The Native Races [of the Pacific states], Volume 1, Wild Tribes

698

The Comanche 'shield was round … made of wicker-work, covered first with deer skins and then a tough piece of raw buffalo-hide drawn over, … ornamented with a human scalp, a grizzly bear's claw and a mule's tail … for the arm were pieces of cotton cloth twisted into a rope.' Parker's Notes on Tex., p. 195. 'En el brazo izquierdo llevaba el chimal, que es un escudo ovalado, cubierto todo de plumas, espejos, chaquiras y adornos de paño encarnado.' Revista Científica, tom. i., p. 162. Their shield 'is generally painted a bright yellow.' Domenech's Deserts, vol. ii., p. 268. 'Shield of circular form, covered with two thicknesses of hard, undressed buffalo hide, … stuffed with hair … a rifle-ball will not penetrate it unless it strikes perpendicular to the surface.' Marcy's Army Life, pp. 24-5; Möllhausen, Flüchtling, tom. iv., p. 31; Tempsky's Mitla, p. 80. A 'Navajo shield … with an image of a demon painted on one side … border of red cloth, … trimmed with feathers.' Palmer, in Harper's Mag., vol. xvii., p. 454; Linati, Costumes, plate xxii.; Shepard's Land of the Aztecs, p. 182; Edward's Hist. Tex., p. 104.

699

'Wherever their observations can be made from neighboring heights with a chance of successful ambush, the Apache never shows himself.' Cremony's Apaches, pp. 79, 189. 'Attacking only when their numbers, and a well-laid ambush, promise a certainty of success.' Smart, in Smithsonian Rept., 1867, p. 419. 'Colocan de antemano una emboscada.' Cordero, in Orozco y Berra, Geografía, p. 375; Parker, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1869, pp. 221-3, 256; Domenech's Deserts, vol. ii., p. 4; Emory's Reconnoissance, p. 47; Emory's Rept. U. S. and Mex. Boundary Survey, p. 107; Hassel, Mex. Guat., p. 276; Soc. Géog., Bulletin, série v., No. 96, p. 186; Davis, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1868, p. 161.

700

'Salen … generalmente divididos en pequeñas partidas para ocultar mejor sus rastros… Es imponderable la velocidad con que huyen despues que han ejecutado un crecido robo … las montañas que encumbran, los desiertos sin agua que atraviesan.' García Conde, in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, tom. v., p. 316. 'They steal upon their enemies under the cover of night.' Emory's Rept. U. S. and Mex. Boundary Survey, vol. i., p. 107; Murr, Nachrichten, p. 303; Lachapelle, Raousset-Boulbon, p. 83; Apostólicos Afanes, p. 434; Cordero, in Orozco y Berra, Geografía, pp. 375-6; Browne's Apache Country, p. 279; Figuier's Hum. Race, p. 480; Hassel, Mex. Guat., p. 276.

701

'La practica, que observan para avisarse los unos à los otros … es levantar humaredas.' Villa-Señor y Sanchez, Theatro, tom. ii., p. 394. 'Smokes are of various kinds, each one significant of a particular object.' Cremony's Apaches, pp. 183-4. 'In token of retreate sounded on a certaine small trumpet … made fires, and were answered againe afarre off … to giue their fellowes vnderstanding, how wee marched and where we arriued.' Coronado, in Hakluyt's Voy., tom. iii., p. 376; Möllhausen, Flüchtling, tom. ii., p. 157; Smart, in Smithsonian Rept., 1867, p. 419.

702

'La suma crueldad con que tratan á los vencidos atenaccandolos vivos y comiendose los pedazos de la carne que la arrancan.' Doc. Hist. N. Vizcaya, MS., p. 4. 'Their savage and blood-thirsty natures experience a real pleasure in tormenting their victim.' Cremony's Apaches, p. 266. 'Hang their victims by the heels to a tree and put a slow fire under their head.' Browne's Apache Country, pp. 201, 93, 96. Among the Navajos, 'Captives taken in their forays are usually treated kindly.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 295. 'Ils scalpent avec la corde de leur arc, en la tournant rapidement autour de la tête de leur victime.' Lachapelle, Raousset-Boulbon, p. 82; Murr, Nachrichten, p. 303; Stratton's Capt. Oatman Girls, pp. 114-118, 138, 149, 218; Farnham's Trav., p. 32; Graves, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1854, p. 180; Labadi, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1862, p. 247; Malte-Brun, Précis de la Géog., tom. vi., p. 453; Scenes in the Rocky Mts., p. 180; Stone, in Hist. Mag., vol. v., p. 167; Henry, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. v., p. 212; Doc. Hist. Mex., serie iv., tom. iii., p. 10; Pattie's Pers. Nar., p. 118.

703

Cremony's Apaches, p. 216; Whipple, in Pac. R. R. Rept., vol. iii., p. 114.

704

'Obran en la guerra con mas táctica que los apaches.' García Conde, in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, tom. v., p. 318. 'A young man is never considered worthy to occupy a seat in council until he has encountered an enemy in battle.' Marcy's Army Life, p. 34; Domenech's Deserts, vol. ii., p. 22; Domenech, Jour., pp. 140-1; Foote's Texas, vol. i., p. 298; Kennedy's Texas, vol. i., p. 346; Maillard's Hist. Tex., p. 243.

705

'When a chieftain desires to organize a war-party, he … rides around through the camp singing the war-song.' Marcy's Army Life, p. 53. 'When a chief wishes to go to war … the preliminaries are discussed at a war-dance.' Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. ii., p. 132; Armin, Das Heutige Mexiko, p. 280; Gregg's Com. Prairies, vol. ii., p. 315.

706

'They dart forward in a column like lightning… At a suitable distance from their prey, they divide into two squadrons.' Holley's Texas, p. 153. 'A Comanche will often throw himself upon the opposite side of his charger, so as to be protected from the darts of the enemy.' Gregg's Com. Prairies, vol. ii., pp. 312-13; Dewees' Texas, p. 234; Shepard's Land of the Aztecs, p. 182; Ludecus, Reise, p. 104.

707

'Ils tuent tous les prisonniers adultes, et ne laissent vivre que les enfants, qu'ils élèvent avec soin pour s'en servir comme d'esclaves.' Humboldt, Essai Pol., tom. i., p. 290. 'Invariably kill such men as offer the slightest impediment to their operations, and take women and children prisoners.' Marcy's Army Life, pp. 24, 54. 'Prisoners of war belong to the captors.' Burnet, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. i., p. 232; Farnham's Trav., p. 32; Figuier's Hum. Race, p. 480; Pattie's Pers. Nar., p. 41; Foote's Texas, vol. i., p. 298; Horn's Captivity, p. 15; Hassel, Mex. Guat., p. 205.

708

'Ten chiefs were seated in a circle within our tent, when the pipe, the Indian token of peace, was produced … they at first refused to smoke, their excuse being, that it was not their custom to smoke until they had received some presents.' Gregg's Com. Prairies, vol. ii., p. 39.

709

'I saw no earthenware vessels among them; the utensils employed in the preparation of food being shallow basins of closely netted straw. They carried water in pitchers of the same material, but they were matted all over with a pitch.' Smart, in Smithsonian Rept., 1867, p. 419. 'Aus Binsen und Weiden geflochtene Gefässe, mitunter auch einige aus Thon geformte;' … by the door stood 'ein breiter Stein … auf welchem mittelst eines kleineren die Mehlfrüchte zerrieben wurden.' Möllhausen, Tagebuch, pp. 396, 404. 'Panniers of wicker-work, for holding provisions, are generally carried on the horse by the women.' Henry, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. v., p. 210; Neighbors, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. ii., p. 129. 'Their only implements are sticks.' Greene, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1870, p. 140. 'They (the Axuas of Colorado River) had a beautiful fishing-net made out of grass.' … 'They had also burnt earthen jars, extremely well made. The size of each of them might be about two feet in diameter in the greatest swell; very thin, light, and well formed.' Hardy's Trav., p. 338. 'Nets wrought with the bark of the willow.' Domenech's Deserts, vol. i., p. 220; Browne's Apache Country, p. 200. 'Tienen mucha loza de las coloradas, y pintadas y negras, platos, caxetes, saleros; almofias, xicaras muy galanas: alguna de la loza está vidriada. Tienen mucho apercibimiento de leña, é de madera, para hacer sus casas, en tal manera, á lo que nos dieron á entender, que cuando uno queria hacer casa, tiene aquella madera allí de puesto para el efecto, y hay mucha cantidad. Tiene dos guaxexes á los lados del pueblo, que le sirven para se bañar, porque de otros ojos de agua, á tiro de arcabuz, beben y se sirven. A un cuarto de legua va el rio Salado, que decimos, por donde fué nuestro camino, aunque el agua salada se pierde de muchas leguas atrás.' Castaño de Sosa, in Pacheco, Col. Doc. Inéd., tom. iv., p. 331; Taylor, in Cal. Farmer, Feb. 14th, 1862; Browne's Apache Country, p. 200. 'Their only means of farming are sharpened sticks.' Colyer, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1871, p. 50.

710

'Their utensils for the purpose of grinding breadstuff, consist of two stones; one flat, with a concavity in the middle; the other round, fitting partly into the hollow of the flat stone.' Henry, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. v., p. 209; Smart, in Smithsonian Rept., 1867, p. 418; Velasco, Noticias de Sonora, p. 282.

711

'The cradle of the Navajo Indians resembles the same article made by the Western Indians. It consists of a flat board, to support the vertebral column of the infant, with a layer of blankets and soft wadding, to give ease to the position, having the edges of the frame-work ornamented with leather fringe. Around and over the head of the child, who is strapped to this plane, is an ornamented hoop, to protect the face and cranium from accident. A leather strap is attached to the vertebral shell-work, to enable the mother to sling it on her back.' Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., pp. 435-6, and plate p. 74.

712

'The saddle is not peculiar but generally resembles that used by the Mexicans. They ride with a very short stirrup, which is placed further to the front than on a Mexican saddle. The bit of the bridle has a ring attached to it, through which the lower jaw is partly thrust, and a powerful pressure is exerted by this means when the reins are tightened.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 292. 'Sa selle est faite de deux rouleaux de paille reliés par une courroie et maintenus par une sangle de cuir.' Lachapelle, Raousset-Boulbon, p. 82; Tempsky's Mitla, p. 80. The Navajos have 'aus zähem Eschenholz gefertigten Sattelbogen.' Möllhausen, Flüchtling, tom. iv., p. 39.

713

'Das Netz war weitmaschig, aus feinen, aber sehr starken Bastfäden geflochten, vier Fuss hoch, und ungefähr dreissig Fuss lang. Von vier zu vier Fuss befanden sich lange Stäbe an demselben, mittelst welcher es im Wasser, zugleich aber auch auf dem Boden und aufrecht gehalten wurde.' Möllhausen, Reisen in die Felsengeb., tom. i., p. 227; Domenech's Deserts, vol. i., p. 220.

714

'El apache para sacar lumbre, usa … un pedazo de sosole y otro de lechuguilla bien secos. Al primero le forman una punta, lo que frotan con la segunda con cuanta velocidad pueden á la manera del ejercicio de nuestros molinillos para hacer el chocolate: luego que ambos palos se calientan con la frotacion, se encienden y producen el fuego.' Velasco, Noticias de Sonora, p. 282.

715

The Navajos 'manufacture the celebrated, and, for warmth and durability, unequaled, Navajo blanket. The Navajo blankets are a wonder of patient workmanship, and often sell as high as eighty, a hundred, or a hundred and fifty dollars.' Walker, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1872, p. 53. 'Navajo blankets have a wide and merited reputation for beauty and excellence.' Cremony's Apaches, p. 305; Ind. Aff. Rept. Spec. Com., 1867, p. 341; Turner, in Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1852, tom. cxxxv., p. 314; Whipple, Ewbank, and Turner's Rept., pp. 13, 32, in Pac. R. R. Rept., vol. iii.; Davis' El Gringo, p. 411; Hughes' Doniphan's Ex., p. 203; Scenes in the Rocky Mts., p. 180; Figuier's Hum. Race, p. 481; Peters' Life of Carson, p. 125; Prichard's Nat. Hist. Man, vol. ii., p. 567; Farnham's Life in Cal., pp. 373-4.

716

'This art may have been acquired from the New Mexicans, or the Pueblo Indians.' Eaton, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 217. 'This manufacture of blankets … was originally learned from the Mexicans when the two people lived on amicable terms.' Cremony's Apaches, p. 367.

717

'The blanket is woven by a tedious and rude process, after the manner of the Pueblo Indians… The manner of weaving is peculiar, and is, no doubt, original with these people and the neighboring tribes.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291; Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 437.

718

'The spinning and weaving is done … by hand. The thread is made entirely by hand, and is coarse and uneven.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291. 'The wool or cotton is first prepared by carding. It is then fastened to the spindle near its top, and is held in the left hand. The spindle is held between the thumb and the first finger of the right hand, and stands vertically in the earthen bowl. The operator now gives the spindle a twirl, as a boy turns his top, and while it is revolving, she proceeds to draw out her thread, precisely as is done by our own operatives, in using the common spinning-wheel. As soon as the thread is spun, the spindle is turned in an opposite direction, for the purpose of winding up the thread on the portion of it next to the wooden block.' Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 436.

719

Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 436. 'The colors are woven in bands and diamonds. We have never observed blankets with figures of a complicated pattern.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291.

720

'The colors, which are given in the yarn, are red, black, and blue. The juice of certain plants is employed in dyeing, but it is asserted by recent authorities that the brightest red and blue are obtained by macerating strips of Spanish cochineal, and altamine dyed goods, which have been purchased at the towns.' Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 436. 'The colors are red, blue, black, and yellow; black and red being the most common. The red strands are obtained by unravelling red cloth, black by using the wool of black sheep, blue by dissolving indigo in fermented urine, and yellow is said to be by coloring with a particular flower.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291. The women 'welche sich in der Wahl der Farben und der Zusammenstellung von bunten Streifen und phantastischen Figuren in dem Gewebe gegenseitig zu übertreffen suchen. Ursprünglich trugen die Decken nur die verschiedenen Farben der Schafe in breiten Streifen, doch seit die Navahoes farbige, wollene Stoffe von Neu-Mexiko beziehen können, verschaffen sie sich solche, um sie in Fäden aufzulösen, und diese dann zu ihrer eigenen Weberei zu verwenden.' Möllhausen, Reisen in die Felsengeb., tom. ii., p. 235; Ruxton's Adven. Mex., p. 195.

721

'Ils (the Apaches) travaillent bien les cuirs, font de belles brides.' Lachapelle, Raousset-Boulbon, p. 82. 'They manufacture rough leather.' Pike's Explor. Trav., p. 335. 'Man macht Leder.' Hassel, Mex. Guat., p. 195. 'It has been represented that these tribes (the Navajos) wear leather shoes… Inquiry from persons who have visited or been stationed in New Mexico, disaffirms this observation, showing that in all cases the Navajo shoes are skins, dressed and smoked after the Indian method.' Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. v., p. 204; Cremony's Apaches, p. 305; Gregg's Com. Prairies, vol. i., p. 286. They 'knit woolen stockings.' Davis' El Gringo, p. 411. 'They also manufacture … a coarse woolen cloth with which they clothe themselves.' Clark, in Hist. Mag., vol. viii., p. 280; Domenech's Deserts, vol. i., p. 403, vol. ii., pp. 244-5. 'The Navajoes raise no cotton.' Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 212. 'Sie sind noch immer in einigen Baumwollengeweben ausgezeichnet.' Thümmel, Mexiko, p. 349. 'These people (the inhabitants of Arizona in 1540) had cotton, but they were not very carefull to vse the same: because there was none among them that knew the arte of weauing, and to make apparel thereof.' Alarchon, in Hakluyt's Voy., vol. iii., p. 433; Bent, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. i., p. 243; Ten Broeck, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 89; Torquemada, Monarq. Ind., tom. i., p. 680; Alcedo, Diccionario, tom. iii., p. 184.

722

The Xicarillas, 'manufacture a sort of pottery which resists the action of fire.' Domenech's Deserts, vol. ii., p. 8; Graves, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1854, p. 177. The Yuma 'women make baskets of willow, and also of tule, which are impervious to water; also earthen ollas or pots, which are used for cooking and for cooling water.' Emory's Rept. U. S. and Mex. Boundary Survey, vol. i., p. 111; Revillagigedo, Carta, MS., p. 21. 'Figure 4. A scoop or dipper, from the Mohave tribe, and as neat and original an article in earthenware as could well be designed by a civilized potter.' Whipple, Ewbank, and Turner's Rept., p. 46, in Pac. R. R. Rept., vol. iii. 'Professor Cox was informed that the New Mexican Indians colored their pottery black by using the gum of the mezquite, which has much the appearance and properties of gum arabic, and then baking it. Much of the ancient pottery from the Colorado Chiquito is colored, the prevailing tints being white, black, and red.' Foster's Pre-Hist. Races, p. 250; Ruxton's Adven. Mex., p. 195. The Yampais had 'some admirably made baskets of so close a texture as to hold water; a wicker jar coated with pine tree gum.' Sitgreaves' Zuñi. Ex., p. 10; Bent, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. i., p. 243.

723

Gregg's Com. Prairies, p. 286. 'In regard to the manufacture of plumage, or feather-work, they certainly display a greater fondness for decorations of this sort than any Indians we have seen… I saw no exhibition of it in the way of embroidery.' Simpson's Jour. Mil. Recon., p. 79; Thümmel, Mexiko, p. 349.

724

'Mines d'argent exploitées par les Comanches, qui en tirent des ornements pour eux et pour leurs chevaux, ainsi que des balles pour leurs fusils.' Domenech, Jour., p. 132.

725

The Mescaleros had 'a raft of bulrush or cane, floated and supported by some twenty or thirty hollow pumpkins fastened together.' Hutchings' Cal. Mag., vol. iii., p. 56. The Yumas had 'batteaus which could hold 200 or 300 pounds weight.' Id., vol. iv., p. 546. The Mojaves had 'Flössen, die von Binsen-Bündeln zusammengefügt waren (die einzige Art von Fahrzeug, welche ich bei den Bewohnern des Colorado-Thales bemerkte).' Möllhausen, Tagebuch, p. 401. 'Merely bundles of rushes placed side by side, and securely bound together with willow twigs … their owners paddled them about with considerable dexterity.' Whipple, in Pac. R. R. Rept., vol. iii., p. 117, and plate. Möllhausen, Reisen in die Felsengeb., tom. i., pp. 238, 254; Ives' Colorado Riv., p. 69.

726

'Immense numbers of horses and sheep, attesting the wealth of the tribe.' Ives' Colorado Riv., pp. 128, 130. 'They possess more wealth than all the other wild tribes in New Mexico combined.' Graves, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1854, p. 179. 'They are owners of large flocks and herds.' Bent, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. i., p. 243; Eaton, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 217; Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., pp. 211, 212; Scenes in the Rocky Mts., p. 180; Davis' El Gringo, p. 411; Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, pp. 291-2; Gallatin, in Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1851, tom. cxxxi., p. 289; Prichard's Nat. Hist. Man, vol. ii., p. 567; Hughes' Doniphan's Ex., p. 173; Peters' Life of Carson, p. 124; Thümmel, Mexiko, p. 349; Simpson's Jour. Mil. Recon., p. 79; Palmer, in Harper's Mag., vol. xvii., p. 460; Cremony's Apaches, p. 254; Emory's Reconnoissance, p. 60.

727

The Jicarilla Apaches 'manufacture a species of coarse earthenware, which they exchange for corn and wheat.' Keithly, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1863, p. 115. Stratton's Capt. Oatman Girls, p. 123.

728

'Das Eigenthum des Vaters nicht auf den Sohn übergeht, sondern dass Neffen und Nichten als die rechtmässigen Erben anerkannt werden wenn nicht der Vater bei Lebzeiten schon seine Habe an die eigenen Kinder geschenkt hat.' Möllhausen, Reisen in die Felsengeb., tom. ii., p. 234. 'The husband has no control over the property of his wife… Property does not descend from father to son, but goes to the nephew of the decedent, or, in default of a nephew, to the niece … but if, while living, he distributes his property to his children, that disposition is recognised.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, pp. 294-5. 'When the father dies … a fair division is not made; the strongest usually get the bulk of the effects.' Bristol, in Ind. Aff. Rept. Spec. Com., 1867, p. 357.

729

'The blankets, though not purchasable with money … were sold, in some instances, for the most trifling article of ornament or clothing.' Simpson's Jour. Mil. Recon., p. 81. Shell beads, which they call 'pook,' are their substitute for money.' Whipple, in Pac. R. R. Rept., vol. iii., p. 115.

730

The Querechos encountered by Coronado had with them 'un grand troupeau de chiens qui portaient tout ce qu'ils possédaient.' Castañeda, in Ternaux-Compans, Voy., série i., tom. ix., p. 117. 'The only property of these people, with the exception of a few articles belonging to their domestic economy, consists entirely in horses and mules.' Marcy's Army Life, p. 22; Domenech's Deserts, vol. ii., p. 23; Kennedy's Texas, vol. i., p. 347; Marcy's Rept., p. 188; Möllhausen, Tagebuch, pp. 116-17.

731

'There are no subdivisions of land acknowledged in their territory, and no exclusive right of game.' Neighbors, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. ii., p. 131. 'Their code is strictly Spartan.' Marcy's Army Life, p. 23.