St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-12-03

leading men OF the village waiting
to receive us. They were seated
cross-legged on the ground, and in
this way they formed a circle around
the centre of the tent. We entered,
and the Apache chiefs separated a
little, so that we could join their
circle. Having shaken hands in
very deliberate fashion, we sat
long time in absolute silence; it was
so many minutes, that l began to
wonder how much longer l could
endure the exceedingly uncomfort-
able position. To move or show
impotence would have been grave
breach of etiquette, so managed to
keep myself within bounds. One of
the oldest Indians then produced
pipe. which he filled and lighted, and
each one in turn taking Whit at 1t,
while the old Apache kept repeating
a kind of incarnation. This was the
'pipe of peace" and our smoking 1t
together indicated that we were on
terms of harmony and goodwill.
The pipe had just finished it's round,
when the Indians began to gest1culate
wildly, and through our interpreter
we were informed that they expect
ed us to make them some present;
the interpreter told them that was
the great medicine" sent to them
by 1.-The father at Washington" and
that 1 had come to try and help those
who were sick. Immediately the
entire circle of men, as well as the
women who stood about on the out
side of the tepee, pushed forward and
asked for "medicino," as they call it.
1 never saw such a crowd of patients;
one would think that some universal
epidemic had suddenly fallen upon
the camp. In seven cases out Of ten,
the Apaches will not take medicine
if you give it to them, they simply
want it for the sake of the bottle
that the drug is in. Many times,
when my back was turned, l have
seen them pour the medicine away,
but they always keep the bottle or
pill-box as a most valuable posses
sion.
A few of the Indians were really
sick, and 1 examined them and left
some remedy, at the same time try
ing to tell them through the inter-
prefer something Of the manner in
which they ought to live and take
care of themselves. They listened
with great Difference and seemed to be
interested in what they heard, but
too often think nothing further of it,
and so as a rule sanitary modes of
living are only noticea BILE by their
absence. Albino had brought in my
saddle-bags, and l showed the In
4 I. IL Ill rs
of a doctors chest; they were great
" interested and asked many ques-
tons, but everything they saw they
wanted, and had to keep sharp
lookout, or else be minus the greater
part of my possessions. The Apache
is very hospitable, and will share
his last mouthful with you however,
this generosity has its disagreeable
counterpart, for he expects you to
share your all with him; hence the
Apaches are the worst of beggars,
and what is not given them; they
are apt to take for themselves
evidently they believe in thorough
going communism.
The Indians invited us to dinner
the meal was quite palatable, con-
sisted of roasted-not roast-beef,
coffee and a kind of bread. Our table
was fat stone, off of which we all
ate in common, at the same time
putting into practice the time honor
ed saying, that Fingers were made
before forks" After dinner we went
to the different tepees of the camp
and so had an opportunity to see
the red man at home. The Apacheis
the least civilized of all the Indians
in the United States he is not as far
advanced as many of the northern
tribes, and in the majority Of cases
he lives as did his ancestors for ages
before him.
The tent, tepee, is made Of canvas
or skins stretched over a framework
of poles that meet at the top, thus
forming a cone-shaped dwelling
Near the apex there is hole where
the smoke finds it's way out, while
the door is merely a slit in the canvas
and person has to enter almost or
hands and knees. In the centre O
the tent is depression in the GROUND
with two or three fiat stones in it
this is the stove and fireplace com
bined, around which the family sit
and eat, and about which they gather
in the evening. Along the sides o
the tepee are piles of tree-branche:
and dried leaves, covered with dee
and goat skins; here the Indian
sleep.
The men and women dress in thei
old-time costumes. The men wea
their long, straight hair in tive
braids, one hanging down behint
each ear, and they bind these braid
, up in strips of red or blue flannel
: many of them daub their faces wit
5 vermillion, and sprinkle browns
/ powder over their heads. In eac
| ear are ten or twelve earrings
f circlets of brass or silver, and O
1 their wrists are often more tina
Y twenty narrow metal bracelet:
. Just above the elbow is an arm
|