On Canada's Frontier: Sketches of History, Sport, and Adventure and of the Indians, Missionaries, Fur-traders, and Newer Settlers of Western CanadaRalph, Julian
History
On Canada's Frontier: Sketches of History, Sport, and Adventure and of the Indians, Missionaries, Fur-traders, and Newer Settlers of Western Canada
Ralph, Julian
Hudson's Bay Company -- History; Indians of North America -- Canada; Northwest, Canadian -- Description and travel
All the tribal heirlooms were in the display, the cherished gewgaws,
trinkets, arms, apparel, and finery they had saved from the fate of
which they will not admit they are themselves the victims. I never saw
an old-time picture of a type of savage red man or of an extravagance of
their costuming that was not revived in this spectacle. It was as if the
plates in my old school-books and novels and tales of adventure were all
animated and passing before me. The traditional Indian with the eagle
plumes from crown to heels was there; so was he with the buffalo horns
growing out of his skull; so were the idyllic braves in yellow
buckskin fringed at every point. The shining bodies of men, bare naked,
and frescoed like a Bowery bar-room, were not lacking; neither were
those who wore masses of splendid embroidery with colored beads. But
there were as many peculiar costumes which I never had seen pictured.
And not any two men or any two horses were alike. As barber poles are
covered with paint, so were many of these choice steeds of the nation.
Some were spotted all over with daubs of white, and some with every
color obtainable. Some were branded fifty times with the white hand, the
symbol of peace, but others bore the red hand and the white hand in
alternate prints. There were horses painted with the figures of horses
and of serpents and of foxes. To some saddles were affixed colored
blankets or cloths that fell upon the ground or lashed the air,
according as the horse cantered or raced. One horse was hung all round
with great soft woolly tails of some white material. Sleigh-bells were
upon several.
Only half a dozen men wore hats--mainly cowboy hats decked with
feathers. Many carried rifles, which they used with one hand. Others
brought out bows and arrows, lances decked with feathers or ribbons,
poles hung with colored cloths, great shields brilliantly painted and
fringed. Every visible inch of each warrior was painted, the naked ones
being ringed, streaked, and striped from head to foot. I would have to
catalogue the possessions of the whole nation to tell all that they wore
between the brass rings in their hair and the cartridge-belts at their
waists, and thus down to their beautiful moccasins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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