Jim Peters has a creditable frame house,such as white folks commonly live in. In addition to this he has a wickiop of the usual indian type in which I believe, his family is at present living and besides, he has the old fashioned indian summer-house, of which the above shown the interior.
His squaw evidently was about to do some cooking as the fire was burning, at the center of the room; there is no board floor; no chimney, the smoke going out through a hole in the roof. As xxxxxxxx this family has the other two buildings, there is little of baggage in this house,but it shows the side-shelf about the height of our tables from the ground,and which is the same in all these indian summer-houses, and on which they commonly have all their belongings and besides it is used for sleeping; for sitting-room, etc.etc. and is about the only furniture in the house.
I enquired about the little wickiop to the left, thinking it was a play-house for the children, but Mr. Peters says "that is where I take my baths". In the center of the little frame-work is a hole in the ground, and in this was a lagge rock. Bill Leaf also has one of these "baths"? and he explained its use as follows: "You make the stone red-hot and put it in the hole. You do not put any water in the hole, but you take a hand-ful of herbs (medicinal herbs), dip them in water and take the bunch into the "bath" with you. Several men can get in at the same time, blankets are spread over the top of the frame to confine the air, and you strike the hot rock with the wet herbs and it makes a steam and a smell, and you sweat".--a kind of turkish bath?
Our friend Bill Leaf was lying on his out-door bench, covered with a blanket, and has been ill for months. Mr. Ellis says Bill think he had better draw his "trust funds" which amount xxx to about $1100.00 per capita, and is held by the U.S. Govt. He has been unable to work for many months.They have a baby in the family, however. Now three months of age, named "Pearl". She was wearing little gold earrings; was being carried bound to a board, but when we wanted to take her picture they insisted on taking her out, dressing her up specially, and posing with her mother.
Mr. Ellis says Mrs. Leaf is perhaps their second-best bead work xxx er, and her work---a piece which it still unfinished--and which I bought (at $3.00) received second prize at some special exhibition Got other pieces from her, one long belt at $6.00, another at $5.00 whice was presented to Mrs. Ellis. Bill presented me with a watchfob which his wife had made.
As this was a business trip,--going as a deligate from the Fort Armstrong Centennial Association, to see if some of these indians would come to our celebration, June 18--24,'16. I went also to see the chief. Chief Pushetoneka, who lives in the regulation indian summer house,--posts upright, board siding, table-like shelf-like on both sides of the room and running full length of the house, no floor; with all sorts of baggage, etc. on these shelves and, hanging from the ceiling were eight bundles which looked like bundles of skins or furs of small animals like raccoon, etc--though they may have contained other things, and they had a number of gourds of good size, black. "Chief Push" or "Old Push" as he is called for short, was in overalls somewhat buttoned, barefooted and bareheaded, a hickory shirt. Mrs. "Push" wore a soiled calico dress, and sat on a piece of matting, on the ground by the little fire in the center of the room. She took much interest in what we had to say and smiled and laughed, spitting occasionally into the fire, for she was chewing tobacco as is the custom among these squaws. She speaks broken english like her husband--but worse. She is not as gray headed as is the chf.
Jim Peters is a member of the Council, and Mr. Ellis and I took up the matter of my errand up with him before we had gottenx see the Chief. Peters said: "I have gone out with a crowd of indian for exhibition before. Last year we were at Sigourney, Ia. fair. I can get together a lot of our indians, and we can give you the Snake-dance; war-dance; worship-dance; and scalp-dance. No we have no scalps, and I never saw one. John Allen has seen one and he has bee in a battle. I can bring a couple of wickiops, and if you want women and children we can bring them, and we will not count the children when it comes to pay. We can not come without being paid. I think each person should have $1.50 per day and all expenses. We want a tent or wickipps to sleep in, and can eat at a restaurant. Twenty men could sleep in a wickiop like mine there--if they didn't have a fire in it. I'll tell you. You give me $50.00 for getting the crowd together and divide $250.00 among the rest and it will be all right." I said I had only come to see if they would come, and, if so, what they could do in the way of entertainment, and I could make no deal with them today for their coming. He said: "We can give you a game of LaCrosse if you want it. In that game we wear nothing but a breech-cloth and maybe you wouldn't want that." Then as he feard his offer was too high,he said :"I think the others can have $1.25 each.Let me have $50.00 and divide $200.00 among the others".
Mr. Peters is a shrewd fellow. Mr. Ellis says he is so shrewd the indians do not trust him, and I will need to assure the others that they will get their money. It is agreed that I had better make arrangements to have some white man in general charge. Mr. Peters explained it wasn't necessary to see Chief "Push", and that the chif wasn't the rightful chief anyway--to which Mr. Ellis agrees as we discuss him by ourselves. Push is a sort of "Regent" kept in office after the rightful hereditary chief has grown to manhood.
