Indian dandyThe Indian Dandy.Itmust not be supposed that the love of fine dress is confined to city dandies and dandisettes. By no means; for travellers tell us that among the tribes that inhabit the far west, the young Indian men have a great fancy for dressing themselves up in a fanciful way.The picture at the head of this article represents a young man whose name was Prairie Wolf, and it is a very good likeness. He has upon his head the horns of a buffalo, which he slew in the chase; and beneath is the hair of the buffalo’s pate, with a circular and notched piece of leather, forming together a sort of crown. He has beads around his neck, with a necklace ofbears’ claws. He has, also, a bracelet on his left arm. His robe is made of ornamented deer skins;—his kilt is of leather, fringed with wampum.This dress is very modest for a young Indian. Very often the young fellows, when they wish to appear lovely in the eyes of the girls, paint themselves red, blue and green: they decorate their heads with feathers, and, altogether, make a most extraordinary display. They then mount a horse and ride swiftly around the village, coming often before the women to excite their admiration.The grave old warriors and hunters, who have done great deeds in their day, laugh at such things, and ridicule them as very contemptible. Indeed, when an Indian has performed some distinguished feat in battle, or the chase, he usually ceases to be a dandy in dress.One thing is curious among the Indians, and that is, that this love of dress is chiefly confined to the men. The women, indeed, decorate themselves with a few beads and other ornaments; but real dandyism belongs wholly to the other sex. The females are usually modest in their attire, and seldom seek to excite admiration by their dress. It seems to be among the Indians as among the turkies—the cocks are the only ones that strut about, showing off their fine feathers!“Do you understand me, now?” thundered out one of our country pedagogues, to an urchin, at whose head he threw an ink-stand. “I have got anink-ling of what you mean,” replied the boy.
Indian dandy
Itmust not be supposed that the love of fine dress is confined to city dandies and dandisettes. By no means; for travellers tell us that among the tribes that inhabit the far west, the young Indian men have a great fancy for dressing themselves up in a fanciful way.
The picture at the head of this article represents a young man whose name was Prairie Wolf, and it is a very good likeness. He has upon his head the horns of a buffalo, which he slew in the chase; and beneath is the hair of the buffalo’s pate, with a circular and notched piece of leather, forming together a sort of crown. He has beads around his neck, with a necklace ofbears’ claws. He has, also, a bracelet on his left arm. His robe is made of ornamented deer skins;—his kilt is of leather, fringed with wampum.
This dress is very modest for a young Indian. Very often the young fellows, when they wish to appear lovely in the eyes of the girls, paint themselves red, blue and green: they decorate their heads with feathers, and, altogether, make a most extraordinary display. They then mount a horse and ride swiftly around the village, coming often before the women to excite their admiration.
The grave old warriors and hunters, who have done great deeds in their day, laugh at such things, and ridicule them as very contemptible. Indeed, when an Indian has performed some distinguished feat in battle, or the chase, he usually ceases to be a dandy in dress.
One thing is curious among the Indians, and that is, that this love of dress is chiefly confined to the men. The women, indeed, decorate themselves with a few beads and other ornaments; but real dandyism belongs wholly to the other sex. The females are usually modest in their attire, and seldom seek to excite admiration by their dress. It seems to be among the Indians as among the turkies—the cocks are the only ones that strut about, showing off their fine feathers!
“Do you understand me, now?” thundered out one of our country pedagogues, to an urchin, at whose head he threw an ink-stand. “I have got anink-ling of what you mean,” replied the boy.