New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE SAVAGE Az HOME.


Army Aid-dc-Camp TO General sherman. $40, pp'
ESQ: A. ID. Worhington Co., Hartford.
Colorel Richard Dodgcs long experience as COM
mandnc officer on the frontier his deep interest In
The Indian question and his friendship for the race
have made his observations unusually valuaoie
and entertaining. lie has studied the INDIAN
characteristics and social structure under peeuili
ly favor by conditions, and his book may well DC
regarded as-in the words of General Sherman-by
far the best description cxant of the habits man
customs, usages and ceremonies Oh llo Ai"0'
can Indian as he now is.
Colonel Dodge shows himself to be singulariy
candid aud unprejudiced in his estimate OF his
suliect He declares that 70 people are
more truly lovers of their country, and that no
people suffer more from homcsicknesS, wheh loIceu
10 leave it, than the American Indians Alter hir'I-
three wears intimate association with them, lie as
serts that the mental capacity of the lndian Is Oh
superior order, his perceptions are remarkably de-
ycloped and his reasoning powers are no
to be desrised however crude lie is thoroughly
ycrSed in all branches of education necessary
10 the comfort and safety of his savage life; ana
while almost every warrior is good public speaker
some of them are really eloquent. The Indians
slowncss in accepting civilized education Is due
Colonel Dodge thinks, partly TO his excitabllity OF
temperamcat and mpatience of restraint, ana
portly TO the fact that those who have had charge
of his education cared more for their
comnensation than for the progress OF
their pupils or impressed Win
the idea that the necessities of his soul were
paramount to those of his intellect. He has, the
author concludes the ordinary good and bad quail
Ties of the mere animal modified 10 some extent by
reason. The difference between him and the civil
lized North American comes not from de-
grees of intelligence or forms OF rehGoh'
but from the absence of morality The intellect
of an Indian may be acute, and his religion
austere yet he remains savage simply from lack
of code of morals realization of the relative du-
ties of individuals in social life The Indian has
firmly established, devOutly held rehgon-but
that religion teaches duty or obligation either TO
God OF man. lie attaches no meaning TO
rqht and wrong as abstract terms-what he
wishes TO do is always right to him, all that OPP
noses him is wrong. His nearest synonyms for
right and wrong the words good and bad
There is no abstract wrong in the murder OF
yhlte'man. or Indian of another tribe it is wrong
dad simply because punishment may follow" he
Indian is absolutely without conscience, but he Is
already as religious the most devout Christian.
1t is the belief of The author that if the missionaries
would let their pupil alone in his religion, cease
their efforts TO prOselyte him TO their particular
sects and simply strive TO supply him with code
and his future improvement assured.
Colonel Dodge exIlOdes the Indian of Literature.
the gloomy and mysterious Stoio beloved of many
n writer. SO far from being stoical the Indian
in his own camp. away from strangers,
is a moi sy, Jolly rockIng, mischief-loving bragga-
dOco brimfu of practical jokes and rough fun of
any kind and rouSing the midnight echoes with
laughter song dance and yell. His attitude of dig
nifty reserve and silence is put Oh for cerenonlous
occasion and tor the civilized visitor.
He is really as excitable as FIenchman and as
fond of pleasure as Sybarite. lie Will talk HIM
self wild with excitement Wanting his exploits in
love war or the chase and will commit all sorts
OF extIayagances while telling or listening 20 an
exciting story. In their everyday life Indians are
viyaciOhs, chattY. fond OF telling and hearing
stories Their nights are spent in song and dance,
and for the number of persons engaged, pernIa-
nent Indian camp safe from all danger OF enemles)
is at nj sht the noisiest place that can he found.
One OF the strongest traits OF Indian character is
curiosity positive craving to know all that is
going on about him. He must know the meaning
of every mark on the ground; he must know all the
Camp tattle. stranger arrives IN the village ana
goes into a lodge. In Il fe" moments half the in
labItants of the village are III OrabOGt tnat lodge
standing or tlptoe, stIalnlng eyes and ears and
crOwdlDg each other and the stranger, with as
little conjunction as II the whole thing were
ward primary meeting.
Whether or not he evinCes surprise at anything
depends on his surroundings, ard somewhat on the
nature of the thing ITSELF In formal assembage
or when in the presence of strangers, 1T would he
the height of bad manners TO show surprise how
ever much might be felt Uneducated people Of
our own race feel no surprise at the rising and set
ting OF the sun, the changes of season. the flash OF
lightning or the roll OF thunder. They accept
them facts without explanation, and though
beyond their comprehension, without surprise.
One shows surprise at something out of the ordinary
range OF his experience. 1t Is an act of comparisons
The Indian has actual and common experience OF
many articles of civilized manufacture, the SIM
pest OF which is as entirely beyond his cOmprehen-
sion as the most complicated; lie would be
simple exclamation point, did he show surprise at
everything new to him. or which he does not I'M,
derstand lie goes To the other extreme, and
rarely shows, because he docs not 1eel surprise at
ANYTHING.
lie visits the States looks unmovod at the steam
boat anu locomotive People call 1t stoiclsm.
They forget that to his ignorance the production OF
the cOmmOnest glass bottle is as inS"rutable the
SOUND of the thunder. The whlrl and catter OF
1nnumerable opndles are as far beyond his power
Of comprehension AS that the summers heat should
I've succeeded by the winters SHOWS; and common
mirror is perfect IA miracle as the birth of child
III hIs lodge He knows nothing Of the comparative
difficulties OF nNentIOn ana manufacture, ana to
him the mechanism of a locomotive is not In any
way more cause Tor surprise than that of a
wheel barrow.
When things in their own daily experience are
performed in what to them is a remarkable way,
they feel and express the most profound astOnish-
ment / have seen several hundred Indians-men,
women and chilGren-eager aud excited, following
from one telegraph pole to another, Tepatrer
whose legs were cncased in climbing boots. When
lie walked easily loot over loot, up the pole, their
surprise and delight found vent III the most VOce-
rous expressions of applause and admiration.
While acknowledging the undOubted bravery of the
Indians Colonel Dodge that their excitability
causes them to be more easily and thoroughly STAN
peded than any other race Every manly quality
possessed by the Indian is outgrowth either of
endurance of patience. ModeStyIs totally lacking
in the Indian character. The warrior, in the alb
sence of newspapers, is expected to blow his own
trumpet, and the louder he does 1t
L.. - L., .l,o.,
bands Indians are perfectly honest whipping
and confscation being the punishment meted out to
transgressors OF the unwritten law. But outside
the band they are the most arrant thicYes in the