New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-25
THE FLATHEAD INDIANS
Deformity Cruelty Forced ON n.
Children Of Natchez Trihs

Tho language. customs ana n.x
the Ind'an tribes Of the Lower Mi,,.s,..
Valley and adjacent coast OF N. c..,.
Mexico are graphically described !,
letin Just issued by the Bureau o, A..
can Ethnology Of the Smithsonian
ton which was compiled and edited :.
DR.. John r. Swsnton.
The work IL a classic on tho v....
tribe one Of the largest on the Lowe, w.
sissippl. The Natchez cut their ha,r ,
TO leave crown, after the STYLE 49,
by the Capuchins with only enou.. ~"
hairs to permit the making o, a 49,.
tress that hung like An ornament ov.. 49,
left ear. In the middle Of this crown ~"
left about two dozen hairs for th. s,,...
ment OF feathers
Although head fattenlng is n,er,,o,.
ell writers. Or. Swantcn points ON, 49,.
the only good description % the ,r.,,..
by which It is brought about IN thIs ~.
tcular region is the following from -.
Luxembourg memoir:
They have the head pointed and a,,o..
OF the shape OF a mitre They were -.
born so; II Is a charm which Ia given ,h..
in early years. What a mother does n -.
head Of an infant in order 10 force TIA
der bones to assume this shape is smo.
beyond belief She lays the infant IN -.
end OF board on which is spread the s,.
Of an animal. One extremity OF this hoa,.
has hole where the head is placed. and 4,
is lower than the rest. The infan, hsl,.
laid down naked. she pushes back It's hs,s
into this hole and applies 10 II on the fora.
head and under the head mass Of cl,,
which she binds with all her strength "a.
tween the two little boards. The infa,,
cries and turns completely black. and tina
strain IL is made 10 suffer is such thu,
white fluid is seen 10 come from its no..
and ears at the time when the mo.he,
presses on it's forehead It sleeps this way
every night until its skull has taken on n.
shape which custom wishes II 20 receive"
The Natchez made their knives orji.
narily OF rather small variety Of cana
This was split into four pieces. each q
which formed knife that cut very well
for a little while.
Feather work was one Of the things N
which the Natchez attained a high De.
gree Of skill. With the thread obtained
from the bark OF the bass tree they mads
themselves a kind Of mantle. which they
covered with the finest swan feathers. fash.
ened on the cloth one by one. a long piec.
Of work In truth, but they accounted their
pains and time as nothing when thsy
wanted to satisfy themselves
The Natchezwere just as great gamblers ss
the other tribes OF their race. A bowl gams
was played in which a rolling bowl was
sent spinning across a hard. smooth piece
of ground specially prepared for the game,
the gamblers throwing poles fifteen or SIX.
teen feet long after IT, When the bowl
ceased rolling the Indian whose stick was
nearest 10 II was the winner. After all il
was really an embryo roulette game
Marriage was serious matter for II.
bridegroom. He had TO make a regus.
Christmastide procession OF gifts 10 u.
relatives Of the bride. even to the sisters.
cousins and aunts. But ne became tie pcs
SCISSOR Of the bride, dominated and cen.
troled her body and soul The wisdom q
the Natchez was further illustrated IN the
recognition OF the mother VINO was a. once
released from the hardest Of toll. Additions
to the household in the way of wives SIM
ply depended on the ability of the HUSBAND
TO pay the price and the number Of rel2-
tives possessed by the bride-to-be
The chief of the nation was known as
the Great Sun. and his relatives as L;ds
Suns The Great Sun was as absolute az
a king His people did not come near nm
through respect.
Ceremonies attending the funeral OF
Sun were so numerous, 80 striking and 5,
sanguinary that nearly all OF the author
ties have confined their descriptions 70
them. leaving much in the dark regardin.
the disposition Of the bodies Of the com'
mon people. Instances are reported where
the death Of a chief cost in sacrifice u.
lives Of more than hundred persons.
The Natchez held their temple in grea,
respect The men who passed before i
would lay down what they carried and ex-
tend their arms toward the temple With
loud howlings. II they had small children
they would take them up in their arms
and turning toward the temple. make them
touch the ground three times with the fore
head.