Note 47 — Chapter VIII · North American Indians.—Diversity of Languages.—The Iroquois.—Dialects.—Descent of Iroquois chiefs through the female line.—Pagan Indians.—Belief in a Great Spirit.—Ceremonies.—Dakotas.—Superstitions.—Dreams.—Fasts.—Sun worship.—Medicine men.—Customs of mourning by widows.—Supernatural influences.—Lightning.—Transmigration.—Worship of Spirit rocks.—Serpent worship.—Human sacrifices.—Burial customs.—Method of curing sickness by steam.—Note upon analogies between the customs of the Indians, Maoris, and the natives of the Sandwich Islands.

In the prison at Omaha I saw three Pawnees named Blue-Hawk, Yellow-Son and Tall-Wolf, who had endeavoured to commit suicide in order to avoid being hanged. One of them, I think it was Blue-Hawk (Sha-to-ko), had managed to conceal a long piece of hard wood, one end of which he had rubbed down to a sharp point. He was employed in pushing this through his body, between the ribs, when he was observed by the warder and prevented from completing his purpose. Another prisoner had removed a brick from the floor and was trying to fracture his skull with it. All of them had torn away portions of their skin and cut themselves in many places with small fragments of glass which they had obtained secretly. The warder told me that he had taken every precaution to stop these desperate attempts of the Indians to destroy themselves. They seemed to be able to bear these self inflicted wounds without showing signs of distress.