Chapter XVI: A concise CHARACTER of the INDIANS

THE character of the Indians, like that of other uncivilized nations, is composed of a mixture of ferocity and gentleness. They are at once guided by passions and appetites, which they hold in common with the fiercest beasts that inhabit their woods, and are possessed of virtues which do honour to human nature.

In the following estimate I shall endeavour to forget on the one hand the prejudices of Europeans, who usually annex to the word Indian epithets that are disgraceful to human nature, and who view them in no other light than as savages and cannibals; whilst with equal care I avoid any partiality towards them, as some must naturally arise from the favourable reception I met with during my stay among them.

At the same time I shall confine my remarks to the nations inhabiting only the western regions, such as the Naudowessies, the Ottagaumies, the Chipéways, the Winnebagoes, and the Saukies; for as throughout that diversity of climates, the extensive continent of America is composed of, there are people of different dispositions and various characters, it would be incompatible with my present undertaking to treat of all these, and to give a general view of them as a conjunctive body.

That the Indians are of a cruel, revengeful, inexorable disposition, that they will watch whole days unmindful of the calls of nature, and make their way through pathless, and almost unbounded woods, subsisting only on the scanty produce of them, to pursue and revenge themselves of an enemy; that they hear unmoved the piercing cries of such as unhappily fall into their hands, and receive a diabolical pleasure from the tortures they inflict on their prisoners, I readily grant; but let us look on the reverse of this terrifying picture, and we shall find them temperate both in their diet and potations (it must be remembered, that I speak of those tribes who have little communication with Europeans) that they with-stand, with unexampled patience, the attacks of hunger, or the inclemency of the seasons, and esteem the gratification of their appetites but as a secondary consideration.

We shall likewise see them sociable and humane to those whom they consider as their friends, and even to their adopted enemies; and ready to partake with them of the last morsel, or to risk their lives in their defence.

In contradiction to the report of many other travellers, all of which have been tinctured with prejudice, I can assert, that notwithstanding the apparent indifference with which an Indian meets his wife and children after a long absence, an indifference proceeding rather from custom than insensibility, he is not unmindful of the claims either of connubial or parental tenderness; the little story I have introduced in the preceding chapter of the Naudowessie woman lamenting her child, and the immature death of the father, will elucidate this point, and enforce the assertion much better than the most studied arguments I can make use of.

Accustomed from their youth to innumerable hardships, they soon become superior to a sense of danger or the dread of death; and their fortitude, implanted by nature, and nurtured by example, by precept, and accident, never experiences a moment’s allay.

Though slothful and inactive whilst their store of provision remains unexhausted, and their foes are at a distance, they are indefatigable and persevering in pursuit of their game, or in circumventing their enemies.

If they are artful and designing, and ready to take every advantage, if they are cool and deliberate in their councils, and cautious in the extreme either of discovering their sentiments, or of revealing a secret, they might at the same time boast of possessing qualifications of a more animated nature, of the sagacity of a hound, the penetrating sight of a lynx, the cunning of the fox, the agility of a bounding roe, and the unconquerable fierceness of the tyger.

In their public characters, as forming part of a community, they possess an attachment for that band to which they belong, unknown to the inhabitants of any other country. They combine, as if they were actuated only by one soul, against the enemies of their nation, and banish from their minds every consideration opposed to this.

They consult without unnecessary opposition, or without giving way to the excitements of envy or ambition, on the measures necessary to be pursued for the destruction of those who have drawn on themselves their displeasure. No selfish views ever influence their advice, or obstruct their consultations. Nor is it in the power of bribes or threats to diminish the love they bear their country.

The honour of their tribe, and the welfare of their nation, is the first and most predominant emotion of their hearts; and from hence proceed in a great measure all their virtues and their vices. Actuated by this, they brave every danger, endure the most exquisite torments, and expire triumphing in their fortitude, not as a personal qualification, but as a national characteristic.

From thence also flow that insatiable revenge towards those with whom they are at war, and all the consequent horrors that disgrace their name. Their uncultivated mind, being incapable of judging of the propriety of an action, in opposition to their passions, which are totally insensible to the controuls of reason or humanity, they know not how to keep their fury within any bounds, and consequently that courage and resolution, which would otherwise do them honour, degenerates into a savage ferocity.

But this short dissertation must suffice; the limits of my work will not permit me to treat the subject more copiously, or to pursue it with a logical regularity. The observations already made by my readers on the preceding pages, will, I trust, render it unnecessary; as by them they will be enabled to form a tolerably just idea of the people I have been describing. Experience teaches, that anecdotes, and relations of particular events, however trifling they might appear, enable us to form a truer judgment of the manners and customs of a people, and are much more declaratory of their real state, than the most studied and elaborate disquisition, without these aids.

CHAP. XVII.

_Of their_ LANGUAGE, HIEROGLYPHICKS, _&c._

THE principal languages of the natives of North America may be divided into four classes, as they consist of such as are made use of by the nations of the Iroquois towards the eastern parts of it, the Chipéways or Algonkins to the north-west, the Naudowessies to the west, and the Cherokees, Chickasaws, &c. to the south. One or other of these four are used by all the Indians who inhabit the parts that lie between the coast of Labradore north, the Florida south, the Atlantic ocean east, and, as far as we can judge from the discoveries hitherto made, the Pacific Ocean on the west.

But of all these, the Chipéway tongue appears to be the most prevailing; it being held in such esteem, that the chiefs of every tribe, dwelling about the great lakes, or to the westward of these on the banks of the Mississippi, with those as far south as the Ohio, and as far north as Hudson’s Bay, consisting of more than thirty different tribes, speak this language alone in their councils, notwithstanding each has a peculiar one of their own.

It will probably in time become universal among all the Indian nations, as none of them attempt to make excursions to any great distance, or are considered as qualified to carry on any negociation with a distant band, unless they have acquired the Chipéway tongue.

At present, besides the Chipéways, to whom it is natural, the Ottawaws, the Saukies, the Ottagaumies, the Killistinoes, the Nipegons, the bands about Lake Le Pleuve, and the remains of the Algonkins or Gens de Terre, all converse in it, with some little variation of dialect; but whether it be natural to these nations, or acquired, I was not able to discover. I am however of opinion that the barbarous and uncouth dialect of the Winnebagoes, the Menomonies, and many other tribes, will become in time totally extinct, and this be adopted in its stead.

The Chipéway tongue is not incumbered with any unnecessary tones or accents, neither are there any words in it that are superfluous; it is also easy to pronounce, and much more copious than any other Indian language.

As the Indians are unacquainted with the polite arts, or with the sciences, and as they are also strangers to ceremony or compliment, they neither have nor need an infinity of words wherewith to embellish their discourse. Plain and unpolished in their manners, they only make use of such as serve to denominate the necessaries or conveniences of life, and to express their wants, which in a state of nature can be but few.

I have annexed hereto a short vocabulary of the Chipéway language, and another of that of the Naudowessies, but am not able to reduce them to the rules of grammar.

The latter is spoken in a soft accent, without any guttural sounds, so that it may be learnt with facility, and is not difficult either to be pronounced or written. It is nearly as copious and expressive as the Chipéway tongue, and is the most prevailing language of any on the Western banks of the Mississippi; being in use, according to their account, among all the nations that lie to the north of the Messorie, and extend as far west as the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

As the Indians are not acquainted with letters, it is very difficult to convey with precision the exact sound of their words; I have however endeavoured to write them as near to the manner in which they are expressed, as such an uncertain mode will admit of.

Although the Indians cannot communicate their ideas by writing, yet they form certain hieroglyphicks, which, in some measure, serve to perpetuate any extraordinary transaction, or uncommon event. Thus when they are on their excursions, and either intend to proceed, or have been, on any remarkable enterprize, they peel the bark from the trees which lie in their way, to give intelligence to those parties that happen to be at a distance, of the path they must pursue to overtake them.

The following instance will convey a more perfect idea of the methods they make use of on this occasion, than any expressions I can frame.

When I left the Mississippi, and proceeded up the Chipéway River in my way to Lake Superior, as related in my Journal, my guide, who was a chief of the Chipéways that dwell on the Ottawaw Lake, near the heads of the river we had just entered, fearing that some parties of the Naudowessies, with whom his nation are perpetually at war, might accidentally fall in with us, and before they were apprized of my being in company, do us some mischief, he took the following steps.

He peeled the bark from a large tree near the entrance of a river, and with wood-coal mixed with bear’s-grease, their usual substitute for ink, made in an uncouth but expressive manner the figure of the town of the Ottagaumies. He then formed to the left a man dressed in skins, by which he intended to represent a Naudowessie, with a line drawn from his mouth to that of a deer, the symbol of the Chipéways. After this he depictured still farther to the left a canoe as proceeding up the river, in which he placed a man sitting with a hat on; this figure was designed to represent an Englishman, or myself, and my Frenchman was drawn with a handkerchief tied round his head, and rowing the canoe; to these he added several other significant emblems, among which the Pipe of Peace appeared painted on the prow of the canoe.

The meaning he intended to convey to the Naudowessies, and which I doubt not appeared perfectly intelligible to them, was, that one of the Chipéway chiefs had received a speech from some Naudowessie chiefs at the town of the Ottagaumies, desiring him to conduct the Englishman, who had lately been among them, up the Chipéway river; and that they thereby required, that the Chipéway, notwithstanding he was an avowed enemy, should not be molested by them on his passage, as he had the care of a person whom they esteemed as one of their nation.

Some authors have pretended that the Indians have armorial bearings, which they blazon with great exactness, and which distinguish one nation from another; but I never could observe any other arms among them than the symbols already described.

A short VOCABULARY of the Chipéway Language.

N. B. This people do not make use either of
the consonants F or V.

A

Above _Spimink_
Abandon _Packiton_
Admirable _Pilawah_
Afterwards _Mipidach_
All _Kokinum_
Always _Kokali_
Amiss _Napitch_
Arrive _Takouchin_
Ax _Agacwet_
Ashes _Pingoe_
Assist _Mawinewáh_

B

Ball _Alewin_
Bag, or tobacco-pouch _Caspetawgan_
Barrel _Owentawgan_
Beat _Pakkite_
Bear, a _Mackwah_
Bear, a young one _Makon_
Beaver _Amik_
Beaver’s skin _Apiminiqué_
Be, or to be _Tapaié_
Beard _Mischiton_
Because _Mewinch_
Believe _Tilerimah_
Belly _Mishemout_
Black _Markaute_
Blood _Miskow_
Body _Yoe_
Bottle _Shishego_
Brother _Neconnis_
Brandy, or Rum _Scuttawawbah_
Bread _Paboushigan_
Breech _Miscousab_
Breeches _Kipokitie Kousah_
Buck _Wasketch_

C

Canoe _Cheman_
Call _Teshenekaw_
Chief, a _Okemaw_
Carry _Petou_
Child, or Children _Bobeloshin_
Coat _Capotewian_
Cold, I am _Kekatch_
Come on _Moppa_
Come to _Pemotcha_
Comrade _Neechee_
Concerned _Tallemissi_
Corn _Melomin_
Covering, or a Blanket _Wawbewion_
Country _Endawlawkeen_
Courage _Tagwawmissii_
Cup _Olawgan_

D

Dance _Nemeh_
Dart _Sheshikwee_
Die, to _Nip_
Dish _Mackoan_
Dog _Alim_
Dead _Neepoo_
Devil, or evil Spirit _Matcho-Manitou_
Dog, a little one _Alemon_
Done, it is done _Shiah_
Do _Toshiton_
Doubtless _Ontclatoubah_
Dress the kettle _Poutwah_
Drink _Minikwah_
Drunken _Ouisquiba_
Duck _Chickhip_

E

Earth _Aukwin_
Eat _Owissiné_
Each _Papégik_
English _Sagaunosh_
Enough _Mimilic_
Equal, or alike _Tawbiscouch_
Esteem _Nawpetelimáw_
Eyes _Wiskinkhie_

F

Fast _Waliebic_
Fall _Ponkisin_
Far off _Watsaw_
Fat _Pimmitee_
Friend _Niconnis_
Father _Noosah_
Few, or little _Maungis_
Fatigued _Taukwissi_
Field sown _Kittegaumic_
Fire _Scutta_
Fire, to strike _Scutecke_
Find _Nantounawaw_
Fish _Kickon_
Fork _Nassawokwot_
Formerly _Pirwego_
Fort _Wakaigon_
Forward _Nopawink_
French _Nechtegoosh_
Freeze, to _Kissin_
Freezes hard _Kissin Magat_
Full _Mouskinet_
Fuzee or Gun _Paskessigan_

G

God, or the Great Spirit _Kitchi Manitou_
Go by water _Pimmiscaw_
Girl _Jeckwassin_
Give _Millaw_
Glass, a mirror _Wawbemo_
Good _Cawlatch_
Good for nothing _Malatal_
Govern _Tibarimaw_
General, or Commander in Chief _Kitchi Okimaw Simáuganish_
Grapes _Shoamin_
Great _Manatou_
Greedy _Sawsáwkissi_
Guts _Oláwbish_

H

Hare _Wawpoos_
Heart _Michewah_
Hate _Shingaurimaw_
Half _Nawbal_
Hair, human _Lissis_
Hair of beasts _Pewal_
Handsome _Canogininne_
Have _Tandaulaw_
Head _Oustecouan_
Heaven _Speminkakwin_
Herb _Mejask_
Here _Aconda_
Hidden _Kemouch_
Home _Entayent_
Honour _Mackawalaw_
Hot _Akeshotta_
How _Tawné_
How many _Tawnemilik_
Hunt _Kewassa_
Hut, or House _Wig-Waum_

I

Indians _Ishinawbah_
Iron _Pewawbick_
Island _Minis_
Immediately _Webatch_
Indian Corn _Mittawmin_
Intirely _Nawpitch_
Impostor _Mawlawtissie_
It might be so _Tawneendo_

K

Kettle _Ackikons_
King, or Chief _Okemaw_
Keep _Ganwerimaw_
Knife _Mockoman_
Knife that is crooked _Cootawgon_
Know _Thickeremaw_

L

Lake _Kitchigawmink_
Laugh _Pawpi_
Lazy _Kittimi_
Lame _Kikekate_
Leave _Pockiton_
Letter _Mawsignaugon_
Life _Nouchimowin_
Love _Saukie_
Long since _Shawshia_
Land Carriage _Cappatawgon_
Lose _Packilaugué_
Lie down _Weepemaw_
Little _Waubesheen_

M

Meat _Weas_
Much _Nibbilaw_
Man _Allissinape_
March, to go _Pimmoussie_
Marry _Weewin_
Medicine _Maskikic_
Merchandize _Alokochigon_
Moon _Debicot_
Mortar to pound in _Poutawgon_
Male _Nape_
Mistress _Neremousin_

N

Needle _Shawbonkin_
Near _Pewitch_
Nation _Irinee_
Never _Cawikkaw_
Night _Debicot_
No _Kaw_
Nose _Yoch_
Nothing _Kakego_
Not yet _Kawmischi_
Not at all _Kagutch_
Nought, good for nothing _Malatat_

O

Old _Kauweshine_
Otter _Nikkik_
Other _Coutack_

P

Pipe _Poagan_
Part, what Part _Tawnapee_
Play _Packeigo_
Powder, gun, or dust _Pingo_
Peace, to make _Pecacotiche_
Pray _Tawlaimia_
Proper _Sawsega_
Presently _Webatch_
Peninsula _Minnissin_

Q

Quick _Kegotch_

R

Regard _Wawbemo_
Red _Miscow_
Resolve _Tibelindon_
Relation _Tawwemaw_
Respect _Tawbawmica_
Rain _Kimmewan_
Robe _Ockolaw_
River _Sippim_
Run, to _Pitchebot_

S

Sad _Talimissie_
Sail _Pemiscaw_
Sack, or Bag _Maskimot_
Sea, or large Lake _Agankitchigawmink_
Shoes _Maukissin_
Ship, or large Canoe _Kitchi Cheman_
Sorry _Niscottissie_
Spirit _Manitou_
Spoon _Mickwon_
Star _Alank_
Steal _Kemautin_
Stockings _Mittaus_
Strong _Mashkauwáh_
Sturgeon _Lawmack_
Sun _Kissis_
Sword _Simaugan_
Surprizing _Etwah, Etwah_
See _Wawbemo_
Since _Mapedoh_
Shirt _Papawkwéan_
Slave _Wackan_
Sleep _Nippee_
Sit down _Mintepin_

T

Take _Emaundah_
Teeth _Tibbit_
That _Mawbah_
There _Watsaudebi_
This _Maundah_
Truly _Kikit_
Together _Mawmawwee_
Tobacco _Semau_
Tongue _Outon_
Tired _Tawkonsie_
Too little _Osaummangis_
Too much _Ossauné_
Thank you _Megwatch_
To-morrow _Wawbunk_
To-morrow the day after _Ouswawbunk_

W

Warriors _Semauganaush_
Water _Nebbi_
War _Nantaubaulaw_
Way _Mickon_
Well then! _Tauneendah!_
What is that? _Wawwewin?_
What now? _Quagonie?_
Whence _Taunippi_
Where _Tah_
White _Waubé_
Who is there? _Quagonie Maubah?_
Wind _Loutin_
Winter _Pepoun_
Woman _Ickwee_
Wood _Mittic_
Wolf _Mawhingon_

Y

Yesterday _Petchilawgo_
Yet _Minnewatch_
Young _Wisconekissi_
Yellow _Wazzo_.

_The Numerical Terms of the Chipéways._

One _Páshik_
Two _Ninch_
Three _Nissou_
Four _Neau_
Five _Naran_
Six _Ningoutwassou_
Seven _Ninchowassou_
Eight _Nissowassou_
Nine _Shongassou_
Ten _Mittaussou_
Eleven _Mittaussou Páshik_
Twenty _Ninchtawnaw_
Thirty _Nissou Mittawnaw_
Forty _Neau Mittawnaw_
Fifty _Naran Mittawnaw_
Sixty _Ningoutwassou Mittawnaw_
Seventy _Ninchowassou Mittawnaw_
Eighty _Nissowassou Mittawnaw_
Ninety _Shongassou Mittawnaw_
Hundred _Mittaussou Mittawnaw_
Thousand _Mittaussou Mittaussou Mittawnaw_.

A Short VOCABULARY of the Naudowessie Language.

A

Axe _Ashpaw_

B

Beaver _Chawbah_
Buffalo _Tawtongo_
Bad _Shejah_
Broach _Muzahootoo_
Bear, a _Wahkonshejah_

C

Canoe _Waahtoh_
Cold _Mechuetah_
Child, a _Male Wechoakseh_
Child, a Female _Whacheekseh_
Come here _Accooyouiyare_

D

Dead _Negush_
Deer _Tohinjoh_
Dog _Shungush_

E

Eat _Echawmenaw_
Ears _Nookah_
Eyes _Eshtike_
Evil _Shejah_

F

Fire _Paahtah_
Father _Otah_
Frenchman _Neehteegush_
Falls of Water _Owah Menah_
Friend _Kitchiwah_

G

Good _Woshtah_
Give _Accooyeh_
Go away _Accoowah_
God, or the Great Spirit _Wakon_
Gun _Muzah Wakon_
Great _Tongo_
Gold _Muzaham_

H

Hear _Nookishon_
Horse _Shuetongo_
Home, or domestic _Shuah_
House _Teebee_
Heaven _Woshta Tebee_

I

Iron _Muzah_
I, or me _Meoh_

K

King, or Chief _Otah_
Kill _Negushtaugaw_

L

Little _Jestin_
Long _Tongoom_
Lake _Tongo Meneh_
Love _Ehwahmeah_

M

Much _Otah_
More _Otenaw_
Moon _Oweeh_
Mouth _Eeh_
Medal _Muzah Otah_
Mine _Mewah_
Milk _Etsawboh_

N

No _Heyah_
Near _Jeestinaw_

O

Oh! _Hopiniyahie!_

P

Pipe _Shanuapaw_
Pipe of Peace _Shanuapaw Wakon_

R

Rain _Owah Meneh_
Ring _Muzamchupah_
Round _Chupah_

S

Smoke _Shaweah_
Salt Water _Menis Queah_
See, to _Eshtaw_
Sleep _Eshteemo_
Snake _Omlishcaw_
Sun _Paahtah_
Spirit _Wakon_
Spirituous Liquors _Meneh Wakon_
Snow _Sinnee_
Surprizing _Hopiniayare_
Silver _Muzaham_

T

Tobacco _Shawsassaw_
Talk _Owehchin_
Tree _Ochaw_
There _Daché_

W

Woman _Winnokejah_
Wonderful _Hopiniyare_
Water _Meneh_
What _Tawgo_
Who is there? _Tawgodaché?_
Wicked _Heyahachta_

Y

You _Chee_
Young _Hawpawnaw_
You are good _Washtah Chee_
You are a Spirit _Wakon Chee_
You are my good Friend _Washtah Kitchiwah Chee_
No Good _Heyah Washtah_.

_The Numerical Terms of the Naudowessies._

One _Wonchaw_
Two _Noompaw_
Three _Yawmonee_
Four _Toboh_
Five _Sawbuttee_
Six _Shawco_
Seven _Shawcopee_
Eight _Shahindohin_
Nine _Nebochunganong_
Ten _Wegochunganong_
Eleven _Wegochunganong Wonchaw_
Twenty _Wegochunganong Noompaw_
Thirty _Wegochunganong Yawmonee_
Forty _Wegochunganong Toboh_
Fifty _Wegochunganong Sawbuttee_
Sixty _Wegochunganong Shawco_
Seventy _Wegochunganong Shawcopee_
Eighty _Wegochunganong Shahindohin_
Ninety _Wegochunganong Nebochunganong_
Hundred _Opohng_
Thousand _Wegochunganong Opohng_.

To this short vocabulary of the Naudowessie language, I shall adjoin a specimen of the manner in which they unite their words. I have chosen for this purpose a short song, which they sing, with some kind of melody, though not with any appearance of poetical measure, when they set out on their hunting expeditions: and have given as near a translation as the difference of the idioms will permit.

_Meoh accoowah eshtaw paatah negushtawgaw shejah menah. Tongo Wakon meoh woshta, paatah accoowah. Hopiniyahie oweeh accooyee meoh, woshta patah otoh tohinjoh meoh teebee._

I will arise before the sun, and ascend yonder hill, to see the new light chase away the vapours, and disperse the clouds. Great Spirit give me success. And when the sun is gone, lend me, oh moon, light sufficient to guide me with safety back to my tent loaden with deer!