The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-02

proved himself capable of filling it in
actual warfare. Even the coveted war
field cannot be relied upon. The Indian
war bonnet had likewise a spiritual sig
nihcance, and was often the product Of
a dream, for the Indians, like all primi-
tive people, took dreams more seriously
than even Freud. In dreams they were
sometimes given minute directions in the
latest style Of millinery for warriors.
The Indians have been severely criti-
cized for taking scalps. 1t was surely
more humane to take from the living
scalps instead Of heads, and the latter
trophies would have been far more cum
bersome to carry. The Indians took
ScalpS as the headhunters took heads
to serve as proof Of their achievements
in warfare. When they gathered about
the before mentioned campfire to relate
! their deeds Of daring, many skeptical
glanceS would be cast in their direction
if they could not show the scalps in con-
! f1rmatiOn Of their claims. Nor was it
without a purpose that the coup stick
CARED bells and other decorations likely
to attract attention. 1t would insure
witnesses.
On many of our hills and plains grows
! the sweet scented grass. This served,
/ like feathers, to advertise a wartime
episode. When worn on wrist or around
the neck it signif1ed that the person so
adorned had not only taken a prisoner,
but in lieu of other means of lettering
him had bound him with grass. It is to
be regretted that we are not more cir
! cumStantially informed regarding the
procedure in this instance. We might
naturally ask how, unless the prisoner
was unconscious, could he be held while
his captor was plating his bonds.
Prince Macmillan of Wied, who came
up the Missouri in an early day, has this
to say of the designations common tc
xrifT1
"a Mandan may have performed many
exploits, and yet not be allowed to weal
tufts Of hair on his clothes, unless hC
carries medicine pipe and has been thI
leader Of war party. When a younl
man who has never performed an eX
ploit is the first to kill an enemy on
, warlike expedition he paints a spiral lin
around his arm, Of whatever color h
! 4 pleases and he may then wear a who'll
: VOLTS tail at the heel of one foot. If h
! has first killed and touched (countet
: COUP the enemy he paints line run
: ming obliquely around the arm and an
other crossing 1T in the opposite direc
ton, with three transverse stripes. 0!
, killing the second he paints his left le
(that is, the leggin) a reddish brown
If he kills a second enemy before an
other is killed by his comrades he ma
wear two entire wolves tails at his heels
On his third exploit he paints two longi
o tudinal stripes on his arms and thre
= transverse stripes. This is the exploi
= that is esteemed the highest; after tn
O third exploit no marks are made. If b
y kills an enemy after others of the part
\ have done the same he may wear on h
a heel one VOLTS tail, the tip Of which
" cut off,"
= From the foregoing it will be seen ths
: literally the Indians had their men
g mark that were rated in the estimatio
d Of their public accordingly.
n They had their lounge lizards" ais
d but these were held in universal col
tempt. No warrior of standing woul
remain in company where such a OF
was tolerated. The tribe respected on
men Of action, although the action migl
be supplemented with brains.
While Indian ways were not our way
they were founded on reason gOvernG
by surroundings, and were not witho1
merit. Not to admit this is proof
ignorance, which study would dispeT
undertaken in scientific spirit, unhar
pered by prejudice.