The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-01-31
"Were the indians good huntersP

I'm some respects superior to the
whites. They knew nothing of trap
ping beaver until taught by the whites,
but they could give valuable points on
bagging the large game on the plains.
Forty or fifty years ago the plains were
swarming with buffalo. / have often
seen droves so large that no eye could
compass them. Their numbers were
countless. The Indian hunter riding
bareback would guide his horse head
long into the midst of the herd, sing
ling out the fattest. and in an instant
sending the deadly arrow clean through
his victim. In a single days hunt they
sometimes killed from 5000 to 1000
buffalo. The dead bodies would lie
scattered over the prairie for miles. 1t
required the greatest diligence to save
the skins and dry the meat for use in
winter. They made wholesale slaugh-
ter of antelope by forming surround.
This required the presence of several
hundred Indians to make it complete
success. Early in the morning the
men and boys would form circle miles
in diameter, riding round and round,
making the circle smaller at every
revolution and growing closer together.
All the game within the ranks was
gradually collected into a body, which
was driven into an inclosure formed by
weeds piled high up at the sides, be-
hind which were women and old men.
As the game passed this reserve force
these bobbed up and set up unearthly
shrieks and yells that caused the
frightened animals to plunge forward
over precipice to which the inclosure
conducted. The slaughter was terri
BILE. Indians stationed below gave
the quietus to such of the game as
made the descent with but slight in
jury. At the close of the day a great
feast was held, and nobody enjoys a
feast more than an Indian"
''Was marriage success among the
aboriginesPn
II never heard it hinted that it was
otherwise. The Indian had the priv
ilege of taking as many wives as he
| was able to support, and if he married
the Oldest sister. in family, all the re-
manning sisters were considered his
property as they became of age. I'm
der favorable circumstances. in some
tribes, warrior took new wife every
two or three years. A separate lodge
was provided for each wife, as the
women would fall out and scratch each
other if kept together. The children
were fairly idolized among the more
advanced tribes. The parents seemed
to live for their children, more par
ticularly when the children were boys.
An Indians wealth was known by the
number of his horses. There were
both rich and poor Indians, but the
when there was any thing to be had.
After a great hunt the poor man was
| granted the privilege of taking the
first carcasses nearest the camp. Some
Indians kept their lodges nicely
painted and beyond criticism as to
cleanliness. The lodges were renewed
every year, as the frequent moving
and exposure to weather made the
skins leaky. The Indians range ex-
tended anywhere that game and food
for their animals could be found. 1t
was rare occurrence for them to re-
main a month in single vicinity.
The monotony of hunting and moving
was varied by occasional forays upon
an unfriendly tribe, stealing their
horses and carrying off scalps and
prisoners.
f'What was done with the prisoners?''
''Unless they were children they
were put to death. The children were
usually adopted and treated with the
greatest kindness. The older prison
ers, both men and women, were dis
patched with little ceremony. The
killing was usually deferred for several
/ days after the prisoners were brought
into camp. | shall never forget a
young Pawnee Indian who was killed
before my eyes by party of Conan
ches. He was taken into the open air,
his hands was tied to his legs. and he
was shot through the heart. He
uttered not word or groan. After
the killing warrior stepped forward
and raised the dead Pawnee's scalp;
then the war dance was held. after
wards saw Crow Indian dispatched
even more expeditiously. called on
the captive in the lodge where he was
confined, and we talked together by
signs. He said he knew he must die,
but felt perfectly resigned to his fate,
as he would infiict the same penalty on
his enemies if he had the chance.
While we were talking warrior ap-
peared at the door and made motion.
The Crow stepped forward and was
shot within few feet of the spot he
had occupied moment before. After
the scalping and war dance he was
tied up in a standing position, with his
hands stretched as far apart over his
head as possible, making a CHASTITY
spectacle, and left as a terrible warm
ing to all the enemies of his execu-
tioners. .
| Turning to more cheerful subject,