The Indian Captive: A narrative of the adventures and sufferings of Matthew Brayton in his thirty-four years of captivity among the Indians of north-western AmericaBrayton, Matthew
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The Indian Captive: A narrative of the adventures and sufferings of Matthew Brayton in his thirty-four years of captivity among the Indians of north-western America
Brayton, Matthew
Brayton, Matthew, 1818-1862; Indian captivities -- West (U.S.); Shoshoni Indians -- History; United States -- Biography
The tomahawk practice comes next. A mark is described on the bark of a
tree, and the young Indian throws his tomahawk at it with great force,
endeavoring to make it whirl three times in the air, and then to
strike with the sharp pick at the back of the axe head so that it
shall remain sticking in the mark. As in the knife practice, success
at one distance is immediately followed by a retreat of a few paces
until the feat can be accomplished at a considerable distance. The
same routine is gone through with the axe part so that it shall cleave
the bark in the very center of the mark. At about ten years of age, a
long bow with arrows of proportionate length, is put into the hands of
the boy, and when he becomes of sufficient age to manage it properly
he is instructed in the use of the rifle.
The boys are incited to begin hunting and trapping early, and their
first success in trapping a beaver, shooting a martin or spearing a
muskrat is celebrated with as much triumph as is the first scalp taken
in battle by a young warrior. When about twelve years old the boys
join the hunting parties, and are very expert in the use of the bow.
Many widows are supported entirely by their sons who have just passed
their twelfth year.
The small children and the very old people are allowed the use of
cooked meat, but all others eat their food raw. No salt is used but
pepper is frequently obtained from the Russian and Hudson Bay trading
posts, and is eaten with the food as a great addition. Besides the
privilege of eating cooked meat the very old people are well cared for
by the tribe, and are allowed to remain in their lodges without being
called out to hunt or work. Everything is done for them and they enjoy
perfect rest until their death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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