The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-07-15
THE SCALP
An Art Not Confined to the North
American Indian.
ALLIED TO HEAD HUNTING.
Some Indians Removed the Skin of the
Entire Head, Including tho Hair and
Beard Of Their Vietim--Ears and
Hands Also Served For Trophies.

@HtiTo tlodoi iHSluuiH9 tno T1aiT ana
Beard Of Their Vietm--Ears and
Hands Also Served For Trophies.
The art of scalping has declined
owing to the severe pains and penalties
dealt out to its practitioners in the va
rious states of North America. 1t was
in certain sense a product of Euro
pean settlement, for it would never
have become so widespread had 1t not
been for the white man.
Scalping is commonly considered a
custom belonging exclusively to the
North American Indian. This is a
mistake. 1t is found in South America,
and Herodotus mentions it as having
been practiced among the Scythians.
But as the old Greek travellers book
was not published until 1902 it is
probable that scalping appeared to
the early explorers Of America as a
new thing. 1t was first described by
Francisco de Carey, who in 1920 came
across it in his i'll fated expedition to
Panuco. He founl that the Indians
removed the skin of the entire head,
including the hair and beard. In 1886
Jacques Cartier wrote an account of a
scalping party which is more typical
of the custom as usually found. From
this time on it is described by many
writer's, notably Captain John Smith
and ChRmplain.
The Indians themselves were uncer-
tain as to the use of keeping an enc
my's scalp, except that they felt 1t
would hurt him in some way. Some
said it put him in the power Of the
owner of the scalp, others that it BAN
ished him from the happy hunting
grounds, while still others believed
that it annihilated him.
In the opinion of George Frederick,
whose monograph may be consulted in
the Smithsonian institution report of
1906, scalping is modification Of
head hunting, practice INDUCED In
by many savages. There is primitive
notion that the possession Of a token
OF portion of a man gives one power
over that man. To keep the head of
an enemy puts him in your power, the
savage thinks. But it is often incon-
venient to carry so large a thing as a
| head. A smaller token is therefore sub
stituted. This statement would seem
to be borne out by the following facts:
Many American Indians did not fol-
low the practice of scalping, notably
those Of the north, adjoining the Es-
kimO, the Frazer river Indians and
the Algonquins of New Jersey. Nearly
all Of these practiced head hunting. A
transition period is represented by the
| Caddoes Of Texas, where the men took
the scalps and the women at more
| convenient period collected the heads.
Some tribes in California secured, in
| stead of scalps, the eyes of their enc
mics, which were preserved In some
way, while others in Mexico selected
the ears for their trophy, probably fol
lowing the lead Of the Spaniards, who
Topped off ears as punishment fol
crime.
The Hudson river Indians used to
preserve hands, probably in imitation
of the Dutch, who in the so called
Esopus war gave bounty for Indian
hands. Around the sources Of the Mis-.
souri, the Lewis and Clark expedition
found the custom of preserving scalps
replaced by that of preserving fingers.
In northern Mexico the custom OF
scalping prevailed, but toward the
south it was replaced by head hunting
In South America there are two local.
these is northern Argentina and Para,
quay, where it gives signs of being in
digenous, as it differs in many ways
from the practice Of North America
1t is also found around Guiana, proba
bly, introduced by the Indian slaves
brought from Florida.
The HurOn-IroguOis have been &C
credited with the invention Of scalp
ing, but unless it arose independently
in several places it much more likely
originated in Florida, where it was
first discovered by Europeans. Con
tact with a higher grade of culture
gave a tremendous impetus to the Gus
tom.
Previous to the Spanish discovery
the weapons of the Indians had beer
very simple, being manufactured from
stone, bones, shells or even reeds. The
tribal wars, though numerous, were
seldom bloody, and with such print
tive means the braves found 1t boil
awkward and dangerous to remove the
scalp of fallen enemy.
But the Europeans brought will
them firearms and iron knives. TIT
former increased hundredfold thu
number of those killed in battle, while
the latter made the process of scalpini
an easy one. Besides this, the white!
encouraged the custom by offering
bounties for scalps.
The first premium of this nature wa
offered in 1887 by the Puritans, wit
gave payment for every Indian head
the custom of scalping not having We
reached New England. But by tn
time of King Philips war it was il
full blast, and in 1875 the Connection
legislature offered large prizes 70
scalps. One Hannah Dustin receives
$50 and other substantial gifts for hav
ing secured with her own hands tn
scalps of two Indian men, two won