The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-07-26

and there Is much more occasion tor shyness
and caution, than among a civilized people.
They will hear and distinguish the sound of
gun when white men IN company With
them hear nothing. They espy an animal
far off on the prairie, and before the white
man to whom they have pointed il oGt can
say whether it is an animal or a weed shaken
with the wind, the Dakota will determine
certainly whether it be Deer or an Ante
lope. Perhaps their senses of sight and
hearing are more acute than ours; but
suspect the difference is not so much owing
to this as to more constant wakefulness of
these senses, and a superior Development
of the mental organs connected with them,
causing a more clear conception of the i'm
pressions made on our senses by distant OBJ
lects. When we make the picture Of man
or any animal we endeavor to represent the
legs, feet and all the smaller parts fully as
large in proportion TO the body as they APP
pear to be when near US and seen distinctly.
But it is easy to demonstrate that the inn
preston made on the eye, by The object
when seen at such a distance as to appear
no larger than the picture, is very different
from what we make it. The legs and other
small parts, if seen at all, appear very small
| in proportion to the body. Accordingly
or buffalo they are without legs or the legs
are mere lines. Such pictures appear to us
awkward, and from seeing them some have
supposed Indians destitute of talent for
drawing; but this supposition is incorrect,
as we might suspect from the uniformity of
their drawings; and may be convinced by
observing them when attempting to repre-
sent an object as seen near at hand, or where
the picture is nearly as large as the object
intended to be represented. They are GER
tainIy not inferior to ourselves IN the power
of imitation. They quickly and easily learn
to write and excel white men in learning to
sing; many of them will sing u tune pretty
correctly after hearing it only few times;
and it is rare to find young person among
them who cannot learn to sing well.
| have never seen any reason to suppose
that their senses of touch, taste and smell
are remarkably acute The poverty of their
language in regard to the objects of these
senses might lead us to suspect a deficiency
! here; but know OF no other reason for such
an opinion.
! From the meanness of the dwellings of
/ the AborigineS of this country, it has been
said that in them the organ of constructive
ness is extremely small; but certainly if VIC
| look at their canoes, their bows, arrows,
pipes and pipe stems, or any OF the other
articles they are accustomed TO manufacture,
we cannot find in them any evidence of de-
ficency in mechanical skill; and let it not
be sad'tha this is done from instinct as
! birds build their nests, for the Dakota fe-
males readily learn To cut out and make 9TH
er garments besides moccasins; also to spin
and weave, and the man who breaks the
stock of bis gun, where guns are scarce,
readily makes another, and have seen some
made with no other tools than IN axe and
knife and bits Of wire. got from an old tin
kettle, that would not disgrace "a regularly
trained gunsmith.
The Sioux chiefs, with whom am ac-
quainted, excel all other men in the adrolt-
ness with which any of them will cxcuIpate
himself from any charge brought against
him, whether true or false. They are also
the most expert beggars. If the hunters
excel in discovering game they DO so still
more in approaching it undiscovered, and
in finding the way TO their encampinent after
chasing deer for many hours, through a
part OF the country where they have never
before been. II. S. w.