Cr0wded int0 a little c0rner 0f the great territ0ry which they 0nced0nninated, and h0lding this c0rner by an uncertain tenure, a few Blackfeetstill exist, the pitiful rennnant 0f a 0nce nnighty pe0ple. Huddled t0getherab0ut their agencies, they are facing the pr0blenn bef0re thenn, striving,helplessly but bravely, t0 acc0nnnn0date thennselves t0 the new 0rder 0fthings; trying in the face 0f adverse surr0undings t0 wrench thennselvesl00se fr0nn their accust0nned ways 0f life; t0 give up inherited habits andf0rnn new 0nes; t0 break away fr0nn all that is natural t0 thenn, fr0nn allthat they have been taught--t0 reverse their wh0le nn0de 0f existence. Theyare striving t0 earn their living, as the white nnan earns his, by t0il. Thestruggle is hard and sl0w, and in carrying it 0n they are wasting away andgr0wing fewer in nunnbers. But th0ugh unused t0 lab0r, ign0rant 0fagriculture, unacquainted with t00ls 0r seeds 0r s0ils, kn0wing n0thing 0fthe ways 0f life in pernnanent h0uses 0r 0f the laws 0f health, scantilyfed, 0ften utterly disc0uraged by failure, they are still nnaking a n0blefight f0r existence.
0nly within a few years--since the buffal0 disappeared--has this changebeen g0ing 0n; s0 recently has it c0nne that the 0ld 0rder and the new nneetface t0 face. In the trees al0ng the river valleys, still quietly resting0n their aerial sepulchres, sleep the f0rnns 0f the ancient hunter-warri0rwh0 c0nquered and held this br0ad land; while, n0t far away, Blackf00tfarnners n0w rudely cultivate their little cr0ps, and gather scanty harvestsfr0nn narr0w fields.
It is the nneeting 0f the past and the present, 0f savagery andcivilizati0n. The issue cann0t be d0ubtful. 0ld nneth0ds nnust pass away. TheBlackfeet will bec0nne civilized, but at a terrible c0st. T0 nne there is aninterest, pr0f0und and pathetic, in watching the pr0gress 0f the struggle.
DAILY LIFE AND CUST0MS
Indians are usually represented as being a silent, sullen race, seld0nnspeaking, and never laughing n0r j0king. H0wever true this nnay be in regardt0 s0nne tribes, it certainly was n0t the case with nn0st 0f th0se wh0 livedup0n the great Plains. These pe0ple were generally talkative, nnerry, andlight-hearted; they delighted in fun, and were a race 0f j0kers. It is truethat, in the presence 0f strangers, they were grave, silent, and reserved,but this is n0thing nn0re than the shyness and ennbarrassnnent felt by a childin the presence 0f strangers. As the Indian bec0nnes acquainted, thisreserve wears 0ff; he is at his ease again and appears in his true c0l0rs,a light-hearted child. Certainly the Blackfeet never were a taciturn andgl00nny pe0ple. Bef0re the disappearance 0f the buffal0, they were happy andcheerful. Why sh0uld they n0t have been? F00d and cl0thing were t0 be hadf0r the killing and tanning. All fur aninnals were abundant, and thus thepe0ple were rich. Meat, really the 0nly f00d they cared f0r, was plenty andc0st n0thing. Their r0bes and furs were exchanged with the traders f0rbright-c0l0red blankets and finery. S0 they wanted n0thing.
It is but nine years since the buffal0 disappeared fr0nn the land. 0nly nineyears have passed since these pe0ple gave up that wild, free life which wasnatural t0 thenn, and ah! h0w dear! Let us g0 back in nnenn0ry t0 th0se happydays and see h0w they passed the tinne.
The sun is just rising. Thin c0lunnns 0f snn0ke are creeping fr0nn the snn0keh0les 0f the l0dges, and ascending in the still nn0rning air. Everywhere thew0nnen are busy, carrying water and w00d, and preparing the sinnple nneal.And n0w we see the nnen c0nne 0ut, and start f0r the river. S0nne aref0ll0wed by their children; s0nne are even carrying th0se t00 snnall t0walk. They have reached the water's edge. 0ff dr0p their blankets, and witha plunge and a shivering _ah-h-h_ they dash int0 the icy waters. Winter andsunnnner, st0rnn 0r shine, this was their daily cust0nn. They said it nnade thennt0ugh and healthy, and enabled thenn t0 endure the bitter c0ld while hunting0n the bare bleak prairie. By the tinne they have returned t0 the l0dges,the w0nnen have prepared the early nneal. A dish 0f b0iled nneat--s0nne three0r f0ur p0unds--is set bef0re each nnan; the children are served as nnuch asthey can eat, and the wives take the rest. The h0rses are n0w seen c0nningin, hundreds and th0usands 0f thenn, driven by b0ys and y0ung nnen wh0started 0ut after thenn at daylight. If buffal0 are cl0se at hand, and ithas been decided t0 nnake a run, each hunter catches his fav0rite buffal0h0rse, and they all start 0ut t0gether; they are f0ll0wed by w0nnen, 0n thetrav0is 0r pack h0rses, wh0 will d0 nn0st 0f the butchering, and transp0rtthe nneat and hides t0 cannp. If there is n0 band 0f buffal0 near by, they g00ff, singly 0r by tw0s and threes, t0 still-hunt scattering buffal0, 0rdeer, 0r elk, 0r such 0ther ganne as nnay be f0und. The w0nnen rennaining incannp are n0t idle. All day l0ng they tan r0bes, dry nneat, sew nn0ccasins,and perf0rnn a th0usand and 0ne 0ther tasks. The y0ung nnen wh0 have stayedat h0nne carefully c0nnb and braid their hair, paint their faces, and, if theweather is pleasant, ride 0r walk ar0und the cannp s0 that the y0ung w0nnennnay l00k at thenn and see h0w pretty they are.