The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-10-15
the INDIANS OF THE UNITED STATES.


of the United States, the locations
of the different tribes of Indians
what is left of them-referring to
their progress in civilization, and
the efforts of the people and govern
ment to provide for their welfare. A
poem on the Indians was read by
Mr.. Parmelee. Mrs. B. F. Dilling-
ham read the interesting paper,
which follows:-
The Indians are called the natives
of America because they were there
when the white men came. From
east to west, from north to south,
they held unlimited control, and
oacned the freedom which weary
travellers from over the sea long
ingly sought. How strange, it seems,
that there was, after all, only GER
tain amount of freedom, in that
great and beautiful land, and that
as the white man obtained it, re-
joiced and gloried in it, it was at the
sacrifice of the red mans freedom
there was not enough for all. Little
by little the stranger advanced, and
the Indian retreated: westward, the
star of their empire acaned. Rougher
and more oppressive became the in
vaders. Promises retracted, faith
broken, wrongs perpetrated, back
and still farther back moved the les
sening bounds of outraged native
Indians, till now, only on the western
plains beyond the Mississippi River,
do any of them exhibit their special
characteristics. We will not now
trace the various moves that the In
dians were compelled to make, ere
they were all domiciled west of the
Father of Waters, but while the
various tribes have suffered great
depletion during the years, and their
final extinction we fear has been i'm
patiently waited for, by many in
that great land that has given them,
the sons of its adoption, all things,
it is very cheering to learn from a
report read in Chicago last May,
that the Indian race is not fading
out and destined to ultimate eN-
tinction. While some tribes ale de-
caying, others are increasing in num-
hers, and the prospect now is, that
the Indian is to be a permanent ele-
ment in the population of America.
The average Indian is middle
sized, and of bright copper-color
complexion. Black eyes and straight
black hair characterize every tribe.
The Indians of the western plains
never cut their hair; some of the
men wear it so long as to sweep on
the ground if allowed to fall behind.
1t is everywhere considered a mark
of elegance. Distinguished warriors
wear a head-dress of eagles feathers,
and sometimes the horns of the
buffalo scraped thin. To kill a
grizzly bear is as honorable as to
kill a human enemy; therefore a
hunter decorates himself with the
large claws of such beasts as he has
slain. Some tribes paint the scars
of old wounds red, to perpetuate the
remembrance of these marks OF
combat. On their robes as well as
wigwams, are painted emblematit
figures descriptive of deeds the
owner has performed. The majo
rity of Indians wear mocassins, leg
gings, and the invariable buffalo
robe. Though there are in every
tribe those who bedcck themselves
with CANDY finery, paints, oils, ele
giant furs and plumes, they are thu
dandies or dudes, and can show NJ
scalps but their own. They are al
remarkable for their horsemanship
The bride is horsehair rope twisted
in the lower jaw of the horse. Saddle
they have none, and they often rid
on the side of the horse, clinging tt
its back by one foot in a loop made
of the horses name. In this posi-
ton they will discharge showers o
arrows over the horses back o
under his body. The women ar
! quite as expert as the men in horse
manship, and in throwing the lasso
They perform all the mental labo
and are beaten on the smallest pre-
vocation by their naughty lords, t
whom they are only a trifle deare
than their horses (if they happen t
be of an inferior quality). Th
verbal language consists of but
few words, some of which are cou
mon to every tribe. Accustomed t
live in situations where noise is daI
gerous, they have pantomim
vocabulary that is understood by q
, the tribes from the ella River to IL
Columbia, and is very graceful an
significant. 1t is said to be near
, the same as that practised in Il
= deaf and dumb institutions.
Nearly all tribes pay great respe
to the calumet. Every negotiate
must begin and end with a smok
!, No council can be held without
and to offer it to an enemy is a sil
of peace and goodwill. The bow