The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-06-07

the grave also tobacco was laid,about tn,
grave which was always fenced with poles
built in the style of an old fashioned coru
crib, covered with elm bark q small aper
ture was left at tho top, near the head o
the grave, where you might generally sec
plug of tobacco, ii the Indians were in tn,
vicinity.
When sickness visits the Indian's wig
wan, they Immediately resort to drumming
and if the sickness is very severe, they
drum night and day,
In some respects, the Indians excel a,
physicians, especially in midwifery, ever
extending their observations so far as I,
foretell the sex of the unborn child an houi
before its birth
As had located near or on the trail tC
Maiden, where some of the Indians received
presents from the British, often hundreds
OF them camped near my house on theii
! journeys to and fro They are almost uni
yersally harmless and friendly the Wyau
dots aud Sandusky Indians, especially
came often into the vicinity.
| Indian Dress. Incidents. Uardships OF
Pioneer Life, &c.
The dress of the Indians was, for the
most part, of their own manufacture. They
dressed deer skins, in the best manner
These they used for moccasins. leggings,
mittens and shirts and in cold weather,
| they wore wooden blankets. which they re.
ceived as presents from the British Govern.
ment. These were distributed at Maiden,
Canada West, and were of excellent quality
and very durable
During the warm weather they might
frequently be seen by hundreds, with no
other clothing eX, ept the breechcloth which
consisted Of two pieces of an old blanket
! or other old garment, about one foot square,
one behind and the other before, and
strapped on above the hips, AMI extending
so lar down as sulliced for decency. In
this DRESS they were perfectly at case in
any company. The squaws being some what
more particular, wore skirt, generally OF
broadcloth, fastened at the waist, and cx.
tending below the knee.
The Indians often wore brooches, orna.
ments of silver in great profusion besides
a variety of cheap ornaments, among which
were strings of beads, wore into moccasins.
aud bestowed uponsvarious portions of the
dress and person according to Indian taste;
turkey feathers set in the hair; crosses of
silver of considerable value, new moons of
the same material bells fastened upon the
leggngs so as to sound when walking
One old chief have seen wearing, it was
said, a thousand dollars worth of iewelrv
and ornaments and in the arrangement of
these articles it must be admitted that they
displayed considerable taste.
Previous to the removal Of the Indians.
some hundreds of tho Wyandott aud San.
dusky tribes camped in the month of Sep.
tember, on the north side of the creek, op.
posite my house They had tents of cloth
and had hppn inctru.taJ at Tn,a, G,,,l,..
ky. 1t was a beautiful evening the moon
was full the atmosphere was delightful /;
the sky was calm and clear hundreds of
Indian ponies, each of them with It's bell,
were feeding near the camp.
At about eight or nine o'clock we heard
the voices of the Indians, singing old
"NOrthfeld." When this had ceased the
Indian preacher, or chief, led out in lervent
prayer, in the Indian language, during which
the most impressive silence prevailed in
the camp. As lie closed his petition, all
WAS silent again except the hundreds of
bells, which rang tremendously Unex.
peCted rs this act of devotion was to us
it would be difficult to find words TO express
our feelings.
A few of the hardships of pioneer life,
will mention. First. it often happens that
during the dry weather, we were obliged to
90 to Venice mills, on Sundusky Bay some
seventy miles to get our milling done
On one of these trips, we cut out twenty
miles of road along Portage River, the first
wagon trail on that stream. Second we
had no schools for some years during the
childhood of our oldest children, one of
whom commenced teaching school at twelve,
the other at fourteen years of age. As we
had postoffice, farm, sawmill and store 10
attend to, Mrs. Has ins frequently gave
her daughters lessons, while she was her.
self busy at the wash-tub, and travellers,
who often lodged with us, expressed their
surprise, that family SO far from schools,
should be equal in education, with those in
more favored localities.
70 couHterbalance disadvantages, the wild
bees afforded us plenty OF honey, and do.
mesticated hives yielded fabulous amounts
of this delicious nectar. We had plenty of
venison, wild turkeys, pheasants, prairie
hens, and other game. The prairies and
forests supplied the best of pasture and
wild hay for stock, which always found
ready le. However, pleasant as pioneer
life was, it is moro so, to see our country
improved, cultivated and made ready for
the abodes of men.
.C0LISTOR HASKINS.
PORTAGE, WooD Co., OH1o.