The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-11-27
Indian Babies and Their Mothers.

The love of an Indian mother for her
child is made plain to US by the care and
labor which she often expends upon
the cradle; the choicest production of
her skill in grass and woolen weaving,
the neatest needle-work and the richest
bead embroidery that she can devise and
bestow, are lavished on the quaint look
ing cribs which savage mothers nurse and
carry their little ones around in. This
cradle, though varying in minor details
with each tribe, is essentially the same
thing, no matter where is it found be-
tween the Indians of Alaska and those
far to the South in Mexico. The Esqui-
maux are the exception, however, for
they use no cradle whatever, carrying
their infants snugly enconsed in the
hoods of their darkies and otter-fur jump.
ers. The governing principle of a pa
poose cradle is an unyielding board,
upon which the baby can be firmly lashed
at full length on its back.
This board is usually covered by softly
dressed buckskin, with flaps and pouches
in which to envelop the baby; other
tribes, not rich or fortunate enough to
procure this material, have recourse to q
neat combination of shrub wood poles,
reed splints, grass mating and the soft
and fragrant ribbons of the bass or lin
den-tree bark. Sweet grass is used here
as a bed for the youngsters tender back,
or else clean dry moss plucked from the
blended limbs of the swamp frs I; then,
with buckskin thongs or cords of plated
grass, the baby is bound down tight and
secure, for any and all dispositions that
its mother may see fit to make of it for
the next day or two.
Indian babies, as q rule, are not kept
in their cradles more than twenty or
twenty -four consecutive hours at any one
time; they are usually unlimbered for
an hour or two every day, and allowed to
roll and tumble at will on the blanket, or
in the grass or sand if the sun shines
warm and bright. But this liberty is
always conditional on their good behav-
ior when free, for the moment baby
begins to fret or whimper, the mother
claps it back into its cradle where it
rests with emphasis, for it can there move
nothing save its head; but 80 far from
disliking these rigid couches, the babies
actually sleep better in them than when
free, and positively cry to be returned to
them when neglected and left longer
than usual at liberty. This fact is GER
tainly an amusing instance of the force
of habit.
When the papoose is put away in its
cradle, the mother has little or no more
concern with it, other than to keep within
sight or hearing. If she is engaged
about the wigwam or In the village, she
stands it up in the lodge corner, or hangs
it to some convenient tree, taking it
down at irregular intervals to nurse.
When she retires at night the baby is
brought and suspended at some point
within easy reaching; if the baby is i'll it
is kept at her side, or she sits up all
night with it in the most orthodox fash
ion. When the women leave the village
on any errand, such as going to the
mountains for berries or to the river
cannon for fish, the cradles, with the ba-
bies therein, are slung upon the mothers
backs and carried, NO matter how Tar,
how rough the road or how dismal the
wheather. -,
Indian babies are born subject to all
the ills that baby flesh is heirto, but with
this great difference between them and
oursSwhen sick they are either killed or
cured without delay. This does not hap
pen, however, from sinister motives; it is
not done to avoid the irksome care of a
sickly, puny child; it is not the result of
lack OF natural love for offspring; it is
due to their wonderful medicine" their
fearful system incantation.
A papoose becomes ill; it refuses to
eat or to be comforted and after several
days and nights of anxious, tender en-
deayor to relieve her child, the mother
begins to fear the worst, and, growing
thoroughly alarmed, she at last sends
for the "shaman," or q doctress of the
tribe, and surrenders her babe to his or
her merciless hands. This shaman at
once sets up over the wretched young
ster steady bowling, and then anon a
whispering conjuration, shaking hide
GUS rattle or burning whisp of grass
around the cradle. This is kept tup night
and day until the baby rallies or dies,
one doctor relieving the other until the
end is attained and that result is death,