Page 199 - Confronting Race Women and Indians on the Frontier, 1815 - 1915

F R O N T I E R P L A C E : G E N D E R MATTE R S

f r esh fo ods n return. White women were delighted when Indian men
i
and women brought eggs, potatoes, corn, pumpkins, melons, strawber­
ries, blackberries, venison and other fr esh meats, fish, and dried
salmon. lO8 W o men savored these f o ods, which provided relief f r om a
diet of bread, bacon or salt pork, and beans. "We have so little change
in our diet," Miriam Colt, a Kansas settler of the I 8 50s, wrote, "that
almost anything is relished." I09 Similarly, California-bound Martha
Moore considered some mountain trout that she purchased fr om an
Indian to be "quite a treat." Another time, she was pleased to have "pro­
cured a fine mess of fish." IIO
Many women also desired Indian craft items and grew skillful at
bargaining f o r buffalo hides and robes, antelope and elk clothing, moc­
casins, baskets, and beadwork. III Army wife Cynthia Capron was
enthralled by a watertight basket that she purchased f o r one dollar near
Camp Wright during the I860s. II2 Moccasins were the most popular
trade item; some women even ordered them f r om native women. II3
Buffalo robes were also coveted; at least one woman surrendered her
shawl to obtain one.1I4 Sadly, some women used as rugs beautifully
tanned skins, including beaver and otter, a practice that they came to
regret when these items were no longer available. IIS
Some of the women who headed west harboring the worst appre­
hensions toward American Indians developed into enthusiastic traders.
Lucy Cooke, initially in awe ofIndians, became an expert bargainer. By
the end of her trail experience, Cooke collected a fine cache of f u rs. n6
Army wife Eveline Alexander overcame her misgivings to barter not
only fo r fo odstuffs, but also to purchase shields, bows, and arrows. She
considered a war shield that she bought to be "a valuable trophy." II7 And
Ada V o gdes, who had spent so much time f e aring Indians, acquired
enough proficiency in local native dialects to bargain with Native
Americans. "I rushed around all day to get a blanket worked with beads
which I suceeded in doing," she wrote in triumph. u8
W o men usually carried on such negotiations personally.As women's
preconceptions concerning themselves and American Indians dissipated,
they were able to enter business dealings with once-dreaded enemies.
In so doing, they fu lfilled their f u nction as providers of domestic goods.
They also demonstrated a relatively gentle style in their contact with

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