The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-14
PrsSe-Two Cents.


with more or less comfort These edinoes are built OF
small poles set In the ground bent over somsthipg
with other poles present appearance resembling a
crockery crate inverted yet high enough to allow tail
with birch bark prepared in sheets of various lengths
and generally from fourteen to eighteen inches wde
several courses overlapping the under one as in
weatherboarding, and leaving an aperture In the
centre OF the top for yentlatiom or the escape OF
To enclose with old blanket or remnant OF cotton
cloth fastened above ;he opening and lowered down,
curtanwse at pleasure Ofthe material or which they
constructed the poles readily obtained anywhere
ia this region but the labor required to dress the bark
makes 1t valuabe hence IL is rolled sticks and
transported from camp another The dmensions
Of the edtces vary according the number size OF
families that occupy them Uniformly they are about
over thirty feet The width IL arranged as to allow
persons 10 lie ON both sides with their beads toward tho
outward walls ADD their feet extended nwerd leaving
passsgeway between Of foot two; and when weather
requires place for Ere in the centre There are two
lodges at The old Tort occupied 10y portion OF the
bands from the vicinity Of Leech Lake, having sort
OF corridor Of poles and bark in front OF the doerwsy
which protect the open - perfectly from the elements
Hud also serve the purpose Of htchens
shng. Goob, principal chief of tas Fond du Lac band,
long aud is rs well crowded with inhabitants thu
snales; Including the three wives, and numerous
progeny OF this noted ogimah.
In all alike flag mats appear to be the sole furniture,
winch when spread on the ground answer for carpets
sa chsirs during he day. ana beds at night Not one
OF the lodges Ia subdivided in any manner the
room being used for all purposes except cooking which
IL ~ customary conduct outside,
the lodge and is simple imagination ca make i.
The staple diet of these people would pear 10 be corn
sep The same grain being boiled several times over,
before 1t Is In condition for masticston, furnishes
meal every time subj eced to the cooking process
This broth. with what game hsh may oa taken,
bread ma 10 Of pounded comprises nearly the whole
bill Of fare in ordinary Yet. they have few other
items of food in their season in April rice in
September berries in August &c but if information
received from traders be- relied on they rarely have
supply Of more than one article ofproysons at time
on which they subsist exclusively while 1t lasts
place a day or two since, has Of course materially
changed the style Of living while here Camp kettles
and butcher knives distributed by government to
each family in the payment These, together with
sort of wooden ade, comprise the whole cooking and
culinary utensils the ade being used by every member
OF "a family in turn, while eating corn soup.
Each band have encAmped as nearly together as the
rangsment party sets their lodge where 1t best
pleases them that beside having variety in form Of
tons and extending the whole breadth Of the island
The dress Of the remote bands is exceedingly seanty
for climate this is full half the year. In
general mans dress consists solely Of moccaslns leg
gins and breeching The females comfortably
sable blanket being used by either merely man
tie II surprising that they net better acquainted
with ordinary articles Of apparel than they appear to
be- One OF the chiefs, who remained on board of our
steamer during short excursion on leaving, was pre-
sented with few such articles, among them shirt
much to the amusement of our party he put and
OF half dozen times. in endeavoring to ascertain
the proper mode Of wearing It,
Personal ornaments of every description from gold
ring to tin band, and from string of glass beads
OF bears teeth vulures claws are universally
worn, though more profusely by males than females
the men, also, in painting the skin maintain similar
with her face at all dishgured with paint and
when she does indulge in Its use IL is only with delicate
touches While her lord and master (truy) plasters
every day, unless in mourning, when black alone Ia
used, the combination Of colors, well arrange
ment Of figure is varied These continual meta
norphoses in appearance, makes 1t difficult to re-
tain personal identity for three days together, un-
less where the features strongly marked the per-
son very peculiar In general their persons sym
merical ard we'll moulded; corpulent and seldom
destitute OF sufficient muscle to the frame work Of
OF the body respectfully but more apt be lean than fat
Ordinarily their carriage stately In the extreme and
gagged In dancing which is stiff and formal than
the same performance by the Shaking Quakers ut New
Lebanon. They are not as some say they are without
decreptuds beside those who have been manned in
there many otherwise permanently disabled Among
such woman of nearly fifty years old who appears to
be entirely destitute Of legs but 1t may be that her limbs
contracted disease always good spirits
and goes about with much facility by raising herself
with her arms projecting her body forward We ara
made the forty mile portage in this manner and
kept up with her band No doubt she handles paddle
as well as the best.
1t would be pleasant 1t possible to give these
people character for industry. But they have
claim for it sothfuness, which they in mis-
take for personal Independence and dignity undermues
their domestic comfort and clogs all progress Of their
communities. seven-eighths of the whole number Of
men here spend their mornings in arranging their toilet
the remainder Of the day in lying about the ground
in groups OF ten or twelve and their nights in the dance
u cOmfOrt1Dle
Is unique they lie on their somaohs in circle so as
to bring their heads toward the centre and then resting
on their elbows, remain in. that posture half day at
time, with pipes In their mouths
Very few inclined to labor indeed they seem TO
hold 1t in utter adherence, beneath their dignity
The women however are al hard workers Every after
noon they may be In small parties in the wood,
chopping fuel for the consumption Of the twenty
four hours and although they handle the axe with bat
little skill Ii piled with great energy perseverance,
and heavy burdens indicate the result Of their efforts
few days ago an instance occurred which NAV serve
IN ahO
At talk held before the subagen for the adjustment
Of claims, a worthless trader trumped up a charge
against whole band for some peltry, which Indian
belonging to 1t had appropriated to his use The
Indian In his defence said he had lived with the trader
who refused to pay him aud he paid himself When in
terrogated to the services he had performed he replied
by enumerating tho game he had killed. That not sp-
pearng satisfactory to the agent, with confusion and
shame depicted In his countensnce he exclaimed, that
he had worked like white man"
Very little be said in favor Of the cleanliness OF
either SEX although the mixed breeds remarkably
neat and orderly In their persons and traps But the
full blooded are negligent to such extent frequent
ly TO be dsgustingy filthy, and to be swarmipg with
vermn Indeed the only pastme the females appear to
have taste for, searching each others heads which
they almost engage in when stranger comes
suddenly them in order have object
averted attention, extreme modesty preventing them
from even looking toward those with whom thew sre I'm
acquainted But whatever OF appreciation arise for
their unaffected didsnce Is momently superseded by
disgust at the dizziness Of using their teeth ms an In
strument OF destruction which The common practice
None OF the women haze been observed inebristed;
but their exemption Is likely to arise from made
/
have been on board our steamer soliciting to taste
wine which Of course was given sparngiy else go much
could said for the sobriety Of their department
with the drunkennessis vsilng vice. indeed,
IL Is doubtful whether any important exceptions exst
10 desire for indulgence In strong drink Whenever IL
can be obtained They are already disposing OF blank
cts and other goods for whiskey and the despeable
miscreants engaged la smuggling hesrtlsss enough
90 exact new three point blanket for sin gle bottle
u their poisonous lquids -.~
Smoking is one Of the elements Of Indians exist
encei and Is truly his greatest indulgence. Tobacco
however In but little used Kin kin mix being subBfi
tuted which Is compound of white willow bark dried
in smoke, and some ordinary weed OF the country.
Every has pipe. which In seldom out OF his hand,
and pouch somewhere about his person, In which to
carry fin, and steel, and a supply Of Kin -kinnk
Few persons have not Indian pes and Il Is need
less to say how much they must be priced as the
dundsnce OF ornament Is better calculated to indicate
IL than words
All who have read accounts Of Indian character have
been nsed either by those who have abored to make