CHAPTER XIX
INDIAN DANCE
"Come quick, and
see an Indian dance," shouted half a dozen eager,
bright-eyed, rosy cheeked little girls, rushing into
my room.
It needed no repetition,
and "all eager I hastened the scene to behold."
"But, what? where? where are they?" I inquired,
as I saw nothing unusual—nothing answering to
the descriptions of an "Indian dance," of
which I had so often heard.
"Why, down there
among the trees; don't you see them?" they exclaimed,
pointing at the same time to where the brook wound
its way amid the dark foliage; and there, dodging
among the trees, in hast preparations for something,
were scores of half nude forms.
"You don't call that
a dance surely?"
"No, not yet; but
they are getting ready for one; you see they are painting
themselves; they'll come up pretty soon. You see they
use the water for a looking glass."
Finding it was only the
preparation for a "dance" that
I had been called to witness, we returned to discuss
a waiting dinner, leaving the dancers to complete
their toilet. Soon the focus of attraction was a circle
of these fantastically painted and gayly [gaily] ornamented
beings, seated in their own peculiar manner, with
feet crossed, and in the center stood their chief,
Shackopee, making a speech. He was enthusiastically
cheered at the termination of each sentence by the
usual guttural "ugh ugh."
A rich, full intonation
gave an eloquent flow of sound
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and his powers of oratory stood confessed,
though the language was not understood. His design,
however, was to stimulate his band to deeds of virtuous
daring and hatred to enemies; and he closed with an
assurance to the whites who stood around, that they
sought not for whiskey in the "begging dance"
about to commence, but food and clothing, though they
would not refuse a little wine!
I passed on to the school-room,
where order was scarcely restored when a train of
one hundred and fifty stalwart men drew up directly
in front, forming the ring for the dance. It was truly
an inspiring scene, in which the weaker sex were not
allowed to join. No "woman's right principles"
tolerated there! But, they seemed fully to participate
in the enjoyment, and rejoice in the privilege of
spectators. Moving round and round, each man strikes
his heels into the earth, which is soon beat firmly,
the limbs and muscles all keeping time with the deep
guttural sound nd the muffled bass drum. At well understood
intervals, each strikes his hand upon his mouth, sending
forth shrill notes, which once heard are never forgotten,
though no language can convey a just idea of them.
Now, as by common consent,
with no apparent signal, they draw off in a straight
line, passing on to the next prearranged point; so
continuing during the day, and on some occasions for
days, or until their strength is exhausted. Presents
of blankets, flour, and pork, of considerable value,
are often made them, which the performers divide among
themselves.
On this occasion, the
dancers were in the acme of excitement, and presents
were fast accumulating, when a voice came booming
across the river, bidding them ease their pleasures
and prepare for revenge. A company of Cheppewas had
come upon their deserted village and a
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brother and son had been killed, and
the scalps carried off in triumph, the informant having
"alone escaped to tell them." Alas! what
consternation seized them! There was an unceremonious
hurrying to and fro, with strong desires for revenge
legible on every countenance. Curses and bitter threats
were heard instead of shouts of hilarity, and the
women, who could not engage in the revel, were now
flying through the street, panting to draw the reeking
knife from the heart of a Chippewa, and exhibit the
scalp as a trophy of victory.
The warriors and braves
hastened to the deposit of canoes, and dexterously
plied the paddle for up-stream, leaving the old men
and women to make their way home, thirty miles distant,
as best they might. The whole affair proved to be
a bold but successful intent to break up the scene
of revelry.
The "begging dance"
was afterward, until the removal of the tribe, of
frequent occurrence in our streets, being quite a
lucrative business to the performers.
One of the most novel
and ludicrous performances of the kind I ever witnessed
was by a company of some fifty boys, from ten to fifteen
years old, under the tutelage of old Hock-e-wash-ta.
They were in the gala of "full dress," or
rather un-dress, and were not the most submissive
to discipline. The mouth of the old decrepit, deposed
chief was drawn to a "broad grin" as he
gave orders and witnessed the progress of his refractory
pupils. In spite of scolding and coaxing, the boys
would frequently fly off at a tangent, and the tin-pan
music failed in its harmonizing design. Oh! how my
heart pitied these poor boys, untrained in the ways
of virtue, and inured from infancy to vice; while
nought but the ball, the dance, the dive, or the chase,
could arouse them from the lethargy in which their
minds were sunk!
Chapter XX
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