Hunting with the Bow and Arrow | Page 4

the
fisherman and the hunter. He knew nothing of our modern life. He had
no name for iron, nor cloth, nor horse, nor road. He was as primitive as
the aborigines of the pre-Columbian period. In fact, he was a man in the
Stone Age. He was absolutely untouched by civilization. In him science
had a rare find. He turned back the pages of history countless centuries.
And so they studied him, and he studied them.
From him they learned little of his personal history and less of that of
his family, because an Indian considers it unbecoming to speak much
of his own life, and it brings ill luck to speak of the dead. He could not
pronounce the name of his father without calling him from the land of
spirits, and this he could only do for some very important reason. But
he knew the full history of his tribe and their destruction.
His apparent age was about forty years, yet he undoubtedly was nearer
sixty. Because of his simple life he was in physical prime, mentally
alert, and strong in body.
He was about five feet eight inches tall, well proportioned, had
beautiful hands and unspoiled feet.
His features were less aquiline than those of the Plains Indian, yet
strongly marked outlines, high cheek bones, large intelligent eyes,
straight black hair, and fine teeth made him good to look upon.
As an artisan he was very skilful and ingenious. Accustomed to
primitive tools of stone and bone, he soon learned to use most expertly
the knife, file, saw, vise, hammer, ax, and other modern implements.
Although he marveled at many of our inventions and appreciated
matches, he took great pride in his ability to make fire with two sticks
of buckeye. This he could do in less than two minutes by twirling one
on the other.
About this time I became an instructor in surgery at the University
Medical School, which is situated next to the Museum. Ishi was
employed here in a small way as a janitor to teach him modern industry
and the value of money. He was perfectly happy and a great favorite
with everybody.
From his earliest experience with our community life he manifested
little immunity to disease. He contracted all the epidemic infections
with which he was brought in contact. He lived a very hygienic
existence, having excellent food and sleeping outdoors, but still he was

often sick. Because of this I came in touch with him as his physician in
the hospital, and soon learned to admire him for the fine qualities of his
nature.
[Illustration: A DEATH MASK OF ISHI, THE LAST YANA
INDIAN]
Though very reserved, he was kindly, honest, cleanly, and trustworthy.
More than this, he had a superior philosophy of life, and a high moral
standard.
By degrees I learned to speak his dialect, and spent many hours in his
company. He told us the folk lore of his tribe. More than forty myths or
animal stories of his have been recorded and preserved. They are as
interesting as the stories of Uncle Remus. The escapades of wildcat, the
lion, the grizzly bear, the bluejay, the lizard, and the coyote are as full
of excitement and comedy as any fairy story.
He knew the history and use of everything in the outdoor world. He
spoke the language of the animals. He taught me to make bows and
arrows, how to shoot them, and how to hunt, Indian fashion. He was a
wonderful companion in the woods, and many days and nights we
journeyed together.
After he had been with us three years we took him back to his own
country. But he did not want to stay. He liked the ways of the white
man, and his own land was full of the spirits of the departed.
He showed us old forgotten camp sites where past chieftains made their
villages. He took us to deer licks and ambushes used by his people long
ago. One day in passing the base of a great rock he scratched with his
toe and dug up the bones of a bear's paw. Here, in years past, they had
killed and roasted a bear. This was the camp of Ya mo lo ku. His own
camp was called Wowomopono Tetna or bear wallow.
We swam the streams together, hunted deer and small game, and at
night sat under the stars by the camp fire, where in a simple way we
talked of old heroes, the worlds above us, and his theories of the life to
come in the land of plenty, where the bounding deer and the mighty
bear met the hunter with his strong bow and swift arrows.
I learned to love Ishi as a brother, and he looked upon me as