Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-11-14
CORRESPON DENCE
VISIT TO AN INDIAN CAMP
BY a Xoung Lady, formerly Rcsi-
dent of F'rostburg.
GILMAN, Iowa, Nov. 10, 1885.

GILMAN, Iowa, Nov. 10, 1885.
To the MINING JOURNAL.
In company with several friends |
recently visited the Musquakie Indian
camps, and thinking that u brief &C.
count might be Of interest to some of
my friends, l give you the following
notes:
These Indians live on a reservation
along the Iowa river, near Tama city,
till cold weather; tl.en they go farther
south. The Z. S. Government pays
each one $3.50 week.
There were only about $50 Indians
there in all, the rest having gone to
their winter homes. The squaws do
about all tie work, while the mon
amuse themselve by hunting, fishing,
shooting at marks, etc A few live in
wigwams made of reeds sewed together
with cord, but most Of them live III
huts, which are made of bark and
sometimes little hay, and all have
wire fences around their homes.
When the Indians saw us coming
most of them went into their huts, but
we came to one shanty whose inmates
were q little more sociable. \ mid
dleaged squaw was sitting out in the
yard sewing reeds together for q wig
wan, and two little girls about two
and three years Of age, were playing
around her. We went into the yard
and asked her what she was doing
After having her repeat the answer
quite number of times we understood
what she said.
just then a young man came out Of
the hut and gave the souaw q pipe
We asked her how old he was, and she
clapped her hands together and held
up seven fingers az. She said he was
her boy, and she (pointing TO a yonng
girD is his papoc st.. In ar$Wp! 10
our question rs to the age Of the girl,
she clappod her hands together and
held up three fingers C0. We asked
her if her son was married and she
said "no." SO then for IL little while we
We're greatly puzzled 10 think that girl
was her boys papoose, and living with
them, und yet they vclp not married
The Indians give their daughters
away when very young, and when old
enough they get married. That girl
was his intended wife, and as long as
they are not married she is called his
''papoose,' but after marriage She will
be called his ''squaw."
we asked tho old lady how Old she
was and she said ''l00 years" The
Indians keep account of their ages
till they become pretty old, then they
forget and think they must be 100
years old. The only question the
squaw asked us was-''is it Sunday ?"
We then left the friendly old squaw
and went along the bank Of the river
to hunt shells. Two Of orr party had
to stay with the horses and buggy all
the time, or some of the Indian boys
would carry eff our harness and turn
our horses loose.
Several little boys were playing near
where we ''pitchod TENT and we went
and talked to them. By their actions
we thought they did not want to talk
to US, but when we asked them if we
should go away they shook their heads
-"no," and when We did go away
they said good bye; come again"
1t is said those Indians have i'm
proved very much in the past year.
Most of them farm a little, and the
men often help do the work.
In the afternoon every one Of the
men dressed up in his fancy clothes.
A great many wear clothes bought