Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketches Of The Manners And Customs Of The North-American Indians.
the place we met the spies . When the Indians received this intelligence , no farther attendance or attention was paid to my survey , but their whole thoughts were immediately engaged iri planning . the best method of attack , and how they might steal on the poor Esquimaux , the ensuing night , and kill them all while asleep . To accomplishthis bloody design more effectually , the Indians thought itnecessary to cross the river as soon as ' possible ; andb } " the account of the spies
, , it appeared that no part was more convenient for the purpose than that where we had met them , it being there very smooth , and at a considerable distance from any fall . Accordingly , after the Indians had put all their guns , spears ,-targets , & c . in good order , we crossed the river , which took up some time . . " When we arrived on the West side of the river , each painted the
front of his target or shield ; some with the figure of the Sun , others with that of the Moon , several with different kinds of birds and beasts of prey , and many with the images of imaginary beings / which , according to their silly notions , are the inhabitants of the different elements , Earth , Sea , Air , & c . " On enquiring the reason of their doing soI learned that each man
, painted his shield with the image of that being on which he relied most for success in the intended engagement . Some Were contented with a single representation ; while others , doubtful , as I suppose , of the quality and power of any single being , had their shields covered to the very margin with a group of hieroglyphics quite unintelli gible to every one except the painter . Indeed , from the hurry in which
this business was necessaril y done , the want of every colour but red and black , and the deficiency of skill in the artist , most of those paintings had more the appearance of a number of accidental blotches , than ' of any thing that is on the earth , or in the water under the ' earth ; ' and though some few of them conveyed a tolerable idea of the thing intended , yet even these were many degrees worse than our country sign-paintings in England .
" When this piece of superstition was completed , We began to advance toward the Esquimaux tents ; but were very careful to avoid crossing any hills , or talking loud , for fear of being seen or overheard by the inhabitants ; by which means the distance was not onl y niuch greater than it otherwise would have been , but , for the sake of keeping in the lowest grounds , we were obliged to walk through
entire swamps of stiff marly clay , sometimes up to the knees . Our course , however , on this occasion , though very serpentine , was not altogether so remote from the river as entirely to exclude me from a view of it the whole way : on the contrary , several times ( according to the situation of the ground ) we advanced so near it , as to give fne an opportunity of convincing myself that it was as unnavigable
as it was in those parts which I had surveyed before , and which entirel y corresponded with the accounts given of it by the spies . _ "It is perhaps worth remarking , that my crew , " though an undisciplined rabble , and by no means accustomed to war or command , seemingly acted , on this horrid occasion , with the utmost uniformity VOL .-vi . S s
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketches Of The Manners And Customs Of The North-American Indians.
the place we met the spies . When the Indians received this intelligence , no farther attendance or attention was paid to my survey , but their whole thoughts were immediately engaged iri planning . the best method of attack , and how they might steal on the poor Esquimaux , the ensuing night , and kill them all while asleep . To accomplishthis bloody design more effectually , the Indians thought itnecessary to cross the river as soon as ' possible ; andb } " the account of the spies
, , it appeared that no part was more convenient for the purpose than that where we had met them , it being there very smooth , and at a considerable distance from any fall . Accordingly , after the Indians had put all their guns , spears ,-targets , & c . in good order , we crossed the river , which took up some time . . " When we arrived on the West side of the river , each painted the
front of his target or shield ; some with the figure of the Sun , others with that of the Moon , several with different kinds of birds and beasts of prey , and many with the images of imaginary beings / which , according to their silly notions , are the inhabitants of the different elements , Earth , Sea , Air , & c . " On enquiring the reason of their doing soI learned that each man
, painted his shield with the image of that being on which he relied most for success in the intended engagement . Some Were contented with a single representation ; while others , doubtful , as I suppose , of the quality and power of any single being , had their shields covered to the very margin with a group of hieroglyphics quite unintelli gible to every one except the painter . Indeed , from the hurry in which
this business was necessaril y done , the want of every colour but red and black , and the deficiency of skill in the artist , most of those paintings had more the appearance of a number of accidental blotches , than ' of any thing that is on the earth , or in the water under the ' earth ; ' and though some few of them conveyed a tolerable idea of the thing intended , yet even these were many degrees worse than our country sign-paintings in England .
" When this piece of superstition was completed , We began to advance toward the Esquimaux tents ; but were very careful to avoid crossing any hills , or talking loud , for fear of being seen or overheard by the inhabitants ; by which means the distance was not onl y niuch greater than it otherwise would have been , but , for the sake of keeping in the lowest grounds , we were obliged to walk through
entire swamps of stiff marly clay , sometimes up to the knees . Our course , however , on this occasion , though very serpentine , was not altogether so remote from the river as entirely to exclude me from a view of it the whole way : on the contrary , several times ( according to the situation of the ground ) we advanced so near it , as to give fne an opportunity of convincing myself that it was as unnavigable
as it was in those parts which I had surveyed before , and which entirel y corresponded with the accounts given of it by the spies . _ "It is perhaps worth remarking , that my crew , " though an undisciplined rabble , and by no means accustomed to war or command , seemingly acted , on this horrid occasion , with the utmost uniformity VOL .-vi . S s