, they kept together; and as the boy was getting closer +and closer, the last one turned in his saddle and shot at the Screech Owl, +but missed him. As the Cree fired, the boy whipped up his horse, and rode +up beside the Cree and struck him with his little trapping axe, and knocked +him off his horse. He paid no attention to the man that he had struck, but +rode on to the next Cree. As he came up with him, the Cree raised his gun +and fired, but just as he did so, the Blackfoot dropped down on the other +side of his horse, and the ball passed over him. He straightened up on his +horse, rode up by the Cree, and as he passed, knocked him off his horse +with his axe. When he knocked the second Cree off his horse, the Blackfeet, +who were following, whooped in triumph and to encourage him, shouting, +"_A-wah-heh'_" (Take courage). The boy was still singing his father's war +song. + +By this time, the main body of the Blackfeet were catching up with him. He +whipped his horse on both sides, and rode on after the third Cree, who was +also whipping his horse as hard as he could, and trying to get +away. Meantime, some of the Blackfeet had stopped to count _coup_ on and +scalp the two dead Crees, and to catch the two ponies. Screech Owl at last +got near to the third Cree, who kept aiming his gun at him. The boy did not +want to get too close, until the Cree had fired his gun, but he was gaining +a little, and all the time was throwing himself from side to side on his +horse, so as to make it harder for the Cree to hit him. When he had nearly +overtaken the enemy, the Cree turned, raised his gun and fired; but the boy +had thrown himself down behind his horse, and again the ball passed over +him. He raised himself up on his horse, and rushed on the Cree, and struck +him in the side of the body with his axe, and then again, and with the +second blow, he knocked him off his horse. + +The boy rode on a little further, stopped, and jumped off his horse, while +the rest of the Blackfeet had come up and were killing the fallen man. He +stood off to one side and watched them count _coup_ on and scalp the dead. + +The Blackfeet were much surprised at what the young man had done. After a +little while, the leader decided that they would go back to the camp from +which they had come. When he had returned from this war journey this young +man's name was changed from A'-tsi-tsi to E-k[=u]s'-kini (Low Horn). This +was his first war path. + +From that time on the name of E-k[=u]s'-kini was often heard as that of one +doing some great deed. + + + +II + +E-k[=u]s'-kini started on his last war trail from the Black-foot crossing +_(Su-yoh-pah'-wah-ku)_. He led a party of six Sarcees. He was the seventh +man. + +On the second day out, they came to the Red Deer's River. When they reached +this river, they found it very high, so they built a raft to cross on. They +camped on the other side. In crossing, most of their powder got wet. The +next morning, when they awoke, E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "Well, trouble is +coming for us. We had better go back from here. We started on a wrong +day. I saw in my sleep our bodies lying on the prairie, dead." Some of the +young men said: "Oh well, we have started, we had better go on. Perhaps it +is only a mistake. Let us go on and try to take some horses anyhow." +E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "Yes, that is very true. To go home is all +foolishness; but remember that it is by your wish that we are going on." +He wanted to go back, not on his own account, but for the sake of his young +men--to save his followers. + +From there they went on and made another camp, and the next morning he said +to his young men: "Now I am sure. I have seen it for certain. Trouble is +before us." They camped two nights at this place and dried some of their +powder, but most of it was caked and spoilt. He said to his young men: +"Here, let us use some sense about this. We have no ammunition. We cannot +defend ourselves. Let us turn back from here." So they started across the +country for their camp. + +They crossed the Red Deer's River, and there camped again. The next morning +E-k[=u]s'-kini said: "I feel very uneasy to-day. Two of you go ahead on the +trail and keep a close lookout. I am afraid that to-day we are going to see +our enemy." Two of the young men went ahead, and when they had climbed to +the top of a ridge and looked over it on to Sarvis Berry (Saskatoon) Creek, +they came back and told E-k[=u]s'-kini that they had seen a large camp of +people over there, and that they thought it was the Piegans, Bloods, +Blackfeet, and Sarcees, who had all moved over there together. Saskatoon +Creek was about twenty miles from the Blackfoot camp. He said: "No, it +cannot be our people. They said nothing about moving over here; it must be +a war party. It is only a few days since we left, and there was then no +talk of their leaving that camp. It cannot be they." The two young men +said: "Yes, they are our people. There are too many of them for a war +party. We think that the whole camp is there." They discussed this for some +little time, E-k[=u]s'-kini insisting that it could not be the Blackfoot +camp, while the young men felt sure that it was. These two men said, "Well, +we are going on into the camp now." Low Horn said: "Well, you may go. Tell +my father that I will come into the camp to-night. I do not like to go in +in the daytime, when I am not bringing back anything with me." + +It was now late in the afternoon, and the two young men went ahead toward +the camp, travelling on slowly. A little after sundown, they came down the +hill on to the flat of the river, and saw there the camp. They walked down +toward it, to the edge of the stream, and there met two women, who had come +down after water. The men spoke to them in Sarcee, and said, "Where is the +Sarcee camp?" The women did not understand them, so they spoke again, and +asked the same question in Blackfoot. Then these two women called out in +the Cree language, "Here are two Blackfeet, who have come here and are +talking to us." When these men heard the women talk Cree, and saw what a +mistake they had made, they turned and ran away up the creek. They ran up +above camp a short distance, to a place where a few willow bushes were +hanging over the stream, and pushing through these, they hid under the +bank, and the willows above concealed them. The people in the camp came +rushing out, and men ran up the creek, and down, and looked everywhere for +the two enemies, but could find nothing of them. + +Now when these people were running in all directions, hunting for these two +men, E-k[=u]s'-kini was coming down the valley slowly with the four other +Sarcees. He saw some Indians coming toward him, and supposed that they were +some of his own people, coming to meet him, with horses for him to ride. At +length, when they were close to him, and E-k[=u]s'-kini could see that they +were the enemy, and were taking the covers off their guns, he jumped to one +side and stood alone and began to sing his war song. He called out, +"Children of the Crees, if you have come to try my manhood, do your best." +In a moment or two he was surrounded, and they were shooting at him from +all directions. He called out again, "People, you can't kill me here, but +I will take my body to your camp, and there you shall kill me." So he +advanced, fighting his way toward the Cree camp, but before he started, he +killed two of the Crees there. His enemies kept coming up and clustering +about him: some were on foot and some on horseback. They were thick about +him on all sides, and they could not shoot much at him, for fear of killing +their own people on the other side. + +One of the Sarcees fell. E-k[=u]s'-kini said to his men, "_A-wah-heh'_" +(Take courage). "These people cannot kill us here. Where that patch of +choke-cherry brush is, in the very centre of their camp, we will go and +take our stand." Another Sarcee fell, and now there were only three of +them. E-k[=u]s'-kini said to his remaining men: "Go straight to that patch +of brush, and I will fight the enemy off in front and at the sides, and so +will keep the way open for you. These people cannot kill us here. There are +too many of their own people. If we can get to that brush, we will hurt +them badly." All this time they were killing enemies, fighting bravely, and +singing their war songs. At last they gained the patch of brush, and then +with their knives they began to dig holes in the ground, and to throw up a +shelter. + +In the Cree camp was K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s (Round), the chief of the +Crees, who could talk Blackfoot well. He called out: "E-k[=u]s'-kini, there +is a little ravine running out of that brush patch, which puts into the +hills. Crawl out through that, and try to get away. It is not guarded." +E-k[=u]s'-kini replied: "No, Children of the Crees, I will not go. You must +remember that it is E-k[=u]s'-kini that you are fighting with--a man who +has done much harm to your people. I am glad that I am here. I am sorry for +only one thing; that is, that my ammunition is going to run out. To-morrow +you may kill me." + +All night long the fight was kept up, the enemy shooting all the time, and +all night long E-k[=u]s'-kini sang his death song. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s +called to him several times: "E-k[=u]s'-kini, you had better do what I tell +you. Try to get away." But he shouted back, "No," and laughed at them. He +said: "You have killed all my men. I am here alone, but you cannot kill +me." K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, the chief, said: "Well, if you are there at +daylight in the morning, I will go into that brush and will catch you with +my hands. I will be the man who will put an end to you." E-k[=u]s'-kini +said: "K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, do not try to do that. If you do, you shall +surely die." The patch of brush in which he had hidden had now been all +shot away, cut off by the bullets of the enemy. + +When day came, E-k[=u]s'-kini called out: "Eh, K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s, it +is broad daylight now. I have run out of ammunition. I have not another +grain of powder in my horn. Now come and take me in your hands, as you +said you would." K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s answered: "Yes, I said that I was +the one who was going to catch you this morning. Now I am coming." + +He took off all his clothes, and alone rushed for the +breastworks. E-k[=u]s'-kini's ammunition was all gone, but he still had one +load in his gun, and his dagger. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s came on with his +gun at his shoulder, and E-k[=u]s'-kini sat there with his gun in his hand, +looking at the man who was coming toward him with the cocked gun pointed at +him. He was singing his death song. As K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s got up close, +and just as he was about to fire, E-k[=u]s'-kini threw up his gun and +fired, and the ball knocked off the Cree chiefs forefinger, and going on, +entered his right eye and came out at the temple, knocking the eye +out. K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s went down, and his gun flew a long way. + +When K[)o]m-in'-[)a]-k[=u]s fell, the whole camp shouted the war whoop, and +cried out, "This is his last shot," and they all charged on him. They knew +that he had no more ammunition. + +The head warrior of the Crees was named Bunch of Lodges. He was the first +man to jump inside the breastworks. As he sprang inside, E-k[=u]s'-kini +met him, and thrust his dagger through him, and killed him on the spot. +Then, as the enemy threw themselves on him, and he began to feel the knives +stuck into him from all sides, he gave a war whoop and laughed, and said, +"Only now I begin to think that I am fighting." All the time he was cutting +and stabbing, jumping backward and forward, and all the time laughing. When +he was dead, there were fifteen dead Crees lying about the +earthworks. E-k[=u]s'-kini body was cut into small pieces and scattered all +over the country, so that he might not come to life again. + + +III + +That morning, before it was daylight, the two Sarcees who had hidden in the +willows left their hiding-place and made their way to the Blackfoot +camp. When they got there, they told that when they had left the Cree camp +E-k[=u]s'kini was surrounded, and the firing was terrible. When +E-k[=u]s'-kini's father heard this, he got on his horse and rode through +the camp, calling out: "My boy is surrounded; let us turn out and go to +help him. I have no doubt they are many tens to one, but he is powerful, +and he may be fighting yet." No time was lost in getting ready, and soon a +large party started for the Cree camp. When they came to the battle-ground, +the camp had been moved a long time. The old man looked about, trying to +gather up his son's body, but it was found only in small pieces, and not +more than half of it could be gathered up. + +After the fight was over, the Crees started on down to go to their own +country. One day six Crees were travelling along on foot, scouting far +ahead. As they were going down into a little ravine, a grizzly bear jumped +up in front of them and ran after them. The bear overtook, and tore up, +five of them, one after another. The sixth got away, and came home to +camp. The Crees and the Blackfeet believe that this was the spirit of +E-k[=u]s'-kini, for thus he comes back. They think that he is still on the +earth, but in a different shape. + +E-k[=u]s'-kini was killed about forty years ago. When he was killed, he was +still a boy, not married, only about twenty-four years old. + + + + + +STORIES OF ANCIENT TIMES + + + + + +SCARFACE + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE LODGE + + +I + +In the earliest times there was no war. All the tribes were at peace. In +those days there was a man who had a daughter, a very beautiful girl. Many +young men wanted to marry her, but every time she was asked, she only shook +her head and said she did not want a husband. + +"How is this?" asked her father. "Some of these young men are rich, +handsome, and brave." + +"Why should I marry?" replied the girl. "I have a rich father and +mother. Our lodge is good. The parfleches are never empty. There are plenty +of tanned robes and soft furs for winter. Why worry me, then?" + +The Raven Bearers held a dance; they all dressed carefully and wore their +ornaments, and each one tried to dance the best. Afterwards some of them +asked for this girl, but still she said no. Then the Bulls, the Kit-foxes, +and others of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ held their dances, and all those who +were rich, many great warriors, asked this man for his daughter, but to +every one of them she said no. Then her father was angry, and said: "Why, +now, this way? All the best men have asked for you, and still you say no. I +believe you have a secret lover." + +"Ah!" said her mother. "What shame for us should a child be born and our +daughter still unmarried!" "Father! mother!" replied the girl, "pity me. I +have no secret lover, but now hear the truth. That Above Person, the Sun, +told me, 'Do not marry any of those men, for you are mine; thus you shall +be happy, and live to great age'; and again he said, 'Take heed. You must +not marry. You are mine.'" + +"Ah!" replied her father. "It must always be as he says." And they talked +no more about it. + +There was a poor young man, very poor. His father, mother, all his +relations, had gone to the Sand Hills. He had no lodge, no wife to tan his +robes or sew his moccasins. He stopped in one lodge to-day, and to-morrow +he ate and slept in another; thus he lived. He was a good-looking young +man, except that on his cheek he had a scar, and his clothes were always +old and poor. + +After those dances some of the young men met this poor Scarface, and they +laughed at him, and said: "Why don't you ask that girl to marry you? You +are so rich and handsome!" Scarface did not laugh; he replied: "Ah! I will +do as you say. I will go and ask her." All the young men thought this was +funny. They laughed a great deal. But Scarface went down by the river. He +waited by the river, where the women came to get water, and by and by the +girl came along. "Girl," he said, "wait. I want to speak with you. Not as a +designing person do I ask you, but openly where the Sun looks down, and all +may see." + +"Speak then," said the girl. + +"I have seen the days," continued the young man "You have refused those who +are young, and rich, and brave. Now, to-day, they laughed and said to me, +'Why do you not ask her?' I am poor, very poor. I have no lodge, no food, +no clothes, no robes and warm furs. I have no relations; all have gone to +the Sand Hills; yet, now, to-day, I ask you, take pity, be my wife." + +The girl hid her face in her robe and brushed the ground with the point of +her moccasin, back and forth, back and forth; for she was thinking. After a +time she said: "True. I have refused all those rich young men, yet now the +poor one asks me, and I am glad. I will be your wife, and my people will be +happy. You are poor, but it does not matter. My father will give you +dogs. My mother will make us a lodge. My people will give us robes and +furs. You will be poor no longer." + +Then the young man was happy, and he started to kiss her, but she held him +back, and said: "Wait! The Sun has spoken to me. He says I may not marry; +that I belong to him. He says if I listen to him, I shall live to great +age. But now I say: Go to the Sun. Tell him, 'She whom you spoke with +heeds your words. She has never done wrong, but now she wants to marry. I +want her for my wife.' Ask him to take that scar from your face. That will +be his sign. I will know he is pleased. But if he refuses, or if you fail +to find his lodge, then do not return to me." + +"Oh!" cried the young man, "at first your words were good. I was glad. But +now it is dark. My heart is dead. Where is that far-off lodge? where the +trail, which no one yet has travelled?" + +"Take courage, take courage!" said the girl; and she went to her lodge. + + +II + +Scarface was very sad. He sat down and covered his head with his robe and +tried to think what to do. After a while he got up, and went to an old +woman who had been kind to him. "Pity me," he said. "I am very poor. I am +going away now on a long journey. Make me some moccasins." + +"Where are you going?" asked the old woman. "There is no war; we are very +peaceful here." + +"I do not know where I shall go," replied Scarface. "I am in trouble, but I +cannot tell you now what it is." + +So the old woman made him some moccasins, seven pairs, with parfleche +soles, and also she gave him a sack of food,--pemmican of berries, pounded +meat, and dried back fat; for this old woman had a good heart. She liked +the young man. + +All alone, and with a sad heart, he climbed the bluffs and stopped to take +a last look at the camp. He wondered if he would ever see his sweetheart +and the people again. "_ Hai'-yu!_ Pity me, O Sun," he prayed, and turning, +he started to find the trail. + +For many days he travelled on, over great prairies, along timbered rivers +and among the mountains, and every day his sack of food grew lighter; but +he saved it as much as he could, and ate berries, and roots, and sometimes +he killed an animal of some kind. One night he stopped by the home of a +wolf. "_Hai-yah!_" said that one; "what is my brother doing so far from +home?" + +"Ah!" replied Scarface, "I seek the place where the Sun lives; I am sent to +speak with him." + +"I have travelled far," said the wolf. "I know all the prairies, the +valleys, and the mountains, but I have never seen the Sun's home. Wait; I +know one who is very wise. Ask the bear. He may tell you." + +The next day the man travelled on again, stopping now and then to pick a +few berries, and when night came he arrived at the bear's lodge. + +"Where is your home?" asked the bear. "Why are you travelling alone, my +brother?" + +"Help me! Pity me!" replied the young man; "because of her words[1] I seek +the Sun. I go to ask him for her." + +[Footnote 1: A Blackfoot often talks of what this or that person said, +without mentioning names.] + +"I know not where he stops," replied the bear. "I have travelled by many +rivers, and I know the mountains, yet I have never seen his lodge. There is +some one beyond, that striped-face, who is very smart. Go and ask him." + +The badger was in his hole. Stooping over, the young man shouted: "Oh, +cunning striped-face! Oh, generous animal! I wish to speak with you." + +"What do you want?" said the badger, poking his head out of the hole. + +"I want to find the Sun's home," replied Scarface. "I want to speak with +him." + +"I do not know where he lives," replied the badger. "I never travel very +far. Over there in the timber is a wolverine. He is always travelling +around, and is of much knowledge. Maybe he can tell you." + +Then Scarface went to the woods and looked all around for the wolverine, +but could not find him. So he sat down to rest "_Hai'-yu! Hai'-yu!_" he +cried. "Wolverine, take pity on me. My food is gone, my moccasins worn out. +Now I must die." + +"What is it, my brother?" he heard, and looking around, he saw the animal +sitting near. + +"She whom I would marry," said Scarface, "belongs to the Sun; I am trying +to find where he lives, to ask him for her." + +"Ah!" said the wolverine. "I know where he lives. Wait; it is nearly +night. To-morrow I will show you the trail to the big water. He lives on +the other side of it." + +Early in the morning, the wolverine showed him the trail, and Scarface +followed it until he came to the water's edge. He looked out over it, and +his heart almost stopped. Never before had any one seen such a big +water. The other side could not be seen, and there was no end to +it. Scarface sat down on the shore. His food was all gone, his moccasins +worn out. His heart was sick. "I cannot cross this big water," he said. "I +cannot return to the people. Here, by this water, I shall die." + +Not so. His Helpers were there. Two swans came swimming up to the +shore. "Why have you come here?" they asked him. "What are you doing? It is +very far to the place where your people live." + +"I am here," replied Scarface, "to die. Far away, in my country, is a +beautiful girl. I want to marry her, but she belongs to the Sun. So I +started to find him and ask for her. I have travelled many days. My food is +gone. I cannot go back. I cannot cross this big water, so I am going to +die." + +"No," said the swans; "it shall not be so. Across this water is the home of +that Above Person. Get on our backs, and we will take you there." + +Scarface quickly arose. He felt strong again. He waded out into the water +and lay down on the swans' backs, and they started off. Very deep and black +is that fearful water. Strange people live there, mighty animals which +often seize and drown a person. The swans carried him safely, and took him +to the other side. Here was a broad hard trail leading back from the +water's edge. + +"_Kyi_" said the swans. "You are now close to the Sun's lodge. Follow that +trail, and you will soon see it." + + +III + +Scarface started up the trail, and pretty soon he came to some beautiful +things, lying in it. There was a war shirt, a shield, and a bow and +arrows. He had never seen such pretty weapons; but he did not touch +them. He walked carefully around them, and travelled on. A little way +further on, he met a young man, the handsomest person he had ever seen. His +hair was very long, and he wore clothing made of strange skins. His +moccasins were sewn with bright colored feathers. The young man said to +him, "Did you see some weapons lying on the trail?" + +"Yes," replied Scarface; "I saw them." + +"But did you not touch them?" asked the young man. + +"No; I thought some one had left them there, so I did not take them." + +"You are not a thief," said the young man. "What is your name?" + +"Scarface." + +"Where are you going?" + +"To the Sun." + +"My name," said the young man, "is A-pi-su'-ahts[1]. The Sun is my father; +come, I will take you to our lodge. My father is not now at home, but he +will come in at night." + +[Footnote 1: Early Riser, i.e. The Morning Star.] + +Soon they came to the lodge. It was very large and handsome; strange +medicine animals were painted on it. Behind, on a tripod, were strange +weapons and beautiful clothes--the Sun's. Scarface was ashamed to go in, +but Morning Star said, "Do not be afraid, my friend; we are glad you have +come." + +They entered. One person was sitting there, Ko-ko-mik'-e-is[2], the Sun's +wife, Morning Star's mother. She spoke to Scarface kindly, and gave him +something to eat. "Why have you come so far from your people?" she asked. + +[Footnote 2: Night red light, the Moon.] + +Then Scarface told her about the beautiful girl he wanted to marry. "She +belongs to the Sun," he said. "I have come to ask him for her." + +When it was time for the Sun to come home, the Moon hid Scarface under a +pile of robes. As soon as the Sun got to the doorway, he stopped, and said, +"I smell a person." + +"Yes, father," said Morning Star; "a good young man has come to see you. I +know he is good, for he found some of my things on the trail and did not +touch them." + +Then Scarface came out from under the robes, and the Sun entered and sat +down. "I am glad you have come to our lodge," he said. "Stay with us as +long as you think best. My son is lonesome sometimes; be his friend." + +The next day the Moon called Scarface out of the lodge, and said to him: +"Go with Morning Star where you please, but never hunt near that big water; +do not let him go there. It is the home of great birds which have long +sharp bills; they kill people. I have had many sons, but these birds have +killed them all. Morning Star is the only one left." + +So Scarface stayed there a long time and hunted with Morning Star. One day +they came near the water, and saw the big birds. + +"Come," said Morning Star; "let us go and kill those birds." + +"No, no!" replied Scarface; "we must not go there. Those are very terrible +birds; they will kill us." + +Morning Star would not listen. He ran towards the water, and Scarface +followed. He knew that he must kill the birds and save the boy. If not, the +Sun would be angry and might kill him. He ran ahead and met the birds, +which were coming towards him to fight, and killed every one of them with +his spear: not one was left. Then the young men cut off their heads, and +carried them home. Morning Star's mother was glad when they told her what +they had done, and showed her the birds' heads. She cried, and called +Scarface "my son." When the Sun came home at night, she told him about it, +and he too was glad. "My son," he said to Scarface, "I will not forget what +you have this day done for me. Tell me now, what can I do for you?" + +"_Hai'-yu_" replied Scarface. "_Hai'-yu_, pity me. I am here to ask you for +that girl. I want to marry her. I asked her, and she was glad; but she says +you own her, that you told her not to marry." + +"What you say is true," said the Sun. "I have watched the days, so I know +it. Now, then, I give her to you; she is yours. I am glad she has been +wise. I know she has never done wrong. The Sun pities good women. They +shall live a long time. So shall their husbands and children. Now you will +soon go home. Let me tell you something. Be wise and listen: I am the only +chief. Everything is mine. I made the earth, the mountains, prairies, +rivers, and forests. I made the people and all the animals. This is why I +say I alone am the chief. I can never die. True, the winter makes me old +and weak, but every summer I grow young again." + +Then said the Sun: "What one of all animals is smartest? The raven is, for +he always finds food. He is never hungry. Which one of all the animals is +most _Nat-o'-ye_[1]? The buffalo is. Of all animals, I like him best. He +is for the people. He is your food and your shelter. What part of his body +is sacred? The tongue is. That is mine. What else is sacred? Berries +are. They are mine too. Come with me and see the world." He took Scarface +to the edge of the sky, and they looked down and saw it. It is round and +flat, and all around the edge is the jumping-off place [or walls straight +down]. Then said the Sun: "When any man is sick or in danger, his wife may +promise to build me a lodge, if he recovers. If the woman is pure and true, +then I will be pleased and help the man. But if she is bad, if she lies, +then I will be angry. You shall build the lodge like the world, round, with +walls, but first you must build a sweat house of a hundred sticks. It shall +be like the sky [a hemisphere], and half of it shall be painted red. That +is me. The other half you will paint black. That is the night." + +[Footnote 1: This word may be translated as "of the Sun," "having Sun +power," or more properly, something sacred.] + +Further said the Sun: "Which is the best, the heart or the brain? The brain +is. The heart often lies, the brain never." Then he told Scarface +everything about making the Medicine Lodge, and when he had finished, he +rubbed a powerful medicine on his face, and the scar disappeared. Then he +gave him two raven feathers, saying: "These are the sign for the girl, that +I give her to you. They must always be worn by the husband of the woman who +builds a Medicine Lodge." + +The young man was now ready to return home. Morning Star and the Sun gave +him many beautiful presents. The Moon cried and kissed him, and called him +"my son." Then the Sun showed him the short trail. It was the Wolf Road +(Milky Way). He followed it, and soon reached the ground. + + +IV + +It was a very hot day. All the lodge skins were raised, and the people sat +in the shade. There was a chief, a very generous man, and all day long +people kept coming to his lodge to feast and smoke with him. Early in the +morning this chief saw a person sitting out on a butte near by, close +wrapped in his robe. The chief's friends came and went, the sun reached the +middle, and passed on, down towards the mountains. Still this person did +not move. When it was almost night, the chief said: "Why does that person +sit there so long? The heat has been strong, but he has never eaten nor +drunk. He may be a stranger; go and ask him in." + +So some young men went up to him, and said: "Why do you sit here in the +great heat all day? Come to the shade of the lodges. The chief asks you to +feast with him." + +Then the person arose and threw off his robe, and they were surprised. He +wore beautiful clothes. His bow, shield, and other weapons were of strange +make. But they knew his face, although the scar was gone, and they ran +ahead, shouting, "The scarface poor young man has come. He is poor no +longer. The scar on his face is gone." + +All the people rushed out to see him. "Where have you been?" they +asked. "Where did you get all these pretty things?" He did not +answer. There in the crowd stood that young woman; and taking the two raven +feathers from his head, he gave them to her, and said: "The trail was very +long, and I nearly died, but by those Helpers, I found his lodge. He is +glad. He sends these feathers to you. They are the sign." + +Great was her gladness then. They were married, and made the first Medicine +Lodge, as the Sun had said. The Sun was glad. He gave them great age. They +were never sick. When they were very old, one morning, their children said: +"Awake! Rise and eat." They did not move. In the night, in sleep, without +pain, their shadows had departed for the Sand Hills. + + + +ORIGIN OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI[1] + + +I + +THE BULL BAND + +[Footnote 1: An account of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, with a list of its +different bands or societies and their duties, will be found in the chapter +on Social Organization.] + +The people had built a great pis'kun, very high and strong, so that no +buffalo could escape; but somehow the buffalo would not jump over the +cliff. When driven toward it, they would run nearly to the edge, and then, +swerving to the right or left, they would go down the sloping hills and +cross the valley in safety. So the people were hungry, and began to starve. + +One morning, early, a young woman went to get water, and she saw a herd of +buffalo feeding on the prairie, right on the edge of the cliff above the +pis'kun. "Oh!" she cried out, "if you will only jump off into the pis'kun, +I will marry one of you." This she said for fun, not meaning it, and great +was her wonder when she saw the buffalo come jumping, tumbling, falling +over the cliff. + +Now the young woman was scared, for a big bull with one bound cleared the +pis'kun walls and came toward her. "Come," he said, taking hold of her +arm. "No, no!" she replied pulling back. "But you said if the buffalo would +jump over, you would marry one; see, the pis'kun is filled." And without +more talk he led her up over the bluff, and out on to the prairie. + +When the people had finished killing the buffalo and cutting up the meat, +they missed this young woman, and her relations were very sad, because they +could not find her. Then her father took his bow and quiver, and said, "I +will go and find her." And he went up over the bluff and out on the +prairie. + +After he had travelled some distance he came to a wallow, and a little way +off saw a herd of buffalo. While sitting by the wallow,--for he was +tired--and thinking what he should do, a magpie came and lit near him. "Ha! +_Ma-me-at-si-kim-i"_ he said, "you are a beautiful bird; help me. Look +everywhere as you travel about, and if you see my daughter, tell her, 'Your +father waits by the wallow.'" The magpie flew over by the herd of buffalo, +and seeing the young woman, he lit on the ground near her, and commenced +picking around, turning his head this way and that way, and, when close to +her, he said, "Your father waits by the wallow." "Sh-h-h! sh-h-h!" replied +the girl, in a whisper, looking around scared, for her bull husband was +sleeping near by. "Don't speak so loud. Go back and tell him to wait." + +"Your daughter is over there with the buffalo. She says 'wait!'" said the +magpie, when he had flown back to the man. + +By and by the bull awoke, and said to his wife, "Go and get me some water." +Then the woman was glad, and taking a horn from his head she went to the +wallow. "Oh, why did you come?" she said to her father. "You will surely be +killed." + +"I came to take my daughter home; come, let us hurry." + +"No, no!" she replied; "not now. They would chase us and kill us. Wait till +he sleeps again, and I will try to get away," and, filling the horn with +water, she went back. + +The bull drank a swallow of the water. "Ha!" said he, "a person is close by +here." + +"No one," replied the woman; but her heart rose up. + +The bull drank a little more, and then he stood up and bellowed, "_Bu-u-u! +m-m-ah-oo!"_ Oh, fearful sound! Up rose the bulls, raised their short tails +and shook them, tossed their great heads, and bellowed back. Then they +pawed the dirt, rushed about here and there, and coming to the wallow, +found that poor man. There they trampled him with their great hoofs, hooked +him and trampled him again, and soon not even a small piece of his body +could be seen. + +Then his daughter cried, "_Oh! ah! Ni-nah-ah! Oh! ah! Ni-nah-ah!_" (My +father! My father!) "Ah!" said her bull husband, "you mourn for your +father. You see now how it is with us. We have seen our mothers, fathers, +many of our relations, hurled over the rocky walls, and killed for food by +your people. But I will pity you. I will give you one chance. If you can +bring your father to life, you and he can go back to your people." + +Then the woman said to the magpie: "Pity me. Help me now; go and seek in +the trampled mud; try and find a little piece of my father's body, and +bring it to me." + +The magpie flew to the place. He looked in every hole, and tore up the mud +with his sharp nose. At last he found something white; he picked the mud +from around it, and then pulling hard, he brought out a joint of the +backbone, and flew with it back to the woman. + +She placed it on the ground, covered it with her robe, and then +sang. Removing the robe, there lay her father's body as if just dead. Once +more she covered it with the robe and sang, and when she took away the +robe, he was breathing, and then he stood up. The buffalo were surprised; +the magpie was glad, and flew round and round, making a great noise. + +"We have seen strange things this day," said her bull husband. "He whom we +trampled to death, even into small pieces, is alive again. The people's +medicine is very strong. Now, before you go, we will teach you our dance +and our song. You must not forget them."[1] When the dance was over, the +bull said: "Go now to your home, and do not forget what you have +seen. Teach it to the people. The medicine shall be a bull's head and a +robe. All the persons who are to be 'Bulls' shall wear them when they +dance." + +[Footnote 1: Here the narrator repeated the song and showed the dance. As +is fitting to the dance of such great beasts, the air is slow and solemn, +and the step ponderous and deliberate.] + +Great was the joy of the people, when the man returned with his +daughter. He called a council of the chiefs, and told them all that had +happened. Then the chiefs chose certain young men, and this man taught them +the dance and song of the bulls, and told them what the medicine should +be. This was the beginning of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_. + + + + +II + +THE OTHER BANDS + + +For a long time the buffalo had not been seen. The pis'kun was useless, and +the hunters could find no food for the people. Then a man who had two +wives, a daughter, and two sons, said: "I shall not stop here to +die. To-morrow we will move toward the mountains, where we shall perhaps +find deer and elk, sheep and antelope, or, if not, at least we shall find +plenty of beaver and birds. Thus we shall survive." + +When morning came, they packed the travois, lashed them on the dogs, and +then moved out. It was yet winter, and they travelled slowly. They were +weak, and could go but a little way in a day. The fourth night came, and +they sat in their lodge, very tired and hungry. No one spoke, for those who +are hungry do not care for words. Suddenly the dogs began to bark, and +soon, pushing aside the door-curtain, a young man entered. + +"_O'kyi!_" said the old man, and he motioned the stranger to a +sitting-place. + +They looked at this person with surprise and fear, for there was a black +wind[1] which had melted the snow, and covered the prairie with water, yet +this person's leggings and moccasins were dry. They sat in silence a long +time. + +[Footnote 1: The "Chinook."] + +Then said he: "Why is this? Why do you not give me some food?" + +"Ah!" replied the old man, "you behold those who are truly poor. We have no +food. For many days the buffalo did not come in sight, and we shot deer and +other animals which people eat, and when all these had been killed, we +began to starve. Then said I, 'We will not stay here to starve to death'; +and we started for the mountains. This is the fourth night of our travels." + +"Ah!" said the young man. "Then your travels are ended. Close by here, we +are camped by our pis'kun. Many buffalo have been run in, and our +parfleches are filled with dried meat. Wait; I will go and bring you some." + +As soon as he went out, they began to talk about this strange person. They +were very much afraid of him, and did not know what to do. The children +began to cry, and the women were trying to quiet them, when the young man +returned, bringing some meat and three _pis-tsi-ko'-an._[2] + +[Footnote 2: Unborn buffalo calves.] + +"_Kyi!_" said he. "To-morrow move over to our lodges. Do not be afraid. No +matter what strange things you see, do not fear. All will be your +friends. Now, one thing I caution you about. In this be careful. If you +should find an arrow lying about, in the pis'kun, or outside, no matter +where, do not touch it; neither you, nor your wives nor children." Having +said this, he went out. + +Then the old man took his pipe and smoked and prayed, saying: "Hear now, +Sun! Listen, Above People. Listen, Under Water People. Now you have taken +pity. Now you have given us food. We are going to those strange ones, who +walk through water with dry moccasins. Protect us among those to-be-feared +people. Let us survive. Man, woman, child, give us long life; give us long +life!" + +Once more the smell of roasting meat. The children played. They talked and +laughed who had so long been silent. They ate plenty and lay down and +slept. + +Early in the morning, as soon as the sun rose, they took down their lodge, +packed up, and started for the strange camp. They found it was a wonderful +place. There by the pis'kun, and far up and down the valley were the lodges +of meat-eaters. They could not see them all, but close by they saw the +lodges of the Bear band, the Fox band, and the Badger band. The father of +the young man who had given them meat was chief of the Wolf band, and by +that band they pitched their lodge. Ah! That was a happy place. Food there +was plenty. All day people shouted out for feasts, and everywhere was heard +the sound of drums and song and dancing. + +The new-comers went to the pis'kun for meat, and one of the children found +an arrow lying on the ground. It was a beautiful arrow, the stone point +long and sharp, the shaft round and straight. All around the people were +busy; no one was looking. The boy picked up the arrow and hid it under his +robe. Then there was a fearful noise. All the animals howled and growled, +and ran toward him. But the chief Wolf said: "Hold! We will let him go this +time; for he is young yet, and not of good sense." So they let him go. + +When night came, some one shouted out for a feast, saying: +"_Wo'-ka-hit! Wo'-ka-hit! Mah-kwe'-i-ke-tum-ok-ah-wah-hit. +Ke-t[)u]k'-ka-p[)u]k'-si-pim."_ ("Listen! Listen! Wolf, you are to +feast. Enter with your friend.") "We are asked," said the chief Wolf to his +new friend, and together they went to the lodge. + +Within, the fire burned brightly, and many men were already there, the old +and wise of the Raven band. Hanging behind the seats were the writings[1] +of many deeds. Food was placed before them,--pemmican of berries and dried +back fat; and when they had eaten, a pipe was lighted. Then spoke the +Raven chief: "Now, Wolf, I am going to give our new friend a present. What +say you?" + +[Footnote 1: That is, the painting on cowskin of the various battles and +adventures in which the owner of the lodge had taken part.] + +"It is as you say," replied the Wolf. "Our new friend will be glad." + +Then the Raven chief took from the long parfleche sack a slender stick, +beautifully dressed with many colored feathers; and on the end of it was +fastened the skin of a raven, head, wings, feet, and all. "We," he said, +"are the _Mas-to-pah'-ta-kiks_ (Raven carriers, or those who bear the +Raven). Of all the above animals, of all the flyers, where is one so smart? +None. The Raven's eyes are sharp. His wings are strong. He is a great +hunter and never hungry. Far, far off on the prairie he sees his food, and +deep hidden in the pines it does not escape his eye. Now the song and the +dance." + +When he had finished singing and dancing, he gave the stick to the man, and +said: "Take it with you, and when you have returned to your people, you +shall say: Now there are already the Bulls, and he who is the Raven chief +says: 'There shall be more, there shall be the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, so that +the people may survive, and of them shall be the Raven carriers.' You will +call a council of the chiefs and wise old men, and they will choose the +persons. Teach them the song and the dance, and give them the medicine. It +shall be theirs forever." + +Soon they heard another person shouting for a feast, and, going, they +entered the lodge of the _Sin-o-pah_ chief. Here, too, were the old men +assembled. After they had eaten of that set before them, the chief said: +"Those among whom you are newly arrived are generous. They do not look at +their possessions, but give to the stranger and pity the poor. The Kit-fox +is a little animal, but what one is smarter? None. His hair is like the +dead prairie grass. His eyes are sharp, his feet noiseless, his brain +cunning. His ears receive the far-off sound. Here is our medicine, take +it." And he gave the stick. It was long, crooked at one end, wound with +fur, and tied here and there to it were eagle feathers. At the end was a +fox's skin. Again the chief said: "Hear our song. Do not forget it; and the +dance, too, you must remember. When you get home, teach them to the +people." + +Again they heard the feast shout, and he who called was the Bear chief. Now +when they had smoked, the chief said: "What say you, friend Wolf? Shall we +give our new friend something?" + +"As you say," replied the Wolf. "It is yours to give." + +Then said the Bear: "There are many animals, and some of them are +powerful. But the Bear is the strongest and bravest of all. He fears +nothing, and is always ready to fight." Then he put on a necklace of bear +claws, a belt of bear fur, and around his head a band of the fur; and sang +and danced. When he had finished, he gave them to the man, saying: "Teach +the people our song and dance, and give them this medicine. It is +powerful." + +It was now very late. The Seven Persons had arrived at midnight, yet again +they heard the feast shout from the far end of camp. In this lodge the men +were painted with streaks of red and their hair was all brushed to one +side. After the feast the chief said: "We are different from all the +others here. We are called the _Mut-siks[1]_ We are death. We know not +fear. Even if our enemies are in number like the grass, we do not turn +away, but fight and conquer. Bows are good weapons. Spears are better, but +our weapon is the knife." Then the chief sang and danced, and afterwards he +gave the Wolf's friend the medicine. It was a long knife, and many scalps +were tied on the handle. "This," he said, "is for the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_." + +[Footnote 1: Brave, courageous.] + +Once more they were called to a feast and entered the Badger chief's +lodge. He taught the man the Badger song and dance and gave him the +medicine. It was a large rattle, ornamented with beaver claws and bright +feathers. They smoked two pipes in the Badger's lodge, and then went home +and slept. + +Early next day, the man and his family took down their lodge, and prepared +to move camp. Many women came and made them presents of dried meat, +pemmican, and berries. They were given so much they could not take it all +with them. It was many days before they joined the main camp, for the +people, too, had moved to the south after buffalo. As soon as the lodge was +pitched, the man called all the chiefs to come and feast, and he told them +all he had seen, and showed them the medicines. The chiefs chose certain +young men for the different bands, and this man taught them the songs and +dances, and gave each band their medicine. + + + +ORIGIN OF THE MEDICINE PIPE + + +Thunder--you have heard him, he is everywhere. He roars in the mountains, +he shouts far out on the prairie. He strikes the high rocks, and they fall +to pieces. He hits a tree, and it is broken in slivers. He strikes the +people, and they die. He is bad. He does not like the towering cliff, the +standing tree, or living man. He likes to strike and crush them to the +ground. Yes! yes! Of all he is most powerful; he is the one most +strong. But I have not told you the worst: he sometimes steals women. + +Long ago, almost in the beginning, a man and his wife were sitting in their +lodge, when Thunder came and struck them. The man was not killed. At first +he was as if dead, but after a while he lived again, and rising looked +about him. His wife was not there. "Oh, well," he thought, "she has gone to +get some water or wood," and he sat a while; but when the sun had +under-disappeared, he went out and inquired about her of the people. No one +had seen her. He searched throughout the camp, but did not find her. Then +he knew that Thunder had stolen her, and he went out on the hills alone and +mourned. + +When morning came, he rose and wandered far away, and he asked all the +animals he met if they knew where Thunder lived. They laughed, and would +not answer. The Wolf said: "Do you think we would seek the home of the only +one we fear? He is our only danger. From all others we can run away; but +from him there is no running. He strikes, and there we lie. Turn back! go +home! Do not look for the dwelling-place of that dreadful one." But the man +kept on, and travelled far away. Now he came to a lodge,--a queer lodge, +for it was made of stone; just like any other lodge, only it was made of +stone. Here lived the Raven chief. The man entered. + +"Welcome, my friend," said the chief of Ravens. "Sit down, sit down." And +food was placed before him. + +Then, when he had finished eating, the Raven said, "Why have you come?" + +"Thunder has stolen my wife," replied the man. "I seek his dwelling-place +that I may find her." + +"Would you dare enter the lodge of that dreadful person?" asked the +Raven. "He lives close by here. His lodge is of stone, like this; and +hanging there, within, are eyes,--the eyes of those he has killed or +stolen. He has taken out their eyes and hung them in his lodge. Now, then, +dare you enter there?" + +"No," replied the man. "I am afraid. What man could look at such dreadful +things and live?" + +"No person can," said the Raven. "There is but one old Thunder fears. There +is but one he cannot kill. It is I, it is the Ravens. Now I will give you +medicine, and he shall not harm you. You shall enter there, and seek among +those eyes your wife's; and if you find them, tell that Thunder why you +came, and make him give them to you. Here, now, is a raven's wing. Just +point it at him, and he will start back quick; but if that fail, take +this. It is an arrow, and the shaft is made of elk-horn. Take this, I say, +and shoot it through the lodge." + +"Why make a fool of me?" the poor man asked. "My heart is sad. I am +crying." And he covered his head with his robe, and wept. + +"Oh," said the Raven, "you do not believe me. Come out, come out, and I +will make you believe." When they stood outside, the Raven asked, "Is the +home of your people far?" + +"A great distance," said the man. + +"Can you tell how many days you have travelled?" + +"No," he replied, "my heart is sad. I did not count the days. The berries +have grown and ripened since I left." + +"Can you see your camp from here?" asked the Raven. + +The man did not speak. Then the Raven rubbed some medicine on his eyes and +said, "Look!" The man looked, and saw the camp. It was close. He saw the +people. He saw the smoke rising from the lodges. + +"Now you will believe," said the Raven. "Take now the arrow and the wing, +and go and get your wife." + +So the man took these things, and went to the Thunder's lodge. He entered +and sat down by the door-way. The Thunder sat within and looked at him with +awful eyes. But the man looked above, and saw those many pairs of eyes. +Among them were those of his wife. + +"Why have you come?" said the Thunder in a fearful voice. + +"I seek my wife," the man replied, "whom you have stolen. There hang her +eyes." + +"No man can enter my lodge and live," said the Thunder; and he rose to +strike him. Then the man pointed the raven wing at the Thunder, and he fell +back on his couch and shivered. But he soon recovered, and rose again. Then +the man fitted the elk-horn arrow to his bow, and shot it through the lodge +of rock; right through that lodge of rock it pierced a jagged hole, and let +the sunlight in. + +"Hold," said the Thunder. "Stop; you are the stronger. Yours the great +medicine. You shall have your wife. Take down her eyes." Then the man cut +the string that held them, and immediately his wife stood beside him. + +"Now," said the Thunder, "you know me. I am of great power. I live here in +summer, but when winter comes, I go far south. I go south with the +birds. Here is my pipe. It is medicine. Take it, and keep it. Now, when I +first come in the spring, you shall fill and light this pipe, and you shall +pray to me, you and the people. For I bring the rain which makes the +berries large and ripe. I bring the rain which makes all things grow, and +for this you shall pray to me, you and all the people." + +Thus the people got the first medicine pipe. It was long ago. + + + +THE BEAVER MEDICINE + +This story goes back many years, to a time before the Indians went to war +against each other. Then there was peace among all the tribes. They met, +and did not kill each other. They had no guns and they had no horses. When +two tribes met, the head chiefs would take each a stick and touch each +other. Each had counted a _coup_ on the other, and they then went back to +their camps. It was more a friendly than a hostile ceremony. + +Oftentimes, when a party of young men had gone to a strange camp, and had +done this to those whom they had visited, they would come back to their +homes and would tell the girls whom they loved that they had counted a +_coup_ on this certain tribe of people. After the return of such a party, +the young women would have a dance. Each one would wear clothing like that +of the man she loved, and as she danced, she would count a _coup_, saying +that she herself had done the deed which her young lover had really done. +Such was the custom of the people. + +There was a chief in a camp who had three wives, all very pretty women. He +used to say to these women, whenever a dance was called: "Why do not you go +out and dance too? Perhaps you have some one in the camp that you love, and +for whom you would like to count a _coup_" Then the women would say, "No, +we do not wish to join the dance; we have no lovers." + +There was in the camp a poor young man, whose name was Api-kunni. He had no +relations, and no one to tan robes or furs for him, and he was always badly +clad and in rags. Whenever he got some clothing, he wore it as long as it +would hold together. This young man loved the youngest wife of the chief, +and she loved him. But her parents were not rich, and they could not give +her to Api-k[)u]nni, and when the chief wanted her for a wife, they gave +her to him. Sometimes Api-k[)u]nni and this girl used to meet and talk +together, and he used to caution her, saying, "Now be careful that you do +not tell any one that you see me." She would say, "No, there is no danger; +I will not let it be known." + +One evening, a dance was called for the young women to dance, and the chief +said to his wives: "Now, women, you had better go to this dance. If any of +you have persons whom you love, you might as well go and dance for them." +Two of them said: "No, we will not go. There is no one that we love." But +the third said, "Well, I think I will go and dance." The chief said to her, +"Well, go then; your lover will surely dress you up for the dance." + +The girl went to where Api-k[)u]nni as living in an old woman's lodge, very +poorly furnished, and told him what she was going to do, and asked him to +dress her for the dance. He said to her: "Oh, you have wronged me by coming +here, and by going to the dance. I told you to keep it a secret." The girl +said: "Well, never mind; no one will know your dress. Fix me up, and I will +go and join the dance anyway." "Why," said Api-k[)u]nni, "I never have been +to war. I have never counted any _coups_. You will go and dance and will +have nothing to say. The people will laugh at you." But when he found that +the girl wanted to go, he painted her forehead with red clay, and tied a +goose skin, which he had, about her head, and lent her his badly tanned +robe, which in spots was hard like a parfleche. He said to her, "If you +will go to the dance, say, when it comes your turn to speak, that when the +water in the creeks gets warm, you are going to war, and are going to count +a _coup_ on some people." + +The woman went to the dance, and joined in it. All the people were laughing +at her on account of her strange dress,--a goose skin around her head, and +a badly tanned robe about her. The people in the dance asked her: "Well, +what are you dancing for? What can you tell?" The woman said, "I am dancing +here to-day, and when the water in the streams gets warm next spring, I am +going to war; and then I will tell you what I have done to any people." The +chief was standing present, and when he learned who it was that his young +wife loved, he was much ashamed and went to his lodge. + +When the dance was over, this young woman went to the lodge of the poor +young man to give back his dress to him. Now, while she had been gone, +Api-k[)u]nni had been thinking over all these things, and he was very much +ashamed. He took his robe and his goose skin and went away. He was so +ashamed that he went away at once, travelling off over the prairie, not +caring where he went, and crying all the time. As he wandered away, he came +to a lake, and at the foot of this lake was a beaver dam, and by the dam a +beaver house. He walked out on the dam and on to the beaver house. There he +stopped and sat down, and in his shame cried the rest of the day, and at +last he fell asleep on the beaver house. + +While he slept, he dreamed that a beaver came to him--a very large +beaver--and said: "My poor young man, come into my house. I pity you, and +will give you something that will help you." So Api-k[)u]nni got up, and +followed the beaver into the house. When he was in the house, he awoke, and +saw sitting opposite him a large white beaver, almost as big as a man. He +thought to himself, "This must be the chief of all the beavers, white +because very old." The beaver was singing a song. It was a very strange +song, and he sang it a long time. Then he said to Api-k[)u]nni, "My son, +why are you mourning?" and the young man told him everything that had +happened, and how he had been shamed. Then the beaver said: "My son, stay +here this winter with me. I will provide for you. When the time comes, and +you have learned our songs and our ways, I will let you go. For a time make +this your home." So Api-k)u]nni stayed there with the beaver, and the +beaver taught him many strange things. All this happened in the fall. + +Now the chief in the camp missed this poor young man, and he asked the +people where he had gone. No one knew. They said that the last that had +been seen of him he was travelling toward the lake where the beaver dam +was. + +Api-k[)u]nni had a friend, another poor young man named Wolf Tail, and +after a while, Wolf Tail started out to look for his friend. He went toward +this lake, looking everywhere, and calling out his name. When he came to +the beaver house, he kicked on the top and called, "Oh, my brother, are you +here?" Api-k[)u]nni answered him, and said: "Yes, I am here. I was brought +in while I was asleep, and I cannot give you the secret of the door, for I +do not know it myself." Wolf Tail said to him, "Brother, when the weather +gets warm a party is going to start from camp to war." Api-k[)u]nni said: +"Go home and try to get together all the moccasins you can, but do not tell +them that I am here. I am ashamed to go back to the camp. When the party +starts, come this way and bring me the moccasins, and we two will start +from here." He also said: "I am very thin. The beaver food here does not +agree with me. We are living on the bark of willows." Wolf Tail went back +to the camp and gathered together all the moccasins that he could, as he +had been asked to do. + +When the spring came, and the grass began to start, the war party set +out. At this time the beaver talked to Apikunni a long time, and told him +many things. He dived down into the water, and brought up a long stick of +aspen wood, cut off from it a piece as long as a man's arm, trimmed the +twigs off it, and gave it to the young man. "Keep this," the beaver said, +"and when you go to war take it with you." The beaver also gave him a +little sack of medicine, and told him what he must do. + +When the party started out, Wolf Tail came to the beaver house, bringing +the moccasins, and his friend came out of the house. They started in the +direction the party had taken and travelled with them, but off to one +side. When they stopped at night, the two young men camped by themselves. + +They travelled for many days, until they came to Bow River, and found that +it was very high. On the other side of the river, they saw the lodges of a +camp. In this camp a man was making a speech, and Api-k[)u]nni said to his +friend, "Oh, my brother, I am going to kill that man to-day, so that my +sweetheart may count _coup_ on him." These two were at a little distance +from the main party, above them on the river. The people in the camp had +seen the Blackfeet, and some had come down to the river. When Api-kunni had +said this to Wolf Tail, he took his clothes off and began to sing the song +the beaver had taught him. This was the song:-- + +I am like an island, +For on an island I got my power. +In battle I live +While people fall away from me. + +While he sang this, he had in his hand the stick which the beaver had given +him. This was his only weapon. + +He ran to the bank, jumped in and dived, and came up in the middle of the +river, and started to swim across. The rest of the Blackfeet saw one of +their number swimming across the river, and they said to each other: "Who +is that? Why did not some one stop him?" While he was swimming across, the +man who had been making the speech saw him and went down to meet him. He +said: "Who can this man be, swimming across the river? He is a stranger. I +will go down and meet him, and kill him." As the boy was getting close to +the shore, the man waded out in the stream up to his waist, and raised his +knife to stab the swimmer. When Api-k[)u]nni got near him, he dived under +the water and came up close to the man, and thrust the beaver stick through +his body, and the man fell down in the water and died. Api-k[)u]nni caught +the body, and dived under the water with it, and came up on the other side +where he had left his friend. Then all the Blackfeet set up the war whoop, +for they were glad, and they could hear a great crying in the camp. The +people there were sorry for the man who was killed. + +People in those days never killed one another, and this was the first man +ever killed in war. + +They dragged the man up on the bank, and Api-k[)u]nni said to his brother, +"Cut off those long hairs on the head." The young man did as he was +told. He scalped him and counted _coup_ on him; and from that time forth, +people, when they went to war, killed one another and scalped the dead +enemy, as this poor young man had done. Two others of the main party came +to the place, and counted _coup_ on the dead body, making four who had +counted _coup_. From there, the whole party turned about and went back to +the village whence they had come. + +When they came in sight of the lodges, they sat down in a row facing the +camp. The man who had killed the enemy was sitting far in front of the +others. Behind him sat his friend, and behind Wolf Tail, sat the two who +had counted _coup_ on the body. So these four were strung out in front of +the others. The chief of the camp was told that some people were sitting on +a hill near by, and when he had gone out and looked, he said: "There is +some one sitting way in front. Let somebody go out and see about it." A +young man ran out to where he could see, and when he had looked, he ran +back and said to the chief, "Why, that man in front is the poor young man." + +The old chief looked around, and said: "Where is that young woman, my wife? +Go and find her." They went to look for her, and found her out gathering +rosebuds, for while the young man whom she loved was away, she used to go +out and gather rosebuds and dry them for him. When they found her, she had +her bosom full of them. When she came to the lodge, the chief said to her: +"There is the man you love, who has come. Go and meet him." She made ready +quickly and ran out and met him. He said: "Give her that hair of the dead +man. Here is his knife. There is the coat he had on, when I killed +him. Take these things back to the camp, and tell the people who made fun +of you that this is what you promised them at the time of that dance." + +The whole party then got up and walked to the camp. The woman took the +scalp, knife and coat to the lodge, and gave them to her husband. The chief +invited Api-kunni to come to his lodge to visit him. He said: "I see that +you have been to war, and that you have done more than any of us have ever +done. This is a reason why you should be a chief. Now take my lodge and +this woman, and live here. Take my place and rule these people. My two +wives will be your servants." When Api-kunni heard this, and saw the young +woman sitting there in the lodge, he could not speak. Something seemed to +rise up in his throat and choke him. + +So this young man lived in the camp and was known as their chief. + +After a time, he called his people together in council and told them of the +strange things the beaver had taught him, and the power that the beaver had +given him. He said: "This will be a benefit to us while we are a people +now, and afterward it will be handed down to our children, and if we follow +the words of the beaver we will be lucky. This seed the beaver gave me, and +told me to plant it every year. When we ask help from the beaver, we will +smoke this plant." + +This plant was the Indian tobacco, and it is from the beaver that the +Blackfeet got it. Many strange things were taught this man by the beaver, +which were handed down and are followed till to-day. + + + +THE BUFFALO ROCK + + +A small stone, which is usually a fossil shell of some kind, is known by +the Blackfeet as I-nis'-kim, the buffalo stone. This object is strong +medicine, and, as indicated in some of these stories, gives its possessor +great power with buffalo. The stone is found on the prairie, and the +person who succeeds in obtaining one is regarded as very fortunate. +Sometimes a man, who is riding along on the prairie, will hear a peculiar +faint chirp, such as a little bird might utter. The sound he knows is made +by a buffalo rock. He stops and searches on the ground for the rock, and if +he cannot find it, marks the place and very likely returns next day, either +alone or with others from the camp, to look for it again. If it is found, +there is great rejoicing. How the first buffalo rock was obtained, and its +power made known, is told in the following story. + +Long ago, in the winter time, the buffalo suddenly disappeared. The snow +was so deep that the people could not move in search of them, for in those +days they had no horses. So the hunters killed deer, elk, and other small +game along the river bottoms, and when these were all killed off or driven +away, the people began to starve. + +One day, a young married man killed a jack-rabbit. He was so hungry that he +ran home as fast as he could, and told one of his wives to hurry and get +some water to cook it. While the young woman was going along the path to +the river, she heard a beautiful song. It sounded close by, but she looked +all around and could see no one. The song seemed to come from a cotton-wood +tree near the path. Looking closely at this tree she saw a queer rock +jammed in a fork, where the tree was split, and with it a few hairs from a +buffalo, which had rubbed there. The woman was frightened and dared not +pass the tree. Pretty soon the singing stopped, and the I-nis'-kim [buffalo +rock] spoke to the woman and said: "Take me to your lodge, and when it is +dark, call in the people and teach them the song you have just heard. Pray, +too, that you may not starve, and that the buffalo may come back. Do this, +and when day comes, your hearts will be glad." + +The woman went on and got some water, and when she came back, took the rock +and gave it to her husband, telling him about the song and what the rock +had said. As soon as it was dark, the man called the chiefs and old men to +his lodge, and his wife taught them this song. They prayed, too, as the +rock had said should be done. Before long, they heard a noise far off. It +was the tramp of a great herd of buffalo coming. Then they knew that the +rock was very powerful, and, ever since that, the people have taken care of +it and prayed to it. + +[NOTE.--I-nis'-kims are usually small _Ammonites_, or sections of +_Baculites,_ or sometimes merely oddly shaped nodules of flint. It is said +of them that if an I-nis'-kim is wrapped up and left undisturbed for a long +time, it will have young ones; two small stones similar in shape to the +original one will be found in the package with it.] + + + +ORIGIN OF THE WORM PIPE + + +There was once a man who was very fond of his wife. After they had been +married for some time they had a child, a boy. After that, the woman got +sick, and did not get well. The young man did not wish to take a second +woman. He loved his wife so much. The woman grew worse and +worse. Doctoring did not seem to do her any good. At last she died. The man +used to take his baby on his back and travel out, walking over the hills +crying. He kept away from the camp. After some time, he said to the little +child: "My little boy, you will have to go and live with your +grandmother. I am going to try and find your mother, and bring her back." +He took the baby to his mother's lodge, and asked her to take care of it, +and left it with her. Then he started off, not knowing where he was going +nor what he was going to do. + +He travelled toward the Sand Hills. The fourth night out he had a dream. He +dreamed that he went into a little lodge, in which lived an old woman. This +old woman said to him, "Why are you here, my son?" He said: "I am mourning +day and night, crying all the while. My little son, who is the only one +left me, also mourns." "Well," said the old woman, "for whom are you +mourning?" He said: "I am mourning for my wife. She died some time ago. I +am looking for her." "Oh!" said the old woman, "I saw her. She passed this +way. I myself am not powerful medicine, but over by that far butte lives +another old woman. Go to her, and she will give you power to enable you to +continue your journey. You could not go there by yourself without +help. Beyond the next butte from her lodge, you will find the camp of the +ghosts." + +The next morning he awoke and went on to the next butte. It took him a long +day to get there, but he found no lodge there, so he lay down and went to +sleep. Again he dreamed. In his dream, he saw a little lodge, and an old +woman came to the door-way and called him. He went in, and she said to him: +"My son, you are very poor. I know why you have come this way. You are +seeking your wife, who is now in the ghost country. It is a very hard thing +for you to get there. You may not be able to get your wife back, but I have +great power, and I will do all I can for you. If you do exactly as I tell +you, you may succeed." She then spoke to him with wise words, telling him +what he should do. Also she gave him a bundle of medicine, which would help +him on his journey. + +Then she said: "You stay here for a while, and I will go over there [to the +ghosts' camp], and try to bring some of your relations; and if I am able to +bring them back, you may return with them, but on the way you must shut +your eyes. If you should open them and look about you, you would die. Then +you would never come back. When you get to the camp, you will pass by a big +lodge, and they will say to you, 'Where are you going, and who told you to +come here?' You will reply, 'My grandmother, who is standing out here with +me, told me to come.' They will try to scare you. They will make fearful +noises, and you will see strange and terrible things; but do not be +afraid." + +Then the old woman went away, and after a time came back with one of the +man's relations. He went with this relation to the ghosts' camp. When they +came to the big lodge, some one called out and asked the man what he was +doing, and he answered as the old woman had told him to do. As he passed on +through the camp, the ghosts tried to scare him with all kinds of fearful +sights and sounds, but he kept up a brave heart. + +He came to another lodge, and the man who owned it came out, and asked him +where he was going. He said: "I am looking for my dead wife, I mourn for +her so much that I cannot rest. My little boy, too, keeps crying for his +mother. They have offered to give me other wives, but I do not want them. I +want the one for whom I am searching." + +The ghost said to him: "It is a fearful thing that you have come here. It +is very likely that you will never go away. There never was a person here +before." The ghost asked him to come into the lodge, and he went. + +Now this chief ghost said to him: "You will stay here four nights, and you +will see your wife; but you must be very careful or you will never go +back. You will die right here." + +Then the chief went outside and called out for a feast, inviting this man's +father-in-law and other relations, who were in the camp, saying, "Your +son-in-law invites you to a feast," as if to say that their son-in-law was +dead, and had become a ghost, and had arrived at the ghost camp. + +Now when these invited people, the relations and some of the principal men +of the camp, had reached the lodge, they did not like to go in. They called +out, "There is a person here." It seems as if there was something about him +that they could not bear the smell of. The ghost chief burned sweet pine in +the fire, which took away this smell, and the people came in and sat +down. Then the host said to them: "Now pity this son-in-law of yours. He is +seeking his wife. Neither the great distance nor the fearful sights that he +has seen here have weakened his heart. You can see for yourselves he is +tender-hearted. He not only mourns for his wife, but mourns because his +little boy is now alone with no mother; so pity him and give him back his +wife." The ghosts consulted among themselves, and one said to the person, +"Yes, you will stay here four nights; then we will give you a medicine +pipe, the Worm Pipe, and we will give you back your wife, and you may +return to your home." + +Now, after the third night, the chief ghost called together all the people, +and they came, the man's wife with them. One of them came beating a drum; +and following him was another ghost, who carried the Worm Pipe, which they +gave to him. Then said the chief ghost: "Now, be very careful. Tomorrow +you and your wife will start on your homeward journey. Your wife will carry +the medicine pipe, and some of your relations are going along with you for +four days. During this time, you must not open your eyes, or you will +return here and be a ghost forever. You see that your wife is not now a +person; but in the middle of the fourth day you will be told to look, and +when you have opened your eyes, you will see that your wife has become a +person, and that your ghost relations have disappeared." + +His father-in-law spoke to him before he went away, and said: "When you get +near home, you must not go at once into the camp. Let some of your +relations know that you have arrived, and ask them to build a sweat house +for you. Go into this sweat house and wash your body thoroughly, leaving +no part of it, however small, uncleansed; for if you do you will be nothing +[will die]. There is something about us ghosts difficult to remove. It is +only by a thorough sweat that you can remove it. Take care, now, that you +do as I tell you. Do not whip your wife, nor strike her with a knife, nor +hit her with fire; for if you do, she will vanish before your eyes and +return to the Sand Hills." + +Now they left the ghost country to go home, and on the fourth day, the wife +said to her husband, "Open your eyes." He looked about him and saw that +those who had been with them had vanished, but he found that they +were standing in front of the old woman's lodge by the butte. She came out +and said: "Here, give me back those mysterious medicines of mine, which +enabled you to accomplish your purpose." He returned them to her, and +became then fully a person once more. + +Now, when they drew near to the camp, the woman went on ahead, and sat down +on a butte. Then some curious persons came out to see who it might be. As +they approached, the woman called out to them: "Do not come any nearer. Go +tell my mother and my relations to put up a lodge for us, a little way from +camp, and to build a sweat house near by it." When this had been done, the +man and his wife went in and took a thorough sweat, and then they went into +the lodge, and burned sweet grass and purified their clothing and the Worm +Pipe; and then their relations and friends came in to see them. The man +told them where he had been, and how he had managed to get back his wife, +and that the pipe hanging over the door-way was a medicine pipe, the Worm +Pipe, presented to him by his ghost father-in-law. That is how the people +came to possess the Worm Pipe. This pipe belongs to that band of the +Piegans known as _Esk'-sin-i-tup'piks,_ the Worm People. + +Not long after this, in the night, this man told his wife to do something; +and when she did not begin at once, he picked up a brand from the fire, not +that he intended to strike her with it, but he made as if he would hit her, +when all at once she vanished, and was never seen again. + + + +THE GHOSTS' BUFFALO + + +A long time ago there were four Blackfeet, who went to war against the +Crees. They travelled a long way, and at last their horses gave out, and +they started back toward their homes. As they were going along they came to +the Sand Hills; and while they were passing through them, they saw in the +sand a fresh travois trail, where people had been travelling. + +One of the men said: "Let us follow this trail until we come up with some +of our people. Then we will camp with them." They followed the trail for a +long way, and at length one of the Blackfeet, named E-k[=u]s'-kini,--a very +powerful person,--said to the others: "Why follow this longer? It is just +nothing." The others said: "Not so. These are our people. We will go on +and camp with them." They went on, and toward evening, one of them found a +stone maul and a dog travois. He said: "Look at these things. I know this +maul and this travois. They belonged to my mother, who died. They were +buried with her. This is strange." He took the things. When night overtook +the men, they camped. + +Early in the morning, they heard, all about them, sounds as if a camp of +people were there. They heard a young man shouting a sort of war cry, as +young men do; women chopping wood; a man calling for a feast, asking people +to come to his lodge and smoke,--all the different sounds of the camp. They +looked about, but could see nothing; and then they were frightened and +covered their heads with their robes. At last they took courage, and started +to look around and see what they could learn about this strange thing. For +a little while they saw nothing, but pretty soon one of them said: "Look +over there. See that pis'kun. Let us go over and look at it." As they were +going toward it, one of them picked up a stone pointed arrow. He said: +"Look at this. It belonged to my father. This is his place." They started +to go on toward the pis'kun, but suddenly they could see no pis'kun. It had +disappeared all at once. + +A little while after this, one of them spoke up, and said: "Look over +there. There is my father running buffalo. There! he has killed. Let us go +over to him." They all looked where this man pointed, and they could see a +person on a white horse, running buffalo. While they were looking, the +person killed the buffalo, and got off his horse to butcher it. They +started to go over toward him, and saw him at work butchering, and saw him +turn the buffalo over on its back; but before they got to the place where +he was, the person got on his horse and rode off, and when they got to +where he had been skinning the buffalo, they saw lying on the ground only a +dead mouse. There was no buffalo there. By the side of the mouse was a +buffalo chip, and lying on it was an arrow painted red. The man said: "That +is my father's arrow. That is the way he painted them." He took it up in +his hands; and when he held it in his hands, he saw that it was not an +arrow but a blade of spear grass. Then he laid it down, and it was an arrow +again. + +Another Blackfoot found a buffalo rock, I-nis'-kim. + +Some time after this, the men got home to their camp. The man who had +taken the maul and the dog travois, when he got home and smelled the smoke +from the fire, died, and so did his horse. It seems that the shadow of the +person who owned the things was angry at him and followed him home. Two +others of these Blackfeet have since died, killed in war; but +E-k[=u]s'-kini is alive yet. He took a stone and an iron arrow point that +had belonged to his father, and always carried them about with him. That is +why he has lived so long. The man who took the stone arrow point found +near the pis'kun, which had belonged to his father, took it home with +him. This was his medicine. After that he was badly wounded in two fights, +but he was not killed; he got well. + +The one who took the buffalo rock, I-nis'-kim, it afterward made strong to +call the buffalo into the pis'kun. He would take the rock and put it in his +lodge close to the fire, where he could look at it, and would pray over it +and make medicine. Sometimes he would ask for a hundred buffalo to jump +into the pis'kun, and the next day a hundred would jump in. He was +powerful. + + + + + +STORIES OF OLD MAN + + + + + +THE BLACKFOOT GENESIS + + +All animals of the Plains at one time heard and knew him, and all birds of +the air heard and knew him. All things that he had made understood him, +when he spoke to them,--the birds, the animals, and the people. + +Old Man was travelling about, south of here, making the people. He came +from the south, travelling north, making animals and birds as he passed +along. He made the mountains, prairies, timber, and brush first. So he went +along, travelling northward, making things as he went, putting rivers here +and there, and falls on them, putting red paint here and there in the +ground,--fixing up the world as we see it to-day. He made the Milk River +(the Teton) and crossed it, and, being tired, went up on a little hill and +lay down to rest. As he lay on his back, stretched out on the ground, with +arms extended, he marked himself out with stones,--the shape of his body, +head, legs, arms, and everything. There you can see those rocks +to-day. After he had rested, he went on northward, and stumbled over a +knoll and fell down on his knees. Then he said, "You are a bad thing to be +stumbling against"; so he raised up two large buttes there, and named them +the Knees, and they are called so to this day. He went on further north, +and with some of the rocks he carried with him he built the Sweet Grass +Hills. + +Old Man covered the plains with grass for the animals to feed on. He marked +off a piece of ground, and in it he made to grow all kinds of roots and +berries,--camas, wild carrots, wild turnips, sweet-root, bitter-root, +sarvis berries, bull berries, cherries, plums, and rosebuds. He put trees +in the ground. He put all kinds of animals on the ground. When he made the +bighorn with its big head and horns, he made it out on the prairie. It did +not seem to travel easily on the prairie; it was awkward and could not go +fast. So he took it by one of its horns, and led it up into the mountains, +and turned it loose; and it skipped about among the rocks, and went up +fearful places with ease. So he said, "This is the place that suits you; +this is what you are fitted for, the rocks and the mountains." While he was +in the mountains, he made the antelope out of dirt, and turned it loose, to +see how it would go. It ran so fast that it fell over some rocks and hurt +itself. He saw that this would not do, and took the antelope down on the +prairie, and turned it loose; and it ran away fast and gracefully, and he +said, "This is what you are suited to." + +One day Old Man determined that he would make a woman and a child; so he +formed them both--the woman and the child, her son--of clay. After he had +moulded the clay in human shape, he said to the clay, "You must be people," +and then he covered it up and left it, and went away. The next morning he +went to the place and took the covering off, and saw that the clay shapes +had changed a little. The second morning there was still more change, and +the third still more. The fourth morning he went to the place, took the +covering off, looked at the images, and told them to rise and walk; and +they did so. They walked down to the river with their Maker, and then he +told them that his name was _Na'pi,_ Old Man. + +As they were standing by the river, the woman said to him, "How is it? will +we always live, will there be no end to it?" He said: "I have never thought +of that. We will have to decide it. I will take this buffalo chip and throw +it in the river. If it floats, when people die, in four days they will +become alive again; they will die for only four days. But if it sinks, +there will be an end to them." He threw the chip into the river, and it +floated. The woman turned and picked up a stone, and said: "No, I will +throw this stone in the river; if it floats we will always live, if it +sinks people must die, that they may always be sorry for each other."[1] +The woman threw the stone into the water, and it sank. "There," said Old +Man, "you have chosen. There will be an end to them." + +[Footnote 1: That is, that their friends who survive may always remember +them.] + +It was not many nights after, that the woman's child died, and she cried a +great deal for it. She said to Old Man: "Let us change this. The law that +you first made, let that be a law." He said: "Not so. What is made law must +be law. We will undo nothing that we have done. The child is dead, but it +cannot be changed. People will have to die." + +That is how we came to be people. It is he who made us. + +The first people were poor and naked, and did not know how to get a +living. Old Man showed them the roots and berries, and told them that they +could eat them; that in a certain month of the year they could peel the +bark off some trees and eat it, that it was good. He told the people that +the animals should be their food, and gave them to the people, saying, +"These are your herds." He said: "All these little animals that live in the +ground--rats, squirrels, skunks, beavers--are good to eat. You need not +fear to eat of their flesh." He made all the birds that fly, and told the +people that there was no harm in their flesh, that it could be eaten. The +first people that he created he used to take about through the timber and +swamps and over the prairies, and show them the different plants. Of a +certain plant he would say, "The root of this plant, if gathered in a +certain month of the year, is good for a certain sickness." So they +learned the power of all herbs. In those days there were buffalo. Now the +people had no arms, but those black animals with long beards were armed; +and once, as the people were moving about, the buffalo saw them, and ran +after them, and hooked them, and killed and ate them. One day, as the Maker +of the people was travelling over the country, he saw some of his children, +that he had made, lying dead, torn to pieces and partly eaten by the +buffalo. When he saw this he was very sad. He said: "This will not do. I +will change this. The people shall eat the buffalo." + +He went to some of the people who were left, and said to them, "How is it +that you people do nothing to these animals that are killing you?" The +people said: "What can we do? We have no way to kill these animals, while +they are armed and can kill us." Then said the Maker: "That is not hard. I +will make you a weapon that will kill these animals." So he went out, and +cut some sarvis berry shoots, and brought them in, and peeled the bark off +them. He took a larger piece of wood, and flattened it, and tied a string +to it, and made a bow. Now, as he was the master of all birds and could do +with them as he wished, he went out and caught one, and took feathers from +its wing, and split them, and tied them to the shaft of wood. He tied four +feathers along the shaft, and tried the arrow at a mark, and found that it +did not fly well. He took these feathers off, and put on three; and when he +tried it again, he found that it was good. He went out and began to break +sharp pieces off the stones. He tried them, and found that the black flint +stones made the best arrow points, and some white flints. Then he taught +the people how to use these things. + +Then he said: "The next time you go out, take these things with you, and +use them as I tell you, and do not run from these animals. When they run at +you, as soon as they get pretty close, shoot the arrows at them, as I have +taught you; and you will see that they will run from you or will run in a +circle around you." + +Now, as people became plenty, one day three men went out on to the plain to +see the buffalo, but they had no arms. They saw the animals, but when the +buffalo saw the men, they ran after them and killed two of them, but one +got away. One day after this, the people went on a little hill to look +about, and the buffalo saw them, and said, "_Saiyah_, there is some more of +our food," and they rushed on them. This time the people did not run. They +began to shoot at the buffalo with the bows and arrows _Na'pi_ had given +them, and the buffalo began to fall; but in the fight a person was killed. + +At this time these people had flint knives given them, and they cut up the +bodies of the dead buffalo. It is not healthful to eat the meat raw, so Old +Man gathered soft dry rotten driftwood and made punk of it, and then got a +piece of hard wood, and drilled a hole in it with an arrow point, and gave +them a pointed piece of hard wood, and taught them how to make a fire with +fire sticks, and to cook the flesh of these animals and eat it. + +They got a kind of stone that was in the land, and then took another harder +stone and worked one upon the other, and hollowed out the softer one, and +made a kettle of it. This was the fashion of their dishes. + +Also Old Man said to the people: "Now, if you are overcome, you may go and +sleep, and get power. Something will come to you in your dream, that will +help you. Whatever these animals tell you to do, you must obey them, as +they appear to you in your sleep. Be guided by them. If anybody wants help, +if you are alone and travelling, and cry aloud for help, your prayer will +be answered. It may be by the eagles, perhaps by the buffalo, or by the +bears. Whatever animal answers your prayer, you must listen to him." That +was how the first people got through the world, by the power of their +dreams. + +After this, Old Man kept on, travelling north. Many of the animals that he +had made followed him as he went. The animals understood him when he spoke +to them, and he used them as his servants. When he got to the north point +of the Porcupine Mountains, there he made some more mud images of people, +and blew breath upon them, and they became people. He made men and women. +They asked him, "What are we to eat?" He made many images of clay, in the +form of buffalo. Then he blew breath on these, and they stood up; and when +he made signs to them, they started to run. Then he said to the people, +"Those are your food." They said to him, "Well, now, we have those animals; +how are we to kill them?" "I will show you," he said. He took them to the +cliff, and made them build rock piles like this; and he made the people +hide behind these piles of rock, and said, "When I lead the buffalo this +way, as I bring them opposite to you, rise up." + +After he had told them how to act, he started on toward a herd of +buffalo. He began to call them, and the buffalo started to run toward him, +and they followed him until they were inside the lines. Then he dropped +back; and as the people rose up, the buffalo ran in a straight line and +jumped over the cliff. He told the people to go and take the flesh of those +animals. They tried to tear the limbs apart, but they could not. They tried +to bite pieces out, and could not. So Old Man went to the edge of the +cliff, and broke some pieces of stone with sharp edges, and told them to +cut the flesh with these. When they had taken the skins from these animals, +they set up some poles and put the hides on them, and so made a shelter to +sleep under. There were some of these buffalo that went over the cliff that +were not dead. Their legs were broken, but they were still alive. The +people cut strips of green hide, and tied stones in the middle, and made +large mauls, and broke in the skulls of the buffalo, and killed them. + +After he had taught those people these things, he started off again, +travelling north, until he came to where Bow and Elbow rivers meet. There +he made some more people, and taught them the same things. From here he +again went on northward. When he had come nearly to the Red Deer's River, +he reached the hill where the Old Man sleeps. There he lay down and rested +himself. The form of his body is to be seen there yet. + +When he awoke from his sleep, he travelled further northward and came to a +fine high hill. He climbed to the top of it, and there sat down to rest. He +looked over the country below him, and it pleased him. Before him the hill +was steep, and he said to himself, "Well, this is a fine place for sliding; +I will have some fun," and he began to slide down the hill. The marks where +he slid down are to be seen yet, and the place is known to all people as +the "Old Man's Sliding Ground." + +This is as far as the Blackfeet followed Old Man. The Crees know what he +did further north. + +In later times once, _Na'pi_ said, "Here I will mark you off a piece of +ground," and he did so.[1] Then he said: "There is your land, and it is +full of all kinds of animals, and many things grow in this land. Let no +other people come into it. This is for you five tribes (Blackfeet, Bloods, +Piegans, Gros Ventres, Sarcees). When people come to cross the line, take +your bows and arrows, your lances and your battle axes, and give them battle +and keep them out. If they gain a footing, trouble will come to you." + +[Footnote 1: The boundaries of this land are given as running east from a +point in the summit of the Rocky Mountains west of Fort Edmonton, taking in +the country to the east and south, including the Porcupine Hills, Cypress +Mountains, and Little Rocky Mountains, down to the mouth of the Yellowstone +on the Missouri; then west to the head of the Yellowstone, and across the +Rocky Mountains to the Beaverhead; thence to the summit of the Rocky +Mountains and north along them to the starting-point.] + +Our forefathers gave battle to all people who came to cross these lines, +and kept them out. Of late years we have let our friends, the white people, +come in, and you know the result. We, his children, have failed to obey his +laws. + + + +THE DOG AND THE STICK + + +This happened long ago. In those days the people were hungry. No buffalo +nor antelope were seen on the prairie. The deer and the elk trails were +covered with grass and leaves; not even a rabbit could be found in the +brush. Then the people prayed, saying: "Oh, Old Man, help us now, or we +shall die. The buffalo and deer are gone. Uselessly we kindle the morning +fires; useless are our arrows; our knives stick fast in the sheaths." + +Then Old Man started out to find the game, and he took with him a young +man, the son of a chief. For many days they travelled the prairies and ate +nothing but berries and roots. One day they climbed a high ridge, and when +they had reached the top, they saw, far off by a stream, a single lodge. + +"What kind of a person can it be," said the young man, "who camps there all +alone, far from friends?" + +"That," said Old Man, "is the one who has hidden all the buffalo and deer +from the people. He has a wife and a little son." + +Then they went close to the lodge, and Old Man changed himself into a +little dog, and he said, "That is I." Then the young man changed himself +into a root-digger,[1] and he said, "That is I." + +[Footnote 1: A carved and painted stick about three feet long, shaped like +a sacking needle, used by women to unearth roots.] + +Now the little boy, playing about, found the dog, and he carried it to his +father, saying, "Look! See what a pretty little dog I have found." "Throw +it away," said his father; "it is not a dog." And the little boy cried, but +his father made him carry the dog away. Then the boy found the root-digger; +and, again picking up the dog, he carried them both to the lodge, saying, +"Look, mother! see the pretty root-digger I have found!" + +"Throw them both away," said his father; "that is not a stick, that is not +a dog." + +"I want that stick," said the woman; "let our son have the little dog." + +"Very well," said her husband, "but remember, if trouble comes, you bring +it on yourself and on our son." Then he sent his wife and son off to pick +berries; and when they were out of sight, he went out and killed a buffalo +cow, and brought the meat into the lodge and covered it up, and the bones, +skin and offal he threw in the creek. When his wife returned, he gave her +some of the meat to roast; and while they were eating, the little boy fed +the dog three times, and when he gave it more, his father took the meat +away, saying, "That is not a dog, you shall not feed it more." + +In the night, when all were asleep, Old Man and the young man arose in +their right shapes, and ate of the meat. "You were right," said the young +man; "this is surely the person who has hidden the buffalo from us." +"Wait," said Old Man; and when they had finished eating, they changed +themselves back into the stick and the dog. + +In the morning the man sent his wife and son to dig roots, and the woman +took the stick with her. The dog followed the little boy. Now, as they +travelled along in search of roots, they came near a cave, and at its mouth +stood a buffalo cow. Then the dog ran into the cave, and the stick, +slipping from the woman's hand, followed, gliding along like a snake. In +this cave they found all the buffalo and other game, and they began to +drive them out; and soon the prairie was covered with buffalo and +deer. Never before were seen so many. + +Pretty soon the man came running up, and he said to his wife, "Who now +drives out my animals?" and she replied, "The dog and the stick are now in +there." "Did I not tell you," said he, "that those were not what they +looked like? See now the trouble you have brought upon us," and he put an +arrow on his bow and waited for them to come out. But they were cunning, +for when the last animal--a big bull--was about to go out, the stick +grasped him by the hair under his neck, and coiled up in it, and the dog +held on by the hair beneath, until they were far out on the prairie, when +they changed into their true shapes, and drove the buffalo toward camp. + +When the people saw the buffalo coming, they drove a big band of them to +the pis'kun; but just as the leaders were about to jump off, a raven came +and flapped its wings in front of them and croaked, and they turned off +another way. Every time a band of buffalo was driven near the pis'kun, this +raven frightened them away. Then Old Man knew that the raven was the one +who had kept the buffalo cached. + +So he went and changed himself into a beaver, and lay stretched out on the +bank of the river, as if dead; and the raven, which was very hungry, flew +down and began to pick at him. Then Old Man caught it by the legs and ran +with it to camp, and all the chiefs came together to decide what should be +done with it. Some said to kill it, but Old Man said, "No! I will punish +it," and he tied it over the lodge, right in the smoke hole. + +As the days went by, the raven grew poor and weak, and his eyes were +blurred with the thick smoke, and he cried continually to Old Man to pity +him. One day Old Man untied him, and told him to take his right shape, +saying: "Why have you tried to fool Old Man? Look at me! I cannot die. Look +at me! Of all peoples and tribes I am the chief. I cannot die. I made the +mountains. They are standing yet. I made the prairies and the rocks. You +see them yet. Go home, then, to your wife and your child, and when you are +hungry hunt like any one else, or you shall die." + + + +THE BEARS + + +Now Old Man was walking along, and far off he saw many wolves; and when he +came closer, he saw there the chief of the wolves, a very old one, and +sitting around him were all his children. + +Old Man said, "Pity me, Wolf Chief; make me into a wolf, that I may live +your way and catch deer and everything that runs fast." + +"Come near then," said the Wolf Chief, "that I may rub your body with my +hands, so that hair will cover you." + +"Hold," said Old Man; "do not cover my body with hair. On my head, arms, +and legs only, put hair." + +When the Chief Wolf had done so, he said to Old Man: "You shall have three +companions to help you, one is a very swift runner, another a good runner, +and the last is not very fast. Take them with you now, and others of my +younger children who are learning to hunt, but do not go where the wind +blows; keep in the shelter, or the young ones will freeze to death." Then +they went hunting, and Old Man led them on the high buttes, where it was +very cold. + +At night, they lay down to sleep, and Old Man nearly froze; and he said to +the wolves, "Cover me with your tails." So all the wolves lay down around +him, and covered his body with their tails, and he soon got warm and slept. +Before long he awoke and said angrily, "Take off those tails," and the +wolves moved away; but after a little time he again became cold, and cried +out, "Oh my young brothers, cover me with your tails or I shall freeze." +So they lay down by him again and covered his body with their tails. + +When it was daylight, they all rose and hunted. They saw some moose, and, +chasing them, killed three. Now, when they were about to eat, the Chief +Wolf came along with many of his children, and one wolf said, "Let us make +pemmican of those moose"; and every one was glad. Then said the one who +made pemmican, "No one must look, everybody shut his eyes, while I make the +pemmican"; but Old Man looked, and the pemmican-maker threw a round bone +and hit him on the nose, and it hurt. Then Old Man said, "Let me make the +pemmican." So all the wolves shut their eyes, and Old Man took the round +bone and killed the wolf who had hit him. Then the Chief Wolf was angry, +and he said, "Why did you kill your brother?" "I didn't mean to," replied +Old Man. "He looked and I threw the round bone at him, but I only meant to +hurt him a little." Then said the Chief Wolf: "You cannot live with us any +longer. Take one of your companions, and go off by yourselves and hunt." So +Old Man took the swift runner, and they went and lived by themselves a long +time; and they killed all the elk, and deer, and antelope, and moose they +wanted. + +One morning they awoke, and Old Man said: "Oh my young brother, I have had +a bad dream. Hereafter, when you chase anything, if it jumps a stream, you +must not follow it. Even a little spring you must not jump." And the wolf +promised not to jump over water. + +Now one day the wolf was chasing a moose, and it ran on to an island. The +stream about it was very small; so the wolf thought: "This is such a little +stream that I must jump it. That moose is very tired, and I don't think it +will leave the island." So he jumped on to the island, and as soon as he +entered the brush, a bear caught him, for the island was the home of the +Chief Bear and his two brothers. Old Man waited a long time for the wolf to +come back, and then went to look for him. He asked all the birds he met if +they had seen him, but they all said they had not. + +At last he saw a kingfisher, who was sitting on a limb overhanging the +water. "Why do you sit there, my young brother?" said Old Man. "Because," +replied the kingfisher, "the Chief Bear and his brothers have killed your +wolf; they have eaten the meat and thrown the fat into the river, and +whenever I see a piece come floating along, I fly down and get it." Then +said Old Man, "Do the Bear Chief and his brothers often come out? and where +do they live?" "They come out every morning to play," said the kingfisher; +"and they live upon that island." + +Old Man went up there and saw their tracks on the sand, where they had been +playing, and he turned himself into a rotten tree. By and by the bears came +out, and when they saw the tree, the Chief Bear said: "Look at that rotten +tree. It is Old Man. Go, brothers, and see if it is not." So the two +brothers went over to the tree, and clawed it; and they said, "No, brother, +it is only a tree." Then the Chief Bear went over and clawed and bit the +tree, and although it hurt Old Man, he never moved. Then the Bear Chief was +sure it was only a tree, and he began to play with his brothers. Now while +they were playing, and all were on their backs, Old Man leaned over and +shot an arrow into each one of them; and they cried out loudly and ran back +on the island. Then Old Man changed into himself, and walked down along the +river. Pretty soon he saw a frog jumping along, and every time it jumped it +would say, "_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu_!" And sometimes it would stop and sing:-- + +"_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu! Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!_ Chief Bear! Chief Bear! +_Nap'-i I-nit'-si-wah Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!"_ Old Man kill him Chief +Bear! "What do you say?" cried Old Man. The frog repeated what he had said. + +"Ah!" exclaimed Old Man, "tell me all about it." + +"The Chief Bear and his brothers," replied the frog, "were playing on the +sand, when Old Man shot arrows into them. They are not dead, but the arrows +are very near their hearts; if you should shove ever so little on them, the +points would cut their hearts. I am going after medicine now to cure them." + +Then Old Man killed the frog and skinned her, and put the hide on himself +and swam back to the island, and hopped up toward the bears, crying at +every step, "_Ni'-nah O-kyai'-yu!_" just as the frog had done. + +"Hurry," cried the Chief Bear. + +"Yes," replied Old Man, and he went up and shoved the arrow into his heart. + +"I cured him; he is asleep now," he cried, and he went up and shoved the +arrow into the biggest brother's heart. "I cured them; they are asleep +now"; and he went up and shoved the arrow into the other bear's heart. Then +he built a big fire and skinned the bears, and tried out the fat and poured +it into a hollow in the ground; and he called all the animals to come and +roll in it, that they might be fat. And all the animals came and rolled in +it. The bears came first and rolled in it, that is the reason they get so +fat. Last of all came the rabbits, and the grease was almost all gone; but +they filled their paws with it and rubbed it on their backs and between +their hind legs. That is the reason why rabbits have two such large layers +of fat on their backs, and that is what makes them so fat between the hind +legs. + +[NOTE.--The four preceding stories show the serious side of Old Man's +character. Those which follow represent him as malicious, foolish, and +impotent.] + + + +THE WONDERFUL BIRD + + +One day, as Old Man was walking about in the woods, he saw something very +queer. A bird was sitting on the limb of a tree making a strange noise, and +every time it made this noise, its eyes would go out of its head and fasten +on the tree; then it would make another kind of a noise, and its eyes would +come back to their places. + +"Little Brother," cried Old Man, "teach me how to do that." + +"If I show you how to do that," replied the bird, "you must not let your +eyes go out of your head more than three times a day. If you do, you will +be sorry." + +"Just as you say, Little Brother. The trick is yours, and I will listen to +you." + +When the bird had taught Old Man how to do it, he was very glad, and did it +three times right away. Then he stopped. "That bird has no sense," he +said. "Why did he tell me to do it only three times? I will do it again, +anyhow." So he made his eyes go out a fourth time; but now he could not +call them back. Then he called to the bird, "Oh Little Brother, come help +me get back my eyes." The little bird did not answer him. It had flown +away. Then Old Man felt all over the trees with his hands, but he could not +find his eyes; and he wandered about for a long time, crying and calling +the animals to help him. + +A wolf had much fun with him. The wolf had found a dead buffalo, and taking +a piece of the meat which smelled bad, he would hold it close to Old +Man. "I smell something dead," Old Man would say. "I wish I could find it; I +am nearly starved to death." And he would feel all around for it. Once, +when the wolf was doing this, Old Man caught him, and, plucking out one of +his eyes, he put it in his own head. Then he could see, and was able to +find his own eyes; but he could never again do the trick the little bird +had taught him. + + + +THE RACE + + +Once Old Man was travelling around, when he heard some very queer +singing. He had never heard anything like this before, and looked all +around to see who it was. At last he saw it was the cottontail rabbits, +singing and making medicine. They had built a fire, and got a lot of hot +ashes, and they would lie down in these ashes and sing while one covered +them up. They would stay there only a short time though, for the ashes were +very hot. + +"Little Brothers," said Old Man, "that is very wonderful, how you lie in +those hot ashes and coals without burning. I wish you would teach me how to +do it." + +"Come on, Old Man," said the rabbits, "we will show you how to do it. You +must sing our song, and only stay in the ashes a short time." So Old Man +began to sing, and he lay down, and they covered him with coals and ashes, +and they did not burn him at all. + +"That is very nice," he said. "You have powerful medicine. Now I want to +know it all, so you lie down and let me cover you up." + +So the rabbits all lay down in the ashes, and Old Man covered them up, and +then he put the whole fire over them. One old rabbit got out, and Old Man +was about to put her back when she said, "Pity me, my children are about to +be born." + +"All right," replied Old Man. "I will let you go, so there will be some +more rabbits; but I will roast these nicely and have a feast." And he put +more wood on the fire. When the rabbits were cooked, he cut some red willow +brush and laid them on it to cool. The grease soaked into these branches, +so, even to-day if you hold red willow over a fire, you will see the grease +on the bark. You can see, too, that ever since, the rabbits have a burnt +place on their backs, where the one that got away was singed. + +Old Man sat down, and was waiting for the rabbits to cool a little, when a +coyote came along, limping very badly. "Pity me, Old Man," he said, "you +have lots of cooked rabbits; give me one of them." + +"Go away," exclaimed Old Man. "If you are too lazy to catch your food, I +will not help you." + +"My leg is broken," said the coyote. "I can't catch anything, and I am +starving. Just give me half a rabbit." + +"I don't care if you die," replied Old Man. "I worked hard to cook all +these rabbits, and I will not give any away. But I will tell you what we +will do. We will run a race to that butte, way out there, and if you beat +me you can have a rabbit." + +"All right," said the coyote. So they started. Old Man ran very fast, and +the coyote limped along behind, but close to him, until they got near to +the butte. Then the coyote turned round and ran back very fast, for he was +not lame at all. It took Old Man a long time to go back, and just before he +got to the fire, the coyote swallowed the last rabbit, and trotted off over +the prairie. + + + +THE BAD WEAPONS + + +Once Old Man was fording a river, when the current carried him down stream, +and he lost his weapons. He was very hungry, so he took the first wood he +could find, and made a bow and arrows, and a handle for his knife and +spear. When he had finished them, he started up a mountain. Pretty soon he +saw a bear digging roots, and he thought he would have some fun, so he hid +behind a log and called out, "No-tail animal, what are you doing?" The +bear looked up, but, seeing no one, kept on digging. + +Then Old Man called out again, "Hi! you dirt-eater!" and then he dodged +back out of sight. Then the bear sat up again, and this time he saw Old Man +and ran after him. + +Old Man began shooting arrows at him, but the points only stuck in the +skin, for the shafts were rotten and snapped off. Then he threw his spear, +but that too was rotten, and broke. He tried to stab the bear, but his +knife handle was also rotten and broke, so he turned and ran; and the bear +pursued him. As he ran, he looked about for some weapon, but there was +none, not even a rock. He called out to the animals to help him, but none +came. His breath was almost gone, and the bear was very close to him, when +he saw a bull's horn lying on the ground. He picked it up, placed it on his +head, and, turning around, bellowed so loudly that the bear was scared and +ran away. + + + +THE ELK + + +Old Man was very hungry. He had been a long time without food, and was +thinking how he could get something to eat, when he saw a band of elk on a +ridge. So he went up to them and said, "Oh, my brothers, I am lonesome +because I have no one to follow me." + +"Go on, Old Man," said the elk, "we will follow you." Old Man led them +about a long time, and when it was dark, he came near a high-cut bank. He +ran around to one side where there was a slope, and he went down and then +stood right under the steep bluff, and called out, "Come on, that is a nice +jump, you will laugh." + +So the elk jumped off, all but one cow, and were killed. + +"Come on," said Old Man, "they have all jumped but you, it is nice." + +"Take pity on me," replied the cow. "My child is about to be born, and I am +very heavy. I am afraid to jump." + +"Go on, then," answered Old Man; "go and live; then there will be plenty of +elk again some day." + +Now Old Man built a fire and cooked some ribs, and then he skinned all the +elk, cut up the meat to dry, and hung the tongues up on a pole. + +Next day he went off, and did not come back until night, when he was very +hungry again. "I'll roast some ribs," he said, "and a tongue, and I'll +stuff a marrow gut and cook that. I guess that will be enough for +to-night." But when he got to the place, the meat was all gone. The wolves +had eaten it. "I was smart to hang up those tongues," he said, "or I would +not have had anything to eat." But the tongues were all hollow. The mice +had eaten the meat out, leaving only the skin. So Old Man starved again. + + + +OLD MAN DOCTORS + + +A pis'kun had been built, and many buffalo had been run in and killed. The +camp was full of meat. Great sheets of it hung in the lodges and on the +racks outside; and now the women, having cut up all the meat, were working +on the hides, preparing some for robes, and scraping the hair from others, +to make leather. + +About this time, Old Man came along. He had come from far and was very +tired, so he entered the first lodge he came to and sat down. Now this +lodge belonged to three old women. Their husbands had died or been killed +in war, and they had no relations to help them, so they were very +poor. After Old Man had rested a little, they set a dish of food before +him. It was dried bull meat, very tough, and some pieces of belly fat. + +"_Hai'-yah ho_!" cried Old Man, after he had tasted a piece. "You treat me +badly. A whole pis'kun of fat buffalo just killed; the camp red with meat, +and here these old women give me tough bull meat and belly fat to eat. +Hurry now! roast me some ribs and a piece of back fat." + +"Alas!" exclaimed one old woman. "We have no good food. All our helpers are +dead, and we take what others leave. Bulls and poor cows are all the people +leave us." + +"Ah!" said Old Man, "how poor! you are very poor. Take courage now. I will +help you. To-morrow they will run another band into the pis'kun. I will be +there. I will kill the fattest cow, and you can have it all." + +Then the old women were glad. They talked to one another, saying, "Very good +heart, Old Man. He helps the poor. Now we will live. We will have marrow +guts and liver. We will have paunch and fat kidneys." + +Old Man said nothing more. He ate the tough meat and belly fat, and rolled +up in his robe and went to sleep. + +Morning came. The people climbed the bluffs and went out on to the prairie, +where they hid behind the piles of rock and bushes, which reached far out +from the cliff in lines which were always further and further apart. After +a while, he who leads the buffalo was seen coming, bringing a large band +after him. Soon they were inside the lines. The people began to rise up +behind them, shouting and waving their robes. Now they reached the edge of +the bluff. The leaders tried to stop and turn, but those behind kept +pushing on, and nearly the whole band dashed down over the rocks, only a +few of the last ones turning aside and escaping. + +The lodges were now deserted. All the people were gone to the pis'kun to +kill the buffalo and butcher them. Where was Old Man? Did he take his bow +and arrows and go to the pis'kun to kill a fat cow for the poor old women? +No. He was sneaking around, lifting the door-ways of the lodges and +looking in. Bad person, Old Man. In the chiefs lodge he saw a little child, +a girl, asleep. Outside was a buffalo's gall, and taking a long stick he +dipped the end of it in the gall; and then, reaching carefully into the +lodge, he drew it across the lips of the child asleep. Then he threw the +stick away, and went in and sat down. Soon the girl awoke and began to +cry. The gall was very bitter and burned her lips. + +"Pity me, Old Man," she said. "Take this fearful thing from my lips." + +"I do not doctor unless I am paid," he replied. Then said the girl: "See +all my father's Weapons hanging there. His shield, war head-dress, scalps, +and knife. Cure me now, and I will give you some of them." + +"I have more of such things than I want," he replied. (What a liar! he had +none at all.) + +Again said the girl, "Pity me, help me now, and I will give you my father's +white buffalo robe." + +"I have plenty of white robes," replied Old Man. (Again he lied, for he +never had one.) + +"Old Man," again said the girl, "in this lodge lives a widow woman, my +father's relation. Remove this fearful thing from my lips, and I will have +my father give her to you." + +"Now you speak well," replied Old Man. "I am a little glad. I have many +wives" (he had none), "but I would just as soon have another one." + +So he went close to the child and pretended to doctor her, but instead of +that, he killed her and ran out. He went to the old women's lodge, and +wrapped a strip of cowskin about his head, and commenced to groan, as if he +was very sick. + +Now the people began to come from the pis'kun, carrying great loads of +meat. This dead girl's mother came, and when she saw her child lying dead, +and blood on the ground, she ran back crying out: "My daughter has been +killed! My daughter has been killed!" + +Then all the people began to shout out and run around, and the warriors and +young men looked in the lodges, and up and down the creek in the brush, but +they could find no one who might have killed the child. + +Then said the father of the dead girl: "Now, to-day, we will find out who +killed this child. Every man in this camp--every young man, every old +man--must come and jump across the creek; and if any one does not jump +across, if he falls in the water, that man is the one who did the +killing." All heard this, and they began to gather at the creek, one behind +another; and the women and children went to look on, for they wanted to see +the person who had killed the little child. Now they were ready. They were +about to jump, when some one cried out, "Old Man is not here." + +"True," said the chief, looking around, "Old Man is not here." And he sent +two young men to bring him. + +"Old Man!" they cried out, when they came to the lodge, "a child has been +killed. We have all got to jump to find out who did it. The chief has sent +for you. You will have to jump, too." + +"_Ki'-yo!_" exclaimed the old women. "Old Man is very sick. Go off, and let +him alone. He is so sick he could not kill meat for us to-day." + +"It can't be helped," the young men replied. "The chief says every one must +jump." + +So Old Man went out toward the creek very slowly, and very much scared. He +did not know what to do. As he was going along he saw a _ni'-po-muk-i_[1] +and he said: "Oh my little brother, pity me. Give me some of your power to +jump the creek, and here is my necklace. See how pretty it is. I will give +it to you." + +[Footnote 1: The chickadee.] + +So they traded; Old Man took some of the bird's power, and the bird took +Old Man's necklace and put it on. + +Now they jump. _Wo'-ka-hi!_ they jump way across and far on to the +ground. Now they jump; another! another! another! Now it comes Old Man's +turn. He runs, he jumps, he goes high, and strikes the ground far beyond +any other person's jump. Now comes the _ni'-po-muk-i. "Wo'-ka-hi!_" the men +shout. "_Ki'-yo!_" cry the women, "the bird has fallen in the creek." The +warriors are running to kill him. "Wait! Hold on!" cries the bird. "Let me +speak a few words. Every one knows I am a good jumper. I can jump further +than any one; but Old Man asked me for some of my power, and I gave it to +him, and he gave me this necklace. It is very heavy and pulled me +down. That is why I fell into the creek." + +Then the people began to shout and talk again, some saying to kill the +bird, and some not, when Old Man shouted out: "Wait, listen to me. What's +the use of quarrelling or killing anybody? Let us go back, and I will +doctor the child alive." + +Good words. The people were glad. So they went back, and got ready for the +doctoring. First, Old Man ordered a large fire built in the lodge where the +dead girl was lying. Two old men were placed at the back of the lodge, +facing each other. They had spears, which they held above their heads and +were to thrust back and forth at each other in time to the singing. Near +the door-way were placed two old women, facing each other. Each one held a +_puk'-sah-tchis,_[1]--a maul,--with which she was to beat time to the +singing. The other seats in the lodge were taken by people who were to +sing. Now Old Man hung a big roll of belly fat close over the fire, so that +the hot grease began to drip, and everything was ready, and the singing +began. This was Old Man's song:-- + +[Footnote 1: A round or oblong stone, to which a handle was bound by +rawhide thongs, used for breaking marrow bones, etc.] + +[Illustration:] + +Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, Ahk-sa'-k[=e]-wah, etc. I don't +care, I don't care, I don't care. + +And so they sung for a long time, the old men jabbing their spears at each +other, and the old women pretending to hit each other with their mauls. + +After a while they rested, and Old Man said: "Now I want every one to shut +their eyes. No one can look. I am going to begin the real doctoring." So +the people shut their eyes, and the singing began again. Then Old Man took +the dripping hot fat from the fire, gave it a mighty swing around the +circle in front of the people's faces, jumped out the door-way, and ran +off. Every one was burned. The two old men wounded each other with their +spears. The old women knocked each other on the head with their mauls. The +people cried and groaned, wiped their burned faces, and rushed out the +door; but Old Man was gone. They saw him no more. + + + +THE ROCK + + +Once Old Man was travelling, and becoming tired he sat down on a rock to +rest. After a while he started to go on, and because the sun was hot he +threw his robe over the rock, saying: "Here, I give you my robe, because +you are poor and have let me rest on you. Always keep it." + +He had not gone very far, when it began to rain, and meeting a coyote he +said: "Little brother, run back to that rock, and ask him to lend me his +robe. We will cover ourselves with it and keep dry." So the coyote ran back +to the rock, but returned without the robe. "Where is the robe?" asked Old +Man. "_Sai-yah!"_ replied the coyote. "The rock said you gave him the +robe, and he was going to keep it." + +Then Old Man was very angry, and went back to the rock and jerked the robe +off it, saying: "I only wanted to borrow this robe until the rain was over, +but now that you have acted so mean about it, I will keep it. You don't +need a robe anyhow. You have been out in the rain and snow all your life, +and it will not hurt you to live so always." + +With the coyote he went off into a coulee, and sat down. The rain was +falling, and they covered themselves with the robe and were very +comfortable. Pretty soon they heard a loud noise, and Old Man told the +coyote to go up on the hill and see what it was. Soon he came running back, +saying, "Run! run! the big rock is coming"; and they both ran away as fast +as they could. The coyote tried to crawl into a badger hole, but it was too +small for him and he stuck fast, and before he could get out, the rock +rolled over him and crushed his hind parts. Old Man was scared, and as he +ran he threw off his robe and what clothes he could, so that he might run +faster. The rock kept gaining on him all the time. + +Not far off was a band of buffalo bulls, and Old Man cried out to them, +saying, "Oh my brothers, help me, help me. Stop that rock." The bulls ran +and tried to stop it, but it crushed their heads. Some deer and antelope +tried to help Old Man, but they were killed, too. A lot of rattlesnakes +formed themselves into a lariat, and tried to catch it; but those at the +noose end were all cut to pieces. The rock was now close to Old Man, so +close that it began to hit his heels; and he was about to give up, when he +saw a flock of bull bats circling over his head. "Oh my little brothers," +he cried, "help me. I am almost dead." Then the bull bats flew down, one +after another, against the rock; and every time one of them hit it he +chipped off a piece, and at last one hit it fair in the middle and broke it +into two pieces. + +Then Old Man was very glad. He went to where there was a nest of bull bats, +and made the young ones' mouths very wide and pinched off their bills, to +make them pretty and queer looking. That is the reason they look so to-day. + + + +THE THEFT FROM THE SUN + + +Once Old Man was travelling around, when he came to the Sun's lodge, and +the Sun asked him to stay a while. Old Man was very glad to do so. + +One day the meat was all gone, and the Sun said, "_Kyi_! Old Man, what say +you if we go and kill some deer?" + +"You speak well," replied Old Man. "I like deer meat." + +The Sun took down a bag and pulled out a beautiful pair of leggings. They +were embroidered with porcupine quills and bright feathers. "These," said +the Sun, "are my hunting leggings. They are great medicine. All I have to +do is to put them on and walk around a patch of brush, when the leggings +set it on fire and drive the deer out so that I can shoot them." + +"_Hai-yah_!" exclaimed Old Man. "How wonderful!" He made up his mind he +would have those leggings, if he had to steal them. + +They went out to hunt, and the first patch of brush they came to, the Sun +set on fire with his hunting leggings. A lot of white-tail deer ran out, +and they each shot one. + +That night, when they went to bed, the Sun pulled off his leggings and +placed them to one side. Old Man saw where he put them, and in the middle +of the night, when every one was asleep, he stole them and went off. He +travelled a long time, until he had gone far and was very tired, and then, +making a pillow of the leggings, lay down and slept. In the morning, he +heard some one talking. The Sun was saying, "Old Man, why are my leggings +under your head?" He looked around, and saw he was in the Sun's lodge, and +thought he must have wandered around and got lost, and returned +there. Again the Sun spoke and said, "What are you doing with my leggings?" +"Oh," replied Old Man, "I couldn't find anything for a pillow, so I just +put these under my head." + +Night came again, and again Old Man stole the leggings and ran off. This +time he did not walk at all; he just kept running until pretty near +morning, and then lay down and slept. You see what a fool he was. He did +not know that the whole world is the Sun's lodge. He did not know that, no +matter how far he ran, he could not get out of the Sun's sight. When +morning came, he found himself still in the Sun's lodge. But this time the +Sun said: "Old Man, since you like my leggings so much, I will give them to +you. Keep them." Then Old Man was very glad and went away. + +One day his food was all gone, so he put on the medicine leggings and set +fire to a piece of brush. He was just going to kill some deer that were +running out, when he saw that the fire was getting close to him. He ran +away as fast as he could, but the fire gained on him and began to burn his +legs. His leggings were all on fire. He came to a river and jumped in, and +pulled off the leggings as soon as he could. They were burned to pieces. + +Perhaps the Sun did this to him because he tried to steal the leggings. + + + +THE FOX + + +One day Old Man went out hunting and took the fox with him. They hunted for +several days, but killed nothing. It was nice warm weather in the late +fall. After they had become very hungry, as they were going along one day, +Old Man went up over a ridge and on the other side he saw four big buffalo +bulls lying down; but there was no way by which they could get near +them. He dodged back out of sight and told the fox what he had seen, and +they thought for a long time, to see if there was no way by which these +bulls might be killed. + +At last Old Man said to the fox: "My little brother, I can think of only +one way to get these bulls. This is my plan, if you agree to it. I will +pluck all the fur off you except one tuft on the end of your tail. Then you +go over the hill and walk up and down in sight of the bulls, and you will +seem so funny to them that they will laugh themselves to death." + +The fox did not like to do this, but he could think of nothing better, so +he agreed to what Old Man proposed. Old Man plucked him perfectly bare, +except the end of his tail, and the fox went over the ridge and walked up +and down. When he had come close to the bulls, he played around and walked +on his hind legs and went through all sorts of antics. When the bulls first +saw him, they got up on their feet, and looked at him. They did not know +what to make of him. Then they began to laugh, and the more they looked at +him, the more they laughed, until at last one by one they fell down +exhausted and died. Then Old Man came over the hill, and went down to the +bulls, and began to butcher them. By this time it had grown a little +colder. + +"Ah, little brother," said Old Man to the fox, "you did splendidly. I do +not wonder that the bulls laughed themselves to death. I nearly died myself +as I watched you from the hill. You looked very funny." While he was saying +this, he was working away skinning off the hides and getting the meat ready +to carry to camp, all the time talking to the fox, who stood about, his +back humped up and his teeth chattering with the cold. Now a wind sprang up +from the north and a few snowflakes were flying in the air. It was growing +colder and colder. Old Man kept on talking, and every now and then he would +say something to the fox, who was sitting behind him perfectly still, with +his jaw shoved out and his teeth shining. + +At last Old Man had the bulls all skinned and the meat cut up, and as he +rose up he said: "It is getting pretty cold, isn't it? Well, we do not care +for the cold. We have got all our winter's meat, and we will have nothing +to do but feast and dance and sing until spring." The fox made no +answer. Then Old Man got angry, and called out: "Why don't you answer me? +Don't you hear me talking to you?" The fox said nothing. Then Old Man was +mad, and he said, "Can't you speak?" and stepped up to the fox and gave him +a push with his foot, and the fox fell over. He was dead, frozen stiff with +the cold. + + + +OLD MAN AND THE LYNX + + +Old Man was travelling round over the prairie, when he saw a lot of +prairie-dogs sitting in a circle. They had built a fire, and were sitting +around it. Old Man went toward them, and when he got near them, he began to +cry, and said, "Let me, too, sit by that fire." The prairie-dogs said: "All +right, Old Man. Don't cry. Come and sit by the fire." Old Man sat down, +and saw that the prairie-dogs were playing a game. They would put one of +their number in the fire and cover him up with the hot ashes; and then, +after he had been there a little while, he would say _sk, sk_, and they +would push the ashes off him, and pull him out. + +Old Man said, "Teach me how to do that"; and they told him what to do, and +put him in the fire, and covered him up with the ashes, and after a little +while he said _sk, sk_, like a prairie-dog, and they pulled him out +again. Then he did it to the prairie-dogs. At first he put them in one at a +time, but there were many of them, and pretty soon he got tired, and said, +"Come, I will put you all in at once." They said, "Very well, Old Man," and +all got in the ashes; but just as Old Man was about to cover them up, one +of them, a female heavy with young, said, "Do not cover me up; the heat may +hurt my children, which are about to be born." Old Man said: "Very well. If +you do not want to be covered up, you can sit over by the fire and watch +the rest." Then he covered up all the others. + +At length the prairie-dogs said _sk, sk_, but Old Man did not sweep the +ashes off and pull them out of the fire. He let them stay there and die. The +old she one ran off to a hole and, as she went down in it, said _sk, +sk_. Old Man chased her, but he got to the hole too late to catch her. So +he said: "Oh, well, you can go. There will be more prairie-dogs by and by." + +When the prairie-dogs were roasted, Old Man cut a lot of red willow brush +to lay them on, and then sat down and began to eat. He ate until he was +full, and then felt sleepy. He said to his nose: "I am going to sleep +now. Watch for me and wake me up in case anything comes near." Then Old Man +slept. Pretty soon his nose snored, and he woke up and said, "What is it?" +The nose said, "A raven is flying over there." Old Man said, "That is +nothing," and went to sleep again. Soon his nose snored again. Old Man +said, "What is it now?" The nose said, "There is a coyote over there, +coming this way." Old Man said, "A coyote is nothing," and again went to +sleep. Presently his nose snored again, but Old Man did not wake up. Again +it snored, and called out, "Wake up, a bob-cat is coming." Old Man paid no +attention. He slept on. + +The bob-cat crept up to where the fire was, and ate up all the roast +prairie-dogs, and then went off and lay down on a flat rock, and went to +sleep. All this time the nose kept trying to wake Old Man up, and at last +he awoke, and the nose said: "A bob-cat is over there on that flat rock. He +has eaten all your food." Then Old Man called out loud, he was so angry. He +went softly over to where the bob-cat lay, and seized it, before it could +wake up to bite or scratch him. The bob-cat cried out, "Hold on, let me +speak a word or two." But Old Man would not listen; he said, "I will teach +you to steal my food." He pulled off the lynx's tail, pounded his head +against the rock so as to make his face flat, pulled him out long, so as to +make him small-bellied, and then threw him away into the brush. As he went +sneaking off, Old Man said, "There, that is the way you bob-cats shall +always be." That is the reason the lynxes look so today. + +Old Man went back to the fire, and looked at the red willow sticks where +his food had been, and it made him mad at his nose. He said, "You fool, why +did you not wake me?" He took the willow sticks and thrust them in the +coals, and when they took fire, he burned his nose. This pained him +greatly, and he ran up on a hill and held his nose to the wind, and called +on it to blow hard and cool him. A hard wind came, and it blew him away +down to Birch Creek. As he was flying along, he caught at the weeds and +brush to try to stop himself, but nothing was strong enough to hold him. At +last he seized a birch tree. He held on to this, and it did not give +way. Although the wind whipped him about, this way and that, and tumbled +him up and down, the tree held him. He kept calling to the wind to blow +gently, and finally it listened to him and went down. + +So he said: "This is a beautiful tree. It has kept me from being blown away +and knocked all to pieces. I will ornament it and it shall always be like +that." So he gashed it across with his stone knife, as you see it to-day. + + + + + +THE STORY OF THE THREE TRIBES + + + + + +THE PAST AND THE PRESENT + + +Fifty years ago the name Blackfoot was one of terrible meaning to the white +traveller who passed across that desolate buffalo-trodden waste which lay +to the north of the Yellowstone River and east of the Rocky Mountains. This +was the Blackfoot land, the undisputed home of a people which is said to +have numbered in one of its tribes--the Pi-k[)u]n'-i--8000 lodges, or +40,000 persons. Besides these, there were the Blackfeet and the Bloods, +three tribes of one nation, speaking the same language, having the same +customs, and holding the same religious faith. + +But this land had not always been the home of the Blackfeet. Long ago, +before the coming of the white men, they had lived in another country far +to the north and east, about Lesser Slave Lake, ranging between Peace River +and the Saskatchewan, and having for their neighbors on the north the +Beaver Indians. Then the Blackfeet were a timber people. It is said that +about two hundred years ago the Chippeweyans from the east invaded this +country and drove them south and west. Whether or no this is true, it is +quite certain that not many generations back the Blackfeet lived on the +North Saskatchewan River and to the north of that stream.[1] Gradually +working their way westward, they at length reached the Rocky Mountains, +and, finding game abundant, remained there until they obtained horses, in +the very earliest years of the present century. When they secured horses and +guns, they took courage and began to venture out on to the plains and to go +to war. From this time on, the Blackfeet made constant war on their +neighbors to the south, and in a few years controlled the whole country +between the Saskatchewan on the north and the Yellowstone on the south. + +[Footnote 1: For a more extended account of this migration, see _American +Anthropologist_, April, 1892, p. 153.] + +It was, indeed, a glorious country which the Blackfeet had wrested from +their southern enemies. Here nature has reared great mountains and spread +out broad prairies. Along the western border of this region, the Rocky +Mountains lift their snow-clad peaks above the clouds. Here and there, from +north to south, and from east to west, lie minor ranges, black with pine +forests if seen near at hand, or in the distance mere gray silhouettes +against a sky of blue. Between these mountain ranges lies everywhere the +great prairie; a monotonous waste to the stranger's eye, but not without +its charm. It is brown and bare; for, except during a few short weeks in +spring, the sparse bunch-grass is sear and yellow, and the silver gray of +the wormwood lends an added dreariness to the landscape. Yet this seemingly +desert waste has a beauty of its own. At intervals it is marked with green +winding river valleys, and everywhere it is gashed with deep ravines, their +sides painted in strange colors of red and gray and brown, and their +perpendicular walls crowned with fantastic columns and figures of stone or +clay, carved out by the winds and the rains of ages. Here and there, rising +out of the plain, are curious sharp ridges, or square-topped buttes with +vertical sides, sometimes bare, and sometimes dotted with pines,--short, +sturdy trees, whose gnarled trunks and thick, knotted branches have been +twisted and wrung into curious forms by the winds which blow unceasingly, +hour after hour, day after day, and month after month, over mountain range +and prairie, through gorge and coulee. + +These prairies now seem bare of life, but it was not always so. Not very +long ago, they were trodden by multitudinous herds of buffalo and antelope; +then, along the wooded river valleys and on the pine-clad slopes of the +mountains, elk, deer, and wild sheep fed in great numbers. They are all +gone now. The winter's wind still whistles over Montana prairies, but +nature's shaggy-headed wild cattle no longer feel its biting blasts. Where +once the scorching breath of summer stirred only the short stems of the +buffalo-grass, it now billows the fields of the white man's +grain. Half-hidden by the scanty herbage, a few bleached skeletons alone +remain to tell us of the buffalo; and the broad, deep trails, over which +the dark herds passed by thousands, are now grass-grown and fast +disappearing under the effacing hand of time. The buffalo have disappeared, +and the fate of the buffalo has almost overtaken the Blackfeet. + +As known to the whites, the Blackfeet were true prairie Indians, seldom +venturing into the mountains, except when they crossed them to war with the +Kutenais, the Flatheads, or the Snakes. They subsisted almost wholly on the +flesh of the buffalo. They were hardy, untiring, brave, ferocious. Swift +to move, whether on foot or horseback, they made long journeys to war, and +with telling force struck their enemies. They had conquered and driven out +from the territory which they occupied the tribes who once inhabited it, +and maintained a desultory and successful warfare against all invaders, +fighting with the Crees on the north, the Assinaboines on the east, the +Crows on the south, and the Snakes, Kalispels, and Kutenais on the +southwest and west. In those days the Blackfeet were rich and powerful. +The buffalo fed and clothed them, and they needed nothing beyond what +nature supplied. This was their time of success and happiness. + +Crowded into a little corner of the great territory which they once +dominated, and holding this corner by an uncertain tenure, a few Blackfeet +still exist, the pitiful remnant of a once mighty people. Huddled together +about their agencies, they are facing the problem before them, striving, +helplessly but bravely, to accommodate themselves to the new order of +things; trying in the face of adverse surroundings to wrench themselves +loose from their accustomed ways of life; to give up inherited habits and +form new ones; to break away from all that is natural to them, from all +that they have been taught--to reverse their whole mode of existence. They +are striving to earn their living, as the white man earns his, by toil. The +struggle is hard and slow, and in carrying it on they are wasting away and +growing fewer in numbers. But though unused to labor, ignorant of +agriculture, unacquainted with tools or seeds or soils, knowing nothing of +the ways of life in permanent houses or of the laws of health, scantily +fed, often utterly discouraged by failure, they are still making a noble +fight for existence. + +Only within a few years--since the buffalo disappeared--has this change +been going on; so recently has it come that the old order and the new meet +face to face. In the trees along the river valleys, still quietly resting +on their aerial sepulchres, sleep the forms of the ancient hunter-warrior +who conquered and held this broad land; while, not far away, Blackfoot +farmers now rudely cultivate their little crops, and gather scanty harvests +from narrow fields. + +It is the meeting of the past and the present, of savagery and +civilization. The issue cannot be doubtful. Old methods must pass away. The +Blackfeet will become civilized, but at a terrible cost. To me there is an +interest, profound and pathetic, in watching the progress of the struggle. + + + +DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS + + +Indians are usually represented as being a silent, sullen race, seldom +speaking, and never laughing nor joking. However true this may be in regard +to some tribes, it certainly was not the case with most of those who lived +upon the great Plains. These people were generally talkative, merry, and +light-hearted; they delighted in fun, and were a race of jokers. It is true +that, in the presence of strangers, they were grave, silent, and reserved, +but this is nothing more than the shyness and embarrassment felt by a child +in the presence of strangers. As the Indian becomes acquainted, this +reserve wears off; he is at his ease again and appears in his true colors, +a light-hearted child. Certainly the Blackfeet never were a taciturn and +gloomy people. Before the disappearance of the buffalo, they were happy and +cheerful. Why should they not have been? Food and clothing were to be had +for the killing and tanning. All fur animals were abundant, and thus the +people were rich. Meat, really the only food they cared for, was plenty and +cost nothing. Their robes and furs were exchanged with the traders for +bright-colored blankets and finery. So they wanted nothing. + +It is but nine years since the buffalo disappeared from the land. Only nine +years have passed since these people gave up that wild, free life which was +natural to them, and ah! how dear! Let us go back in memory to those happy +days and see how they passed the time. + +The sun is just rising. Thin columns of smoke are creeping from the smoke +holes of the lodges, and ascending in the still morning air. Everywhere the +women are busy, carrying water and wood, and preparing the simple meal. +And now we see the men come out, and start for the river. Some are +followed by their children; some are even carrying those too small to +walk. They have reached the water's edge. Off drop their blankets, and with +a plunge and a shivering _ah-h-h_ they dash into the icy waters. Winter and +summer, storm or shine, this was their daily custom. They said it made them +tough and healthy, and enabled them to endure the bitter cold while hunting +on the bare bleak prairie. By the time they have returned to the lodges, +the women have prepared the early meal. A dish of boiled meat--some three +or four pounds--is set before each man; the children are served as much as +they can eat, and the wives take the rest. The horses are now seen coming +in, hundreds and thousands of them, driven by boys and young men who +started out after them at daylight. If buffalo are close at hand, and it +has been decided to make a run, each hunter catches his favorite buffalo +horse, and they all start out together; they are followed by women, on the +travois or pack horses, who will do most of the butchering, and transport +the meat and hides to camp. If there is no band of buffalo near by, they go +off, singly or by twos and threes, to still-hunt scattering buffalo, or +deer, or elk, or such other game as may be found. The women remaining in +camp are not idle. All day long they tan robes, dry meat, sew moccasins, +and perform a thousand and one other tasks. The young men who have stayed +at home carefully comb and braid their hair, paint their faces, and, if the +weather is pleasant, ride or walk around the camp so that the young women +may look at them and see how pretty they are. + +Feasting began early in the morning, and will be carried on far into the +night. A man who gives a feast has his wives cook the choicest food they +have, and when all is ready, he goes outside the lodge and shouts the +invitation, calling out each guest's name three times, saying that he is +invited to eat, and concludes by announcing that a certain number of +pipes--generally three--will be smoked. The guests having assembled, each +one is served with a dish of food. Be the quantity large or small, it is +all that he will get. If he does not eat it all, he may carry home what +remains. The host does not eat with his guests. He cuts up some tobacco, +and carefully mixes it with _l'herbe_, and when all have finished eating, +he fills and lights a pipe, which is smoked and passed from one to another, +beginning with the first man on his left. When the last person on the left +of the host has smoked, the pipe is passed back around the circle to the +one on the right of the door, and smoked to the left again. The guests do +not all talk at once. When a person begins to speak, he expects every one +to listen, and is never interrupted. During the day the topics for +conversation are about the hunting, war, stories of strange adventures, +besides a good deal of good-natured joking and chaffing. When the third and +last pipeful of tobacco has been smoked, the host ostentatiously knocks out +the ashes and says "_Kyi"_ whereupon all the guests rise and file out. +Seldom a day passed but each lodge-owner in camp gave from one to three +feasts. In fact almost all a man did, when in camp, was to go from one of +these gatherings to another. + +A favorite pastime in the day was gambling with a small wheel called +_it-se'-wah._ This wheel was about four inches in diameter, and had five +spokes, on which were strung different-colored beads, made of bone or +horn. A level, smooth piece of ground was selected, at each end of which +was placed a log. At each end of the course were two men, who gambled +against each other. A crowd always surrounded them, betting on the +sides. The wheel was rolled along the course, and each man at the end +whence it started, darted an arrow at it. The cast was made just before +the wheel reached the log at the opposite end of the track, and points were +counted according as the arrow passed between the spokes, or when the +wheel, stopped by the log, was in contact with the arrow, the position and +nearness of the different beads to the arrow representing a certain number +of points. The player who first scored ten points won. It was a very +difficult game, and one had to be very skilful to win. + +Another popular game was what with more southern tribes is called "hands"; +it is like "Button, button, who's got the button?" Two small, oblong bones +were used, one of which had a black ring around it. Those who participated +in this game, numbering from two to a dozen, were divided into two equal +parties, ranged on either side of the lodge. Wagers were made, each person +betting with the one directly opposite him. Then a man took the bones, and, +by skilfully moving his hands and changing the objects from one to the +other, sought to make it impossible for the person opposite him to decide +which hand held the marked one. Ten points were the game, counted by +sticks, and the side which first got the number took the stakes. A song +always accompanied this game, a weird, unearthly air,--if it can be so +called,--but when heard at a little distance, very pleasant and +soothing. At first a scarcely audible murmur, like the gentle soughing of +an evening breeze, it gradually increased in volume and reached a very high +pitch, sank quickly to a low bass sound, rose and fell, and gradually died +away, to be again repeated. The person concealing the bones swayed his +body, arms, and hands in time to the air, and went through all manner of +graceful and intricate movements for the purpose of confusing the +guesser. The stakes were sometimes very high, two or three horses or more, +and men have been known to lose everything they possessed, even to their +clothing. + +The children, at least the boys, played about and did as they pleased. Not +so with the girls. Their duties began at a very early age. They carried +wood and water for their mothers, sewed moccasins, and as soon as they were +strong enough, were taught to tan robes and furs, make lodges, travois, and +do all other woman's--and so menial--work. The boys played at mimic +warfare, hunted around in the brush with their bows and arrows, made mud +images of animals, and in summer spent about half their time in the +water. In winter, they spun tops on the ice, slid down hill on a +contrivance made of buffalo ribs, and hunted rabbits. + +Shortly after noon, the hunters began to return, bringing in deer, +antelope, buffalo, elk, occasionally bear, and, sometimes, beaver which +they had trapped. The camp began to be more lively. In all directions +persons could be heard shouting out invitations to feasts. Here a man was +lying back on his couch singing and drumming; there a group of young men +were holding a war dance; everywhere the people were eating, singing, +talking, and joking. As the light faded from the western sky and darkness +spread over the camp, the noise and laughter increased. In many lodges, the +people held social dances, the women, dressed in their best gowns, ranged +on one side, the men on the other; all sung, and three or four drummers +furnished an accompaniment; the music was lively if somewhat jerky. At +intervals the people rose and danced, the "step" being a bending of the +knees and swinging of the body, the women holding their arms and hands in +various graceful positions. + +With the night came the rehearsal of the wondrous doings of the gods. These +tales may not be told in the daytime. Old Man would not like that, and +would cause any one who narrated them while it was light to become +blind. All Indians are natural orators, but some far exceed others in their +powers of expression. Their attitudes, gestures, and signs are so +suggestive that they alone would enable one to understand the stories they +relate. I have seen these story-tellers so much in earnest, so entirely +carried away by the tale they were relating, that they fairly trembled with +excitement. They held their little audiences spell-bound. The women +dropped their half-sewn moccasin from their listless hands, and the men let +the pipe go out. These stories for the most part were about the ancient +gods and their miraculous doings. They were generally related by the old +men, warriors who had seen their best days. Many of them are recorded in +this book. They are the explanations of the phenomena of life, and contain +many a moral for the instruction of youth. + +The _I-k[)u]n-[)u]h'-kah-tsi_ contributed not a little to the entertainment +of every-day life. Frequent dances were held by the different bands of the +society, and the whole camp always turned out to see them. The animal-head +masks, brightly painted bodies, and queer performances were dear to the +Indian heart. + +Such was the every-day life of the Blackfeet in the buffalo days. When the +camp moved, the women packed up their possessions, tore down the lodges, +and loaded everything on the backs of the ponies or on the +travois. Meantime the chiefs had started on, and the soldiers--the Brave +band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_--followed after them. After these leaders +had gone a short distance, a halt was made to allow the column to close +up. The women, children, horses, and dogs of the camp marched in a +disorderly, straggling fashion, often strung out in a line a mile or two +long. Many of the men rode at a considerable distance ahead, and on each +side of the marching column, hunting for any game that might be found, or +looking over the country for signs of enemies. + +Before the Blackfeet obtained horses in the very first years of the present +century, and when their only beasts of burden were dogs, their possessions +were transported by these animals or on men's backs. We may imagine that +in those days the journeys made were short ones, the camp travelling but a +few miles. + +In moving the camp in ancient days, the heaviest and bulkiest things to be +transported were the lodges. These were sometimes very large, often +consisting of thirty cow-skins, and, when set up, containing two or three +fires like this [Illustration:] or in ground plan like this +[Illustration:]. The skins of these large lodges were sewn together in +strips, of which there would be sometimes as many as four; and, when the +lodge was set up, these strips were pinned together as the front of a +common lodge is pinned to-day. The dogs carried the provisions, tools, and +utensils, sometimes the lodge strips, if these were small enough, or +anything that was heavy, and yet could be packed in small compass; for +since dogs are small animals, and low standing, they cannot carry bulky +burdens. Still, some of the dogs were large enough to carry a load of one +hundred pounds. Dogs also hauled the travois, on which were bundles and +sometimes babies. This was not always a safe means of transportation for +infants, as is indicated by an incident related by John Monroe's mother as +having occurred in her father's time. The camp, on foot of course, was +crossing a strip of open prairie lying between two pieces of timber, when a +herd of buffalo, stampeding, rushed through the marching column. The +loaded dogs rushed after the buffalo, dragging the travois after them and +scattering their loads over the prairie. Among the lost chattels were two +babies, dropped off somewhere in the long grass, which were never found. + +There were certain special customs and beliefs which were a part of the +every-day life of the people. + +In passing the pipe when smoking, it goes from the host, who takes the +first smoke, to the left, passing from hand to hand to the door. It may not +be passed across the door to the man on the other side, but must come +back,--no one smoking,--pass the host, and go round to the man across the +door from the last smoker. This man smokes and passes it to the one on his +left, and so it goes on until it reaches the host again. A person entering +a lodge where people are smoking must not pass in front of them, that is, +between the smokers and the fire. + +A solemn form of affirmation, the equivalent of the civilized oath, is +connected with smoking, which, as is well known, is with many tribes of +Indians a sacred ceremony. If a man sitting in a lodge tells his companions +some very improbable story, something that they find it very hard to +believe, and they want to test him, to see if he is really telling the +truth, the pipe is given to a medicine man, who paints the stem red and +prays over it, asking that if the man's story is true he may have long +life, but if it is false his life may end in a short time. The pipe is then +filled and lighted, and passed to the man, who has seen and overheard what +has been done and said. The medicine man says to him: "Accept this pipe, +but remember that, if you smoke, your story must be as sure as that there +is a hole through this pipe, and as straight as the hole through this +stem. So your life shall be long and you shall survive, but if you have +spoken falsely your days are counted." The man may refuse the pipe, saying, +"I have told you the truth; it is useless to smoke this pipe." If he +declines to smoke, no one believes what he has said; he is looked upon as +having lied. If, however, he takes the pipe and smokes, every one believes +him. It is the most solemn form of oath. The Blackfoot pipes are usually +made of black or green slate or sandstone. + +The Blackfeet do not whip their children, but still they are not without +some training. Children must be taught, or they will not know anything; if +they do not know anything, they will have no sense; and if they have no +sense they will not know how to act. They are instructed in manners, as +well as in other more general and more important matters. + +If a number of boys were in a lodge where older people were sitting, very +likely the young people would be talking and laughing about their own +concerns, and making so much noise that the elders could say nothing. If +this continued too long, one of the older men would be likely to get up and +go out and get a long stick and bring it in with him. When he had seated +himself, he would hold it up, so that the children could see it and would +repeat a cautionary formula, "I will give you gum!" This was a warning to +them to make less noise, and was always heeded--for a time. After a little, +however, the boys might forget and begin to chatter again, and presently +the man, without further warning, would reach over and rap one of them on +the head with the stick, when quiet would again be had for a time. + +In the same way, in winter, when the lodge was full of old and young +people, and through lack of attention the fire died down, some older person +would call out, "Look out for the skunk!" which would be a warning to the +boys to put some sticks on the fire. If this was not done at once, the man +who had called out might throw a stick of wood across the lodge into the +group of children, hitting and hurting one or more of them. It was taught +also that, if, when young and old were in the lodge and the fire had burned +low, an older person were to lay the unburned ends of the sticks upon the +fire, all the children in the lodge would have the scab, or itch. So, at +the call "Look out for the scab!" some child would always jump to the fire, +and lay up the sticks. + +There were various ways of teaching and training the children. Men would +make long speeches to groups of boys, playing in the camps, telling them +what they ought to do to be successful in life. They would point out to +them that to accomplish anything they must be brave and untiring in war; +that long life was not desirable; that the old people always had a hard +time, were given the worst side of the lodge and generally neglected; that +when the camp was moved they suffered from cold; that their sight was dim, +so that they could not see far; that their teeth were gone, so that they +could not chew their food. Only discomfort and misery await the old. Much +better, while the body is strong and in its prime, while the sight is +clear, the teeth sound, and the hair still black and long, to die in battle +fighting bravely. The example of successful warriors would be held up to +them, and the boys urged to emulate their brave deeds. To such advice some +boys would listen, while others would not heed it. + +The girls also were instructed. All Indians like to see women more or less +sober and serious-minded, not giggling all the time, not silly. A Blackfoot +man who had two or three girls would, as they grew large, often talk to +them and give them good advice. After watching them, and taking the measure +of their characters, he would one day get a buffalo's front foot and +ornament it fantastically with feathers. When the time came, he would call +one of his daughters to him and say to her: "Now I wish you to stand here +in front of me and look me straight in the eye without laughing. No matter +what I may do, do not laugh." Then he would sing a funny song, shaking the +foot in the girl's face in time to the song, and looking her steadily in +the eye. Very likely before he had finished, she would begin to giggle. If +she did this, the father would stop singing and tell her to finish +laughing; and when she was serious again, he would again warn her not to +laugh, and then would repeat his song. This time perhaps she would not +laugh while he was singing. He would go through with this same performance +before all his daughters. To such as seemed to have the steadiest +characters, he would give good advice. He would talk to each girl of the +duties of a woman's life and warn her against the dangers which she might +expect to meet. + +At the time of the Medicine Lodge, he would take her to the lodge and point +out to her the Medicine Lodge woman. He would say: "There is a good +woman. She has built this Medicine Lodge, and is greatly honored and +respected by all the people. Once she was a girl just like you; and you, if +you are good and live a pure life, may some day be as great as she is +now. Remember this, and try to live a worthy life." + +At the time of the Medicine Lodge, the boys in the camp also gathered to +see the young men count their _coups_. A man would get up, holding in one +hand a bundle of small sticks, and, taking one stick from the bundle, he +would recount some brave deed, throwing away a stick as he completed the +narrative of each _coup_, until the sticks were all gone, when he sat down, +and another man stood up to begin his recital. As the boys saw and heard +all this, and saw how respected those men were who had done the most and +bravest things, they said to themselves, "That man was once a boy like us, +and we, if we have strong hearts, may do as much as he has done." So even +the very small boys used often to steal off from the camp, and follow war +parties. Often they went without the knowledge of their parents, and poorly +provided, without food or extra moccasins. They would get to the enemy's +camp, watch the ways of the young men, and so learn about going to war, how +to act when on the war trail so as to be successful. Also they came to know +the country. + +The Blackfeet men often went off by themselves to fast and dream for +power. By no means every one did this, and, of those who attempted it, only +a few endured to the end,--that is, fasted the whole four days,--and +obtained the help sought. The attempt was not usually made by young boys +before they had gone on their first war journey. It was often undertaken by +men who were quite mature. Those who underwent this suffering were obliged +to abstain from food or drink for four days and four nights, resting for +two nights on the right side, and for two nights on the left. It was deemed +essential that the place to which a man resorted for this purpose should be +unfrequented, where few or no persons had walked; and it must also be a +place that tried the nerve, where there was some danger. Such situations +were mountain peaks; or narrow ledges on cut cliffs, where a careless +movement might cause a man to fall to his death on the rocks below; or +islands in lakes, which could only be reached by means of a raft, and where +there was danger that a person might be seized and carried off by the +_S[=u]'-y[=e] t[)u]p'-pi_, or Under Water People; or places where the dead +had been buried, and where there was much danger from ghosts. Or a man +might lie in a well-worn buffalo trail, where the animals were frequently +passing, and so he might be trodden on by a travelling band of buffalo; or +he might choose a locality where bears were abundant and dangerous. +Wherever he went, the man built himself a little lodge of brush, moss, and +leaves, to keep off the rain; and, after making his prayers to the sun and +singing his sacred songs, he crept into the hut and began his fast. He was +not allowed to take any covering with him, nor to roof over his shelter +with skins. He always had with him a pipe, and this lay by him, filled, so +that, when the spirit, or dream, came, it could smoke. They did not appeal +to any special class of helpers, but prayed to all alike. Often by the end +of the fourth day, a secret helper--usually, but by no means always, in the +form of some animal--appeared to the man in a dream, and talked with him, +advising him, marking out his course through life, and giving him its +power. There were some, however, on whom the power would not work, and a +much greater number who gave up the fast, discouraged, before the +prescribed time had been completed, either not being able to endure the +lack of food and water, or being frightened by the strangeness or +loneliness of their surroundings, or by something that they thought they +saw or heard. It was no disgrace to fail, nor was the failure necessarily +known, for the seeker after power did not always, nor perhaps often, tell +any one what he was going to do. + +Three modes of burial were practised by the Blackfeet. They buried their +dead on platforms placed in trees, on platforms in lodges, and on the +ground in lodges. If a man dies in a lodge, it is never used again. The +people would be afraid of the man's ghost. The lodge is often used to wrap +the body in, or perhaps the man may be buried in it. + +As soon as a person is dead, be it man, woman, or child, the body is +immediately prepared for burial, by the nearest female relations. Until +recently, the corpse was wrapped in a number of robes, then in a lodge +covering, laced with rawhide ropes, and placed on a platform of lodge +poles, arranged on the branches of some convenient tree. Some times the +outer wrapping--the lodge covering--was omitted. If the deceased was a man, +his weapons, and often his medicine, were buried with him. With women a few +cooking utensils and implements for tanning robes were placed on the +scaffolds. When a man was buried on a platform in a lodge, the platform was +usually suspended from the lodge poles. + +Sometimes, when a great chief or noted warrior died, his lodge would be +moved some little distance from the camp, and set up in a patch of +brush. It would be carefully pegged down all around, and stones piled on +the edges to make it additionally firm. For still greater security, a rope +fastened to the lodge poles, where they come together at the smoke hole, +came down, and was securely tied to a peg in the ground in the centre of +the lodge, where the fireplace would ordinarily be. Then the beds were made +up all around the lodge, and on one of them was placed the corpse, lying as +if asleep. The man's weapons, pipe, war clothing, and medicine were placed +near him, and the door then closed. No one ever again entered such a +lodge. Outside the lodge, a number of his horses, often twenty or more, +were killed, so that he might have plenty to ride on his journey to the Sand +Hills, and to use after arriving there. If a man had a favorite horse, he +might order it to be killed at his grave, and his order was always carried +out. In ancient times, it is said, dogs were killed at the grave. + +Women mourn for deceased relations by cutting their hair short. For the +loss of a husband or son (but not a daughter), they not only cut their +hair, but often take off one or more joints of their fingers, and always +scarify the calves of their legs. Besides this, for a month or so, they +daily repair to some place near camp, generally a hill or little rise of +ground, and there cry and lament, calling the name of the deceased over and +over again. This may be called a chant or song, for there is a certain tune +to it. It is in a minor key and very doleful. Any one hearing it for the +first time, even though wholly unacquainted with Indian customs, would at +once know that it was a mourning song, or at least was the utterance of one +in deep distress. There is no fixed period for the length of time one must +mourn. Some keep up this daily lament for a few weeks only, and others much +longer. I once came across an old wrinkled woman, who was crouched in the +sage brush, crying and lamenting for some one, as if her heart would +break. On inquiring if any one had lately died, I was told she was mourning +for a son she had lost more than twenty years before. + +Men mourn by cutting a little of their hair, going without leggings, and +for the loss of a son, sometimes scarify their legs. This last, however, is +never done for the loss of a wife, daughter, or any relative except a son. + +Many Blackfeet change their names every season. Whenever a Blackfoot counts +a new _coup_, he is entitled to a new name. A Blackfoot will never tell his +name if he can avoid it. He believes that if he should speak his name, he +would be unfortunate in all his undertakings. It was considered a gross +breach of propriety for a man to meet his mother-in-law, and if by any +mischance he did so, or what was worse, if he spoke to her, she demanded a +very heavy payment, which he was obliged to make. The mother-in-law was +equally anxious to avoid meeting or speaking to her son-in-law. + + + +HOW THE BLACKFOOT LIVED + + +The primitive clothing of the Blackfeet was made of the dressed skins of +certain animals. Women seldom wore a head covering. Men, however, in winter +generally used a cap made of the skin of some small animal, such as the +antelope, wolf, badger, or coyote. As the skin from the head of these +animals often formed part of the cap, the ears being left on, it made a +very odd-looking head-dress. Sometimes a cap was made of the skin of some +large bird, such as the sage-hen, duck, owl, or swan. + +The ancient dress of the women was a shirt of cowskin, with long sleeves +tied at the wrist, a skirt reaching half-way from knees to ankles, and +leggings tied above the knees, with sometimes a supporting string running +from the belt to the leggings. In more modern times, this was modified, and +a woman's dress consisted of a gown or smock, reaching from the neck to +below the knees. There were no sleeves, the armholes being provided with +top coverings, a sort of cape or flap, which reached to the +elbows. Leggings were of course still worn. They reached to the knee, and +were generally made, as was the gown, of the tanned skins of elk, deer, +sheep, or antelope. Moccasins for winter use were made of buffalo robe, and +of tanned buffalo cowskin for summer wear. The latter were always made with +parfleche soles, which greatly increased their durability, and were often +ornamented over the instep or toes with a three-pronged figure, worked in +porcupine quills or beads, the three prongs representing, it is said, the +three divisions or tribes of the nation. The men wore a shirt, breech-clout, +leggings which reached to the thighs, and moccasins. In winter both men and +women wore a robe of tanned buffalo skin, and sometimes of beaver. In +summer a lighter robe was worn, made of cowskin or buckskin, from which the +hair had been removed. Both sexes wore belts, which supported and confined +the clothing, and to which were attached knife-sheaths and other useful +articles. + +Necklaces and ear-rings were worn by all, and were made of shells, bone, +wood, and the teeth and claws of animals. Elk tushes were highly prized, +and were used for ornamenting women's dresses. A gown profusely decorated +with them was worth two good horses. Eagle feathers were used by the men to +make head-dresses and to ornament shields and also weapons. Small bunches +of owl or grouse feathers were sometimes tied to the scalp locks. It is +doubtful if the women ever took particular care of their hair. The men, +however, spent a great deal of time brushing, braiding, and ornamenting +their scalp locks. Their hair was usually worn in two braids, one on each +side of the head. Less frequently, four braids were made, one behind and in +front of each ear. Sometimes, the hair of the forehead was cut off square, +and brushed straight up; and not infrequently it was made into a huge +topknot and wound with otter fur. Often a slender lock, wound with brass +wire or braided, hung down from one side of the forehead over the face. + +As a rule, the men are tall, straight, and well formed. Their features are +regular, the eyes being large and well set, and the nose generally +moderately large, straight, and thin. Their chests are splendidly +developed. The women are quite tall for their sex, but, as a rule, not so +good-looking as the men. Their hands are large, coarse, and knotted by hard +labor; and they early become wrinkled and careworn. They generally have +splendid constitutions. I have known them to resume work a day after +childbirth; and once, when travelling, I knew a woman to halt, give birth to +a child, and catch up with the camp inside of four hours. + +As a rule, children are hardy and vigorous. They are allowed to do about as +they please from the time they are able to walk. I have often seen them +playing in winter in the snow, and spinning tops on the ice, barefooted and +half-naked. Under such conditions, those which have feeble constitutions +soon die. Only the hardiest reach maturity and old age. + +It is said that very long ago the people made houses of mud, sticks, and +stones. It is not known what was their size or shape, and no traces of them +are known to have been found. For a very long time, the lodge seems to have +been their only dwelling. In ancient times, before they had knives of +metal, stones were used to hold down the edges of the lodge, to keep it +from being blown away. These varied in size from six inches to a foot or +more in diameter. Everywhere on the prairie, one may now see circles of +these stones, and, within these circles, the smaller ones, which surrounded +the fireplace. Some of them have lain so long that only the tops now +project above the turf, and undoubtedly many of them are buried out of +sight. + +Lodges were always made of tanned cowskin, nicely cut and sewn together, so +as to form an almost perfect cone. At the top were two large flaps, called +ears, which were kept extended or closed, according to the direction and +strength of the wind, to create a draft and keep the lodge free from +smoke. The lodge covering was supported by light, straight pine or spruce +poles, about eighteen of which were required. Twelve cowskins made a lodge +about fourteen feet in diameter at the base, and ten feet high. I have +heard of a modern one which contained forty skins. It was over thirty feet +in diameter, and was so heavy that the skins were sewn in two pieces which +buttoned together. + +An average-sized dwelling of this kind contained eighteen skins and was +about sixteen feet in diameter. The lower edge of the lodge proper was +fastened, by wooden pegs, to within an inch or two of the ground. Inside, a +lining, made of brightly painted cowskin, reached from the ground to a +height of five or six feet. An air space of the thickness of the lodge +poles--two or three inches--was thus left between the lining and the lodge +covering, and the cold air, rushing up through it from the outside, made a +draft, which aided the ears in freeing the lodge of smoke. The door was +three or four feet high and was covered by a flap of skin, which hung down +on the outside. Thus made, with plenty of buffalo robes for seats and +bedding, and a good stock of firewood, a lodge was very comfortable, even +in the coldest weather. + +It was not uncommon to decorate the outside of the lodge with buffalo tails +and brightly painted pictures of animals. Inside, the space around was +partitioned off into couches, or seats, each about six feet in length. At +the foot and head of every couch, a mat, made of straight, peeled willow +twigs, fastened side by side, was suspended on a tripod at an angle of +forty-five degrees, so that between the couches spaces were left like an +inverted V, making convenient places to store articles which were not in +use. The owner of the lodge always occupied the seat or couch at the back +of the lodge, directly opposite the door-way, the places on his right being +occupied by his wives and daughters; though sometimes a Blackfoot had so +many wives that they occupied the whole lodge. The places on his left were +reserved for his sons and visitors. When a visitor entered a lodge, he was +assigned a seat according to his rank,--the nearer to the host, the greater +the honor. + +Bows were generally made of ash wood, which grows east of the mountains +toward the Sand Hills. When for any reason they could not obtain ash, they +used the wood of the choke-cherry tree, but this had not strength nor +spring enough to be of much service. I have been told also that sometimes +they used hazle wood for bows. + +Arrows were made of shoots of the sarvis berry wood, which was straight, +very heavy, and not brittle. They were smoothed and straightened by a stone +implement. The grooves were made by pushing the shafts through a rib or +other flat bone in which had been made a hole, circular except for one or +two projections on the inside. These projections worked out the groove. The +object of these grooves is said to have been to allow the blood to flow +freely. Each man marked his arrows by painting them, or by some special +combination of colored feathers. The arrow heads were of two kinds,--barbed +slender points for war, and barbless for hunting. Knives were originally +made of stone, as were also war clubs, mauls, and some of the scrapers for +fleshing and graining hides. Some of the flint knives were long, others +short. A stick was fitted to them, forming a wooden handle. The handles of +mauls and war clubs were usually made of green sticks fitted as closely as +possible into a groove made in the stone, the whole being bound together by +a covering of hide put on green, tightly fitted and strongly sewed. This, +as it shrunk in drying, bound the different parts of the implement together +in the strongest possible manner. Short, heavy spears were used, the points +being of stone or bone, barbed. + +I have heard no explanation among the Blackfeet of the origin of fire. In +ancient times, it was obtained by means of fire sticks, as described +elsewhere. The starting of the spark with these sticks is said to have been +hard work. At almost their first meeting with the whites, they obtained +flints and steels, and learned how to use them. + +In ancient times,--in the days of fire sticks and even later, within the +memory of men now living,--fire used to be carried from place to place in a +"fire horn." This was a buffalo horn slung by a string over the shoulder +like a powderhorn. The horn was lined with moist, rotten wood, and the open +end had a wooden stopper or plug fitted to it. On leaving camp in the +morning, the man who carried the horn took from the fire a small live coal +and put it in the horn, and on this coal placed a piece of punk, and then +plugged up the horn with the stopper. The punk smouldered in this almost +air-tight chamber, and, in the course of two or three hours, the man looked +at it, and if it was nearly consumed, put another piece of punk in the +horn. The first young men who reached the appointed camping ground would +gather two or three large piles of wood in different places, and as soon as +some one who carried a fire horn reached camp, he turned out his spark at +one of these piles of wood, and a little blowing and nursing gave a blaze +which started the fire. The other fires were kindled from this first one, +and when the women reached camp and had put the lodges up, they went to +these fires, and got coals with which to start those in their lodges. This +custom of borrowing coals persisted up to the last days of the buffalo, and +indeed may even be noticed still. + +The punk here mentioned is a fungus, which grows on the birch tree. The +Indians used to gather this in large quantities and dry it. It was very +abundant at the Touchwood Hills (whence the name) on Beaver Creek, a +tributary of the Saskatchewan from the south. + +The Blackfeet made buckets, cups, basins, and dishes from the lining of the +buffalo's paunch. This was torn off in large pieces, and was stretched over +a flattened willow or cherry hoop at the bottom and top. These hoops were +sometimes inside and sometimes outside the bucket or dish. In the latter +case, the hoop at the bottom was often sewed to the paunch, which came down +over it, double on the outside, the needle holes being pitched with gum or +tallow. The hoop at the upper edge was also sewed to the paunch, and a +rawhide bail passed under it, to carry it by. These buckets were shaped +somewhat like our wooden ones, and were of different sizes, some of them +holding four or five gallons. They were more or less flexible, and when +carried in a pack, they could be flattened down like a crush hat, and so +took up but little room. If set on the ground when full, they would stand +up for a while, but as they soon softened and fell down, they were usually +hung up by the bail on a little tripod. Cups were made in the same way as +buckets, but on a smaller scale and without the bail. Of course, nothing +hot could be placed in these vessels. + +It is doubtful if the Blackfeet ever made any pottery or basket ware. They, +however, made bowls and kettles of stone. There is an ancient children's +song which consists of a series of questions asked an elk, and its replies +to the same. In one place, the questioner sings, "Elk, what is your bowl +(or dish)?" and the elk answers, "_Ok-wi-tok-so-ka_," stone bowl. On this +point, Wolf Calf, a very old man, states that in early days the Blackfeet +sometimes boiled their meat in a stone bowl made out of a hard clayey +rock.[1] Choosing a fragment of the right size and shape, they would pound +it with another heavier rock, dealing light blows until a hollow had been +made in the top. This hollow was made deeper by pounding and grinding; and +when it was deep enough, they put water in it, and set it on the fire, and +the water would boil. These pots were strong and would last a long time. I +do not remember that any other tribe of Plains Indians made such stone +bowls or mortars, though, of course, they were commonly made, and in +singular perfection, by the Pacific Coast tribes; and I have known of rare +cases in which basalt mortars and small soapstone ollas have been found on +the central plateau of the continent in southern Wyoming. These articles, +however, had no doubt been obtained by trade from Western tribes. + +[Footnote 1: See The Blackfoot Genesis, p. 141.] + +Serviceable ladles and spoons were made of wood and of buffalo and mountain +sheep horn. Basins or flat dishes were sometimes made of mountain sheep +horn, boiled, split, and flattened, and also of split buffalo horn, fitted +and sewn together with sinew, making a flaring, saucer-shaped dish. These +were used as plates or eating dishes. Of course, they leaked a little, for +the joints were not tight. Wooden bowls and dishes were made from knots and +protuberances of trees, dug out and smoothed by fire and the knife or by +the latter alone. + +It is not known that these people ever made spears, hooks, or other +implements for capturing fish. They appear never to have used boats of any +kind, not even "bull boats." Their highest idea of navigation was to lash +together a few sticks or logs, on which to transport their possessions +across a river. + +Red, brown, yellow, and white paints were made by burning clays of these +colors, which were then pulverized and mixed with a little grease. Black +paint was made of charred wood. + +Bags and sacks were made of parfleche, usually ornamented with buckskin +fringe, and painted with various designs in bright colors. Figures having +sharp angles are most common. + +The diet of the Blackfeet was more varied than one would think. Large +quantities of sarvis berries (_Amelanchier alnifolia_) were gathered +whenever there was a crop (which occurs every other year), dried, and +stored for future use. These were gathered by women, who collected the +branches laden with ripe fruit, and beat them over a robe spread upon the +ground. Choke-cherries were also gathered when ripe, and pounded up, stones +and all. A bushel of the fruit, after being pounded up and dried, was +reduced to a very small quantity. This food was sometimes eaten by itself, +but more often was used to flavor soups and to mix with pemmican. Bull +berries (_Shepherdia argentea_) were a favorite fruit, and were gathered in +large quantities, as was also the white berry of the red willow. This last +is an exceedingly bitter, acrid fruit, and to the taste of most white men +wholly unpleasant and repugnant. The Blackfeet, however, are very fond of +it; perhaps because it contains some property necessary to the nourishment +of the body, which is lacking in their every-day food. + +The camas root, which grows abundantly in certain localities on the east +slope of the Rockies, was also dug, cooked, and dried. The bulbs were +roasted in pits, as by the Indians on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, +the Kalispels, and others. It is gathered while in the bloom--June 15 to +July 15. A large pit is dug in which a hot fire is built, the bottom being +first lined with flat stones. After keeping up this fire for several hours, +until the stones and earth are thoroughly heated, the coals and ashes are +removed. The pit is then lined with grass, and is filled almost to the top +with camas bulbs. Over these, grass is laid, then twigs, and then earth to +a depth of four inches. On this a fire is built, which is kept up for from +one to three days, according to the quantity of the bulbs in the pit. + +When the pit is opened, the small children gather about it to suck the +syrup, which has collected on the twigs and grass, and which is very +sweet. The fresh-roasted camas tastes something like a roasted chestnut, +with a little of the flavor of the sweet potato. After being cooked, the +roots are spread out in the sun to dry, and are then put in sacks to be +stored away. Sometimes a few are pounded up with sarvis berries, and dried. + +Bitter-root is gathered, dried, and boiled with a little sugar. It is a +slender root, an inch or two long and as thick as a goose quill, white in +color, and looking like short lengths of spaghetti. It is very starchy. + +In the spring, a certain root called _mats_ was eaten in great +quantities. This plant was known to the early French employees of the +Hudson's Bay and American Fur Companies as _pomme blanche (Psoralea +esculenta)_. + +All parts of such animals as the buffalo, elk, deer, etc., were eaten, save +only the lungs, gall, and one or two other organs. A favorite way of eating +the paunch or stomach was in the raw state. Liver, too, was sometimes eaten +raw. The unborn calf of a fresh-killed animal, especially buffalo, was +considered a great delicacy. The meat of this, when boiled, is white, +tasteless, and insipid. The small intestines of the buffalo were sometimes +dried, but more often were stuffed with long, thin strips of meat. During +the stuffing process, the entrail was turned inside out, thus confining +with the meat the sweet white fat that covers the intestine. The next step +was to roast it a little, after which the ends were tied to prevent the +escape of the juices, and it was thoroughly boiled in water. This is a very +great delicacy, and when properly prepared is equally appreciated by whites +and Indians. + +As a rule, there were but two ways of cooking meat,--boiling and +roasting. If roasted, it was thoroughly cooked; but if boiled, it was only +left in the water long enough to lose the red color, say five or ten +minutes. Before they got kettles from the whites, the Blackfeet often +boiled meat in a green hide. A hole was dug in the ground, and the skin, +flesh side up, was laid in it, being supported about the edges of the hole +by pegs. The meat and water having been placed in this hollow, red-hot +stones were dropped in the water until it became hot and the meat was +cooked. + +In time of plenty, great quantities of dried meat were prepared for use +when fresh meat could not be obtained. In making dried meat, the thicker +parts of an animal were cut in large, thin sheets and hung in the sun to +dry. If the weather was not fine, the meat was often hung up on lines or +scaffolds in the upper part of the lodge. When properly cured and if of +good quality, the sheets were about one-fourth of an inch thick and very +brittle. The back fat of the buffalo was also dried, and eaten with the +meat as we eat butter with bread. Pemmican was made of the flesh of the +buffalo. The meat was dried in the usual way; and, for this use, only lean +meat, such as the hams, loin, and shoulders, was chosen. When the time came +for making the pemmican, two large fires were built of dry quaking aspen +wood, and these were allowed to burn down to red coals. The old women +brought the dried meat to these fires, and the sheets of meat were thrown +on the coals of one of them, allowed to heat through, turned to keep them +from burning, and then thrown on the flesh side of a dry hide, that lay on +the ground near by. After a time, the roasting of this dried meat caused a +smoke to rise from the fire in use, which gave the meat a bitter taste, if +cooked in it. They then turned to the other fire, and used that until the +first one had burned clear again. After enough of the roasted meat had been +thrown on the hide, it was flailed out with sticks, and being very brittle +was easily broken up, and made small. It was constantly stirred and pounded +until it was all fine. Meantime, the tallow of the buffalo had been melted +in a large kettle, and the pemmican bags prepared. These were made of +bull's hide, and were in two pieces, cut oblong, and with the corners +rounded off. Two such pieces sewed together made a bag which would hold one +hundred pounds. The pounded meat and tallow--the latter just beginning to +cool--were put in a trough made of bull's hide, a wooden spade being used +to stir the mixture. After it was thoroughly mixed, it was shovelled into +one of the sacks, held open, and rammed down and packed tight with a big +stick, every effort being made to expel all the air. When the bag was full +and packed as tight as possible, it was sewn up. It was then put on the +ground, and the women jumped on it to make it still more tight and +solid. It was then laid away in the sun to cool and dry. It usually took +the meat of two cows to make a bag of one hundred pounds; a very large bull +might make a sack of from eighty to one hundred pounds. + +A much finer grade of pemmican was made from the choicest parts of the +buffalo with marrow fat. To this dried berries and pounded choke-cherries +were added, making a delicious food, which was extremely +nutritious. Pemmican was eaten either dry as it came from the sack, or +stewed with water. + +In the spring, the people had great feasts of the eggs of ducks and other +water-fowl. A large quantity having been gathered, a hole was dug in the +ground, and a little water put in it. At short intervals above the water, +platforms of sticks were built, on which the eggs were laid. A smaller hole +was dug at one side of the large hole, slanting into the bottom of it. When +all was ready, the top of the larger hole was covered with mud, laid upon +cross sticks, and red-hot stones were dropped into the slant, when they +rolled down into the water, heating it, and so cooking the eggs by steam. + +Fish were seldom eaten by these people in early days, but now they seem +very fond of them. Turtles, frogs, and lizards are considered creatures of +evil, and are never eaten. Dogs, considered a great delicacy by the Crees, +Gros Ventres, Sioux, Assinaboines, and other surrounding tribes, were never +eaten by the Blackfeet. No religious motive is assigned for this +abstinence. I once heard a Piegan say that it was wrong to eat dogs. "They +are our true friends," he said. "Men say they are our friends and then turn +against us, but our dogs are always true. They mourn when we are absent, +and are always glad when we return. They keep watch for us in the night +when we sleep. So pity the poor dogs." + +Snakes, grasshoppers, worms, and other insects were never eaten. Salt was +an unknown condiment. Many are now very fond of it, but I know a number, +especially old people, who never eat it. + + + +SOCIAL ORGANIZATION + + +The social organization of the Blackfeet is very simple. The three tribes +acknowledged a blood relationship with each other, and, while distinct, +still considered themselves a nation. In this confederation, it was +understood that there should be no war against each other. However, between +1860 and 1870, when the whiskey trade was in its height, the three tribes +were several times at swords' points on account of drunken brawls. Once, +about sixty or seventy years ago, the Bloods and Piegans had a quarrel so +serious that men were killed on both sides and horses stolen; yet this was +hardly a real war, for only a part of each tribe was involved, and the +trouble was not of long duration. + +Each one of the Blackfoot tribes is subdivided into gentes, a gens being a +body of consanguineal kindred in the male line. It is noteworthy that the +Blackfeet, although Algonquins, have this system of subdivision, and it may +be that among them the gentes are of comparatively recent date. No special +duties are assigned to any one gens, nor has any gens, so far as I know, +any special "medicine" or "totem." + +Below is a list of the gentes of each tribe. + + + BLACKFEET _(Sik'-si-kau)_ + +Gentes: + +_Puh-ksi-nah'-mah-yiks_ Flat Bows. + +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ Many Medicines. + +_Siks-in'-o-kaks_ Black Elks. + +_E'-mi-tah-pahk-sai-yiks_ Dogs Naked. + +_Sa'-yiks_ Liars. + +_Ai-sik'-stuk-iks_ Biters. + +_Tsin-ik-tsis'-tso-yiks_ Early Finished Eating. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + + +BLOODS (_Kai'-nah_) + +_Siksin'-o-kaks_ Black Elks. + +_Ah-kwo'-nis-tsists_ Many Lodge Poles. + +_Ap-ut'-o-si'kai-nah_ North Bloods. + +_Is-ts'-kai-nah_ Woods Bloods. + +_In-uhk!-so-yi-stam-iks_ Long Tail Lodge Poles. + +_Nit'-ik-skiks_ Lone Fighters. + +_Siks-ah'-pun-iks_ Blackblood. + +_Ah-kaik'-sum-iks_ + +_I-sis'-o-kas-im-iks_ Hair Shirts. + +_Ak-kai'-po-kaks_ Many Children. + +_Sak-si-nah'-mah-yiks_ Short Bows. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + +_Ahk-o'-tash-iks_ Many Horses. + + +PIEGANS _(Pi-kun'-i)_ + +_Ah'-pai-tup-iks_ Blood People. + +_Ah-kai-yi-ko-ka'-kin-iks_ White Breasts. + +_Ki'yis_ Dried Meat. + +_Sik-ut'-si-pum-aiks_ Black Patched Moccasins. + +_Sik-o-pok'-si-maiks_ Blackfat Roasters. + +_Tsin-ik-sis'-tso-yiks_ Early Finished Eating. + +_Kut'-ai-im-iks_ They Don't Laugh. + +_I'-pok-si-maiks_ Fat Roasters. + +_Sik'-o-kit-sim-iks_ Black Doors. + +_Ni-taw'-yiks_ Lone Eaters. + +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks_ Skunks. + +_Mi-ah-wah'-pit-siks_ Seldom Lonesome. + +_Nit'-ak-os-kit-si-pup-iks_ Obstinate. + +_Nit'-ik-skiks_ Lone Fighters. + +_I-nuks'-iks_ Small Robes. + +_Mi-aw'-kin-ai-yiks_ Big Topknots. + +_Esk'-sin-ai-tup-iks_ Worm People. + +_I-nuk-si'-kah-ko-pwa-iks_ Small Brittle Fat. + +_Kah'-mi-taiks_ Buffalo Dung. + +_Kut-ai-sot'-si-man_ No Parfleche. + +_Ni-tot'-si-ksis-stan-iks_ Kill Close By. + +_Mo-twai'-naiks_ All Chiefs. + +_Mo-kum'-iks_ Red Round Robes. + +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ Many Medicines. + + +It will be readily seen from the translations of the above that each gens +takes its name from some peculiarity or habit it is supposed to possess. It +will also be noticed that each tribe has a few gentes common to one or both +of the other tribes. This is caused by persons leaving their own tribe to +live with another one, but, instead of uniting with some gens of the +adopted tribe, they have preserved the name of their ancestral gens for +themselves and their descendants. + +The Blackfoot terms of relationship will be found interesting. The +principal family names are as follows:-- + + +My father _Ni'-nah._ + +My mother _Ni-kis'-ta._ + +My elder brother _Nis'-ah_ + +My younger brother _Nis-kun'._ + +My older sister _Nin'-sta._ + +My younger sister _Ni-sis'-ah._ + +My uncle _Nis'-ah._ + +My aunt _Ni-kis'-ta._ + +My cousin, male Same as brother. + +My cousin, female Same as sister. + +My grandfather _Na-ahks'._ + +My grandmother _Na-ahks'._ + +My father-in-law _Na-ahks'._ + +My mother-in-law _Na-ahks'._ + +My son _No-ko'-i._ + +My daughter _Ni-tun'._ + +My son-in-law _Nis'-ah._ + +My daughter-in-law _Ni-tot'-o-ke-man._ + +My brother-in-law older than self _Nis-tum-o'._ + +My brother-in-law younger than self _Nis-tum-o'-kun._ + +My sister-in-law _Ni-tot'-o-ke-man._ + +My second cousin _Nimp'-sa._ + +My wife _Nit-o-ke'-man._ + +My husband _No'-ma._ + + +As the members of a gens were all considered as relatives, however remote, +there was a law prohibiting a man from marrying within his gens. Originally +this law was strictly enforced, but like many of the ancient customs it is +no longer observed. Lately, within the last forty or fifty years, it has +become not uncommon for a man and his family, or even two or three +families, on account of some quarrel or some personal dislike of the chief +of their own gens, to leave it and join another band. Thus the gentes often +received outsiders, who were not related by blood to the gens; and such +people or their descendants could marry within the gens. Ancestry became no +longer necessary to membership. + +As a rule, before a young man could marry, he was required to have made +some successful expeditions to war against the enemy, thereby proving +himself a brave man, and at the same time acquiring a number of horses and +other property, which would enable him to buy the woman of his choice, and +afterwards to support her. + +Marriages usually took place at the instance of the parents, though often +those of the young man were prompted by him. Sometimes the father of the +girl, if he desired to have a particular man for a son-in-law, would +propose to the father of the latter for the young man as a husband for his +daughter. + +The marriage in the old days was arranged after this wise: The chief of one +of the bands may have a marriageable daughter, and he may know of a young +man, the son of a chief of another band, who is a brave warrior, of good +character, sober-minded, steadfast, and trustworthy, who he thinks will +make a good husband for his daughter and a good son-in-law. After he has +made up his mind about this, he is very likely to call in a few of his +close relations, the principal men among them, and state to them his +conclusions, so as to get their opinions about it. If nothing is said to +change his mind, he sends to the father of the boy a messenger to state his +own views, and ask how the father feels about the matter. + +On receiving this word, the boy's father probably calls together his close +relations, discusses the matter with them, and, if the match is +satisfactory to him, sends back word to that effect. When this message is +received, the relations of the girl proceed to fit her out with the very +best that they can provide. If she is the daughter of well-to-do or wealthy +people, she already has many of the things that are needed, but what she +may lack is soon supplied. Her mother makes her a new cowskin lodge, +complete, with new lodge poles, lining, and back rests. A chiefs daughter +would already have plenty of good clothing, but if the girl lacks anything, +it is furnished. Her dress is made of antelope skin, white as snow, and +perhaps ornamented with two or three hundred elk tushes. Her leggings are +of deer skin, heavily beaded and nicely fringed, and often adorned with +bells and brass buttons. Her summer blanket or sheet is an elk skin, well +tanned, without the hair and with the dew-claws left on. Her moccasins are +of deer skin, with parfleche soles and worked with porcupine quills. The +marriage takes place as soon as these things can be provided. + +During the days which intervene between the proposal and the marriage, the +young woman each day selects the choicest parts of the meat brought to the +lodge,--the tongue, "boss ribs," some choice berry pemmican or what +not,--cooks these things in the best style, and, either alone, or in +company with a young sister, or a young friend, goes over to the lodge +where the young man lives, and places the food before him. He eats some of +it, little or much, and if he leaves anything, the girl offers it to his +mother, who may eat of it. Then the girl takes the dishes and returns to +her father's lodge. In this way she provides him with three meals a day, +morning, noon, and night, until the marriage takes place. Every one in camp +who sees the girl carrying the food in a covered dish to the young man's +lodge, knows that a marriage is to take place; and the girl is watched by +idle persons as she passes to and fro, so that the task is quite a trying +one for people as shy and bashful as Indians are. When the time for the +marriage has come,--in other words, when the girl's parents are ready,--the +girl, her mother assisting her, packs the new lodge and her own things on +the horses, and moves out into the middle of the circle--about which all +the lodges of the tribe are arranged--and there the new lodge is unpacked +and set up. In front of the lodge are tied, let us say, fifteen horses, the +girl's dowry given by her father. Very likely, too, the father has sent +over to the young man his own war clothing and arms, a lance, a fine +shield, a bow and arrows in otter-skin case, his war bonnet, war shirt, and +war leggings ornamented with scalps,--his complete equipment. This is set +up on a tripod in front of the lodge. The gift of these things is an +evidence of the great respect felt by the girl's father for his +son-in-law. As soon as the young man has seen the preparations being made +for setting up the girl's lodge in the centre of the circle, he sends over +to his father-in-law's lodge just twice the number of horses that the girl +brought with her,--in this supposed case, thirty. + +As soon as this lodge is set up, and the girl's mother has taken her +departure and gone back to her own lodge, the young man, who, until he saw +these preparations, had no knowledge of when the marriage was to take +place, leaves his father's lodge, and, going over to the newly erected one, +enters and takes his place at the back of it. Probably during the day he +will order his wife to take down the lodge, and either move away from the +camp, or at least move into the circle of lodges; for he will not want to +remain with his young wife in the most conspicuous place in the camp. +Often, on the same day, he will send for six or eight of his friends, and, +after feasting them, will announce his intention of going to war, and will +start off the same night. If he does so, and is successful, returning with +horses or scalps, or both, he at once, on arrival at the camp, proceeds to +his father-in-law's lodge and leaves there everything he has brought back, +returning to his own lodge on foot, as poor as he left it. + +We have supposed the proposal in this case to come from the father of the +girl, but if a boy desires a particular girl for his wife, the proposal +will come from his father; otherwise matters are managed in the same way. + +This ceremony of moving into the middle of the circle was only performed in +the case of important people. The custom was observed in what might be +called a fashionable wedding among the Blackfeet. Poorer, less important +people married more quietly. If the girl had reached marriageable age +without having been asked for as a wife, she might tell her mother that she +would like to marry a certain young man, that he was a man she could love +and respect. The mother communicates this to the father of the girl, who +invites the young man to the lodge to a feast, and proposes the match. The +young man returns no answer at the time, but, going back to his father's +lodge, tells him of the offer, and expresses his feelings about it. If he +is inclined to accept, the relations are summoned, and the matter talked +over. A favorable answer being returned, a certain number of horses--what +the young man or his father, or both together, can spare--are sent over to +the girl's father. They send as many as they can, for the more they send, +the more they are thought of and looked up to. The girl, unless her parents +are very poor, has her outfit, a saddle horse and pack horse with saddle +and pack saddle, parfleches, etc. If the people are very poor, she may +have only a riding horse. Her relations get together, and do all in their +power to give her a good fitting out, and the father, if he can possibly do +so, is sure to pay them back what they have given. If he cannot do so, the +things are still presented; for, in the case of a marriage, the relations +on both sides are anxious to do all that they can to give the young people +a good start in life. When all is ready, the girl goes to the lodge where +her husband lives, and goes in. If this lodge is too crowded to receive the +couple, the young man will make arrangements for space in the lodge of a +brother, cousin, or uncle, where there is more room. These are all his +close relations, and he is welcome in any of their lodges, and has rights +there. + +Sometimes, if two young people are fond of each other, and there is no +prospect of their being married, they may take riding horses and a pack +horse, and elope at night, going to some other camp for a while. This makes +the girl's father angry, for he feels that he has been defrauded of his +payments. The young man knows that his father-in-law bears him a grudge, +and if he afterwards goes to war and is successful, returning with six or +seven horses, he will send them all to the camp where his father-in-law +lives, to be tied in front of his lodge. This at once heals the breach, and +the couple may return. Even if he has not been successful in war and +brought horses, which of course he does not always accomplish, he from time +to time sends the old man a present, the best he can. Notwithstanding these +efforts at conciliation, the parents feel very bitterly against him. The +girl has been stolen. The union is no marriage at all. The old people are +ashamed and disgraced for their daughter. Until the father has been +pacified by satisfactory payments, there is no marriage. Moreover, unless +the young man had made a payment, or at least had endeavored to do so, he +would be little thought of among his fellows, and looked down on as a poor +creature without any sense of honor. + +The Blackfeet take as many wives as they wish; but these ceremonies are +only carried out in the case of the first wife, the "sits-beside-him" +woman. In the case of subsequent marriages, if the man had proved a good, +kind husband to his first wife, other men, who thought a good deal of their +daughters, might propose to give them to him, so that they would be well +treated. The man sent over the horses to the new father-in-law's lodge, and +the girl returned to his, bringing her things with her. Or if the man saw a +girl he liked, he would propose for her to her father. + +Among the Blackfeet, there was apparently no form of courtship, such as +prevails among our southern Indians. Young men seldom spoke to young girls +who were not relations, and the girls were carefully guarded. They never +went out of the lodge after dark, and never went out during the day, except +with the mother or some other old woman. The girl, therefore, had very +little choice in the selection of a husband. If a girl was told she must +marry a certain man, she had to obey. She might cry, but her father's will +was law, and she might be beaten or even killed by him, if she did not do +as she was ordered. As a consequence of this severity, suicide was quite +common among the Blackfoot girls. A girl ordered to marry a man whom she +did not like would often watch her chance, and go out in the brush and hang +herself. The girl who could not marry the man she wanted to was likely to +do the same thing. + +The man had absolute power over his wife. Her life was in his hands, and if +he had made a payment for her, he could do with her about as he pleased. On +the whole, however, women who behaved themselves were well treated and +received a good deal of consideration. Those who were light-headed, or +foolish, or obstinate and stubborn were sometimes badly beaten. Those who +were unfaithful to their husbands usually had their noses or ears, or both, +cut off for the first offence, and were killed either by the husband or +some relation, or by the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ for the second. Many of the +doctors of the highest reputation in the tribe were women. It is a common +belief among some of those who have investigated the subject that the wife +in Indian marriage was actually purchased, and became the absolute property +of her husband. Though I have a great respect for some of the opinions +which have been expressed on this subject, I am obliged to take an entirely +different view of the matter. I have talked this subject over many times +with young men and old men of a number of tribes, and I cannot learn from +them, or in any other way, that in primitive times the woman was purchased +from her father. The husband did not have property rights in his wife. She +was not a chattel that he could trade away. He had all personal rights, +could beat his wife, or, for cause, kill her, but he could not sell her to +another man. + +All the younger sisters of a man's wife were regarded as his potential +wives. If he was not disposed to marry them, they could not be disposed of +to any other man without his consent. + +Not infrequently, a man having a marriageable daughter formally gave her to +some young man who had proved himself brave in war, successful in taking +horses, and, above all, of a generous disposition. This was most often done +by men who had no sons to support them in their old age. + +It is said that in the old days, before they had horses, young men did not +expect to marry until they had almost reached middle life,--from +thirty-five to forty years of age. This statement is made by Wolf Calf, +who is now very old, almost one hundred years, he believes, and can +remember back nearly or quite to the time when the Blackfeet obtained their +first horses. In those days, young women did not marry until they were +grown up, while of late years fathers not infrequently sell their daughters +as wives when they are only children. + +The first woman a man marries is called his sits-beside-him wife. She is +invested with authority over all the other wives, and does little except to +direct the others in their work, and look after the comfort of her +husband. Her place in the lodge is on his right-hand side, while the others +have their places or seats near the door-way. This wife is even allowed at +informal gatherings to take a whiff at the pipe, as it is passed around the +circle, and to participate in the conversation. + +In the old days, it was a very poor man who did not have three wives. Many +had six, eight, and some more than a dozen. I have heard of one who had +sixteen. In those times, provided a man had a good-sized band of horses, +the more wives he had, the richer he was. He could always find young men to +hunt for him, if he furnished the mounts, and, of course, the more wives he +had, the more robes and furs they would tan for him. + +If, for any cause, a man wished to divorce himself from a woman, he had but +to send her back to her parents and demand the price paid for her, and the +matter was accomplished. The woman was then free to marry again, provided +her parents were willing. + +When a man dies, his wives become the potential wives of his oldest +brother. Unless, during his life, he has given them outright horses and +other property, at his death they are entitled to none of his +possessions. If he has sons, the property is divided among them, except a +few horses, which are given to his brothers. If he has no sons, all the +property goes to his brothers, and if there are no brothers, it goes to the +nearest male relatives on the father's side. + +The Blackfeet cannot be said to have been slave-holders. It is true that +the Crees call the Blackfeet women "Little Slaves." But this, as elsewhere +suggested, may refer to the region whence they originally came, though it +is often explained that it is on account of the manner in which the +Blackfeet treat their women, killing them or mutilating their features for +adultery and other serious offences. Although a woman, all her life, was +subject to some one's orders, either parent, relative, or husband, a man +from his earliest childhood was free and independent. His father would not +punish him for any misconduct, his mother dared not. At an early age he was +taught to ride and shoot, and horses were given to him. By the time he was +twelve, he had probably been on a war expedition or two. As a rule in +later times, young men married when they were seventeen or eighteen years +of age; and often they resided for several years with their fathers, until +the family became so large that there was not room for them all in the +lodge. + +There were always in the camp a number of boys, orphans, who became the +servants of wealthy men for a consideration; that is, they looked after +their patron's horses and hunted, and in return they were provided with +suitable food and clothing. + +Among the Blackfeet, all men were free and equal, and office was not +hereditary. Formerly each gens was governed by a chief, who was entitled to +his office by virtue of his bravery and generosity. The head chief was +chosen by the chiefs of the gentes from their own number, and was usually +the one who could show the best record in war, as proved at the Medicine +Lodge,[1] at which time he was elected; and for the ensuing year he was +invested with the supreme power. But no matter how brave a man might have +been, or how successful in war, he could not hope to be the chief either of +a gens or of the tribe, unless he was kind-hearted, and willing to share +his prosperity with the poor. For this reason, a chief was never a wealthy +man, for what he acquired with one hand he gave away with the other. It was +he who decided when the people should move camp, and where they should +go. But in this, as in all other important affairs, he generally asked the +advice of the minor chiefs. + +[Footnote 1: See chapter on Religion.] + +The _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ (All Comrades) were directly under the authority of +the head chief, and when any one was to be punished, or anything else was +to be done which came within their province as the tribal police, it was he +who issued the orders. The following were the crimes which the Blackfeet +considered sufficiently serious to merit punishment, and the penalties +which attached to them. + +Murder: A life for a life, or a heavy payment by the murderer or his +relatives at the option of the murdered man's relatives. This payment was +often so heavy as absolutely to strip the murderer of all property. + +Theft: Simply the restoration of the property. + +Adultery: For the first offence the husband generally cut off the offending +wife's nose or ears; for the second offence she was killed by the All +Comrades. Often the woman, if her husband complained of her, would be +killed by her brothers or first cousins, and this was more usual than death +at the hands of the All Comrades. However, the husband could have her put +to death for the first offence, if he chose. + +Treachery (that is, when a member of the tribe went over to the enemy or +gave them any aid whatever): Death at sight. + +Cowardice: A man who would not fight was obliged to wear woman's dress, and +was not allowed to marry. + +If a man left camp to hunt buffalo by himself, thereby driving away the +game, the All Comrades were sent after him, and not only brought him back +by main force, but often whipped him, tore his lodge to shreds, broke his +travois, and often took away his store of dried meat, pemmican, and other +food. + +The tradition of the origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ has elsewhere been +given. This association of the All Comrades consisted of a dozen or more +secret societies, graded according to age, the whole constituting an +association which was in part benevolent and helpful, and in part military, +but whose main function was to punish offences against society at large. All +these societies were really law and order associations. The +M[)u]t'-s[)i]ks, or Braves, was the chief society, but the others helped +the Braves. + +A number of the societies which made up the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ have been +abandoned in recent years, but several of them still exist. Among the +Pi-kun'-i, the list--so far as I have it--is as follows, the societies +being named in order from those of boyhood to old age:-- + +SOCIETIES OF THE ALL COMRADES + +_Ts[)i]-st[=i]ks'_, Little Birds, includes boys from + 15 to 20 years old. + +_K[)u]k-k[=u][=i]cks'_, Pigeons, men who have been to war + several times. + +_T[)u]is-k[)i]s-t[=i]ks_, Mosquitoes, men who are constantly + going to war + +_M[)u]t'-s[)i]ks_, Braves, tried warriors. + +_Kn[)a]ts-o-mi'-ta_, All Crazy Dogs, about forty years old. + +_Ma-stoh'-pa-ta-k[=i]ks_ Raven Bearers. + +_E'-mi-taks_, Dogs, old men. + Dogs and Tails are + different societies, +_Is'-sui_, Tails, but they dress alike + and dance together + and alike. + +_[)E]ts-[=a]i'-nah_, Horns, Bloods, obsolete among the + Piegans, +_Sin'-o-pah_, Kit-foxes, Piegans, but still exists + with Bloods. + +_[)E]-[)i]n'-a-ke_, Catchers or Soldiers, obsolete for 25-30 years, + perhaps longer. + +_St[)u]'m[=i]ks_, Bulls, obsolete for 50 years. + + +There may be other societies of the All Comrades, but these are the only +ones that I know of at present. The M[=u]t'-s[)i]ks, Braves, and the +Knats-o-mi'-ta, All Crazy Dogs, still exist, but many of the others are +being forgotten. Since the necessity for their existence has passed, they +are no longer kept up. They were a part of the old wild life, and when the +buffalo disappeared, and the Blackfeet came to live about an agency, and to +try to work for a subsistence, the societies soon lost their importance. +The societies known as Little Birds, Mosquitoes, and Doves are not really +bands of the All Comrades, but are societies among the boys and young men +in imitation of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, but of comparatively recent +origin. Men not more than fifty years old can remember when these societies +came into existence. Of all the societies of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi,_ the +Sin'-o-pah, or Kit-fox band, has the strongest medicine. This corresponds +to the Horns society among the Bloods. They are the same band with +different names. They have certain peculiar secret and sacred ceremonies, +not to be described here. + +The society of the Stum'-[=i]ks, or Bulls, became obsolete more than fifty +years ago. Their dress was very fine,--bulls' heads and robes. + +The members of the younger society purchased individually, from the next +older one, its rights and privileges, paying horses for them. For example, +each member of the Mosquitoes would purchase from some member of the Braves +his right of membership in the latter society. The man who has sold his +rights is then a member of no society, and if he wishes to belong to one, +must buy into the one next higher. Each of these societies kept some old +men as members, and these old men acted as messengers, orators, and so on. + +The change of membership from one society to another was made in the +spring, after the grass had started. Two, three, or more lodge coverings +were stretched over poles, making one very large lodge, and in this the +ceremonies accompanying the changes took place. + +In later times, the Braves were the most important and best known of any of +the All Comrades societies. The members of this band were soldiers or +police. They were the constables of the camp, and it was their duty to +preserve order, and to punish offenders. Sometimes young men would skylark +in camp at night, making a great noise when people wanted to sleep, and +would play rough practical jokes, that were not at all relished by those +who suffered from them. One of the forms which their high spirits took was +to lead and push a young colt up to the door of a lodge, after people were +asleep, and then, lifting the door, to shove the animal inside and close +the door again. Of course the colt, in its efforts to get out to its +mother, would run round and round the lodge, trampling over the sleepers +and roughly awakening them, knocking things down and creating the utmost +confusion, while the mare would be whinnying outside the lodge, and the +people within, bewildered and confused, did not know what the disturbance +was all about. + +The Braves would punish the young men who did such things,--if they could +catch them,--tearing up their blankets, taking away their property, and +sometimes whipping them severely. They were the peace officers of the camp, +like the _lari p[=u]k'[=u]s_ among the Pawnees. + +Among the property of the Brave society were two stone-pointed arrows, one +"shield you don't sit down with," and one rattle. The man who carried this +rattle was known as Brave Dog, and if it passed from one member of the +society to another, the new owner became known as Brave Dog. The man who +received the shield could not sit down for the next four days and four +nights, but for all that time was obliged to run about the camp, or over +the prairie, whistling like a rabbit. + +The societies known as Soldiers and Bulls had passed out of existence +before the time of men now of middle age. The pipe of the Soldier society +is still in existence, in the hands of Double Runner. The bull's head war +bonnet, which was the insignia of the Bulls society, was formerly in the +possession of Young Bear Chief, at present chief of the Don't Laugh band of +the Piegans. He gave it to White Calf, who presented it to a recent agent. + +In the old days, and, indeed, down to the time of the disappearance of the +buffalo, the camp was always arranged in the form of a circle, the lodges +standing at intervals around the circumference, and in the wide inner space +there was another circle of lodges occupied by the chief of certain bands +of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_. When all the gentes of the tribe were present, +each had its special position in the circle, and always occupied it. The +lodge of the chief of the gens stood just within the circle, and about it +his people camped. The order indicated in the accompanying diagram +represents the Piegan camp as it used to stand thirty-five or forty years +ago. A number of the gentes are now extinct, and it is not altogether +certain just what the position of those should be; for while all the older +men agree on the position to be assigned to certain of the gentes, there +are others about which there are differences of opinion or much +uncertainty. It is stated that the gentes known as Seldom Lonesome, Dried +Meat, and No Parfleche belong to that section of the tribe known as North +Piegans, which, at the time of the first treaty, separated from the +Pi-kun'-i, and elected to live under British rule. + +The lodges of the chiefs of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ which were within the +circle served as lounging and eating places for such members of the bands +as were on duty, and were council lodges or places for idling, as the +occasion demanded. + +When the camp moved, the Blood gens moved first and was followed by the +White Breast gens, and so on around the circle to number 24. On camping, +the Bloods camped first, and the others after them in the order indicated, +number 24 camping last and closing up the circle. DIAGRAM OF OLD-TIME +PIEGAN CAMP, SAY 1850 TO 1855. TWENTY-FOUR LODGES OF CHIEFS OF THE GENTES +ABOUT THE OUTER CIRCLE. + +The inner circle shows lodges of chiefs of certain bands of the +_I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi._ + +[Illustration] + +GENTES OF THE PI-KUN'-I + + 1. Blood People. + 2. White Breasts. + 3. Dried Meat. + 4. Black Patched Moccasins. + 5. Black Fat Roasters. + 6. Early Finished Eating. + 7. Don't Laugh. + 8. Fat Roasters. + 9. Black Doors. +10. Lone Eaters. +11. Skunks. +12. Seldom Lonesome. +13. Obstinate. +14. Lone Fighters. +15. Small Robes. +16. Big Topknots. +17. Worm People. +18. Small Brittle Fat. +19. Buffalo Dung. +20. No Parfleche. +21. Kill Close Bye +22. All Chiefs. +23. Red Round Robes. +24. Many Medicines. + + +BANDS OF THE I-KUN-UH'-KAH-TSI + +a. All Crazy Dogs. +b. Dogs. +c. Tails. +d. Kit-foxes. +e. Raven Bearers. +f. Braves. +g. Mosquitoes. +h. Soldiers. +i. Doves. + + + +HUNTING + + +The Blackfoot country probably contained more game and in greater variety +than any other part of the continent. Theirs was a land whose physical +characteristics presented sharp contrasts. There were far-stretching grassy +prairies, affording rich pasturage for the buffalo and the antelope; rough +breaks and bad lands for the climbing mountain sheep; wooded buttes, loved +by the mule deer; timbered river bottoms, where the white-tailed deer and +the elk could browse and hide; narrow, swampy valleys for the moose; and +snow-patched, glittering pinnacles of rock, over which the sure-footed +white goat took his deliberate way. The climate varied from arid to humid; +the game of the prairie, the timber, and the rocks, found places suited to +their habits. Fur-bearing animals abounded. Noisy hordes of wild fowl +passed north and south in their migrations, and many stopped here to breed. + +The Blackfoot country is especially favored by the warm chinook winds, +which insure mild winters with but little snow; and although on the plains +there is usually little rain in summer, the short prairie grasses are sweet +and rich. All over this vast domain, the buffalo were found in countless +herds. Elk, deer, antelope, mountain sheep, and bear without number were +there. In those days, sheep were to be found on every ridge, and along the +rough bad lands far from the mountains. Now, except a few in the "breaks" +of the Missouri, they occur only on the highest and most inaccessible +mountains, along with the white goats, which, although pre-eminently +mountain animals, were in early days sometimes found far out on the +prairie. + + + +BUFFALO + +The Blackfeet were a race of meat-eaters, and, while they killed large +quantities of other game, they still depended for subsistence on the +buffalo. This animal provided them with almost all that they needed in the +way of food, clothing, and shelter, and when they had an abundance of the +buffalo they lived in comfort. + +Almost every part of the beast was utilized. The skin, dressed with the +hair on, protected them from the winter's cold; freed from the hair, it was +used for a summer sheet or blanket, for moccasins, leggings, shirts, and +women's dresses. The tanned cowskins made their lodges, the warmest and +most comfortable portable shelters ever devised. From the rawhide, the hair +having been shaved off, were made parfleches, or trunks, in which to pack +small articles. The tough, thick hide of the bull's neck, spread out and +allowed to shrink smooth, made a shield for war which would stop an arrow, +and turn a lance thrust or the ball from an old-fashioned, smooth-bore +gun. The green hide served as a kettle, in which to boil meat. The skin of +the hind leg, cut off above the pastern and again some distance above the +hock, was sometimes used as a moccasin or boot, the lower opening being +sewed up for the toe. A variety of small articles, such as cradles, gun +covers, whips, mittens, quivers, bow cases, knife-sheaths, etc., were made +from the hide. Braided strands of hide furnished them with ropes and +lines. The hair was used to stuff cushions and, later, saddles, and parts +of the long black flowing beard to ornament wearing apparel and implements +of war, such as shields and quivers. The horns gave them spoons and +ladles--sometimes used as small dishes--and ornamented their war +bonnets. From the hoofs they made a glue, which they used in fastening the +heads and feathers on their arrows, and the sinew backs on their bows. The +sinews which lie along the back and on the belly were used as thread and +string, and as backing for bows to give them elasticity and strength. From +the ribs were made scrapers used in dressing hides, and runners for small +sledges drawn by dogs; and they were employed by the children in coasting +down hill on snow or ice. The shoulder-blades, lashed to a wooden handle, +formed axes, hoes, and fleshers. From the cannon bones (metatarsals and +metacarpals) were made scrapers for dressing hides. The skin of the tail, +fitted on a stick, was used as a fly brush. These are but a few of the uses +to which the product of the buffalo was put. As has been said, almost every +part of the flesh was eaten. + +Now it must be remembered that in early days the hunting weapons of this +people consisted only of stone-pointed arrows, and with such armament the +capture of game of the larger sorts must have been a matter of some +uncertainty. To drive a rude stone-headed arrow through the tough hide and +into the vitals of the buffalo, could not have been--even under the most +favorable circumstances--other than a difficult matter; and although we may +assume that, in those days, it was easy to steal up to within a few yards +of the unsuspicious animals, we can readily conceive that many arrows must +have been shot without effect, for one that brought down the game. + +Certain ingenious methods were therefore devised to insure the taking of +game in large numbers at one time. This was especially the case with the +buffalo, which were the food and raiment of the people. One of these +contrivances was called pis'kun, deep-kettle; or, since the termination of +the word seems to indicate the last syllable of the word _ah'-pun,_ blood, +it is more likely deep-blood-kettle. This was a large corral, or enclosure, +built out from the foot of a perpendicular cliff or bluff, and formed of +natural banks, rocks, and logs or brush,--anything in fact to make a close, +high barrier. In some places the enclosure might be only a fence of brush, +but even here the buffalo did not break it down, for they did not push +against it, but ran round and round within, looking for a clear space +through which they might pass. From the top of the bluff, directly over +the pis'kun, two long lines of rock piles and brush extended far out on the +prairie, ever diverging from each other like the arms of the letter V, the +opening over the pis'kun being at the angle. + +In the evening of the day preceding a drive of buffalo into the pis'kun a +medicine man, usually one who was the possessor of a buffalo rock, +In-is'-kim, unrolled his pipe, and prayed to the Sun for success. Next +morning the man who was to call the buffalo arose very early, and told his +wives that they must not leave the lodge, nor even look out, until he +returned; that they should keep burning sweet grass, and should pray to the +Sun for his success and safety. Without eating or drinking, he then went up +on the prairie, and the people followed him, and concealed themselves +behind the rocks and bushes which formed the V, or chute. The medicine man +put on a head-dress made of the head of a buffalo, and a robe, and then +started out to approach the animals. When he had come near to the herd, he +moved about until he had attracted the attention of some of the buffalo, +and when they began to look at him, he walked slowly away toward the +entrance of the chute. Usually the buffalo followed, and, as they did so, +he gradually increased his pace. The buffalo followed more rapidly, and the +man continually went a little faster. Finally, when the buffalo were fairly +within the chute, the people began to rise up from behind the rock piles +which the herd had passed, and to shout and wave their robes. This +frightened the hinder-most buffalo, which pushed forward on the others, and +before long the whole herd was running at headlong speed toward the +precipice, the rock piles directing them to the point over the +enclosure. When they reached it, most of the animals were pushed over, and +usually even the last of the band plunged blindly down into the +pis'kun. Many were killed outright by the fall; others had broken legs or +broken backs, while some perhaps were uninjured. The barricade, however, +prevented them from escaping, and all were soon killed by the arrows of the +Indians. + +It is said that there was another way to get the buffalo into this chute. A +man who was very skilful in arousing the buffalo's curiosity, might go out +without disguise, and by wheeling round and round in front of the herd, +appearing and disappearing, would induce them to move toward him, when it +was easy to entice them into the chute. Once there, the people began to +rise up behind them, shouting and waving their robes, and the now +terror-stricken animals rushed ahead, and were driven over the cliff into +the pis'kun, where all were quickly killed and divided among the people, +the chiefs and the leading warrior getting the best and fattest animals. + +The pis'kun was in use up to within thirty-five or forty years, and many +men are still living who have seen the buffalo driven over the cliff. Such +men even now speak with enthusiasm of the plenty that successful drives +brought to the camp. + +The pis'kuns of the Sik'-si-kau, or Blackfoot tribe, differed in some +particulars from those constructed by the Bloods and the Piegans, who live +further to the south, nearer to the mountains, and so in a country which is +rougher and more broken. The Sik'-si-kau built their pis'kuns like the +Crees, on level ground and usually near timber. A large pen or corral was +made of heavy logs about eight feet high. On the side where the wings of +the chute come together, a bridge, or causeway, was built, sloping gently +up from the prairie to the walls of the corral, which at this point were +cut away to the height of the bridge above the ground,--here about +four feet,--so that the animals running up the causeway could jump down into +the corral. The causeway was fenced in on either side by logs, so that the +buffalo could not run off it. After they had been lured within the wings of +the chute, they were driven toward the corral as already described. When +they reached the end of the >, they ran up the bridge, and jumped down into +the pen. When it was full, or all had entered, Indians, who had lain hidden +near by, ran upon the bridge, and placed poles, prepared beforehand, across +the opening through which the animals had entered, and over these poles +hung robes, so as entirely to close the opening. The buffalo will not dash +themselves against a barrier which is entirely closed, even though it be +very frail; but if they can see through it to the outside, they will rush +against it, and their great weight and strength make it easy for them to +break down any but a heavy wall. Mr. Hugh Monroe tells me that he has seen +a pis'kun built of willow brush; and the Cheyennes have stated to me that +their buffalo corrals were often built of brush. Sometimes, if the walls of +the pis'kun were not high, the buffalo tried to jump or climb over them, +and, in doing this, might break them down, and some or all escape. As soon, +however, as the animals were in the corral, the people--women and children +included--ran up and showed themselves all about the walls, and by their +cries kept the buffalo from pressing against the walls. The animals ran +round and round within, and the men standing on the walls shot them down as +they passed. The butchering was done in the pis'kun, and after this was +over, the place was cleaned out, the heads, feet, and least perishable +offal being removed. Wolves, foxes, badgers, and other small carnivorous +animals visited the pis'kun, and soon made away with the entrails. + +In winter, when the snow was on the ground, and the buffalo were to be led +to the pis'kun, the following method was adopted to keep the herd +travelling in the desired direction after they had got between the wings of +the chute. A line of buffalo chips, each one supported on three small +sticks, so that it stood a few inches above the snow, was carried from the +mouth of the pis'kun straight out toward the prairie. The chips were about +thirty feet apart, and ran midway between the wings of the chute. This line +was, of course, conspicuous against the white snow, and when the buffalo +were running down the chute, they always followed it, never turning to the +right nor to the left. In the latter days of the pis'kun, the man who led +the buffalo was often mounted on a white horse. + +Often, when they drove the buffalo over a high vertical cliff, no corral +was built beneath. Most of those driven over were killed or disabled by the +fall, and only a few got away. The pis'kuns, as a rule, were built under +low-cut bluffs, and sometimes the buffalo were driven in by moonlight. + +In connection with the subject of leading or decoying the buffalo, another +matter not generally known may be mentioned. Sometimes, as a matter of +convenience, a herd was brought from a long distance close up to the +camp. This was usually done in the spring of the year, when the horses were +thin in flesh and not in condition to stand a long chase. I myself have +never seen this; but my friend, William Jackson, was once present at such a +drive by the Red River half-breeds, and has described to me the way in +which it was done. + +The camp was on Box Elder Creek near the Musselshell River. It was in the +spring of 1881, and the horses were all pretty well run down and thin, so +that their owners wished to spare them as much as possible. The buffalo +were seven or eight miles distant, and two men were sent out to bring them +to the camp. Other men, leading fresh horses, went with them, and hid +themselves among the hills at different points along the course that the +buffalo were expected to take, at intervals of a mile and a half. They +watched the herd, and were on hand to supply the fresh horses to the men +who were bringing it. + +The buffalo were on a wide flat, and the men rode over the hill and +advanced toward the herd at a walk. At length the buffalo noticed them, and +began to huddle up together and to walk about, and at length to walk +away. Then the men turned, and rode along parallel to the buffalo's course, +and at the same gait that these were taking. When the buffalo began to +trot, the men trotted, and when the herd began to lope, the men loped, and +at length they were all running pretty fast. The men kept about half a mile +from the herd, and up even with the leaders. As they ran, the herd kept +constantly edging a little toward the riders, as if trying to cross in +front of them. This inclination toward the men was least when they were far +off, and greatest when they drew nearer to them. At no time were the men +nearer to the herd than four hundred yards. If the buffalo edged too much +toward the riders, so that the course they were taking would lead them away +from camp, the men would drop back and cross over behind the herd to the +other side, and then, pushing their horses hard, would come up with the +leaders,--but still at a distance from them,--and then the buffalo would +begin to edge toward them, and the herd would be brought back again to the +desired course. If necessary, this was repeated, and so the buffalo were +kept travelling in a course approximately straight. + +By the time the buffalo had got pretty near to the camp, they were pretty +well winded, and the tongues of many of them were hanging out. This herd +was led up among the rolling hills about a mile from the camp, and there +the people were waiting for them, and charged them, when the herd broke up, +the animals running in every direction. + +Occasionally it would happen that for a long time the buffalo would not be +found in a place favorable for driving over the cliff or into a pen. In +such cases, the Indians would steal out on foot, and, on a day when there +was no wind, would stealthily surround the herd. Then they would startle +the buffalo, and yet would keep them from breaking through the circle. The +buffalo would "mill" around until exhausted, and at length, when worn out, +would be shot down by the Indians. This corresponds almost exactly with one +of the methods employed in killing buffalo by the Pawnees in early days +before they had horses.[1] In those days the Pi-k[)u]n'-i were very +numerous, and sometimes when a lot of buffalo were found in a favorable +position, and there was no wind, the people would surround them, and set up +their lodges about them, thus practically building a corral of +lodges. After all preparations had been made, they would frighten the +buffalo, which, being afraid to pass through between the lodges, would run +round and round in a great circle, and when they were exhausted the people +would kill them. + +[Footnote 1: Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales, p. 250.] + +Then they always had plenty of buffalo--if not fresh meat, that which they +had dried. For in winter they would kill large numbers of buffalo, and +would prepare great stores of dried meat. As spring opened, the buffalo +would move down to the more flat prairie country away from the +pis'kuns. Then the Blackfeet would also move away. As winter drew near, the +buffalo would again move up close to the mountains, and the Indians, as +food began to become scarce, would follow them toward the pis'kuns. In the +last of the summer and early autumn, they always had runners out, looking +for the buffalo, to find where they were, and which way they were +moving. In the early autumn, all the pis'kuns were repaired and +strengthened, so as to be in good order for winter. + +In the days before they had horses, and even in later times when the ground +was of such a character as to prevent running the buffalo, an ingenious +method of still-hunting them was practised. A story told by Hugh Monroe +illustrates it. He said: "I was often detailed by the Hudson's Bay Company +to go out in charge of a number of men, to kill meat for the fort. When the +ground was full of holes and wash-outs, so that running was dangerous, I +used to put on a big timber wolf's skin, which I carried for the purpose, +tying it at my neck and waist, and then to sneak up to the buffalo. I used +a bow and arrows, and generally shot a number without alarming them. If one +looked suspiciously at me, I would howl like a wolf. Sometimes the smell of +the blood from the wounded and dying would set the bulls crazy. They would +run up and lick the blood, and sometimes toss the dead ones clear from the +ground. Then they would bellow and fight each other, sometimes goring one +another so badly that they died. The great bulls, their tongues covered +with blood, their eyes flashing, and tails sticking out straight, roaring +and fighting, were terrible to see; and it was a little dangerous for me, +because the commotion would attract buffalo from all directions to see what +was going on. At such times, I would signal to my men, and they would ride +up and scare the buffalo away." + +In more modern times, the height of pleasure to a Blackfoot was to ride a +good horse and run buffalo. When bows and arrows, and, later, +muzzle-loading "fukes" were the only weapons, no more buffalo were killed +than could actually be utilized. But after the Winchester repeater came in +use, it seemed as if the different tribes vied with each other in wanton +slaughter. Provided with one of these weapons and a couple of belts of +cartridges, the hunters would run as long as their horses could keep up +with the band, and literally cover the prairie with carcasses, many of +which were never even skinned. + + + +ANTELOPE + +It is said that once in early times the men determined that they would use +antelope skins for their women's dresses, instead of cowskins. So they +found a place where antelope were plenty, and set up on the prairie long +lines of rock piles, or of bushes, so as to form a chute like a >. Near the +point where the lines joined, they dug deep pits, which they roofed with +slender poles, and covered these with grass and a little dirt. Then the +people scattered out, and while most of them hid behind the rock piles and +bushes, a few started the antelope toward the mouth of the chute. As they +ran by them, the people showed themselves and yelled, and the antelope ran +down the chute and finally reached the pits, and falling into them were +taken, when they were killed and divided among the hunters. Afterward, this +was the common method of securing antelopes up to the coming of the whites. + + + +EAGLES + +Before the whites came to the Blackfoot country, the Indian standard of +value was eagle tail-feathers. They were used to make war head-dresses, to +tie on the head, and to ornament shields, lances, and other +weapons. Besides this, the wings were used for fans, and the body feathers +for arrow-making. Always a wary bird, the eagle could seldom be approached +near enough for killing with the bow and arrow; and, in fact, it seems as +if it was considered improper to kill it in that way. The capture of these +birds appears to have had about it something of a sacred nature, and, as +was always the case among wild Indians when anything important was to be +undertaken, it was invariably preceded by earnest prayers to the Deity for +help and for success. + +There are still living many men who have caught eagles in the ancient +method, and, from several of these, accounts have been received, which, +while essentially similar, yet differ in certain particulars, especially in +the explanations of certain features of the ceremony. + +Wolf Calf's account of this ceremony is as follows:-- + +"A man who started out to catch eagles moved his lodge and his family away +from the main camp, to some place where the birds were abundant. A spot was +chosen on top of a mound or butte within a few miles of his lodge, and here +he dug a pit in the ground as long as his body and somewhat deeper. The +earth removed was carried away to a distance, and scattered about so as to +make no show. When the pit had been made large enough, it was roofed over +with small willow sticks, on which grass was scattered, and over the grass +a little earth and stones were laid, so as to give the place a natural +look, like the prairie all about it. + +"The bait was a piece of bloody neck of a buffalo. This, of course, could +be seen a long way off, and by the meat a stuffed wolf skin was often +placed, standing up, as if the animal were eating. To the piece of neck was +tied a rope, which passed down through the roof of the pit and was held in +the watcher's hand. + +"After all had been made ready, the next day the man rose very early, +before it was light, and, after smoking and praying, left his camp, telling +his wives and children not to use an awl while he was gone. He endeavored +to reach the pit early in the morning, before it became light, and lay down +in it, taking with him a slender stick about six feet long, a human skull, +and a little pemmican. Then he waited. + +"When the morning came, and the eagles were flying, one of them would see +the meat and descend to take it away from the wolf. Finding it held fast by +the rope, the bird began to feed on it; and while it was pecking at the +bait, the watcher seized it by the legs, and drew it into the pit, where he +killed it, either by twisting its neck, or by crushing it with his +knees. Then he laid it to one side, first opening the bill and putting a +little piece of pemmican in its mouth. This was done to make the other +eagles hungry. While he was in the pit, the man neither ate, drank, nor +slept. He had a sleeping-place not far off, to which he repaired each night +after dark, and there he ate and drank. + +"The reason for taking the skull into the hole with the catcher was, in +part, for his protection. It was believed that the ghost of the person to +whom the skull had belonged would protect the watcher against harm from the +eagle, and besides that, the skull, or ghost, would make the watcher +invisible, like a ghost. The eagle would not see him. + +"The stick was used to poke or drive away smaller birds, such as magpies, +crows, and ravens, which might alight on the roof of the pit, and try to +feed on the bait. It was used, also, to drive away the white-headed eagle, +which they did not care to catch. These are powerful birds; they could +almost kill a person. + +"There are two sacred things connected with the catching of eagles,--two +things which must be observed if the eagle-catcher is to have good +luck. The man who is watching must not eat rosebuds. If he does, the eagle, +when he comes down and alights by the bait, will begin to scratch himself +and will not attack the bait. The rosebuds will make him itch. Neither the +man nor his wife must use an awl while he is absent from his lodge, and is +trying to catch the birds. If this is done, the eagles will scratch the +catcher. Sometimes one man would catch a great many eagles." + +In his day, John Monroe was a famous eagle-catcher, and he has given me the +following account of the method as he has practised it. The pit is dug, six +feet long, three wide, and four deep, on top of the highest knoll that can +be found near a stream. The earth taken out is carried a long way off. Over +the pit they put two long poles, one on each side, running lengthwise of +the pit, and other smaller sticks are laid across, resting on the +poles. The smaller sticks are covered with juniper twigs and long grass. The +skin of a wolf, coyote, or fox, is stuffed with grass, and made to look as +natural as possible. A hole is cut in the wolf skin and a rope is passed +through it, one end being tied to a large piece of meat which lies by the +skin, and the other passing through the roof down into the pit. The bait is +now covered with grass, and the man returns to his lodge for the night. + +During the night, he sings his eagle songs and burns sweet grass for the +eagles, rubbing the smoke over his own body to purify himself, so that on +the morrow he will give out no scent. Before day he leaves his lodge +without eating or drinking, goes to the pit and lies down in it. He +uncovers the bait, arranges the roof, and sits there all day holding the +rope. Crows and other birds alight by the bait and peck at it, but he pays +no attention to them. + +The eagle, sailing about high in air, sees the bait, and settles down +slowly. It takes it a long time to make up its mind to come to the bait. In +the pit, the man can hear the sound of the eagle coming. When the bird +settles on the ground, it does not alight on the bait, but at one side of +it, striking the ground with a thud--heavily. The man never mistakes +anything else for that sound. The eagle walks toward the bait, and all the +other birds fly away. It walks on to the roof; and, through the crevices +that have been left between the sticks, the man can see in which direction +the bird's head is. He carefully pushes the stick aside and, reaching out, +grasps the eagle by the two feet. The bird does not struggle much. It is +drawn down into the pit, and the man wrings its neck. Then the opening is +closed, and the roof arranged as before. So the man waits and catches the +eagles that come through the day. Sometimes he sits all day and gets +nothing; again he may get eight or ten in a day. + +When darkness comes, the man leaves his hiding-place, takes his eagles, and +goes home. He carries the birds to a special lodge, prepared outside of the +camp, which is called the eagles' lodge. He places them on the ground in a +row, and raises their heads, resting them on a stick laid in front of the +row. In the mouth of each one is put a piece of pemmican, so that they may +not be afraid of the people. The object of feeding the eagles is that +their spirits may tell other eagles how they are being treated--that they +are being fed by the people. In the lodge is a human skull, and they pray +to it, asking the ghost to help them get the eagles. + +It is said that in one pit, once, forty eagles were killed in a day. The +larger hawks were caught, as well as eagles, though the latter were the +most highly valued. Five eagles used to be worth a good horse, a valuation +which shows that, in the Blackfoot country, eagles were more plenty, or +horses more valuable, than farther south, where, in old times, two eagles +would purchase a horse. + + + +OTHER GAME + +They had no special means of capturing deer in any numbers. These were +usually killed singly. The hunters used to creep up on elk and deer in the +brush, and when they had come close to them, they could drive even their +stone-pointed arrows deep in the flesh. Often their game was killed dead on +the spot, but if not, they left it alone until the next day, when, on going +back to the place, it was usually found near by, either dead or so +desperately wounded that they could secure it. + +Deadfalls were used to catch wolves, foxes, and other fur animals, and +small apertures in the pis'kun walls were provided with nooses and snares +for the same purpose. + +Another way to catch wolves and coyotes was to set heavy stakes in the +ground in a circle, about the carcasses of one or two dead buffalo. The +stakes were placed at an angle of about forty-five degrees, a few inches +apart, and all pointing toward the centre of the circle. At one place, dirt +was piled up against the stakes from the outside, and the wolves, climbing +up on this, jumped down into the enclosure, but were unable to jump +out. Hugh Monroe tells me that, about thirty years ago, he and his sons +made a trap like this, and in one night caught eighty-three wolves and +coyotes. + +In early times, beaver were very abundant and very tame, and were shot with +bows and arrows. + +The Blackfeet were splendid prairie hunters. They had no superiors in the +art of stalking and killing such wary animals as the antelope. Sometimes +they wore hats made of the skin and horns of an antelope head, which were +very useful when approaching the game. Although the prairie was +pre-eminently their hunting-ground, they were also skilful in climbing +mountains and killing sheep and goats. On the other hand, the northern +Crees, who also are a prairie people, are poor mountain hunters. + + + +THE BLACKFOOT IN WAR + + +The Blackfeet were a warlike people. How it may have been in the old days, +before the coming of the white men, we do not know. Very likely, in early +times, they were usually at peace with neighboring tribes, or, if quarrels +took place, battles were fought, and men killed, this was only in angry +dispute over what each party considered its rights. Their wars were +probably not general, nor could they have been very bloody. When, however, +horses came into the possession of the Indians, all this must have soon +become changed. Hitherto there had really been no incentive to war. From +time to time expeditions may have gone out to kill enemies,--for glory, or +to take revenge for some injury,--but war had not yet been made desirable +by the hope of plunder, for none of their neighbors--any more than +themselves--had property which was worth capturing and taking +away. Primitive arms, dogs, clothing, and dried meat were common to all the +tribes, and were their only possessions, and usually each tribe had an +abundance of all these. It was not worth any man's while to make long +journeys and to run into danger merely to increase his store of such +property, when his present possessions were more than sufficient to meet +all his wants. Even if such things had seemed desirable plunder, the amount +of it which could be carried away was limited, since--for a war party--the +only means of transporting captured articles from place to place was on +men's backs, nor could men burdened with loads either run or fight. But +when horses became known, and the Indians began to realize what a change +the possession of these animals was working in their mode of life, when +they saw that, by enormously increasing the transporting power of each +family, horses made far greater possessions practicable, that they insured +the food supply, rendered the moving of the camp easier and more rapid, +made possible long journeys with a minimum of effort, and that they had a +value for trading, the Blackfoot mind received a new idea, the idea that +it was desirable to accumulate property. The Blackfoot saw that, since +horses could be exchanged for everything that was worth having, no one +had as many horses as he needed. A pretty wife, a handsome war bonnet, +a strong bow, a finely ornamented woman's dress,--any or all of these +things a man might obtain, if he had horses to trade for them. The +gambler at "hands," or at the ring game, could bet horses. The man who +was devoted to his last married wife could give her a horse as an evidence +of his affection. + +We can readily understand what a change the advent of the horse must have +worked in the minds of a people like the Blackfeet, and how this changed +mental attitude would react on the Blackfoot way of living. At first, there +were but few horses among them, but they knew that their neighbors to the +west and south--across the mountains and on the great plains beyond the +Missouri and the Yellowstone--had plenty of them; that the K[=u]tenais, the +Kalispels, the Snakes, the Crows, and the Sioux were well provided. They +soon learned that horses were easily driven off, and that, even if followed +by those whose property they had taken, the pursued had a great advantage +over the pursuers; and we may feel sure that it was not long before the +idea of capturing horses from the enemy entered some Blackfoot head and was +put into practice. + +Now began a systematic sending forth of war parties against neighboring +tribes for the purpose of capturing horses, which continued for about +seventy-five or eighty years, and has only been abandoned within the last +six or seven, and since the settlement of the country by the whites made it +impossible for the Blackfeet longer to pass backward and forward through it +on their raiding expeditions. Horse-taking at once became what might be +called an established industry among the Blackfeet. Success brought wealth +and fame, and there was a pleasing excitement about the war journey. +Except during the bitterest weather of the winter, war parties of Blackfeet +were constantly out, searching for camps of their enemies, from whom they +might capture horses. Usually the only object of such an expedition was to +secure plunder, but often enemies were killed, and sometimes the party set +out with the distinct intention of taking both scalps and horses. + +Until some time after they had obtained guns, the Blackfeet were on +excellent terms with the northern Crees, but later the Chippeways from the +east made war on the Blackfeet, and this brought about general hostilities +against all Crees, which have continued up to within a few years. If I +recollect aright, the last fight which occurred between the Pi-kun'-i and +the Crees took place in 1886. In this skirmish, which followed an attempt +by the Crees to capture some Piegan horses, my friend, +Tail-feathers-coming-in-sight-over-the-Hill, killed and counted _coup_ on a +Cree whose scalp he afterward sent me, as an evidence of his prowess. + +The Gros Ventres of the prairie, of Arapaho stock, known to the Blackfeet +as _At-sena,_ or Gut People, had been friends and allies of the Blackfeet +from the time they first came into the country, early in this century, up +to about the year 1862, when, according to Clark, peace was broken through +a mistake.[1] A war party of Snakes had gone to a Gros Ventres camp near +the Bear Paw Mountains and there killed two Gros Ventres and taken a white +pony, which they subsequently gave to a party of Piegans whom they met, and +with whom they made peace. The Gros Ventres afterward saw this horse in the +Piegan camp and supposed that the latter had killed their tribesman, and +this led to a long war. In the year 1867, the Piegans defeated the allied +Crows and Gros Ventres in a great battle near the Cypress Mountains, in +which about 450 of the enemy are said to have been killed. + +[Footnote 1: Indian Sign Language, p. 70.] + +An expression often used in these pages, and which is so familiar to one +who has lived much with Indians as to need no explanation, is the phrase to +count _coup_. Like many of the terms common in the Northwest, this one +comes down to us from the old French trappers and traders, and a _coup_ is, +of course, a blow. As commonly used, the expression is almost a direct +translation of the Indian phrase to strike the enemy, which is in ordinary +use among all tribes. This striking is the literal inflicting a blow on an +individual, and does not mean merely the attack on a body of enemies. + +The most creditable act that an Indian can perform is to show that he is +brave, to prove, by some daring deed, his physical courage, his lack of +fear. In practice, this courage is shown by approaching near enough to an +enemy to strike or touch him with something that is held in the hand--to +come up within arm's length of him. To kill an enemy is praiseworthy, and +the act of scalping him may be so under certain circumstances, but neither +of these approaches in bravery the hitting or touching him with something +held in the hand. This is counting _coup_. + +The man who does this shows himself without fear and is respected +accordingly. With certain tribes, as the Pawnees, Cheyennes, and others, it +was not very uncommon for a warrior to dash up to an enemy and strike him +before making any attempt to injure him, the effort to kill being secondary +to the _coup_. The blow might be struck with anything held in the hand,--a +whip, coupstick, club, lance, the muzzle of a gun, a bow, or what not. It +did not necessarily follow that the person on whom the _coup_ had been +counted would be injured. The act was performed in the case of a woman, who +might be captured, or even on a child, who was being made prisoner. + +Often the dealing the _coup_ showed a very high degree of courage. As +already implied, it might be counted on a man who was defending himself +most desperately, and was trying his best to kill the approaching enemy, +or, even if the attempt was being made on a foe who had fallen, it was +never certain that he was beyond the power of inflicting injury. He might +be only wounded, and, just when the enemy had come close to him, and was +about to strike, he might have strength enough left to raise himself up and +shoot him dead. In their old wars, the Indians rarely took men +captive. The warrior never expected quarter nor gave it, and usually men +fought to the death, and died mute, defending themselves to the last--to +the last, striving to inflict some injury on the enemy. + +The striking the blow was an important event in a man's life, and he who +performed this feat remembered it. He counted it. It was a proud day for +the young warrior when he counted his first _coup_, and each subsequent one +was remembered and numbered in the warrior's mind, just as an American of +to-day remembers the number of times he has been elected to Congress. At +certain dances and religious ceremonies, like that of the Medicine Lodge, +the warriors counted--or rather re-counted--their _coups_. + +While the _coup_ was primarily, and usually, a blow with something held in +the hand, other acts in warfare which involved great danger to him who +performed them were also reckoned _coups_ by some tribes. Thus, for a +horseman to ride over and knock down an enemy, who was on foot, was +regarded among the Blackfeet as a _coup_, for the horseman might be shot at +close quarters, or might receive a lance thrust. It was the same to ride +one's horse violently against a mounted foe. An old Pawnee told me of a +_coup_ that he had counted by running up to a fallen enemy and jumping on +him with both feet. Sometimes the taking of horses counted a _coup_, but +this was not always the case. + +As suggested by what has been already stated, each tribe of the Plains +Indians held its own view as to what constituted a _coup_. The Pawnees were +very strict in their interpretation of the term, and with them an act of +daring was not in itself deemed a _coup_. This was counted only when the +person of an enemy was actually touched. One or two incidents which have +occurred among the Pawnees will serve to illustrate their notions on this +point. + +In the year 1867, the Pawnee scouts had been sent up to Ogallalla, +Nebraska, to guard the graders who were working on the Union Pacific +railroad. While they were there, some Sioux came down from the hills and +ran off a few mules, taking them across the North Platte. Major North took +twenty men and started after them. Crossing the river, and following it up +on the north bank, he headed them off, and before long came in sight of +them. + +The six Sioux, when they found that they were pursued, left the mules that +they had taken, and ran; and the Pawnees, after chasing them eight or ten +miles, caught up with one of them, a brother of the well-known chief +Spotted Tail. Baptiste Bahele, a half-breed Skidi, had a very fast horse, +and was riding ahead of the other Pawnees, and shooting arrows at the +Sioux, who was shooting back at him. At length Baptiste shot the enemy's +horse in the hip, and the Indian dismounted and ran on foot toward a +ravine. Baptiste shot at him again, and this time sent an arrow nearly +through his body, so that the point projected in front. The Sioux caught +the arrow by the point, pulled it through his body, and shot it back at his +pursuer, and came very near hitting him. About that time, a ball from a +carbine hit the Sioux and knocked him down. + +Then there was a race between Baptiste and the Pawnee next behind him, to +see which should count _coup_ on the fallen man. Baptiste was nearest to +him and reached him first, but just as he got to him, and was leaning over +from his horse, to strike the dead man, the animal shied at the body, +swerving to one side, and he failed to touch it. The horse ridden by the +other Pawnee ran right over the Sioux, and his rider leaned down and +touched him. + +Baptiste claimed the _coup_--although acknowledging that he had not +actually touched the man--on the ground that he had exposed himself to all +the danger, and would have hit the man if his horse had not swerved as it +did from the body; but the Pawnees would not allow it, and all gave the +credit of the _coup_ to the other boy, because he had actually touched the +enemy. + +On another occasion three or four young men started on the warpath from the +Pawnee village. When they came near to Spotted Tail's camp on the Platte +River, they crossed the stream, took some horses, and got them safely +across the river. Then one of the boys recrossed, went back to the camp, +and cut loose another horse. He had almost got this one out of the camp, +when an Indian came out of a lodge near by, and sat down. The Pawnee shot +the Sioux, counted _coup_ on him, scalped him, and then hurried across the +river with the whole Sioux camp in pursuit. When the party returned to the +Pawnee village, this boy was the only one who received credit for a _coup_. + +Among the Blackfeet the capture of a shield, bow, gun, war bonnet, war +shirt, or medicine pipe was deemed a _coup_. + +Nothing gave a man a higher place in the estimation of the people than the +counting of _coups_, for, I repeat, personal bravery is of all qualities +the most highly respected by Indians. On special occasions, as has been +said, men counted over again in public their _coups_. This served to +gratify personal vanity, and also to incite the young men to the +performance of similar brave deeds. Besides this, they often made a more +enduring record of these acts, by reproducing them pictographically on +robes, cowskins, and other hides. There is now in my possession an +illuminated cowskin, presented to me by Mr. J. Kipp, which contains the +record of the _coups_ and the most striking events in the life of Red +Crane, a Blackfoot warrior, painted by himself. These pictographs are very +rude and are drawn after the style common among Plains Indians, but no +doubt they were sufficiently lifelike to call up to the mind of the artist +each detail of the stirring events which they record. + +The Indian warrior who stood up to relate some brave deed which he had +performed was almost always in a position to prove the truth of his +statements. Either he had the enemy's scalp, or some trophy captured from +him, to produce as evidence, or else he had a witness of his feat in some +companion. A man seldom boasted of any deed unless he was able to prove his +story, and false statements about exploits against the enemy were most +unusual. Temporary peace was often made between tribes usually at war, and, +at the friendly meetings which took place during such times of peace, +former battles were talked over, the performances of various individuals +discussed, and the acts of particular men in the different rights commented +on. In this way, if any man had falsely claimed to have done brave deeds, +he would be detected. + +An example of this occurred many years ago among the Cheyennes. At that +time, there was a celebrated chief of the Skidi tribe of the Pawnee Nation +whose name was Big Eagle. He was very brave, and the Cheyennes greatly +feared him, and it was agreed among them that the man who could count +_coup_ on Big Eagle should be made warchief of the Cheyennes. After a fight +on the Loup River, a Cheyenne warrior claimed to have counted _coup_ on Big +Eagle by thrusting a lance through his buttocks. On the strength of the +claim, this man was made war chief of the Cheyennes. Some years later, +during a friendly visit made by the Pawnees to the Cheyennes, this incident +was mentioned. Big Eagle was present at the time, and, after inquiring +into the matter, he rose in council, denied that he had ever been struck as +claimed, and, throwing aside his robe, called on the Cheyennes present to +examine his body and to point out the scars left by the lance. None were +found. It was seen that Big Eagle spoke the truth; and the lying Cheyenne, +from the proud position of war chief, sank to a point where he was an +object of contempt to the meanest Indian in his tribe. + +Among the Blackfeet a war party usually, or often, had its origin in a +dream. Some man who has a dream, after he awakes tells of it. Perhaps he +may say: "I dreamed that on a certain stream is a herd of horses that have +been given to me, and that I am going away to get. I am going to war. I +shall go to that place and get my band of horses." Then the men who know +him, who believe that his medicine is strong and that he will have good +luck, make up their minds to follow him. As soon as he has stated what he +intends to do, his women and his female relations begin to make moccasins +for him, and the old men among his relations begin to give him arrows and +powder and ball to fit him out for war. The relations of those who are +going with him do the same for them. + +The leader notifies the young men who are going with him on what day and at +what hour he intends to start. He determines the time for himself, but +does not let the whole camp know it in advance. Of late years, large war +parties have not been desirable. They have preferred to go out in small +bodies. Just before a war party sets out, its members get together and sing +the "peeling a stick song," which is a wolf song. Then they build a sweat +lodge and go into it, and with them goes in an old man, a medicine-pipe +man, who has been a good warrior. They fill the pipe and ask him to pray +for them, that they may have good luck, and may accomplish what they +desire. The medicine-pipe man prays and sings and pours water on the hot +stones, and the warriors with their knives slice bits of skin and flesh +from their bodies,--their arms and breasts and sometimes from the tip of +the tongue,--which they offer to the Sun. Then, after the ceremony is over, +all dripping with perspiration from their vapor bath, the men go down to +the river and plunge in. + +In starting out, a war party often marches in the daytime, but sometimes +they travel at night from the beginning. Often they may make an all night +march across a wide prairie, in passing over which they might be seen if +they travelled in the day. They journey on foot, always. The older men +carry their arms, while the boys bear the moccasins, the ropes, and the +food, which usually consists of dried meat or pemmican. They carry also +coats and blankets and their war bonnets and otter skin medicine. The +leader has but little physical labor to perform. His mind is occupied in +planning the movements of his party. He is treated with the greatest +respect. The others mend his moccasins, and give him the best of the food +which they carry. + +After they get away from the main camp, the leader selects the strongest of +the young men, and sends him ahead to some designated butte, saying, "Go to +that place, and look carefully over the country, and if you see nothing, +make signals to us to come on." This scout goes on ahead, travelling in the +ravines and coulees, and keeps himself well hidden. After he has +reconnoitred and made signs that he sees nothing, the party proceeds +straight toward him. + +The party usually starts early in the morning and travels all day, making +camp at sundown. During the day, if they happen to come upon an antelope or +a buffalo, they kill it, if possible, and take some of the meat with +them. They try in every way to economize their pemmican. They always +endeavor to make camp in the thick timber, where they cannot be seen; and +here, when it is necessary, on account of bad weather or for other reasons, +they build a war lodge. Taking four young cotton-woods or aspens, on which +the leaves are left, and lashing them together like lodge poles, but with +the butts up, about these they place other similar trees, also butts up and +untrimmed. The leaves keep the rain off, and prevent the light of the fire +which is built in the lodge from showing through. Sometimes, when on the +prairie, where there is no wood, in stormy weather they will build a +shelter of rocks. When the party has come close to the enemy, or into a +country where the enemy are likely to be found, they build no more fires, +but eat their food uncooked. + +When they see fresh tracks of people, or signs that enemies are in the +country, they stop travelling in the daytime and move altogether by night, +until they come to some good place for hiding, and here they stop and +sleep. When day comes, the leader sends out young men to the different +buttes, to look over the country and see if they can discover the enemy. If +some one of the scouts reports that he has seen a camp, and that the enemy +have been found, the leader directs his men to paint themselves and put on +their war bonnets. This last is a figure of speech, since the war bonnets, +having of late years been usually ornamented with brass bells, could not be +worn in a secret attack, on account of the noise they would make. Before +painting themselves, therefore, they untie their war bonnets, and spread +them out on the ground, as if they were about to be worn, and then when +they have finished painting themselves, tie them up again. When it begins +to get dark, they start on the run for the enemy's camp. They leave their +food in camp, but carry their ropes slung over the shoulder and under the +arm, whips stuck in belts, guns and blankets. + +After they have crept up close to the lodges, the leader chooses certain +men that have strong hearts, and takes them with him into the camp to cut +loose the horses. The rest of the party remain outside the camp, and look +about its outskirts, driving in any horses that may be feeding about, not +tied up. Of those who have gone into the camp, some cut loose one horse, +while others cut all that may be tied about a lodge. Some go only once into +the camp, and some go twice to get the horses. When they have secured the +horses, they drive them off a little way from the camp, at first going +slowly, and then mount and ride off fast. Generally, they travel two +nights and one day before sleeping. + +This is the usual method of procedure of an ordinary expedition to capture +horses, and I have given it very nearly in the language of the men who +explained it to me. + +In their hostile encounters, the Blackfeet have much that is common to many +Plains tribes, and also some customs that are peculiar to themselves. Like +most Indians, they are subject to sudden, apparently causeless, panics, +while at other times they display a courage that is heroic. They are firm +believers in luck, and will follow a leader who is fortunate in his +expeditions into almost any danger. On the other hand, if the leader of a +war party loses his young men, or any of them, the people in the camp think +that he is unlucky, and does not know how to lead a war party. Young men +will not follow him as a leader, and he is obliged to go as a servant or +scout under another leader. He is likely never again to lead a war party, +having learned to distrust his luck. + +If a war party meets the enemy, and kills several of them, losing in the +battle one of its own number, it is likely, as the phrase is, to "cover" +the slain Blackfoot with all the dead enemies save one, and to have a scalp +dance over that remaining one. If a party had killed six of the enemy and +lost a man, it might "cover" the slain Blackfoot with five of the enemy. In +other words, the five dead enemies would pay for the one which the war +party had lost. So far, matters would be even, and they would feel at +liberty to rejoice over the victory gained over the one that is left. + +The Blackfeet sometimes cut to pieces an enemy killed in battle. If a +Blackfoot had a relation killed by a member of another tribe, and afterward +killed one of this tribe, he was likely to cut him all to pieces "to get +even," that is, to gratify his spite--to obtain revenge. Sometimes, after +they had killed an enemy, they dragged his body into camp, so as to give +the children an opportunity to count _coup_ on it. Often they cut the feet +and hands off the dead, and took them away and danced over them for a long +time. Sometimes they cut off an arm or a leg, and often the head, and +danced and rejoiced over this trophy. + +Women and children of hostile tribes were often captured, and adopted into +the Blackfoot tribes with all the rights and privileges of indigenous +members. Men were rarely captured. When they were taken, they were +sometimes killed in cold blood, especially if they had made a desperate +resistance before being captured. At other times, the captive would be kept +for a time, and then the chief would take him off away from the camp, and +give him provisions, clothing, arms, and a horse, and let him go. The +captive man always had a hard time at first. When he was brought into the +camp, the women and children threw dirt on him and counted _coups_ on him, +pounding him with sticks and clubs. He was rarely tied, but was always +watched. Often the man who had taken him prisoner had great trouble to +keep his tribesmen from killing him. + +In the very early days of this century, war parties used commonly to start +out in the spring, going south to the land where horses were abundant, +being absent all summer and the next winter, and returning the following +summer or autumn, with great bands of horses. Sometimes they were gone two +years. They say that on such journeys they used to go to _Spai'yu ksah'ku_, +which means the Spanish lands--_Spai'yu_ being a recently made word, no +doubt from the French _espagnol._ That they did get as far as Mexico, or at +least New Mexico, is indicated by the fact that they brought back branded +horses and a few branded mules; for in these early days there was no stock +upon the Plains, and animals bearing brands were found only in the Spanish +American settlements. The Blackfeet did not know what these marks +meant. From their raids into these distant lands, they sometimes brought +back arms of strange make, lances, axes, and swords, of a form unlike any +that they had seen. The lances had broad heads; some of the axes, as +described, were evidently the old "T. Gray" trade axes of the southwest. A +sword, described as having a long, slender, straight blade, inlaid with a +flower pattern of yellow metal along the back, was probably an old Spanish +rapier. + +In telling of these journeys to Spanish lands, they say of the very long +reeds which grow there, that they are very large at the butt, are jointed, +very hard, and very tall; they grow in marshy places; and the water there +has a strange, mouldy smell. + +It is said, too, that there have been war parties who have crossed the +mountains and gone so far to the west that they have seen the big salt +water which lies beyond, or west of, the Great Salt Lake. Journeys as far +south as Salt Lake were not uncommon, and Hugh Monroe has told me of a war +party he accompanied which went as far as this. + + + +RELIGION + + +In ancient times the chief god of the Blackfeet--their Creator--was _Na'pi_ +(Old Man). This is the word used to indicate any old man, though its +meaning is often loosely given as white. An analysis of the word _Na'pi_, +however, shows it to be compounded of the word _Ni'nah_, man, and the +particle _a'pi_, which expresses a color, and which is never used by +itself, but always in combination with some other word. The Blackfoot word +for white is _Ksik-si-num'_ while _a'pi_, though also conveying the idea of +whiteness, really describes the tint seen in the early morning light when +it first appears in the east--the dawn--not a pure white, but that color +combined with a faint cast of yellow. _Na'pi_, therefore, would seem to +mean dawn-light-color-man, or man-yellowish-white. It is easy to see why +old men should be called by this latter name, for it describes precisely +the color of their hair. + +Dr. Brinton, in his valuable work, American Hero Myths, has suggested a +more profound reason why such a name should be given to the Creator. He +says: "The most important of all things to life is light. This the +primitive savage felt, and personifying it, he made light his chief god. +The beginning of day served, by analogy, for the beginning of the +world. Light comes before the Sun, brings it forth, creates it, as it +were. Hence the Light god is not the Sun god but his antecedent and +Creator." + +It would be absurd to attribute to the Blackfoot of to-day any such +abstract conception of the name of the Creator as that expressed in the +foregoing quotation. The statement that Old Man was merely light +personified would be beyond his comprehension, and if he did understand +what was meant, he would laugh at it, and aver that _Na'pi_ was a real man, +a flesh and blood person like himself. + +The character of Old Man, as depicted in the stories told of him by the +Blackfeet, is a curious mixture of opposite attributes. In the serious +tales, such as those of the creation, he is spoken of respectfully, and +there is no hint of the impish qualities which characterize him in other +stories, in which he is powerful, but also at times impotent; full of all +wisdom, yet at times so helpless that he has to ask aid from the +animals. Sometimes he sympathizes with the people, and at others, out of +pure spitefulness, he plays them malicious tricks that are worthy of a +demon. He is a combination of strength, weakness, wisdom, folly, +childishness, and malice. + +Under various names Old Man is known to the Crees, Chippeways, and other +Algonquins, and many of the stories that are current among the Blackfeet +are told of him among those tribes. The more southern of these tribes do +not venerate him as of old, but the Plains and Timber Crees of the north, +and the north Chippeways, are said still to be firm believers in Old +Man. He was their Creator, and is still their chief god. He is believed in +less by the younger generation than the older. The Crees are regarded by +the Indians of the Northwest as having very powerful medicine, and this all +comes from Old Man. + +Old Man can never die. Long ago he left the Blackfeet and went away to the +West, disappearing in the mountains. Before his departure he told them +that he would always take care of them, and some day would return. Even +now, many of the old people believe that he spoke the truth, and that some +day he will come back, and will bring with him the buffalo, which they +believe the white men have hidden. It is sometimes said, however, that when +he left them he told them also that, when he returned, he would find them +changed--a different people and living in a different way from that which +they practised when he went away. Sometimes, also, it is said that when he +disappeared he went to the East. + +It is generally believed that Old Man is no longer the principal god of the +Blackfeet, that the Sun has taken his place. There is some reason to +suspect, however, that the Sun and Old Man are one, that _N[=a]t[=o]s_' is +only another name for _Na'pi_, for I have been told by two or three old men +that "the Sun is the person whom we call Old Man." However this may be, it +is certain that _Na'pi_--even if he no longer occupies the chief place in +the Blackfoot religious system--is still reverenced, and is still addressed +in prayer. Now, however, every good thing, success in war, in the chase, +health, long life, all happiness, come by the special favor of the Sun. + +The Sun is a man, the supreme chief of the world. The flat, circular earth +in fact is his home, the floor of his lodge, and the over-arching sky is +its covering. The moon, _K[=o]-k[=o]-mik'-[=e]-[)i]s,_ night light, is the +Sun's wife. The pair have had a number of children, all but one of whom +were killed by pelicans. The survivor is the morning star, +_A-pi-su-ahts_--early riser. + +In attributes the Sun is very unlike Old Man. He is a beneficent person, of +great wisdom and kindness, good to those who do right. As a special means +of obtaining his favor, sacrifices must be made. These are often presents +of clothing, fine robes, or furs, and in extreme cases, when the prayer is +for life itself, the offering of a finger, or--still dearer--a lock of +hair. If a white buffalo was killed, the robe was always given to the +Sun. It belonged to him. Of the buffalo, the tongue--regarded as the +greatest delicacy of the whole animal--was especially sacred to the +Sun. The sufferings undergone by men in the Medicine Lodge each year were +sacrifices to the Sun. This torture was an actual penance, like the sitting +for years on top of a pillar, the wearing of a hair shirt, or fasting in +Lent. It was undergone for no other purpose than that of pleasing God--as a +propitiation or in fulfilment of vows made to him. Just as the priests of +Baal slashed themselves with knives to induce their god to help them, so, +and for the same reason, the Blackfoot men surged on and tore out the ropes +tied to their skins. It is merely the carrying out of a religious idea that +is as old as history and as widespread as the globe, and is closely akin to +the motive which to-day, in our own centres of enlightened civilization, +prompts acts of self-denial and penance by many thousands of intelligent +cultivated people. And yet we are horrified at hearing described the +tortures of the Medicine Lodge. + +Besides the Sun and Old Man, the Blackfoot religious system includes a +number of minor deities or rather natural qualities and forces, which are +personified and given shape. These are included in the general terms Above +Persons, Ground Persons, and Under Water Persons. Of the former class, +Thunder is one of the most important, and is worshipped as is elsewhere +shown. He brings the rain. He is represented sometimes as a bird, or, more +vaguely, as in one of the stories, merely as a fearful person. Wind Maker +is an example of an Under Water Person, and it is related that he has been +seen, and his form is described. It is believed by some that he lives under +the water at the head of the Upper St. Mary's Lake. Those who believe this +say that when he wants the wind to blow, he makes the waves roll, and that +these cause the wind to blow,--another example of mistaking effect for +cause, so common among the Indians. The Ground Man is another below +person. He lives under the ground, and perhaps typifies the power of the +earth, which is highly respected by all Indians of the west. The Cheyennes +also have a Ground Man whom they call The Lower One, or Below Person +_(Pun'-[)o]-ts[)i]-hyo)_. The cold and snow are brought by Cold Maker +_(Ai'-so-yim-stan_). He is a man, white in color, with white hair, and clad +in white apparel, who rides on a white horse. He brings the storm with +him. They pray to him to bring, or not to bring, the storm. + +Many of the animals are regarded as typifying some form of wisdom or +craft. They are not gods, yet they have power, which, perhaps, is given +them by the Sun or by Old Man. Examples of this are shown in some of the +stories. + +Among the animals especially respected and supposed to have great power, +are the buffalo, the bear, the raven, the wolf, the beaver, and the +kit-fox. Geese too, are credited with great wisdom and with foreknowledge +of the weather. They are led by chiefs. As is quite natural among a people +like the Blackfeet, the buffalo stood very high among the animals which +they reverenced. It symbolized food and shelter, and was _Nato'y[)e]_ (of +the Sun), sacred. Not a few considered it a medicine animal, and had it for +their dream, or secret helper. It was the most powerful of all the animal +helpers. Its importance is indicated by the fact that buffalo skulls were +placed on the sweat houses built in connection with the Medicine Lodge. A +similar respect for the buffalo exists among many Plains tribes, which were +formerly dependent on it for food and raiment. A reverence for the bear +appears to be common to all North American tribes, and is based not upon +anything that the animal's body yields, but perhaps on the fact that it is +the largest carnivorous mammal of the continent, the most difficult to kill +and extremely keen in all its senses. The Blackfeet believe it to be part +brute and part human, portions of its body, particularly the ribs and feet, +being like those of a man. The raven is cunning. The wolf has great +endurance and much craft. He can steal close to one without being seen. In +the stories given in the earlier pages of this book, many of the attributes +of the different animals are clearly set forth. + +There were various powers and signs connected with these animals so held in +high esteem by the Blackfeet, to which the people gave strict heed. Thus +the raven has the power of giving people far sight. It was also useful in +another way. Often, in going to war, a man would get a raven's skin and +stuff the head and neck, and tie it to the hair of the head behind. If a +man wearing such a skin got near the enemy without knowing it, the skin +would give him warning by tapping him on the back of the head with its +bill. Then he would know that the enemy was near, and would hide. If a +raven flew over a lodge, or a number of lodges, and cried, and then was +joined by other ravens, all flying over the camp and crying, it was a sure +sign that during the day some one would come and tell the news from far +off. The ravens often told the people that game was near, calling to the +hunter and then flying a little way, and then coming back, and again +calling and flying toward the game. + +The wolves are the people's great friends; they travel with the wolves. If, +as they are travelling along, they pass close to some wolves, these will +bark at the people, talking to them. Some man will call to them, "No, I +will not give you my body to eat, but I will give you the body of some one +else, if you will go along with us." This applies both to wolves and +coyotes. If a man goes away from the camp at night, and meets a coyote, and +it barks at him, he goes back to the camp, and says to the people: "Look +out now; be smart. A coyote barked at me to-night." Then the people look +out, and are careful, for it is a sure sign that something bad is going to +happen. Perhaps some one will be shot; perhaps the enemy will charge the +camp. + +If a person is hungry and sings a wolf song, he is likely to find food. Men +going on a hunting trip sing these songs, which bring them good luck. The +bear has very powerful medicine. Sometimes he takes pity on people and +helps them, as in the story of Mik'-api. + +Some Piegans, if they wish to travel on a certain day, have the power of +insuring good weather on that day. It is supposed that they do this by +singing a powerful song. Some of the enemy can cause bad weather, when they +want to steal into the camp. + +People who belonged to the _Sin'-o-pah_ band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi,_ if +they were at war in summer and wanted a storm to come up, would take some +dirt and water and rub it on the kit-fox skin, and this would cause a +rain-storm to come up. In winter, snow and dirt would be rubbed on the skin +and this would bring up a snow-storm. + +Certain places and inanimate objects are also greatly reverenced by the +Blackfeet, and presents are made to them. + +The smallest of the three buttes of the Sweet Grass Hills is regarded as +sacred. "All the Indians are afraid to go there," Four Bears once told +me. Presents are sometimes thrown into the Missouri River, though these are +not offerings made directly to the stream, but are given to the Under Water +People, who live in it. + +Mention has already been made of the buffalo rock, which gives its owner +the power to call the buffalo. + +Another sacred object is the medicine rock of the Marias. It is a huge +boulder of reddish sandstone, two-thirds the way up a steep hill on the +north bank of the Marias River, about five miles from Fort +Conrad. Formerly, this rock rested on the top of the bluff, but, as the +soil about it is worn away by the wind and the rain, it is slowly moving +down the hill. The Indians believe it to be alive, and make presents to +it. When I first visited it, the ground about it was strewn with decaying +remnants of offerings that had been made to it in the past. Among these I +noticed, besides fragments of clothing, eagle feathers, a steel finger ring, +brass ear-rings, and a little bottle made of two copper cartridge cases. + +Down on Milk River, east of the Sweet Grass Hills, is another medicine +rock. It is shaped something like a man's body, and looks like a person +sitting on top of the bluff. Whenever the Blackfeet pass this rock, they +make presents to it. Sometimes, when they give it an article of clothing, +they put it on the rock, "and then," as one of them once said to me, "when +you look at it, it seems more than ever like a person." Down in the big +bend of the Milk River, opposite the eastern end of the Little Rocky +Mountains, lying on the prairie, is a great gray boulder, which is shaped +like a buffalo bull lying down. This is greatly reverenced by all Plains +Indians, Blackfeet included, and they make presents to it. Many other +examples of similar character might be given. + +The Blackfeet make daily prayers to the Sun and to Old Man, and nothing of +importance is undertaken without asking for divine assistance. They are +firm believers in dreams. These, they say, are sent by the Sun to enable us +to look ahead, to tell what is going to happen. A dream, especially if it +is a strong one,--that is, if the dream is very clear and vivid,--is almost +always obeyed. As dreams start them on the war path, so, if a dream +threatening bad luck comes to a member of a war party, even if in the +enemy's country and just about to make an attack on a camp, the party is +likely to turn about and go home without making any hostile +demonstrations. The animal or object which appears to the boy, or man, who +is trying to dream for power, is, as has been said, regarded thereafter as +his secret helper, his medicine, and is usually called his dream +_(Nits-o'-kan)_. + +The most important religious occasion of the year is the ceremony of the +Medicine Lodge. This is a sacrifice, which, among the Blackfeet, is offered +invariably by women. If a woman has a son or husband away at war, and is +anxious about him, or if she has a dangerously sick child, she may make to +the Sun a vow in the following words:-- + +"Listen, Sun. Pity me. You have seen my life. You know that I am pure. I +have never committed adultery with any man. Now, therefore, I ask you to +pity me. I will build you a lodge. Let my son survive. Bring him back to +health, so that I may build this lodge for you." + +The vow to build the Medicine Lodge is repeated in a loud voice, outside +her lodge, so that all the people may hear it, and if any man can impeach +the woman, he is obliged to speak out, in which case she could be punished +according to the law. The Medicine Lodge is always built in summer, at the +season of the ripening of the sarvis berries, and if, before this time, the +person for whom the vow is made dies, the woman is not obliged to fulfil +her vow. She is regarded with suspicion, and it is generally believed that +she has been guilty of the crime she disavowed. As this cannot be proved, +however, she is not punished. + +When the time approaches for the building of the lodge, a suitable locality +is selected, and all the people move to it, putting up their lodges in a +circle about it. In the meantime, at least a hundred buffalo tongues have +been collected, cut, and dried by the woman who may be called the Medicine +Lodge woman. No one but she is allowed to take part in this work. + +Before the tongues are cut and dried, they are laid in a pile in the +medicine woman's lodge. She then gives a feast to the old men, and one of +them, noted for his honesty, and well liked by all, repeats a very long +prayer, asking in substance that the coming Medicine Lodge may be +acceptable to the Sun, and that he will look with favor on the people, and +will give them good health, plenty of food, and success in war. A hundred +songs are then sung, each one different from the others. The feast and +singing of these songs lasts a day and a half.[Illustration: MEDICINE +LODGE] + +Before the Medicine Lodge is erected, four large sweat lodges are built, +all in a line, fronting to the east or toward the rising sun. Two stand in +front of the Medicine Lodge, and two behind it. The two nearest the +Medicine Lodge are built one day, and the others on the day following. The +sticks for the framework of these lodges are cut only by renowned warriors, +each warrior cutting one, and, as he brings it in and lays it down, he +counts a _coup_, which must be of some especially brave deed. The old men +then take the sticks and erect the lodges, placing on top of each a buffalo +skull, one half of which is painted red, the other black, to represent day +and night, or rather the sun and the moon. When the lodges are finished and +the stones heated, the warriors go in to sweat, and with them the medicine +pipe men, who offer up prayers. + +While this is going on, the young men cut the centre post for the Medicine +Lodge, and all the other material for its construction. The women then pack +out the post and the poles on horses, followed by the men shouting, +singing, and shooting. + +In the morning of this day the medicine woman begins a fast, which must +last four days and four nights, with only one intermission, as will shortly +appear. During that time she may not go out of doors, except between sunset +and sunrise. During the whole ceremony her face, hands, and clothing are +covered with the sacred red paint. + +When all the material has been brought to the spot where the lodge is to be +erected, that warrior who, during the previous year, has done the most +cutting and stabbing in battle is selected to cut the rawhide to bind it, +and while he cuts the strings he counts three _coups_. + +The centre post is now placed on the ground, surrounded by the poles and +other smaller posts; and two bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, the Braves, +and the All Crazy Dogs approach. Each band sings four songs, and then they +raise the lodge amid the shouting of the people. It is said that, in old +times, all the bands of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_ took part in this +ceremony. For raising the centre post, which is very heavy, lodge poles are +tied in pairs, with rawhide, so as to form "shears," each pair being +handled by two men. If one of the ropes binding the shears breaks, the men +who hold the pair are said to be unlucky; it is thought that they are soon +to die. As soon as the centre post is up, the wall posts are erected, and +the roof of poles put on, the whole structure being covered with brush. The +door-way faces east or southeast, and the lodge is circular in shape, about +forty feet in diameter, with walls about seven feet high. + +Inside the Medicine Lodge, at the back, or west side, in the principal +place in the lodge, is now built a little box-shaped house, about seven +feet high, six feet long, and four wide. It is made of brush, so tightly +woven that one cannot see inside of it. This is built by a medicine man, +the high priest of this ceremony, who, for four days, the duration of the +ceremony, neither eats nor goes out of it in the daytime. The people come +to him, two at a time, and he paints them with black, and makes for them an +earnest prayer to the Sun, that they may have good health, long lives, and +good food and shelter. This man is supposed to have power over the rain. As +rain would interfere with the ceremonies, he must stop it, if it threatens. + +In the meantime, the sacred dried tongues have been placed in the Medicine +Lodge. The next morning, the Medicine Lodge woman leaves her own lodge, +and, walking very slowly with bowed head, and praying at every step, she +enters the Medicine Lodge, and, standing by the pile of tongues, she cuts +up one of them and holds it toward heaven, offering it to the Sun; then she +eats a part of it and buries the rest in the dirt, praying to the Ground +Man, and calling him to bear witness that she has not defiled his body by +committing adultery. She then proceeds to cut up the tongues, giving a very +small piece to every person, man, woman, or child. Each one first holds it +up to the Sun, and then prays to the Sun, Na'-pi, and the Ground Man for +long life, concluding by depositing a part of the morsel of tongue on the +ground, saying, "I give you this sacred tongue to eat." And now, during the +four days, outside the lodge, goes on the counting of the _coups_. Each +warrior in turn recounts his success in war,--his battles or his +horse-takings. With a number of friends to help him, he goes through a +pantomime of all these encounters, showing how he killed this enemy, took a +gun from that one, or cut horses loose from the lodge of another. When he +has concluded, an old man offers a prayer, and ends by giving him a new +name, saying that he hopes he will live well and long under it. + +Inside the lodge, rawhide ropes are suspended from the centre post, and +here the men fulfil the vows that they have made during the previous +year. Some have been sick, or in great danger at war, and they then vowed +that if they were permitted to live, or escape, they would swing at the +Medicine Lodge. Slits are cut in the skin of their breast, ropes passed +through and secured by wooden skewers, and then the men swing and surge +until the skin gives way and tears out. This is very painful, and some +fairly shriek with agony as they do it, but they never give up, for they +believe that if they should fail to fulfil their vow, they would soon die. + +On the fourth day every one has been prayed for, every one has made to the +Sun his or her present, which is tied to the centre post, the sacred +tongues have all been consumed, and the ceremony ends, every one feeling +better, assured of long life and plenty. + +Most persons have an entirely erroneous idea of the purpose of this annual +ceremony. It has been supposed that it was for the purpose of making +warriors. This is not true. It was essentially a religious festival, +undertaken for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the people according to +their beliefs. Incidentally, it furnished an opportunity for the rehearsal +of daring deeds. But among no tribes who practised it were warriors made by +it. The swinging by the breast and other self-torturings were but the +fulfilment of vows, sacred promises made in time of danger, penances +performed, and not, as many believe, an occasion for young men to test +their courage. + +From the Indians of the tribe, the Medicine Lodge woman receives a very +high measure of respect and consideration. Blackfoot men have said to me, +"We look on the Medicine Lodge woman as you white people do on the Roman +Catholic sisters." Not only is she virtuous in deed, but she must be +serious and clean-minded. Her conversation must be sober. + +Before the coming of the whites, the Blackfeet used to smoke the leaves of +a plant which they call _na-wuh'-to-ski_, and which is said to have been +received long, long ago from a medicine beaver. It was used unmixed with +any other plant. The story of how this came to the tribe is told +elsewhere.[1] This tobacco is no longer planted by the Piegans, nor by the +Bloods, though it is said that an old Blackfoot each year still goes +through the ceremony, and raises a little. The plant grows about ten +inches high and has a long seed stalk growing from the centre. White Calf, +the chief of the Piegans, has the secrets of the tobacco and is perhaps the +only person in the tribe who knows them. From him I have received the +following account of the ceremonies connected with it:-- + +[Footnote 1: The Beaver Medicine, p. 117.] + +Early in the spring, after the last snow-storm, when the flowers begin to +bud (early in the month of May), the women and children go into the timber +and prepare a large bed, clearing away the underbrush, weeds and grass and +leaves and sticks, raking the ground till the earth is thoroughly +pulverized. Elk, deer, and mountain sheep droppings are collected, pounded +fine, and mixed with the seed which is to be sown. + +On the appointed day all the men gather at the bed. Each one holds in his +hand a short, sharp-pointed stick, with which to make a hole in the +ground. The men stand in a row extending across the bed. At a signal they +make the holes in the ground, and drop in some seed, with some sacred +sarvis berries. The tobacco song is sung by the medicine men, all take a +short step forward, make another hole, a foot in front of the last, and +then drop in it some more seed. Another song is sung, another step taken, +and seed is again planted; and this continues until the line of men has +moved all the way across the bed, and the planting is completed. The +tobacco dance follows the planting. + +After the seed has been planted, they leave it and go off after the +buffalo. While away during the summer, some important man--one of the +medicine men who had taken part in the planting--announces to the people +his purpose to go back to look after the crop. He starts, and after he has +reached the place, he builds a little fire in the bed, and offers a prayer +for the crop, asking that it may survive and do well. Then he pulls up one +of the plants, which he takes back with him and shows to the people, so +that all may see how the crop is growing. He may thus visit the place three +or four times in the course of the summer. + +From time to time, while they are absent from the tobacco patch in summer, +moving about after the buffalo, the men gather in some lodge to perform a +special ceremony for the protection of the crop. Each man holds in his hand +a little stick. They sing and pray to the Sun and Old Man, asking that the +grasshoppers and other insects may not eat their plants. At the end of each +song they strike the ground with their sticks, as if killing grasshoppers +and worms. It has sometimes happened that a young man has said that he does +not believe that these prayers and songs protect the plants, that the Sun +does not send messengers to destroy the worms. To such a one a medicine +man will say, "Well, you can go to the place and see for yourself." The +young man gets on his horse and travels to the place. When he comes to the +edge of the patch and looks out on it, he sees many small children at work +there, killing worms. He has not believed in this before, but now he goes +back convinced. Such a young man does not live very long. + +At length the season comes for gathering the crop, and, at a time +appointed, all the camps begin to move back toward the tobacco patch, +timing their marches so that all may reach it on the same day. When they +get there, they camp near it, but no one visits it except the head man of +the medicine men who took charge of the planting. This man goes to the bed, +gathers a little of the plant, and returns to the camp. + +A small boy, six or eight years old, is selected to carry this plant to the +centre of the circle. The man who gathered the tobacco ties it to a little +stick, and, under the tobacco, to the stick he ties a baby's moccasin. The +little boy carries this stick to the centre of the camp, and stands it in +the ground in the middle of the circle, the old man accompanying him and +showing him where to put it. It is left there all night. The next day there +is a great feast, and the kettles of food are all brought to the centre of +the camp. The people all gather there, and a prayer is made. Then they sing +the four songs which belong especially to this festival. The first and +fourth are merely airs without words; the second has words, the purport of +which is, "The sun goes with us." The third song says, "Hear your +children's prayer." After the ceremony is over, every one is at liberty to +go and gather the tobacco. It is dried and put in sacks for use during the +year. The seed is collected for the next planting. When they reach the +patch, if the crop is good, every one is glad. After the gathering, they +all move away again after the buffalo. + +Sometimes a man who was lazy, and had planted no tobacco, would go secretly +to the patch, and pull a number of plants belonging to some one else, and +hide them for his own use. Now, in these prayers that they offer, they do +not ask for mercy for thieves. A man who had thus taken what did not belong +to him would have a lizard appear to him in a dream, and then he would fall +sick and die. The medicine men would know of all this, but they would not +do anything. They would just let him die. + +This tobacco was given us by the one who made us. + +The Blackfoot cosmology is imperfect and vague, and I have been able to +obtain nothing like a complete account of it, for I have found no one who +appeared to know the story of the beginning of all things. + +Some of the Blackfeet now say that originally there was a great womb, in +which were conceived the progenitors of all animals now on earth. Among +these was Old Man. As the time for their birth drew near, the animals used +to quarrel as to which should be the first to be born, and one day, in a +fierce struggle about this, the womb burst, and Old Man jumped first to the +ground. For this reason, he named all the animals Nis-kum'-iks, Young +Brothers; and they, because he was the first-born, called him Old Man. + +There are several different accounts of the creation of the people by Old +Man. One is that he married a female dog, and that their progeny were the +first people. Others, and the ones most often told, have been given in the +Old Man stories already related. + +There is an account of the creation which is essentially an Algonquin myth, +and is told by most of the tribes of this stock from the Atlantic to the +Rocky Mountains, though the hero is variously named. Here is the Blackfoot +version of it:-- + +In the beginning, all the land was covered with water, and Old Man and all +the animals were floating around on a large raft. One day Old Man told the +beaver to dive and try to bring up a little mud. The beaver went down, and +was gone a long time, but could not reach the bottom. Then the loon tried, +and the otter, but the water was too deep for them. At last the muskrat +dived, and he was gone so long that they thought he had drowned, but he +finally came up, almost dead, and when they pulled him on to the raft, they +found, in one of his paws, a little mud. With this, Old Man formed the +world, and afterwards he made the people. + +This myth, while often related by the Blackfoot tribe, is seldom heard +among the Bloods or Piegans. It is uncertain whether all three tribes used +to know it, but have forgotten it, or whether it has been learned in +comparatively modern times by the Blackfeet from the Crees, with whom they +have always had more frequent intercourse and a closer connection than the +other two tribes. + +There is also another version of the origin of death. When Old Man made the +first people, he gave them very strong bodies, and for a long time no one +was sick. At last, a little child fell ill. Each day it grew weaker and +weaker, and at last it fainted. Then the mother went to Old Man, and prayed +him to do something for it. + +"This," said Old Man, "will be the first time it has happened to the +people. You have seen the buffalo fall to the ground when struck with an +arrow. Their hearts stop beating, they do not breathe, and soon their +bodies become cold. They are then dead. Now, woman, it shall be for you to +decide whether death shall come to the people as well as to the other +animals, or whether they shall live forever. Come now with me to the +river." + +When they reached the water's edge, Old Man picked up from the ground a dry +buffalo chip and a stone. "Now, woman," he said, "you will tell me which +one of these to throw into the water. If what I throw floats, your child +shall live; the people shall live forever. If it sinks, then your child +shall die, and all the people shall die, each one when his time comes." + +The woman stood still a long time, looking from the stone to the buffalo +chip, and from the chip to the stone. At last she said, "Throw the stone." +Then Old Man tossed it into the river, and it sank to the bottom. "Woman," +he cried, "go home; your child is dead." Thus, on account of a foolish +woman, we all must die. + +The shadow of a person, the Blackfeet say, is his soul. Northeast of the +Sweet Grass Hills, near the international boundary line, is a bleak, sandy +country called the Sand Hills, and there all the shadows of the deceased +good Blackfeet are congregated. The shadows of those who in this world led +wicked lives are not allowed to go there. After death, these wicked persons +take the shape of ghosts _(Sta-au'_[1]), and are compelled ever after to +remain near the place where they died. Unhappy themselves, they envy those +who are happy, and continually prowl about the lodges of the living, +seeking to do them some injury. Sometimes they tap on the lodge skins and +whistle down the smoke hole, but if the fire is burning within they will +not enter. + +[Footnote 1: The human skeleton is also called _Sta-au', i.e._ +ghost. Compare Cheyenne _Mis-tai'_, ghost.] + +Outside in the dark they do much harm, especially the ghosts of enemies who +have been killed in battle. These sometimes shoot invisible arrows into +persons, causing sickness and death. They have hit people on the head, +causing them to become crazy. They have paralyzed people's limbs, and drawn +their faces out of shape, and done much other harm. Ghosts walk above the +ground, not on it. An example of this peculiarity is seen in the case of +the young man who visited the lodge of the starving family, in the story +entitled Origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi._ + +Ghosts sometimes speak to people. An instance of this is the following, +which occurred to my friend Young Bear Chief, and which he related to +me. He said: "I once went to war, and took my wife with me. I went to +Buffalo Lip Butte, east of the Cypress Mountains; a little creek runs by +it. I took eighteen horses from an Assinaboine camp one night, when it was +very foggy. I found sixteen horses feeding on the hills, and went into the +camp and cut loose two more. Then we went off with the horses. When we +started, it was so foggy that I could not see the stars, and I did not know +which way to run. I kept travelling in what I supposed was the direction +toward home, but I did not know where I was going. After we had gone a long +way, I stopped and got off my horse to fix my belt. My wife did not +dismount, but sat there waiting for me to mount and ride on. + +"I spoke to my wife, and said to her, 'We don't know which way to go.' A +voice spoke up right behind me and said: 'It is well; you go ahead. You are +going right.' When I heard the voice, the top of my head seemed to lift up +and felt as if a lot of needles were sticking into it. My wife, who was +right in front of me, was so frightened that she fainted and fell off her +horse, and it was a long time before she came to. When she got so she could +ride, we went on, and when morning came I found that we were going +straight, and were on the west side of the West Butte of the Sweet Grass +Hills. We got home all right. This must have been a ghost." + +Now and then among the Blackfeet, we find evidences of a belief that the +soul of a dead person may take up its abode in the body of an animal. An +example of this is seen in the story of E-k[=u]s'-kini, p. 90. Owls are +thought to be the ghosts of medicine men. + +The Blackfeet do not consider the Sand Hills a happy hunting ground. There +the dead, who are themselves shadows, live in shadow lodges, hunt shadow +buffalo, go to war against shadow enemies, and in every way lead an +existence which is but a mimicry of this life. In this respect the +Blackfeet are almost alone. I know of scarcely any other American tribe, +certainly none east of the Rocky Mountains, who are wholly without a belief +in a happy future state. The Blackfeet do not especially say that this +future life is an unhappy one, but, from the way in which they speak of it, +it is clear that for them it promises nothing desirable. It is a +monotonous, never ending, and altogether unsatisfying existence,--a life as +barren and desolate as the country which the ghosts inhabit. These people +are as much attached to life as we are. Notwithstanding the unhappy days +which have befallen them of late years,--days of privation and +hunger,--they cling to life. Yet they seem to have no fear of death. When +their time comes, they accept their fate without a murmur, and tranquilly, +quietly pass away. + + + +MEDICINE PIPES AND HEALING + + +The person whom the whites term "medicine man" is called by the Blackfeet +_Ni-namp'-skan_. Mr. Schultz believes this word to be compounded of +_nin'nah_, man, and _namp'-ski_, horned toad (_Phrynosoma_), and in this he +is supported by Mr. Thomas Bird, a very intelligent half-breed, who has +translated a part of the Bible into the Blackfoot language for the +Rev. S. Trivett, a Church of England missionary. These gentlemen conclude +that the word means "all-face man." The horned toad is called _namp'-ski_, +all-face; and as the medicine man, with his hair done up in a huge topknot, +bore a certain resemblance to this creature, he was so named. No one among +the Blackfeet appears to have any idea as to what the word means. + +The medicine pipes are really only pipe stems, very long, and beautifully +decorated with bright-colored feathers and the fur of the weasel and other +animals. It is claimed that these stems were given to the people long, long +ago, by the Sun, and that those who own them are regarded by him with +special favor. + +Formerly these stems were valued at from fifteen to thirty head of horses, +and were bought and sold like any other property. When not in use, they +were kept rolled up in many thicknesses of fine tanned fur, and with them +were invariably a quantity of tobacco, a sacred whistle, two sacred +rattles, and some dried sweet grass, and sweet pine needles. + +In the daytime, in pleasant weather, these sacred bundles were hung out of +doors behind the owners' lodges, on tripods. At night they were suspended +within, above the owners' seat It was said that if at any time a person +should walk completely around the lodge of a medicine man, some bad luck +would befall him. Inside the lodge, no one was allowed to pass between the +fireplace and the pipe stem. No one but a medicine man and his head wife +could move or unroll the bundle. The man and his wife were obliged always +to keep their faces, hands, and clothing painted with _nits'-i-san,_ a dull +red paint, made by burning a certain clay found in the bad lands. + +The _Ni-namp'-skan_ appears to be a priest of the Sun, and prayers offered +through him are thought to be specially favored. So the sacred stem is +frequently unrolled for the benefit of the sick, for those who are about to +undertake a dangerous expedition, such as a party departing to war, for +prayers for the general health and prosperity of the people, and for a +bountiful supply of food. At the present time these ancient ceremonies have +largely fallen into disuse. In fact, since the disappearance of the +buffalo, most of the old customs are dying out. + +The thunder is believed to bring the rain in spring, and the rain makes the +berries grow. It is a rule that after the first thunder is heard in the +spring, every medicine man must give a feast and offer prayers for a large +berry crop. I have never seen this ceremony, but Mr. Schultz was once +permitted to attend one, and has given me the following account of it. He +said: "When I entered the lodge with the other guests, the pipe stem had +already been unrolled. Before the fire were two huge kettles of cooked +sarvis berries, a large bowlful of which was soon set before each guest. +Each one, before eating, took a few of the berries and rubbed them into the +ground, saying, 'Take pity on us, all Above People, and give us good.' + +"When all had finished eating, a large black stone pipe bowl was filled and +fitted to the medicine stem, and the medicine man held it aloft and said: +'Listen, Sun! Listen, Thunder! Listen, Old Man! All Above Animals, all +Above People, listen. Pity us! You will smoke. We fill the sacred pipe. Let +us not starve. Give us rain during this summer. Make the berries large and +sweet. Cover the bushes with them. Look down on us all and pity us. Look +at the women and the little children; look at us all. Let us reach old +age. Let our lives be complete. Let us destroy our enemies. Help the young +men in battle. Man, woman, child, we all pray to you; pity us and give us +good. Let us survive.' + +"He then danced the pipe dance, to be described further on. At this time, +another storm had come up, and the thunder crashed directly over our heads. + +"'Listen,' said the medicine man. 'It hears us. We are not doing this +uselessly'; and he raised his face, animated with enthusiasm, toward the +sky, his whole body trembling with excitement; and, holding the pipe aloft, +repeated his prayer. All the rest of the people were excited, and +repeatedly clasped their arms over their breasts, saying: 'Pity us; good +give us; good give us. Let us survive.' + +"After this, the pipe was handed to a man on the right of the +semi-circle. Another warrior took a lighted brand from the fire, and +counted four _coups_, at the end of each _coup_ touching the pipe bowl with +the brand. When he had counted the fourth _coup_, the pipe was lighted. It +was then smoked in turn around the circle, each one, as he received it, +repeating a short prayer before he put the stem to his lips. When it was +smoked out, a hole was dug in the ground, the ashes were knocked into it +and carefully covered over, and the thunder ceremony was ended." + +In the year 1885, I was present at the unwrapping of the medicine pipe by +Red Eagle, an aged _Ni-namp'-skan_ since dead. On this occasion prayers +were made for the success of a party of Piegans who had started in pursuit +of some Crows who had taken a large band of horses from the Piegans the day +before. The ceremony was a very impressive one, and prayers were offered +not only for the success of this war party, but also for the general good, +as well as for the welfare of special individuals, who were mentioned by +name. The concluding words of the general prayer were as follows: "May all +people have full life. Give to all heavy bodies. Let the young people grow; +increase their flesh. Let all men, women, and children have full life. +Harden the bodies of the old people so that they may reach great age." + +In 1879, Mr. Schultz saw a sacred pipe unwrapped for the benefit of a sick +woman, and on various occasions since he has been present at this +ceremony. All accounts of what takes place agree so closely with what I saw +that I give only one of them. Mr. Schultz wrote me of the first occasion: +"When I entered the lodge, it was already well filled with men who had been +invited to participate in the ceremony. The medicine man was aged and +gray-headed, and his feeble limbs could scarcely support his body. Between +him and his wife was the bundle which contained the medicine pipe, as yet +unwrapped, lying on a carefully folded buffalo robe. Plates of food were +placed before each guest, and after all had finished eating, and a common +pipe had been lighted to be smoked around the circle, the ceremony began. + +"With wooden tongs, the woman took a large coal from the fire, and laid it +on the ground in front of the sacred stem. Then, while every one joined in +singing a chant, a song of the buffalo (without words), she took a bunch of +dried sweet grass, and, raising and lowering her hand in time to the music, +finally placed the grass on the burning coals. As the thin column of +perfumed smoke rose from the burning herb, both she and the medicine man +grasped handfuls of it and rubbed it over their persons, to purify +themselves before touching the sacred roll. They also took each a small +piece of some root from a little pouch, and ate it, signifying that they +purified themselves without and within. + +"The man and woman now faced each other and again began the buffalo song, +keeping time by touching with the clenched hands--the right and left +alternately--the wrappings of the pipe, occasionally making the sign for +buffalo. Now, too, one could occasionally hear the word _Nai-ai'_[1] in +the song. After singing this song for about ten minutes, it was changed to +the antelope song, and, instead of touching the roll with the clenched +hands, which represented the heavy tread of buffalo, they closed the hands, +leaving the index finger extended and the thumbs partly open, and in time +to the music, as in the previous song, alternately touched the wrappers +with the tips of the left and right forefinger, the motions being quick and +firm, and occasionally brought the hands to the side of the head, making +the sign for antelope, and at the same time uttering a loud '_Kuh'_ to +represent the whistling or snorting of that animal. + +[Footnote 1: My shelter; my covering; my robe.] + +"At the conclusion of this song, the woman put another bunch of sweet grass +on a coal, and carefully undid the wrappings of the pipe, holding each one +over the smoke to keep it pure. When the last wrapping was removed, the man +gently grasped the stem and, every one beginning the pipe song, he raised +and lowered it several times, shaking it as he did so, until every feather +and bit of fur and scalp hung loose and could be plainly seen. + +"At this moment the sick woman entered the lodge, and with great +difficulty, for she was very weak, walked over to the medicine woman and +knelt down before her. The medicine woman then produced a small bag of red +paint, and painted a broad band across the sick woman's forehead, a stripe +down the nose, and a number of round dots on each cheek. Then picking up +the pipe stem, which the man had laid down, she held it up toward the sky +and prayed, saying, 'Listen, Sun, pity us! Listen, Old Man, pity us! Above +People, pity us! Under Water People, pity us! Listen, Sun! Listen, Sun! Let +us survive, pity us! Let us survive. Look down on our sick daughter this +day. Pity her and give her a complete life.' At the conclusion of this +short prayer, all the people uttered a loud _m-m-m-h_, signifying that they +took the words to their hearts. Every one now commenced the pipe song, and +the medicine woman passed the stem over different parts of the sick woman's +body, after which she rose and left the lodge. + +"The medicine man now took a common pipe which had been lighted, and blew +four whiffs of smoke toward the sky, four toward the ground, and four on +the medicine pipe stem, and prayed to the Sun, Old Man, and all medicine +animals, to pity the people and give them long life. The drums were then +produced, the war song commenced, and the old man, with a rattle in each +hand, danced four times to the door-way and back. He stooped slightly, kept +all his limbs very rigid, extending his arms like one giving a benediction, +and danced in time to the drumming and singing with quick, sudden +steps. This is the medicine pipe dance, which no one but a pipe-owner is +allowed to perform. Afterward, he picked up the pipe stem, and, holding it +aloft in front of him, went through the same performance. At the +conclusion of the dance, the pipe stem was passed from one to another of +the guests, and each one in turn held it aloft and repeated a short +prayer. The man on my right prayed for the health of his children, the one +on my left for success in a proposed war expedition. This concluded the +ceremony." + +Disease among the Blackfeet is supposed to be caused by evil spirits, +usually the spirits or ghosts of enemies slain in battle. These spirits are +said to wander about at night, and whenever opportunity offers, they shoot +invisible arrows into persons. These cause various internal troubles, such +as consumption, hemorrhages, and diseases of the digestive organs. Mice, +frogs, snakes, and tailed batrachians are said to cause much disease among +women, and hence should be shunned, and on no account handled. + +Less important external ailments and hurts, such as ulcers, boils, sprains, +and so on, are treated by applying various lotions or poultices, compounded +by boiling or macerating certain roots or herbs, known only to the person +supplying them. Rheumatic pains are treated in several ways. Sometimes the +sweat lodge is used, or hot rocks are applied over the place where the pain +is most severe, or actual cautery is practised, by inserting prickly pear +thorns in the flesh, and setting fire to them, when they burn to the very +point. + +The sweat lodge, so often referred to, is used as a curative agent, as well +as in religious ceremonies, and is considered very beneficial in illness of +all kinds. The sweat lodge is built in the shape of a rough hemisphere, +three or four feet high and six or eight in diameter. The frame is usually +of willow branches, and is covered with cow-skins and robes. In the centre +of the floor, a small hole is dug out, in which are to be placed red hot +stones. Everything being ready, those who are to take the sweat remove +their clothing and crowd into the lodge. The hot rocks are then handed in +from the fire outside, and the cowskins pulled down to the ground to +exclude any cold air. If a medicine pipe man is not at hand, the oldest +person present begins to pray to the Sun, and at the same time sprinkles +water on the hot rocks, and a dense steam rises, making the perspiration +fairly drip from the body. Occasionally, if the heat becomes too intense, +the covering is raised for a few minutes to admit a little air. The sweat +bath lasts for a long time, often an hour or more, during which many +prayers are offered, religious songs chanted, and several pipes smoked to +the Sun. As has been said, the sweat lodge is built to represent the Sun's +own lodge or home, that is, the world. The ground inside the lodge stands +for its surface, which, according to Blackfoot philosophy, is flat and +round. The framework represents the sky, which far off, on the horizon, +reaches down to and touches the world. + +As soon as the sweat is over, the men rush out, and plunge into the stream +to cool off. This is invariably done, even in winter, when the ice has to +be broken to make a hole large enough to bathe in. It is said that, when +the small-pox was raging among these Indians, they used the sweat lodge +daily, and that hundreds of them, sick with the disease, were unable to get +out of the river, after taking the bath succeeding a sweat, and were +carried down stream by the current and drowned. + +It is said that wolves, which in former days were extremely numerous, +sometimes went crazy, and bit every animal they met with, sometimes even +coming into camps and biting dogs, horses, and people. Persons bitten by a +mad wolf generally went mad, too. They trembled and their limbs jerked, +they made their jaws work and foamed at the mouth, often trying to bite +other people. When any one acted in this way, his relations tied him hand +and foot with ropes, and, having killed a buffalo, they rolled him up in +the green hide, and then built a fire on and around him, leaving him in the +fire until the hide began to dry and burn. Then they pulled him out and +removed the buffalo hide, and he was cured. While in the fire, the great +heat caused him to sweat profusely, so much water coming out of his body +that none was left in it, and with the water the disease went out, too. +All the old people tell me that they have seen individuals cured in this +manner of a mad wolf's bite. + +Whenever a person is really sick, a doctor is sent for. Custom requires +that he shall be paid for his services before rendering them. So when he is +called, the messenger says to him, "A---- presents to you a horse, and +asks you to come and doctor him." Sometimes the fee may be several horses, +and sometimes a gun, saddle, or some article of wearing-apparel. This fee +pays only for one visit, but the duration of the visit is seldom less than +twelve hours, and sometimes exceeds forty-eight. If, after the expiration +of the visit, the patient feels that he has been benefited, he will +probably send for the doctor again, but if, on the other hand, he continues +to grow worse, he is likely to send for another. Not infrequently two or +more doctors may be present at the same time, taking turns with the +patient. In early days, if a man fell sick, and remained so for three weeks +or a month, he had to start anew in life when he recovered; for, unless +very wealthy, all his possessions had gone to pay doctor's fees. Often the +last horse, and even the lodge, weapons, and extra clothing were so parted +with. Of late years, however, since the disappearance of the buffalo, the +doctors' fees are much more moderate. + +The doctor is named _I-so-kin-[)u]h-kin,_ a word difficult to +translate. The nearest English meaning of the word seems to be "heavy +singer for the sick." As a rule all doctors sing while endeavoring to work +their cures, and, as helpers, a number of women are always present. Disease +being caused by evil spirits, prayers, exhortations, and certain mysterious +methods must be observed to rid the patient of their influence. No two +doctors have the same methods or songs. Herbs are sometimes used, but not +always. One of their medicines is a great yellow fungus which grows on the +pine trees. This is dried and powdered, and administered either dry or in +an infusion. It is a purgative. As a rule, these doctors, while practising +their rites, will not allow any one in the lodge, except the immediate +members of the sick man's family. Mr. Schultz, who on more than one +occasion has been present at a doctoring, gives the following account of +one of the performances. + +"The patient was a man in the last stages of consumption. When the doctor +entered the lodge, he handed the sick man a strip of buckskin, and told him +to tie it around his chest. The patient then reclined on a couch, stripped +to the waist, and the doctor kneeled on the floor beside him. Having +cleared a little space of the loose dirt and dust, the doctor took two +coals from the fire, laid them in this place, and put a pinch of dried +sweet grass on each of them. As the smoke arose from the burning grass, he +held his drum over it, turning it from side to side, and round and +round. This was supposed to purify it. Laying aside the drum, he held his +hands in the smoke, and rubbed his arms and body with it. Then, picking up +the drum, he began to tap it rapidly, and prayed, saying: 'Listen, my +dream. This you told me should be done. This you said should be the +way. You said it would cure the sick. Help me now. Do not lie to me. Help +me, Sun person. Help me to cure this sick man.' + +"He then began to sing, and as soon as the women had caught the air, he +handed the drum to one of them to beat, and, still singing himself, took an +eagle's wing and dipped the tip of it in a cup of 'medicine.' It was a +clear liquid, and looked as if it might be simply water. Placing the tip of +the wing in his mouth, he seemed to bite off the end of it, and, chewing it +a little, spat it out on the patient's breast. Then, in time to the +singing, he brushed it gently off, beginning at the throat and ending at +the lower ribs. This was repeated three times. Next he took the bandage +from the patient, dipped it in the cup of medicine, and, wringing it out, +placed it on the sick man's chest, and rubbed it up and down, and back and +forth, after which he again brushed the breast with the eagle +wing. Finally, he lighted a pipe, and, placing the bowl in his mouth, blew +the smoke through the stem all over the patient's breast, shoulders, neck, +and arms, and finished the ceremony by again brushing with the wing. At +intervals of two or three hours, the whole ceremony was repeated. The +doctor arrived at the lodge of the sick man about noon, and left the next +morning, having received for his services a saddle and two blankets." + +"Listen, my dream--" This is the key to most of the Blackfoot medicine +practices. These doctors for the most part effect their cures by +prayer. Each one has his dream, or secret helper, to whom he prays for aid, +and it is by this help that he expects to restore his patient to health. No +doubt the doctors have the fullest confidence that their practices are +beneficial, and in some cases they undoubtedly do good because of the +implicit confidence felt in them by the patient. + +Often, when a person is sick, he will ask some medicine man to unroll his +pipe. If able to dance, he will take part in the ceremony, but if not, the +medicine man paints him with the sacred symbols. In any case a fervent +prayer is offered by the medicine man for the sick person's recovery. The +medicine man administers no remedies; the ceremony is purely +religious. Being a priest of the Sun, it is thought that god will be more +likely to listen to him than he would to an ordinary man. + +Although the majority of Blackfoot doctors are men, there are also many +women in the guild, and some of them are quite noted for their +success. Such a woman, named Wood Chief Woman, is now alive on the +Blackfoot reservation. She has effected many wonderful cures. Two Bear +Woman is a good doctor, and there are many others. + +In the case of gunshot wounds a man's "dream," or "medicine," often acts +directly and speedily. Many cases are cited in which this charm, often the +stuffed skin of some bird or animal, belonging to the wounded man, becomes +alive, and by its power effects a cure. Many examples of this might be +given but for lack of space. Entirely honest Indians and white men have +seen such cures and believe in them. + + + +THE BLACKFOOT OF TO-DAY + +In the olden times the Blackfeet were very numerous, and it is said that +then they were a strong and hardy people, and few of them were ever +sick. Most of the men who died were killed in battle, or died of old +age. We may well enough believe that this was the case, because the +conditions of their life in those primitive times were such that the weakly +and those predisposed to any constitutional trouble would not survive early +childhood. Only the strongest of the children would grow up to become the +parents of the next generation. Thus a process of selection was constantly +going on, the effect of which was no doubt seen in the general health of +the people. + +With the advent of the whites, came new conditions. Various special +diseases were introduced and swept off large numbers of the people. An +important agent in their destruction was alcohol. + +In the year 1845, the Blackfeet were decimated by the small-pox. This +disease appears to have travelled up the Missouri River; and in the early +years, between 1840 and 1850, it swept away hosts of Mandans, Rees, Sioux, +Crows, and other tribes camped along the great river. I have been told, by +a man who was employed at Fort Union in 1842-43, that the Indians died +there in such numbers that the men of the fort were kept constantly at work +digging trenches in which to bury them, and when winter came, and the +ground froze so hard that it was no longer practicable to bury the dead, +their bodies were stacked up like cord wood in great piles to await the +coming of spring. The disease spread from tribe to tribe, and finally +reached the Blackfeet. It is said by whites who were in the country at the +time, that this small-pox almost swept the Plains bare of Indians. + +In the winter of 1857-58, small-pox again carried off great numbers, but +the mortality was not to be compared with that of 1845. In 1864, measles +ran through all the Blackfoot camps, and was very fatal, and again in 1869 +they had the small-pox. + +Between the years 1860 and 1875, a great deal of whiskey was traded to the +Blackfeet. Having once experienced the delights of intoxication, the +Indians were eager for liquor, and the traders found that robes and furs +could be bought to better advantage for whiskey than for anything else. To +be sure, the personal risk to the trader was considerably increased by the +sale of whiskey, for when drunk the Indians fought like demons among +themselves or with the traders. But, on the other hand, whiskey for +trading to Indians cost but a trifle, and could be worked up, and then +diluted, so that a little would go a long way. + +As a measure of partial self-protection, the traders used to deal out the +liquor from the keg or barrel in a tin scoop so constructed that it would +not stand on a flat surface, so that an Indian, who was drinking, had to +keep the vessel in his hand until the liquor was consumed, or else it would +be spilled and lost. This lessened the danger of any shooting or stabbing +while the Indian was drinking, and an effort was usually made to get him +out of the store as soon as he had finished. Nevertheless, drunken fights +in the trading-stores were of common occurrence, and the life of a +whiskey-trader was one of constant peril. I have talked with many men who +were engaged in this traffic, and some of the stories they tell are +thrilling. It was a common thing in winter for the man who unbarred and +opened the store in the morning to have a dead Indian fall into his arms as +the door swung open. To prop up against the door a companion who had been +killed or frozen to death during the night seems to have been regarded by +the Indians as rather a delicate bit of humor, in the nature of a joke on +the trader. Long histories of the doings of these whiskey trading days have +been related to me, but the details are too repulsive to be set down. The +traffic was very fatal to the Indians. + +The United States has laws which prohibit, under severe penalties, the sale +of intoxicants to Indians, but these laws are seldom enforced. To the north +of the boundary line, however, in the Northwest Territories, the Canadian +Mounted Police have of late years made whiskey-trading perilous +business. Of Major Steell's good work in putting down the whiskey traffic +on the Blackfoot agency in Montana, I shall speak further on, and to-day +there is not very much whiskey sold to the Blackfeet. Constant vigilance is +needed, however, to keep traders from the borders of the reservation. + +In the winter of 1883-84 more than a quarter of the Piegan tribe of the +Blackfeet, which then numbered about twenty-five or twenty-six hundred, +died from starvation. It had been reported to the Indian Bureau that the +Blackfeet were practically self-supporting and needed few supplies. As a +consequence of this report, appropriations for them were small. The +statement was entirely and fatally misleading. The Blackfeet had then +never done anything toward self-support, except to kill buffalo. But just +before this, in the year 1883, the buffalo had been exterminated from the +Blackfoot country. In a moment, and without warning, the people had been +deprived of the food supply on which they had depended. At once they had +turned their attention to the smaller game, and, hunting faithfully the +river bottoms, the brush along the small streams, and the sides of the +mountains, had killed off all the deer, elk, and antelope; and at the +beginning of the winter found themselves without their usual stores of +dried meat, and with nothing to depend on, except the scanty supplies in +the government storehouse. These were ridiculously inadequate to the wants +of twenty-five hundred people, and food could be issued to them only in +driblets quite insufficient to sustain life. The men devoted themselves +with the utmost faithfulness to hunting, killing birds, rabbits, +prairie-dogs, rats, anything that had life; but do the best they might, the +people began to starve. The very old and the very young were the first to +perish; after that, those who were weak and sickly, and at last some even +among the strong and hardy. News of this suffering was sent East, and +Congress ordered appropriations to relieve the distress; but the supplies +had to be freighted in wagons for one hundred and fifty or two hundred +miles before they were available. If the Blackfeet had been obliged to +depend on the supplies authorized by the Indian Bureau, the whole tribe +might have perished, for the red tape methods of the Government are not +adapted to prompt and efficient action in times of emergency. Happily, help +was nearer at hand. The noble people of Montana, and the army officers +stationed at Fort Shaw, did all they could to get supplies to the +sufferers. One or two Montana contractors sent on flour and bacon, on the +personal assurance of the newly appointed agent that he would try to have +them paid. But it took a long time to get even these supplies to the +agency, over roads sometimes hub deep in mud, or again rough with great +masses of frozen clay; and all the time the people were dying. + +During the winter, Major Allen had been appointed agent for the Blackfeet, +and he reached the agency in the midst of the worst suffering, and before +any effort had been made to relieve it. He has told me a heart-rending +story of the frightful suffering which he found among these helpless +people. + +In his efforts to learn exactly what was their condition, Major Allen one +day went into twenty-three houses and lodges to see for himself just what +the Indians had to eat. In only two of these homes did he find anything in +the shape of food. In one house a rabbit was boiling in a pot. The man had +killed it that morning, and it was being cooked for a starving child. In +another lodge, the hoof of a steer was cooking,--only the hoof,--to make +soup for the family. Twenty-three lodges Major Allen visited that day, and +the little rabbit and the steer's hoof were all the food he found. "And +then," he told me, with tears in his eyes, "I broke down. I could go no +further. To see so much misery, and feel myself utterly powerless to +relieve it, was more than I could stand." + +Major Allen had calculated with exactest care the supplies on hand, and at +this time was issuing one-seventh rations. The Indians crowded around the +agency buildings and begged for food. Mothers came to the windows and held +up their starving babies that the sight of their dull, pallid faces, their +shrunken limbs, and their little bones sticking through their skins might +move some heart to pity. Women brought their young daughters to the white +men in the neighborhood, and said, "Here, you may have her, if you will +feed her; I want nothing for myself; only let her have enough to eat, that +she may not die." One day, a deputation of the chiefs came to Major Allen, +and asked him to give them what he had in his storehouses. He explained to +them that it must be some time before the supplies could get there, and +that only by dealing out what he had with the greatest care could the +people be kept alive until provisions came. But they said: "Our women and +children are hungry, and we are hungry. Give us what you have, and let us +eat once and be filled. Then we will die content; we will not beg any +more." He took them into the storehouse, and showed them just what food he +had,--how much flour, how much bacon, how much rice, coffee, sugar, and so +on through the list--and then told them that if this was issued all at +once, there was no hope for them, they would surely die, but that he +expected supplies by a certain day. "And," said he, "if they do not come by +that time, you shall come in here and help yourselves. That I promise +you." They went away satisfied. + +Meanwhile, the supplies were drawing near. The officer in command of Fort +Shaw had supplied fast teams to hurry on a few loads to the agency, but the +roads were so bad that the wagon trains moved with appalling slowness. At +length, however, they had advanced so far that it was possible to send out +light teams, to meet the heavily laden ones, and bring in a few sacks of +flour and bacon; and every little helped. Gradually the suffering was +relieved, but the memory of that awful season of famine will never pass +from the minds of those who witnessed it. + +There is a record of between four and five hundred Indians who died of +hunger at this time, and this includes only those who were buried in the +immediate neighborhood of the agency and for whom coffins were made. It is +probable that nearly as many more died in the camps on other creeks, but +this is mere conjecture. It is no exaggeration to say, however, that from +one-quarter to one-third of the Piegan tribe starved to death during that +winter and the following spring. + +The change from living in portable and more or less open lodges to +permanent dwellings has been followed by a great deal of illness, and at +present the people appear to be sickly, though not so much so as some other +tribes I have known, living under similar conditions further south. + +Like other Indians, the Blackfeet have been several times a prey to bad +agents,--men careless of their welfare, who thought only about drawing +their own pay, or, worse, who used their positions simply for their own +enrichment, and stole from the government and Indians alike everything upon +which they could lay hands. It was with great satisfaction that I secured +the discharge of one such man a few years ago, and I only regret that it +was not in my power to have carried the matter so far that he might have +spent a few years in prison. + +The present agent of the Blackfeet, Major George Steell, is an old-timer in +the country and understands Indians very thoroughly. In one respect, he has +done more for this people than any other man who has ever had charge of +them, for he has been an uncompromising enemy of the whiskey traffic, and +has relentlessly pursued the white men who always gather about an agency to +sell whiskey to the Indians, and thus not only rob them of their +possessions, but degrade them as well. The prison doors of Deer Lodge have +more than once opened to receive men sent there through the energy of Major +Steell. For the good work he has done in this respect, this gentleman +deserves the highest credit, and he is a shining example among Indian +agents. + +As recently as 1887 it was rather unusual to see a Blackfoot Indian clad in +white men's clothing; the only men who wore coats and trousers were the +police and a few of the chiefs; to-day it is quite as unusual to see an +Indian wearing a blanket. Not less striking than this difference in their +way of life, is the change which has taken place in the spirit of the +tribe. + +I was passing through their reservation in 1888, when the chiefs asked me +to meet them in council and listen to what they had to say. + +I learned that they wished to have a message taken to the Great Father in +the East, and, after satisfying myself that their complaint was well +grounded, I promised to do for them what I could. I accomplished what they +desired, and since that time I have taken much active interest in this +people, and my experience with them has shown me very clearly how much may +be accomplished by the unaided efforts of a single individual who +thoroughly understands the needs of a tribe of Indians. During my annual +visits to the Blackfeet reservation, which have extended over two, three, +or four months each season, I see a great many of the men and have long +conversations with them. They bring their troubles to me, asking what they +shall do, and how their condition may be improved. They tell me what things +they want, and why they think they ought to have them. I listen, and talk +to them just as if they were so many children. If their requests are +unreasonable, I try to explain to them, step by step, why it is not best +that what they desire should be done, or tell them that other things which +they ask for seem proper, and that I will do what I can to have them +granted. If one will only take the pains necessary to make things clear to +him, the adult Indian is a reasonable being, but it requires patience to +make him understand matters which to a white man would need no +explanation. As an example, let me give the substance of a conversation had +last autumn with a leading man of the Piegans who lives on Cut Bank River, +about twenty-five miles from the agency. He said to me:-- + +"We ought to have a storehouse over here on Cut Bank, so that we will not +be obliged each week to go over to the agency to get our food. It takes us +a day to go, and a day to come, and a day there; nearly three days out of +every week to get our food. When we are at work cutting hay, we cannot +afford to spend so much time travelling back and forth. We want to get our +crops in, and not to be travelling about all the time. It would be a good +thing, too, to have a blacksmith shop here, so that when our wagons break +down, we will not have to go to the agency to get them mended." + +This is merely the substance of a much longer speech, to which I replied by +a series of questions, something like the following:-- + +"Do you remember talking to me last year, and telling me on this same spot +that you ought to have beef issued to you here, and ought not to have to +make the long journey to the agency for your meat?" "Yes." + +"And that I told you I agreed with you, and believed that some of the +steers could just as well be killed here by the agency herder and issued to +those Indians living near here?" "Yes." + +"That change has been made, has it not? You now get your beef here, don't +you?" "Yes." + +"You know that the Piegans have a certain amount of money coming to them +every year, don't you?" "Yes." + +"And that some of that money goes to pay the expenses of the agency, some +for food, some to pay clerks and blacksmiths, some to buy mowing-machines, +wagons, harness, and rakes, and some to buy the cattle which have been +issued to you?" "Yes." + +"Now, if a government storehouse were to be built over here, clerks hired +to manage it, a blacksmith shop built and another blacksmith hired, that +would all cost money, wouldn't it?" "Yes." + +"And that money would be taken out of the money coming next year to the +Piegans, wouldn't it?" "Yes." + +"And if that money were spent for those things, the people would have just +so many fewer wagons, mowing-machines, rakes, and cattle issued to them +next year, wouldn't they?" "Yes." + +"Well, which would be best for the tribe, which would you rather have, a +store and a blacksmith shop here on Cut Bank, or the money which those +things would cost in cows and farming implements?" + +"I would prefer that we should have the cattle and the tools." + +"I think you are right. It would save trouble to each man, if the +government would build a storehouse for him right next his house, but it +would be a waste of money. Many white men have to drive ten, twenty, or +thirty miles to the store, and you ought not to complain if you have to do +so." + +After this conversation the man saw clearly that his request was an +unreasonable one, but if I had merely told him that he was a fool to want a +store on Cut Bank, he would never have been satisfied, for his experiences +were so limited that he could not have reasoned the thing out for himself. + +In my talks with these people, I praise those who have worked hard and +lived well during the past year, while to those who have been idle or +drunken or have committed crimes, I explain how foolish their course has +been and try to show them how impossible it is for a man to be successful +if he acts like a child, and shows that he is a person of no sense. A +little quiet talk will usually demonstrate to them that they have been +unwise, and they make fresh resolutions and promise amendment. Of course +the only argument I use is to tell them that one course will be for their +material advancement, and is the way a white man would act, while the other +will tend to keep them always poor. + +Some years ago, the Blackfeet made a new treaty, by which they sold to the +government a large portion of their lands. By this treaty, which was +ratified by Congress in May, 1887, they are to receive $150,000 annually +for a period of ten years, when government support is to be withdrawn. This +sum is a good deal more than is required for their subsistence, and, by the +terms of the treaty, the surplus over what is required for their food and +clothing is to be used in furnishing to the Indians farming implements, +seed, live stock, and such other things as will help them to become +self-supporting. + +The country which the Blackfeet inhabit lies just south of the parallel of +49 deg., close to the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is very cold and +dry. Crops can be grown there successfully not more than once in four or +five years, and the sole products to be depended on are oats and potatoes, +which are raised only by means of irrigation. It is evident, therefore, +that the Piegan tribe of the Blackfeet can never become an agricultural +people. Their reservation, however, is well adapted to stock-raising, and +in past years the cattlemen from far and from near have driven their herds +on to the reservation to eat the Blackfoot grass; and the remonstrances of +the Indians have been entirely disregarded. Some years ago, I came to the +conclusion that the proper occupation for these Indians was +stock-raising. Horses they already had in some numbers, but horses are not +so good for them as cattle, because horses are more readily sold than +cattle, and an Indian is likely to trade his horse for whiskey and other +useless things. Cattle they are much less likely to part with, and besides +this, require more attention than horses, and so are likely to keep the +Indians busy and to encourage them to work. + +Within the past three or four years, I have succeeded in inducing the +Indian Bureau to employ a part of the treaty money coming to the Blackfeet +in purchasing for them cattle. + +It was impressed upon them that they must care for the cattle, not kill and +eat any of them, but keep them for breeding purposes. It was represented to +them that, if properly cared for, the cattle would increase each year, +until a time might come when each Indian would be the possessor of a herd, +and would then be rich like the white cattlemen. + +The severe lesson of starvation some years before had not failed to make an +impression, and it was perhaps owing to this terrible experience that the +Piegans did not eat the cows as soon as they got them, as other Indian +tribes have so often done. Instead of this, each man took the utmost care +of the two or three heifers he received. Little shelters and barns were +built to protect them during the winter. Indians who had never worked +before, now tried to borrow a mowing-machine, so as to put up some hay for +their animals. The tribe seemed at once to have imbibed the idea of +property, and each man was as fearful lest some accident should happen to +his cows as any white man might have been. Another issue of cattle was +made, and the result is that now there is hardly an individual in the tribe +who is not the possessor of one or more cows. Scarcely any of the issued +cattle have been eaten; there has been almost no loss from lack of care; +the original stock has increased and multiplied, and now the Piegans have a +pretty fair start in cattle. + +This material advancement is important and encouraging. But richer still +is the promise for the future. A few years ago, the Blackfeet were all +paupers, dependent on the bounty of the government and the caprice of the +agent. Now, they feel themselves men, are learning self-help and +self-reliance, and are looking forward to a time when they shall be +self-supporting. If their improvement should be as rapid for the next five +years as it has been for the five preceding 1892, a considerable portion of +the tribe will be self-supporting at the date of expiration of the treaty. + +It is commonly believed that the Indian is hopelessly lazy, and that he +will do no work whatever. This misleading notion has been fostered by the +writings of many ignorant people, extending over a long period of time. The +error had its origin in the fact that the work which the savage Indian does +is quite different from that performed by the white laborer. But it is +certain that no men ever worked harder than Indians on a journey to war, +during which they would march on foot hundreds of miles, carrying heavy +loads on their backs, then have their fight, or take their horses, and +perhaps ride for several days at a stretch, scarcely stopping to eat or +rest. That they did not labor regularly is of course true, but when they +did work, their toil was very much harder than that ever performed by the +white man. + +The Blackfeet now are willing to work in the same way that the white man +works. They appreciate, as well as any one, the fact that old things have +passed away, and that they must now adapt themselves to new surroundings. +Therefore, they work in the hay fields, tend stock, chop logs in the +mountains, haul firewood, drive freighting teams, build houses and fences, +and, in short, do pretty much all the work that would be done by an +ordinary ranchman. They do not perform it so well as white men would; they +are much more careless in their handling of tools, wagons, mowing-machines, +or other implements, but they are learning all the time, even if their +progress is slow. + +The advance toward civilization within the past five years is very +remarkable and shows, as well as anything could show, the adaptability of +the Indian. At the same time, I believe that if it had not been for that +fateful experience known as "the starvation winter," the progress made by +the Blackfeet would have been very much less than it has been. The Indian +requires a bitter lesson to make him remember. + +But besides this lesson, which at so terrible a cost demonstrated to him +the necessity of working, there has been another factor in the progress of +the Blackfoot. If he has learned the lesson of privation and suffering, the +record given in these pages has shown that he is not less ready to respond +to encouragement, not less quickened and sustained by friendly +sympathy. Without such encouragement he will not persevere. If his crops +fail him this year, he has no heart to plant the next. A single failure +brings despair. Yet if he is cheered and helped, he will make other +efforts. The Blackfeet have been thus sustained; they have felt that there +was an inducement for them to do well, for some one whom they trusted was +interested in their welfare, was watching their progress, and was trying to +help them. They knew that this person had no private interest to serve, but +wished to do the best that he could for his people. Having an exaggerated +idea of his power to aid them, they have tried to follow his advice, so as +to obtain his good-will and secure his aid with the government. Thus they +have had always before them a definite object to strive for. + +The Blackfoot of to-day is a working man. He has a little property which he +is trying to care for and wishes to add to. With a little help, with +instruction, and with encouragement to persevere, he will become in the +next few years self-supporting, and a good citizen. + + + + +INDEX + +Above Persons, +Adoption of captives, +Adultery, penalty for, +Adventure, Stories of, +Adventures of Bull Turns Round, +Affirmation, solemn form of, +_Ah-kaik'-sum-iks_ +_Ah-kai-yi-ko-ka'-kin-iks,_ +_Ah-kai'-po-kaks_ +_Ah-kwo'-nis-tsists,_ +_Ahk-o'-tash-iks,_ +Ahk-sa'-ke-wah, +_Ah'pai-tup-iks,_ +_Ai-sik'-stuk-iks,_ +A[=i]-sin'-o-ko-ki, +_Ai'-so-yim-stan,_ +Alcohol, agent of destruction, +Algonquin myth, +Algonquin tribes, +All-are-his-children, +All Comrades, +All Crazy Dogs, +Allen, Major, +All-face man, +Almost-a-Dog, +_Amelanchier alnifolia_, +_American Anthropologist_, +American Hero Myths, +Ancient customs dying out, +Ancient Times, Stories of, +Animals, birth of, + creation of, +Animal powers, +Animal powers and signs, +Animals to be food, +Antelope, method of taking, + song, + where created, +_Anthropologist, American_ +_A'pi,_ +_Ap'-i-kai-yiks,_ +Ap'i-kunni, +Api-su'-ahts, +_Ap-ut'-o-si-kai-nah,_ +Armells Creek, +Arrows, +Assinaboines (tribe), +A'-tsi-tsi, +Authority of "sits beside him" woman, +A-wah-heh', + +Back fat (of buffalo), + Creek, +Bad Weapons, The, +Bad Wife, The, +Badger, +Badger Creek, +Bags, +Basins, +Battle near Cypress Mountains, +Bear, +Bears, The +Beaver, how taken, + Creek, + Indians, + Medicine, The, + song, +Belly River, + Buttes, +Belt, +Berries created, +Berry of the red willow, +Big Eagle, +Big Nose, +Big Topknots, +Bighorn, where created +Birch tree +Bird, Thomas +Birds created +Birth of the animals +Biters +Bitter-root +Black Elks (Blackfoot gens) + (Blood gens) +Blackfat Roasters +Blackfeet + as known to the whites +Blackfoot + cosmology + country, boundaries of + Crossing + Genesis, The + in War, The +Black Doors +Black Patched Moccasins +Blood (tribe) +Blood People +Boiling meat +Bow River +Bowls of stone +Bows +Box Elder Creek +Boys, advice to +Brave (band of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi),_ +Bravery held in high esteem + proofs of required +Braves, duties of +Braves' society +Brinton, Dr. +Brush created +Buckets +Buffalo + bringing to camp + corral of Cheyennes + created + driven over cliffs + Dung (gens) + eating the people + hunting disguised + hidden + slaughter, modern + value of to the people + surrounding +Buffalo Lip Butte +Buffalo Rock, The + what it is +Buffalo song +Bull bats +Bull berries +Bulls +Bulls' society +Bunch of lodges +Burial +Buttes created + +Camas + root, how prepared +Camp arranged in circle +Camp, order of moving +Canadian mounted police +Casey, Lieutenant +Catchers +Cattle issued +Cause of disease. +Centre post of Medicine Lodge +Ceremony of Medicine Lodge + of unwrapping pipe-stem +Cheyennes + buffalo corral of +Chickadee +Chief +Children in lodge + sports of + training of +Children, The Lost +Chippeways +Chippeweyans +Chinook winds +Choke-cherries, how prepared +Clark (W.P.) +Clay images, of buffalo + in human shape +Clot of blood +Clothing + made of buffalo hide +Cold Maker +Confederation of three tribes +Corral of Cheyennes, buffalo +Cosmology, Blackfoot +Counting _coup_ + _coup_ at Medicine Lodge +Country of the Blackfoot +_Coup_, _et seq_. + among Blackfeet. + different tribes. + counting, in early times. +"Covering" the slain. +Cowardice, penalty for. +Coyotes, how taken. +Creation, _et seq_. +Creator. +Cree (tribe), _et seq_. +Crimes to be punished. +Crops in Blackfoot country. +Crow (tribe). +Cups, how made. +Custer, General, xiv. +Customs, ancient, dying out. +Customs, Daily Life and. +Cut Bank River. +Cutting rawhide for Medicine Lodge. +Cypress Mountains. +Daily Life and Customs. +Dance, medicine pipe. + young women's. +Dawson, Mrs. Thomas, xiv. +Dead return to life. +Death, origin of. +Deer, how taken. +Deer Lodge. +Diet. +Disease. +Diseases introduced by whites. +Dishes. +Divorce. +Doctors. +Dog and the Stick, The. +Dogs beasts of burden, _et seq_. + killed at grave. + not eaten. +Dogs Naked. +Don't Laugh band. +Double Runner, vii, xv. +Doves. +Dream helper, _et seq_. + originates war party. + person, _et seq_. +Dreaming for power, _et seq_. +Dreams, 3 _et seq_.. + belief in. +Dress. +Dried meat. +Dried Meat (gens). +Dwelling. +Duties of first wife. +Eagle catching. + songs. + lodge. +Early Finished Eating. +Riser. + wars bloodless. +Ear-rings. +Eggs of waterfowl, how cooked. +_[=E]-in'-a-ke_. +E-kus'-kini, _et seq_. +Elbow river. +Elk, how taken. + The. + tushes. +Elkhorn arrow. +Elk River. +Elopement. +_E'-mi-tah-pahk-sai-yiks,_. +_E'-mi-taks,_. +_Esk'-sin-ai-t[)u]p-iks,_. +_Esk'-sin-i-t[)u]ppiks_. +_[)E]ts-k[=a]i'-nah,_. +Everyday life, _et seq_. +Family names. +Fast of Medicine Lodge woman. +Fast Runners, The. +Fat Roasters. +Feast, invitations to. +Feasting in the camps. +Fighting between Bloods and Piegans. +Fire, how obtained. + carried. +First killing in war. + mauls. + medicine pipe. + people. + pis'kun. + scalping. + shelter to sleep under. + stone knives. +Fish. + hooks. +Fish spears, +Flat Bows, +Flatheads, +Flesh of animals eaten, +Fleshers, how made, +Flint and steel, +Folk-lore, +Food of war party, +_Forest and Stream_, +Fort Conrad, + McLeod, + Pitt, + Union, +Four Bears, +Fox, The, +Fox-eye, +Frogs, +Fungus for punk, +Fur animals, how caught, +Future life, + +Gambling, +Game, hidden, + in Blackfoot country, +Game played by prairie dogs, +Genesis, The Blackfoot, +Gentes of the Blackfeet, + Bloods, + Kai'nah, + Piegans, + Pi-k[)u]n'i, + Sik'si-kau, + now extinct, +Ghost, + bear, + country, + Woman, Heavy Collar and The, +Ghosts, +Ghosts' Buffalo, The, +Ghosts, camp of the, +Girls, carefully guarded, + instructed, + outfit for marriage, +Girl stolen, +Gown of women, +Grasshoppers, +Grease on red willow bark, +Great Bear (constellation), + Falls, +Grizzly Bear, +Grooved arrow shafts, +Gros Ventres, +Ground Man, +Ground Man (of Cheyennes), +Ground Persons, + +Hair, care of, + mode of wearing, +Handles of knives, +"Hands," +Hats of antelope skin, +Head chief, how chosen, +Heavy Collar, + and the Ghost Woman, + Runner, +Help from animals, +Hill where Old Man sleeps, +Horned toad, +Horns, +Horses cause of war, + killed at grave, + when obtained, +How the Blackfoot lived, +Hunting, + alone punished, +Husband's personal rights in wife, + power over wife, + property rights in wife, + +_I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, + origin of, +Implements of the dead, + made of buffalo hide, +Indian a man, + sign language, + tobacco, +Indians and their Stories, + Beaver, + general ignorance about, +Infants lost, +_I-nis'-kim_, +_In-uhk'-so-yi-stam-iks_, +_I-nuk-si'-kah-ko-pwa-iks_, +_I-nuks'-iks_, +Invitation to feasts, +_I'-pok-si-maiks_, +_I-sis'-o-kas-im-iks_, +_I-so-kin'-uh-kin_, +_Is'-sui_, +_Is-ti'-kai-nah_ +"It fell on them" creek, +_It-se'-wah,_ + +Jackson, William, + +_Kah'-mi-taiks_ +Kai'-nah, +Kalispels, +Kettles of stone, +Kill Close By, +Kipp, Joseph, +Kit-fox, +Kit-fox (society), +Kit-foxes, +_Ki'-yis,_ +_Knats-o-mi'-ta,_ +Knives of stone, +Ko-ko-mik'-e-is, +Kom-in'-a-kus, +_Ksik-si-num'_ +_Kuk-kuiks'_ +_Kut'-ai-[=i]m-iks,_ +_Kut-ai-sot'-si-man,_ +Kutenais, +Kut-o'-yis, + +Ladles of horn, + of wood, +_Lari p[=u]k'[=u]s_ +Lesser Slave Lake, +_L'herbe_, +Liars, +Life among the Blackfeet, +Little Birds, +Little Blackfoot, +"Little Slaves," +Lizards, +Lodge for dreaming, + of stone, +Lodges, ancient, + how made, + decoration of, + of chiefs of the _I-kun-uk'-kak-tsi,_ +Lone Eaters, + Fighters, + Medicine Person, +Long Tail Lodge Poles, +Lost Children, The, +Lost Woman, The, +Low Horn, + +Mad Wolf, +Maker, the, +Mandans, +Man-eater, +Many Children, + Lodge Poles, + Horses, + Medicines, +March of the camp, + of war party, +Marriage, girl's outfit for, + how arranged, + of important people, + poorer people, + prerequisites for, + prohibited within gens, +_Ma-stoh'-pah-ta-kiks,_ +Material advancement, +_Mats_, +Mauls, + how made, +Measles, +Medicine leggings, +Medicine Lodge, the, + man, + Pipes and Healing, + rock of the Marias, + woman, +Mexico, +_Mi-ah-wah'-pit-siks,_ +_Mi-aw'-kin-ai-yiks_ +Mik-a'pi, +Miles, General, +Milk River, +Missouri River, +_Mis-tai'_ +Moccasins, +_Mo-k[)u]m'-iks,_ +Monroe, Hugh, + John, +Morning Star, +Mosquitoes, +_Mo-tah'-tos-iks_ +Mother-in-law, meeting, + not to be spoken to, +_Mo-twai'-naiks_ +Mountains created, +Mourning, + chant, + for the dead, +Muddy River, +Murder, penalty for +Musselshell River, +_M[)u]t'-siks_, + +_Na-ahks'_, +_Nai-ai'_, +Name, changing, + unwillingness to speak, +_Namp'-ski_, +_Na'-pi_, +_Nat-[=o]s'_, +_Nat-o'-ye_, +_Na-wuh'-to-ski_, +Necklaces, +New Mexico, +Night red light, +_Ni-kis'-ta_, +_Nimp'-sa_, +_Ni'-nah_, +_Ni-namp'-skan_, +_Nin'-nah_, +_Nin'-sta_, +_Ni'-po-m[=u]k-i_, +_Nis'-ah_, +_Ni-sis'-ah_, +Nis-kum'-iks, +_Nis-k[=u]n'_, +_Nis-t[=u]m-o'_, +_Nit-t[=u]m-o'-kun_, +_Nit'-ak-os-kit-si-pup-iks_, +_Ni-taw'-yiks_, +_Nit'-ik-skiks_, +_Nit-o-k[=e]-man_, +_Ni-tot'-o-ke-man_, +_Ni-tot'-si-ksis-stan-iks_, +_Nits'-i-san_, +_Nits-o'-kan_, +_Ni-tun'_, +No parfleche, +_No-ko'-i_, +_No'-ma_, +North Bloods, +North, Major, +North Saskatchewan River, +Northwest Territories, +Number of wives, + +Oath, Indian, +Obstinate (gens), +Office not hereditary, +Ojibwas, +_Ok-wi-tok-so-ka_, +Old Man, + and the Lynx, + character of, + disappearance of, + Doctors, + known to other tribes, + makes first weapons, + makes fire sticks, + sleeps, hill where, + Stories of, +Old Man's predictions, + River, + Sliding Ground, +Origin of the _I-kun-uh'-kah-tsi_, + medicine pipe, + worm pipe, +Orpheus and Eurydice, +Other game, +Owl Bear, +Owls ghosts of medicine men, +Owner's seat in lodge, + +Paints, +Parfleche soles of moccasins, +Past and the Present, The, +Pawnee _coups_, + Hero Stories and Folk Tales, +Pawnees, +Peace with Gros Ventres broken, + the Snakes, The, +Pemmican, +Penalty for adultery, + for cowardice, + for murder, + for theft, + for treachery, +Penances, +Pend d'Oreille, +People created, +_Phrynosoma_, +Physical characteristics, +Pictographs of _coups_, +Piegans, +Pi-kun'i, +_Pi-n[)u]t-u'-ye is-tsim'-o-kan_, +Pipe dance, medicine, + of the Soldier Society, + stems, +Pipes, material of, +Pis'kun, + etymology of, + bringing buffalo to, + how constructed, + of the Blackfeet, + of the Crees, + of the Sik'-si-kau, +_Pis-tsi-ko'-an_, +Places chosen for dreaming, +Plants, medical properties of, +Plunder from the south, +_Pomme blanche_, +Pottery, +Power, dreaming for, + of herbs, + to bring on storms, +Powers, animal, +Prayers, + in sweat house, + to the Thunder, +Preparations for burial, + for dreaming, + for the attack, + for war parties, +Presents to husband from father-in-law, + to the sun, +Product of the buffalo, +Property buried with dead, + of Brave Society, + of deceased, disposition of, +_Psoralea esculenta_, +_Puh-ksi-nah'-mah-yiks_, +_Puk'-sah-tchis_, +Punishment for hunting alone, + for infidelity, + for stealing tobacco, +Punk, +_P[=u]n'-o-ts[)i]-hyo_, +Purification by smoke, + +Quarrels between the three tribes, + +Rabid Wolf, + wolves, +Rabies, cure for, +Race, the, +Raven Band of the _I-k[)u]n-uh'-kah-tsi_, + Bearers, + Carriers, +Ravens, +Red Deer's River, + Eagle, + Old Man, + River half-breeds, + Round Robes, +Religion, +River, Badger, + Belly, + Big, + Bow, + Elbow, + Elk, + Milk, + Missouri, + Muddy, + North Saskatchewan, + Old Man's, + Peace, + person, + Red Deer's, + Saskatchewan, + St. Mary's, + Teton, + Yellowstone, +Roasting meat, +Robes, +Rock, The, +Root-digger, +Ross, Miss Cora M., +Round, +Running Rabbit, +Russell, William, + +Sacks, +Sacred bundles, where kept, +Sacred objects, + things connected with eagle catching, +Sacrifice, +Sacrifices to sun, + of war party, +_Sai'-yiks_, +_Sak-si-nak'-mah-yiks_, +Salt, +Sand Hills, +Sarcees, +Sarvis berries, + Berry Creek, +Saskatchewan River, +Saskatoon Creek, +Scarface, +Schultz, J.W., +Scout of war party, +Screech Owl, +Seats in lodge, +Secret helper, +Seeking the Sun's Lodge, + Thunder's Lodge, +Seldom Lonesome, +Self-torturings in Medicine Lodge, +Servants, +Seven Persons, +Seven Persons Creek, +Shadow, +Shelter for war party, + to sleep under, +_Shepherdia argentea_, +Short Bows, +Sign language, +Signs, +Signs and powers of animals, +_Sik-o-kit-sim-iks_. +_Sik-o-pok'-si-maiks_. +Sik'-si-kau, +_Siks-ah'-pun-iks_, +_Siks-in'-o-kaks_ (Blackfoot), + (Blood), +_Sik-ut'-si-pum-aiks_, +_Sin'-o-pah_, +Sioux, +"Sits beside him" woman, +Skeleton, +Skidi tribe, +Skull taken into eagle pit, +Skunks, +Sleeping for power, +Small Brittle Fat, +Small Leggings, + Robes, +Smallpox, +Smell of a person, +Smoking, rules in, +Snakes, +Snakes (tribe), + Peace with, The, +Snares, +Social organization, +Societies of the All Comrades, +Soldiers, +Song, antelope, + beaver, + buffalo, + pipe, + war party, +Soul, +_Spai'-yu ksah'-ku_, +Spanish lands, +Spear heads, +Spears, +Spoons, +Sports of children, + of adults, +Spotted Tail's camp, +St. Mary's River, +_Sta-au'_, +Starvation winter, +Steell, Major, +Stockraising, +Stolen by the Thunder, +Stone bowls, + kettles, + knives, + pointed arrows, +_Ston'-i-t[)a]pi_, +Stories of Adventure, + of Ancient Times, + of Old Man, +Story of the Three Tribes, The, +Story-telling, +Striped-face, +Struck by the Thunder, +_St[)u]'miks,_ +Suicide among girls, +Sun, +Sun dogs, +Sun River, +Sun's Lodge, +Sun's Lodge, seeking the, +Surrounding buffalo, +_S[=u]'-ye-st[)u]'-miks_, +_S[=u]'-ye-t[)u]ppi_, +_Su-yoh-pah'-wah-ku_, +Sweat bath, +Sweat lodge, + houses for Medicine Lodge, +Sweet-grass, +Sweet Grass Hills, +Swindling the Indians, + +Tail-feathers-coming-in-sight-over-the-Hill, +Tails, +Taking horses, +Temperament, +Teton River, +The Bad Weapons, + Bears, + Beaver Medicine, + Blackfoot Genesis, + Blackfoot in War, + Buffalo Rock, + Dog and the Stick, + Elk, + Fox, + Ghosts' Buffalo, + Past and the Present, + Race, + Rock, + Theft from the Sun, + Wonderful Bird, +Theft from the Sun, The, + penalty for, +They Don't Laugh, +Things sacred to the Sun, +Three Tribes, The Story of, +Thunder, + bird, + described, + brings the rain, + steals women, +Tobacco, Indians', + songs, +Tobacco thief punished, +Tongues for Medicine Lodge, +Touchwood Hills, +Training of children, +Transmigration of souls, +Trapping wolves, +Treachery, penalty for, +Treatment of dead enemies, + of women, +Trial by jumping, +Trivett, Rev. S., +_Tsin-ik-tsis'-tso-yiks_, +_Ts[)i]-st[=i]ks_, +_T[)u]is-kis't[=i]ks_, +Turtles, +Two Medicine (Lodge Creek), + War Trails, + +Under Water People, + Persons, +Uses of buffalo products, + +Version of the origin of death, +Visitor's seat in lodge, + +War bonnet, + bonnet of Bulls Society, + clubs, how made, + head-dress, + journeys, duration of, + journeys to the southwest, + lodges, + lodges, how built, + systematized, + with the Gros Ventres, +War parties, +Warrior's outfit, contributions to, +Whiskey trading, +White beaver, + Breasts, + Calf, +Widows, +Wife, standing of, + duties of first, + The Bad, +Wind Maker, + Sucker, +Wolf Calf, + Tail, + Man, The, + Road, + song, +Wolverine, +Wolves, +Wolves, rabid, +Woman doctors, +Woman, standing of, + The Lost, +Woman's dress, + seat in lodge, +Wonderful Bird, The, +Wood for bows, +Woods Bloods, +Worm People, + Pipe, +Worms, + +Yellowstone River, +Young Bear Chief, + women's dance, +Younger sisters potential wives, + + + + + +A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR + +Although GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL (1849-1938) won distinction as an +ethnologist, author, editor, and explorer, perhaps his most enduring +achievement was that cited by President Coolidge when he presented the +Theodore Roosevelt Gold Medal of Honor to Grinnell in 1925: "Few have done +as much as you, and none has done more, to preserve vast areas of +picturesque wilderness for the eyes of posterity...." It was largely +thanks to Grinnell that Glacier National Park was created, and in +Yellowstone Park, as the President said, he "prevented the exploitation and +therefore the destruction of the natural beauty." Grinnell was a member of +the Marsh, Custer, and Ludlow expeditions in the 1870's, and during those +years prepared reports on birds and mammals of the northwestern Great +Plains region which are still authoritative. From those years, also, dates +his interest in the Indians, particularly the Pawnee, Blackfoot, and +Cheyenne. Among the score of books resulting from his lifelong study of the +Plains tribes, _The Fighting Cheyenne_ (1915) and _The Cheyenne Indians_ +(1923), _Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales_ (1889), and BLACKFOOT LODGE +TALES (1892) are perhaps the best known. A friend of the famed North +brothers, who commanded the Pawnee Scouts, Grinnell encouraged Captain +Luther North to set down his recollections, and contributed a foreword to +the book. Titled _Man of the Plains_, this work was published for the first +time in its entirety by the University of Nebraska Press (1961). + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES*** + + +******* This file should be named 11547.txt or 11547.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/4/11547 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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