who passed some months in a travelling camp of the Flatheads. "During the time I have beenwith
them," says he, "I have never known an instance of theft among them: the least thing, even to abead
or pin, is brought to you, if found; and often, things that have been thrown away. Neither have Iknown any quarrelling, nor lying. This absence of all quarrelling the more surprised me, when Icame to see the various occasions that would have given rise to it among the whites: thecrowding
together of from twelve to eighteen hundred horses, which have to be driven into camp at night,to
be picketed, to be packed in the morning; the gathering of fuel in places where it is extremelyscanty.
All this, however, is done without confusion or disturbance.
"They have a mild, playful, laughing disposition; and this is portrayed in their countenances.
They
are polite, and unobtrusive. When one speaks, the rest pay strict attention: when he is done,another
assents by 'yes,' or dissents by 'no;' and then states his reasons, which are listened to with equalattention. Even the children are more peaceable than any other children. I never heard an angryword
among them, nor any quarrelling; although there were, at least, five hundred of them together,and
continually at play. With all this quietness of spirit, they are brave when put to the test; and arean
overmatch for an equal number of Blackfeet."The foregoing observations, though gathered from Mr. Wyeth as relative to the Flatheads,apply,
in the main, to the Skynses also. Captain Bonneville, during his sojourn with the latter, tookconstant occasion, in conversing with their principal men, to encourage them in the cultivation ofmoral and religious habits; drawing a comparison between their peaceable and comfortablecourse
of life and that of other tribes, and attributing it to their superior sense of morality and religion.
He
frequently attended their religious services, with his people; always enjoining on the latter themost
reverential deportment; and he observed that the poor Indians were always pleased to have thewhite
men present.
The disposition of these tribes is evidently favorable to a considerable degree of civilization.
A few
farmers settled among them might lead them, Captain Bonneville thinks, to till the earth andcultivate grain; the country of the Skynses and Nez Perces is admirably adapted for the raising ofcattle. A Christian missionary or two, and some trifling assistance from government, to protectthem
from the predatory and warlike tribes, might lay the foundation of a Christian people in the midstof the great western wilderness, who would "wear the Americans near their hearts."We must not omit to observe, however, in qualification of the sanctity of this Sabbath in thewilderness, that these tribes who are all ardently addicted to gambling and horseracing, makeSunday
a peculiar day for recreations of the kind, not deeming them in any wise out of season. Afterprayers
and pious ceremonies are over, there is scarce an hour in the day, says Captain Bonneville, thatyou
do not see several horses racing at full speed; and in every corner of the camp are groups ofgamblers, ready to stake everything upon the all-absorbing game of hand. The Indians, saysWyeth,
appear to enjoy their amusements with more zest than the whites. They are great gamblers; andin
proportion to their means, play bolder and bet higher than white men.
The cultivation of the religious feeling, above noted, among the savages, has been at times aconvenient policy with some of the more knowing traders; who have derived great credit andinfluence among them by being considered "medicine men;" that is, men gifted with mysteriousknowledge. This feeling is also at times played upon by religious charlatans, who are to be foundin savage as well as civilized life. One of these was noted by Wyeth, during his sojourn amongthe
Flat-heads. A new great man, says he, is rising in the camp, who aims at power and sway. Hecovers
his designs under the ample cloak of religion; inculcating some new doctrines and ceremonialsamong those who are more simple than himself. He has already made proselytes of one-fifth ofthe
camp; beginning by working on the women, the children, and the weak-minded. His followersare
all dancing on the plain, to their own vocal music. The more knowing ones of the tribe look onand
laugh; thinking it all too foolish to do harm; but they will soon find that women, children, andfools,
form a large majority of every community, and they will have, eventually, to follow the newlight,
or be considered among the profane. As soon as a preacher or pseudo prophet of the kind getsfollowers enough, he either takes command of the tribe, or branches off and sets up anindependent
chief and "medicine man." [Return to Contents].
