Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/336

319 DBCX)Y BDTFAIiOSS. 819 'by the Spaniards. Buffaloes had been skinnea, leav- ing the head and horns in their natural shape by stuff- hig same with grass; then the Indian' would, as it were, get inside of the skin and mimic the animal to such perfection that it aj^eared to be the real thing; and to cap the climax, several had calves by their side, a boy being used to represent the calf. It is said that in warfare one tribe often fooled their opponents by this method, until it became too common to work. ' In a former chapter, the matter of scalping has been touched upon. The assertion was there made that doubts were entertained as to the practice being original with the Indians, and now that we are among the tribes after which the Hub State is named (Kan- sas), it might be well to discourse on this theme for a Uttle. It is remarkable, all things considered, when it is realised that the numerous tribes of aborigines scattered all over North America, differ to an extraor- dinary degree in the treatment of their heads. It has been intimated how the Osages flattened the back of the babies' heads by strapping them to a board but whether the Kansans did Ukewise cannot authori- tatively be stated, but analogous reasoning would compel the belief that both the native tribes of Kansas shaved off their hair, or rather pulled out, burnt or shaved their pates, leaving only a tuft on the top, to which was braided a feather, or tail of a deer. Does it occur to you what a peculiar sight it must have been to have several hundred warriors with not a single visible hair upon their bodies, except the tuft hereto- fore described? And right here it is desired to em- phasize the fact these two peoples were the only ones