Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-12

laid crosswise, in dollhouse fashion. rEe
smoke works its way up through an open.
ing in the roof Seated around the fire in
abject lazness were all the occupants, old
and young of both sexes. They have nc
tables, few low stools, large quantity
of wooden trays, copper kettles, horn la
dies bowls and spoons, and numerous va
riety of wooden spears, lances and darts
pointed with bone and ivory.
! The most curious articles Of workman
ship are their ladies and dishes, wrought
out of the horns of the wild mountain
sheep which live on the mountains of the
mainland. They are a feet animal, and
every traveller who has tarried long about
the Cascade range will well remember
how he has seen them leap down from era .
to crag striking upon their horns and
bounding again upon their feet with fleet
ness which no ether quadruped can equal.
The ladies have long handles ianeiiull Y
carved i'll imitation of goose's neck and
head, or the leg and hoof of the deer.
Some Of these ladies will hold three quarts.
The dart is a wooden shaft five feet long,
trimmed with a bone socket at the end.
In this socket is inserted ivory point
sharply barbed. The point is detached
and being fastened by Ia string, the ant
NAL drags the wooden missile, till wearied
he falls an easy prey.
In each Of these native lodges are little
coop-like apartments ranged along the
walls, which serve at night for separate
sleeping rooms, and in which the respective
owners store their choice goods Piled on
the top of these rooms are heaps OF smoked
salmon, game, skins, and variety of arti-
ces, emitting odors most ancient and fish
like. Our entrance into their cabins did
not distusb or surprise them in the slight
est degree they were ready, but not
anxious, to trade with us. Like other hu-
mln beings, they are disposed to treat ev-
cry one well who treats them well-at
least | have invariably found this to be
the case when travelling among the aborig-
inal race of this coast. Now and then
we saw an invalid in their lodges, victims
of consumption, and showing the same
symptoms here as in the Eastern States.
Flint lock muskets are hung up in every
lodge, for the Russians years ago furnished
them with firearms to kill the wild fowl,
bat never allowed them to shoot fur ami
mails with the gun, as the noise will lead
them to seek new haunts.
The females are not abused so badly by
their husbands as among the tribes east OF
the Rocky Mountains. They have less
drudgery to perform. and participate in
all hunting and fishing excursions. They
have the hideous practice of streaking
and sometimes entirely covering their fac
es with black paint At first | was told
it was a badge of mourning, but its fre-
quency led to a second inquiry, when |
found it was an ancient custom. Their
complexion is much fairer than in Calitor-
MIA, and is Il shade lighter than in Mime
sofa. Still, unlike the Onalaskan maid
ems, none of them have chubby" pleas
ant faces Some of them have been mar
ried to Russian laborer>. aad proud of their
association with the Caucasian race, main
tain strict fidelity. Yet these are ex-
ceptional instances In no native language
on on this coast is there any word to des-
ignate female virtue.