The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-08-29

at given signal and devour it with will
The coffee they call "mucca sobba,"
winch being interpreted means, "black med
lclne, ana your readers on seeing it would
probably consider it q very deserving title.
speak now OF those of the Indians who
I'VE IN the more primitive style. Each head
OF 1amliy has had farm of 100 acres al
lotted TO MN In his own individual right,
Wlthln the past four years, and quite
number Oh such occupy neat cottages built
ny lhaian Carpenters, and live in much
more CIVILIZED way; but unfortunately the
want OF peculiarly means has precluded the
p0sslDlllty of procuring these necessary APP
Pliahces TO civilization to any considerable
extent. This in fact is the great bar to
the rapid improvement of the condition of
these Poor dependent people, all unused to
industrial pursuits; it being no part of the
pollcy of the government to supply means,
except to the wild tribes, for the civilization
OF the Indians, farther than their own re-
sources will go; secured to them by treaty
stlPulations, in consideration of the peace
aple surrender of vast tracts of fertile lands
nierly claimed as their hunting grounds,
iof The benefit of the dominant white race,
whose teeming millions must soon people
thGse western wilds.
can give but brief sketch of Indian
lile within the narrow compass of news
paper article, but feel reluctant to close
my remarks without touching on the promi-
nent features of an Indian council. The
principal native officers of the Omaha tribe
Consist ofnine prominent men, who occupy
The position of chiefs, whose prerogative it
Is to exercise limited control over certain
bands or divisions of their people, as well
US to express their sentiments i'll the coun-
ellis held for the consideration Of business
pertaining to the interests of the tribe at
large. There are also twenty-seven picked
men of the tribe, who act in the capacity
OF police force, to whom is assigned the
duty of maintaining good order throughout
the tribe, also to report any wrong doirgs,
and occasionally to arrest and bring often
ders to justice. One or both sets of these
dignitarcs usually attend the councils held
with the Agent, whereat various matters
pertaining to the interests Of the tribe are
considered ; and on special occasions an
open or grand council of all the leading
men Of the tribe is convened for the con-
sideration of such measures as bear upon
the common interests of the whole people.
No females are ever allowed to participate
in any of these councils such being the
ancient usages of these people, and wo-
mems rights not being yet advanced enough
in these parts to admit of any encroach-
mcnt on their time-honored practices. But
to proceed with
THE COUNCIL.
Near the appointed hour, in pleasant
weather, the Indians begin to collect in
little groups on the neighboring hill tops,
where they engage in pleasant chat about
the current affairs of the day, until inform
ed by some of the chief men of the police
that it is time for the council to begin
They then walk leisurely and with becom-
ing dignity to the council room, which is
quite a commodious building near the
Agents dwelling, ordinarily occupied as an
office and store room for medicines, &c.
After seating themselves with becoming
gravity, the inevitable smoking pipe is
brought into requisition. This is gencr-
ally in the shape ola tomahawk, though
that formidable instrument as weapon of
warfare has long ago been discarded by
these peaceable Indians The part repre-
senting the blade is either Of iron or brass,
highly polished. A long handle passes
through the eye like Ratchet, the round
end or pole being bored out, forms the
bowl Of the pipe, while the handle answers
for the stem the latter being made of a
straight stick, having the pith burned out
with heated wire. This handle or stem
is fitted with mouth piece, and sometimes
highly ornamented with brass headed nails,
tufts of gaily colored horse hair, pole cat
tails, bead work, porcupine quilts, &c.
Other pipes are carved out of peculiar
kind of soft red stone, found only, it is said,
in one place in Dakota Territory. These
are deity formed so as to represent q
horses head or other fancy device. These
pines, instead of being charged with tobac-
CO, as the perverted taste of their white bro
theirs would dictate, are crammed full of
finely cut shreds ofred willow bark, which
is the genuine "Kinnikinick" Sometimes
a little fine cut tobacco is mixed in, but
this makes no improvement, according to
my taste.
Several of these pipes having been duly
prepared and lighted, the smoking begins.
Each proprietor of a pipe takes a few
whiffs, making full inspiration and draw
ing down dense volume of white smoke
directly into his lungs, from whence it is
expelled in two diverging jets from his
nostrils. This operation is repeated few
times with an evident gusto, when the pipe
is passed courteously to the next neghbor,
who in turn enjoys it, and hands it to his
nearest companion. The characteristic
features of an Indian council are dignity.
deliberation and gravity. No company of
Friends in their solemn assemblies could
evince u greater decorum or gravity. A
friend ofmine who attended one of these
councils once remarked to me, "Did any
body ever see such solid countenances3"
After due deliberation the business of
the council is generally opened by the A gent
who explains the object of calling the
chiefs and head men together, and the sub
ject matter to be considered is laid before
them through the aid of an interpreter
The degree of favor with which the
Agents speech is received is to be measur-
ed by the frequency and energy of sundry
sonorous grunts or groans, which no COM
bination of letters in the English language
can give any adequate conception of; but
perhaps u g Ii comes as near expressing
the sound as any other.
These manifestations of popular or indi-
vidual sentiment bear striking analogy to
the tervent amens at regular old-fashion
ed Maryland camp meeting.
The Agents speech being concluded,
pause ensues, during which the smoking
is prosecuted with such vigor that per-
feet cloud envelopes the whole company.
A dead silence reigns. After while one
of the principal chiefs calculates "shah.
nuh" to the interpreter, which means, is that
all ? An affirmative answer is followed by