ANECDOTES
OF THE
AMERICAN INDIANS,
Illustrating their Eccentricities of Character.
BY THE AUTHOR OF “EVENINGS IN BOSTON,” “RAMON THEROVER OF CUBA.” &c.
HARTFORD:
PUBLISHED BY C. M. WELLES
1850.
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by
ALEXANDER V. BLAKE,
in the Clerk’s Office of the Southern District of New York.
STEREOTYPED BY S. DOUGLAS WYETH,
No. 7 Pear St. Philadelphia.
PREFACE.
The character of the aboriginal inhabitantsof the western continent is in many respectsremarkable and striking. It possesses greatinterest for the student of history as well as theobserver of human nature. Still this characterhas never been properly exhibited in a connectedview. One is obliged to detect the traits in detachedincidents and scattered descriptions; andthus by a sort of inductive process to determinethe real disposition, powers and capabilities ofthe North American Savage. It is for thepurpose of bringing the materials of this inductiveprocess within the compass of a singlevolume of moderate size that these “Anecdotes”have been collected. They present the savagein all his various aspects and relations, in allcircumstances of sorrow and joy, danger, difficultyand triumph. The incidents here narrated,viwhile they exhibit the most prominent traits ofthe Indian character, also bring into view themost striking passages of our national historyin its connection with the aborigines, and thusserve a double purpose as an exercise in historicalas well as philosophical study. Its chiefobject is utility. Its particular design is tosubserve the great cause of national education.
Philadelphia October 11, 1843.
ANECDOTES
OF THE
AMERICAN INDIANS.
INDIAN HONESTY.
In the character of the Indians of NorthAmerica there are many traits which their whiteneighbours would do well to imitate. Amongthese, strict honesty is one. Mr. Catlin givesthe credit of this virtue to all the wild tribeswhich he visited, not corrupted by intercoursewith civilized nations. Bolts and bars, for theprotection of property, among them are unknown.He cites many examples to prove this.The following anecdote is from another source.
An Indian being among his white neighbors,asked for a little tobacco to smoke, and one ofthem, having some loose in his pocket, gavehim a handful. The day following, the Indiancame back, inquiring for the donor, saying hehad found a quarter of a dollar among the tobacco;being told that as it was given him hemight as well keep it, he answered, pointing tohis breast: ‘I got a good man and a bad manhere; and the good man say, it is not mine, Imust return it to the owner; the bad man say,8why he gave it to you, and it is your ownnow; the good man say