Memorial and biographical history of Ellis county, Texas ... Containing a history of this important section of the great state of Texas, from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; with full-page portraits of the presidents of the United States, and also full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of the county, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers, and also of prominent citizens of to-day ... Page: 63
573, [1] 123, [1] p. incl. 23 port. front., 2 pl., 28 port. 28 x 22 cm.View a full description of this book.
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BISTORY OF ELLIS COUNTY.
OUSTOM8 AND HABITS.
Their manufactures were confined to the
construction of wigwams, bows, arrows,
wampum, ornaments, stone hatchets, mortars
for pounding corn, the dressing of skins,
weaving of coarse mats from the bark of
trees, or a wild hemp. The articles they cultivated
were few in number: corn, beans,
peas, potatoes, melons and a few others.
Their skill in medicine was confined to a few
simple preparations and operations. Cold
and warm baths are said to have been used,
and a considerable number of plants were
used. For diseases they knew but little
remedy, having recourse to their " medicine
met," who treated their patients by means
of sorcery. They had few diseases, however,
in comparison to those prevailing among
civilized peoples. The women prepared the
food, took charge of the domestic concerns,
tilled the scanty fields, and performed all the
drudgery connected with the camp. Amusements
prevailed to some extent, and consisted
principally of leaping, running, shooting
at targets, dancing and gaming. Their
dances were usually performed around a
large fire, and in those in honor of war they
sang or recited the feats which they or their
ancestors had achieved; represented the manner
in which they were performed, and
wrought themselves up to a wild degree of
enthusiasm. The females occasionally joined
in some of the sports, but had none peculiar
to themselves. Their dress was various: in
summer they wore little besides a covering
about the waist, but in winter they clothed
themselves in the skins of wild beasts. Beingexceedingly fond of ornaments, on days of
festivity, the sachems wore mantles of deer
skins, embroidered with shells or the claws
of birds, and were painted with various
devices. Hideousness was the object aimed
at in painting themselves, which was intended
to strike terror into the hearts of
their enemies.
In the construction of their habitations
the Indians exercised but little judgment,
their huts or wigwams consisting of a strong
pole erected in the center, around which
other poles were driven obliquely in the
ground and fastened against the center-pole
at the top. These were covered with the
bark of trees, and were but poor shelters
when considering the amount of material to
be obtained in the primitive forests. The
domestic utensils did not extend beyond a
hatchet of stone, a few shells and sharp
stones which they used as knives; stone
mortars for preparing their corn, and mats and
skins to sleep on. They sat, ate and lodged
upon the ground, and their food was of the
simplest and coarsest kind,-the flesh and
even the entrails of birds and beasts, in addition
to the few garden products they raised.
Their money, called wampum, consisted of
small particles of shells, strung on belts and
in chains. They rated the value of wampum
by its color,-black, blue, white, purple. Except
when roused by some strong excitement,
the men were indolent, taciturn and unsocial;
the women too degraded to think of little
else than their toils. Their language, though
energetic, was barren of words, and in order
to be understood and felt it required theI
63
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Memorial and biographical history of Ellis county, Texas ... Containing a history of this important section of the great state of Texas, from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its future prospects; with full-page portraits of the presidents of the United States, and also full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of the county, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers, and also of prominent citizens of to-day ..., book, 1892; Chicago. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth33018/m1/65/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Public Library.