The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-30

1
Field Of the Northwest Amid Much Tol
and Some Danser-Expioratio. Anon,
, Aboriginal Cemsteries For the Frame
work of Defunct Savsges-Stranc,
Names and Strange Customs Appear II
the Story OF the Intrepid Seekers Fo,
the Lost Thre cad Of History
|; Chicago. Sept. 29.-Perilous journey.
by sa aeeeeeeeeeee,tta.at ira Ia toatttttbggl
by sea and land; fatiguing marches b,
day and night; painstaking search. as i,
they were prospectors looking for golG
IN the mountains; discomforts and many
sore trials, with sometimes arrests BY
civil authorities and dire threatening
from aboriginal natives are some of the
phases Of adventure that the Field Co.
lumbar Museum expedition 70 the north.
west has had in its search during the
summer for anthropological and ethno-
logical material to be added to the in
s:itution's collection.
The expedition was eminently success
!
cific coast a great cargo Of interesting
relics. as well as much memoranda of
scientific discovery in archaeology. eth:
nology and anthropology.
The personnel Of the expedition includ-
ed DR.. George A. Dorsey. assistant cura-
tor Of the anthropological department Of
the Field Columbian Museum, and E. P.
Allen, photographer for the institution
Both are quite young and are enrhusi-
asts and adopts in their special lines.
Attendants and help were employed at
such places as these gentlemen were en-
gagged, and on the British Columbia part
Of the trip the expedition was accompan-
| led by James Deaves Of Victoria, B. c.,
who is thoroughly acquainted with all
that region. Visitors to the worlds fair
in 1893, and, who were much about the
| south pond, where the Kwakiuth Indians
| were ca mped, will remember Mr.. Deans
| familior figure, as he was in charge Of
| that camp.
| DR.. Dorsey gives the following synop-
| sis Of his northwest trip, as token from
| his diary.
I'VE left Chicago on May IL and went
| to the Blackfeet reservation in Montana.
We spent two weeks among the South
Programs Of Montana and the bloods Of
Alberta, Canada. These tribes are rep
resentatives Of the Blackfeet nation, one
OF the few survivors of the Great Algon-
quin stock, and are among the finest.
physically, OF ali the North American In
dams. The collections secured embrace
every kind of material relating 10 eth
nology and physical anthropology.
RARE CEREMONIAL PIPES.
Among the objects Of special interest
was a complete medicine pipe outfit. At
the present time there are but few OF
these ceremonial pipes LEFT, and the ex-
petition was fortunate enough :" witness
the transfer Of two pipes.
This Is purely q religious ceremony
and couples four days. At the end OF
one OF the ceremonies we prevailed upon
the recent purchaser to part with the
pipe and lis accompanying ceremonial
objects. Measurements and photographs
were taken Of the group at one of the
stages Of the ceremony, and the gar
nents ond all the paraphernalia pertain
ing TO the sacred tent were purchased,
and it Is expected that the whole scene
will be reproduced in the Field Column
bian Museum Other chronological mater
ial included complete representation Of
their dresses and costumes. as we'll as
of Implements and utensils.
A large collection of Blackfeet skele-
tons was also secured. These are be-
lieved to be the only fairly representa-
tive collection Of Blackfeet skeletons ever
made.
We next visited the Flatheads in south
ern Montana. On account Of the long
contact Of the Flatheads with the whites
II was found impossible to make a COM
plete collection representative Of their
primitive life and ways. However, near
ly hundred specimens We're secured.
many Of them having been in use long
before the buffalo days.
The next Indians visited were .heKoo-
tenays at Fort Steele. To reach that
place We took steamer at Jennings and
went $50 miles up the kootenay River.
The Kootenay Indians have for a long
time remained in almost complete OBJ
become rapidly civilized owing to the
rapidity with which that whole region
is now being overrun by prospectore for
gold. Owing TO tine jealous manner in
which Kootenay burial places have been
and are watched Il has SO far proved TO
be impossible for any scientific insritu-
ton 70 secure any skeletons Of these in
teresting people. The expedition had to
conten. itself at Fort Steele with etf1no-
logicoi material photographs and meas
uremens.
SEARCH FOR SKELETONS.
Then the expedition visited another
band Of renegade Kootensys that dwell
near Bonner's Ferry. At this point, by
means Of some daylight prospecting and
night digging, We secured two complete
speletons. fortunately a male and female.
From a study OF these IL is hoped tha,
some light may be thrown on the hither-
to unsolved problem Of The kinship OF
this isolated stock.
No further work Of any consequence
was done until The expedition reached
Port Simpson. B. C. Al that point
boat was fitted out and the expedition
LEFT for three weeks cruise among the
Queen Charlotte Isionds and the islands
OF southern Alaska
The Queen Charlotte Islands are he
northernmost o. those belonging 20 Brit
ish Columbia, and lie about forty-ive
miles off the coast. They are rarely WIS.,
lied by steamers and 0; all seasons OF the
year. owing 20 a prevailing fierce ives;