Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-16

~ IsPLAYED prominently ir the
portion Of the new National
Museum devoted to Indian ex-
hibits are a number OF rare
specimens of the unique picture
writing Of the red man. When explained
bv an ethnoIogist, these crude-appearing
delineations Ohey are suggestive OF what
a Young schoolboy might draw upon his
slate) take on an extraordinary interest,"
and, indeed. some Of them are actually
records Of quite important historic events,
while others perpetuate incidents or
merely local concern to some long
vanished community.
These curious records of the Indians
are inscribed upon various materials-the
inside of a buffalo robe. birch bark, buff
falo bones, etc, and differ in character
according to the tribe. Among the events
thus commemorated is the first crossing
of Lake Superior by famous chief OF
long ago. 1t Is plainly to be inferred, by
the initiated, that the chief was skilled
in magic. and was Of large influence in
the tribes. To hand the fame OF his
achievement down to posterity, he set up
these two inscriptions, the first on the
south shore of the lake, whence he start
ed. and the other on the north, where
he landed. In the former the sole hu-
man figure represents the chief himself.
He is attired in a collar. or neckband,
and nothing else, and his completely bald
pate is relieved merely by what looks
like an incipient Chinese queue. The
| arch at the left, it Is explained, denotes
| the chiefs lodge, or household, and the
strange creature it contains is his totem.
II Is made to filI the entire space Of the
lodge. to signify that all the household
bear the same mark. Just below is a
| wolf-the personal name of the chief.
| The horned thing in violent check
pattern is a fabulous horned panther.
symbolizing power. The cross-lines mean
night ard the similar creature without
network denotes power by day. Then
there are the lion. the black bear. and
the moose. meaning foresight, strength
and sasadty, combined with wariness.
The two horned snakes, with eccentric
| legs, symbolic swiftness and power to
kill, and the entire menagerie represents
the various powers the chief invokes to
aid him in his enterprise.
| The other Photograph shows that the
crossing was made with five canoes of
different sizes. carrying altogether fifty
one men. the first canoe being command
the bird drawn just above its PROV. The
crossing occupied three days. as shown
| by the three suns under a shaky sort
of rainbow. representing the sky. BY
| this is drawn a land tortoise. indicating
| triumph in the matter of reaching land
at last. To the left of this Is a por-
trait Of the chies on horseback, but minus
legs-a symbol Of triumphant progress On
terra firma. An eagle means courage,
and the horned panther below. upon
whose physiognomy appears an express
sion Of surprise and pleasure. and the
! snake accompanying IL, are introduced
in compliment to these friendly familiars
| Of the warrior.
a specimen on bark illustrates the fact
that picture writing was sometimes en-
ployed for the passing on Of casual news
| of an unimportart character. 1t was
originally executed upon the side Of a
blazed tree. At the top right-hand side
Is the figure Of a tabled animal, the cop
per-tailed bear. This is the totem Of a
hunter. and the thing beneath II, curved
up at each end. denotes the canoe he
| travelled in. Under this, again. is the