Crow, Cook, Johnson, Bartram, Moore, Catlin, Audubon, Harris, Sullivan.
James Cook, Billy Bartram, Fletcher Johnson, Lewis/Clark, George Catlin, Waselkof/Branund, and many others (example: Department of History Collections of South Dakota) have written about our American Indians. (These are only those that come quickly to mind) If I had to rank these writers on their impartial, indepth recording of the Indian's way of life, it would be Bartram, Johnson, Catlin, Cook and Lewis/Clark. Having said this, it is good to remember that each wrote from a different time, from different experiences. In the Case of Waselkof/Branund, they acted as compiliers of Bartram's observations and while providing an important service to those interested in Indian culture, they impose politically correct interpertations that will become dated as our society changes.
James Cook
Cook wrote about his friends, the Indians who lived in the area. If one visits the Agate Springs ranch, one quickly discovers that in this vast semiarid area there are three things that man misses most; trees, water and human companionship. The ranch is situated in an area where nature provides water and trees, man must seek companionship from his fellow travelers. It is sad that while Cook lived, the Agate Springs Ranch was a warm friendly place for not only white men but red men as well. (No sexist meaning intended.) In the book, Red Cloud and the Sioux Problem, Cook is given the honor of appearing in the final pages of the book as the friend of Red Cloud who hosted his family to the Agate Springs Ranch to visit and camp as his life neared its end. With the Federal Government taking control of the area, it now is a forlorn regimented space that lacks the very spirit of human kindness so representive of Cook and his Indian friends. I doubt that a single Indian has visited the National Monument since it became "U. S. Government Property". How Sad.
William Bartram -
Billy Bartram wrote Travels from his notes after returning to Philadelphia and saw them published not as a final book, but works in progress. He can be criticized for not keeping his log in chronological order, for embelishing some events while diminishing others, and for outright ignoring evolution of our country from a British outpost to "One Nation Under God". But he was recognized by the Indians as an impartial observer, one who had no axe to grind and one genuinely interested in the plants, animals and the Indians environment. He was given the name "Pug Puggy" according to his writings. (I find it difficult to interpert this as flower gatherer, as has been written, since the Indians use collective words as descriptors of new things and events. As example, the word for horse in the language of the Creeks was deer (echo), big (clucco) or echoclucco). Nevertheless, the Indians respected him for his work and he in kind paid close attention to the individual Indian and their society.
In their book, William Bartram on the Southeastern Indians, (University of Nebraska Press) authors, Gregory A Waselkov and Kathryn E. Holland Branund, attempted to bring together Bartram's writings to present a "comprehensive and accurate" study of American Indians in the eighteenth century. They at times make attempts to place "politically correct" interpertations on Bartram's writings, forgetting that Bartram wrote as an observer, a Quaker, and a naturalist who strove to be impartial in his accounts. They do bring together what appears to be the majority of his surviving works regarding the Southeast Indians, for which they must be complemented. Their book is at its best when it provides a progression of Bartram's travels with appropriate footnotes, placing in perspective the time and place of his adventures. Much of what is contained within their book has been previously published but nowhere has the focus been on the Indian. I can only guess that what began as a scholarly work became an "Easter Egg Hunt", trying to pull together the pieces, finding a surprise hidden here and there, and discovering that the trail went completely cold at times.
All in all, Bartram observed the Southeastern Indian, recorded both with text and drawings what he chose to record and then edited the writings both to his pleasure and to the requirements of the publisher of his works. Bartram was not without his own brand of "political correctness". An example, is his writings about the diet of the Indians as reported in his response to questions, "Neither do they eat the Flesh of Dogs, Cats, or any such creatures as are usually rejected by the white people". Now where do you suppose the idea of eating dogs and cats originated? I believe Bartram was trying to gloss over a distasteful subject to protect the image of the Indians. We know that Indians did and do eat dogs. In the Life of Sitting Bull, author, Fletcher Johnson, wrote regarding a feast: "We offer you to-day not the best that we have got, for we have a plenty of good buffalo hump and marrow, but we give you our hearts in this feast. We have killed our faithful dogs to feed you, and the Great Spirit will seal our friendship." pp - 240. Other reference to the method of cooking dog is given in the text. Now is this such a bad thing? Any vegetarian will be quick to point out that anyone consuming animal products needs to have their moral judgement questioned. You have to make your own decisions on this matter. But, many species of animals have been found to be acceptable as foodsuffs and I would be the last to criticize those who have partaken.
Bartram appeared to be most trusting of his fellow-man, accepting at face value friendship of those who offered it. (In the case of Barton, a younger contemporary, who used Bartram's knowledge to his own gain, Bartram's works were excised, rewritten and published without acknowledgement.) Bartram accepted the risk of exploring the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, lands that for the most part either belonged to the Indians or were recently acquired from them. And yet, his travels occured some 260 years after Ponce De Leon's discovery of Florida.
In his journal he noted the influence of the Spainards in their relationship with the Indians. As the French lived and traded with the Western/Northern Indians, the Spaniards viewed the Indians of the South and Southeast as trading partners. So different was the attitude of the European emmigrants who wanted land not materials things, eg, pelts, tobacco, &c. Accordingly, the Indian's attitude of sharing with the newcomers had to give way to hostile actions and when this failed, the Indians moved farther West, into the swamps and mountains to avoid contact.
Fletcher Johnson -
Johnson wrote "Sitting Bull and the Indian War" in 1891. This History of the Indian War of 1890-1891 provides a graphic account of the life of Sitting Bull, the story of the Sioux Nation, and the relationships between the U.S. Government and various Indian tribes. In the preface, Johnson wrote "There is in all the checkered history of America no chapter of more general interest than that which tells of the Aborigines and our dealings with them. It narrates a story often shameful, often noble, sometimes pusillaninamous, sometimes heroic, now causing us to blush with shame for fallen human nauture, now kindling us with enthusiastic admiration for himinity that seems almost divine; but always full of power to thrill the heart, of romance to captivate the fancy, and of rich food to nourish earnest thought".
Bibliography of Martin Charger -
Charger was a Dakota Indian chief who exhibited the Indian trait of generosity. The following tale associated with Martin Charger demonstrates the Indian's way of seeking the higher ground and avoiding conflict. "His wife went after water and Charger was in the tipi with some guest. Someone called his attention to the fact that a young buck was courting his wife and attempted to incite Charger to jealousy.
Charger remained silent and when the guest had gone and his wife had returned with the water, he told her to cook some good food. When the food was ready he invited the young man who was courting his wife and when they had eaten the food and the meal was over, he got his best buffalo horse and asked his mother to pack all the clothing his wife would need. Then Charger got together some clothing for the young man, packed it all on the horse, and told the young man he could have the wife, the horse and the clothing."
From recollections of Sam Charger, one of Martin Charger's sons. Volume 22, Department of History Collections, 1945.
Lewis and Clark -
Lewis and Clark on their expedition to find a water link between the east and west coast were ill prepared for their task and were also unqualified. These are strong judgements but when one considers the total lack of understanding of the area into which they journeyed, these appear to be the only conclusions that can be drawn.
Consider: Jefferson could have sent a naturalist, as example one with Bartram's experience or interest, he chose not to do so. The military men (Lewis and Clark) could have availed themselves of maps of the area from the French who had spent the previous hundred years traversing the area and trading with the Indians, they did not. L/C were both ignorant of the language of the tribes, little mention is made of any of their party that had knowledge of the languages - instead they depended upon the Indians to translate their words for them. L/C were condensending when they did communicate with Indians, their continual use of "Great White Father" as example. L/C were fearful for their lives in dealing with the Indians, although the Indians in typical form responded by sharing with the expedition their stores of food.
And, L/C misjudged the Indian's great sense of humor, as evidenced by their visit to Spirit Mound in South Dakota. An expert in archeology points out that the mound is a natural formation, not unlike many in the area. The Indian's fanciful tale of small men with powerful weapons, hasn't been retold in other folklore and appears to have been contrived especially for L/C. And the "volcano", in Nebraska is still the subject of speculation as to what L/C actually saw or were told. Then consider the Indians quick appraisal of L/C giving them the most appropriate names of Zombie and Turkey Head (probably due to Lewis' actions and Clark's long neck), how appropriate. Is it no small wonder that the Journals contained many words but few of substance.
L/C made field notes which they then copied into their journals, often borrowing from one another and sometimes letting time lapse before recordings were made. In this way errors were introduced, as example, the area where the mouth of the Vermillion river exits into the Missouri has red clay banks, and the clay was often used by the indians. L/C missinterperted the Indian's name for the river and called it the "White" river on their voyage up river. To their credit they changed the name on the back down river. One has to wonder about other inaccuracies woven throughout their journals. Perhaps, Peattie in his book "Audubon's America provides a perspective for the Missouri Valley and its inhabitants. Certainly, he with time to consider the writings of others, dispells the aura of Audubon as the naturalist, pointing out innumerable errors in Audubon's writings. And, Edward Sullivan in "Rambles and Scrambles in North and South America, confirms many of the observations of Indian customs. Catlin thus becomes the one who's observations of the American Indian stand the test of time in accuracy and in sensivity to a culture different from his own.
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Having taken a brief look at a small number of writings about the American Indian, one has to appreciate the advanced culture that had been established here in the country we call the United States of America. They lacked material goods, but as they were quick to demonstrate, what value are material goods? They had a strong moral code, an obvious regard for the rights of enemies as well as friends. And, a belief that there was a happy hunting ground awaiting us all. Not bad for a bunch of "Aborigines".
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