Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-08-08
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
FROM THATCHER's INDIAN TRAITS,

FROM IHAICHERS INDIAN 1hAlAS,
o. Sketches Of the Customs, Manners and Char.
acter of the North American Natives.
History Of the Indians.
The time viii, come but too soon we fear, when
the history of the Indians will be the history Of
people Of which no living specimen shall exist
upon the earth; too soon will the places that now
know them, know them never again. Their coun.
cilfres will have gone out upon the green hills OF
the south. Their canoes shall plough no more
the bosom Of the northern lakes. Even the pra.
res and mountains Of the far west will cease to
be their refuge from the rushing march Of civili-
zation. Their forests will be feIled, their game
will disappear, and then, il, indeed, no portion
of them can be rescued BY benevolence from the
grave Of heathenism-if no blessed ray of the
Knowledge Of man or saving truth Of heaven shall
tighten the gloom Of the wilderness-then will
the last Indian stand upon the verge Of the Pa.
cific seas, and his sun will have gone down for.
ever"
Stature of the Indians.
The Indians are very generally of either the
middling or largest stature Of the English, al
though not only individuals but whole tribes are
to be met with who fall rather below the average
height Of the whites. The Shawnees and Della.
wares, recently residing in Ohio, and the savages
Of the northern lakes aud the upper Mississippi,
are among this class. On the other hand, most
of those who live in the middle regions Of the
Missouri, including the warlike Osages, and the
Sioux or Daco,ahs, are quite tall, as we'll as flne
propor,ioned in other respects. There is per-
haps no Indian, or indeed white man who appears
to better advantage than an Usage, mounted on
his war-horse.
Corpuient Indians.
model for sculptor of the human frame in marble.
The New England and other Atlantic Indians
were almost universally large. straight aud well.
uropurt toned, with limbs which might serve as
An instance Of natural deformity was SO rarely to
be met with, that most of the old historians de-
clare they never saw an Indian dwarfsh, crook.
ed or bandy.Iegged. The corpulence OF some OF
the whites was SO strange to them as to be a
subject of derision. We have never heard, IN
modern times, of more than two or three corpu-
Lent Indians.
Tattooing.
1t consists in making missions, with some
pointed instrument, into the skin, aud then ming
them with some black, blue or other permanent
dye or ink, in such manner as to make images
that last during life.
The figures OF moose, deer, bears, wolves,
hawks, or whatever object might strike mans
fancy agreeably, was thus imprinted on his lace
or limbs. In modern times gunpowder is often
used, instead Of liquid substance, to color the
outline. Some tribes have one Inquire IN com
mon. which they call their 'totem,' and BY
which they may always be known.
Dress and Decorations.
The Indians have, perhaps, as much variety in
respect to their dress and decoration as any PEG.
ple in the world. Of the western tribes OF the
present day an accurate observer remarks. that
from the time the squaw often occupies in club
bng her hair behiad, arranging her calico jacket,
"a common garment in that quarter, and paint
ing her round cheeks with glaring circles Of YER
million, he infers that personal ornament occu:
pies as much of her thoughts as Of most fashion.
able women in civilized society. A young In
dian warrior is VIGOROUSLY the most thorough 80
ing beau in the world He will employ himself
with his paints and pocket.glass Tor hours, lay
ing on his colors, arranging his hair, and gazing
at his reflection in the mirror, from time to time
with very obvious satisfaction.
Il Uestern Warrior.
The western warriors, in full dress, as fol
a great dance, wear two or three clasps OF silveI
about their arms, generally jewels IN their ears
and often in the nose. 10 fact, it is as common
among these tribes to see thin circular piece
Of silver, of the size of dollar, hanging an incl
or two from the nose, as it was among the an
Gent Indians to see piece Of carved bone OF
stone in the same situation. Then the painted
| porcupine quilts are twisted in the hair. Tail!
| Of animals swing from the ears behind. neck
lace Of bears or algators teeth, or claws Of the
eagle, or red beads; or il nothing better can b.
had, perhaps string Of red thorn plums, hangs
| from the neck The brass bells are laid thick or
| the lower part Of the dress Add to all this Fl
nery an American hat. and soldiers blue coa
faced with red, and your modern Indian dandy,
stepping firmly on the ground to give his thinkers
a fair chance to sound together, apparently re-
cards his attractions with as much compiacency
as the human bosom can be supposed to feel.
Ingenious Painting.
Moravian clergyman, who travelled as ,
missionary, during the last century, among thu