 | Tales of the Northwest, or, Sketches of Indian
life and character |  |
THE DEVOTED.
A tribute to the Great Spirit. Indians worship
at rocks, remarkable for their size or form. They leave
offerings to the supreme being upon them; usually tobacco,
or worn out clothing, but seldom anything of value. The
rocks themselves are addressed by the title of grandfather,
and with great respect.
When the dog was devoured. Indians believe
that brutes have souls as well as men. They burn the bones
of dogs, bears, and some other animals, fearing that the spirits
of the deceased brutes will be angered by any disrespect or
insult that might be casually offered to their remains.
I will throw away my body. Nothing is more
common among the Northwestern aborigines, than to imagine
themselves doomed to sorrow and dool. A run of bad luck
in hunting, or two or three successive failures, are sufficient
to produce this effect. On such occasions they perform
voluntary penance, which frequently extends to the loss of
life.
The Dahcotahs sometimes bury their dead, but more
frequently expose them on scaffolds, or in the branches of
trees. In the latter case, it is said that the bones are afterwards
interred; we believe without truth, never having witnessed
it. The arms, &c, of a warrior, are buried or exposed
with him: formerly, a horse was sacrificed, that the deceased
might reach his future place of abode on horseback.
In old times, prisoners were put to death also, that the departed
might not want slaves in the next world. The Winnebagoes
have observed this rite within the remembrance of
many persons now living. When the corpse of a female is
disposed of, her implements of labor accompany it. The
blackening their faces, &c. The women cut their limbs
with flints and knives. We have known mortification to
take place in consequence of the severity of these self-imposed
afflictions. In one instance we have seen death ensue.
The demonstration of grief is never so energetic as when stimulated
by the use of ardent spirits. The mourning is renewed
at every recurrence of intoxication, and they often
beg for whiskey `to make them cry.'
| Tales of the Northwest, or, Sketches of Indian
life and character | |