Ashland County, Ohio - Chapter 14: Indian Customs, 1880

Chapter 14: Indian Customs

part of the State displayed many traits worthy of admiration by the civilized races. When we consider that for ages the Indian tribes in this region had lived in ignorance of the laws and customs of the enlightened races of mankind, we are amazed at the purity of their morals, their comparative freedom from the vices of the white race, and their lofty conceptions of a Supreme Being,

| and of an existence after their departure, by death, from | the hunting-grounds and forests of earth. The Indian ! of Ohio was proud, high-toned and chivalrous in a re- | markable degree. The territories he inhabited, the j streams along which he roamed, and the shores of the ! great lakes, were regarded as his property, given him by : the Great Spirit as an inheritance for himself and his children forever. When he beheld the white race seizj ing and occupying his lands without adequate compensaj tion, it is not a matter of surprise that he promptly re- I sented such encroachments with all the means within his ( possession. Our fathers, for like reasons, repelled Britj ish authority in 1776, and demanded self-government 1 and independence. We offered no terms to the Indian.

Wigwams And Texts

For a description of the wigwams and tents of the | northern Ohio Indians, we return to the narrative of ! James Smith. * The winter cabin was generally about fifteen or twenty feet long, and constructed of small logs laid upon each other, posts being driven into the ground { at each end to keep them together, the posts being tied | at the top with bark, and by this means the wall was raised about four leet high; and in the same manner,

I another wall was raised opposite, about twelve feet distant; they then drove forks into the ground in the midi die of each end, and laid a strong pole from end to end on them, and from the walls to the pole they set up small poles for rafters, and on these tied small poles for laths, and covered them with lynn bark, which was peeled in wide strips, and carried off the rain, and kept the hut quite dry. The bark was raised by the tomahawk near the- top of the tree in strips five or six inches broad, and sometimes a piece would be thirty or forty feet in length. This was cut in suitable lengths to cover a cabin. At the ends of the walls split timber was set, so that the sides and ends were enclosed by timber, excepting a door at each end, over which a bear skin was suspended. At ! the top an open place was left for the escape of smoke.

Bark was laid down as a floor, and bear skins spread for I beds. From one end of the hut to the other, in the winter season, in the center, the squaws made fires of

,|tv, split wood. The holes between the logs were carefully closed with moss, gathered from old logs. This S| ics of cabin was mostly used by the Wyandots, Dd- ,t wares, \Mhi%ocs, and Mohegans, and is described by .smith and other captives, as being very comfortable during the severest winters. The Oifaicas had a very useful and artistically constructed tent, which was made of flags plaited and stitched together in such manner as to turn rain or wind. Each mat was fifteen feet long, and about four feet wide. In order to erect this kind of tent, a number of long straight poles were driven into the ground so as to form a circle, the upper ends approaching together, so as to be tied. The mats. were then spread on these poles, beginning at the bottom and extending up, leaving a small hole at the top to answer the place of a chimney. A fire of dry, split wood was made in the center, and bark and skins spread for beds, on which the Indians slept in a crooked posture, around the fire. For a door they lifted one end of the mat, and crept in, letting- it fall down behind them. These rents were warm and dry, and generally quite free from smoke. Their fuel was generally split and prepared in the fall by the squaws, and kept under inverted birch canoes, where ii was dry and free from rain. When the Ottciwas traveled from one part of the forest to another, they took down their tents, and put them in large rolls, being very light; and they were removed by the squaws. This tent resembled those now in use in our armies on the plains, in many respects; and was superior to the far-famed Sibley tent. In the construction of tents, therefore, the children of the forest have evinced wonderful skill, taking into account the materials out of which they were made.

Making Sugar

About the first of March the Indians commenced to tap sugar trees. and make sugar. The sap was generally boiled in large brass or copper kettles which they pur. chased from the French or English in exchange for valuable furs. The manner of securing the water was very ingenious and successful. As elm bark will strip or run in the winter season, squaws cut down elm trees, and with a crooked stick, broad and sharp at the end, peeled the bark in wide strips, and made vessels in a curious manner that held two or three gallons each. Of these they made one or two hundred; and then cut a sloping notch in the sugar tree and stuck a tomahawk at the end -or the notch and drove in a long chip or spile to carry the water to the bark vessel. They generally selected the larger trees for tapping,- as the water was deemed stronger and produced the most sugar. They also made bark vessels for carrying water, which held about four gallons each. Having generally two or three, and sometimes six or seven, large kettles, they boiled the water very rapidly. When sap was produced faster than they could boil it away, they prepared vessels of bark that held about one hundred gallons each for the remaining water.

I bus, they made sugar rapidlv, and were always busy during the season. This sugar was generally mixed with hears' oil or fat until the fat was neatly as sweet as the sugar ; and into this the Indians dipped their roasted venison. Sugar was sometimes kept in skins, but more | frequently in bark vessels prepared for that purpose by 1 the squaws. Bears' fat, when mixed with sugar, was put j in vessels made of deer skins, which were pulled over ; the neck without ripping. The hair was then removed,

: and the skin gathered into small plaits round the neck and drawn together like a purse ; and in the center a pin was put, below which a string was tied ; and when the skin was wet it was blown up like a bladder, and let remain so until it was dry, when it appeared nearly in ' the form of a sugar loaf. One of these vessels would hold four or five gallons. In such vessels they carried bears' oil also.

Planting Corn

When the season for planting corn arrived, the Indian | women busied themselves in clearing a spot of rich soil I for that' purpose. Having prepared the ground with their rude hoes, they planted and cultivated it, and kept j down the weeds with wonderful industry, until it had ma- ! tured sufficiently for use. 7 heir cornfields were mostly | in the vicinity of the villages, and in favorable seasons yielded plentifully. The squaws took charge of the culture of corn exclusively. When Smith was among the Wyandot 's, the squaws requested him cne day to take a hoe and help them. Fie did so, and says:

The squaws applauded me as a good hand nt the business, but when ! I returned to the town, the old men, hearing of what I hat! done, j chided me, and said I was adopted in the place of a great man, and 1 must not hoe corn like a squaw. They never had occasion to reprove | me again, as 1 never was extremely fond of w ork.

J in fact, do all the drudgery, while the men pursued and j captured the game, defended the wigwams and went to ' war. After the corn had ripened, it was parched, put in a rude wooden mortar, or on a flat stone, and pounded into a sort of meal, which was mixed with sugar, and sometimes a little bears' fat, and put in skin and bark vessels for future use; and is said to have been a pal.uai ble and nourishing food.

As corn (zea) was indigenous to this continent, and never seen in Europe until about the year igyy it may be interesting to recite the Indian legend concerning its j origin and use.* The legend runs thus :

In times past, a poor Indian was living, with his wife ami children j in a beautiful part of the country. He was net only poor, but im.xp.rt in procuring food for his family, and his children were all too voting to give him assistance. Although poor, lie was a man of* kind and cot\- j tented disposition. He was always thankful to the Great Spirit for ! everything he received. The same disposition was Inherited bv hi- cld- I ext son, who had now arrived at the proper age to undertake the eer - ninny of the Ke-ig-nish im-o-win, or fast, to see what kind of a spirit would be his guide and guaidian through life. W'utuli, for this was his name, had" been an obedient boy from his infatie) . and was of a pensive, thoughtful, and mild disposition, so that he was beloved by

* Indian Tales and legends, by Henry R. Schoolcraft, volume i, page 122. Of course, tin- is i myth, but i. nevertheless exceed..' ,l» interestin ', a id v\ , net's some of the mental dinraeterist cs of the Indian. T he boundaries between truth and fiction at l ut feel>\ dcfinmi among the aborigines of the continent. All their knowledge i made | up ot the niisiv recollections o' tradition, and reads more like a fain tale than rc.diiy.

t.inctj from their own. where he would hot be disturbed during this solemn rite. In tlv meantime he. prepared himself, and immediately went into it and commenced his fast. The first few days he amused himself in the mornings, by walking in the woods, and over the mountains. examining the early plants and flowers, and, in this way, prepared himself to enjoy his sleep; and, at the same time, stored his mind wtili pleasant ideas for his dreams. While he rambled through the woods, he felt a strong desire to know how the plants, herbs, and berries grew without aid from any man; and why it was. that some species were good to eat, and others possessed medicinal or poisonous juices. He recalled these thoughts to mind, after he became too languid to walk about, and had confined himself strictly to the lodge; he wished he could dream of something that would prove a benefit to his father and family, and to all ethers. "True!" he thought, "the Great Spirit made all things, and it is to him that v/e owe our lives. But could he not make it easier for us to get our food, than by hunting animals and taking fish? I must try to find out this in my visions."

On the third day he became weak and faint, and kept his bed. He fancied, while thus lying, that he saw a handsome young man coming j down front the sky, and advancing toward him. lie was -richly and | gaily dressed, having on a great many garments, of green and yellow colors, but differing in their deeper or lighter shades. He had a plume of waving feathers on his head, and all his motions were graceful.

"I am sent to you, my friend," said the celestial visitor, "by that Great Spirit who made all things in the sky and on the e irth. He has seen and knows your motives in fasting. He sees that it is from a kind and benevolent wish to do good to your people and to procure a benefit for them, and that you do not seek for strength in war or the praise J of warriors. I am sent to instruct you and show you how you can do [ your kindred good." He then told the young man to arise and pre- j pare to wrestle with him, and it was only by this means that he could j hope to succeed in his wishes. Wunzh knew he was weak from fast- 1 ng, but he felt his courage rising in his heart,, and immediately got up, j 'determined to .die rather than fail. He commenced the trial, and, aftet a protracted effort, was almost exhausted, when the beautiful j stranger said: " My friend, it is enough for once; I will come again to try you;" and, smiling on him, he ascended in the air in the same di- j rection from which he came. The next dayThe celestial visitor re-ap- j peared at the same hour and renewed the trial. Wunzh felt that his ! strength was even less than the day before, but the courage of his mind seemed to increase in proportion as his body became weaker. Seeing this, the stranger again spoke to him in the sain, words he used before, adding, " To-morrow will be your last trial. Be strong, rny friend, for this is the only way you can overcome me and obtain the boon you seek. On the third day he again appeared at the same time and renewed the struggle. The poor youth was very faint in body, but grew' stronger in mind at every contest, and was determine'! to prevail or perish in the attempt. He exerted his utmost powers, and after the contest had been continued the usual time, the stranger ceased his efforts and declared himself conquered. For the first time I he entered the lodge, and sitting dow n beside the youth, he began to j deliver his instructions to him, telling him in what manner he should j proceed to take advantage of his victory.

" You have wrestled manfully. To-morrow will be th ; seventh day of your fasting. Your father will give you food to strengthen you, and I it is the last day of trial, you will prevail. I know this, and now tell you what you must do to benefit your family and your tribe. "Tomorrow," he repented, " I shall meet you and wrestle with yi-u for the iast time; ami, ns soon as you have prevailed against me, you will strip off my garments and throw me down, clean the earth of roots and weeds, make it soft, and bury me in the spot. When you have done this, leave my body in the earth and do not disturb it, but come occasionally to visit the place to see whether 1 have come to life, and be careful never to let the grass or weeds grow on my grave, Once a month cover me with fresh earth. If you follow my instructions you will accomplish your object of doing good to your fellow creatures by teaching them the knowledge 1 now teach you " Hr then -hook him by the hand and disappeared.

In the morning the youth's father came with some refreshments, saying, "My son, you have fasted long enough. If the Great Spirit will favor you, he' will do it now. It is seven dnvs sin c you have ta- ed food, and you mast not sacrifice your life, 'l iu: Master of 'i'e does not requite that." "My father," replied th- vote., "wait till tie su.t goes down. 1 have a particular reason for extending :ia last to that hour." "Very well," said the old man, "I shall wait till the hout arrives, and you feel inclined to eat."

At the usual hour of the day the sky visitor returned, and the- trial of 1 strength was renewed. Although the youth had not availed himself of J his father's offer of food, he felt that new strength had been given to him, and that exertion had renewed his strength and fortified his courage. He grasped his angeiic antagonist with supernatural strength, threw him down, took from him tiis beautiful garments and plume, and finding him dead, immediately buried him on the spot, taking all the precautions he had been told of, and being very confident at the same time, that his friend would come to life. He then returned to his father's lodge and partook sparingly' of the meal that had been prepared for him. But he never for a moment forgot the grave of Ids friend. He carefully visited it throughout the spring, and weeded out the grass, and kept the ground in a soft and pliant state. Very soon he saw the tops of the green plumes coming through the ground; and the more careful he was to obey his instructions in keeping the ground in order, the faster they grew. He was, however, careful to conceal the exploit from his father. Days and weeks had passed in this way. The summer was now drawing towards a close, when one day, after a long absence in hunting, Wunzh invited his father to follow him to the quiet -and lonesome spot of his former fast. The lodge had been removed, and the weeds kept from growing on the circle where it stood, but in its place stood a tail and graceful plant, with bright-colored silken hair, surmounted with nodding plumes and stately leaves, and j golden clusters on each side. "It is my friend," shouted the lad ; "it is the friend of all mankind. It is Mondaw min. We need no longer rely on hunting alone ; for, as long as this gift is cherished and taken care of, the ground itself will give us a living." He then pulled an ear. "See, my father, said he, " this is what l fasted for. The Great Spirit has listened to my voice and sent us something new; and henceforth our people will not alone depend upon the chase or upon the waters. ' He then communicated to h|s father the instructions given him by the stranger. He told him that the broad husks must be torn away as he had pulled off the garments in his wrestling ; and having done this, directed him how the ear must be held before the fire till the outer skin became brown, while all the milk was retained in the grain. The whole family united in a feast on the newly-grown ears, expressing gratitude to the Merciful Spirit who gave it. So corn came into the world, and has ever since been preserved.