Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-12-30


land from the farmers, and raise corn
and beans. The former they prepare
for winter use by digging trenches and
pouring it in shcllcd and then steam
ing it with fires built above. 1t is then
taken out and dried in the sun, and
stored away in caves lined with bark
and made secure from rain
They have no fixed hours for meals,
but eat whenever they feel hungry.
Once year they have what is called
the "Buffalo Dance" and occasionally
other teasts.
No animals of the canine persuasion
ever come to an untimely end in their
younger days. but are carefully raised
and tattened Tor the table. Having de
termined to have "Dog Feast" a
number of them are slaughtered and
the hair carefully siaged off, tor it is con-
sldered extremely ,eastetM to take off the
hide. A little other labor being done
on the carcass, it is ready tor the ket-
tie. More dogs are always killed than
is needed, for the benefit of some ever
present spirit, and these being hung up
around the fire, the tribe have dance.
'Music BY TIE BAND"
To accompany the dancing, Of course
music is necessary, and this is produced
in the following manner: Some hollow
gour.ls are charged with a handful of
beans, and these being jerked backwards
and forwards quite rapidly make most
beautiful accompaniment to the thamp,
Mup,p, of wooden ma!let on drum
head. This is made by drawing a raw
hide tightly over hollow bass wood
log, about is inches long and II across.
Everything being ready, the leader Of
the dance having "got himself up" in
most exquisite style, his head orna-
mented with an owl skin, Or some 9TH
err hideous object and his body daubed
with war paint, commences his march
around The savory pot OF soup, and the
bodies of the unfortunate dogs, and
the rest follow in Indian file"
This is continued for an hour or
more, and accompanied with their war
song.
Dinner being ready, it is served out
in wooden bowls and eaten with the
keepest relish. Any white visitor who
may be present are always invited to
par,ake with them. but generally de-
cline! Our copper coored friends eat
and eat with as mach evidence of sat
istaction as hungry white man dis,
plays over dish OF oysters.
CHILDREN.
The male lfants are the only ones
considered of any account. How Ell
ther sex ever'get past The period OF IN
fancy is mystery. The young war
rior as soon as he is a few days old, is
carefully wrapped in blanket and
laid on a board about one foot wide
and three long. Here he is securely
fastened with buckskin thongs wound
around the body, his head being also
held fast by broad band around the
forehead, and all the straps tied at the
back of the board. In this way the
poor thing is kept until hc.is old enough
TO walk.
1t is most rigid treatment, and yet
it gives them that perfectly erect form
which is always noticeable OF the men.
The female children arc not honorcd in
this way, but receive enough care to
barely Ire. They are early taught their
infcrlority, and learn to wait on their
brothers when quite small. The
squaws III travellin. strap the children
on the backs of tkeir ponies i'll little
baskcts-the babies on one side and a
weight on the other to balance,-or else
carry them on their own backs in the
papoose, holding it there with blank
ct which is wrapped around, and, com
ing over each shoulder, is held by the
hand.
TREATMENT OF TIE sQUAws.
Our Red Brother does not like to
work. He prefers to mount his pony,
and with gun in hand, stroll away for
a hunt; or else lie in the sun and sleep.
They purchase flour at Tama City, and
after riding down to attend to it, assist
in strapping sack of fifty pounds on
the backs OF their faithful wives, some
times packing the papoose on the top
of this; all being ready, the lordly war
rior gets on his pony and travels leis
urely into camp, smoking as he goes,
while his better halt trudges on behind.
They build all the "wick-e-ups;' chop
the wood; build the fires, getting up
cold winter mornings aud rarming up
the house for their husband-which last
duty, Josh Billings or some other man,
considers great element In making up
a model uye.
THEIR PONIES.
An American horse would die under
the treatment which an Indian pony
receives. In winter they are turned
into the timber and get their living the
best way they can, no hay or corn be-
ing fed them. They manage to live by
paving away the snow with their feet
and getting at the dried grass or leaves.
Though they come out in the spring
as poor as need be, the first appearance
OF grass seems to fatten them immedi-
atcly.
MORALS.
They are generally honest, though
sometimes do little pilfering in the
corn fields and melon patches. Water
melons stand next to Dog Soup in the
bill Of fare and If an Indian cannot steal,
he will trade away almost anything for
them. They are the most persistent
gamblers in the country, playing almost
every kind of game known to the