File:The substance of a journal during a residence at the Red River colony, British North America - and frequent excursions among the North West American Indians in the years 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823 (1827) (14580684797).jpg

Identifier: substanceofjour00west (find matches)
Title: The substance of a journal during a residence at the Red River colony, British North America : and frequent excursions among the North West American Indians in the years 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823
Year: 1827 (1820s)
Authors: West, John, 1778-1845
Subjects: Indians of North America
Publisher: London : Published by L.B. Seeley and Son
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ed with another for hisgun which he fired in the air, and went imme-diately to the other post, where it was supposedthey had taken up their quarters for the night.A guard being mounted, we retired to rest, butwere disturbed about eleven oclock with thecry, that the Sioux Indians had shot and scalpedan Assiniboine, who with two others had tra-velled a considerable distance to smoke thecalumet with them at Pembina. The bloodyand unsuspected deed was committed byWanatou, whose intention was to have killedthe other two had they not immediately fled,because some one, or a party of their nationhad stolen a horse from him about a yearbefore. As soon as the scalp was taken theyall started for the plains with this notoriousChief, who had shed the blood of ten or twelveIndians and Americans before ; and who borethe marks of having been several times piercedwith balls by his enemies. It was formerly thecustom to cut off the heads of those whom theyslew in war, and to carry them away as trophies;
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SIOUX WAR-DANCE. 85 but these were found cumbersome in the hasty-retreat which they always make as soon as theyhave killed their enemy; they are now satisfiedwith only tearing off the scalp. This is usuallytaken from the crown of the head, of a smallcircular size; sometimes however they take thewhole integuments of the skull, with which theyornament their war jackets and leggins, or twistinto a brush for the purpose of keeping off themosquitoes. The scalp is their glory andtriumph, and is often carried by women stretchedupon a stick, and hung with various articles soas to make a jingle to men when they performthe war-dance. This is very animated and striking, as theygenerally dance .completely armed, and withgestures to represent their mode of going towar, their attack upon their enemy, the scalpingof those who are slain, and their triumphantreturn as conquerors. They go through theseevolutions in such a wild and savage manner asfrequently to excite the fears of the European,who witne

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