Anecdotes of the American Indians, illustrating their eccentricities of character
History
Anecdotes of the American Indians, illustrating their eccentricities of character
Indians of North America -- Anecdotes
water flowing out, hasten to this barrier, where they encounter their
enemies, armed with all the instruments of destruction. At other times,
when ice covers the surface of the pond, a hole is made, at which the
animal comes to respire; he is then drawn out and secured. The bear is
a formidable enemy, which must be assailed by the combined force of the
hunters, who are ranged in two rows, armed with bows or muskets. One
of them advances and wounds him, and, on being furiously pursued, he
retreats between the files, followed in the same line by the animal,
which is then overwhelmed by their united onset. In killing these
quadrupeds, the natives seem to feel a sort of kindness and sympathy
for their victim. On vanquishing a beaver or a bear, they celebrate
its praises in a song, recounting those good qualities which it will
never more be able to display, yet consoling themselves with the useful
purposes to which its flesh and its skin will be applied.
Of the animals usually tamed and rendered subservient to useful
purposes, the Indians have only the dog, that faithful friend of
man. Though his services in hunting are valuable, he is treated with
but little tenderness, and is left to roam about the dwelling, very
sparingly supplied with food and shelter. A missionary, who resided in
a Huron village, represents his life as having been rendered miserable
by these animals. At night they laid themselves on his person for the
benefit of the warmth; and, whenever his scanty meal was set down,
their snouts were always first in the dish. Dog’s flesh is eaten, and
has even a peculiar sanctity attached to it. On all solemn festivals it
is the principal meat, the use of which, on such occasions, seems to
import some high and mysterious meaning.
But, besides the cheering avocations of the chase, other means must
be used to ensure the comfort and subsistence of the Indian’s family;
all of which, however, are most ungenerously devolved upon the weaker
sex. Women, according to Creuxius, serve them as domestics, as
tailors, as peasants, and as oxen; and Long does not conceive that
any other purposes of their existence are recognized, except those of
bearing children and performing hard work They till the ground, carry
wood and water, build huts, make canoes, and fish; in which latter
processes, however, and in reaping the harvest, their lords deign to
give occasional aid. So habituated are they to such occupations, that
when one of them saw a party of English soldiers collecting wood, she
exclaimed that it was a shame to see men doing women’s work, and began
herself to carry a load.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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