And he sat, as is the custom of strangers coming to a town, on the hill
outside the village. At last the chief sent young men to invite him to the
village, and they did so. When he threw aside his blanket, all were
surprised, for they knew him. But he wore rich clothing, he had a
beautiful bow and arrow, and his face no longer bore the scar. And when he
came into the village, he found the girl, and she knew that he had been to
the sun, and she loved him, and they were married.
ERMINNIE A. SMITH.—A highly accomplished woman. Shortly before her
death she made a study for the Bureau of American Ethnology upon
_Myths of the Iroquois_.
CHARLES GODFREY LELAND.—Poet, prose writer, and traveler. His
poems appear under the _nom de plume_ of “Hans Breitmann.” His
_Algonquin Legends of New England_ is important.
GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL.—Writer. His _Pawnee Hero Stories and
Folk-Tales_ and _Blackfoot Lodge Tales_ are charming works. We
have drawn upon him for much material, especially here and in XVI.
and XX.
VI. WAR.
All Indians were more or less warlike; a few tribes, however, were eminent
for their passion for war. Such, among eastern tribes, were the Iroquois;
among southwestern tribes, the Apaches; and in Mexico, the Aztecs.
The purpose in Indian warfare was, everywhere, to inflict as much harm
upon the enemy, and to receive as little as possible.
The causes of war were numerous—trespassing on tribal territory, stealing
ponies, quarrels between individuals.
In their warfare stealthiness and craft were most important. Sometimes a
single warrior crept silently to an unsuspecting camp that he might kill
defenseless women, or little children, or sleeping warriors, and then as
quietly he withdrew with his trophies.
[Illustration.]
Indian Spears, Shield, and Quiver of Arrows.
In such approaches, it was necessary to use every help in concealing
oneself. Of the Apaches it is said: “He can conceal his swart body amidst
the green grass, behind brown shrubs or gray rocks, with so much address
and judgment that any one but the experienced would pass him by without
detection at the distance of three or four yards. Sometimes they will
envelop themselves in a gray blanket, and by an artistic sprinkling of
earth will so resemble a granite bowlder as to be passed within near range
without suspicion. At others, they will cover their person with freshly
gathered grass, and lying prostrate, appear as a natural portion of the
field. Again, they will plant themselves among the yuccas, and so closely
imitate their appearance as to pass for one of them.”
At another time the Indian warrior would depend upon a sudden dash into
the midst of the enemy, whereby he might work destruction and be away
before his presence was fairly realized.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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