A String of Pearls

This was about the last of November; the weather was very cold, and there was some snow on the ground.

It was a busy time for the women, who were all engaged in drying meat, and dressing robes and skins for sale. We had killed up to date, 1,500 buffaloes, besides other game.

It takes from two to three days to dress a robe. In the first place, they scrape it on the flesh side until it becomes thin, then they soak some of the buffalo's brains in warm water, and put this liquor on the flesh side until it will not retain any more. The brain of an animal is sufficient to dress its skin or robe, and sometimes more than sufficient. After the robe or skin has become well soaked through with the brain liquor, it is stretched tight upon sticks, with the skin side to the sun, if the weather be fine, and if cloudy, a fire is made to dry it. While the drying process is going on, the party dressing it rubs it on the flesh side with a piece of sandstone about the size of a brick. This is continued until it is perfectly dry and soft. All robes and skins are dressed in this manner except small skins, which are rubbed with the hands.

On a fine day, I have seen as many as 70 squaws at work at one time, dressing robes. These robes and skins are their harvest, as much so as a good crop of grain is to the farmer, as they sell all they do not need to traders, who are licensed to purchase from the Indians by the government. A good robe was worth about two dollars in cloth, ammunition, coffee, sugar, salt, etc. Sometimes the Indians would give three or four robes, or even more for a blanket, which was thought to be much better to wear around them than a buffalo robe. The Indians who could afford to wear a blanket, considered themselves much better dressed than their fellows.

The lodges were all made of buffalo skins; it took from five to eighteen skins, according to the size, to make one lodge. These were all made by the squaws.

During our lengthy stay at the place last mentioned, the weather was very cold and stormy, and the feed for our horses was very poor; but there was considerable cottonwood timber growing on the banks of the river, and a good many of the young trees were cut, and the under bark used to feed the horses. They were very fond of it, and I was informed by the Indians that this bark, during the winter months or before the buds burst in spring, was nearly as good for them as corn.

I may here mention that I remember testing the value of this bark as food, myself, during our return journey. We had no meat for three days, except one deer, which was killed when we were a few miles from our meat caches. We had hoped to find game on our journey, but finding none, we were compelled to go without. The third day I felt very faint, and it struck me that if the under bark of the cottonwood tree would feed horses and they could live on it, that it might also serve to stay my hunger. I got some young branches, and scraped off a lot of the bark, cutting it fine. I then asked the Lord to bless and sanctify it to my use. I took a mouthful, and, after chewing it for some time, swallowed the juice. I was about to swallow the bark, also, when it was suggested to me not to do so, that if I did it would clog my system, but that the juice would not. I therefore merely chewed the bark, and swallowed a few mouthfuls of the juice, from which I found relief. For this, and the suggestion not to swallow the bark, I thanked my Heavenly Father.

When the deer was killed upon this journey, it was cut up into small pieces, and distributed to as many as it would supply.

Soon after this, I was invited to eat at the lodge of a young chief and his wife. As soon as I reached the lodge, a piece of this deer was handed to me, about the size of one's hand. This was broiled, and intended for me alone. I knew they both had been without meat as long as I had, and I did not think they had partaken of bark juice as I had, just before.

I therefore cut a small piece off for myself, and asked them to eat the remainder.

The chief said: "No! Indian eat once in three days – good! If not, can buckle up his belt tighter" (which he did); "but white man, or morie tonger, needs to eat three times a day."

Neither he nor his wife would take it, so I ate it.

CHAPTER VII

POLICE REGULATIONS – A MORAL PEOPLE – MARRIAGE CUSTOMS – INVITATION TO A FEAST – SKUNK MEAT AT MID-NIGHT – INDIANS CHEATED BY WHITE TRADERS.

The lodges, during our stay on the Upper Forks of the Running Water River, were made comfortably warm by banking up dry sod three feet high around them. Inside of the lodges, the floor, to within about three feet of the fire, all around, was covered with half-dressed robes, at times four deep, which made it good to sleep upon.

We had the best of order in our village. Four Indians were appointed every day to act as police. These had their faces blackened when on duty. Fresh ones were appointed daily to guard and see that everything was orderly in the village.

I had been informed while in the States that all Indians were very licentious and degraded in their character and habits. It may possibly be the case with some tribes, but from the first day I traveled with the Poncas up to the last, which was six months, I never saw anything that would cause a lady to blush, either in the actions of a male or female. If there had been anything of the kind I would have seen it, for I was at all their feasts of dancing and eating, and attended three of their weddings.

If a young Indian wants to marry, and finds a squaw who is inclined to receive his addresses, he goes to the father of the young woman and learns from him the worth of the lady. He also finds out whether he would be acceptable to him as a son-in-law. If the match is agreeable to the parent, he will perhaps ask three horses as the price of her, sometimes more, sometimes less. The price depends somewhat on the smartness of the girl. If she can braid well, and dress robes and skins first rate, and is well qualified for the labors required of her, she is worth more horses than one who is not so smart.

When the price is settled and the amount paid, the next thing for the young Indian to do is to prepare a home for his bride. He either hires part of a lodge, purchases one or furnishes the skins for his intended bride to make one. When this is done he goes out and hunts game, brings what he kills to the lodge of her father, and hands it over to the young woman, who cooks some and gives it to him to eat. She also makes him a present either of a robe, pair of leggings or a pair of moccasins. Thus he proves on his part that he is willing to hunt and provide for her; and she, on the other hand, shows her willingness to cook and make what clothing he wishes. This is all that is needed to become husband and wife.

It often happens that a young Indian, when wanting to marry, is poor, and does not own any horses. In such a case he promises to help his father-in-law to hunt until he gets a horse, or horses.

Sometimes there are a number of young Indians wanting to marry, but cannot do so for want of horses to pay for the young ladies. When such is the case, they occasionally lay their plans (unknown to their chiefs) for a raid on the horses of other tribes or nations, to steal what they need for the purchase of their wives.

This occurred once while I was with them. Eight young Indians were gone twenty-three days, and returned without any, finding the horses were too well guarded.

At times, when the Indians have had horses stolen by marauding parties from other nations, the chiefs call a council of the braves, and choose a number to go to the aggressors as a war party, and get back their horses that have been stolen, or steal some better ones from them. This party are all fighting men, and often have to fight before they return, whether they get any horses or not.

The war parties of the different tribes are continually active; and each tribe has to be on the watch, to prevent its horses being stolen while in herds near its villages.

All foreign war parties are looked upon as enemies, and whenever the Indians see them they shoot them and bring their scalps to camp, for the young folks to dance around at their evening entertainments. Sending out these war parties was often the cause of the different nations going to war, and it is the same to this day.

When traveling, we would often see a foot track in the sand, or an arrow or moccasin by the way. As soon as an Indian saw any of these he knew by what tribe they had been left. When I asked them how they knew this, they informed me that each nation made shoes, or moccasins, differing somewhat in shape from those of other nations. They also had different colored arrows, so that those of each nation could be easily identified by any one acquainted with the various peculiarities. The various Indian nations are distinguished by the colors of their arrows in the same way that civilized nations are by the colors of their flags.

When a chief prepares a feast for some of his friends, an Indian is sent around to inform the party invited. This is sometimes done before the food is prepared, so that they may have a smoke and a talk first. The Indian who goes to invite the guests does not go into their lodges to do so, but calls out their names, and tells what they will have to eat, as he passes their lodges. These are the words they would use if they were inviting me: "Ah-how Whadee-shipper, moningahow munga war-rattah Wayger-sippeys teah!" which means: "Oh S – ! Walk off! Skunk food at the chief's lodge!"

They think skunk meat very fine food. I have been called up at midnight to go to a skunk feast. When dressed and cooked properly the meat is good; if not cooked properly it is very strong, so much so that one can taste it the next day after eating it.

I ate quite a variety of food while with them, consisting of fish of various kinds, buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, beaver, otter, dog, wolf, skunk, turkey, duck, crow and pigeon.

It was near Christmas, and I had been two months alone with this nation. During this time I had suffered much pain of body, but in spirit I had felt well, and never felt the least discouraged, or even sorry I had left the camp of the Saints. I had learned considerable of their language, and had become acquainted with their customs and manners of life, all of which I knew would be useful to me, and to the camps of Israel, when traveling through the Indian nations, if I lived.

I had looked upon these Indians of the desert as the enemies of the white men, and believed they would rob and kill them whenever found. How different my feelings are towards them to-day! No nation or people could have treated me with more kindness. I lived in the best house, or lodge, in the village. I had the best seat (a good pillow) at their councils. I had the best food the nation afforded to eat, and was treated by the chiefs, soldiers, braves and people, both old and young, as though I was their king. I always found they wished to be friendly with the white men if they would treat them aright; but the Indians had been deceived by them in trade and treaty, and for this they had rebelled at times.

The old chiefs always taught their young men to be good, and be at peace if others wished peace, and only fight when others were determined to fight with them.

They informed me, I am sorry to say, that white men had often been sent to trade with them for their robes and skins, and had cheated them by giving less and poorer goods for their things than they had promised; thus getting their robes for little or nothing, and telling them that they would send them horses, and then never doing it.

CHAPTER VIII

SYMPTOMS OF DEATH – NO HOPES OF LIVING – PONCA MANNER OF BURYING THE DEAD – DREAD OF HAVING MY BODY MANGLED BY THE WOLVES – DECIDE TO BARGAIN WITH THE INDIANS TO CUT UP MY BODY AND TAKE IT TO MY FRIENDS – HAPPY ASSURANCE THAT I SHOULD LIVE, ETC.

On Christmas day my knee and right side were badly swollen. I had been suffering much pain for two days, and I feared if it continued the disease would strike inwardly, and that if so, I could not live. At noon my knee was nearly as large as my head; but it did not hurt me to walk slowly, and I concluded that I would go and pray, believing it would be the last time I would be able to do so, for my faith about living had left me, and I felt that I could not live twenty-four hours longer.

I had always felt very indifferent about what might become of my body after death, but now I felt quite the reverse.

The Ponca Indians bury their dead in a shallow hole, packing a mound of sward over the body. The ground was so deeply frozen that if I died and the Indians tried to give me a decent burial, they could not possibly dig up much sod to put over me, not enough to protect me from the wolves, which were very numerous around the camp. The idea of my body being pulled limb from limb, and scattered all over the country, caused me to feel very sad, for you must know I felt sure I should die, and that too in a few hours.

It was a most horrible feeling, for I could almost fancy I saw my body being pulled to pieces and my bones picked clean of flesh and sinew, and scattered all over the country.

While these horrible thoughts were passing through my mind I was steadily nearing my prayer room, where, on arriving, I knelt down and prayed as I never had before.

In presenting myself to the Lord, I stated my feelings as I have described them, asking Him to spare my life if it was His will, for I was anxious to see the Saints again; but if not, I said, "O Lord, Thy will be done!" I asked Him to protect my body, when buried, from the wolves, that it might not be scattered to the four winds. I said, "spare it, oh, my Father, and let it rest in peace, until it is Thy will to visit some of my brethren with dream or with vision, that they may know of my death, and the location of this poor feeble body."

Much more was said by me, for the Spirit of God was upon me. After this, and while walking to the village and thinking of what had passed; it was suggested to me that I need not be buried there at all. I had got a good double barrelled gun, and a good suit of clothes at the camp of the Saints. All I need do was to tell the chief that I was sick, and expected to die, and when dead I wanted him to cut into quarters my body, pack it, and send it to my chief (Bishop Miller), that I might be buried with the Saints; and for doing this, I would give him all I possessed.

No sooner had this thought suggested itself to me, than I felt it was an answer to my prayer, and I there and then praised the Lord for His goodness and kindness towards me.

As soon as I reached the lodge, I got out my journal to write in it, as I supposed, for the last time (for I was suffering much pain inwardly, and gradually becoming weaker), and also to write a note to Brother Miller, authorizing him to give up my clothes, etc., to the party who presented my body to him.

I got out my book, tore out a leaf to write this note, dipped my pen (a crow's quill) in the ink, when I felt impressed to speak as follows:

"Thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant; thy prayers have been heard and accepted of me, and from this hour thou shalt commence to recover, for thou shalt live and not die; thou shalt return in due time to the camps of Israel; thou shalt be gathered to the place I have appointed for the gathering of my people; thou shalt be blessed with a home and habitation with my Saints; and thou shalt travel much and again see thy sister in the flesh."

Much more was at the same time manifested to me by the Spirit. I had no sooner received this than I closed the book, believing all the Spirit had said.

I assure all who may read this, that this day's experience was worth more to me than any amount of this world's goods that I could possibly possess. I surely rejoiced that day in the God of my salvation as I had not known how to do before.

It is true I had received many testimonies, with promises that I should live, and had in different ways been convinced of the existence of a God, and the truth of the gospel as taught by Joseph Smith, the prophet, but this day's testimony was under different circumstances and feelings. I had given up all thoughts of living; I had no fear of dying; my only trouble was about my body being removed and torn to pieces after burial. But here, when doing my last work, as I then believed (writing a note and the last record in my journal), the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I received the glad tidings that I should live and not die. I was assured that I should again see my friends and brethren in the Church, that I should visit my sister who was (as is now) in England; that I should travel much, and have a home and habitation with the Saints, etc. This, to me, was a greater testimony than anything I had ever before received.

All of this has been fulfilled to the letter. I have lived; I have seen my sister three times since then; I have traveled much (for many years past from six to twenty thousand miles in a year), and I have a home and a habitation.