New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-06
THE MODERN INDIAN DRESS.
Correspondenee London Times.

Correspondence LordOr It1es.
IT must be confessed, too, that the white man
has NOT done more damage to their independence
of character than to their dress. The old natonai
dress-a buffalo robe worn something IKE INC
Roman toga and set of with turs, feathers, asa
heads-was becoming enough, if only for Its sirs-
plicity The Indians have mixed TINS up WIN
European dress and not the least understanding ms
last or how to blend the two styles nave produou
the most astoundingly incOnTuOus and laugh2hio
results ! began by trying to describe COSTUME,
but found that description would DC endless 20
each and every man had a composite style OF "a
own. No two dress alike. Never certainly, Wa
there greater individuality or more uhIesuaiLosi
freedom of choice. 1t seemed, ior a MUS so,o-
thing like q sound generalization 10 say thaI So
Indian like RObSOn's gentleman, may De Known
by his extTemities." and that feathers II worn -
ali. would always be found on his head ana inOeSg
sins on his feet But closer inspection soon showed
that the feathers might easily wander down 10 tst
portion of the person oh which they are mets
copious and conspicuous IN a pro, ana SUCK oes
from a breech-cou ut an angle of 49, like con-
binatlOn of peacocks and turkey-cocks talls-wh,te
n battered billycoCk hat would cover the head af4A
pair of shabby old butchers cover the ieet; Oh
long scarlet coat, gorgeous with gold bIOcads,
would only half hide dirty check SHIRT ana paRSs
as ragged as street-boys, while the face, VIVID .
few dirty feathers dragging over It,, would %
daubed hdeOusly with paint, ana the ieet %
"beautiful for ever at least externally, WIN
really handsome, rchly-beaded mOcassins
came at last IN despair TO the conclusion tIs1'
in order to dress up band OF lndians-as they st-
near at least before the GoveInor-General-cse
would have to mix up the contents OF secou..-
hand clothes shop with those or fancy Odh o"~
timers shop. add paints of all c0lors, 1eathe!s,
mocassins beads dd Hbitum, and then let Onid
man throw them out in handfuls TO be scrain otsd
for until each applicant had got some sort OF cav-
arng-dresS one cannot call it without insult 10 10
word How can the noble savage-the ideal fed
man-pOssibly appear to advantage IN the whts
mans preiudiced eyes or move anything Dnt ZIG
risible muscles when thus gvotesquey arraycaf
Carlyles naked Duke addressing a naked iosso
oil Lords" would be nothing to 1t. The red man ~
any rate, whose physique is his forte, would Inc
pretty well out of the Carl lean ordeal u inous1
decency and the mounted police permitted ~. d.
his present tumble of savagery and eiVillzi,lo. =
bound to XII him, if rdcule ever Kills, Ie 80
of course exceptions TO this, as TO every RUE t
orincipai chief here Ussuf (Anglice, Back,tsti
wore a strikingly handsome dress, maze up, iASsA
heal to foot. of otter furs the round 1uI cap 90
smile the pendant ottertail, giving hlnl .ie -
ri distinguished Russian. lie gave .iie III
dress 10 Lord Lorne, and II was Pies1rn e'..I
worthy of acceptance even by G0Nernoi -
Mr. Mclean showed us strlkhgi1 Pleets 80
not only richly but most tasteiuiy @ sh,t
hSs and nnrporting to be squaws dress, thoAS3
an no souaw did we ourselves see any innns as 81
on no ding or even resembling it. Ii the few tn-
IJies Who attended the Governor -Generafs
dIan tons had any fine toilettes they kept ths9
IeccPPpIu ont of sight. They left all hnery snd
raSta alton to their lords, whose notlons o.
olaInents proper, by-the-way We're as quains
.ia;r notions of dress A penny looking glass ~
anntv cartridge-box few tin lacks OF Dfass heJ
Sng from neck stomach, back-iab OF anAeL.e
thnns and everything pressed into the servlce =
beanty. TO paint the already over-painteo hV "
0ild the refined gold =