The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-11-18

AAAaa 49, - 1870 tL-@1@0 49,
Indians or were brought into contact
with them many years ago.
These writers, each one of them, saw
the race from a different viewpoint,
which accounts for contradictory re-
ports, of which there are numerous
instances, apparently hard to recon-
ellie. 1t should be borne in mind that
not all who recorded what they saw
while with the Indians were unpreju-
diced. or made any attempt to be sci
entifically exact in their statements;
yet by comparing their writings with
those of others, one is able to arrive
at an approximate knowledge of the
truth.
All Indians were not alike in their
customs and beliefs. although most Of
them had some of these in common.
They were extremely fond Of their chill
dren, who were rarely punished. Park
man. in his Oregon Trail" complains
Of this, possibly because he belonged to
the Spare the rod; spoil the child era.
He found them ill-mannered, n they
made him no end Of trouble. Col. Homer
W. Wheeler, a former Indian fighter,
who came to know these people we'll
and liked them, be it added-says the
children weer taught to obey and to show
respect to their elders, which, If true,
shows they were an agreeable contrast
TO the rising generation Of white chill
dren.
In most of the tribes the men ruled
The household and owned the property
what there was of it, as it seems to
have been largely communistic. The
Zunis and HOpis, says Colonel Wheeler,
were an exception to the rule. Among
fhaca tho urOV0nn yr0nrn tho hnT1Cnhn16
heads, as with the Tuaregs Of Africa, and
they had the right Of divorce, retaining
their husbands only while the latter be-
haved themselves. If they transgressed
Out they went without any ceremony
taking their few belongings with them
All the aggrieved man could do was tt
hurry home to mother with the sac
story of his wrongs.
The Zunis and Hopis were cliff dwell.
ers, and their homes had an air of per
manence. Most of the tribes were nom,
ads, moving from place to place in pur
suit of the buffalo, to pick berries, or tt
camp for the winter. Living in this man
ner, the tepee furnished an ideal dwell
ing place. 1t has been frequently de
scribed in these columns, but little ha
been said of it's framework. We lear
from Colonel Wheeler this consisted o
long slender poles in number from 1
to 80, the best being of the lodge-pol
pine. These the women stripped of thei
leaves, branches and bark, drying then
for some time, and then setting them u
without any covering, to complete thei
seasoning. Says Colonel Wheeler i
Buffalo Days" When a lodge is to b
pitched, three Of these poles are tie
together near the top and set up Xix
a tripod. The cord with which the thre
poles are tied is sufficiently long for tn
ends to hang to the ground. The othe
poles, save one, are successfully set VI
the top of each resting against the othe
three, while the lower ends form a Gil
Gle from II to II feet in diameter on tn
ground. The tops are then bound to
gether securely by the hanging cord. On
edge Of the tepee cloth is now made faS
to the remaining pole, by means Of whic
it is raised and carried around the frame
work so as to envelope it completely. TIL
two edges Of the cover are closed tC
gether by wooden pins or keys, exceI
three feet at the extreme top left ope
for a smoke hole, NJ an equal space