Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-03-10
MI : noc-ale INDIAN CAMP.

To adv that was an object Of curiosity
would be putting II mildly; was indeed
STRANGER In strange land. The men
examired over and again every article J
nossesshd the women stared me out OF
counteAance: the mothers used me as
bupabd To hush their crying babies;
and tile dogs crowded about me so
thre IT. hingly that ! never ventured out
side thl lodge without my whip. was
the first white man they had seen. and
one AMI all made the most OF their OPP
portunlty. / was on exhibition with
vengeance, only, unlike other freaks,
had no|hours; the show opened when
arose Id the morning, and was still on
when arolled up In my blankets at night.
And I, lon my part, made most careful
scrutiry Of the curious surroundings In
which found myself. We were camped
on toni Of ridge covered with small
mines. where Beniah had made his last
stand Id keep up with the caribou that
we're hist beginning to work out to the
edge OF the woods. There were three
lodgesl all full, and, so long as remain
ed. thd occupants of the other two spent
the priater part OF their time In Beniah's
In times Of prosperity these Indian
tepces kre by no means unsightly. They
are Of taribou-skin stretched around aud
TO within about three feet OF the top OF
poles. (which number according to the
size ofIthe lodge. The sides OF the circle
are backed up with snow and pine brush.
and, inside, the smallest brush makes
clean-i boxing and pleasantly smelling
floor. The open fire occupies the centree'
and abbve IL, stretched from side to side
Of the lodge, are poles upon which the
meat n placed 10 thaw, and from which
the kettles are suspended.
| ArcSnd this fire the men and women
sit, tabor fashion, all day, j,bbering in-
cessanlly In their cultural speech that IL
impo slible TO describe In writing, and
ut night they roll up In their blankets
and stretch out with their feet at the
very fires edge. used TO wonder what
on earth they found to talk about, for
the cls|tter never came TO full stop, and
when II lay down ut times trying In
sIumbkr To escape the din, IL seemed as
though II must all be a hideous dream.
But ahy such illusion was speedily dis
pelled|by the yelping of dog that had
workeIi It's way into the lodge, and was
being dubbed until IL worked its way
out again.
Domestic economies are dead letter
In thd Indian household. There Is no
place Tor any pa. ticular thing, and moth
ing Is ever In any particular place. The
back Hart OF the lodge, where Il IL too
cold tlo sit even when the fire blazes
highcit, appears To be the general store
room. Everything not In immediate use
Il thdpwn there In indiscriminatc con-
fusiou II the squaw has tioished strip
ping 81 caribou leg OF its meat, she losses
the bo|ne over her shoulder into the un-
knowb behind her II she has completed
the lating OF snowshoe, IL Il served
simIllJry I; the Indian hurls his knife there
when ne ia through with It, and the
childrbn do the same with the bones or
intesttnes or bits OF meat they may have
fllchel from the feastinz, In which they
never share. And when there Il de-
mand Ifor any article, such an overhaul
Ing erEues AS would put to shame May
day housekeeping. Children are not
muchIin evidence In the Indian house
hold. They rarely cry, for experience
has Taught them that such outward ex-
pressibn Of grief or alarm or hurt meets
with ibuch personal discomfort. IL they
are inlthe moss-bag age, which usually
ends III two, they are put In sort OF
hammock within the lodge and rocked
at terrifying pace, to the sccompani-
ment bf grooming that would strike
terror 10 the heart OF any crying babe
IL theE are are old enough 10 toddle,
they ARE turned out OF doors to tell their
sorrofs TO the winds.
Thel Indian has no patience for the
little Eolicitudes Of life, nor for its fri
volitids. His amuscments are few and
simpN. Outside OF a something that re
semblls that ancient pastime Of "button.
buttol, who has the button:' aud where
the p,nalty IL piece OF tobacco, there
are nj games To speak Of. The dancing
l. exceedingly awkward and crude-a
shutting about In circle, varied by hop
ping DIP and down, and the music con-
iined 10 the monotony OF the single-head-
ed DRUM, or mayhap an occasional fiddle
picked up at the post, which in that case
squeaKs through medley Of reels. Their
dearejt recreation Is sleeping, since most
OF their time Is spent In procuring food,
and NE balance In resting from the toll
requhled 10 obtain it.-Caspar W. Whit
ney, ib Harper's Magazine.