The Sioux say it is lawful to take revenge, but otherwise it is not
right to murder. When murder is committed, it is an injury to the
deceased; not a sin against the Great Spirit. Some of their wise men say
that the Great Spirit has nothing to do with their affairs, present or
future. They pretend to know but little of a future state. They have
dreamy ideas of large cities somewhere in the heavens, where they will
go, but still be at war with their enemies and have plenty of game. An
Indian woman's idea of future happiness consists in relief from care.
"Oh! that I were dead," they will often say, "when I shall have no more
trouble." Veneration is much regarded in all Indian families. Thus a
son-in-law must never call his father-in-law by his name, but by the
title father-in-law, and vice versa. A female is not permitted to handle
the sac for war purposes; neither does she dare look into a
looking-glass, for fear of losing her eyesight.
The appearance of a brilliant aurora-borealis occasions great alarm. The
Indians run immediately for their guns and bows and arrows to shoot at
it, and thus disperse it.
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