THE MODERN RED MAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11323, 17 January 1899, Page 6

THE MODERN RED MAN.

The' special correspondent of the Toronto Globe, who has been visiting the Blackfooi, Reserve, gives the following interesting account of the modern red man: — .«

The Indians and squaws gather about the ration house, tethering their horses to' small stakes in the ground, and squatting in the shade--with' their cute,, half-naked, grinning, round-faced children. Blankets and moccasins are universal,. but. in hats there is infinite variety, from nothing to the best line of yellow felt. The blanket seems, to be worn as a matter of principle, and in conformity to family traditions, as the day is uncomfortably warm, a.nd all are properly clothed, at least according to civilised standards, without it. The prevailing style is rich in primary colours, red, yellow, blue, and green being distributed in varying combinations. Some of the men tie them loosely about their waists, letting them fall as irregular kilts; others fold them over the shoulders, or over one shoulder, .leaving an arm free, while a few cover their heads and dray the blanket closely in under their chins. Here tho majority, old and young, _ have their faces painted either a* dull' red-or. yellow; and while the.long, straight hair of the women is generally loose, and kept out of ttieir eyes by an occasional to3s of the head, that of the men is plaited into two or -four braids. The most popular adornment with the women is an abundance of brass wire rings on wrists and fingers, while the men ■wear earrings commonly '■ of shells with brass connections, their hair braids" also ornamented with bits of brass. r ■ .

It is customary to look for some significance and meaning in everything the Indian does, and in everything he wears. .. Anyone pressing for interpretations!' of these things'..generally gets thorn, and even if purely fictitious, thcyno doubt serve their purpose in satisfying an imaginative ".'■ etivioaity. ■■; Those who know the Indians.-best' say that their, dress and habits have no moie significance than, and in fact not so'much as, our'own. -That may dispel some interest ing and fanciful theories, but it is supported by the strongest-evidence. The chiefs, great or little, cannot bo distinguished from other, members of the tribe, v :neither by their clothes, ornaments, blankets, tepees, nor hoiises, and the agent and inotpiictors see no change after a man is appointed a chief, except that he is a little less inclined "to work or "'take" cattle, and more inclined to be arrogant. It •is the policy of the department to give the Indians cattle, not-for nothing, for that would have a bad influence,'but for ponies of far less value. Crowfoot,'the late,chief of the Blackfeet, the last real chief;they had, warned, them not to take catt-lu and "become self-supporting. He argued that if they became possessed of cattle the white men would'break the treaty and pease to give ont the stipulated rations, and the. influence of that^advice is still strong with the tribe. Although they have abundance of horses—some 3000 owned among 1100 people— they have but 357 cattle, the property of tho mosii thrifty men of the tribe.

- — Bullets of sti/ne were used in 1514, leaden bullets coming into use shortly before the end of tne sixteenth century; .Iron bullets have been mentioned as in-use in 1550.

— Including the British non-commissioned 'officers and men. (18,688), native officers and men (32,606), equal to 41,677, and followers (32,696), there were 9.5,061 men employed in repressing the reueut'frontier disturbances on the North-west Indian frontier. There were 41,055 .admissions into the.field and'general hospitals, and 1602.deaths. .■;■•.., -. .- ... •— A race between a stag and.a locomotive on tho rwlroad was lately witnessed near Labolle.; Canada,, The engineer noticed the" stag on the track about' 200 ft ahead, and he blew a, warning whistle. The animal started at s. run, keeping to "the ;f rack, and continued the race for three, miles, then gracefully bounded aside until the locomotive had passed. . . ■ . ; . ' : ■ . . ■ ■