Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-11-14
The Blackfeet Indians.

still the most numerous and powerful
of the nations thatlive wholly or partly
in North America. In person they
have developed an unusual degree OF
of beauty and symmetry. Though OF
less stature than many other Indians,
they are still tall and well made. Their
faces are very intelligent, the nose aqui-
line, the eyes clear, and brilliant, the
cheek bones less prominent, and the
lips thinner than usual among other
tribes. The dress of the men differs
little from the ordinary costumes of the
Indians of the plains, except in being
generally cleaner and in better preser-
vation. The Bloods dress more neatly
and are finer and bolder-looking men
than the Blackfeet, who, in turn, sur
pass the Peagins in these respects. The
Bloods are said to have among them
many comparatively fair men, with
gray eyes, and hair both finer and light
er-colored than is usual i'm the case of
pure Indians. This tribe is supposed
TO bear its savage name, not from any
particular cruelty of disposition, but be-
cause, unlike the other tribes, its war
riors do not steal horses, but only seek
for the blood of their enemies, whom
they generally overcome, for they are
among the bravest of all the natives
The faces of both Blackfeet men and
women are generally highly painted
with vermilion, which seems to be the
national color. The dress of the latter
is very singular and striking, consist
ing of long gowns of buffalo skins,
dressed beautifully soft, and dyed with
yellow ochre. These are confined at
the waist by a broad belt of the same
material, thickly studded over with
round brass plates, the size Of a silver
half-dollar piece, brightly polished.
The Blackfeet, however, in common
with other Indians, are rapidly adopt
ing blankets and capOtes, and giving up
the beautifully painted robes of their
forefathers. The ornamented robes
that are now made are inferior in work
manship to those of the days gone by.
The mental characteristics of the
Blackfeet resemble closely those of In
dians everywhere. Similar circumstan-
ces give shape and force to thoughts
and emotions in all. Intellectual vigor
is manifested in shrewdness of obser-
walton, and strong powers of percep-
ton, Imagination and eloquence. They
are quick of apprehension, cunning,
noble-minded and firm of character,
yet cautious in manner, and with GER
tain expression of pride and reserve.
They are strong and active, and natu-
rally averse to an indolent habit. Their
activity, however, is rather manifested
in war and the chase than useful labor.
Pastoral. agricultural and mechanical
labor they despise, as forming sort of
degrading slavery. In this they are as
proud as the citizens Of the old republics
whose business was war. Their labors
are laid upon the women, who also are,
upon occasions, the beasts of burden
upon their marches; for the egotism of
the red man, like that of his white broth
er, makes him regard woman as his in
ferior, and a predestined servant to
minister to his comfort and pleasure.
The Blackfeet have, moreover, both a
local attachment and strong patriotic
or national feeling in which respect
they differ favorably from all other
tribes. In their public councils and de-
bates they exhibit genuine oratorical
power, and keenness and closeness of
reasoning quite remarkable. Eloquence
in public speaking is a gift which they
earnestly cultivate, and the chiefs pre-
pare themselves by previous reflection
and arrangement of topics and methods
of expression. Their scope of thought
is bOundless as the land over which
they roam, and their speech the echo
of the beauty that lies spread around
them. Their expressions are as free
and lofty as those of any civilized man,
and they speak the voices of the things
of earth and among which their wild
life is cast. Their language being too
limited to afford wealth of diction,
they make up in ideas i'm the shape of
metaphor furnished by all nature
around them, and read from the great
book which day, night, and the desert
unfold to them. Appieton'sJournal.