New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-11

An Interpretation of the Animai
Lore of the Red Nan.

RED HUNTERS AND THE ANIMAL, , REoPP PIE;
BY Charles A. Eastman tohiyesa)- with IRON
tspiece. z PIP Will As Harper & Bros
The fashion of the modern nature-lorists. VINO,
writing the life stories Of the beasts ana the
birds and the fishes. represent them as reason
ing beings has both its advantages and dlsso-
vantages. It is informing than the oio
style OF animal stories which were purely nc
ton. the birds and beasts being merely humans
in the guise OF animals. but there Is too OFTEN
a tendency on the part of the new school 10
..write into the parts emotions and degree OF
knowledge quite foreign TO the characters OF
hears and eagles and titmice. The added attri-
butes may increase the interest TO those VINO
read solely for the story. but 1t is an interest
gained at the sacrifice OF truth, causing grlef TO
the judicious.
The red Indian who lived closer than the
white man TO the denizens of the pam ana
forest, also attributed certain human character
istics to them. but. his own mental processes be-
ing more simple than those of his civilized willIe
brother he did not impose great a strain on
the iuarination of his hearers when relating his
stories and legends. The necessities Of his daily
existence made him very keen observer OF
nature and a student and follower of her ways.
Learning from the animals many use1ul Things
he was inclined TO regard them with certain
respect perhaps not undeserved- IN the pooh
which Dr. Charles A. Eastman has written OF
the relations of the Indians and the amman
people" We have the benefit OF trained anu
educated intelligence brought TO the interpreta-
ton OF the legendary and acquired lore OF the
red man The volume has, accordingly. double
tnterest--that Of the stories stories and as
representing the Indian point of view DR..
Eastman has not adhered closely to Indian
legends often adopting the method of the new
mature" school, yet his accounts OF the hVes
Of the familiar animals Of the Northwest i'm
press one as being more reasonable and no less
entertaining than those related by many other
nature writer's The fables, songs and super
stitious fancies OF the Indian, which he brings
in here and there. are valuable as suggesting the
habit Of mind OF the red hunter regarding the
fourfooted tribes. The words of one Of the phi
.osophers and orators OF the red meu give the
clew TO Il:
And who is the grandfather of these silent peo-
Die? Is It not the Great Mystery? For they know
The laws Of their life so well. They must have for
their maker our maker. Then they are our brothers
REGARDING the spirit of the animal mys-
terry belonging to the Great Mystery, the Indian
kills only as the exigencies Of his own existence
demand. and often after taking the life o. his
game pays due homage TO its spirit
1t was formerly held that the spirits Of animals
The wild hunter often refused during the remainder
OF his life 10 kin certain animals, after ne had
life Many hunter has absented himself for days
and nights from his camp in pursuit of this knowl-
crets Of an animal and then use TINS kn9 2
purposes OF the hunt entirely distinct from THIS
the spirit hunt" and include only the outward
habits and noticeable actions Of the game
The respect paid 10 the spirits of dead ami
rnaIs is shown in several stories notably in
The Challenge" an account of duel between
two elk witnessed by party Of five hunters.
Both Of the fourfooed duellists persisted. and the
Indians greatly impressed by the spec
tacle that they returned to camp empty handed,
leaving handfuls of cut tobacco beside each Of
the elk One OF them even took off one OF the
two eagle feathers that he always wore and
tied il TO the monarch's head. Another held his
filed pipe toward the fallen king. Let thy
spirit partake OF this smoke. Hehaka'' he eX-
claimed. May have thy courage ana strength
when meet my enemy in battle"
The last chapter gives. in the form of dis
cussion between a number OF old Indian hunters,
their views concerning the language Of animals.
Not all Of them hold to the same views. but the
general consensus OF opinion is that the animals
have ways Of communicating with each other
and OF instructing their young by this means.
Old Hahay gives the following apt illustration
from his observations of Chapawee the beaver:
Once saw a beaver send her whole family TO
the opposiIe side of the pond when she about
10 feli a large tree. One of the young dis
ohe5ienf and insisted on following the mother to
her work and he roundly retuked The little
he dove down the mother dove after him. They
both came out the shore the opposite side.
I'll snS dove ok again I understood her wishes
well, although am not a beaver.