James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819-1820, part 2James, Edwin
History
James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819-1820, part 2
James, Edwin
Indians of North America; Rocky Mountains; United States -- Discovery and exploration; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
The squaws make mockasins and leggings variously ornamented; and
handsome necklaces, wrought with beads of different colours, which are
symmetrically strung upon red silk, or thread coloured with vermillion.
In the manufacture of this common, and much admired article of
dress, ten double threads are attached by one end to a small _wang_
or shred of leather, which is firmly stretched and fixed transversely
to the work; each double thread is placed at such a distance from the
adjoining ones, as to give room for the beads. These are then strung
on, one upon each double thread; by this operation a transverse row of
beads is formed upon the work, parallel to the _wang_; this being done,
the left hand double thread is passed to the right, not over and under,
but through all the other double threads, parallel to, and in contact
with the row of beads, and in this position occupies the situation of
woof or _filling_; but its extremity is continued along on the right
side of the work, so as to resume, in that portion of its length, the
character of warp or _chain_. Another row of beads is now put on; after
which the next left hand double thread is passed through each of the
others to the right of the work, as the previous one had been.
They also make handsome garters for supporting the leggings below the
knee, of the breadth of the hand; they are formed of beads strung on
worsted yarn.
{8} Their art of painting is very rude, yet they manage to give some
idea of a battle, by graphic representations in colour, on a bison
robe. In the same manner are depicted the various animals, which are
the objects of their hunts. These robes are also decorated with blue,
red, and black broad lines, forming various designs; indeed it is very
common to see a robe thus ornamented, worn by an Omawhaw.
The art of sculpture is also in its rudest state, and is almost limited
to the ornamenting of the war-club with indented lines, forming
different angular figures.
Their persons are often neatly tattooed in straight lines, and in
angles on the breast, neck, and arms. The daughters of chiefs, and
those of wealthy Indians, generally are denoted by a small round spot,
tattooed on the forehead. The process of tattooing is performed by
persons, who make it a business of profit. Their instrument consists
of three or four needles, tied to the truncated and flattened end of
a stick, in such an arrangement that the points may form a straight
line; the figure desired is traced upon the skin, and some dissolved
gunpowder, or pulverized charcoal, is pricked in with this instrument,
agreeably to the figure. The operator must be well paid, and hence it
is not every one that can conveniently sustain the expense of having
this distinguishing mark placed on the forehead of his children.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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