We Gave, In Return, A Bracelet Of Ribbon To Each
Of The Women Of The House, With Which They Were
Very much pleased.
The chief had several articles, such as scarlet and blue cloth, a sword,
a jacket, and a
Hat, which must have been procured from the whites,
and on one side of the room were two wide, split boards, placed together
so as to make space for a rude figure of a man cut and painted on them.
On pointing to this, and asking him what it meant, he said something,
of which all that we understood was `good,' and then stepped up
to the painting, and took out his bow and quiver, which, with some
other warlike instruments, were kept behind it.
"He then directed his wife to hand him his medicine-bag, from which he drew
out fourteen forefingers, which he told us had belonged to the same
number of his enemies, whom he had killed in fighting with the nations
to the southeast, in which direction he pointed; alluding, no doubt,
to the Snake Indians, the common enemy of the tribes on the Columbia.
This bag is usually about two feet in length, and contains roots,
pounded dirt, etc., which only the Indians know how to appreciate.
It is suspended in the middle of the lodge; and it is considered
as a species of sacrilege for any one but the owner to touch it.
It is an object of religious fear; and, from its supposed sanctity,
is the chief place for depositing their medals and more valuable articles.
They have likewise small bags, which they preserve in their great
medicine-bag, from whence they are taken, and worn around their
waists and necks as amulets against any real or imaginary evils.
This was the first time we had been apprised that the Indians
ever carried from the field any other trophy than the scalp.
These fingers were shown with great exultation; and, after an harangue,
which we were left to presume was in praise of his exploits,
the chief carefully replaced them among the valuable contents
of his red medicine-bag.
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