The weekly Butte record., 1858-10-09
Indian Traditions, surerstitions and Pic
tographs.

to6Aopu
AT the Delaware settlement, called Beavers
vile, we were visited by Jesse Chisholm, a
Cherokee He is well known throughout the
cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw countries, and.
as trader. has been much among the wild
tribes OF the prairies He speaks English and
spanish, and is so well yersed in Indian lall-
guages, that at a late council of ComaDehes,
hiowas, Huecos, Kichais, Cadoes and Witch
itas, ne was chosen interpreter for all. His op-
portunties, therefore, for acquiring information
upon the subject under consideration are evi-
dent. He states that all the above mentioned
tribes have firm conviction of the existence
OF one Great Spirit. The wilder the Indian,
Inc less he has seen of white men, the more
implicit Is his trust in the invisible Deity
FROM this unity of faith and similarity in the
modes of worship Chisholm iDfeIs that the
different tribes have sl the same origin
/. The civilized Indians are beg ming to put
iess confidence in the Creeks e." though it is
still kept burning. The Cherokees also are
becoming remss in the performance Of their
ancestral rites. However, they maintain their
ancient custom of having one family of the
tribe set apart for the priesthood Upon ihe
birth OF a son. he is subjected to a fast, which
continues seven days. On the third day he is
~~''SN>'N'Su " hic 'IiCC, vi TIE Illntu OtncF
cercm nies are performed. The boy is after
wards trained TO his profession. an becomes a
priest or medicine man." to win celebrity and
power in proportion t.. his talents and ambi-
ton. When any undertaking of magnitude is
con emplated, the priest is consulted for an
augury. Not long since Chisholm attended
one OF these ceremonies. The people appre-
heDding attack from their enemies. had con-
suited tho t, n IL
| addressed the assembly. He told them that
the Great Spirit equally loved all people; but
that those who prayed to him, and believed
most implicitly in his power, he condescende |
to favor with Knowledge denied to others.
Having concluded an eloquent and imposing
invocation, he produced ANAL i,aek stone, Or
piece OF metal. and said that, in very ancient
times, the Great spirit had been pleased to
give il 10 his chosen people to Indicate his will.
Then taking a curiousIy wrought bowl, alleged
to lie OF eat antiquity h. filled it with water
and placed the black substance within. cansng
1t to move from one side to the o'her, and from
bottom to top, by a word Abiding then to
danger, and foes, the encharted mineral fled
from the point of his knife but AS he began to
speak Of peace and security, il turned toward
and clurg to it until lifted entirely from the
hdiCt- Dt pilCot iiiti BiCttu tue OulsT
by inform ng the people that peace was in the
| ascendant, no enemy being rear
Cherokess. from time immemorial have been
accustomed 10 baptise their infans with water
when three days old. They believe that with
ont this rite, the child cannut live. They have
Il custom of sacrifices and burnt offerings The
victim is generally deer sometimes the
whole animal, at others the heart and selec ed
portions of the e,frailS arp burned
They believe in future rewards, but not in
future punishments; in the Good Spirit, AMI
in happy spirit-land bnt know nothing of
the Evil One and his domains. excepting what
they have learred from the white men. h ;;s-
deeds, they think, are punished in this world ;
hence sickness, poverty war, and death.
his intercourse with Comanches has impress
seei him with high opinion of their intellect
Their language Is copons, but iificuli TO learn :;
there heiag often many words to represent the
same idea. They have au unwavering conf
dence in The Good Spirit, and believe that,
however great may be the disproportion in
numbers and strength. If he be on their side
they are sure TO be successful If defeated
they say Ale was angry with us. aad this Is
PUNISHMENT for some offence. They have year
ly gatherings to light the sacred fires They
build a large collection of huts, and sit crowd
ed about them, taking medicine for purifca
ton, and lasting for seven days. Those who
can endure to keep the last unbroken, are rem
derea sacred in TIE eyes of the rest. While
the ceremony lasts u perfect silence reigns
No word is spoken. When the spirit moves"
they rise and dance until exhausted then again
sit qnietly upon the ground to commune with
their thoughts.
The custom Of fasting is practiced by all the
tribes Of ffis region. With .GheroEees it is
the prevailing mode of publication, and an alb
stnence of seven days renders the devotee IA
nous. Seven is magic number The tribe
is divided into seven clans. The seventh son
is necessarily prophet and has The gif, of
healing by touch. A deSer'ed Comanche camp
on Shady creek, gave evidence of supersiitious
rites and Indian offerings. IN corroberaton of
B.any of the customs above mentioned.
At camp ~ upon the Canadian. near the
Lano Eslacada, we're seen the pueblo Indians
from San Domingo. After az introductory
smoke, they became qnite communicative, fu,-
nishin. vocabulary Of their language, and
much curious information as 10 their traditions
and peculiar faith. They are Tiguex or, ac-
cofaing to their own language, "ki-owum-ini,"
WHICH by referring to the vocabulary is found
To denote tro When questioned regarding the
number aud positions Of the publos in New
Mexico. they rudeIy traced up on the ground
sketch or map OF heir couhtry.
According to tradition this tribe first ap-
peared at Shipap. the northwest source Of RIO
del Norte Whence they came is not known
They were wandering without fxrd abodes.
and sought shelter among cannoDs of the river
in caves which yet remain They sojourned
awhile at Acoti. the firth place of NJ ntezn-
ma, who became leader and guide Of the sub
seauent migration. He taught them TO build
pueblos. with lofty houses and estuias, and to
kindle sacred fires to be guarded by priests
Taos was the first pubic he established and
from thence he proceeded southwark. forHiug
settlements in the order Of succession nam,d
! upon the map. Acoma was strongly built
aud fortified by him. Pecos vas one of the
principal towns and, while here, Mon,ezuma
took a tall tree, ami planted ii in an inverted
position, saying that when he sh uid disa pear
foreign race would rule over his people, and
there would be DO rain. Bnt he commanded
them to watch the sacred fire till that tree
should la ut which time white men would
pour into the land from the east, to overthrow
their oppressors, and he hiaself would return
to build up his kingdom. The earth ,woulu
again be fertilized by rain, and the mountain-
| Weld treasures oT silver or onld From ppc.,s