Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical SketchDenig, Edwin Thompson
History
Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical Sketch
Denig, Edwin Thompson
Assiniboine Indians; Indians of North America -- Missouri River Valley
It is a voluntary action and those who will not obey or are
dissatisfied leave and return home at any stage of the march, but do
not separate and remain to thwart the intentions of the others. No harm
being done by their desertion, no punishment follows. At all events he
is obliged to be contented with these precarious terms of enlistment.
The night previous to their departure they assemble (say 20 men) in
the soldiers’ lodge, where a dance called the Crow dance is performed
by them, and the next morning they all start together, singing the Wolf
Song as they leave, their faces usually being painted with vermilion at
all times and particularly at this time. All go on foot; no order or
file of march is taken up; neither is it necessary. Each one has six or
eight pairs of good strong-soled moccasins on his back. Some are armed
with bows and arrows, some with guns, and some with lances and war
clubs. Battle not being sought, a profusion of arms is not desired and
might prove cumbersome. Every man furnishes his own ammunition and war
implements.
Though guns are sometimes borrowed and ammunition begged of their
friends and relatives, yet there is no tax laid on the camp for
supplies nor any public arrangement whatever for providing arms, etc.
No provisions are taken; they hunt it on their way. The partisan takes
his fetish Wolf Skin, which is an entire skin of that animal dressed
with the head, ears, legs, etc., complete, so that by lying down or
standing on his hands and knees and covering himself with the skin,
drawing it over his head, he might easily be passed as a wolf by any
person within a short distance. His other charm or fetish is also
secured about his person. A good many, and sometimes the whole party,
have wolf skins of the above description on their backs.
During their march through their own country but little precaution is
used. They stray along at random and toward evening look around for
some game for supper, kill whatever presents itself, take enough for
the night and the next day and encamp.
They proceed in this way, if no signs of enemies appear, until
entirely out of their usual hunting grounds, the leader in the
meantime consulting his dreams, smoking to his fetish wolf skin. A
bad dream, or any unpropitious omen, such as the howling of a single
wolf in a peculiar manner, breaking his pipe, letting fall his fetish,
very severe thunder and lightning, would suffice to turn back the
expedition. When large parties start we find two or three returning
almost every day from the time of leaving until the attack, caused
by dissensions, omens, or other dissatisfaction, but no disgrace or
remarkable comments are attached to this fact, though the excuses some
of them give look very much like fear.
Having arrived at their enemy’s country, the greatest possible
precaution and vigilance are now exercised.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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