The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-02
a Disser India, ife.'da,s''

"A Digger Indiap ;fesda,ss.;
III asV -S I5.
+Mppld you like II attend the dance
1p.night at the rancheria OF the lndt.
aas?' said gentleman to . friend and
.avself. as we loitered in one Of the small
towns in Northern California. Now,
haying been informed of the dance dur
ina TIE afternoon by no less q personage
thar, the chief Of the rancheris, we had
stopped over night for the purpose OF
vitne ,sing the same; and right happily
were we to be joined by q gentleman
who was thoroughly familiar with every
point of interest in the neighborhood.
and who was we'll known to many OF
the indians themselves. -,
From the barking of the dogs and the
vailing OF a squaw we knew that we
we're now in the midst of the rancheria;
aud Indian forms fitting about the
1.sweat-house" Informed US where the
s.fanlango" was to be held. This house
had been built of strong poles anu
branches ingeniously fastened together,
and was in the shape OF an inverted
bowl, being about forty feet in diameter
at the bottom, and tapering to the size
of center-pole at the top. The outside
being covered with earth to prevent the
escape OF the heat, and there being
neither windows nor doors, the appear
ance of the whole was like that OF an Old
fashioned bake-oven; and the smile was
mot inappropriate, as we afterwards
learned.
Under the escort of Capt. Jack, to
whom we were each required to pay
fifty cents, We crawled rather than
walked through the small aperture on
one side, and, having gained the inte'
rior, we were assignedia bench immedl-
atelv 10 front OF the FIRE. . 1t WAS now
about ten O'Clock, but the dancing was
not vet begun. About $50 Indians
the males and females mixed indiscrmi.
nately-were lounging around the edge
.Ofthe house, and, save the bench upon
which We were seated, not single ard-
.ele Of furniture was seen. Upon hooks
projecting from tho wall were hung
blankets, Ibeadwork, bows and arrows,
canes, slippers, and other convenient
and fancy articles, while the various cos.
,aames to be used in the dances gave the
whole the appearance Of a well-stocked
,bazar. The only light of the place
.emanatedl from tho huge wood'fire
which burned ON the ground near the
csstsr Of ths.l house; and during the en-.
tire evenipg.a decrepid old Indian, who
had been detailed TOR tho purpose, Kept
piIing on fuel until the spectators on the
bench, and the Indians themselves, were
sxell nigh roasted. :. Isfl g.
SO Twas already late when the dancing
Z began The orchestra was composed
Of about; . dozen braves; and these,
with their instruments of torture, hud.
died together near the pole in the cen.
ter. In the book - Between the Gates, I"
Q Chinese orchestra is described as q
combination of ticks, and chicks, and
iingles, and squeaks, and tinkles Of
bells, and frog and locust interlude,
sad tnseisted fiddles, With aroar Of
iedng5 and clash Of cynbals added ;
While elsewhere the music of the Digger
Indians is described IS . deafening up
isfosr likK ShAt prDduced by q thousand
cross-cut saws fled by steam power, Or
inumstabls pigs csnght' under . gate,
OF . multitude Of tom-cats dashed to.
gather 1hd fling over q clothes-line!
Bnt neither 81 The above descriptions
will do Justice to the music which broke
- zpon our ears % tho signal was given =
for soon were distinguished notes and
II panses in accordance with the figures
n. Each member of the orchestra con
s,eributed his share OF the noise by strik
ing . split piece Of wood against hi!
knee or arm and this was accompanied
by j plaintive vail, now low and sub
dued, again loud and forcible, as the %
-casiOp demanded. 8a
simultaneously with the commence
ment Of tho music the dancing began. 4
.edessa or emore squaws glided barefootet
into the csnteriIof the ring, and, attel
&eircling the fre on tiptoe two or thre'
times, glided away as unceremoniousl!!
i, = thew came. Probably the second AMI
az laStisdces were the best of the evening
gslbd = short description Of eachis here
=. Vii appended. Previous to the com
7 ,'mencenent 81 the second dance, whic
aA.Indian ialprns1 us in broken Englis
scslisd ~ the squaw Dance" the to
suuaws changed their apparel and dot
med their costumes in full view Of th
audienes lSdgsEd 3en formed !
. line between us and the hire: Ia
dfe1aes must have been owned by til
ApmR8hnity 81 general, for they WEI
,-exacty alike in every respect, and, whe
tina dance We, copcluded, each was y
tsfHei u 4Re h0ok.iromwhich it Ia
boen taken. " adatie
ffe B6dy II sxch dress vas made |
,t3Ttla4k c,llaaawith red and white scolloI
below the waist, and also at the bottot
A1abalop belt fted tightly around Il
waist, and four long streamers from t!
~ TACK and breAst waved 70 and fro. wi
the body On tks head was . cap, Viii
Il Il shape va lot unlike . huge era!
81 and starting from the top Of this n
aaother streamer, which extended ev
- tie eroup4. Each Of the squaws h
. hst35 aalla& ~ i1eAtlsud, and I'd
81 Had peculiar woodea whistles In thI
ssAoufhs. The AanoSrs varied in ago fri