Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-12-16
dians and nlaced in a thinish naka nn :

dians, and placed in a finnish cake on a
smooth board. A hot stone, several of
which are continually in and around the
fire, IS then pulled out convenient dis
! tance, the board containing the bread, is
| leaned against it, and the bread thus ex-
posed to the fire to bake. ......-
The Indians regard it unnatural that
"a zchoLe family should be hungry at once.
th ey cannot understand it, and they
ne yer set a table, as is customary with
tie whites, but each one when hungry
helps himself or herself from "the not
and board.' '.H -lva
All the lodges at the Pawnee Reserva-
ton, are constructed on the same gener-
al plan, and they are externally. in no
way different in appearance, They are
quite close together-indeed crowded.
Then these Indians have about one
thousand ponies, which Craze on the
prairie in the day time when not in use,
but at night, for fear the Sioux will steal
them, they are all put in corrals, built
of upright sticks twelve to fifteen feet
high, waited together, one corral be-
longing to each lodge, and close to it as
part of the establishment, and the ma
nure piled up, or thrown out anywhere.
This, with the black mud, green water
pools, and general filth, without par
ticle of grass, or any thing upon which
the eye could rest with pleasure, presen-
ted such a picture as caused our hearts
10 ache for our poor red brethren and
sisters The condition of things was
rendered worse than usual at. the time
of our VISIT from the almost unprece-
dented amount of rain which had fallen
this season. And they still remain in
this condition, after the thousands and
thousands of dollars expended by Gov
ernment for their improvement, and
with the two hundred and lightweight
Thousand acres of rich land, of the very
best quality which they own!I There
can and must be an Improvement in
their condition. They are capable and
.desirous of receiving il, the Government
IS willing to make it, and those will
certainly be found who are ready to en-
ter upon the interesting engagement of
endeavoring to elevate and Improve
them. BE. 1861 -.ssE-c.-s Ct Stud e,.-as
Besides the lodges above described,
are their skins lodges, )" used when on
hunt or the war-path, adapted for sew
eral families together; the "Tepee,n
which is a lodge for single family, and
their summer tent" of canvas, much
like that used by soldiers in camp.
On some of the Reservations, they
substitute bark OF the elm or cotton wood
tree, for the poles and earth roof, but
the internal arrangement of the lodge
is entirely similar to that of the mud
lodges. We found more neatness and
comfort too, on all the other Resarva-
tions than on that of the Pawnees, and
many of the Indians living in frame or
log houses, scattered over their Reser-
vations. .t,r -.+. ..r.T ----
In front, or sometimes inside of their
village lodge is q ''cache,r or an OPEN
ing dug into the ground, jug shaped,
large enough at its mouth for man to
enter. and then a largeexcavation made
below, with cover of sod prepared to
fit nicely, SO that no one would be able
to see where it is. In this place they
stow away any extra food, blankets,
buffalo skins, ETC., ETC., they may have,
to be used when needed. ,r-as-as.
The.evening was beautiful, and hum
dreds of Indians, with their bright red
blankets, could be seen wandering or
riding over the broad prairie in all di-
reetions, giving a life and picturesque
ness to the scene, and awakening much
thought, which a0olstd be tinctured with
sadness! What is to be the result?-
Hoau can zoe get hold Of them, so as to
give beneficial direction to wanderings,
and present some attractive and elevated
object before them, for them to aspire
after themselves?