The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-02-15

that are to be read on The faces Of the
members Of the tribe. The expert
plainsman can tell at a glance the OBJ
ject of the paint, whether it is for war.
peace or prayer. In a Moqui village
the observer can tell whether the III
habitants are praying for rain or for
anything especial by the colors Of the
markings. Should he see the faces Of
the men adorned with black and white
bands he will know that rain is needed
for the crops.
Should these be intermixed with
bands of red and blue it is an Indication
that thunder and lightning are to be
left out Of the storm. 1t is also pos
sible to tell exactly what crop
it is thar needs this rain. Should 1T be
corn, there will he found green bands,
or if the pumpkin is suffering from
drought, yellow shows on the faca; per-
haps the peach crop bids fair to be
blighted, and if so we find red bands
among those asking for lain. 1t is also
possible that instead of praying for
rain the Indian may wish the wind to
change and blow from a certain point
Of the compass. Should this be the
case certain colors will be found in pc
culiar stripes, each color and stripe
designating the direction from which
lit is hoped the wind will come.
Practice of Tattooins.
Tattooing is practiced among several
Of The Pacific coast tribes, and is some
times found among the Indians OF the
plains. but this is rare. The rules that
are applicable to painting are III force
where the painting is a permanent fea-
tlre, the difference being in the perfec-
ton of the lines where they are lndcll-
BILE. Among the Alaskan Indians and
those along the northern Pacific coast
the tattooing Of figures Of totenic char
acter partakes Of the sculptured totems
on the poles in front OF the houses OF
the members Of the tribes.
Much speculation has been INDUCED
in by theoretical writer's regarding the
source Of paints and the means by
which they We're originally discovered.
AS in all theoretical explanations OF
simple matters, the plain facts have
| been overlooked and complicated eXpla-
nations have been entered into. The
earliest record Of paint used by the
Indians tells of mixture OF blood with
charcoal.
From this it was an easy step to the
ferruginOus clays which produce
browns, yellows and reds. Red chalk
and red and yellow Ochre are to be
found over wide areas and are OF easy
access. Black micaceOus iron, of
graphitelike consistency, is to be found
in many parts Of the mountains, While
| the blue carbonates OF iron and copper
furnish many hues. Green fungus
growth are sometimes used, mixed with
the white infusorial or clralky earths
to make shades Of green tinging into
pure white. The sulphuret of mercury
to be found about the mineral springs,
especially the, hot ones, forms an album
dant supply of paint, while the juice
Of the choke cherry makes a beautiful
red. In the DakOtaS many cOlors are
produced from the use Of plant juices
mixed with earth.
Since the advent of traders among
the Indians native paints have been al
most entirely supplanted by those sold
in the stores. There are still some OF
the isolated tribes that use their own
paints, but these are becoming more
rare with each succeeding year. 10.
day the paint bag, which formerly car
ried bit Of manufactured ochre, OF
prepared lamp black, for which pro
badly a hundred times its value has
been paid by a man who formerly OBJ
tanned it through almost a minimum
Of labor.