“among the Dakotas the men think it undignified for them to steal, so they send their wives thus unlawfully to procure what they want—­and woe be to them if they are found out.”

Horse-stealing alone is considered worthy of superior man.  But the most eloquent testimony to the Indian’s utter contempt for woman is contributed in an unguarded moment by his most ardent champion.  Catlin relates (N.A.I., I., 226) how he at one time undertook to paint the portraits of the chiefs and such of the warriors as the chiefs deemed worthy of such an honor.  All was well until, after doing the men, he proposed also to paint the pictures of some of the squaws: 

“I at once got myself into a serious perplexity, being heartily laughed at by the whole tribe, both by men and by women, for my exceeding and (to them) unaccountable condescension in seriously proposing to paint a woman, conferring on her the same honor that I had done the chiefs and braves.  Those whom I had honored were laughed at by the hundreds of the jealous, who had been decided unworthy the distinction, and were now amusing themselves with the very enviable honor which the great white medicine man had conferred especially on them, and was now to confer equally upon the squaws!”

CHOOSING A HUSBAND

It might be inferred a priori that savages who despise and abuse their women as the Indians do would not allow girls to choose their own husbands except in cases where no selfish reason existed to force them to marry the choice of their parents.  This inference is borne out by the facts.  Westermarck, indeed, remarks (215) that “among the Indians of North America, numberless instances are given of woman’s liberty to choose her husband.”  But of the dozen or so cases he cites, several rest on unreliable evidence, some have nothing to do with the question at issue,[222] and others prove exactly the contrary of what he asserts; while, more suo, he placidly ignores the mass of facts which disprove his assertion that “women are not, as a rule, married without having any voice of their own in the matter.”  There are, no doubt, some tribes who allow their women more or less freedom.  Apache courtship appears to be carried on in two ways, in each of which the girl has the power to refuse.  In both cases the proposal is made by pantomime, without a word being spoken.  According to Cremony (245). the lover stakes his horse in front of the girl’s “roost.”  Should she favor his suit, she takes his horse, gives it food and water, and secures it in front of his lodge.  Four days comprise the term allowed for an answer.  Dr. J.W.  Hoffman relates[223] that a Coyotero Apache, having selected the girl he wants, watches to find out the trail she is apt to frequent when she goes to pick berries or grass seed.  Having discovered it, he places a row of stones on both sides of it for a distance of ten or fifteen paces: