The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-20
he string, judging by the quantity

were grouped together. Neither o.
these elements of the tribe are allowed
to take part in the powwow Among
these Indians, as among most tribes
the women are considered of but little
account; they are obliged to do the hard
work about the camp, cook, take care
of the pappooses and act as beasts Of
burden when the camp is broken up.
have often seen great, healthy Indians
mounted on ponies so small that the
riders feet barely escaped the ground
while in the rear the poor squaw was
lplOdding along under load of kettles,
mats of woven rushes, of which part oil
the wigwam is built, and pappoose.
The ''brave" tries to look very dignitied
in his gaudy blanket, with gun acros:
his horse, in front of him, and always a
clay pipe in his mouth, and as general
thing so much dirt on his face that nc
amount of war paint, provided he used
the article, would show through. He
always seems to be satisfied with his APP
pearance, and the poor, patient squaw
looks at him with admiration expressed
on her rather inexpensive face. The
old or last year blanket is turned over
to her on the arrival OF the new ones,
and she never has the opportunity to
make such brilliant display as her lord
and master does. Her dresses, how
ever-for all the women of these tribes
wear sort Of Mother Hubbard gown
are always gorgeous during the early
stage of their existence; but az this stage
is limited to the first three or four days,
grease and dirt take possession of them
J after that time, the poor squaw en- Oys
only brief and fleeing glory, and sub
sides into the general squalor which
makes all of them look alike. The
| pappOOses wear but ole garment from
| spring to cold weather, sort of shirt OF
bright calico, which is never washed.
and never is taken off, so far as could
judge, until it wears Off
As we stood there, we saw the Indians
forming into line at one side of the
circle of fires. Pretty soon we heard a
humping that was kept up in regular
time, and none of us, with the exception
of Brown. knew how it was produced.
We found afterward that it was made
by striking on thin pieces of hemlOck
fastened over Il bOX-like frame. These
pieces were struck with sticks, and the
vibrations of the wood gave 0Gt feeble
imitation of the sound of a drum; q
sound which can be heard long way
off, but is utterly lacking in ability to
give pleasure to any but an Indian 5 ear.
Perhaps it is used at these powwOws be-
cause it does not give pleasure. If that is
the case, it is appropriately selected, for
the mOnotonous thump, thump. thump,
soon became almost unbearable to us.
One by one the Indians left the line they
had formed and sprang into the space be
tween the fires and the mound, uttering
low, dismal shrieks and cries. After
the ring was completed about the
mound sort of a dance began, which
seemed 10 be on the ''gO-aS-yOu-pleasc'
order, for there was no regularity about
it. Each Indian seemed to eXtemporize
a step of his own, and the variety was
certainly sufficient to relieve this part
of the performance of the charge OF
samensss. Presently the music grew
faster, and the cries of the dancers be-
came louder. Such wild, dismal sounds
| never heard before. They haunted
me all night. a. regular intervals the
dancers would face the mound and give
utterance to howl in chOrus-it could
be called nothing else with due regard
to truth-and the effect was anything
but pleasant; Just as | have imagined
bloodthirsty warriors to howl when
scalping victims.
The dance was kept up for perhaps
half an hour-as long. should judge,
as the participants couif stand it with
M In,
dian always objects to or principle.
''Guess we'd better &c Gown an talk
with 'em little" said Brown, and we
followed him down the ledge and into
the camp. The squawS 1hCmbled and
chartered about us to each other as we
passed them, the pappoosc1 eyed Us
keenly and curiOuSly, and the braves
welcomed us with eager demands for
''toback' and whisky. Whisky IS not
allowed an Indian. and any one ceiling
it to him is fined or imprisoned when |
the offence is proved. There is nothing |
an Indian will not do TO gratits- his |
taste for liquor. He will even wOs& in |
a lazy fashion. if he thinks he will get'a
drink of whisky at the end of it. We |
had none for them, but Brown turned |
over to them all the ''toback'' he hS.d, |
and the four or five who were fortunate !
enough to get a chew gave grtInts ii
satisfaction, while the others looked ,n |
with disapproval.
We talked with them for perhaps haii
an hour They told us that there were
several hundred buried in the mounG
that the Great Spirit would be angry il |
they did not come here once year 10
perform these ceremonies that whit |
we had seen was all that we would lee |
likely to see il we remained all night, |
for the ceremonies were the same thing
over and over, all night, and all the tim:
of their stay.
That being the case we thought i; i
better to withdraw, and we did so aftet
the close of another dance. What the
meanings of the ceremonies are none OF
the Indians seemed to know. do moi
suppose they cared to know. They
hold their pOwwowS from force of habit
merely, and not from any religious con-
victions or education; for these poor,
spiritless fragments of the old tribe:
have no religion, seemingly, and have
lost all the pride and ambition that
characterized their ancestors, anC
which led them to keep alive the ole
traditions and observe the old rites ana
ceremonies. The Indian of to-day in
this State has given up all but the pow,
WOW, and he would give thatup if Were
not for a superstitious fear of wha'
might happen if he were to neglect thi;
mark of regard for the dead. l do moi
think his superstition would be as
strong as his desire for whisky, for am
quite sure that he would forego pow