Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/365

MB VIRTUOUS INDIAN MiTDBMS, for the Kansas and Osages going to a Pawnee vi^^i^ early in 1840 and killing about ninety women Oii^d children and taking a lot of prisoners; and this was done while the men were absent from home. These Indians had many strange customs. For instance, James Adair, who was a trader for forty years, and as early as 1^744, says that for three days before going to war, and while on the warpath, the warriors would not cohabit; and among the Osages and Kansas it was the custom to fast before goiii^ to battle, but to feast to gluttonous success if victorious. The Osages and Kansas both put holes in their ears, and a photograph of a young Osage taken recently shows large ear rings; and a group of Kansans taken many years ago also shows the same. So no doubt it was the custom to pierce the ears from early times, although nothing of this is spoken of by the CJoro- nado party. George Catlin says that it was the cus- tom of the Indians to eat horse flesh when the buffalo was scarce. The diary kept by the Long Expedition recites another custom: "The chastity of the yiO,ung females among the Kansas and Osages is guarded by the mother with the most scrupulous watchfulness, and the violation is of rare occurrence." But our stay with the Great Osages must be drawn to a close, but the story of the chief of this branch of the Osages and the stirring events of his elevation has to be told. When Wasbashas was first seen in 1541, he was in the very prime of hfe, being isibout forty-five years of age; he had been chief for about ten years, and was easily the finest looking specimen of native manhood that the Spaniards had