Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1916-12-29

. asent sent me an order by an inter
: prefer dcn1andins that the girl b
: turned oyer 10 tho Indian. whereupol
, assembled all the Indians in tn
, neishborhood and we had regula
} Indian "pow-wow I asked the CIR
: III she wanted to go with the Indial
: and shs said no. and there came nea
, being war declared: however thu
interpreter prevailed on the Indian.
} TO let the girl remain with me ant
all seemed satlsfiedexcept the Indisr
who had lost his horses and buck
skins. the father OF the girl having
possession OF the goods, and the
possession OF the girl: poor Lou wan
dered back to the reservation minus
his horses and other trinkets.
The women. as among all savage
/ and most laborious drudgery. When
fthe tribe-eis stationary. they collect
! thavroots and cook. build the huts.
dress tho skins. and make whatever
clothing they have. collect the wood
and assist In taking care of the horses
and have charge OF tho baggage. the
business OF the man is to hunt and
fish: he would consider himself de
graded il compelled to walk any dis
lance and were he 50 poor as to pos
sess only one horse. he would ride
and leave his wives to carry the bag
gage and children.
What stage OF human restitution
however. is too destitute for vanity?
Though these half naked and forlorn
looking beings have neither toilet to
arrange nor beauty TO contemplate.
their greatest passion is for a mir
eyes. The sight OF one is sufficient
to throw them into a paroxyism OF
eagerness and delight: and they are
always ready TO give anything they
have for the smallest fragment IN
which to behold their squalid and |
ugly features; | have seen an old 1
dame with absolutely nothing on her |
person but string around her neck.
from which was dependant a single
blue bead. doing her best to maintain
the dignity and vanity of the Ameri
can woman.
The religious belief of these people
is extremely limited and confused or
rather. In all probability. their expla-
nations are but little understood.
They have an idea of a benevolent
and omnipotent spirit. the creator OF
all things. and represent him as as
Stunning various shapes at pleasure,
but generally that of an immense bird.
II usually inhablts the Sun, but occa-
sionally wings his way through the
aerial regions and sees all that is do
Ing on earth. Should anything dis
please him. he vents his wrath in
terrific storms and tempests. the
lightning being the flash OF his eye,
and the thunder the clapping of his
wings. To propitiate his favor they
offer him annual sacrifices of sal
non and venlson. the first fruits OF
heir fishing and hunting.
Beside this aerial spirit they be-
ieve in an inferior one which inhab-
Is the fire and of whom they are in
perpetual dread. as though 1t possess
ID the power Of good and evil. the
vii being apt to predominant. They
,ndeavor. therefore, to keep him in
rood humor by frequent offerings: he
: supposed also to have great influ-
,noe with the winged spirit; their
rhey implore him. therefore to act
IS their interpreter and procure for
hem all desirable things such as sue
ess In fishing and hunting. abund-
nee OF game. good horses. obedient
wives and male children.
These Indians have. likewise. their
'riests conjurers or medicine men.
sho pretend to he In the confidence
( the Great Spirit" and the ex-
ounder and enforcer of his Will Each
{ these medicine men has his idols
arved In stone or wood under some
ude and grotesque form of a horse.
eaver bear or other quadruped. or
hat of a fish or bird. These idols
re hung round with amulets of vo-
We offerings. such as beavers teeth
nd bears and eagles claws.
When any chief parsonage is sick
r dangerously Ill., the medicine man ,
sent for. He brings with him his
lois and without ever looking at the
OK person. retires to hold a consul
Ition. AS our doctors are prone TO
sagree. so these medicine men have
DIV and then a violent alteration as
} the malady Of the patient or the r'
catment OF II. To settle this they -
'at their idols soundiy against each -
her. whichever loOSes n tooth or N