Archives of aboriginal knowledge. Containing all the original paper laid before Congress respecting the history, antiquities, language, ethnology, pictography, rites, superstitions, and mythology, of (14596218919)

Identifier: archivesofaborig04scho (find matches)
Title: Archives of aboriginal knowledge. Containing all the original paper laid before Congress respecting the history, antiquities, language, ethnology, pictography, rites, superstitions, and mythology, of the Indian tribes of the United States
Year: 1860 (1860s)
Authors: Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe, 1793-1864. dn United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs. cn
Subjects: Indians of North America United States
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott & co.
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation



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se sheep arenever shorn until after death. The Indians possess no process of dressing them, which isnot simply an aboriginal art; nor of tanning any species of skin, or converting it intoleather. They are a semi-agricultural and pacific people, not engaging in wars andpredatory excursions, like the more fierce and military Navajoes near them. Theydwell, indeed, within the territorial area of the latter, with whom their languagedenotes an affinity. These new views of the low domestic condition and arts of these tribes, tend totake away from the overcharged accounts of Coronado and his contemporaries, whichwe promulgated in his expedition to Cibola, in 1542 — an era, indeed, of extravagantexcitement and description. (Pueblo of Laguna: Plate V.) Dec. 25/7/, 1851.—I attended church to-day, and witnessed a curious spectacle. Thechurch is quite a large building of stone, laid up in mud, and is surmounted by awooden cross. It is long and narrow, and the walls are whitewashed in much tlie
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*■ MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 73 same style that the Indians pahit their earthen-ware. The front is continued aboutten feet above the roof, the whole overtopped by the cross, and in this wall are threearches, containing as manj sized bells, whose tones are by no means orphean, andwhich are tolled by Indians standing on the roof and pulling cords attached to thedifferent clappers. The Indians appear greatly delighted in jingling these bells upon all occasions; butthis morning they commenced very early, and made, if possible, more noise than usual.After breakfast I entered the church, (we — officers and men — are all quartered inthe priests house, which is directly adjoining the church,) and found the people assem-bling for worship, the men in their best blankets, buckskin breeches, and moccasins,and the squaws in their gayest tilmas. Many of the latter wore blankets of red cloth,thrown over the ordinary colored tilma or manta. Candles were lighted at the altar,within the limits of whic