Original - North Central Michigan College Library

aniihorses of the Osinipoilles were originally procuredfrom white people with beards who liveto the southward; that is, the Spanish colonistsin New Mexico.The animals which I saw alive on the plainsare oxen, red deer and wolves; but I saw alsothe skins of foxes, bears and a small number ofpanthers, sometimes called tigers and, mostproperly, cougars. 61In their religious notions as well as in theirdress, arms, and other particulars, there is ageneral agreement between the Osinipoillesand the Cristinaux. 62They believe in a creatorand governor of the world, in a future life, andin the spirits, gods, or manitos, whom theydenominate wakons. Their practices of devotionconsist in the singing of songs, accompaniedby the drum, or rattle, or both; and thesubjects of which are prayers and praises: insmoking feasts, or feasts of the pipe, or calumet,held in honor of the spirits, to whom the smokeof tobacco issupposed to be a most acceptableincense: and in other feasts, as well as in fastsand in sacrifices. The victims of sacrifice areusually dogs, which being killed and hungupon poles are left there to decay.61 Felis concolor. Author.62Such of the Christinaux as inhabit the plains havealso their horses, like the Osinipoilles. By language theOsinipoilles are allied to the Nadowessies, but they arealways at war with them. Of the language of the Nadowessies,Carver has given a short vocabulary. Author.289