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diff --git a/20463.txt b/20463.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..020df85 --- /dev/null +++ b/20463.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5566 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Three Years on the Plains, by Edmund B. Tuttle + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Three Years on the Plains + Observations of Indians, 1867-1870 + +Author: Edmund B. Tuttle + +Release Date: January 28, 2007 [EBook #20463] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS ON THE PLAINS *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + THREE YEARS ON THE PLAINS + + [Illustration: THE DEATH OF JOHNSON IN COLORADO. + + _Frontispiece._] + + + THREE YEARS ON THE PLAINS + + OBSERVATIONS OF INDIANS, + 1867-1870 + + + + EDMUND B. TUTTLE + + + + + "_Like an old pine-tree, I am dead at the top._" + + --_Speech of an old chief_ + + + + Dedication + + TO + GEN. W. T. SHERMAN, + WHOSE SPLENDID TRIUMPHS IN TIMES OF WAR SHED LUSTRE UPON + THE NATION'S HISTORY, + AND + WHOSE WISE COUNSELS IN TIMES OF PEACE WILL + INCREASE THE NATION'S STRENGTH AND + PRESERVE ITS HONOR, THIS + LITTLE BOOK IS, BY + PERMISSION, + + Respectfully Dedicated. + + + + + LETTER FROM GENERAL SHERMAN + + + HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON, D. C., + + June 13th, 1870. + + REV. E. B. TUTTLE, FORT D. A. RUSSELL, W. T. + + DEAR SIR,--I have your letter of June 8th, and do not, of course, + object to your dedicating your volume on Indians to me. But please + don't take your facts from the newspapers, that make me out as + favoring extermination. + + I go as far as the farthest in favor of lavishing the kindness + of our people and the bounty of the general government on those + Indians who settle down to reservations and make the least effort + to acquire new habits; but to those who will not settle down, who + cling to their traditions and habits of hunting, of prowling along + our long, thinly-settled frontiers, killing, scalping, mutilating, + robbing, etc., the sooner they are made to feel the inevitable + result the better for them and for us. + + To those I would give what they ask, war, till they are satisfied. + + * * * * * + + Yours truly, + + W. T. SHERMAN, _General_. + + + + + CONTENTS + + +List of Illustrations xi + +Introduction 11 + +Where did the Indians come from? 13 + +Despoiling the Grave of an old Onondaga Chief 16 + +The Fidelity of an Indian Chief 22 + +Big Thunder--a Winnebago Chief 26 + +Indian Tradition--the Deluge 27 + +Tribes on the Plains 32 + +The Author a "Medicine-man" 47 + +The Sioux Sun Dance--Scene on the Plains of Young Warriors + exhibiting Fortitude and Bravery in Torturing Pains--a + Horrible Scene 48 + +Julesburg 52 + +A Brave Boy and some Indians 55 + +An Indian Meal 56 + +Shall the Indians be exterminated? 59 + +Indians don't believe half they hear 65 + +Army Officers 66 + +What shall be done? 68 + +A Good Joke by Little Raven 71 + +How the Indian is cheated 72 + +Burial of a Chief's Daughter 72 + +An Indian Raid on Sidney Station, Union Pacific Railroad 75 + +Why do Indians scalp their Enemies? 77 + +Indian Boy's Education 79 + +Making Presents 81 + +Indians making Signals 81 + +Merciful Indians 82 + +A Scene at North Platte 82 + +Across the Plains 87 + +Why does not the Indian meddle with the Telegraph? 89 + +Plum Creek Massacre 90 + +Pawnee Indians--Yellow Sun and Blue Hawk 91 + +A Trip to Fort Laramie 92 + +Moss Agates 95 + +A Young Brave 97 + +The Head Chief--Red Cloud 100 + +Red Cloud's Journey 106 + +Phil. Kearney Massacre 107 + +Perilous Adventure--Pursuit of a Horse-Thief 121 + +Hanging Horse-Thieves 128 + +An Indian Fight at Sweetwater Mines 131 + +Indian Attack on the Stage-Coach going to Denver--Rev. Mr. + Fuller's Account of Two Attempts upon his Life 135 + +Chaplain White says there's a time to Pray and a time + to Fight 143 + +Legend of "Crazy Woman's Fork" 145 + +Phil. Kearney Massacre 149 + +Mauvaises Terres, or Bad Lands, Dakota 150 + +Natural History--Animals on the Plains 153 + +A Night Scene 158 + +The Mission-House 160 + +Indian Language, Counting, etc. 160 + +Indians attack Lieutenant W. Dougherty--Fight between Forts + Fetterman and Reno 161 + +Speech of "White Shield," Head Chief of the Arickarees 162 + +Indian Trading 164 + +Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, and their Friends in Washington 167 + +Conclusion 201 + +Lord's Prayer in Sioux Language 205 + +Apostles' Creed 206 + +Distances 206 + + + + + ILLUSTRATIONS + + +The Death of Johnson in Colorado _frontispiece_ + + FOLLOWING PAGE 102 + +Issac H. Tuttle +Indian Boys +Indian Burial +Bishop Clarkson +Group of Converted Indians +Spotted Tail and his Son + + + MAP + +Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska xii-xiii + + + [Illustration: Detail from an 1877 map showing principal areas of + Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska mentioned by Tuttle. Ft. D. A. + Russell was located near Cheyenne, Wyoming. Original by S. Augustus + Mitchell (1792-1868), 1" = 55 mi. + + Courtesy Jerome A. Greene.] + + + + + INTRODUCTION + + +The interest which boys are taking in all that relates to our Indian +tribes, and the greediness they manifest in devouring the sensational +stories published so cheaply, filling their imaginations with stories +of wild Indian life on the plains and borders, without regard to their +truthfulness, cannot but be harmful; and therefore the writer, after +three years' experience on the plains, feels desirous of giving +youthful minds a right direction, in a true history of the red men +of our forests. Thus can they teach their children, in time to come, +what kind of races have peopled this continent; especially before +civilization had marked them for destruction, and their hunting-grounds +for our possession. + +The RIGHTS and WRONGS of the Indians should be told fairly, in order +that justice may be done to such as have befriended the white men who +have met the Indians in pioneer life, and been befriended often by the +savage, since the Mayflower landed her pilgrims on these shores some +two hundred and fifty years ago. + +The writer proposes now only a history of Indians since he began to +know the "Six Nations" in Western New York, about forty years ago. +Since then, these have dwindled down to a handful, and do not now exist +in their separate tribal relations, but mixed in with others, far away +from the beautiful lakes they once inhabited. + + + + +WHERE DID THE INDIANS COME FROM? + + +The origin of the native American Indian has puzzled the wisest heads. + +The most plausible theory seems to be that they are one of the lost +tribes of Israel; that they crossed a narrow frith from the confines of +Asia, and that their traditions, it is said, go far to prove it. + +For instance, the Sioux tell us that they were, many moons ago, set +upon by a race larger in number than they, and were driven from the +north in great fear, till they came to the banks of the North Platte, +and finding the river swollen up to its banks, they were stopped there, +with all their women, children, and horses. The enemy was pursuing, and +their hearts grew white with fear. They made an offering to the Great +Spirit, and he blew a wind into the water, so as to open a path on the +bed of the river, and they all went over in safety, and the waters, +closing up, left their enemies on the other side. This, probably, is +derived from a tradition of their forefathers, coming down to them from +the passing of the children of Israel through the Red Sea. + +Elias Boudinot, many years ago, and a minister in Vermont also, +published books to show that the American Indians were a portion of the +lost tribes, from resemblances between their religious customs and +those of the Israelites. Later still, a converted Jew named Simon, +undertook to identify the ancient South American races, Mexicans, +Peruvians, etc., as descendants of ancient Israel, from similarity of +language and of civil and religious customs. These authors have taken +as their starting-point the resolution which, Esdras informs us (in the +Apocrypha), the ten tribes took after being first placed in the cities +of the Medes, viz., that they would leave the multitude of the heathen +and go into a land wherein never mankind dwelt, that they might there +keep their laws, which God gave them; and they suppose that, in +pursuance of this resolution, the tribes continued in a northeasterly +direction until they came to Behring Straits, which they crossed, and +set foot on this continent, spreading over it from north to south, +until, at the discovery of it by Columbus, they had peopled every part. +It must be admitted that this theory is very plausible, and that if our +Indians are not the descendants of the lost tribes of Israel, they show +by their traditions and customs a knowledge of the ancient religion, +such as calling the Great Spirit Yo-he-wah, the Jehovah of the +Scriptures, and in many festivals corresponding to the Mosaic law.[1] +The country to which the ten tribes, in a journey of a year and a half, +would arrive, from the river Euphrates, east, would be somewhere +adjoining Tartary, and intercourse between the two races would easily +lead to the adoption of the religious ideas and customs of the one by +the other. + + [1] Labagh. + +The gypsy tribes came from Tartary, and in my intercourse with these +wandering people, I found they had a custom somewhat like our Indians' +practice, in removing from place to place. For instance, the gypsies, +when they leave a part of their company to follow them, fix leaves in +such wise as to direct their friends to follow in their course. This is +called "_patteran_" in Romany or gypsy language. And the Indian cuts a +notch in a tree as he passes through a forest, or places stones in the +plains in such a way as to show in what direction he has gone. An +officer saw a large stone, upon which an Indian had drawn the figure of +a soldier on horseback, to indicate to others which way the soldiers +had gone. + +_Origin of Evil_.--They have a tradition handed down that the Great +Spirit said they might eat of all the animals he had made, except the +beaver. But some bad Indians went and killed a beaver, and the Great +Spirit was angry and said they must all die. But after awhile he became +willing that Indians should kill and eat them, so the beaver is hunted +for his skin, and his meat is eaten as often as he suffers himself to +be caught. + + + + +DESPOILING THE GRAVE OF AN OLD ONONDAGA CHIEF. + + +On-on-da-ga was the name of an Indian chief, who died about the year +1830, near Elbridge, a town lying north of Auburn, in the State of New +York. This Indian belonged to the Onondagas, one of the tribes called +"the Six Nations of the IROQUOIS" (E-ro-kwa), a confederacy consisting +of the MOHAWKS, ONEIDAS, SENECAS, CAYUGAS, ONONDAGAS, and TUSCARORAS or +CHIPPEWAS. I was a lad at the time of this chief's death, having my +home in Auburn, New York, where my father was the physician and surgeon +to the State prison. My father had a cousin, who was also a doctor and +surgeon, a man of stalwart frame, raised in Vermont, named Cogswell. He +was proud of his skill in surgery, and devoted to the science. He had +learned of the death of the Onondaga chief, and conceived the idea of +getting the body out of the grave for the purpose of dissecting the old +fellow,--that is, of cutting him up and preserving his bones to hang up +on the walls of his office; of course, there was only one way of doing +it, and that was by stealing the body under cover of night, as the +Indians are very superstitious and careful about the graves of their +dead. You know they place all the trappings of the dead--his bow and +arrows, tomahawk and wampum--in the grave, as they think he will need +them to hunt and supply his wants with on his journey to the happy +hunting-grounds. They place food and tobacco, with other things, in the +grave. + +Dr. Cogswell took two men one night, with a wagon, and as the distance +was only twelve miles, they performed the journey and got back safely +before daylight, depositing the body of the Indian in a barn belonging +to a Mr. Hopkins, in the north part of the town. It was soon noised +about town what they had done, and there lived a man there who +threatened to go and inform the tribe of the despoiling of the chief's +grave, unless he was paid thirty dollars to keep silence. The doctor, +being a bold, courageous man, refused to comply with a request he had +no right to make, because it was an attempt to "levy black mail," as it +is called. + +Sure enough, he kept his word, and told the Onondagas, who were living +between Elbridge and Syracuse. They were very much exasperated when +they heard what had been done, and threatened vengeance on the town +where the dead chief lay. + +The tribe was soon called together, and a march was planned to go up to +Auburn by the way of Skaneateles Lake,--a beautiful sheet of water +lying six miles east of Auburn. They encamped in the pine woods,--a +range called the "pine ridge,"--half-way between the two villages, and +sent a few of the tribe into Auburn for the purpose of trading off the +baskets they had made for powder and shot; but the real purpose they +had in view was to find out just where the body was (deposited in the +barn of Mr. Josiah Hopkins), intending to set fire to the barn and burn +the town, rescuing the dead chief at the same time. + +For several days the town was greatly excited, and every fireside at +night was surrounded with anxious faces; the children listening with +greedy ears to narratives of Indian cruelties perpetrated during the +war with the English about Canada, in 1812; and I remember how it was +told of a cruel Indian named Philip, that he would seize little babes +from their mothers' arms and dash out their brains against the wall! No +wonder we dreamed horrid dreams of the dusky faces every night. + +At that time the military did not amount to much. There was a company +of citizen soldiers there, called the "AUBURN GUARDS," numbering about +forty men, with a captain whose name I forget, but who became suddenly +seized with the idea of his unfitness to defend the town against the +threatened Indian invasion, and did the wisest thing he could, and +resigned his commission on a plea of "_sudden indisposition_." The +doctor walked the street as bold as a lion, but acting also with the +shrewd cunning of the fox. And now, my young friends, instead of +weaving a bloody romance in the style of the "Dime Novels," depicting +the terrible massacre, which might have happened, with so great a wrong +to provoke the hostility of the poor Indians, I am about to tell you +how the town was saved, and how the doctor outwitted them. If you pause +here, and guess, I think you will be far from the mark in reaching the +shrewdness of the surgeon, who had not been bred among the hills of old +Vermont for nothing. + +As I said, at Auburn there is a State prison, and when the convicts +die, their bodies, unless claimed by relatives or friends within +twenty-four hours after death, are at the disposal of the surgeon for +dissection. + +As good luck would have it, a negro convict died at the time of our +story; and the doctor conceived the idea of getting out of his +difficulty by transferring the dead body of the negro Jim to the +despoiled empty grave of Onondaga! This done, he easily persuaded the +Indians to go back and find the body of their chief all right: and so +he succeeded in humbugging the weak-minded Indians, while the bones of +old Onondaga were duly prepared and hung up to show students how +Indians and all men are made of bone and muscle. The doctor thought he +had done a good thing; but when I went into the office and saw the +horrid skull grinning at me, I was thankful that the spirit of old +Onondaga could not say of me, "You did it!" + + +II. + +The most notable of the chiefs belonging to the Six Nations were +Hiawatha, Thayendanega (or Brant, his English name), Sagoyewatha, or +Red Jacket,--the most intelligent of the chiefs, and who is said to +have been the uncle of General Parker, a full-blood Chippewa, and at +one time Indian Commissioner at Washington. (Parker served as an aide +of General Grant during the war. In early life, he was a pupil at the +normal school, in Albany; and was reckoned quite a proficient in music +by Prof. Bowen.) + +Most of these tribes, inhabiting the country bordering on the Mohawk +River, Onondaga Lake, Skaneateles, Owasco, Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, and +Erie, migrated at an early day to Green Bay, and to the Straits of +Mackinaw. As remnants of the Onondagas were passing through Auburn, +they often slept on the floor of our kitchen, and they never stole +anything or did us any harm. One day, they were passing the American +Hotel, and, as usual, begged a few sixpences of all they met. A +gentleman sitting on the porch said to one of them, "No, you'll spend +it for whisky." + +"Oh, no," he replied; "_give it to my wife,--he's a Methodist woman_!" + +I met a tribe of Chippewas at Marquette, a short time since, on Lake +Superior, whither they had migrated from Green Bay. _An-ges-ta_, the +chief, was a tall, noble-looking fellow. He wanted the church to help +his people, who were very poor. + +Said he, "We lived in Green Bay a great while, but when I looked into +our cabins and saw so many of them empty, and into the graveyard, and +counted more graves than we had living, my heart was sad, and I went +away farther toward the setting sun!" + +He made an eloquent speech to the Prince of Wales on his visit to the +West, and it was pronounced a fine piece of natural oratory. + +A few remnants of the New York tribes are living not far from Buffalo, +on a reservation, where they cultivate farms and have schools and +churches. + +Such were the Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas, Mohawks, and +Chippewas. Only one band is left in New York State now, that of the +Onondagas. + +The present generation of grown people have read with delight the +beautiful novels of J. Fenimore Cooper, Esq., but they have been +disappointed in not finding any living examples of his noble heroes. As +a general thing, the Indian of our day is an untidy lord of the soil, +over which he roams unfettered by any laws of society, and often--in +his wild state--not controlled by its decencies or in possession of its +privileges. But I think this is the fault of Christians more interested +in foreign pagans, while neglecting these heathen at our own doors. + + + + +THE FIDELITY OF AN INDIAN CHIEF. + + +The following story about an Oneida chief is told by Judge W----: + +Early in the settlement of the western part of New York, the judge was +living in Whitesboro', four miles west of Utica. All around was an +unbroken forest of beech, maple, and other trees, held by wild tribes +of Indians, who had been for ever so long owners of the soil. Judge +W----, feeling how much he was at their mercy in his lonely place, was +anxious to keep on good terms with them, and secure their friendship in +return. + +Many of the chiefs had heard of his friendly ways, and went to see him, +carrying presents, because of the gifts he had sent them; but he was +much troubled that an old chief of the tribe, having great influence +with his people, had never come to see him, or sent him any presents, +or shown any signs of welcome. After awhile the judge made up his mind +to go and see the sachem in his wigwam, and thus secure a friendship he +might rely on in case of any difficulty. His family was small,--only +his daughter, a widow, and her only child, a fine boy, five years old. +So, one day he went to pay the chief a visit, taking the widow and her +son along with him. He found him seated at the door of his tent, +enjoying a nice breeze of a fine summer's morning, and was welcomed by +the old chief with kind manners and the word "Sago," meaning, "How do +you do?" Judge W---- presented his daughter and her little boy to the +old chief, and said they had come to live in his country; they were +anxious to live in peace with them, and introduce among them the arts +of civilization. Listening to these words, the chief said,-- + +"Brother, you ask much and promise much; what pledge can you give of +your good faith?" + +_Judge._--"The honor of a man who never knew deceit." + +_Sachem._--"The white man's word may be good to the white man, yet +it is but wind when spoken to the Indian." + +_Judge._--"I have put my life into your hands by coming hither; is +not this a proof of my good intentions? I have trusted the Indian, and +I will not believe that he will abuse or betray my trust." + +"So much is well," said the chief; "the Indian repays trust with trust: +if you will hurt him, he will hurt you. But I must have a pledge. Leave +this boy with me in my wigwam, and I will bring him back to you in +three days with my answer." + +If an arrow had pierced the bosom of the young mother, she could not +have felt a sharper pang than that which the Indian's proposal had +caused her. + +She flew towards her boy, who stood beside the chief looking into his +face with pleased and innocent wonder, and, snatching him to her arms, +would have rushed away with him. + +A gloomy frown came over the sachem's brow, and he remained silent. + +The judge knew that all their lives depended upon a right action at +once; and following his daughter, who was retreating with her child +into the woods, he said to her, "Stay, stay, my daughter; bring back +the child, I beg of you! I would not risk a hair of his head, for he is +as dear to me as to you,--but, my child, he must remain with the chief! +God will watch over him, and he will be as safe in the sachem's wigwam +as in your arms beneath your own roof." She yielded, and her darling +boy was left; but who can tell the agony of the mother's heart during +the following days? + +Every night she awoke from her sleep, seeming to hear the screams of +her child calling upon its mother for help. How slowly and heavily +passed the hours away. But at last the third day came. The morning +waned away, and the afternoon was far advanced, yet the chief came not. +There was sorrow over the whole home, and the mother, pale and silent, +walked her room in despair. The judge, filled with anxious doubts and +fears, looked through the opening in the forest towards the sachem's +abode. + +At last, as the rays of the setting sun were thrown upon the tops of +the tall trees around, the eagle feathers of the chief were seen +dancing above the bushes in the distance. He came rapidly, and the +little boy was at his side. He was gayly attired as a young chief: his +feet dressed in moccasins, a fine beaver-skin thrown over his +shoulders, and eagle's feathers stuck in his hair. He was laughing and +gay, and so proud of his honors that he seemed two inches taller than +before. He was soon clasped in his mother's arms, and in that brief +moment of joy she seemed to pass from death to life. + +"The white man has conquered!" said the chief; "hereafter let us be +friends. You have trusted the Indian; he will repay you with confidence +and kindness." + +And he was true to his word. Judge W---- lived many years, laying there +the foundation of that flourishing community which has spread over a +wide extent of western New York. + +The Far West, in my childhood, meant the "Genesee country," as far as +the falls of Niagara. + + + + +BIG THUNDER--A WINNEBAGO CHIEF. + + +The Winnebago Indians migrated from Belvidere, Illinois, on the +Kish-wau-kie River, to Minnesota, and thence to the Omaha reservation, +in Nebraska. At Belvidere, there is a mound on which Big Thunder when +he died was set up, his body supported by posts driven in the ground. +This was done at his dying request, and in accord with his prophecy to +his tribe: "That there was to be a great and terrible fight between the +white and red men. And when the red men were about to be beaten in the +battle, he would come to life again, and rising up with a shout, would +lead his people to victory!" His tribe would visit the spot once a +year, where his body was drying away, and leave tobacco as an offering; +and the white young men would surely go there soon after and stow the +plugs away in their capacious pockets. As the town became settled, +visitors would carry off the bones as mementos of the old chief. After +they were all gone, some wags would place the bones of some dead sheep +for relic-hunters to pick up and carry home as the bones of a noble +chief. + +I have seen the stakes, which was all that remained of "Big Thunder" +after he was dried up and blown away. + + + + +INDIAN TRADITION--THE DELUGE. + + +The Oneidas have a tradition about the deluge, which is very singular. +According to their story, an unlimited expanse of water covered the +whole space now occupied by the world we live in. + +At this time the whole human family dwelt in a country situated in the +upper regions of the air. Everything needed for comfort and pleasure +was found. The people did not know what death was, nor its attendant, +sickness or disease; and their minds were free from jealousy, hatred, +or revenge. + +At length it happened that all of this was changed, and care and +trouble came to them. + +A certain youth was seen to withdraw himself from the circle of social +amusements, and he wandered away alone in the groves, as his favorite +resort. + +Care and sorrow marked his countenance, and his body, from long +abstinence from food, began to make him look to his friends like a +skeleton of a man. Anxious looks could not solve the mystery of his +grief; and by-and-by, weakened in body and soul, he yielded to his +companions, and promised to disclose the cause of his trouble, on +condition that they would dig up by the roots a certain pine-tree, lay +him in his blanket by the edge of the hole, and place his wife by his +side; at once all hands were ready. The fatal tree was taken up by the +roots; in doing which the earth was opened, and a passage made into the +abyss below. The blanket was spread by the hole; the youth lay upon it +the wife also (soon to be a mother) took her seat by his side. The +crowd, anxious to know the cause of such strange and unheard-of +conduct, pressed close around; when, all of a sudden, to their horror +and surprise, he seized upon the woman and threw her headlong into the +regions of darkness below! Then, rising from the ground, he told the +people that he had for some time suspected that his wife was untrue to +him, and so, having got rid of the cause of his trouble, he would soon +recover his health and spirits. + +All those amphibious animals which now inhabit this world then roamed +through the watery waste to which this woman, in her fall, was now +hastening. The loon first discovered her coming, and called a council +in haste to prepare for her reception,--observing that the animal which +approached was a human being, and that earth was necessary for its +accommodation. The first thing to be thought of was, who should support +the burden? + +The sea-bear first presented himself for a trial of his strength. At +once the other animals gathered round and jumped upon his back; while +the bear, unable to bear up such a weight, sank beneath the water, and +was by all the crowd judged unequal to support the weight of the earth. +Several others presented themselves, were tried, and found wanting. But +last of all came the turtle, modestly tendering his broad shell as the +basis of the earth now to be formed. The beasts then made a trial of +his strength to bear by heaping themselves on his back, and finding by +their united pressure they could not sink him below the surface, +adjudged him the honor of supporting the world on his back. + +Thus, a foundation being found, the next subject of thought was how to +procure earth. Several of the most expert divers plunged to the bottom +of the sea and came up dead; but the _mink_ at last though he shared +the same fate, brought up in his claws a small quantity of dirt. This +was placed on the back of the turtle. + +In the mean while the woman kept on falling, till at last she alighted +on the turtle's back. The earth had already grown to the size of a +man's foot where she stood, with one foot covering the other. By-and-by +she had room for both feet, and was able to sit down. The earth +continued to expand, and when its plain was covered with green grass, +and streams ran, which poured into the ocean, she built her a house on +the sea-shore. Not long after, she had a daughter, and she lived on +what grew naturally, till the child was grown to be a woman. Several of +the animals wanted to marry her, they being changed into the forms of +young men; but the mother would not consent, until the turtle offered +himself as a beau, and was accepted. After she had lain herself down to +sleep, the turtle placed two arrows on her body, in the shape of a +cross: one headed with flint, the other with the rough bark of a tree. +By-and-by she had two sons, but died herself. + +The grandmother was so angry at her death that she threw the children +into the sea. Scarcely had she reached her wigwam when the children had +overtaken her at the door. She then thought best to let them live; and +dividing the body of her daughter in two parts, she threw them up +toward the heavens, when one became the sun, the other the moon. Then +day and night first began. The children soon grew up to be men, and +expert with bow and arrows. The elder had the arrow of the turtle, +which was pointed with flint; the younger had the arrow pointed with +bark. The first was, by his temper and skill and success in hunting, a +favorite of his grandmother. They lived in the midst of plenty, but +would not allow the younger brother, whose arrow was insufficient to +kill anything but birds, to share with their abundance. + +As this young man was wandering one day along the shore, he saw a bird +perched on a limb hanging over the water. He aimed to kill it, but his +arrow, till this time always sure, went aside the mark, and sank into +the sea. + +He determined to recover it, and made a dive for the bottom. Here, to +his surprise, he found himself in a small cottage. A fine-looking old +man sitting there welcomed him with a smile, and thus spoke to him: "My +son, I welcome you to the home of your father! To obtain this meeting I +directed all the circumstances which have combined to bring you hither. +Here is your arrow, and an ear of corn. I have watched the unkindness +of your brother, and now command you to take his life. When you return +home, gather all the flints you can find, and hang up all the deer's +horns. These are the only things which will make an impression on his +body, which is made of flint." + +Having received these instructions, the young Indian took his leave, +and, in a quarrel with his brother, drove him to distant regions, far +beyond the savannas, in the southwest, where he killed him, and left +his huge flint form in the earth. (Hence the Rocky Mountains.) The +great enemy to the race of the turtle being thus destroyed, they sprang +from the ground in human form, and multiplied in peace. + +The grandmother, roused to furious resentment at the loss of her +favorite son, resolved to be revenged. + +For many days she caused the rain to descend from the clouds in +torrents, until the whole surface of the earth, and even the highest +mountains, were covered. The inhabitants escaped by fleeing to their +canoes. She then covered the earth with snow; but they betook +themselves to their snow-shoes. She then gave up the hope of destroying +them all at once, and has ever since employed herself in inflicting +smaller evils on the world, while her younger son displays his good and +benevolent feelings by showering blessings on his race. + +[For this tradition I am indebted to N. P. Willis, Esq., whose visits +to my house in New York were among the events of early days never to be +forgotten.] + + + + +TRIBES ON THE PLAINS. + + +The Indian tribes on the plains, altogether, with those of New Mexico, +Texas, California, and Arizona, do not exceed 300,000, including +Indians, squaws, and papooses. They are as follows: + +_Dakota._--Sioux (pronounced Soos), of these there are several bands, +under chiefs for each band, called Yanktons, Poncas, Lower Brules, +Lower Yanctonais, Two Kettle Sioux, Blackfeet, Minneconjons, Uncpapas, +Ogallahs, Upper Yanctonais, Sansarc, Wahpeton Sioux, Arickarees, Gros +Ventres, Mandans, Assinaboins, Sipetons, Santee. + +This nation is the most numerous and warlike, numbering 31,534. They +range from Kansas, on the Republican River, to Winnepeg, on the north. +A treaty was made with these in 1868, between General Sherman, General +Harney (an old Indian fighter), General Augur, General Sanborn, General +Terry, Colonel Tappan, and Mr. Taylor, Commissioner, all of the Peace +Commission, on the part of the government, at Fort Laramie, now Wyoming +Territory, with Ma-za-pon-kaska, Tah-shun-ka-co-qui-pah, Heh-non-go-chat, +Mah-to-non-pah, Little Chief, Makh-pi-ah-hi-tah, Co-cam-i-ya-ya, +Can-te-pe-ta, Ma-wa-tan-ni-hav-ska, He-na-pin-na-ni-ca, Wah-pa-shaw, +and other chiefs and headmen of different tribes of Sioux. This treaty, +among other things, contained an agreement that, "If bad men among the +whites should commit any wrong on the property or persons of Indians, +the United States would punish them and pay for all losses. + +"If bad men among the Indians shall do wrong to white men, black, or +Indian, the Indians making the treaty shall deliver up the wrong-doer +to the government, to be tried and punished; also agreeing about +certain lands for reservations, farms, annuities of goods, etc., to be +paid them instead of money, thus: + + "For each male person over fourteen years of age, a suit of good + substantial woolen clothing, etc. + + "Each female over twelve, a flannel skirt, or goods to make it, a + pair of woolen hose, twelve yards calico, and twelve yards cotton + domestics, etc. + + "Ten dollars in money for those who roam and hunt, twenty for those + who engage in farming. For such as farm, a good American cow and + one pair broken oxen. + + "1. The Indians agreed to withdraw all opposition to railroads + built on the plains. + + "2. They will not attack any persons at home, or traveling, nor + molest or disturb any wagon trains, coaches, mules, or cattle + belonging to the people of the United States, or to persons + friendly therewith. + + "3. They will never capture or carry off from the settlements white + women or children. + + "4. They will never kill or scalp white men, nor attempt to do them + harm. The government agrees to furnish to the Indians a physician, + teachers, carpenter, miller, engineer, farmer, and blacksmiths, and + ten of the best farmers shall receive five hundred dollars a year + who will grow the best crops." + +The names of the chiefs who signed the treaty are as follows: + + _Brule Sioux._ + + Ma-za-pon-kaska, his x mark, Iron Shell. + Wah-pat-thah, Red Leaf. + Hah-tah-pah, Black Horn. + Zin-tak-gah-lat-skah, Spotted Tail. + Zin-tah-skah, White Tail. + Me-wah-tak-ne-ho-skah, Tall Mandas. + He-cha-chat-kah, Bad Left Hand. + No-mah-no-pah, Two and Two. + +Spotted Tail, who was at Fort D. A. Russell in 1868, just after the +treaty, wore a coon-skin cap,--hence called Spotted Tail. Each chief +gets his peculiar name from some event in his life, or some peculiarity +of person, as for instance,-- + +Tah-shun-ka-co-qui-pah, Man-afraid-of-his-horses. His horse stampeded +one day, when his tribe was fighting some other one, and ran into the +ranks of the enemy. When his owner got back again, he left his horse +behind and _went in_ (as we say), on foot, to fight again. It is not a +term of reproach, as he was not a coward, but did not want to lose his +horse,--hence called "Man-afraid-of-his-horses." + + + _Ogallahs._ + + Tah-shun-ka-co-qui-pah, his x mark, Man-afraid-of-his-horses. + Sha-ton-skah, his x mark, White Hawk. + Sha-ton-sapah, his x mark, Black Hawk. + E-ga-mon-ton-ka-sapah, his x mark, Black Tiger. + Oh-wah-she-cha, his x mark, Bad Wound. + Pah-gee, his x mark, Grass. + Wah-non-reh-che-geh, his x mark, Ghost Heart. + Con-reeh, his x mark, Crow. + Oh-he-te-kah, his x mark, The Brave. + Tah-ton-kah-he-yo-ta-kah, his x mark, Sitting Bull. + Shon-ka-oh-wah-mon-ye, his x mark, Whirlwind Dog. + Ha-hah-kah-tah-miech, his x mark, Poor Elk. + Wam-bu-lee-wah-kon, his x mark, Medicine Eagle. + Chon-gah-ma-he-to-hans-ka, his x mark, High Wolf. + Wah-se-chun-ta-shun-kah, his x mark, American Horse. + Mah-hah-mah-ha-mak-near, his x mark, Man that walks under the ground. + Mah-to-tow-pah, his x mark, Four Bears. + Ma-to-wee-sha-kta, his x mark, One that kills the bear. + Oh-tah-kee-toka-wee-chakta, his x mark, One that kills in a hard place. + Tah-tonka-skah, his x mark, White Bull. + Con-ra-washta, his x mark, Pretty Coon. + Ha-cah-cah-she-chah, his x mark, Bad Elk. + Wa-ha-ka-zah-ish-tah, his x mark, Eye Lance. + Ma-to-ha-ke-tah, his x mark, Bear that looks behind. + Bella-tonka-tonka, his x mark, Big Partisan. + Mah-to-ho-honka, his x mark, Swift Bear. + To-wis-ne, his x mark, Cold Place. + Ish-tah-skah, his x mark, White Eyes. + Ma-ta-loo-zah, his x mark, Fast Bear. + As-hah-kah-nah-zhe, his x mark, Standing Elk. + Can-te-te-ki-ya, his x mark, The Brave Heart. + Shunka-shaton, his x mark, Day Hawk. + Tatanka-wakon, his x mark, Sacred Bull. + Mapia-shaton, his x mark, Hawk Cloud. + Ma-sha-a-ow, his x mark, Stands and Comes. + Shon-ka-ton-ka, his x mark, Big Dog. + Tah-ton-kak-ta-miech, The Poor Bull. + Oh-huns-ee-ga-non-sken, Mad Shade. + Thah-ton-oh-na-an-minne-ne-oh-minne, Whirling Hand. + Mah-to-chun-ka-oh, Bear's Back. + Che-ton-wee-koh, Fool Hawk. + Wah-ho-ke-zah-ah-hah, One that has the Lance. + Shon-gah-manni-toh-tan-kak-seh, Big Wolf Foot. + Eh-ton-kah, Big Mouth. + +(This was the first Indian I saw at North Platte, when we came there in +1867. Looking out of the car window, I called my wife's attention to a +big Indian, and said, "Did you ever see such a big mouth before?" Sure +enough, it was the chief, and he was killed in a drunken row in Dakota +recently, having been shot by Spotted Tail.) + + Ma-pa-che-tah, Bad Hand. + Wah-ke-gun-shah, Red Thunder. + Wak-sah, One that cuts off. + Cham-nom-qui-yah, One that presents the Pipe. + Wah-ke-ke-yan-puh-tah, Fire Thunder. + Mah-to-nenk-pah-ze, Bear with Yellow Ears. + Con-reh-teh-kah, The Little Crow. + He-hup-pah-toh, The Blue War Club. + Shon-kee-toh, The Blue Horse. + Wam-balla-oh-conguo, Quick Eagle. + Ta-tonka-juppah, Black Bull. + Mo-to-ha-she-na, The Bear Hide. + + + _Yanctonais._ + + Mah-to-non-pah, his x mark, Two Bears. + Mah-to-hna-skin-ya, his x mark, Mad Bear. + He-o-pu-za, his x mark, Lousy. + Ah-ke-che-tah-che-ca-dan, his x mark, Little Soldier. + Mah-to-e-tan-chan, his x mark, Chief Bear. + Cu-wi-h-win, his x mark, Rotten Stomach. + Skun-ka-we-tko, his x mark, Fool Dog. + Ish-ta-sap-pah, his x mark, Black Eye. + Ih-tan-chan, his x mark, the Chief. + I-a-wi-ca-ka, his x mark, The One who tells the Truth. + Ah-ke-che-tah, his x mark, The Soldier. + Ta-shi-na-gi, his x mark, Yellow Robe. + Nah-pe-ton-ka, his x mark, Big Hand. + Chan-tee-we-kto, his x mark, Fool Heart. + Hog-gan-sah-pa, his x mark, Black Catfish. + Mah-to-wah-kan, his x mark, Medicine Bear. + Shun-ka-kan-sha, his x mark, Red Horse. + Wan-rode, his x mark, The Eagle. + Can-hpi-sa-pa, his x mark, Black Tomahawk. + War-he-le-re, his x mark, Yellow Eagle. + Cha-ton-che-ca, his x mark, Small Hawk, or Long Fare. + Shu-ger-mon-e-too-ha-ska, his x mark, Tall Wolf. + Ma-to-u-tah-kah, his x mark, Sitting Bear. + Hi-ha-cah-ge-na-skene, his x mark, Mad Elk. + + + _Arapahoes._ + + Little Chief, his x mark. + Tall Bear, his x mark. + Top Man, his x mark. + Neva, his x mark. + The Wounded Bear, his x mark. + Whirlwind, his x mark. + The Fox, his x mark. + The Dog Big Mouth, his x mark. + Spotted Wolf, his x mark. + + + _Minneconjons._ + + Heh-non-ge-chat, One Horn. + Oh-pon-ah-tah-e-manne, The Elk that bellows Walking. + Heb-ho-lah-reh-cha-skah, Young White Bull. + Wah-cha-chum-kah-coh-kee-pah, One that is afraid of Shield. + He-hon-ne-shakta, The Old Owl. + Moe-pe-a-toh, Blue Cloud. + Oh-pong-ge-le-skah, Spotted Elk. + Tah-tonk-ka-hon-ke-schne, Slow Bull. + Shunk-a-nee-skah-skah-a-tah-pe, The Dog Chief. + Mah-to-tab-tonk-kah, Bull Bear. + Wom-beh-le-ton-kah, The Big Eagle. + Ma-to-eh-schne-lah, his x mark, the Lone Bear. + Mah-toh-ke-su-yah, his x mark, The One who remembers the Bear. + Ma-toh-oh-he-to-keh, his x mark, the Brave Bear. + Eh-che-ma-heh, his x mark, The Runner. + Ti-ki-ya, his x mark, The Hard. + He-ma-za, his x mark, Iron Horn. + Sorrel Horse. + Black Coal. + Big Wolf. + Knock-Knee. + Black Crow. + The Lone Old Man. + Paul. + Black Bull. + Big Track. + Black White. + Yellow Hair. + Little Shield. + Black Bear. + Wolf Moccasin. + Big Robe. + Wolf Chief. + Friday. + The Foot. + And lastly, "Stinking Saddle-Cloth!" + + + _Uncpapa Sioux._ + + Co-kam-i-ya-ya, his x mark, The Man that goes in the Middle. + Ma-to-ca-wa-weksa, his x mark, Bear Rib. + Ta-to-ka-in-yan-ke, his x mark, Running Antelope. + Kan-gi-wa-ki-ta, his x mark, Looking Crow. + A-ki-ci-ta-han-ska, his x mark, Long Soldier. + Wa-ku-te-ma-ni, his x mark, The One who shoots Walking. + Un-kea-ki-ka, his x mark, The Magpie. + Kan-gi-o-ta, his x mark, Plenty Crow. + He-ma-za, his x mark, Iron Horn. + Shun-ka-i-na-pin, his x mark, Wolf Necklace. + I-we-hi-yu, his x mark, The Man who Bleeds from the Mouth. + He-ha-ka-pa, his x mark, Elk Head. + I-zu-za, his x mark, Grind Stone. + Shun-ka-wi-tko, his x mark, Fool Dog. + Ma-kpi-ya-po, his x mark, Blue Cloud. + Wa-mln-pi-lu-ta, his x mark, Red Eagle. + Ma-to-can-te, his x mark, Bear's Heart. + A-ki-ci-ta-i-tau-can, his x mark, Chief Soldier. + + + _Blackfeet Sioux._ + + Can-te-pe-ta, his x mark, Fire Heart. + Wan-mdi-kte, his x mark, The One who kills Eagle. + Sho-ta, his x mark, Smoke. + Wan-mdi-ma-ni, his x mark, Walking Eagle. + Wa-shi-cun-ya-ta-pi, his x mark, Chief White Man. + Kan-gi-i-yo-tan-ke, his x mark, Sitting Crow. + Pe-ji, his x mark, The Grass. + Kda-ma-ni, his x mark, The One that rattles as he Walks. + Wah-han-ka-sa-pa, his x mark, Black Shield. + Can-te-non-pa, his x mark, Two Hearts. + + + _Ogallalla Sioux._ + + To-ka-in-yan-ka, his x mark, The One who goes ahead Running. + Ta-tan-ka-wa-kin-yan, his x mark, Thunder Bull. + Sin-to-min-sa-pa, his x mark, All over Black. + Can-i-ca, his x mark, The One who took the Stick. + Pa-tan-ka, his x mark, Big Head. + + + _Two-Kettle Band._ + + Ma-wa-tan-ni-han-ska, his x mark, Long Mandan. + Can-kpe-du-ta, his x mark, Red War Club. + Can-ka-ga, his x mark, The Log. + + + _Sansareh Sioux._ + + He-na-pin-wa-ni-ca, his x mark, The One that has neither Horn. + Wa-inlu-pi-lu-ta, his x mark, Red Plume. + Ci-tan-gi, his x mark, Yellow Hawk. + He-na-pin-wa-ni-ca, his x mark, No Horn. + + + _Santee Sioux._ + + Wa-pah-shaw, his x mark, Red Ensign. + Wah-koo-tay, his x mark, Shooter. + Hoo-sha-sha, his x mark, Red Legs. + O-wan-cha-du-ta, his x mark, Scarlet all over. + Wau-mace-tan-ka, his x mark, Big Eagle. + Cho-tan-ka-e-na-pe, his x mark, Flute-player. + Ta-shun-ke-mo-za, his x mark, His Iron Dog. + + +_In Washington Territory_ are five bands, such as the + Spokans, Pend d'Oreilles, etc., in all 9,285 + +_California._--Seven bands, such as Wylackies, etc. 25,225 + +_Arizona._--Apaches, Yumas, Mohaves, etc. 31,570 + +_Oregon._--Walla-Wallas, Cayuses, etc. 10,942 + +_Utah._--Utahs and Utes 25,250 + +_Nevada._--Pi-utes, Shoshones, Bannacks, Washoes, etc. 8,200 + +_New Mexico._--Navajoes, Pueblos, Jicarilla Apaches, + etc. (with 2000 captives held in peonage,--_i.e._ + slavery) 20,036 + +_Colorado._--U-in-tak, Utes 5,000 + +_Dakota_, including Wyoming, set off from Dakota: + Yancton Sioux 2,500 + Poncas 979 + Lower Brules 1,600 + Lower Yanctonais 2,250 + Two-Kettle Sioux 750 + Blackfeet 1,200 + Minneconjons 3,060 + Uncpapas 3,000 + Ogallallas 3,000 + Upper Yanctonais 2,400 + Sansarc 720 + Wahpeton Sioux 1,637 + Arickarees 1,500 + Gros Ventres 400 + Mandans 400 + Assinaboins 2,640 + Sissetons and other Sioux 3,500 + ------ + 31,534 + +_Montana._--Piegans, Blackfeet, Flatheads, Gros Ventres, + Kootenays, Crows, etc. 19,560 + +_Nebraska and Kansas._--Winnebagoes, Omahas, Pawnees, + Sacs and Foxes of Missouri, Iowas, Cheyennes, Arapahoes, + and Sautee Sioux 17,995 + +_Central Agency, in Kansas and Indian + Territory._--Pottawatamies, Shawnees, Delaware, Osages, + Senecas, Kaws, Kickapoos, Ottawas, Comanches, Arapahoes, + Cheyennes, and Apaches 17,422 + +_Southern Agency, Cherokee Country._--Creeks, Cherokees, + Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles, Wichitas, Keechies, Wolves, + Tuscaroras, Caddoes, Shawnees, Delawares, etc. 48,145 + +_Green Bay Agency._--Oneidas, Menominees, and Munsees 3,036 + +_Wisconsin._--Chippeways of Mississippi 6,179 + +_Lake Superior._--Chippewas, etc., wandering 6,114 + +_Mackinac._--Pottawatamies, etc. 8,099 + +_New York State._--Cattaraugas, Cayugas, Onondagas, + with Senecas, Allegany, Tonawandas, Tuscaroras, Oneidas, + Onondagas 4,136 + ------- + Total 298,528 + +Friday was found on the Plains many years ago, while a lad, by Father +de Smet, a Jesuit missionary, and taken to St. Louis, where he was +educated. He returned again to his tribe, and leads a roving life. In +November, 1869, he came to our post with Medicine-Man, Little Wolf, +Sorrel Horse, and Cut-Foot, having been brought down by General Augur, +Commander of the Department of the Platte, to go up the Union Pacific +Railroad, as far as Wind River Valley, to meet old Waskakie, head chief +of the Shoshones, and to make a treaty with his tribe, fearing the +southern Sioux and Cheyennes would make war upon Friday's band, which +numbered only fifteen hundred. Not finding Waskakie on his reservation, +they waited several weeks for his return from the mountains, where he +was gone on a hunt for his winter's supply of buffalo and deer meat. +After waiting as long as they could, the Arapahoes left some of their +arrows for Waskakie, that he might know they had been there, and also +brought back some of the Shoshones' arrows, to convince the Arapahoe +Indians that they had fulfilled their mission. + +At this time, Friday had a beautiful set of arrows, bow and quiver, +which I desired to purchase and carry east, to show Sunday-school +children the weapons of Indian warfare, and how they kill their game, +Friday would not sell his "outfit," as it is called, for money, but was +willing to "trade" for a revolver, with which he said he could hunt +buffalo. At first, the Indian agent said it was unlawful to sell +firearms and ammunition to the Indians. This I told Friday. He then +said, "_Well, let's trade on the sly_." This I declined to do. But +after a few days, I got permission, and took Friday into Cheyenne, to +select the pistol. After picking out a good one, he then begged for +bullet-mould, lead, powder, and caps. A trade is never complete with an +Indian as long as he sees anything he can get added to the bargain. + +General Duncan, of the 5th Cavalry, tells me of one of his trades with +a red man at Fort Laramie. His little boy took a fancy to an Indian +pony one day, and the general offered to exchange a nice _mule_ for the +pony. This was soon done and settled, as the general supposed. But next +day the Indian came back and demanded some tobacco, sugar, flour, etc. +"What for?" demanded the general. The Indian gave him to understand +that he did trade horses, but as the mule had little or no tail, and +the pony a long one, "_he wanted the sugar, tobacco, and flour to make +up for the tail_!" After Friday and his fellow-chiefs had left us, some +one wrote this to a Chicago paper, as follows: + + + + +THE AUTHOR A MEDICINE-MAN. + + +The Indians sometimes confer "brevets" on distinguished individuals as +marks of favor, though they do not, or have not as yet, scattered them +in like profusion, as in the army, so that the whole thing has become a +farce. + +Mr. Catlin, or Mr. Schoolcraft (Indian writers and painters), was made +a regular chief of the Chippewas in the time of Red Jacket, a big chief +at Tonawanda. In the month of November, 1869, five Arapahoe chiefs came +to Fort Russell,--"Friday," "Little Wolf," "Cut-Foot," "Sorrel Horse," +and "Head Medicine-Man." On account of many little kindnesses to them +while remaining, Friday invited the writer to go up with the party to +their home among the Black Hills, where he could be initiated into the +forms of a civil chief. Friday said, "These fellows"--meaning his +companions--"think a big heap of you, and want you to go home with +them." As the ceremony includes a dog feast, it was postponed for +awhile. They called me "The White Medicine-Man,"--and the feast has +been partaken of at different times by some officers on the plains, who +say dog's meat tastes much like mutton. A feast was made, it is said, +at Fort Laramie for the Peace Commission, which met there in 1868. +There were Generals Sherman, Harney, Augur, Terry, Sanborn, and Col. +Tappan present. A big chief had given the entertainment of dog, in +soup, roast, etc. Having only one big tin dish to serve the soup in, +and it being rather dirty, the old squaw seized a pup to wipe it out +with. But the old chief felt mortified at it, and so he tore off a +piece of his shirt and gave the pan an extra wipe! + + + + +THE SIOUX SUN DANCE--SCENE ON THE PLAINS OF YOUNG WARRIORS EXHIBITING +FORTITUDE AND BRAVERY IN TORTURING PAINS--A HORRIBLE SCENE. + + +Red Cloud, a head chief, lives in what is called the Powder River +country, above Fort Fetterman. But the Sioux nation roam for hundreds +of miles all over the plains, and are sure to turn up just when and +where they are least expected. + +These Sioux, the most numerous of all the Indian tribes, have a festive +performance, which is regarded by all civilized people with horror and +abhorrence, and one which few can look upon with nerve enough to see +the end. + +It is a sort of religious dance, in which the young braves test their +fortitude and stoicism in resisting pain and torture without wincing. A +young officer, who witnessed the "Sun Dance" last year, at the Cheyenne +agency, a few miles above Fort Sully, on the Missouri River, gives the +following account: + + "The Indians manifested considerable opposition to having any + whites present. When several officers belonging to the 17th United + States Infantry came up, Red Leaf--a chief of Red Cloud's + band--leaped over a breastwork of logs and ordered the troops away. + After parleying with the chief some time, the soldiers fell back + and took a position which was not objectionable to the Indians, but + from which they could obtain only a partial view of the + performances. There was a large lodge, built in shape of an + amphitheatre, with a hole in the centre. The sides and roof were + covered with willows, forming a tolerable screen, but not so dense + as to obstruct entirely the view. The performances began with low + chants and incantations. Five young men were brought in and + partially stripped, their mothers being present and assisting in + the ceremony. + + "Then the 'Medicine-man' began his part by cutting slits in the + flesh of the young men and taking up the muscles with pincers. The + old squaws assisted in lacerating the flesh of the boys with sharp + knives. The squaws would at the same time keep up a howling, + accompanied with a backward-and-forward movement. When the muscles + were lifted out by pincers on the breast, one end of a kind of + lariat (used for fastening horses while grazing), or buffalo thong, + was tied to the bleeding flesh, while the other end was fastened to + the top of the pole in the middle of the lodge. The first young + man, when thus prepared, commenced dancing around the circle in a + most frantic manner, pulling with all his might, so as to stretch + out the rope, and by his jerking movements loosening himself by + tearing out the flesh. The young man's dance was accompanied by a + chant by those who were standing around, assisted by the thumping + of a hideous drum, to keep the time. The young brave who was + undergoing this self-torture finally succeeded in tearing himself + loose, and the rope relaxed from its sudden tightness and fell back + toward the centre pole with a piece of the flesh to which it was + tied. The victim, who, up to this point, did not move a muscle of + his face, fell down on the ground, exhausted from the pain, which + human weakness could not further conceal. A squaw then rushed in + and bore the young brave away. He had undergone the terrible + ordeal, and amid the congratulations of the old men, would be + complimented as a warrior of undoubted pluck and acknowledged + prowess. + + "Another of the young men, named Charles, was cut in two places + under the shoulder blade; the flesh was raised with pincers, and + thongs tied around the flesh and muscles thus raised. The thongs + reached down below the knees and were tied to buffalo skulls. With + these heavy weights dangling at the ends of the thongs, the young + man was required to dance around the circle, to the sound of the + drum and chants of the bystanders, until the skulls became detached + by tearing out the flesh. They continued the performance until one + of the skulls broke loose, but the other remained. The mother of + the young man then rushed into the ring, leading a pony, and tied + one end of the lariat which was around the pony's neck to the + skull, which was still fastened to the young Indian. The latter + then followed the pony round the ring, until nearly exhausted he + fell on his face, and the skull was thereby torn out of the flesh. + The sufferer's voice grew husky from joining in the chant; he + groveled on the ground in violent contortions for a few minutes, + and was then removed to the outside of the lodge. + + "A third man had the lariat of the pony hitched to the raised + muscles of his back, and was dragged in this way several times + round the ring; but the force not being sufficient to tear loose + from the flesh, the pony was backed up, and a slack being thus + taken on the lariat, the pony was urged swiftly forward, and the + sudden jerk tore the lariat out of the flesh." + +Our informant having seen enough of these horrid performances to +satisfy his curiosity, left with his companions, "without waiting to +see the dance through." The dance, with its bloody orgies, lasted three +whole days. This Sun Dance is not as common as formerly, and as the +Indians settle on reservations, it is wholly done away with. The origin +of the custom is uncertain. + + + + +JULESBURG. + + +My experience on the plains dates from September, 1867. The government +ordered me to report to Fort Sedgwick, a post on the south side of the +Platte River, three hundred and seventy-seven miles west of Omaha. This +post lies four miles south of Julesburg, then the end of the Union +Pacific Railroad. There were five thousand people there, and it was +said to be the most wicked city in the world. Thieves and escaped +convicts came here to gamble and lead bad lives, as they had done in +Eastern cities, until driven away for fear of punishment; and often +three or four would be shot down at night in drunken rows with their +companions in vice and crime. + +A mammoth tent was erected for a dance-house and gambling purposes. It +was called "The King of the Hills," and was filled up with handsome +mirrors, pianos, and furniture, and was the scene of all kinds of +wickedness. It rented for six hundred dollars a day! + +Here hundreds of men, engaged as freighters, teamsters, and +"bull-whackers,"--as they were called, and who were in the employ of +Wells, Fargo & Co. in freighting goods in large wagons to Idaho, +Montana, Salt Lake, and California,--would congregate at night and +gamble and carouse, spending all their three months' earnings, only to +go back, earn more, and spend it again in this foolish and wicked +manner. + +One day I came over to the city, and while driving from the express +office, heard pistol-shots, and soon saw the men, women, and children +running in every direction. I got out of the way, fearing danger, and +listened, till I had heard at least twenty shots, and then all was +still. I went round to ascertain the cause, and soon found myself among +a crowd of excited persons. I learned that a bad young man had robbed a +poor negro boy of one hundred and thirty dollars he had earned at the +railroad station, and had laid it by to go to his home in Baltimore. +The fellow denied it, and said "he'd shoot any one who tried to arrest +him." A police officer followed him into a saloon, when the thief at +once turned and fired at the officer, wounding him in his right elbow, +so he could not reach his pistols in his belt. But some friend handed +him one, and with it he knocked the villain down, behind a stove. He +then begged for his life, saying he would give up the money and a +thousand dollars for his life. But it was too late. The officer shot +him in the forehead, and when I entered, he was weltering in a pool of +blood. All said, "Served him right!" This is a law of Western life. If +two men get into a dispute, and one puts his hand to his pocket, as if +to draw a weapon, the other is sure to shoot his enemy, as the law is, +"_a life for a life_." + +JULESBURG took its name from a small place just below Sedgwick, where a +Frenchman named Jules built a ranch and raised cattle a long time +before the railroad was built. Here passengers to Denver would get +their meals, and the horses were changed on the stage route to Denver +and to Salt Lake. Some Indians it is said killed the old man Jules, and +his ranch having been taken possession of by the Indians, was shelled +by cannon from Fort Sedgwick, and burned down. Mr. Greeley must +remember this station, which he and Mr. Colfax and Gov. Bross, of +Illinois, passed on their overland trip to California some ten years +ago, and where they dined upon the universal fare,--corn-bread, coffee, +and bacon. + +The city of Julesburg, as it was called in 1867, was visited by a party +of editors from Chicago, Cleveland, etc. They came in one of Pullman's +palace cars to see the contractor of the Union Pacific Railroad lay the +track, as many as four miles each day. Being anxious to write home to +their papers all the wonderful things they saw and heard, they came +across a strange, wild-looking man named "Sam Stanton," dressed in a +buckskin suit, with a broad-brimmed hat. Sam was a returned California +miner, of long experience on the plains. Him they invited to come into +the beautiful car, to tell them some stories of pioneer life; and, in +order to incite him, or _excite_ his imagination to do so, they invited +him to drink some champagne wine. As it happened, Sam had never before +tasted any stimulants but common whisky, and the champagne getting into +his head, made him a little tipsy. + +"You want me to show you how we put out the lights in the ranches, I +suppose?" + +"Yes," they said; "tell us anything of Western life." + +"Well, here goes," he said, and at once drew his revolver and began +popping away at the beautiful globe lamps which adorned the car! Of +course all the party stampeded for the door. They had had enough of +Sam's stories. + +It is a rule for the last one that gets into bed to put out the light; +but a lazy fellow will crawl into bed and, taking aim, extinguish the +light by firing off his pistol at the flame! + +A "Ranch" is simply a one-story log-house, with two or three rooms, and +a thatched roof of straw. Sometimes they are made of a-do-be,--a kind +of dried clay-brick, such as are found in Mexico and some parts of +California and Texas. + + + + +A BRAVE BOY AND SOME INDIANS. + + +When the railroad had been built as far as Plum Creek, two hundred and +thirty miles west of Omaha, in 1866, the track-layers saw a lot of +Indians coming toward them from over the bluffs; and the poor Irishmen, +dreading nothing so much as the sight of a red-skin, at once took to +their heels to hide from the foe. Along with these men were needed +covered wagons, with which they carried tools, etc., and in which at +night they slept. In one of them a boy was sitting, about twelve or +fourteen years of age. He saw nothing of the stampede of workmen, but +soon was aroused by the yell of the Indians. He seized a Spencer rifle +lying close by him, and, putting the muzzle through a slit of the +canvas cover, took good aim at the foremost Indian, and when within a +few yards, he shot off his rifle and felled him to the ground. Another +rode up, and met the same fate. Several then rushed up and dragged off +the bodies of the two Indians slain, and all at once made a quick +retreat! + +The Indians seeing several wagons there, supposed each one contained +armed soldiers or men; and they were quick to see that the white man's +skill was more than their bows and arrows. And yet there was only that +brave little fellow, who saved the whole "_outfit_," and whose name +ought to be recorded as a true hero. + + + + +AN INDIAN MEAL. + + +Boys would be surprised to see how much an Indian can eat at a single +meal. A "big chief" can eat a whole goose or turkey at one sitting. The +Indians eat right along, till they have gorged themselves and can eat +no more. Perhaps it is because they seldom get what is called "a square +meal," and so when plenty offers they make the most of it. One day, +four chiefs of the Ar-ap-a-hoe tribe came to Fort Russell, to see about +getting rations for three hundred of their tribe. They soon found their +way to the commanding officer, at headquarters. He gave each one a +cigar, which they puffed away at for some time. At last one of them +made a motion to his mouth, signifying they were "hungry." Nearly all +the tribes of wild Indians convey their ideas more by signs than by +words. But the general would not take the hint. He said if he fed them +once, they would come every day. A lady, however, took pity on them, +and said to me, "Let us make contributions from each family, and give +the poor fellows something to eat." Some brought meat, some biscuit and +bread, and I made them some coffee, after inviting them to come into my +yard. The children, boys and girls, assembled to see the four chiefs +sitting around the table in the yard devour the food we had prepared +for them. + +There was no milk in the coffee, but I knew Indians were not used to +it, and all things being ready, the coffee hot and the bacon smoking +and smelling savory, I expected they would fall to and eat like good +fellows. But I was surprised that one of them looked at the pail of +coffee and gave a grunt of disapprobation. I supposed from what I had +heard that an Indian would drink coffee, swallowing the _grounds_ and +all. But on a close look, I discovered _about a dozen flies_ were +floating on top. I took a spoon and removed them, and tasting it +myself, passed it round to each one in a bowl; and this time they gave +another grunt,--but it was one of approbation. They ate and ate till we +thought they'd split, and then asked permission to carry off in a bag +what they could not stow away in their capacious stomachs! + +An Indian seldom shows any signs of joy or of sorrow in any emotion +whatever. But when they meet a white friend, or are surprised at +anything, they exclaim, "How! how!" and shake hands all round. + +An Indian trader told me at North Platte some anecdotes of their +characteristics. They are all very fond of sugar, and very fond of +whisky. They will often sell a buffalo robe for a bowl of sugar, and at +any time would give a pony for a gallon of rye or rum. + +He told me that he once saw an Indian choke a squaw to get a lump of +sugar out of her mouth which he coveted! And a storekeeper at Julesburg +(Mr. Pease) said he sold a big pup to an Indian for a robe, and the +Indian seized the dog, cut his throat, and, soon as dead, threw pup +into a kettle to boil up for soup! + + + + +SHALL THE INDIANS BE EXTERMINATED? + + +This is the cry of Western men. It is very easy to talk of +"extermination." General Harney, an old Indian fighter, told General +Sherman that a general war with the Indians would cost the government +$50,000,000 a year, and stop for a long time the running of the Pacific +Railroad. They fight only at an advantage,--when they outnumber the +whites. They fight, scatter away, and reunite again; hide away in +canons (_canyons_), gorges, and mountain fastnesses, where no soldier +can find them. It would be a war of fifty years' duration. + +General Sherman is reported to have said at a meeting of the Indian +Peace Commissioners, at Fort Laramie, with several tribes, "Say to the +head chief that President Grant loves the red men and will do all he +can for them. But they must behave themselves, and if they don't, tell +him _I'll kill them_!" The old chief began to mutter away something to +himself and others. + +"What does he say?" said the general. + +"Why," said the interpreter, "he says, '_catch 'em first, then kill +them_!'" + +Have they never been wronged by white men? Have you never heard of the +Sand Creek massacre? + +There had been some trouble between the Cheyennes and Arapahoes and +some soldiers near Fort Lyon, in 1864, south of Denver, Colorado, where +these Indians have a reservation. The origin of the trouble is +uncertain. Major Anthony was sent out to fight them; but on his arrival +he found them peaceable,--they had given up their prisoners and horses. + +[Indians take their squaws and papooses with them when they go on +hunting expeditions. The squaws prepare all the meat, dry all the game +for winter food, and tan the buffalo- and deer-hides to sell. They live +in tents or lodges, called "Tepees," made of tanned buffalo-skins, and +usually hold about five persons, in which they cook and sleep. _On the +war-path_, they leave their squaws and papooses in their villages. This +was the case when Colonel Chivington (formerly a preacher) charged that +they were hostile, as an apology for his wholesale slaughter.] + +Five hundred Indians of all ages flocked, soon as attacked, to the head +chief's camp,--"Black Kettle,"--and he raised the American flag, _with +a white truce beneath_. This, you know, is respected in all civilized +warfare. Then the slaughter began. + +One who saw it said, "The troops (mainly volunteers) committed all +manner of depredations on their victims,--_scalped them_, knocked out +their brains. The white men used their knives, cutting squaws to +pieces, clubbed little children, knocking out their brains and +mutilating their bodies in every sense of the word." Thus imitating +savage warfare by nominally Christian men. + +Robert Bent testified thus: + +"I saw a little girl about five years of age, who had been hid in +the sand; two soldiers discovered her, drew their pistols and shot +her, and then pulled her out of the sand by her arm," etc. + +This occurred at the time government officials in Denver had sent for +them,--had a "talk" with them,--advising them to go just where they +were. Before he was killed, Black Kettle, one of the chiefs, thus +addressed the governor at Denver: + + "We have come with our eyes shut, following Major Wynkoop's handful + of men, like coming through the fire. All we ask is, that we may + have peace with the whites. We want to hold you by the hand. You + are our father. We have been traveling through a cloud. The sky has + been dark ever since the war began. + + "These braves who are here with me, are willing to do all I say. We + want to take good news home to our people, that they may sleep in + peace. + + "_I have not come here with a little wolf-bark!_ But have come to + talk plain with you. We must live near the buffalo or starve. When + I go home, I will tell my people I have taken your hand, and all of + the white chiefs in Denver, and then they will feel well, and so + will all the tribes on the plains, when we have eaten and drank + with them." + +And yet one hundred and twenty friendly Indians were all slain, and the +war that followed cost $40,000,000. + +A _council of Indians_ was held previous to the "Chivington massacre," +which stamped the character of Black Kettle, the Cheyenne chief, as +noble and brave. It seems that he had purchased from an Arapahoe band +two girls named Laura Roper, aged eighteen, and Belle Ewbanks, aged six +years, who were captured by the Indians, after attacking Roper's ranch, +on the Little Blue River, in July, 1864. Two little boys were also +captured at the same time. They were carried off to the Republican +River, and Black Kettle bought them for five or six ponies, to give +them to their parents. Certainly a generous act. He gave them up, and +met the Commissioners in council, together with several Arapahoe chiefs +of small bands, all of whom were confederate together to kill the +Commissioners and bring on a general war. + +Black Kettle knew it, and was determined to expose the plot and break +it up. But the party of white officials, with Colonel E. W. Wynkoop, +were in the dark about their evil intentions. The Indians called +Colonel W. "The Tall Chief that don't lie." + +"Black Kettle"--Mo-ke-ta-va-ta--Colonel Tappan says, "was the most +remarkable man of the age for magnanimity, generosity, courage, and +integrity. His hospitality to destitute emigrants and travelers on +the plains for years, had no limit within the utmost extent of his +means; giving liberally of his stores of provisions, clothing, and +horses. His fame as an orator was widely known. He was great in +council, and his word was law. Hundreds of whites are indebted to him +for their lives.... He held Colonel Chivington's men at bay for seven +hours, and carried to a place of safety three hundred of his women and +children,--twenty of his braves and his own wife pierced with a dozen +bullets. + +"Previous to the conflict, after his two brothers had been shot down +and cut to pieces before his eyes (while approaching the troops to +notify them of the friendly character of the Indians), he aided three +white men to escape from the village, one of them a soldier. They were +his guests, whom he suspected of being spies, 'but did not know it,' +and they are now living to the eternal fame and honor of the chieftain. +From Sand Creek he fled to the Sioux camp, where it was determined +to make war upon the whites in retaliation. He protested against +interfering with women and children, and insisted upon fighting the +men. He was overruled. Thereupon he resigned his office as chief, and +assumed the garb of a brave. He soon after made peace for his tribe, +which was faithfully kept until the burning of their village two years +afterward. A war again ensued, in which he took no part, having +promised never again to raise his hands against the whites. He was the +first to meet the Peace Commissioners at Medicine Lodge Creek. His many +services and virtues plead like angels trumpet-tongued against the deep +damnation of his taking off." + +Well, when the council assembled, among them were about a dozen chiefs +of Arapahoes, Cheyennes, etc.; the worst of whom was Neva,--Long-nose,--an +Arapahoe with one eye, and that a very ugly one. He was an outlaw, +commanding twenty or thirty warriors. All were seated in a tent, and +this fellow became boisterous, and wrangled, clamoring for a general +war against all whites. It was a most exciting time. The chiefs stripped +almost naked, and worked themselves up into a great excitement. At +last, Black Kettle rose up, and pointing his finger at Neva, thus +addressed him: + +"You, you call yourself brave! I know what you mean. You come here to +kill these white friends whom I have invited to come and have a talk +with us. They don't know what you mean, but I do. You brave! +(sneeringly.) I'll tell you what you are: your mouth is wide, so +(measuring a foot with his hands),--your tongue so long (with his +forefinger marking six inches on his arm),--_and it hangs in the +middle, going both ways_. You're a coward, and dare not fight me." Here +all the Indians gave a grunt of approbation. "Now, go," said he, "and +begone! This council is broken up; I have said it; you hear my words; +begone!" And they slunk off, completely cowed down. + +Dog-soldiers were with them, well equipped for a big fight, and these +white men beguiled, would all have been slain only for Mo-ke-ta-va-ta. +A "dog-soldier" is a youth who has won, gradually, by successful use of +the bow and arrow, a position to use the gun, and stand to the warriors +just as our police force do to us, in guarding property, etc. These +boys have a stick, called a "coo," on which they make a notch for +everything they kill,--a kind of tally,--and when the coo is of a +certain length, they are promoted to the rank of a "dog-soldier." + + + + +INDIANS DON'T BELIEVE HALF THEY HEAR. + + +When several chiefs are allowed to visit Washington on errands for +their tribes, to get more given them, they tell their people how +numerous are the children of their Great Father they have met on their +way, and what big guns they saw, etc. But those at home believe it is a +lie, gotten up by the "white man's medicine," as they call it. All have +heard of a young chief whose father gave a stick, on which he should +cut a notch for every white man he met. But it soon got full, and he +threw it away. + +The most amusing experience is told of a lot of Indians having been +induced to go into a photographer's and have their likenesses taken. +The operator asked a chief to look at his squaw (sitting for her phiz) +through the camera. It looks as though one was sitting, or rather +standing on his head,--reversing one's position. The chief was very +angry at seeing his squaw in such an uncomely attitude, and he walked +over and beat her. She denied it, but he saw it. He looked again, and +again she was turned upside down. He said it was the white man's +medicine, and would have nothing to do with it! + +An Indian boy was asked some questions by one of the Peace +Commissioners about some trouble, and he said to a chief, "Does the boy +tell the truth?" + +"Yes," replied the chief, "you may believe what he says; he never saw a +white man before!" + + + + +ARMY OFFICERS. + + +The army officers are generally friends of the Indians. They are +certainly, as a rule, just to the well-behaved Indians, and ready to +sacrifice their lives in punishing bad ones. + +General W. S. Harney, a retired army officer, is among the most noted. +His life will be a most interesting one, full of adventure with the red +men. General Harney graduated at West Point when nineteen years old, +was sent out to the frontier, where he has lived fifty years. Grown +gray in their companionship, and cradled in experience with the Indian +tribes, says "I never knew an Indian chief to break his word!" + +Major-General George H. Thomas, who commanded at Camp Cooper, Texas, +some ten years ago, made a forced march of a hundred miles, with one +hundred and twenty cavalry, to protect a village of Comanches from +Baylor and three thousand rangers that were marching to destroy them. +General Thomas was successful. He then marched in rear of the Indians +hundreds of miles to shield them from the Texans. This gallant and +chivalric officer died with a reputation dear to our country. + +Major-General John Sedgwick, who fell during the war of the rebellion, +rendered similar services on the plains, in defense of the Arapahoes, +at about the same time; and Colonel Edward W. Wynkoop, five years +later, in behalf of the Cheyennes. + +Other officers might be mentioned for similar services, among them +Generals Z. Taylor, W. S. Harney, and Alfred H. Terry. The last +mentioned, two years ago, with a strong head, heart, and hand, +squelched a conspiracy in Montana to exterminate the Crow Indians. +Again, the next summer, flying across the plains, and up the Missouri +river as fast as steam could carry him, to rescue a Sioux village from +the border settlers. This splendid officer was removed from the command +of the Department of Dakota, to make room for Hancock. + +Captain Silas S. Soule, in Colorado, a few years ago, and Lieutenant +Philip Sheridan, in Oregon, ten years since, might also be referred to +in this connection, as drawing their swords in defense of the Indians +and the right. + + + + +WHAT SHALL BE DONE? + + +The question is, How can the problem be solved, so as to best protect +and secure the rights of the Indians, and at the same time promote the +welfare of both races? + +Within the memory of the writer, the tomahawk once reflected the light +of burning cabins along the Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri +Rivers, and the scalping-knives dripped with the blood of our border +settlers, as we have driven the Indians back, back, to the setting sun! + +But behold the change to-day, where the church has missions, and the +red men are treated like immortal beings, with souls to be saved. + +Mr. Wm. Welsh says of what he saw in Nebraska: "The blanket and bow +discarded; the spear is broken, and the hatchet and war-club lie +buried. The skin-lodge (tepee) has given place to the cottage and the +mansion. Among the Santee Sioux, on Niobrara River, in Nebraska, the +Episcopal Church has a mission, where one can see the murderous weapons +and the conjuror's charms, by aid of which the medicine-man wrought his +fiendish arts. + +"That is the _pipe-stem_,--never smoked except on the war-path,--always +blackened, being associated with deeds of darkness. + +"These," he says, "are laid at the feet of our Christian missionaries, +such as Bishops Whipple and Clarkson, and Rev. Mr. Hinman; where +school-houses abound, and the feet of many thousand little children, +thirsting after knowledge, are seen entering those vestibules of +science; while churches, consecrated to the Christian's God, reflect +for miles the sun's rays, tokens of a brighter light to their darkened +heathen souls! + +"Dear children, thanks to our holy religion, a few faithful men, taking +their lives in their hands, have gone forth at the church's +call,--bearing precious seed,--struggled and toiled, endured severe +privations, afflictions, and trials, and saved in tears the germs of +light, truth, and hope, which to-day have ripened into a glorious +harvest of intelligence and Christian civilization! Christ said, 'It +must needs be that offenses come, but woe unto that man by whom the +offense cometh.'" + +Now, if the wrongs accumulated, done to the poor, ignorant pagan +Indians for years and years since the Mayflower landed her pilgrims on +these shores, are to be redressed in this world (for there is no +repentance for nations after), and if a God of justice so require that +we atone to them, or suffer greater torments from their children, who +shall say it is not a righteous retribution? + +If we find them fierce, hostile, and revengeful, if they are cruel, and +sometimes perpetrate atrocities that sicken the soul, and almost +paralyze us with horror,--burning and pillaging,--let us remember that +two hundred and fifty years of injustice, oppression, and wrong, heaped +upon them by _our_ race, with cold, calculating, and relentless +perseverance, have filled them with the passion of revenge and made +them desperate. If you and I, boys, were Indians, we would do just as +Indians do. _Their tender mercies are cruel, but there is a reason why +it is so._ + +The former Indian agents, on a salary of eighteen hundred dollars a +year, got very rich in a short time. How could they do so but by +swindling the poor Indians, who have no idea of the relative value of +money, or the cost of goods? + +Not long since a tribe just above us was paid off their annuities in +shoddy blankets; they were bought back again with whisky, and another +tribe was paid with the same blankets; and one agent took out several +thousand "elastics" (girls know what I mean) to pay the Indians (among +other things), and yet no wild Indian ever wore a stocking! + +Again, as the Indian is crowded back beyond the tide of emigration, and +hanging like the froth of the billows upon the very edge is generally a +host of law-defying whites, who introduce among the Indians every form +of demoralization and disease with which depraved humanity in its most +degraded form is afflicted. These the Indian see more of than anybody +else (except the military, whom they look upon mostly as protectors), +as good people come along, the Indian must _push on_, still farther +toward the setting sun! + + + + +A GOOD JOKE BY LITTLE RAVEN. + + +Little Raven, an Arapahoe chief, laughed heartily when we told him +something about heaven and hell; remarking, "All good men--white and +red men--would go to heaven; all bad men, white or red, would go to +hell." Inquiring the cause of his merriment when he had recovered his +breath, he said, "I was much pleased with what you say of those two +places, and the kind of people that will go to each when they come to +die. It is a good notion,--heap good,--for if all the whites are like +the ones I know, when Indian gets to heaven but few whites will trouble +him there; pretty much all go to t'other place!" + + + + +HOW THE INDIAN IS CHEATED. + + +It is true, as General Harney remarked, "Better to board and lodge them +at the Fifth Avenue Hotel than to fight them, as a matter of economy." +Besides depleting the Indian appropriation fund, voted annually by +Congress, of millions of dollars, but which was used to carry on +elections, and the Indian got what was left; which may be compared to +cheese-parings and cheese, or skim-milk and cream. The Indian gets the +parings and the skim-milk! + +The Quaker agents, as they are called, are doing a good work, because +they see that honest dealings are had with the annuities paid them. If +the President had done little else, this feature of reform will redound +to his credit forever. + + + + +BURIAL OF A CHIEF'S DAUGHTER. + + +Spotted Tail, the head chief of the Brule Sioux, sent a request to the +commanding officer at Fort Laramie, saying "his daughter had died in +Powder River country (fifteen days' journey), and had begged her father +to have her grave made among the whites." Consent was given, she having +been known to the officers for several years, and her death was brought +on by exposure to the hardships of wild Indian life, and also from +grief, that her tribe would go to war. + +He was met outside the "Post" by the officers, with the honors due his +station. The officer in command spoke in words of comfort, saying, "he +sympathized with him, and was pleased at this mark of confidence in +committing to his care the remains of his loved child. The Great Spirit +had taken her, and he never did anything except for some good purpose. +Everything should be prepared for the funeral at sunset, and as the sun +went down, it might remind him of the darkness left in his lodge when +his daughter was taken away; but as the sun would surely rise again, so +she would rise, and some day we would all meet in the land of the Great +Spirit." + +The chief exhibited great emotion at these words, and shed tears; a +thing quite unusual in an Indian. He took the hand of the officer and +said, "This must be a dream for me to be in such a fine room, and +surrounded by such as you. Have I been asleep during the last four +years of hardship and trial, dreaming that all is to be well again? or +is this real? Yes, I see that it is,--the beautiful day, the sky blue, +without a cloud; the wind calm and still, to suit the errand I came on, +and remind me that you offer me peace! We think we have been much +wronged, and entitled to compensation for damage done and distress +caused by making so many roads through our country, driving and +destroying the buffalo and game. My heart is very sad, and I cannot +talk on business. I will wait and see the counselors the Great Father +will send." + +The scene, it is added, was the most impressive I ever saw, and all the +Indians were awed into silence. A scaffold was erected (see print) at +the cemetery, and a coffin was made. Just before sunset, the body was +carried, followed by the father and other relatives, with chaplain,[2] +officers, soldiers, and Indians. The chaplain read the beautiful +burial-service, interpreted by another to them. + + [2] Rev. A. Wright, post-chaplain, U. S. A. + +One said, "I can hardly describe my feelings at witnessing here this +first Christian burial of an Indian, and one of such consideration +among her tribe. The hour, the place, the solemnity, even the +restrained weeping of the mother and other relatives, all combined to +affect me deeply." + +It is added: the officers, to gratify Monica's father, each placed an +offering in her coffin. Colonel Maynadier, a pair of gauntlets, to keep +her hands warm (it was winter), Mr. Bullock gave a handsome piece of +red cassimere to cover the coffin. To complete the Indian ceremony, her +two milk-white ponies were killed and their heads and tails nailed on +the coffin. These ponies the Indians supposed she would ride again in +the hunting-grounds whither she had gone. + + + + +AN INDIAN RAID ON SIDNEY STATION, UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD. + + +In the month of April, 1868, while returning from the East, we took +dinner at Sidney Station, on the railroad, four hundred and fourteen +miles west of Omaha, at noon. While we were there, two freight +conductors brought in their trains and dined at the same time we did, +and when we started they were on the platform and said good-by to us. +They concluded to go out a fishing, a mile or two from the settlement, +behind one of the bluffs. We had not left on our way to Cheyenne more +than about an hour, when we learned by telegraph at "Antelope Station" +(thirty-seven miles), that a band of twenty or thirty Sioux Indians had +come suddenly upon the two conductors, named Cahoone and Kinney, and, +after a severe conflict, had shot both through with arrows, and scalped +one of them (Cahoone), besides killing some of the railroad hands at +work repairing the road near by the scene of conflict. Presently we met +a special train, consisting of engine and caboose-car, coming with +tremendous speed,--one mile a minute,--containing Dr. Latham, surgeon +of the railroad from Cheyenne. It seems that the soldiers--a small +company--were completely surprised, and not being mounted, could only +protect the station, but could not follow up the Indians to punish them +for their audacity. + +There were nearly two hundred and fifty people, including one hundred +infantry soldiers, at the station; and the alarm of "Indians" being +given, the whole population turned out with such arms as they could lay +hold of. The sight of so many persons disconcerted the Indians, and +they checked their horses within a respectable distance of the station. +About two hundred shots were fired,--many of them in the wildest +manner, and mostly hurting nobody. + +The Indians rode round the upper side of Sidney--_i.e._ west--after the +affray with the conductors, and attacked the section-men, circling +round and round (as usual in their mode of Indian warfare, to draw out +the fire of their enemies, till they exhaust their ammunition), till +they had killed several of the poor Irishmen at work. These men had +with them a hand-car, and the boss had a rifle with him, and only one +charge or cartridge in his gun. He did the best he could, however, by +jumping on the car and taking aim at his enemies, and keeping the gun +pointed towards them, while the men worked the hand-car safe into +Sidney Station. He escaped with his life, and several of his comrades. + +These two conductors had about seven arrows shot into each of them, +several going right through their bodies, and which had to be broken +off to draw them out. One--Thomas Cahoone--was scalped twice, on the +top and back of his head. The other--William Kinney--kept his captor at +bay by a pistol he had, and thus aiming at the Indian, saved his hair. +Both were brought up carefully in the caboose-car to Cheyenne, and next +day I saw them under Dr. Latham's treatment. All thought that both +would surely die, but both got well; and the one who was scalped is now +living at a station on the Union Pacific Railroad. It is a terrible +operation to be scalped, and few survive it. But, thanks to the +surgeon's skill, these men are living, and feel very much like taking +vengeance on their tormentors,--_if they ever catch them_! + + + + +WHY DO INDIANS SCALP THEIR ENEMIES? + + +I have been a good deal puzzled to know the origin of this custom, of +always scalping a foe in battle, both among themselves and in fighting +white people. A negro is never scalped by the Indians. In conversing +with Major A. S. Burt, of 9th United States Infantry, at our post, who +has had much experience among the Indians on the plains, I learn some +things which give a clue to the matter, which agree with all I can +hear. He says that each Indian wears a "scalp-lock" (see engraving), +which is a long tuft of hair, into which the Indian inserts his +medicine, which consists generally of a few quills of eagle's feathers. +This "_medicine_" is simply a "_charm_," as we call it, gotten by +purchase of the medicine-man of the tribe. The medicine-man is the most +influential man in each tribe. He professes to be able to conjure, by +his arts and influence with the Great Spirit, certain articles, which +he sells to the Indians of his tribe. This "medicine" the superstitious +believe will cure diseases, and help him against his enemy in battle. +Hence, in scalping a fallen foe, the victor deprives him of his charm, +and shows it in triumph, as a token of his skill in battle. If you +visit an Indian in his tent, and ask him to show you his "medicine," he +will do so, if you pay him in such things as he needs to make therewith +a feast, both for himself and an offering to his medicine idol; but as +the idol can't eat, it goes of course into the stomach of the live +Indian![3] + + [3] The Indian keeps his "medicine" hung up in his tent, and + prays to it,--dreams about it,--and if his dream is of good luck, + he acts accordingly. This applies to hunting, going on war + expeditions, etc.; in short, it is his sort of saint, to which he + pays idolatrous worship. + +Another idea: the Indian believes that the spirit of the enemy he slays +enters into himself, and he is thereby made the stronger; hence _he +slays all that he can_. I have seen young warriors in the streets of +Cheyenne, with their hair reaching down almost to their heels; and all +along it you'd see strung round pieces of silver, from the size of a +silver dollar to a tea-saucer; each one of which was a tell-tale of the +number of the scalps the young fellow had taken. It was what the ladies +would call a "waterfall!" + +Speaking of this, as revealing the pride of Indians in showing their +prowess, I learned of a _young buck_, coming into a post and walking +round, dressed in the top of Indian fashion,--_i.e._ with paint on his +face, feathers in his hair, and brass ornaments on his leggins. These +young fellows put on all the gewgaws they can to make a show of +importance. Well, he finally walked into the post-trader's store, and +asked Mr. Bullock if he didn't think it made the officers _faint_ when +they saw him? "Yes," said he, "I think you'd better take off some of +your things (pointing to his trappings), they will scare somebody." + + + + +INDIAN BOY'S EDUCATION. + + +When an Indian gets to be eighteen years old, it is expected that he +will strike out for himself, and do some act to show his bravery; and +that begins in striking somebody to kill them (a white or Indian of a +hostile tribe), and to steal stock, a horse, or mule, or cattle. + +No young warrior can get a wife till he has taken the scalp of a white +man or Indian, and have stolen a horse or pony. This being a law of the +Sioux, so in proportion as he scalps and steals horses so does his +number of wives increase, and the greater a warrior does he become. In +short, he becomes "a big heap chief." What to us becomes a murder or a +theft,--the very first act of a young Indian,--in his own tribe is a +great and praiseworthy deed. So you see what blood has been shed, and +other acts of cruelty caused by Spotted Tail, Red Cloud, and others, +who have imbrued their hands in the blood of innocent victims with a +fiendish delight that savages only know and take pleasure in. + +As the arrows tell of the tribe to which they belong,--colored near the +end,--green for the Sioux, blue, Cheyenne, red or brown, Arrapahoes, +black feathers, Crow,--so the tribe to which an Indian murderer belongs +is known by the method (usually) by which the victim is scalped. The +Cheyennes remove a piece not larger than a silver dollar from +immediately over the left ear; the Arrapahoes take the same from over +the right ear. Others take from the crown, forehead, or nape of the +neck. The Utes take the entire scalp from ear to ear, and from forehead +to nape of neck. + + + + +MAKING PRESENTS. + + +A grocer in Julesburg had married a squaw; after awhile she left him +and joined her tribe. Coming that way again, she came and looked in +upon her former husband at the back-door, while all her relations stood +staring around to see if she would be welcomed back again. But he took +no notice of her. One of his friends said to him, "Joe, why don't you +go and call her in, you know you are glad to see her back again; you +certainly want her?" + +"No, no," said he, "I ain't going to make any fuss over her at all. If +I do, the whole crowd of her relations, uncles, aunts, and cousins, +will come in to shake hands, and congratulate me with 'How, how,' +expecting each one to have a pound of sugar. No, no, you don't catch +me." + + + + +INDIANS MAKING SIGNALS. + + +The Indians can make signals to the distance of eight or ten miles to +their confederates. This is done in two ways: first, by lighting one or +more fires; secondly, by flashing the sunlight by small mirrors from +one bluff to another. Thus, by day or by night, they can communicate at +great distances. They have "field-glasses" also. + +If an Indian is benighted on the plains, he can make himself quite +comfortable, where a white man would perish in the winter with cold. He +will gather some buffalo chips, and strike a fire with a flint, sitting +close to it, and throwing his blanket around him in shape of a tent, +and let the smoke go out of a hole at the top. He thus looks at night +like a stump on fire. + + + + +MERCIFUL INDIANS. + + +A poor old German was traveling in Colorado with his wagon, when he was +set upon by a lot of Indians. They drew their bows to shoot him, when +he dropped upon his knees and began to pray vehemently. "Oh," said he, +"mine goot friends, please don't shoot me! I'm joost the best friends +what you have got. I never killed not nobody, and please don't shoot a +poor fellow like me." The Indians did not understand a word he said, +but he acted in such a ludicrous manner, they thought he was crazy, and +so they let him pass unharmed. They seemed to have a sense of the +ludicrous, as they went off laughing at the poor Dutchman quite +heartily. + + + + +A SCENE AT NORTH PLATTE. + + +After the treaty with the Indians at Fort Laramie, in 1868, the Peace +Commission adjourned, part to go with General Sherman to New Mexico, a +part to meet at Fort Rice, Dakota, with General Terry, part to go up to +Fort Bridger, in Wyoming, with General Augur, and another with +Commissioner Taylor at North Platte, Nebraska, to meet different tribes +not present at Laramie. There I went to see Spotted Tail's band, and +learn all I could of Indian life. Spotted Tail was off on the +Republican River, in Kansas, hunting buffalo with White Bear and +Man-who-owns-his-Horses, nephew of Spotted Tail. Mr. Goodell, of +Chicago, was there, to see if he could not induce the Indians to +undertake the weaving of blankets and shawls, etc. by hand-looms, such +as are in use in the Ohio Penitentiary. I went with him to hear what +they would say. Rolled up in a blanket were specimens of woolen yarn of +bright colors, and a piece of cloth partly woven, and he had a picture +of a girl sitting at the loom in the act of weaving. Around us gathered +all the young squaws, who expressed great delight at the whole thing +and seemed to comprehend it; while young Indian lads stood at a +distance and only gave a grunt of qualified satisfaction, or +reservation. I should think there would be no difficulty in introducing +such work, as the squaws will readily labor on anything that promises +to add to their comfort or adornment of their persons. + +Then quite an amusing incident occurred, which I must relate, though +the joke was upon myself, or my friend, Mr. G----. Seeing a tall young +squaw standing in front of her tent, I said, "Let us go and see what +she is doing." She had made her morning toilet, and was very prettily +dressed in gay colors, with a long red shawl on, coming down to her +feet. I should say the entrance to the tepees or tents is through a +hole hidden by a round hoop, covered with deer-skin, hanging by a +string only, so as to be thrust aside easily when one wants to enter. + +I said to her, "Me wa-se-na-cha-wa-kon!" That is to say, I am a +medicine-man, or minister of the Great Spirit. "Wa-kon" means Great +Spirit. Looking first at me, then at Mr. G----, she raised her finger +and said, "Me no want." Then she turned and rushed into her tent,--shot +in like a prairie-dog into his hole,--leaving us to feel rather silly +by being so suddenly "cut" by a young beauty on the plains. I said, +"Mr. G----, she evidently don't like your good looks or mine," and we +walked off quite mortified. The interpreter explained her conduct, +saying she was not "sick," and therefore did not want any "charm" to +make her well. + +Here I saw an Indian child, five years old, dressed in a most elegant +suit of buckskin, embroidered with beads and horse-hair of various +colors. The frock came below the knees, with a handsome fringe at the +bottom, and underneath the little fellow wore leggins and moccasins. I +never saw any child dressed so beautiful or looking like a little +prince, as he was, of the tribe. I would have given fifty dollars for +the "outfit," if I had a child to wear it. How is it that these rude +children of nature can do such beautiful bead-work,--all of the figures +as regular as if laid out by geometrical rule,--or as perfect as any +lady could make the figures of an afghan? + +This station of the Union Pacific Railroad is just beyond the crossing +of the Platte River, of half a mile in width. + +It is an important little place of a few hundred people, on account of +the machine-shops and round-house for locomotives, and as one of the +main points where Indians cross from Dakota to the Republican River +when on hunting expeditions. Hence a company of soldiers are stationed +here to protect the railroad and the long bridge just east of the town. +All along the road, at each station, are troops also for protection, +who usually "turn out," range in file, and "present arms" as the train +approaches. + +Here we met a white man named Pratt,--that is to say, if he were washed +in the river he would look white,--who said that he had lived with the +tribe for sixteen years, and had nine (half-breed) children, and they +were more filthy and squalid than those of any other lodge. + +A squaw had died here, and was buried as usual, by elevating the body +upon upright poles. A stock of food was left with her at night, to eat +on the way to the other country. But lo! in the morning she came down +and ate it all up, saying to her friends, "She wanted to see her aunt +before departing." She lived a week longer, and died, as it was +supposed, again. It is said that her friends got tired of such fooling, +and being determined to end the matter, adopted the white man's mode of +covering her up in the ground! Again she rose up and preferred some new +request; but thinking the old enchantress had stayed long enough this +side the hunting grounds, they forced her down and laid sufficient turf +upon her to keep her quiet for a long last sleep. + +Among the Pawnees at Columbus, on the reservation near the railroad, an +Indian trader makes a good thing out of the poor fellows in this way: + +For instance, the Indian Bureau pays off the tribe twice a year. In the +spring, blankets, etc.; these are worth at least three dollars each. +The Indians sell these blankets for a double handful of coffee and +sugar. Then they buy them back in the fall with money and buffalo meat, +which they sell to the trader at six cents the pound. He then cures the +meat and sells it back to them for twenty-five cents the pound; thus +making nine per cent. on it. Some one, it is said, complained to the +government about it, and they sent a new agent to them; but the Pawnees +had confidence in the old agent or trader named Platt, and they stoutly +refused to trade with the new man! + + + + +ACROSS THE PLAINS. + + +When Vice-President Colfax and Horace Greeley, and Governor Bross of +Illinois, made the journey overland to California, about twelve years +since, they went all the way by stage from the Missouri River to +Denver, Colorado, to Salt Lake, etc., through the mountains of the +Sierra Nevada. It took them about thirty days to go. Mr. Greeley said +he "could think of these plains (called in your maps the 'Great +American Desert') as fit for nothing but to fill up between commercial +cities!" But he was partly mistaken, as his friends are now planting a +colony (named Greeley) of intelligent settlers on the Cach-le-pow-dre +Creek, south of Cheyenne, fifty-five miles toward Denver, where ninety +thousand acres of land have been secured for tillage, and where +saw-mills and stores and dwellings are to be erected. The success of +this enterprise has led to another one. The railroad _has projected +civilization one hundred years ahead_, opening up a highway for +commerce from New York to the "Golden Gate," to Asia, Africa, and +China, which will astonish the world and divert the course of trade to +the Pacific coast. + +But you are interested mainly, I see, in reading about the incidents +which attended the opening up of this great national highway. + +The dangers attending the building of the road were sometimes very +great, as the Indians saw very plainly that it was the white man's +encroachment on his hunting-grounds. And when even the telegraph-poles +were being put up, long before, the Indians imagined that the +government was thus putting them up to fence off their hunting-grounds, +so they could not get any more buffalo! And once, after I came to Fort +Sedgwick, the wires were said to be "down," and no communication could +be had with other posts in the upper country. It was feared that the +Indians had been tampering with the wires, and torn them down. But the +operators went out under an escort of soldiers to see what the +difficulty was. They came back again in a couple of days, and reported +that the Indians had not meddled with the wires at all. But it seemed +that some buffaloes in a large drove had taken the privilege of +scratching their rumps against the poles, and thus tore them down; and +getting their horns entangled in the wires, the wild creatures had +carried off about four miles of telegraph-wire! + + + + +WHY DOES NOT THE INDIAN MEDDLE WITH THE TELEGRAPH? + + +It is said that the pioneer company over the plains got together +several chiefs and explained as well as they could the _modus operandi_ +of obtaining electricity from the clouds, and making it useful in +conveying intelligence to great distances. This was hard for them to +believe, because they are superstitious, and attribute all phenomena +they do not fully understand to _conjuration_ or _charms_, such as +their medicine-man practices. However, they concluded to put the matter +to a test. + +So it was that two principal Indians, about one hundred miles apart, +agreed to send a message over the lines on a given day, and then they +would travel toward each other as fast as they could to see if the +message (known only to themselves and the operator) should be correct. +Of course it proved as we would expect, and they were satisfied. This +intelligence has spread from one tribe to another, and they, believing +that it is somehow (as it is in truth) connected with the Great Spirit +who controls the winds and the storms; hence they do not meddle with +it. + + + + +PLUM CREEK MASSACRE. + + +But it is not to be supposed that the Indians quietly submitted to the +building of the railroad through their country. + +The most formidable obstacle which was met with in building the road +occurred in 1866, by the throwing off the track a train of cars at Plum +Creek, near the Platte River, two hundred and thirty miles west of +Omaha. + +The Indians were led on by a half-breed, and probably one or more +scalawag whites were engaged in this diabolical act, as one was found +among the killed with his face painted black and wearing Indian +clothing. Some one having a fertile imagination made a picture of this +scene, and I saw it copied in Philadelphia for some wall-paper to +ornament hotel dining-rooms. Speaking to some ladies there about the +delightful trip to California over the Pacific Railroad, one exclaimed, +"I would like to visit California, but oh, my! I never could venture on +the danger. Just look at the picture in the window, corner Chestnut +Street and Broad. The horrid Indians have thrown the cars off the +track, and killing all the passengers!" I explained to her that it was +a fancy sketch entirely, gotten up for a bar-room wall-paper, and that +it was ridiculous and false; for the picture was made to show the +locomotive off the rail, and the Indians riding round the cars in white +shirt sleeves and bright-red, flaring neckties, like gay cavaliers or +brigands! + + + + +PAWNEE INDIANS--YELLOW SUN AND BLUE HAWK. + + +Both these Indians declare themselves innocent of the crime of murder. +I visited Omaha in the fall of 1869, where they were lodged in jail +awaiting their trial. Just before I came one of them had escaped, and +gone back to the Pawnee reservation, near Columbus. Here the sheriff +and soldiers found him with his squaw, decked out in all their style of +paint and ornament, ready for the sacrifice. He was ready and willing +to be slain _among_ his own people, but to go back and suffer the +ignominy of being hung up by the neck till dead was more than he could +bear. If the Indian dies in this way, all believe they cannot enter +into the happy hunting-grounds. + +They were supposed to have murdered Edward McMurty, near Grand Island, +Nebraska, in June, 1868. + +After being shut up in a filthy jail about two years, they were +acquitted. This was a sample of the way we dispense justice in our +courts of law. + + + + +A TRIP TO FORT LARAMIE. + + +This post was established a great many years since by the American Fur +Company, to trade with the Indians, buying furs and peltries of them in +return for various articles of merchandise, such as tobacco, sugar, +coffee, blankets, calico, beads, etc. Mr. John Jacob Astor, the +millionaire of New York, made his great wealth by dealing in furs with +the Indians. + +It is related of an agent of the company that while weighing the furs, +he would place his foot on the scales and call it a pound! Of course he +could keep it on as long as he chose, and the Indians would be none the +wiser. It is a good story, but in nowise related to Mr. Astor, who was +reputed to be honest, and at one time very poor. + +It was full of curiosity that I started from Fort Russell with the +paymaster, Major Burbank, Inspector-General Sweitzer, Medical Director +J. B. Brown, and others, on the last of May, 1870, with an escort of a +dozen cavalry, to pay a few days' visit to Laramie, ninety-five miles +north-east of our post. Leaving at noon in procession, with three +ambulances and as many army wagons, scaling the bluffs, bare of +everything like trees or shrubs, and only covered with grass and wild +flowers, and now and then sage-bush and prickly-pear cactus, which are +very troublesome to the horses' feet. The roads were, as usual, very +hard and fine, so that up hill and down dale we made six miles to the +hour all the way. Our first station was Horse Creek, twenty-five miles, +where we camped on a fine stream of water for the night. When a party +thus camps out, the wagons are corraled, as it is called,--_i.e._ a +circle is made of them and the horses are tethered inside or _lariated_ +with a rope long enough to let them feed, and this is held by an iron +stake or pin driven into the ground. Then the tents are put up in a +line, and at once begins the work of gathering brush and sticks (or +buffalo-chips), with which to cook a savory supper of bacon, potatoes, +and hot coffee. This is the time for cracking jokes, telling stories of +pioneer life,--and the colored boys are full of fun. We had one from +the South named Tom Williams, belonging to Colonel Mason, of the 5th +Cavalry. After enjoying our evening meal and getting ready to lie down +in our tents, spread on the grass, as the evening approached, the sun +was sinking behind Laramie Peak,--a mountain far away in the Black +Hills, towering up eight thousand feet,--and all nature was hushed into +repose, and each one with his lungs full of the light air, and his body +weary with a long ride, just dropping off to sleep,--all at once there +was a yell and halloo outside, which caused me to jump up and look out +to see if any red-skins had broke through the guard and invaded our +peaceful circle. Instead of scalping Sioux, there was nothing the +matter but the return of a drove of large beef-cattle we had passed +grazing on the Chugwater, and which sought our camping-ground on +account of a bare place where they could lie down and be warm for the +night. Our Tom was racing up and down among them, yelling "Hi, hi!" and +shaking his blanket in all directions to stampede the poor cattle, who +had as good a right as we to the soil. + +Pickets were stationed all around us, and, save the snoring of some +tired sleeper and the occasional braying of a mule or two, we slept +soundly, with no fear of Indians. Here we met a white man and his wife, +a squaw, and several others, who were waiting for Red Cloud and his +chiefs, who were on their way to Washington from Fort Fetterman. They +were related to John Reichaud, a half-breed belonging to Red Cloud's +party. This Reichaud had lived about Laramie and Fetterman for many +years, and, by raising stock and trading, had accumulated, it is said, +about two hundred thousand dollars. During last winter, while drunk, he +quarreled with a soldier, and a little while after, in passing some +barracks at Fetterman, he aimed his revolver at a soldier, who was +sitting in front of his quarters, named Kernan, and killed him, +supposing it was the same soldier he had just before been quarreling +with. Finding out his mistake, he fled away up to Red Cloud's camp, and +while there incited the Indians to make war upon the whites. At the +time we were going up, General John E. Smith was journeying towards us +with Red Cloud and his band of warriors, and having Reichaud as the +chief's prisoner. It was said he expected to get the President to +pardon him and allow him to establish a trading-post for the +Ogallallas. The feeling against this outlaw was such as to make General +Smith fear that some one at Cheyenne would shoot him, and so the party +turned off to Pine Bluff Station, about forty-three miles east of that +town. We thus missed seeing them. But there were other objects of +interest in our journey, and we went on to the mail station, called the +Chug, a place not of much note,--for beside a company of cavalry, there +were not a dozen ranches there on the beautiful stream, along whose +banks were growing willow-trees, and the cottonwood also. Besides, +there were half a dozen tepees filled with half-breeds, who are herders +and wood-choppers in the mountains. + +While the paymaster was dispensing the greenbacks to Uncle Sam's boys, +the doctor and I sallied out with a guide in search of those much +admired + + + + +MOSS AGATES, + + +which are here found in great abundance, even quarried out of a bluff +and carried off by the wagon-load. The guide had been there but once, +and somehow or other he could not locate it exactly, and we had a ride +out of six miles and back without finding the spot. Still, we picked up +a few on the way. As these are now so much the fashion for jewelry, I +will describe them. First, I should say that most suppose they contain +real moss, or fern-leaves, so distinct are they seen in a clear agate +to resemble them. Thus you see imitations of pine-trees, vines, a +deer's head, and sprigs of various kinds; but it is through iron +solutions penetrating them when in a soluble state. If you take a pen +and drop some ink into a tumbler of water, it will scatter and form for +the moment an appearance like a moss agate. These agates, when found on +bluffs or dry places, are coated over with a white covering of lime or +alkali. Those in the beds of rivers found along the line of the Pacific +Railroad, are smooth and transparent. They are called the "Cheyenne +brown agate," "Granger water agate," "Church Buttes light-blue agate," +and the "Sweet-water agate." + +There are great quantities of them near Church Butte and Granger +stations, nearly nine hundred miles west of Missouri River. You have to +poke among cobble-stones, etc. to find them, and when a person comes +upon a handsome specimen, he will shout, as did a minister from +Chicago, one day, with me, when he picked up a nice one as large as an +egg,--"Glory hallelujah!" + +It is like searching for gold and silver,--very exciting, and far more +pleasurable than fishing or hunting. A friend here has about sixty +pounds of agates, for which he was offered by a lapidary in New York +five dollars a pound. A handsome stone for a ring or pin is worth, when +cut into shape, from three to five dollars. The lapidary cuts them with +a steel wheel, about eight inches in diameter, using oil and +diamond-dust in cutting and polishing. + + + + +A YOUNG BRAVE. + + +At Chug Station I met a frontiersman named Phillips, of long +experience, who told me in his new adobe house of an old chief who had +lost five sons, and when the first was slain he cut off a piece of his +thumb, next of his forefinger, and so on, till five told of his boys +killed. The last was a brave, and supposed no ball could hit him, +wearing, he supposed, "a charmed life." He came to the "Chug" and dared +them to shoot. As he and three or four more had killed a white man and +wounded others, the people all turned out, and Phillips shot the bold +young fellow, and wounded the rest of the party so that they died. The +body of the young Indian lay by the roadside for several weeks, till +the wolves and ravens had picked his bones, and I picked up his skull, +pierced through with several balls, to bring back and present to the +post-surgeon. + +This grinning skull was lying on the grass which covered the roadside, +and almost beneath towering monuments or bluffs of sandstone, which jut +out at several points on the road, running along for great distances, +and towering up several hundred feet high. We passed soon after several +of these projections, which look like fortifications and baronial +castles of some knights of the olden time. "Chimney Rock" is well known +to travelers as a series of fluted columns, and standing solitary, as +sentinels in the desert, they look solemn, lonely, and sublime. Old +George, the stage-driver, has passed them twice a week for many years, +and the wonder is he has not lost his scalp. + +Sometimes the chiefs and old Indians will cut slits in their cheeks and +rub ashes in them, sitting over the fire and bemoaning the loss of +their dead children. They present a horrid appearance to one who looks +at their pagan mode of bewailing the departed. + +Arrived at Fort Laramie on the third day, we were courteously welcomed +by Colonel F. F. Flint, of the 4th Infantry, commandant of the post. +Delicacy dictates that we forbear to speak of the charming family which +surrounds him; but the rarity of Christian households in the army made +our visit there like to an oasis in the desert. + +To visit the Indian graves surrounding the post was a prominent object +before us in going. Lieutenant Theodore F. True, with an orderly, two +mules, and a horse saddled, found us fording the Laramie River to +inspect the grave,--if such it can be called, as shown in the picture +on this page,--where the body was dried up like a mummy, and nothing +else but fragments of a buffalo-robe dangling in the wind was to be +seen. Relic hunters had carried away everything in the shape of bow and +arrow, wampum, etc. + +We moralized over this beautiful feature of Indian superstition, +wherein they are certainly free from the horrid thought that any one is +ever buried alive! + +Next we sought the place where the remains of Mon-i-ca, daughter of +Zin-ta-gah-lat-skah, was placed, by her request, in the white man's +cemetery, and alongside of the body of her uncle Sho-ta,--"Old +Smoke,"--an old warrior. The coffin was made at the post, and elevated +on posts about ten feet high. They cover these coffins with handsome +red broadcloth, and deposit in each all the trinkets and valuables +belonging to the departed. One other grave there the Indians visit +annually, and mourn over with their lamentations,--that of a Frenchman +named Sublette, who brought them down and directed them how to vanquish +their enemies, the Pawnees, in a great battle. + + + + +THE HEAD CHIEF--RED CLOUD. + + +Red Cloud is regarded as the head chief of the Sioux nation, and for +over twenty years has been thus venerated. He is fifty-three years old, +and claims to have fought in eighty-seven battles, often wounded, but +never badly hurt. Red Cloud is about six feet six inches in his +stockings (I mean moccasins), large features, high cheek bones, and a +big mouth, and walks knock-kneed, as others do. His face is painted, +and his ears pierced for gaudy rings, which men and women have an equal +pride for. His and other chiefs' robes were beautifully worked with +hair, beads, and jewels. His leggins were red, handsomely worked with +beads and horse-hair and ribbons, and his moccasins were fit for a +prince to wear. + +He has encountered the Utes, Pawnees, Snakes, Blackfeet, Crows, and +Omahas. Thirty-three years ago, while he was the youngest of the +braves, he engaged with a party of one hundred and twenty-five warriors +of his tribe, and only twenty-five escaped alive. Twice was he wounded, +and so distinguished by his daring that he was made a chief for his +skill in fighting. Then he rose in rank to the highest station, and he +holds it to-day. His people regard him as one of the greatest warriors +on the plains, being skilled with the tomahawk, rifle, and bow and +arrow, and in councils of chiefs, his wonderful sagacity and eloquence +have stamped him, in the eyes of all Indians, as worthy of veneration +and implicit obedience. As I had missed the party on their way to +Washington by a few hours' tarrying on the "Chug," and General Smith +had taken a short cut across to Pine Bluff Station, seventy-three miles +below Cheyenne, to avoid a conflict anticipated about Richaud, I will +give an account gleaned from others, of this expedition, which it is +hoped may result in lasting peace. + +The "outfit" assembled in front of General Flint's house, on their +arrival at Fort Laramie, and got up a regular war-dance to amuse the +general's family and others there. This chief, Red Cloud, whose fame +had extended hardly east of the Missouri River, has now spread over the +world; and from his wigwam and hunting-grounds, he is heard of across +the Atlantic as a great man of destiny. He has passed through Omaha and +Chicago to Washington in his war-paint, ornamented with eagle's +feathers, buffalo-skins, horse-hair, bears' claws, and trophies of his +skill, which he values more highly than a brigadier the stars upon his +shoulders! + +Along with him were nineteen of his braves and four squaws, which is a +small number, considering that the Indian is a Mormon in the matter of +polygamy. The Indian _buys_ his wife (or wives) by giving a pony for +the prize; and when Mother Bickerdyck, the army-nurse, saw "Friday" in +Kansas, and upbraided him with having _two_ squaws, he said, "Well, +give me one white squaw, and I'll be content; you know one white squaw +is equal to two Indian squaws!" + +General Smith was a favorite of Red Cloud's, having met him in the +Powder River country, and under circumstances which made him respected +among the Sioux Indians. + +The chiefs on Red Cloud's staff, and going to Washington, were: + + Shem-ka-lu-tah, Red Dog. + Mon-tah-o-he-te-kah, Brave Bear. + Pah-gee, Little Bear. + Mon-tah-zia, Yellow Bear. + Makh-to-u-ta-kah, Sitting Bear. + Makh-to-ha-she-na, Bearskin. + Sha-ton-sa-pah, Black Hawk. + Shunk-mon-e-too-ha-ka, Long Wolf. + Me-wah-kohn, Sword. + Ko-ke-pah, Afraid. + Ke-cha-ksa-e-un-tah, The One that runs through. + Ke-yah-lu-tah, Red Fly. + En-ha-mah-to, Rock Bear. + Me-nah-to-ne-ow-jah, Living Bear. + Och-le-he-lu-tah, Red Shirt. + + + _Squaws of High Blood._ + + Dah-sa-no-we, The White Cow Rattler, Sword's wife. + Ny-ge-uh-ha, Thunder Skin, wife of Ke-cha-ksa-e-un-tah. + E-dah-zit-chu, The Woman without a Bow (Sansare tribe), wife of + Yellow Bear. + Mak-ko-cha-ny-an-tah-ker, The World Looker, wife of Black Hawk. + + + [Illustration: ISAAC H. TUTTLE, A CONVERTED INDIAN CHIEF.] + + [Illustration: INDIAN BOYS PRACTICING WITH BOW AND ARROW.] + + [Illustration: INDIAN BURIAL.] + + [Illustration: BISHOP CLARKSON CONFIRMING CONVERTED INDIANS IN + NEBRASKA AND DAKOTA.] + + [Illustration: GROUP OF CONVERTED INDIANS WITH THEIR PASTOR.] + + [Illustration: SPOTTED TAIL AND HIS SON.] + + +Along with them were John Richaud, the renegade, and a half-breed, +James McCluskey. Also William G. Bullock, the post-trader at Fort +Laramie, as familiar with the Indians as any one in those parts, unless +it is a wealthy merchant in St. Louis, Mr. Beauvais, a Frenchman. + +As the Indians entered the cars at Pine Bluff Station,--and one can +hardly imagine what were their thoughts, because they had never before +seen a train of cars or a locomotive,--a friend who was there said +that, as soon as the cars started, the Indians expressed some terror in +their countenances, and all at once grasped hold of the seats with both +hands to hold on! As they passed through Columbus, on the road, several +of the Pawnees (their deadly enemies) came in and shook hands with +them. Arrived at Omaha, they were quartered at the Cozzens Hotel; but +instead of occupying bedrooms and beds, they spread their blankets and +skins on the floor, and sank down to a rest much coveted after a long +and tedious journey of a thousand miles. Here crowds poured in from +every quarter to interview these noted warriors; but as they did not +speak English, they were only gazed at by curious people. + +_Red Dog_ ranks next as a warrior chief, and is much finer looking; but +Man-afraid-of-his-Horses (sick at home) is head chief in civil matters. + +_Red Shirt_ is head chief of the White-Sash Band, of three hundred +braves, is twenty-seven years of age, and was twice wounded in battle. + +_Long Wolf_, with four ugly scars, is of the same band. + +_Black Hawk_, wounded three times, is about second to Red Cloud as a +bold warrior. All have distinguished themselves in various ways, and +their buffalo-robes are worked and stained with figures and various +objects, all of which tell the history of each one, describing minutely +from childhood the first game they killed, whether a bird, antelope, or +deer, and so on to some fight with an enemy,--all of which, clear as +mud to me, is plain to them as a book. It is said that Red Cloud had +prepared the following speech to make to his "Great Father," the +President; but he changed his mind, and made another: + + "Thousands of miles away, where the sun's last light falls on the + big hills, I have left my people, to come and look my Father in the + face. As that light makes us see all things around us clearly, so + may the Great Spirit make our talk plain, that we may understand + each other, and that our councils shall be as brothers who have met + to smoke the pipe of peace. Father, I have heard that you are great + and good. Listen to me, my Father, and let your ears hear one of + your children, who comes from the wigwams of his people, with truth + in his heart, and no lies upon his lips. I have made many treaties + with your Commissioners, and they have promised many times, but + have never kept their promises; and I have now come to see my Great + Father myself, so that we can understand each other, and make no + promises that we do not mean to keep. They have told you that I am + a murderer; but I do not understand it in that way. You, Great + Father, have driven me away from my country,--the only country I + had to raise my children on. Tell me, Father, could any living man + on this earth stand such a thing as this? Suppose I should go to + your country, tear down your fences, and steal your cattle and your + hogs, would you stand by and have no word to say? No, Father, I + know you would not. In all the troubles of my people, the white man + has been the first aggressor. Father, we are not cowards. We know + that you are great, and that you can crush us with your mighty + power. But we believe that you are good, and that you will protect + your children, when they come to you for what they believe is + theirs. We ask you to listen to us, to do by us as a good father + should do by his children, and to let us carry back to our brothers + and our people the assurance that the Great Spirit has smiled upon + us, and that the Great Father is the Indian's friend, and the + Indian's protector." + + + + +RED CLOUD'S JOURNEY. + + +The following piece of history is compiled from all that I could learn +about a journey, which will be worth preserving, if only the results +prove to be a lasting peace, as we hope and pray it will be. + +In 1866, in searching for a short route to Montana and Idaho, the +government took possession of the Powder River and Big Horn country, +along the mountains, where gold is said to abound. A regiment of +soldiers was ordered, under Colonel Carrington,--the 18th Regulars,--to +open up a road and build forts for protection. + +He went up by Fort Laramie, an old trading-post, situated on the North +Platte River; from there he laid out one that shortened the distance +from Omaha to Virginia City, Montana, three hundred miles. The colonel +founded three forts, one on Powder River, one at the crossing of the +Big Horn, and one on Tongue River. They were named Fort C. F. Smith, +Fort Reno, and Fort Phil. Kearney,--after distinguished generals. These +cost about six hundred thousand dollars. As soon as it reached the +Indians that their country was to be occupied by the whites, Red Cloud +claimed the whole portion all along the Big Horn Mountains, and sent +word to them that the Indians would kill all they met. Notice was sent +to the government that if the soldiers did not withdraw north of the +Platte, he would declare war. Of course no attention was paid to this, +and the colonel went on to open roads, strengthen posts, and patrol the +country. Some skirmishes took place between small bands of Indians and +parties, but no fight of much account occurred till fall. + +In October it was said that Red Cloud had given orders for all the +Sioux to meet and prepare for war, and next month it was reported he +was marching at the head of three thousand warriors. This the +government as usual was slow to believe, and gave no heed to it. But +early in December the Indians became troublesome along the Powder River +country, and Red Cloud's policy was seen to guide them. The wily chief +had planned the movement so as to strike a hard blow and capture Fort +Kearney, and murder the garrison. + + + + +PHIL. KEARNEY MASSACRE. + + +Red Cloud collected all his warriors near the fort, and concealed them +in the hills. Watching his opportunity, he surrounded and attacked a +small party sent out against him from the post. As he expected, when +the attack was made known, the gates of the fort were thrown open, and +the main portion of the soldiers--cavalry and infantry--marched out to +rescue their friends, corraled by the Indians. As soon as he got them +where he wanted, in the hills, he surrounded them with his three +thousand warriors, and cutting off all chance of retreat, massacred +every one of them! So sudden was the surprise, that the battle was over +before a reinforcement could go out, and the commander at once closed +the gates and remained in a state of siege, to protect those who were +not slaughtered. In the Phil. Kearney massacre there fell three +officers, forty-nine infantry, twenty-two cavalry, and two citizen +employes, with Colonel Fetterman, the officer who led them. + +After the Phil. Kearney massacre, which thrilled the country with +horror, the government hastened to call a council with all the tribes +at Fort Laramie, and sent Generals Sherman, Harney, Sanborn, Terry, +Augur, and Colonel Tappan to treat with them. Red Cloud kept up his +skirmishes and fights as occasion offered. The 1st of August, 1867, the +Sioux attacked and killed Lieutenant Sternberg, of 27th Regiment +Infantry. And the next day quite a large body of warriors engaged Major +Powell and his soldiers on the Piney Creek, four miles from Kearney, +and a severe battle was fought for hours. On the 27th, some Indians +came down--about one hundred and twenty--to the hay-fields near the +fort, and Lieutenant Belden, of 2d Cavalry (a good fighter), went for +them with forty soldiers, and cleared them out. On the 3d November, +Brevet Captain E. R. P. Shurley (whom the writer knew as post-adjutant +in Camp Douglas, Illinois, and who was wounded in the war) was suddenly +attacked on Goose Creek; he was desperately wounded, and his command +was surrounded and "corraled" for some time, until troops came to his +relief and saved the "outfit." Soon after, the train going to Phil. +Kearney was attacked and corraled within three miles of the post. The +14th December, the wood-choppers for the forts were attacked on the Big +Piney, and two men wounded. The forts now were in a state of siege, and +communication between them became nearly cut off. The council at +Laramie agreed to abandon that portion of the country, it being no +longer needed, as freighting was changed to Montana, via Corinne, on +the Pacific Railroad. But the Indians became impatient, and to hurry up +matters, they kept on skirmishing from time to time. These were Sioux +and some of the Arapahoes and Cheyennes. + +In January, 1868, quite a _scare_ was gotten up at Phil. Kearney by the +sudden appearance of several hundred Sioux, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes, +along with some friendly Crow Indians, and an attack was supposed to be +meditated. + +Dr. Matthews, one of the special peace commissioners, was there at the +time, and he sent a message to the chiefs to meet him in council on the +hill above the fort. Most of the Indians came, and after prayer by +post-chaplain White, and a long smoke, the doctor made them a speech. +After this, an old Sioux Indian, named the "Stabber," got up and said,-- + + "Whoever our father who has just spoken is, I believe he is a good + man. We are told that the Great Father (President) sent word some + time ago for his soldiers to leave the country, and I want to tell + you that we want them to hurry and go. Send word to the Great + Father to take away his warriors with the snow and he will please + us. If they can go right away, let it be done, so that we can bring + our old men, women, and children to live on these grounds in peace, + as they did before you all came here. The Sioux, Arapahoes, and + Cheyennes never fought each other until you came and drove away the + game (meaning in the whole West), and then attempted to drive us + away. Now we fight each other for sufficient ground to hunt upon, + though all the lands to the east were once ours. We are talking + to-day on our own grounds. God Almighty made this ground, and when + He made it He made it for us. Look about you, and see how He has + stocked it with game. The elk, the buffalo, and deer are our meat, + and He put them here for us to feed upon. Your homes are in the + East, and you have beef cattle to eat. Why, then, do you come here + to bother us? What have you your soldiers here for, unless it is to + fight and kill us? If you will go away to your homes and leave us, + we will be at peace, but if you stay we will fight. We do not go to + your homes, then why come to ours? You say we steal your cattle and + horses; well, do you not know that when you come into our lands, + and kill and drive away the game, you steal from us? That is the + reason we steal your stock. I am done." + +When "Stabber" sat down, "Black Hawk" (now _en route_ for Washington) +came forward and said,-- + + "Where was I made? I was raised in the West, not in the East. I was + not raised in a chair, but grew upon the ground." He then sat down + on the earth, and continued: "Here is my mother, and I will stay + with her and protect her. Laramie has always been our place for + talking, and I did not like to come here. You are getting too far + west. You have killed many of our young men, and we have killed + some of yours in return. I want to quit fighting to-day. I want you + to take pity on us and go away." + +A Cheyenne chief next addressed the council. He said,-- + + "We have been told that these forts are to be abandoned and the new + road given up, and we have come over to see about it. If this is + true, tell me so. I never thought we would come to a council so far + west, but the old men prevailed and we are here. All last summer we + heard that General Harney wanted to see us at Laramie, but we would + not go. General Sherman also sent for us, but we would not listen + while you were here. I do not know the name of my father there + (pointing to Dr. Matthews), nor who at present is my Great Father + (President) at Washington, but this I do know, my father (his + parent) when he raised me told me to shake hands with the white + man, and to try to live at peace with him, for he was very + powerful. But my father also told me to fight my enemies, and since + the white man has made himself an enemy I fight him. How are you + our enemy? You come here and drive away our game, and he who does + that steals away our bread, and becomes the Indian's bitterest + enemy, for the Indian must have food to live. I have fought you, + and I have stolen from you, but I have done both to live. The only + road you have a right to travel is the Platte road. We have never + crossed it to fight you. I am a soldier. I have a great many young + men here who are soldiers, and will do my bidding. It is our duty + to protect and feed our old men, women, and children, and we must + do it. If you are friendly, why don't you give us powder and + bullets to shoot game with? We will not use them against you, + unless you do us harm. I want ten kegs, and when the other tribes + know you have given them to me they will know we are good friends, + and will come in and treat, and we will all live at peace. I come + here to hear talk, not to make talk. We are poor. Take pity on us, + and deal justly by us. I have done." + +The next speaker was a Crow chief, who, standing by the council-table, +said,-- + + "Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Crows, Father: I have been listening + to your words, and they sound good. I hope you are not lying to + each other. The Crows have long been the friends of the whites, and + we want peace for all. We want powder, and when the white Father + makes us presents, I want him to give us a good deal of ammunition." + +An Arapahoe chief said: + + "I want to say this: You are here with soldiers, and what for? + Soldiers are your fighting men. Do you then want to fight? If so, + tell us. If you desire peace, send your soldiers away. I have some + of your stock. I would like to see you come and try to get it + back." + +This ended the talk on the part of the Indians,--then Dr. Matthews +replied. He told them the Peace Commissioners would as willingly meet +at Laramie as at any other place, but it was more convenient for the +Indians to come to Fort Kearney. He did not promise them that the roads +and country would be given up, or the posts abandoned. As to the powder +the Indians asked for, he gave no reply, but said, "If the Indians +cease fighting and keep the peace during the winter, the Commissioners +will meet them in the spring and make a treaty, which will satisfy both +them and us." The council broke up,--no good result being reached,--and +the Indians being evidently in bad temper. When asked why Red Cloud did +not come in to attend the council, a chief said, "He has sent us as the +Great Father has sent you. When the Great Father comes, Red Cloud will +be here!" This meant that the haughty chief would only treat through +his agents, unless President Johnson came in person. + +After the council in January, matters were unsettled all along the +northwestern frontier until 10th April, 1868, when a large party of +Indians appeared on the bluffs overlooking Phil. Kearney Fort. General +John E. Smith (who was Red Cloud's choice to escort him to Washington) +was at the time commanding the post, and made signals to the Indians to +come in, but they refused to do so. + +Most of the Indians carried scalp poles, and wore war-paint, to show +that they were hostile. Finding that they would not come in, General +Smith mounted his horse, and, taking an interpreter (Boyer), rode out +to have a parley with them. The general wished to go up the hill, but +the interpreter begged him not to do so, and then rode to the bottom +and called out, "How?" Then a chief replied, "How?" + +_General Smith._--Come down, I want to talk. + +_Chief._--Who are you, and what do you want to talk about? + +_General Smith._--I am the chief at the fort, and want to see you. + +Three Indians then advanced, and came slowly down the hill to where +General Smith and Boyer were. When the chief, who was in his war-paint, +came up, General Smith held out his hand, but the chief refused to take +it, saying, "My brother was killed over there at the Phil. Kearney +massacre, and I swore never again to shake hands with a white man." + +_General Smith._--Who are you, and who are those Indians on the hill? + +_Chief._--I am a chief, and the warriors are part of Red Cloud's band. +Here is his son (at the same time pointing to a young man who sat on a +pony by his side). + +_General Smith._--What have you come here for? + +_Chief._--We have been on the Laramie road, fighting the Snakes. + +_General Smith._--You were expected at the big talk at Laramie by the +Peace Commissioners. + +_Chief._--I was there, and they promised that this country should be +abandoned by your troops in two months. The two months are up, you are +still here, and I see no sign of your moving. + +_General Smith_ (sharply). We have made some preparations to go, and +will leave as soon as all is in readiness; but if your warriors commit +depredations, or kill any more white men, we will not go at all, but +stay here, kill you and drive off your game. + +_Chief_ (not noticing this threat). I want you to give me something to +eat for my young men, and I will go over there and camp on the creek +to-night. + +_General Smith._--I have nothing to give you, but I want to warn you to +restrain your warriors from committing any depredations around here. + +At this stage of the interview, a company of cavalry, which General +Smith had ordered to saddle up and stand ready for any emergency, was +seen filing out of the gates of the post, and as soon as the Indians +caught sight of the troops, they whipped up their ponies and did not +stop till out of sight. + +General Smith was very much provoked at this interruption, by a stupid +officer coming out when he had no business to do so,--and the +impression of treachery on his part made on the minds of the Indians +caused them to refuse to come back again to have another talk with him. +Near sunset, the Indians were seen crossing the plateau near the creek +where the chief indicated he would camp. The evening gun fired as they +crossed the stream, and the whole party halted and took a good look at +the fort. After a confab among themselves, they seemed to think some +sort of defiance had been shown them, and a warrior aiming his gun at +the fort, fired. The ball struck on the parade-ground, but did no harm. + +The Indians then went into camp, but went off next morning for Red +Cloud's camp, which it is thought was not far off. General Smith soon +after gave up the post, as ordered to from Washington; and in like +manner Reno and C. F. Smith were abandoned, and the troops marched down +to Fort Russell. The Indians did not attack the troops, but followed +and stole stock when they could. No sooner were the forts abandoned +than the Indians came in and set fire to the buildings, destroying +property that cost the government over half a million dollars. They did +this lest the troops should come back and occupy them again. But the +giving up of these posts gave the Indians a false idea of their power, +and they thought the government did it from fear. + +Many of the Sioux now actually believe that their nation is more +powerful than the United States, and Red Cloud a greater warrior than +Grant, Sherman, or Sheridan. One of Red Cloud's party said, "If you are +so strong and have so many warriors, why did you not keep your forts on +the Powder River?" The delegation to Washington will go back and tell +the people not how many men, women, and children they saw, as evidence +of our power and greatness, but how many horses, soldiers, guns, and +corn they saw. For thus they estimate the power and glory of a nation. + +Red Cloud won great glory among all the Indians on the plains by his +skill in manoeuvring in getting us to give up four hundred miles of +rich territory, pulling down three forts, and retiring back to the +Platte River. No chief since King Philip or Red Jacket has achieved +such a feat and a reputation as Red Cloud. + +On account of repeated acts of hostility on the part of the Sioux, the +government refused to trade with them at the posts, or have traders +sent among them. They need powder and lead, etc., but it would be used +to kill our people instead of game,--they allege it is needed, for now +it is more scarce. + +Red Cloud came into Laramie and Fetterman several times to get leave to +trade, but at last he said "he'd go to the Great Father at Washington, +and not treat with understrappers, with whom he will in future have +nothing to do." About the middle of April he left his hunting-grounds, +and on the 24th appeared on the north bank of Platte, opposite Fort +Fetterman. With him were some warriors, squaws, and children. They +marched down to the ferry in state, singing their song of welcome, and +shouted across that they were in a hurry! They were halted there till +next day, and the warriors allowed to come over unarmed. + +Colonel Chambers, commanding, received them at headquarters. A long +smoke all round followed, and then Red Cloud rose up and in a loud +voice invoked the countenance and favor of the Great Spirit on his +mission, shook hands with all the officers present, and went up to the +council-table to have a long talk, as he had come a long way, and +wanted to trade. + +He said, "I have been treating with you since 1851, and no good has +come of it. Our treaties do not last, and now I want to go and see the +Great Father, and make a treaty that will last. Tell the Great Father I +am here and desire to see him, and take fifty of my people with me to +see him. I will wait for his reply at my camp beyond the river." + +Colonel Chambers said he would "_blow the Great Father a message on his +hollow wire_, and repeat all the chief had said to him," which quite +pleased Red Cloud. He said, "I have waited for the soldiers to leave my +country, and I want things settled." + +The colonel intimated that the Father was at that time very far away at +the East, and it might be many "sleeps" before he could hear from him, +and as soon as the Father blew back words by the telegraph, he would +send word to the chief's camp and let him know. He then asked to trade, +and was allowed to buy tobacco and flour for robes left with the +commissary, but nothing else. + +He then spoke of his prisoner, John Richaud, and his wish to take him +to Washington for a pardon. Also, that Richaud had some property in the +fort locked up, which he wanted a chief to take care of. Colonel C---- +said he would not do that without orders from his chief (General Augur) +at Omaha. This was satisfactory, and the chief sat down. + +Speeches then were made by Man-afraid-of-his-Horses and Red Horse, and +the council broke up. + +Soon as it was known at Washington, and a consultation was had with +General Sherman and Secretary of War Belknap, the President sent word +that he would be glad to see the chief, and would send a guide to show +him the way to the Great Father's wigwam. This message came the 12th +May, and the Indians started on the 14th. A great dance was celebrated +among the tribe of Ogallallas, and repeated at Fort Laramie for the +officers and families. + +To this point Red Cloud's son and wife came, but they returned with the +others to their hunting-grounds in the Sioux country. + +When the party under General Smith left the post in ambulances, etc., +some felt "sea-sick," never having rode in a wagon before! + +Once on the cars, it was kept as quiet as possible. At Fremont, +forty-seven miles from Omaha, it had leaked out, and much excitement +prevailed there, as it was reported that the Pawnees, the old and +inveterate enemies of the Sioux, were coming in from their reservation +(near there), and would attack the train and kill the Sioux chiefs. A +number of them were there when the train came along, but they kept very +quiet. One or two of the Pawnees went up and shook hands with their old +enemies (with whom a deadly feud has existed for years), but they were +closely watched by General Smith, lest a stab should be given with +their knives. Although the Sioux chiefs were told of the danger, they +were "as cool about it as a cucumber." They looked at their knives +being all right, and that was all. Of course all along their route they +were objects of curiosity to everybody; and had the government declined +to have them go (as it was said at first they would), a war would have +followed soon after! + + + + +PERILOUS ADVENTURE--PURSUIT OF A HORSE-THIEF. + + +A young man named Frank Hunter, born in Massachusetts, migrated to the +Indian country, and was very successfully employed as a government +detective in "Camp Carling," between Cheyenne and Fort Russell. In the +winter of 1868, a bold robbery was committed by a man employed in +taking care of horses by Major J. D. Woolley, the post-trader at Fort +Russell. + +One morning in December the stable-door was left open, and soon found +out that the man and two valuable horses were missing. One of them +belonged to Lieutenant Wanless, of the 2d United States Cavalry (who +was East at the time on leave); this was the fastest pacing horse in +the territory, and for which he had refused a high price in money. The +other belonged to the major, and was of considerable value. The matter +of catching the thief and horses was given into Mr. Hunter's hands, +with instructions to spare no pains or expense in securing the thief, +who had hired out on purpose to steal the fast nag. The following I +copied from the detective's journal, and verified the facts from other +sources. + +Mr. Hunter started out to Colorado with ten cavalrymen and Lieutenant +Belden on the road to Denver _via_ Boulder City, to prevent the thief +(who went by the name of Durant) from getting into the mountains, and +so on to New Mexico. This trip proved fruitless. The alternative that +suggested itself was that the thief had gone another road, towards the +Smoky-Hill route. The first tidings revealed the fact to them, at the +South Platte River, that the inferior horse had been disposed of near +Godfrey's ranch on the Platte, where the writer's horse and a beautiful +Cheyenne pony had been taken by horse-thieves in the preceding summer. +The thief, hard pushed for money, had sold Mr. Woolley's horse to a man +here named Perkins, who paid thirty-five dollars, while he was worth +two hundred dollars. This he placed out of the way, some thirty miles +off, thinking him safe from discovery. + +Here the utmost caution and strategy were necessary to recover this +horse they had secreted, and find out what road the rogues took with +the thoroughbred animal. But it was done. The detective came back to +Cheyenne with his escort and left it there. Then, on one of Wells, +Fargo & Co.'s fast coaches, he embarked for Denver City. A heavy +snow-storm set in and impeded the way. Thus the thief had nine days the +start. + +From Denver he made the best of his way--after being detained five days +by the storm--for Sheridan, in Kansas, which was reached in five more +days' time,--the trip being made usually by railroad in forty-eight +hours. At Sheridan the cars were blockaded with snow, and quite a +number of gentlemen were snow-bound, among them the members of Congress +from New Mexico and Kansas. The detective proposed to these honorable +gents the pleasure of a tramp as far as Fort Hays, only one hundred and +thirty-five miles! All agreed, and the party set out, though the snow +was very deep. + +The expedition proved to be one of much interest; but the pursuit of +the thief being the main object before us, we find the detective +arrived at Fort Harker, Kansas, and in communication with a gentleman +named Stone, who had seen the famous pacer, and had tried to buy him of +the supposed owner; and from him the detective learned that the horse +was near at hand, only twenty miles farther east, at a place called +"Saline," on a small river, in Kansas. From this place the thief +intended to convey the horse to Aurora, Illinois (his native town), to +match him there with another, and thus to obtain a large sum of money +for his thieving wickedness. + +Arrived in Saline, Mr. Hunter lost no time in putting himself in +communication with the sheriff there, who seemed to Mr. Hunter not to +be entirely reliable; indeed, from a careful survey of faces of the +loungers in the bar-room of the one-horse town of border settlers, the +sheriff appeared to be hand-in-glove with the thief, so he concluded +that his only chance of any help in the matter could come from the +landlord and the telegraph operator,--the latter having sent messages +from the rogue to Aurora, while detained there by the depth of snow. +But no time was to be lost, and a desperate effort must be made. + +Mr. Hunter went into the bar-room with the sheriff, after breakfast, +and a crowd was sitting around the stove. The rogue was sent for with a +message that "a gentleman wished to speak with him." He came into the +room presently, picking his teeth, and putting on an assumed air of +indifference; he looked at the detective with a coolness quite +refreshing, as he stepped up to the bar and called for cigars, saying, +"Gentlemen, who'll have a smoke? I don't see any _gentleman_ here that +I know, besides myself." + +"How are you, Ned?" said Mr. Hunter. "You don't know me?" + +"Gentlemen," replied he, "on my honor, before God, I never saw this man +before in my life! This is a put-up game of a man named Stone, to bilk +me out of my fast horse; and (putting his hand on his six-shooter in +his belt) no man shall get this horse, which I bought, or me either, +alive." + +The detective with great presence of mind assured him that his game was +up; that the first motion he made of resistance he was a dead man! Then +drawing a pair of manacles from his pocket, he soon clasped them on his +prisoner's wrists, and relieved the rogue of his pistols, handing them +over to the barkeeper for safety. He was taken to his room to pick up +his traps, until the horse could be saddled up to return. + +By this time a reaction had taken place among the crowd, who seemed to +sympathize with the thief, and some exclaimed against taking him, and +for all they knew, he might be innocent. Here was a new danger not +expected. If these fifteen or twenty hard-looking customers should take +it into their heads to vote the man guiltless, there was an end to +justice, and the detective might find himself suspended from the +nearest cottonwood limb of a tree, dangling like Mohammed's coffin, +between heaven and earth! But as good luck would have it, the irons +pressed tightly and painfully on the wrists of the captive, and he +cried from his room, "Hunter! oh, Hunter! come and loose these cursed +irons,--they're killing me!" + +"Now, gentlemen," said Hunter, "you see whether he knows me or not." To +the prisoner he said, "I'll loosen them if you'll tell all about it." +He came in and said, "Yes, I stole the horse; I'm a thief, and that man +is a detective of the government from Cheyenne." + +Of course, here all danger should end, and my story cease. But the +truth is, something new turned up very often to embarrass the journey +back to Cheyenne. After leaving Fort Harker, a new dodge was attempted, +but different from the one that Paddy essayed when he greased the +horse's mouth to save the oats. Leaving the culprit in irons at Fort +Harker, the detective proceeded on to Fort Ellsworth, Kansas, from +which place he started in the morning with his horse, in high hopes of +reaching Cheyenne in a few days. + +But alas for the vanity of human hopes and expectations! Having ridden +about fifteen miles, the horse came to a sudden pause, and acted like +one afflicted with spring-halt. Stopping at a ranch near by, after a +careful examination, it was found that some precious villains had tied +some silk cords on his legs underneath the fetlocks, thoroughly +crippling him, so he could hardly move a limb. They hoped to lame the +horse till he could be stolen again! But it was not successful. This +journey of seventeen hundred miles cost the sum of six hundred dollars. +But the horses were valued at fifteen hundred dollars, and it was right +to put a stop, if possible, to the crime so common in the West of +stealing horses, and one which subjects the culprit to a ball in his +body, if needful to recapture stolen stock, and all say it is just and +right, as a man's horse there may, in some cases, be "his life." + +But the fellow while in limbo sawed off the chain and ball from his leg +and escaped. He, moreover, had the impudence to write a saucy letter to +Mr. Hunter, telling him "that the caged bird had flown, and the +probability of their never meeting again!" + +The rascal had been a soldier in the army, deserting several times, and +re-enlisting under a new name each time, at different posts in the +western country. + + + + +HANGING HORSE-THIEVES. + + +It seems awful when we hear of the "Vigilance committees" in new +countries. They are a body of men combining together, in a secret +society, to rid the community of vile men, who rob, steal, and commit +murder, just as easy as lying, and all for a few dollars. I say it +seems awful to hear of their sentencing individuals to be hung by the +neck to the telegraph-poles, often with only a single hour's notice, +without a trial by jury. But it is done in new towns such as Julesburg +was, where people would not be safe without some such action. +California began it, and other places found it necessary. + +At Cheyenne, when it was full of these horse-thieves and gamblers, I +was called upon to bury "a gentleman" (as he was called), who had died +suddenly, they said, at the "Beauvais House." I went down from the fort +in February, and as the day was pleasant, crowds of young men were +gathered in front of the house, and the street was full of carriages. +It seems the dead man was the proprietor of the hotel, and it did not +bear a very good reputation. Harris had formerly a partner named +Martin, with whom he had a quarrel one evening, and Harris ordered his +former partner to leave,--shutting the door upon him. Then Martin +turned and shot three balls through the panel of the door, one of which +hit Harris, and of which he died in about twelve hours. This produced a +great excitement, and called out the crowd at the funeral. The person +in charge asked me to step out on the balcony and address the people in +the street. But I declined, and said I would speak to the young men, as +I felt it my duty to do, in the parlor and hall. I remarked to them +"that the deceased was past our praise or blame. But it was my duty to +warn them at this time, when no man's life was safe, to think of the +shortness and uncertainty of human life! Here, away from good examples +you once had at home, you are in much danger. You and I think that we +will die on a sick-bed, with dear friends around us; but you nor I will +die just when or where we expect to. Some of you _have learned to say +your prayers at your mother's knee_, but you forget, or are ashamed to +do so now. Oh, be warned, my friends, to seek Christ and his favor, and +He will take care of you, etc." + +I could see many faces intent on what I had to say, and among them was +a little dwarf belonging to the house, as an errand-boy. He covered up +his face with his hands, sitting upon a low stool, and perhaps his mind +wandered back to the humble cottage where he was born, and a mother's +smile was his best beacon of goodness: he had not forgotten! For when I +came back from the graveyard, he said, "Parson, I thought a good deal +about what you said, indeed I did, _and it's true, every word of it, +you bet_!" + +Martin was tried by a court, and got clear. But he was fool enough to +go round the saloons right away, boasting that he would serve out +several more before breakfast. Then the vigilantes got hold of him that +night, and hung him to the telegraph-poles near Cheyenne, till he was +dead. + +Sam Dugan was in our military prison at Fort Russell, for the crime of +stealing horses. He was released upon a writ of _habeas corpus_ from +Colorado and taken to Denver, where members of the vigilance committee +took him from jail outside the city in an express-wagon, and fastening +a rope around his neck, and throwing it over a limb of a large +cottonwood-tree, they hung him up; leaving the body suspended for +twenty-four hours. + +He confessed to have stolen many horses, and to have murdered at least +six men in his life on the plains. + +Most of these hardened villains die as brave men; but Dugan they said +whined like a child. He was really afraid to die, because of his great +wickedness. + + + + +AN INDIAN FIGHT AT SWEETWATER MINES. + + +On the morning of the 4th May, 1870, there was a desperate fight with +two companies of the 2d United States Cavalry, under Major D. S. Gordon +and Lieutenant C. B. Stambaugh, a god-child of General Sherman. The +Indians had committed some outrages, in return for which a party of +miners killed a chief named Black Bear, his squaw, and eleven other +Indians, Arapahoes. + +When the principal chief of the Arapahoes heard of the fate of Black +Bear and his party, he was very angry, and called together three +hundred warriors (the tribe only numbering about fifteen hundred +souls), and marched for Atlantic City, as it is called (a small town in +the Wind River valley). Two companies of cavalry camped near the place +just before the Arapahoe warriors appeared. A young man named Bennett +saw them first, as he was driving his mules from the pasture. The +Indians at once surrounded him and marched for the town, to kill him in +sight of the village, where the troops were, but not known to the +Indians. Bennett soon saw they were taking him towards a gulch close by +the village where Gordon and Stambaugh were camped. + +On coming up to the top of the hill, the camp was in full view, and +only a few hundred yards away. + +Bennett shouted at once for help, and, putting out as hard as he could, +soon got into camp safe and sound. The sight of the military astonished +the Indians so that they did not try to recapture Bennett, but made +good time in every direction to escape. The soldiers were just getting +up for "_reveille_," when the guard saw Bennett coming with the +Indians, they driving and whipping him with their bows. The shout rang +out, "Indians! Indians!" and at once they opened fire, officers and +soldiers tumbling out of their beds. Some had on their drawers +only,--some in one stocking, and many without boots,--all seized their +arms, and rushing to the picket lines, unhitched their horses, jumped +on with no time to saddle, and without hats galloped over the hills in +pursuit of the flying Indians. Learning that some cattle were run off +near the town, some of the soldiers galloped through the streets and +hallooing "Indians!"--a cry the most terrible of all alarms along the +border,--soon brought every man to his feet, and gun in hand, rush out +to meet the foe. Soon these half-naked warriors had cleared the hills +of the red men, and strolling home as the sun rose over the bluffs, +when a horseman came into Major Gordon's camp with the news that +"Miner's Delight" camp was attacked, and the teams of Mr. Fleming, who +was hauling hay for the government. Major Gordon taking Lieutenant +Stambaugh, Sergeant Brown, and nine privates (all the soldiers in the +camp), and leaving orders for the rest to follow as fast as they came +in, they set off for the hay-field, distant about eight miles. There +they saw none, as the Indians had left, but striking their trail, went +on as fast as possible. A storm had been gathering all the morning, and +soon as they had gone six miles, it burst upon them with terrible fury, +completely covering up all traces of the enemy. The major thinking it +useless to follow further, set out to return to the post; but he had +not gone far before he encountered a lot of about sixty Indians. The +snow and sleet was so blinding at the time, that he did not see them +until he came close upon them. A charge at once was ordered, and the +troops dashed forward, scattering the Indians in every direction. +Unfortunately, however, in the attack Lieutenant Stambaugh received a +ball from an Indian's pistol, and Sergeant Brown had his jaw broken by +another shot. Lieutenant S----, though wounded, was held on to his +horse by Major Gordon, until surrounded by an immense crowd of +desperate warriors, when Gordon told Stambaugh, "For God's sake, hold +on to the mane of your horse, as I have to shoot!" + +Lieutenant S---- fell off soon after, valiantly fighting. He was shot +through the head sideways,--from the throat up through his +brain,--through the chest, arms, and hands. He was brave to a fault, +and the Indians probably took him for a "brave" white chief of high +rank. + +Seeing these two men fall from their horses, and that few soldiers were +there, the Indians rallied and charged them furiously. A severe fight +followed over the body of Stambaugh, the savages trying to capture and +scalp it, and the soldiers defending it nobly. Six Indians were killed +and two soldiers wounded. Soon the Indians retreated, leaving their +wounded and dead with the soldiers. The fight lasted about two hours. +All then became quiet, and Major Gordon descended the ridge,--a strong +position,--and carrying the body of Stambaugh a piece, hid it away in +some bushes. Expecting the Indians would attack him on the way, he set +out for camp, the Indians having gone that way. He saw no more of them, +however. Late at night with his men he reached Atlantic City, they +having eaten nothing since the day before. + +Strange it was, the reinforcements he had ordered did not reach him, +and none knew where they were. Of course all the miners there were +greatly excited; the events of the day were talked over, rockets thrown +up, and fires kept burning on the hills as beacons for a guide to the +soldiers still out; but before daylight they all came in, after having +lost their way in the storm while searching for Major Gordon and his +party. + +Early next morning, Lieutenant Dinwiddie took a strong detachment of +troops and twenty citizens and went out to the scene of battle, and +taking up the body of young Stambaugh, marched slowly back on their sad +journey with the noble brave fellow to the camp, which should know him +no more! + + + + +INDIAN ATTACK ON THE STAGE-COACH GOING TO DENVER--REV. MR. FULLER'S +ACCOUNT OF TWO ATTEMPTS UPON HIS LIFE. + + +The following letter tells its own story. Moreover, it is a truthful +narrative, and shows to the young that a Christian man is a bold man to +meet danger, knowing that God helps us, while we use all proper means +of safety to help ourselves. + + PITTSBURG, May 30th, 1870. + + REV. E. B. TUTTLE, Cheyenne, Wyoming Ter. + + REV. AND DEAR SIR,--I will try to give you a brief account of my + adventure with the Indians, in answer to your request. It was on + the 1st day of June, 1867, the same year that the Right Reverend + Bishop Tuttle went out to his jurisdiction (whom I met a few days + after the adventure at the North Platte Station). The scene of the + adventure was Fairview Station, which was a deserted ranch about + ten miles east of "Fort Wicked," or Godfrey's ranch. The station + house had been burned, and the high adobe walls with an open front + entrance, facing the road, were left standing. About half-past two + P.M. we stopped at "Godfrey's" for a change of horses and + refreshments. I was the only passenger, and as we started on, the + company consisted of the driver, myself inside the coach, and two + horsemen, "stock leaders" (employed by the stage company to transfer + stock from one point to another), four in all. Unsuspectingly, we + went straight into the Indian's trap. It was about four P.M. I sat + on the front seat with my back to the driver, the windows being + down. The first thing that caught my attention was the discharge of + a number of rifles, some of the balls crashing through the sides of + the coach. + + The Indians were well armed with rifles, bows and arrows, and were + all mounted. Instantly I seized my revolver (a small six-shooter), + and made ready to defend myself. I saw the two horsemen wheel their + horses and start back towards "Godfrey's" Station. They were just a + little behind the coach. The driver also yelled at his horses and + gave them a short turn, for the same purpose, no doubt. While we + were turning round, a tall Indian rode up close to the coach-window + and looked in, and as he did so I looked out; our faces met only + about six feet apart. He had a rifle in one hand; I saw him drop + his rein and grasp his gun with both hands. I heard the click of + the trigger. I could easily have shot him, having my revolver in my + hand, but I did not,--why I do not know. It was well that I did + not, as it proved. I dropped under the coach-window to avoid his + fire, if possible. He fired and rode on quickly ahead, his shot + being delivered either at the driver or myself, I know not which. + The horses and coach were now turned about and faced towards + "Godfrey's," and were running as only thoroughly frightened horses + will run. They were large, powerful animals, four in number. The + Indians had meantime divided themselves into two bodies. (There + were about thirty of them in all, of the Cheyenne tribe. I will + shortly state how they were numbered.) One party starting in + pursuit of the horsemen, and the other remaining with the coach to + take it. + + The situation was most critical. I soon saw that the horses did not + keep the road, but turned out of it towards the Platte River (the + river and the road run parallel about half a mile apart, as you + probably know), and I knew that the _driver was not guiding them_! + Putting my revolver in my side-pocket, I opened the door and, + taking hold of the railing above, looked first to see if the driver + was indeed gone. He was not there! I did not turn back; to stay + inside was sure death. If there was any chance of escape, it was + from the outside. I sprang out to the driver's seat above, but + judge of my dismay to find the _reins on the ground_! I intended to + get control of them. I knew not what to do, but had an idea at + first of jumping to the ground to get the reins. While standing + there thinking how to manage to get the reins, I was the only mark + for the Indians, and was fired at a number of times. Such was the + situation, standing alone on the coach-box,--the Indians before and + behind endeavoring to shoot me and to stop the coach,--and yet I + escaped. I have yet the coat, with a bullet-hole in the sleeve, + which I had on. My escape was in this wise: I saw that the reins + might be reached from the headstalls of the wheel-horses. I + therefore sprang down on to the tongue of the coach to get them, + but just then the horses had reached a slough about two rods wide + and as many feet deep, with a sharp bank on either side. They did + not stop, but plunged into and across it. I fell fortunately over + the nigh horse's back, just clearing the wheels. The horses and + coach went on and I was left in the slough. That fall to me at the + time appeared sure death. I expected to be killed instantly. But, + sooner than I can tell it, I was upon my feet upon the bank, my + revolver in my hand, determined not to be taken alive; for well + enough I knew what that would end in. To my astonishment, the + Indians did not stop to give me a shot even; being under a full + run, they barely glanced at me as they passed in pursuit of the + coach. I saw the reason of this. I was on foot, and between me and + "Godfrey's" was another body of Indians. They were all mounted and + armed; I could not run away; I was in a vice apparently. + + I looked towards the river, and observing some islands in it, my + plan was instantly formed. If I could only reach the river, I would + swim out and get behind one of the islands. And the river being + high and turbid, with a quicksand bottom, I did not believe they + would venture to come after me. (I had learned to swim when a boy, + and that now was my means of salvation.) I started for the river as + soon as the last Indian had passed me, "double quick," but as I + started, I glanced towards the west, and, to my dismay, saw the + other party coming back at a distance of four or five hundred rods + from me, and I had at least two hundred rods to make to reach the + river. They had got through with their chase of the two men. They + had killed one of them and also his horse (I buried his body the + next day). The other man being mounted on a trained racer, as I + afterwards learned, managed by hard running to escape and reach the + station. + + At a certain angle bearing back towards "Godfrey's," I started for + the river, and the Indians turned to run in between me and the + river. But providence interposed again. Within one minute from the + time of my fall, the Indians stopped the coach, shooting one of the + horses to do it; and this drew the attention of the other party + away from me to the coach, being drawn (I suppose) by motives of + plunder on seeing the coach stopped. I have since learned that they + do not divide the plunder in any civilized way, but what an Indian + gets his hands on is his. But for this circumstance, they must have + got between me and the river. Finding that I had actually gained + the river-bank, I determined not to go in at once, but the rather + to get as far away as possible, while the Indians were engaged in + plundering the coach, knowing it would take them some minutes to do + that. I had no hope of running away, but slipping off my boots, I + began a rapid walk up the river-bank, all the while glancing back + at the Indians, expecting momentarily that they would start for me. + Thus I got nearly a mile away, when I noticed two men in the road, + a little ahead of me. I stopped as soon as I saw them, feeling sure + that they were Indians who had been sent to that point to prevent + my escape. As I stopped, they made signs for me to come to them; + but this I took to be a decoy, under a pretense of friendship, to + get me away from the river. Instantly divesting myself of my outer + clothing, I plunged in, seeing them start for me as I did so, at a + full run. There were no islands there, and to get away, I must make + the other side. The water was very cold, the current strong, and I + soon became chilled. I found my strength going fast, and gave up my + last hope of escape. I would have gone under but for another + interposition of Providence. I drifted on to a _sand bar_, and + stopping there, I expected to die. I did not wait long. In a brief + time the two men had reached the river-bank opposite me, and judge + of my joy, dear sir, to see the uniform of United States cavalry + soldiers! + + They had been sent out (from Fort Morgan) two days previous to + search for some deserters. They happened to come upon the ground + just then, else I should not be writing you this account to-day. + They saw the whole affray from the outset, but did not dare to + attack. They counted the Indians and said there were about thirty + of them. Now, when I started for the river, after the fall, they + agreed to assist me if they could. Fortunately I did not go in + immediately on reaching the river, but went towards them without + knowing of their presence. When I went into the river finally, they + understood that I mistook them for Indians, and made a dash to save + me. God bless them! In doing that they put themselves in danger. I + saw this and spoke of it, but they said they intended to give the + "red devils" to understand thus that they were supported by others. + Their strategy had precisely that effect. I looked towards the + Indians, and they were making off in the other direction towards + "the bluffs," as fast as they could go. We went safely back to + "Godfrey's," one of the soldiers kindly giving me his horse to + ride. I wish it were in my power to reward in some substantial way + these noble young men. After saluting me from the river-bank, I + swam and waded back to the shore. It was with difficulty that I + could stand when I reached it. My coat was stained with patches of + blood. The soldiers at first were sure that I was wounded, but + strange to say, I was not hurt. The blood was from the driver, and + got upon my coat from the coach-box. + + I lost my baggage, several hundred dollars of goods and money + captured by the Indians. Stopping two days at "Godfrey's," with a + force of eighteen men well armed, in three coaches bound east, we + started on again. Godfrey, who has a mortal hatred of Indians, + treated me with great kindness. This, dear sir, was my marvelous + escape. Bishop Randall writing me afterwards about it, said that it + seemed to him but little short of a miracle. Bishop Tuttle also + expressed the same view. The fall from the tongue of the coach, the + stopping of the coach just in time to call off the party that were + getting between me and the river, the sand bar in the river, on + which I rested in the last extreme, and finally, the singular + appearance of the soldiers to deliver me, are plain indications + that it was the will of God that I should be spared. + + Truly yours, + + WM. A. FULLER. + + + + +CHAPLAIN WHITE SAYS THERE'S A TIME TO PRAY AND A TIME TO FIGHT. + + +In July of the same year as the massacre at Phil. Kearney, that is to +say on the 20th July, while Chaplain White was traveling on Powder +River with Captain Templeton, Lieutenant Daniels, Lieutenant Wanns, and +J. H. Bradley, in company with five white women and two colored also, +going to join their command, and while quietly traveling along, about +fifty to sixty wild Indians came suddenly upon them just as they +approached "Crazy Woman's Fork River." At once there was a panic, and +one of the officers suddenly put on a woman's bonnet and rode off. One +woman had a babe. The chaplain, seeing all was confusion, and each one +for himself, exclaimed, "For God's sake, don't leave these women to be +murdered!" This seemed to call them to their senses, and they began to +rally, though, all told, there were but thirteen armed men. One +soldier, a German, got terribly frightened, and said, "_Isn't there +some one to pray?_" The chaplain seized him by the collar and bid him +hold his gun, saying, "_There is a time to pray and a time to fight!_" +By nightfall they had all disappeared. Lieutenant Bradley was very +courageous; for when the Indians shot their arrows, he would stoop down +and pick them up in derision. + +Chaplains may be sometimes of little account, but if their record could +be written up, a large number would be found to have done noble service +during the war of the rebellion. + +Chaplain John McNamara, of the 1st Wisconsin Regiment, was one of them. +I learned the following anecdote from a soldier who died in Camp +Douglas: + +Private Auchmuty said, "We had marched for a whole year, and had never +a battle. Like all soldiers, we grumbled a good deal, and found fault +with our rations. Our chaplain preached a sermon about our being +discontented, saying we 'had done nothing at all for the government, +only to soldier a little, and eat our rations.' This made us a little +angry, and so we took it out in calling as he passed, '_There goes +the chaplain that eats his rations_!' + +"But by-and-by we had a sharp and bloody fight at Stone River. Colonel +B. J. Sweet was badly wounded in his right arm, and our captain was +killed. This made us waver and fall back. But the chaplain rushed +forward to lead us, exclaiming, 'Boys, come on! The enemy is wavering; +we are sure of a victory!' On we rushed after him, and drove the foe +off the field. After that we called him the 'Bully chaplain.' He lost +his wig, but he gained the victory." + + + + +LEGEND OF "CRAZY WOMAN'S FORK." + + +The Absarakas, or Crow nation, have the reputation of being good +friends to the whites, and it is also said they have never warred with +them. + +Iron Bull, a renowned chief of the Crows, relates the following legend. + +In the journey through that most delightful region of Montana from Fort +Phil. Kearney to Fort C. F. Smith (in the Powder River country), one of +the most favored camping-grounds is the one called "Crazy Woman's +Fork," the name of a pretty little stream of water that rises in the +Big Horn Mountains, and emptying into the Little Horn River. About +three miles from the mountains this stream crosses the trail between +the two military posts mentioned. + +This camp on the Fork is noted for its danger from Indian attacks, as +an abundant supply of game being found in the valley, brings the Indian +there to replenish his larder of wild meat. Notwithstanding the dangers +attending a journey through this region, it has its attractions in the +beautiful and diversified views of lovely scenery, which hasten the +parties traveling that region to encamp, for a night at least, on the +banks of a limpid stream that refreshes man and beast from an unfailing +source in the mountains. The banks are skirted with cottonwood-trees, +and to the west, one sees the tall spurs of the Rocky Mountains rising +up, as it were, from your feet, their dizzy heights covered with snow; +while the haze that surrounds them gives to them a halo of glory and +weirdlike appearance, that the imaginative might compare to _the +garments that mantle the spirits of the blessed in Paradise_! + +Iron Bull said that about two hundred years ago, when the moon shone +brighter, and there were more stars, his nation was a great people, and +they roamed over all that country from the Missouri River to the west +of the Yellowstone, and no dog of a Sioux dare show himself there. But +the people had been wicked, and the Great Spirit had darkened the +heavens and made the sun to shine with such heat that the streams were +dried up, and the snow disappeared from the highest peaks of the +mountains. The buffalo, the elk, the mountain sheep, the deer, and the +rabbit, all disappeared and died away, bringing a great famine upon his +tribe, and the spirit of the air breathed death into the lodges, so +that the warrior saw his squaw and papooses die for want of the food he +could not find on all the plain, or on the mountain-sides; so that the +whole nation grieved and mourned in sorrow of heart. + +Still, they kept up their wars with the Sioux, and fought many a bloody +battle with them when they suffered most, and the game had entirely +disappeared. Their great medicine-man called a council, and when the +head-men had assembled, he told them of a wonderful dream that he had +had, when he was bidden by the Great Spirit to gather the chiefs of the +tribe at the fork of the stream where they lived. + +Their ponies had all been eaten for food, so the proud Indians were +compelled to make the journey on foot to the place of meeting. + +But when they had arrived at the bluffs, on the edge of the valley, +they were surprised to see a bountiful supper spread on the bank of the +stream, close by the Forks, and a white woman close by, standing up and +making signs to them to descend from the bluffs. + +Having never before seen a "white squaw," they were greatly astonished. +The medicine-man descended to the valley. The white woman told him that +the Great Spirit would talk to the council through her. She told him +that the wars of the tribe were displeasing to the Great Spirit, and +they must make peace with the Sioux nation. When that was done, the +great chief, "The-Bear-that-grabs," must return to her. + +They sent out runners to the Sioux, and peace was declared between the +tribes for the first time in one hundred years. + +She then told the great chief to follow the mountain in a westerly +course, until he came to the Big Horn River, and where the rock was +perpendicular, _he was to shoot three arrows, hitting the rock each +time_. + +The chief departed on his mission, and as he gained the bluffs from the +stream, he looked back at the white squaw, but what was his surprise +when he saw her rising in the air and floating towards the mountains! +He watched her until she disappeared over the highest peak towards the +sky. + +The chief pursued his journey, and, arriving at the place told him by +the white squaw, he discharged his arrows. The first one struck in +rock. The second flew over the mountain. The third was discharged, and +a terrible noise followed: the heavens were aglow with lightning; the +thunder shook the mountains. The earth trembled, and the rocks were +rent asunder, and out of the fissure countless herds of buffalo came, +filling the valleys and the hills. The hearts of the Indians were glad, +and they ate and were merry, and returned thanks to the Great Spirit +and to the good white woman. + +The great fissure in the rocks is the canon of the Big Horn River. + +Iron Bull avers that when anything of note is about to befall the +tribe, the image of the white woman can be seen hovering over the peak +of the mountain at "Crazy Woman's Fork." He says the Crows have never +killed any of the whites, and his people say and believe "that they are +treated by the government agents worse than the tribes who give us all +the trouble." + +In other words, because they are peaceable, we need not, as with +others, to buy them off with presents. And they say we have taken some +of their lands and given them to the Sioux, who were fighting and +destroying the whites as often as they could. + + + + +PHIL. KEARNEY MASSACRE. + + +One of the most fearful and fatal massacres on the plains that is +known, occurred in the forenoon of December 21st, 1866, at Fort Phil. +Kearney, Dakota. + +About nine o'clock, some Indians, a few only (as usual), were seen on +the bluffs. Brevet General Carrington, Colonel of the 18th United +States Infantry, in command of the post, sent out eighty-one men, one +company of infantry, and one of 2d Cavalry, Company C, under command of +Colonel Fetterman. The instructions, it is said, were not to go over +the hills. However that may be, they pursued the hostile Indians beyond +sight of the post, crossing the river near the fort to do so. At ten +o'clock the fight began, the firing being heard plainly at the post. +There were from fifteen hundred to twenty-five hundred Sioux, under +chief Red Leaf. + +The soldiers were led into an ambuscade, and having shot away all their +ammunition in a panic, were surrounded and massacred before two o'clock +in the afternoon. Sixteen Indians were killed, and chief Spider among +them. The bodies of the soldiers were horribly mutilated and scalped. +Why reinforcements were not sent out to help them out of their perilous +condition does not appear. Colonel Fetterman was killed, a noble, brave +man, and the fort next above "Laramie" was named after him. This is an +eyesore to Red Cloud, and he requested the President to have it +removed, as of no use, he said, and costing the government a great deal +of money. His wish was not gratified. + + + + +MAUVAISES TERRES, OR BAD LANDS, DAKOTA. + + +Up in the Indian country, in Dakota, near White River, as one travels +over a prairie country, one comes suddenly upon a valley, down between +one and two hundred feet, which is at least thirty miles wide, by +ninety in length. It looks as though it had sunk down below all the +country round; while standing like sentinels all around, one sees +pillars of immense height, of irregular prismatic columns of masses of +stone, stretching up to the height of from one to two hundred feet or +more. It reminds one of the ruins of Pompeii (described by Bulwer) as +the traveler wends his way through deep passages, amidst petrified +snakes, turtles, and mammoth animals, which must have been larger than +elephants. Turtles weighing a thousand pounds, petrified, lie around, +and all over is strewn the remains of extinct animals in this vast +charnel-house. + +Professor Leidy, of Philadelphia, has detected about thirty remains of +species of extinct mammalia. Many of these belonged to animals such as +the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tapir, etc. One extinct animal, called +the Oreodon, had grinding teeth like lions, cats, etc., and must have +belonged to a race that lived on vegetables and flesh, and yet chewed +the cud like a cow. Another called the Machairodus, was wholly +carnivorous, and combined the size and weight of the grizzly bear with +the jaws and teeth of the Bengal tiger. Most of the bones are yet in +good preservation and highly mineralized. Dr. Owen says he saw all the +bones of a skeleton eighteen feet long and nine in height; also a jaw +of a similar animal, which measured five feet along the range of its +teeth. At one place there is a valley which has the appearance of a +floor of an ancient lake, where turtles lie imbedded by hundreds, and +some weighing a ton. This wonderful place looks like the city of the +dead; and as nothing grows there, and there is no water for animals, no +living thing is found there, not even a bird. General Sully made a +forced march through it with cavalry a few years ago, and had to carry +water for the men and horses. The Indians never go there, unless driven +in by some tribe attacking in superior numbers. The fossils which have +been brought from the Mauvaises Terres belong to a species that became +extinct before the period when the Mastodon inhabited this country. The +strata in which these animals are imbedded indicate that the water was +fresh or brackish. It is the most desolate and barren prospect one +could lay his eyes on; and if the place for bad people is like this, +when they come to die, may no boy have to go there and be frightened +all his life-long for his wicked and cruel deeds to others, or to +animals either; for the sight of these skeletons is enough to make any +boy afraid of disobeying his mother, or to go to sleep any night +without being sorry for his sins. + +Gold is said to be deposited there, and may yet be found in large +quantities, if the Indians can be induced to let the whites prospect +there. A while since, an Indian brought into a fort some gold-dust and +a large nugget. The post-trader looked at it and pretended it was iron, +saying to the Indian, "No good." He threw it out of the window and gave +the Indian a glass of whisky. When he went out, the trader picked it +up, and it was worth thirty dollars. The Indian having refused to tell +where he got it, was made quite drunk, and then he said it came from +the Bad Lands; but if the chief found out he had told of it, he would +kill him. + + + + +NATURAL HISTORY--ANIMALS ON THE PLAINS. + + +The animals which are found west of the Missouri River, especially in +the Rocky Mountains, and far beyond them, are the buffalo, elk, deer, +cimarron bear, mountain sheep, antelope, coyote, prairie-dog, etc. + +The buffalo, which affords good beef to the Indian hunters, and has fed +many thousand toilers over the plains to Salt Lake and California, is +mainly known to boys in the comfortable buffalo robes, which every one +knows the use of in sleigh-riding. But to us officers and soldiers on +the plains they are life-preservers almost, in our sleeping out nights +on the ground, far away from home and good beds and blankets. + +The buffalo meat is tough, unless from a young cow; and the Indians +make little difference in drying it for winter use, as they have good +teeth and always a first-rate appetite. The skins are dried and tanned +by the squaws, who lay them on the grass; and I saw an old gray-haired +squaw toiling away with a sharp instrument, made of the end of a +gun-barrel, something like a carpenter's gouge, and this had a bone +handle, with which she kept scraping off the inside of the skin of its +fibres, so as to make it soft and pliable. She had a stone to sharpen +the tool with, and as she leaned over, tugging away, the perspiration +rolled off her face in streams. Poor old creature, I felt sorry for +her, as the work might have been done by several big, lazy, half-grown +Indian boys I saw romping around and shooting their arrows at a mark. +But it is disgraceful for the _lords of creation to labor_, so they +only kill the game, and leave the squaws to cure and prepare it for +eating. + +It is astonishing how poorly Indians are compensated for their robes +and furs. In Colorado, some Indians had been very successful in killing +buffaloes, had plenty of meat, and purchased with their robes flour, +sugar, coffee, dry-goods, and trinkets from the white and Mexican +traders; but they did not realize one-fourth their value. They were +worth eight or nine dollars by the bale at wholesale. The traders paid +seventy-five cents in brass wire or other trinkets for a robe; two +dollars in groceries, and less in goods. Six tribes, in 1864, furnished +at least fifteen thousand robes, which, at eight dollars, would amount +to one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. The traders literally +swindled the poor Indians. _They will give the robe off their backs +for a bottle of whisky on the coldest day._ + +The cimarron bear is avoided by the soldiers, if possible, when met by +them. Up in the Wind River country, a soldier was mauled terribly by +one which he had wounded, but failed to kill on the first fire. The +fight was desperate, for the bear, said to have been six or seven feet +long, and weighing nine hundred pounds, had clinched the soldier, and +both rolled down the ravine together, the other soldiers afraid to fire +lest they should hit the poor comrade, almost in the jaws of death. +They did rescue him, however, by lunging a knife into bruin's side, +compelling him to release his hold, after lacerating the soldier's arm +and side. + +The coyote is a kind of wolf that preys on the antelope. It is a mean, +sneaking thief, too mean to attack a herd of antelopes, but follows +them up, and while one strays off, grazing, watches the opportunity to +spring upon his victim, run him down, and snap the hamstring of poor +antelope, and then eats him. + +One night I was woke up at Fort Sedgwick, thinking I heard wild geese +flying over. But I learned it was a drove of coyotes, which came over +the bluffs, into and through the fort nightly, to eat the refuse meat +outside, where beef was slaughtered. They prowl about, and sometimes +make a noise like a lot of school-children hallooing at play. They +never bite, unless attacked. An old lady got lost about a mile outside +the post, at Russell, in the winter. She started out of Cheyenne, one +Monday afternoon, to search for an emigrant train which might be going +to Montana, where she had a son living. + +She strayed away and was found in a snow-bank, by some soldiers going +out to dig a grave. She was glad to see the faces of white men, for it +was on Friday, and she had thus been out, wandering around since +Monday, four days! She was brought into the hospital and given a warm +cup of tea. "Dear me," she exclaimed, "give me a quart,--I'm almost +famished!" She said she was only frightened by the coyotes coming round +nights and barking at her. Her feet were partly frozen, but in a few +weeks she went on to Montana. + +The black-tailed deer are fine eating; the grass on which they feed in +the mountains is said to make the meat tender and sweet. + +The mountain sheep are large and very strong; they will throw +themselves from a rocky cliff and strike on their head many feet below +unharmed, being protected by horns and stout necks. They are larger +than our domestic sheep. + +The antelope is a pretty, gazelle-like creature, fleet and agile in +springing up and running. Having passed over the Union Pacific Railroad +many times, it has been my pleasure to see them running away from the +train in droves of a dozen or more, in file one after the other, till +out of sight, far away over the bluffs. By-and-by they will disappear +as the buffalo have, driven away by approaching civilization. The young +are easily caught and tamed, and make nice pets for children. The cost +of one here is usually five dollars. They are hunted a good deal for +their meat, as antelopes are tender and sweet to the palate. One method +in hunting them is to raise a white or red flag, and the silly +creatures, full of curiosity, will turn and walk towards it till shot +down by the marksman. + +The prairie-dog is an animal peculiar to the plains. He is found in +what is called a "dog-town;" being a plot of a few acres, as seen +alongside the railroad, after a day and night's ride, dotted over with +mounds a foot or so high. Sometimes a thousand or more congregate in +the town, and their holes are a few rods apart. When approaching these +towns, or the cars pass along, you see them scamper off to the top of +the mound, stand up on their hind-legs and bark, shaking their little +short tails at each bark, and presently plunge head first into their +holes. They are of a brown color, size of a squirrel, but with tails an +inch long. I tried to drown out some, and poured several barrels of +water into a hole without bringing any out. These holes ramify into +others, generally, so it was impossible, in my experience, though +others do get hold of a single hole, and drown them out. Rattlesnakes +and small owls make their homes with them. These are interlopers, as +the prairie-dogs dig the holes down about three to four feet. They can +be tamed, as I know by experience, having carried several east to +Chicago, to my Sunday-school children. + +One night in Colorado, on the Cache le Poudre River, while camping out +there (having gone with a detective in search of horse-thieves), I +heard a terrible clatter among the prairie-dogs late in the night. It +was explained to me by the ranchman, who said they were in the habit of +changing their domiciles once a year, and it was only effected after a +great struggle and fight among themselves. By sunrise, four o'clock in +the morning, all was still; and the little fellows were running about +in search of roots, upon which they live all winter, down in their +dark, deep holes. They belong to the species marmot, and are said to be +good eating. I have never tried them. Friday, Arapahoe chief, told me +that the Indians make use of their oil to cure rheumatism. + + + + +A NIGHT SCENE. + + +The Bishop of Nebraska visited the Pawnee reservation, near Columbus, +and the head chief had just before lost his only son by death. He was +feeling very unhappy about it, and he told the interpreter to say to +"The little medicine-man-in-the-big-heap-sleeves," "That he had lost +his son, and was feeling very heavy here" (laying his hand upon his +heart); adding, "All is dark, and I want him to tell me what the Great +Spirit has got to say to me in my sorrow." + +The bishop said, "Tell him that we have a prayer in the book, we always +say, 'for persons in affliction;' we will all kneel down and repeat it +sentence by sentence, and remain in silent prayer." There in the +shadows of the evening, a few whites mingling among the dusky faces, as +the lights shone upon their bent forms, prayer was offered for +consolation and healing of the poor old man's heart. It was a solemn +scene, and many sobs were heard from the Indian women. After a little +while, all rose up from their knees, and the tall chief, standing +erect, said, with beaming eye, "Say to the Father, say to him, it's all +gone! all gone!" He added, "We are glad to hear such words from the +Great Spirit. We have been told many words from our fathers many moons +since; they have told us good words; that when we do wrong the Great +Spirit is angry with us. Sometimes we forget what they told us, and do +wrong, killing one another. Now, we are told you have a good book that +tells you all you ought to do; and if we had it and could read it in +our tents, maybe we would be better. But we are too old to learn it +now. Teach it to our children,--teach it to our little ones!" What an +answer to prayer! + + + + +THE MISSION HOUSE. + + +The chapel and the mission-house, which is the home of the Santee +Sioux, were mainly built by the Indians. A hospital is to be built soon +for them, mainly through the Christian efforts of William Welsh, Esq., +of Philadelphia. + + + + +INDIAN LANGUAGE, COUNTING, ETC. + + + Wah-ge-la, one. Cow or ox, dib-lish. + Numpa, two. Candle, pal-a-za-zar. + Zomina, three. Cat, how-i-win-go-lar. + Do-be, four. Boy, ox-i-la. + Yap-ta, five. Girl, wi-tin-chil-a. + Sha-ko-pe, six. Small, chu-chil-la. + Shoko, seven. Hat, por-ta. + Sho-go-lo-ra, eight. Snow, of-hene. + Nim-chalk, nine. Pot or kettle, mushta. + Wieh-grin-ina, ten. Good, wash-ta. + Dog, sumka. Don't know, so-lo-wash-ta. + Horse, tu-gon-ka. To-morrow, umpa. + +Major Van Voost, at Fort Kearney, always told the Indians who begged, +"Yes, call to-morrow." So they kept calling, and finally gave him the +name "Umpa." + + + + +INDIANS ATTACK LIEUT. W. DOUGHERTY--FIGHT BETWEEN FORTS FETTERMAN AND +RENO. + + +Lieutenant D---- started down from Fort Reno in the month of March, +1868, and when within seventeen miles of Reno, he was attacked by a +band of Indians while he and his escort of a sergeant, eight men, four +citizens, two teamsters, and servant, were eating supper at Camp Dry +Fork, on Powder River. The distance between the two posts is +ninety-five miles. Springing to their feet, the soldiers fought off the +Indians till they could harness the teams and start for Fort Reno. The +fight was very severe, the Indians having every advantage of position, +as they skulk over the bluffs and come in upon soldiers and others when +least expected. By a bold dash at them, Lieutenant D---- succeeded in +driving them off. They had shot an arrow into the shoulder of a dog +belonging to one of the soldiers. The dog ran towards Reno, _carrying +the arrow all the way_ (seventeen miles), _sticking into the poor +creature's hide_, causing him immense pain. And when he came in, his +appearance apprised the commanding officer of the condition Lieutenant +D---- and his handful of men were in, and he at once sent a +reinforcement of two companies to rescue the besieged. This was the +only way they had of knowing that the party were attacked, and no +wonder it was regarded as a providential circumstance. + +All reached Fetterman in safety the next evening, and the dog is still +a hero among the boys of Company D, 18th United States Infantry. + + + + +SPEECH OF "WHITE SHIELD," HEAD CHIEF OF THE ARICKAREES. + + + FORT BERTHOLD, D. T., July 2d, 1864. + + I speak for my brothers, the Arickarees, Gros Ventres, and + Mandaris. We all live in peace in the same village, as you see us. + We have a long time been the friends of the white man, and we will + still be. Our grandfathers, the Black Bear of the Arickarees, and + the Four Bears of the Gros Ventres, were at the treaty with our + white brothers on the Platte a long time ago. They told us to be + the friends of our white brothers, and not go to war with our + neighbors, the Dakota Sioux, Chippewas, Crees, Assinaboines, Crows, + or Blackfeet. + + We listened to their words as long as they were heard in council. + They have both been killed by the Dakotas; we have none left among + us who heard the talk at the treaty on the Platte. + + We want a new treaty with our Great Father. We want him to tell us + where we must live. We own the country from Heart River to the + Black Hills, from there to the Yellowstone River, and north to + Moose River. + + We are afraid of the Dakotas; they will kill us, our squaws and + children, and steal our horses. We must stay in our village for + fear of them. Our Great Father has promised us soldiers to help us + keep the Dakotas out of our country. No help has come yet; we must + wait. Has our Great Father forgotten his children? We want to live + in our country, or have pay for it, as our Great Father is used to + do with his other red children. We, the Arickarees, have been + driven from our country on the other side of the Missouri River by + the Dakotas. We came to our brothers, the Gros Ventres and Mandans; + they received us as brothers, and we all live together in their + village. We thank our brothers very much. We want our Father to + bring us guns to hunt with, and we want dresses, coats, pants, + shirts, and hats for our soldiers, and a different dress for our + chiefs. We want a school for our children. Our hearts are good. We + do not speak with two tongues. We like to see our white brothers + come among us very much. We hear bad talk, but have no ears. When + we hear good talk, we have ears. + + his + WHITE x SHIELD. + mark + + To our Great Father in Washington. + + + + +INDIAN TRADING. + + +A bargain is never concluded so long as anything more can be obtained +by an Indian from a white man. This feature of Indian character is very +old indeed. I remember, when a child, that when one gave his brother a +ball, or anything, and took it back again, he was called "an Indian +giver." Mr. Hinman gives this experience: "If an Indian (not a +Christian) gives, he expects soon to ask more in return. This is the +selfish habit of all heathen, and when they have power, they often +accompany their demands for gifts with threats of killing one's horse, +etc., if their demands are not complied with. They seem to know nothing +of disinterestedness, except among persons nearly related. An Indian +will press you with his pipe one day, and the next, with a polite +speech about not intending to ask pay for his pipe, which he treasured +highly, intimates that he needs a blanket! + +"One will offer to assist you to work for a day, and the next ask to +borrow two dollars. They try to get you so indebted to them for favors, +that you cannot decently refuse their requests. In all their speeches +they try to prove to you that you are indebted to them." So one will +ask as few favors of them as possible. He says, "I was surprised at the +Yankton agency, to have some young men offer, without any pay, to cut +all the timber and do all the work on a building for the council-room +for the Mission. The change came sooner under their limited instruction +than I had expected, and almost immediately the chief, 'Swan,' offered +to cut logs and build a house for a chapel-school at his camp, opposite +Fort Randall. The chief, Mad Bull, offered the same for the other end +of the reservation, near Choctaw Creek. + +"Among those heathens that have borne Christian fruits with the +Santees, is 'Little Pheasant,' chief of the wild Brule Sioux, who came +down to restore to the Yankton reservation some stolen horses, and +promised Paul Mazakuta to take a list of his men desiring instruction. +God is moving the hearts of these wild Indians in a wondrous way. + +"At our Sunday evening service, over a hundred Yankton warriors and +chiefs were present. I preached from the parable of the prodigal son. +At the end of this passage, 'Though the elder brother be still jealous +of the kindness and mercy shown to you, and thinks your people only fit +to go down to the grave with the beasts that perish, yet God is good +and just; and though long lost and wandering so many years, now found +at last, He will lead you safely to his home.' Dulorio, a chief, said, +'Oh, my friends, this is where we all ought to cry Ko (yes) with a loud +voice!' But the chief, 'Swan,' replied, 'True, true, Koda (friend); but +men must not applaud in church. The words they give us ought to be laid +up in our hearts.' + +"To-day, twenty-two plows are started in the fields, and two in the +prairies, to break an additional hundred acres for wheat. A little +opposition is shown to dividing the land, but only a few Indians +oppose. It is a great step, and one that many are prepared for; but it +must be executed by a wise and good man. It is _the death-blow_ to +heathenism, barbarism, and idleness, and therefore a medicine +absolutely necessary to restore health and quicken life; but yet it +must be administered by a brave and judicious physician. It is a +revolution of habit and of manner of life to the Indian. And in +Minnesota, the delay in perfecting it, and the lack of moral support +given to those who took farms, caused, as much as anything, the +outbreak of 1862, which was, in the beginning, a triumph of the hostile +party over the working bands. Philip the deacon, Thomas Whipple, and +Alexander Umbeclear, Indian catechists, and two Yankton head soldiers, +who volunteered, are on their mission to the wild Sioux. As far as I +know, there is a very general desire for schools; and God is surely +opening the way for the building up of his kingdom." + + + + +RED CLOUD, SPOTTED TAIL, AND THEIR FRIENDS IN WASHINGTON. + + +History will point to the visit of these great chiefs of the Sioux +tribes at Washington as the most important event in their lives, +because it not only staved off a great war threatened on the plains, +but most likely inaugurated a system of just and fair dealing for the +time to come, that may prevent any more cruel and bloody wars with the +Indians on our frontiers. Hence every incident that took place there is +interesting; and as it is a costly expense to the government, it is +likely to be discouraged in the future, and if boys have another chance +to see some "big chiefs," they will have to go a great way, perhaps to +Nebraska or Dakota, to have a good look at them. + +The party belonging to Zin-tak-gah-lat-skah--Spotted Tail--left +Minnesota before Red Cloud's from the Powder River country, and arrived +first in Washington; but their interests were the same, so nothing was +done until General Smith arrived with Red Cloud and reported to the +Secretary of War. He then turned them over, as we say, to the Indian +Bureau, which has a suite of offices, etc. in the Patent Office +building in Washington. The Secretary of the Interior, who is a member +of the cabinet, and General Parker (Chippewa chief), Indian +Commissioner, received them as their charge during their stay in +Washington. Before Red Cloud came, however, Spotted Tail had an +interview with General Parker. He said: + + "The government does not fulfill its treaty promises, and that + supplies of goods promised and money owed for lands were not sent + to them at the times agreed on, and that the white man, wherever he + can find many buffaloes and gold, comes on the Indian's land and + takes the Indian's ponies." + +Colonel Parker told him of the many difficulties the Indian Bureau had +to contend with in order to get moneys through Congress, and the great +difficulties such a great government as ours had to go through in +conducting all its affairs. But he gave his word to Spotted Tail that +all the promises now made in the treaties would be fulfilled, and that +they should get the provisions as soon as possible. He said that the +Indians must not go to war among themselves, preying on other tribes, +nor must they fight any more against the people of the United States, +nor steal their cattle or horses. + +Spotted Tail said, "He was glad that the Great Father was going to +treat them right," but did not commit himself to any policy for the +future. He was too good an Indian to make any professions in advance. +Spotted Tail has of late years committed no offense except killing Big +Mouth in a drunken brawl last winter. + +The citizens of Washington have now and then seen Indian delegations at +the Capitol. But these lusty fellows, such as Red Cloud, Swift Bear, +and others, at once attracted attention. + +Their large size and well-developed muscle, tall and graceful in +action, especially when speaking in their native eloquence, mark them +as objects of surprise and wonder. Their faces were painted in red, +yellow, and black stripes. Their ears were pierced, men and women, for +large ornaments of silver and bear's teeth. They wore magnificent +buffalo robes, ornamented and worked with beads, horse-hair, and +porcupine quills. Red Cloud wore red leggins beautifully worked and +trimmed with ribbons and beads, and his shirt had as many colors as the +rainbow. His robe--made to tell by characters his achievements in +battle--was quite rich, and worked with seal-skins. His moccasins +pronounced the handsomest ever seen there. + +The squaws were ugly, wore short frocks, turned in their toes walking, +and had flat or pug-noses. + +It was said as a reason for Red Cloud's not bringing his squaws with +him, "that Congressmen left their squaws at home!" + +Red Cloud said that the pale-faces are more than the grass in numbers. +He had come to see the Great Father, and to see if the peace-pipe could +not be smoked on the big waters of the Potomac. + +The appearance on the balcony of the hotel of the whole party, watching +the crowds of pale-faces going to and from the Capitol, created much +curiosity, and the Indians remarked to one another that the +horse-thieves in the Indian country had a good many brothers in +Washington! The negroes were especially attentive, and spoke of them as +quite inferior to the colored community. They were assured that Indians +never scalp negroes; which is really true, I found, in my interviews +with different tribes on the plains. The reason I can only guess at: +the curly hair of a negro would not ornament the saddle-bow of an +Indian, in the shape of a scalp token of victory. + + +_Meeting at the Bureau._ + +Long before the Indians came, the passages of the department were +filled with a crowd of anxious persons, to inspect the red men as they +passed along, and this, besides being unpleasant to them, interfered +with their passage into the council-chamber. But soon they all got in, +Spotted Tail looking very dignified, with his three companions on one +side of the room, while seated in two rows across were Red Cloud and +his larger number of chiefs and head-men, and the squaws that came with +them. + +General John E. Smith, who came with Red Cloud, Colonel Beauvais, of +St. Louis, Colonel Bullock, post-trader at Fort Laramie, and others, +were present. + +After the Indians had got comfortably seated and had passed the pipe +around among them a few times, Commissioner Parker, with Secretary Cox, +entered the council-room, and were introduced to each Indian of Red +Cloud's band, having previously seen Spotted Tail and party. As Indians +never speak first, but will sit for hours, Commissioner Parker opened +the meeting, saying: + + "I am glad to see you to-day. I know that you have come a long way + to see your Great Father, the President of the United States. You + have had no accident, have arrived here all well, and should be + very thankful to the Great Spirit who has kept you safe. + + "The Great Father got Red Cloud's message that he wanted to come to + Washington and see him, and the President said he might come. We + will be ready at any time to hear what Red Cloud has to say for + himself and his people, but want him first to hear the Secretary of + the Interior, who belongs to the President's council." + +The Commissioner stepped aside, and Secretary Cox said: + + "When we heard that the chief of the Sioux nation wanted to come to + Washington to see the President and the officers of the government, + we were glad. We were glad that they themselves said they wanted to + come. We know that when people are so far apart as we are from the + Sioux, it is very hard to see each other, and to know what each one + wants. But when we see each other face to face, we can understand + better what is really right, and what we ought to do. The + President, General Parker, and myself, and all the officers of the + government, want to do what is right." + +[Here Red Cloud gave a significant look at Spotted Tail across the +room.] + + "While you are here, therefore, we shall want you to tell us what + is in your own hearts, all you feel, and what your condition is, so + that we may have a perfect understanding, and that we may make a + peace that shall last forever. In coming here, you have seen that + this is a very great people, and we are growing all the time. We + want to find out the state of things in the Sioux country, so that + we may make satisfactory treaties. In a day or two the President + will see the chiefs, and in the mean time we want them to get ready + to tell him what they have to say, and we will make our answer. We + want also to use our influence so that there shall not only be + peace between the Indians and whites, but that there shall be no + more troubles about difficulties between different bands of + Indians." + +The Commissioner also said to Spotted Tail that "he thanked him for +being present, and was glad of the good will he had for the whites." +Most thought the conference was ended, but Red Cloud, through his +interpreter, said he had something to say. + +Stepping up quickly to the table, and shaking hands with the officials, +spoke up in a firm voice, "My friends, I have come a long way to see +you and the Great Father, but somehow after I got here, you do not look +at me. When I heard the words of the Great Father, allowing me to come, +I came right away, and left my women and children. I want you to give +them rations, and a load of ammunition to kill game with. I wish you +would blow them a message on the wires that I came here safe, all +right." + +Secretary Cox said he would now only welcome them again, and would +telegraph Red Cloud's message, and for the rest, he would see what +could be done. To-morrow he would show them what was to be seen about +the city. On the next day (Sunday) white people did no business, and on +next day evening the President would meet the Indians at the Executive +Mansion. + +They were invited to have their photographs taken, but Red Cloud +declined. + +Red Cloud and Spotted Tail went up to the Capitol, where they climbed +to the dome, taking a view of the city; but what most interested them +was the large mirrors and the marble busts of two Indian chiefs. They +came into the Senate while the Indian Appropriation Bill was under +consideration, and while they were fanning themselves incessantly, the +interpreter explained what they were doing, but the Indians said +nothing. But the greatest event for them was the + + +_Grand Reception to the Indian Delegations by the President, attended +by all the Foreign Diplomats._ + +This took place at the White House on the evening of June 6th. It +appeared that the President and Mrs. Grant had arranged with General +Parker to give a surprise-party to the Indians, the diplomatic corps, +the cabinet, and other dignitaries. What they intended to do was +supposed to be a great secret, but it leaked out as early as six +o'clock in the afternoon, and many wanted to see the sight. + +The carriages of the foreign ministers, secretaries, and attaches of +legations were driven up to the entrance of the White House with the +ladies and gentlemen of the legation; then came the members of the +cabinet and ladies, and some senators and members of Congress. Soon the +Blue, Green and Red Rooms were crowded. The ladies were dressed in +their gayest costumes, and the gentlemen had on their Sunday clothes. + +About seven o'clock the entire Indian delegation drove up, with Red +Cloud, Spotted Tail, with his three braves, in open barouches, and soon +shown into the East Room. + +This room was brilliantly illuminated, and bouquets of flowers were +scattered around. + +General Parker welcomed the Indians, and told them they were to see the +President and his wife and children, and the members of his great +council, the cabinet, and members also of other nations over the big +waters to the President, and have a hand-shake, "How" and talk, if they +wished. Spotted Tail and braves were seated in the end of the Southeast +Room, and Red Cloud and band, with the squaws, along the east side. +Spotted Tail and his party were dressed in blue blankets, white +leggins, and white shirts, and each had a single eagle's feather stuck +in the back of his hair; all their faces had on war-paint, and all the +beads and other trinkets they could pile on, adorned their persons. + +Red Cloud, in his paint, looked awful, and he wore a head-dress of +eagle feathers sewed on red flannel. This was trailed down to his feet, +and attracted much notice from its oddity and beauty. Red Dog, his +lieutenant and orator, had a beautiful head-gear, as also did several +others. It would be impossible to describe the different ornaments worn +by these Indians, but they looked as gay as an actor personating +Richard the Third on the stage. + +The squaws wore short dresses and high bodies or shirts, and their +cheeks, noses, and foreheads thickly covered with red paint. Both +parties soon set up a lively jabber in Sioux; but General Parker gave a +sign, and all were as whist as mice. + +The folding-doors were opened from the broad passage-way into the East +Room, and soon the President was ushered in with Mrs. Grant, Secretary +Fish and wife, Secretary Belknap and wife, Secretary Cox, wife and +daughter, Secretary Boutwell and wife, Secretary Robeson and Miss +Nellie Grant, Judge Hoar, wife and daughter, Postmaster-General +Cresswell, wife and sister, Generals Porter, Dent, Babcock, and others; +then followed senators, members, and their wives and other ladies. +Next, Minister Thornton, wife and lady friends, with Mr. Secretary +Ford, wife, and other attaches of the British legation; Baron Gerolt, +wife and daughter, M. and Madame Garcia, and indeed all the +representatives of foreign nations on the whole earth but China and +Japan. The diplomatic corps did not wear uniforms, but imitated the +Indians, who had many insignia of rank in tell-tales of scalps taken, +etc., by putting on all their stars and orders, and each wore +swallow-tail coats, white vests, neckties, and gloves and dark pants. + +Mrs. Grant was attired in a handsome grenadine, and wore a diamond +necklace, and japonica hair adornings. The other ladies seemed to have +vied with each other to out-dress one another, surpassing even their +gay attire at their winter receptions. + +Soon the President with his party had all got into the East Room, on +the west side, the President, with Secretary Fish, General Parker, and +M. Beauvais, the interpreter; next, Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Parker, and Mrs. +Fish, distributed so as to see all going on, while the Indians lounged +lazily on the sofas staring at their white brethren, both parties +mutually surprised. Then General Parker made a sign to Spotted Tail +with his braves, and they rose up, one by one, advancing to where the +President and his party were standing, and the introduction, +hand-shaking, etc. began; the Indians, as usual, said "How." Red Cloud +followed with his band, and all said "How, How," shaking hands with +each one present. The ladies seemed to enjoy this very much, laughing +and chatting, and wishing, perhaps, they could speak the Indian +language; for they forgot for a few moments all the restraints of the +situation, and went in for real fun and frolic with these tawny sons +and daughters of the plains and mountains. + +Good rounds of hand-shaking indulged in, many questions were put and +answered through the interpreters, and a careful examination was made +of the hair-dressing, the paint on the cheeks, the beads, tin ornaments +of the Indians, and the sparkling diamonds of our own people. The +wonder, remarks, and laughter of each party, as something struck them +as singular or ludicrous, were going on all over the room; for the +order was soon broken up, and all mixed in, pale-faces and Indian +alike, quite indiscriminately. + +The scene was novel indeed. Here might be seen the chief of our nation, +leaning on his arm one of the ladies from a foreign court, or a belle +of America mingling in with a group of red-skins, and trying through an +interpreter to converse with them; the ladies anxious to know the +history of Zin-ta-ga-let-skah, or Stinking-saddlecloth, or the +Elk-that-bellows-walking, or Man-afraid-of-his-Horses, etc. Here the +bachelor of the navy was trying to pump an Indian about his canoes, to +please half a dozen pretty girls he had in tow; but the interpreters +being busy, the Indian could only make signs, give a grunt, a stare, or +grin in reply. Mrs. Grant, with some ladies, also tried to have a "say" +with them on her own hook, but gave up soon in despair. + +Another signal of General Parker, and the Indians were in their places; +next the whites stood in order, and then the red brethren walked into +the Green, Blue and Red Rooms, and into the presidential state +dining-room. + +Here came a new surprise, and a refreshing sight. The state +dining-table was beautifully decorated with ornaments of gold and +silver, dishes, glasses, flowers, bouquets, etc., and was fairly loaded +down with fruits, berries, ice-cream, confections, and wines. +Side-tables were set out with delicacies of the season, and it was seen +that the President, with his amiable wife, had gotten up a strawberry +and fruit festival for the wild men and civilized big bugs of the +nations. + +In the mean while, the Indians were ranged round the main table, while +the President and Mrs. Grant and friends proceeded to help the Indians +to all the delicacies they never saw before, and which they must have +regarded as far ahead of a dog-feast, or the simple wild currants and +plums they pick in the Rocky Mountains. + +The ladies of the foreign ministers were not backward in their +assistance. Secretary Boutwell helped Red Dog to strawberries and cake, +Judge Hoar and Secretary Robeson paid much attention to the four +squaws, cutting cake, and giving them knick-knacks. + +One of the squaws took from the President a French kiss and a bonbon, +and taking her pocket-book from her bosom, put them both into it, +intending to carry it home, three thousand miles, to her papoose, and +then returned it to its hiding-place, amid roars of laughter, in which +President Grant joined as heartily as anybody. + +It was noticed that Red Cloud and Spotted Tail ate very freely of +strawberries, cherries, cakes, bananas, etc., and that while Red Cloud +and his party took freely of wine several times, Spotted Tail and his +three braves only partook of the "fire-water" once. All then went in +and did ample justice to the feast till they were satisfied. If one +could imagine a mass of beauty, loveliness, and full dress crowded into +rather a small compass, with thirty Indians, and as many more of the +male sex of our own color, all eating, chatting, and laughing at the +same time, then you have a faint idea of this first great entertainment +to a body representing thirty thousand warriors, as a new feature of +inaugurating peace for bloodshed, rapine, and murder, in the +presidential state dining-room that night. + +Then all were marched back into the East Room, seated on sofas, and +promenading up, in and down in front of the Indians and their squaws. + +Each Indian was presented with a small bouquet by Misses Nellie and +Jessie Grant, and a number of their juvenile companions. Spotted Tail, +in answer to a question of the President, told him he had eleven +children. The President told the interpreter to inform him that he +would take one of his boys and educate him, and have him cared for by +the government. + +Spotted Tail said he would think the matter over. + +The President told Red Cloud he would see him in a day or two on +business. + +The Indians all expressed themselves to the interpreter as having "big +hearts," "heap good eat," "like much Great Father," and "much good +white squaws." + +Mrs. Grant's beautiful gold fan quite took the eyes of the squaws, and +they showed much delight, saying they would get some pretty fans for +themselves. Soon (as there is an end to all things) the party broke up; +the white guests to dream perhaps of some strange play at a theatre, +and the Indians to imagine themselves transplanted to the happy +hunting-grounds they feel sure they are to enter hereafter, when they +have done with hunting the antelope, the deer, and the buffalo, on the +plains. + + +_Important Interview._ + +The Secretary of the Interior, Commissioner Parker, General J. E. +Smith, Messrs. Collyer, F. C. Brunot, and the other Indian delegates, +met in a grand council at the Patent Office building. All the Indians +were dressed in full costume, and seemed to be impressed with the +importance of the occasion. Secretary Cox made a long address to the +Indians on behalf of the President, assuring them that if they would go +to their reservations, and keep the peace, all the rations and goods +promised them by the government would be sent to them, and agents also, +to see that they reached them safely. + +In regard to giving them arms and ammunition, he said they would not be +given them at present, but after they have kept themselves peaceable on +reservations for a time, these would be furnished. + +Red Cloud then shook hands with all, and said: + + "I came from where the sun sets. You were raised on the chairs. I + want to sit where the Indian warrior sat." + +Sitting down on the floor, Indian fashion, he went on: + + "The Great Spirit has raised me this way. He raised me naked. I + make no opposition to the Great Father who sits in the White House. + I don't want to fight. I have offered my prayer to the Great Father + so that I might come here safe and well. What I have to say to you + and to these men, and to my Great Father, is this: Look at me! I + was raised where the sun rises, and I came from where he sets. + Whose voice was the first heard in this land? The red people's. Who + raised the bow? The Great Father may be good and kind, but I can't + see it. I am good and kind to white people, and have given my + lands, and have now come from where the sun sets to see you. The + Great Father has sent his people out there, and left me nothing but + an island. Our nation is melting away like the snow on the side of + the hills where the sun is warm, while your people are like the + blades of grass in the spring when summer is coming. I don't want + to see the white people making roads in our country. Now that I + have come into my Great Father's land, see if I have any blood when + I return home. The white people have sprinkled blood on the blades + of grass about the line of Fort Fetterman. Tell the Great Father to + remove that fort, and then we will be peaceful, and there will be + no more troubles. + + "I have yet two mountains in that country,--the Black Hills and Big + Horn. I want no roads there. There have been stakes driven in that + country, and I want them removed. I have told these things three + times, and now have come here to tell them for the fourth time. I + have made up my mind to take that way. I don't want my reservation + on the Missouri home of these people. I hear that my old men and + children are dying off like sheep. The country don't suit them. I + was born at the Forks of the Platte. My father and mother told me + that the land there belonged to me. From the north and west the red + nation has come into the Great Father's house. We are the last of + the Ogallallas. We have come to know the facts from our Father, why + the promises which have been made to us have not been kept. + + "I want two or three traders that we asked for at the mouth of + Horse Creek in 1852. There was a treaty made, and the man who made + the treaty (alluding to General Mitchell), who performed that + service for the government, told the truth. The goods which have + been sent out to me have been stolen all along the road, and only a + handful would reach to go among my nation. + + "Look at me here! I am poor and naked. I was not provided with + arms, and always wanted to be peaceful. The Great Spirit has raised + you to read and write, and has put papers before you; but he has + not raised me in that way. The men whom the President sends us are + soldiers, and all have no sense and no heart. I know it to-day. I + didn't ask that the whites should go through my country killing + game, and it is the Great Father's fault. You are the people who + should keep peace. For the railroads you are passing through my + country, I have not received even so much as a brass ring for the + land they occupy. [Nor even a shilling an acre for the lands taken + from the red men, he might have said.] I wish you to tell my Great + Father that the whites make all the ammunition. What is the reason + you don't give it to me? Are you afraid I am going to war? You are + great and powerful, and I am only a handful. I don't want it for + that purpose, but to kill game with. I suppose I must in time go to + farming, but I can't do it right away." + +Secretary Cox promised that their complaints should be attended to by +the Great Father. + + +_Another Interview._ + +The Secretary made a speech, saying that some of the requests made by +the Indians concerning their rations and allowing them traders would be +acceded to, and that government would do all in its power to make them +happy. He announced that they had already received some presents in the +shape of blankets, etc., and would receive more in New York on their +way home. He repeated what the President said concerning Fort +Fetterman. It must remain. They would soon be started on their homeward +journey, which information was received by the Indians with +unmistakable signs of delight. + +Red Cloud spoke in reply, evincing most certainly his dissatisfaction +at the determination of the government not to remove Fort Fetterman. He +said there was no necessity for its continuance, and its presence was a +useless burden and expense to the Great Father. He also took exceptions +against the roads running through his country, and intimated that if +trouble arose, it would be the fault of the Great Father. + +Red Cloud made another speech, in which he said, "The troops in my +country are all fools, and the government is throwing away its money +for nothing. The officers there are all whisky-drinkers. The Great +Father sends out there the whisky-drinkers because he don't want them +around him here. I do not allow my nation or any white man to bring a +drop of liquor into my country. If he does, that is the last of him and +his liquor. Spotted Tail can drink as much as he pleases on the +Missouri River, and they can kill one another if they choose. I do not +hold myself responsible for what Spotted Tail does. When you buy +anything with my money, I want you to buy me what is useful. I do not +want city flour, rotten tobacco, and soldiers' old clothes dyed black, +such as you bought for Spotted Tail. I only tell you what is true. You +have had a great war, but after it was over you permitted the chiefs +who had been fighting to come back." + +Secretary Cox explained the treaty of 1868 to the Indians, and said, +"The best way is to be friendly and deal honestly with each other. The +last treaty made provided for a railroad to be built. The Sioux agreed +not to disturb it, and that it should be built. Now, if the road +interferes with hunting, we will try to make good the damage by feeding +you. We mean that the government shall keep back white men from going +into the Indian country, as well as bad Indians from going into the +white country. This is what the troops are there for. If any of our +people at the forts do not do what is right, the President will punish +them and send better men in their places. The same treaty gives the +lines of the Indian country." + +A map was produced, and the Secretary explained the boundaries fixed in +the treaty of 1868. Red Cloud looked on with great interest. He said he +was asked to sign the treaty merely to show that he was peaceable, and +not to grant their lands. He continued, saying, "This is the first time +I have heard of such a treaty, and I do not mean to follow it. I want +to know who was the interpreter who interpreted these things to the +Indians." The names of three were mentioned, and he said, "I know +nothing about it. It was never explained to me." + +_Bear-in-the-Grass_ said, "The Great Spirit hears me to-day. I tell +nothing but what is true when I say these words of the treaty were not +explained. It was only said the treaty was for peace and friendship +among the whites. When we took hold of the pen they said they would +take the troops away so we could raise children." + +Secretary Cox explained that the treaty was signed by more than two +hundred different Sioux of all the bands. + +_Red Cloud_--"I do not say the Commissioners lied, but the interpreters +were wrong. I never heard a word only what was brought to my camp. When +the forts were removed, I came to make peace. You had your war houses. +When you removed them, I signed a treaty of peace. We want to +straighten things up." + +_Secretary Cox._--"I have been very careful so that no mistake may be +made, and that our words should be as open as daylight, so we may +understand what binds the Sioux and ourselves: We are trying to get +Congress to carry out our promises, and we want the Indians to do their +part. We simply say that this is the agreement made as we remember. We +have copies printed. We will give one to Red Cloud so it can be +interpreted to him exactly what it is." + +_Red Cloud_ said, "All the promises made in the treaty have never been +fulfilled. The object of the whites is to crush the Indians down to +nothing. The Great Spirit will judge these things hereafter. All the +words I sent never reached the Father. They are lost before they get +here. I am chief of the thirty-nine nations of Sioux. I will not take +the paper with me. It is all lies." + +The Secretary distributed copies of the treaty to the interpreting +agents and traders present, and adjourned the council till next day, in +order that meantime the provisions of the treaty be explained to the +Indians. + + +_Final Interview._ + +They appeared to be much depressed, having reflected over the +proceedings of the day before. They reluctantly came to the meeting +next morning, the earnest persuasion of the interpreter, agent, and +traders having induced them to do so. They stated that their refusal to +attend might result to their injury. The night before Red Shirt was so +much depressed in spirits that he wanted to commit suicide, saying that +he might as well die here as elsewhere, as they had been swindled. + + +_Further Explanations._ + +Commissioner Parker opened the proceedings by saying the Indians were +asked to come up because it was thought they ought to have something to +say before they went home. Secretary Cox said to them he was very sorry +to find out that Red Cloud and his people have not understood what was +in the treaty of 1868; therefore he wanted him to come here, so that +all mistakes might be explained and be dismissed. It was important to +know exactly how matters stood. This government did not want to drive +them. The Secretary then explained, at some length, the provisions of +the treaty, the limits of the hunting-grounds, the reservation, etc. He +understood that Red Cloud and his band were unwilling to go on the +reservation, but wanted to live on the head-waters of the Big Cheyenne +River, northeast of Fort Fetterman. This was outside of the permanent +reservation, but inside the part reserved for hunting-ground. The +Secretary was willing to say, if that would please them, he would make +it so, and have their business agents there; this would still keep +white people off the hunting-ground. The government would give them +cattle and food and clothing, so as to make them happy in their new +home. The Secretary said he would write down the names of the men in +whom the Indians have confidence, and want for their agent and traders. +He desired to find out whether they were good men, and could be trusted +by the government. He was sorry the Indians felt bad on finding out +what was in the treaty; but the best way was to tell it all, so there +might not be any misunderstanding. + +Red Cloud, having shaken hands with the Secretary and Commissioner +Parker, seated himself on the floor, and said: + + "What I said to the Great Father, the President, is now in my mind. + I have only a few words to add this morning. I have become tired of + speaking. Yesterday, when I saw the treaty, and all the false + things in it, I was mad. I suppose it made you the same. The + Secretary explained it this morning, and now I am pleased. As to + the goods you talked about, I want what is due and belongs to me. + The red people were raised with the bow and arrow, and are all of + one nation; but the whites, who are educated and civilized, swindle + me; and I am not hard to swindle, because I cannot read and write. + We have thirty-two nations (or bands), and have a council-house the + same as you have. We held a council before we came here, and the + demands I have made upon you from the chiefs I left behind me are + all alike. You whites have a chief you go by, but all the chief I + go by is God Almighty. When he tells me anything that is for the + best, I always go by his guidance. The whites think the Great + Spirit has nothing to do with us, but he has. After fooling with us + and taking away our property, they will have to suffer for it + hereafter. The Great Spirit is now looking at us, and we offer him + our prayers. + + "When we had a talk at the mouth of Horse Creek, in 1852, you made + a chief of Conquering Bear and then destroyed him, and since then + we have had no chief. You white people did the same to your great + chief. You killed one of our great fathers. The Great Spirit makes + us suffer for our wrong-doing. You promised us many things, but you + never performed them. You take away everything. Even if you live + forty years or fifty years in this world and then die, you cannot + take all your goods with you. The Great Spirit will not make me + suffer, because I am ignorant. He will put me in a place where I + will be better off than in this world. The Great Spirit raised me + naked and gave me no arms. Look at me. This is the way I was + raised. White men say we are bad, we are murderers, but I cannot + see it." + +[Red Cloud did not use this slang phrase,--no Indian speaks so,--and +the interpreters spoil much of the beauty of idiom in translating what +the Indian says. He meant, "I did not so understand it."] + + "We gave up our lands whenever the whites came into our country. + Tell the Great Father I am poor. In earlier years, when I had + plenty of game, I could make a living; I gave land away, but I am + too poor for that now. I want something for my land. I want to + receive some pay for the lands where you have made railroads. My + Father has a great many children out West with no ears, brains, or + heart. You have the names to the treaty of persons professing to be + chiefs, but I am chief of that nation. Look at me. My hair is + straight. I was free born on this land. An interpreter who signed + the treaty has curly hair. He is no man. I will see him hereafter. + I know I have been wronged. The words of my Great Father never + reach me, and mine never reach him. There are too many streams + between us. The Great Spirit has raised me on wild game. I know he + has left enough to support my children for awhile. You have stolen + Denver from me. You never gave me anything for it. Some of our + people went there to engage in farming, and you sent your white + children and scattered them all away. Now I have only two mounds + left, and I want them for myself and people. There is treasure in + them. You have stolen mounds containing gold. I have for many years + lived with the men I want for my superintendent, agent, and + traders, and am well acquainted with them. I know they are men of + justice; they do what is right. If you appoint them, and any blame + comes, it will not be on you, but on me. I would be willing to let + you go upon our land when the time comes; but that would not be + until after the game is gone. I do not ask my Great Father to give + me anything. I came naked, and will go away naked. I want you to + tell my Great Father I have no further business. I want you to put + me on a straight line. I want to stop in St. Louis to see Robert + Campbell, an old friend." Red Cloud then pointed to a lady in the + room, saying, "Look at that woman. She was captured by Silver + Horn's party. I wish you to pay her what her captors owe her. I am + a man true to what I say, and want to keep my promise. The Indians + robbed that lady there, and through your influence I want her to be + paid." + +Secretary Cox replied to Red Cloud that the treaty showed how the land +was to be paid for. They were to be given cattle, agricultural +instruments, seeds, houses, blacksmith-shops, teachers, etc., and food +and clothing. The land is good in two ways: one is to let the game grow +for the hunt; the other, to plow it up and get corn and wheat, and +other things out of it, and raise cattle on it. The reason why so many +white men live on their land is that they treat it in this way. He +would correct Red Cloud in a remark made by him. "The whites do not +expect to take their goods with them into the other world. We know as +well as the Indians do that we go out of the world as naked as when we +came into it; but while here in the world we take pleasure in building +great houses and towns, and make good bread to eat. + +"We are trying to teach them to do the same things, so that they may be +as well off as we are. Here [pointing to Commissioner Parker] is the +Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who is a chief among us. He belonged to +a race who lived there long before the white man came to this country. +He now has power, and white people obey him, and he directs what shall +be done in very important business. We will be brethren to you in the +same way if you follow his good example and learn our civilization." + +_Red Cloud_ responded, "I don't blame him for being a chief. He ought +to be one. We are all of one nation." + +_Secretary Cox._--"Those Indians who become chiefs among us do so by +learning the white man's customs, and ceasing to be dependent as +children. I was glad to hear Red Cloud say he would not go away angry, +General Smith will see that you get good presents. But these are small +things compared with the arrangements that will be made to make you +prosperous and happy. Some of the Peace Commissioners will go to your +country to see that you are well treated. I do not want you to think +the days coming are black days. I want you to think they will be bright +and happy days. Be of good spirit. If you feel like a man who is lost +in the woods, we will guide you out of them to a pleasant place. You +will go home two days from now. One day will be spent by General Smith +in New York to get you the presents." + +_Red Cloud_ replied, "I do not want to go that way. I want a straight +line. I have seen enough of towns. There are plenty of stores between +here and my home, and there is no occasion to go out of the way to buy +goods. I have no business in New York. I want to go back the way I +came. The whites are the same everywhere. I see them every day. As to +the improvement of the red men, I want to send them here delegates to +Congress." + +Secretary Cox said he would be guided by General Smith as to the route +homeward. He was not particularly anxious the Indians should go to New +York. This ended the interview. The Indians shook hands with the +Secretary and Commissioner Parker, and then hurried from the room, +followed by the crowd of persons who had gathered at the door. + + +_Little Swan's Speech._ + +Little Swan, a Sioux chief, said to the President about the Indian +situation: + + "What my Great Father asks for, peace, is all very well. If I had + my own way, it would be all right, and there would be no more + fighting; but I saw in the Congress, when I went there, on + Thursday, that all the big chiefs there did not agree very well. It + is the same with my young men. They are not all of one mind; but I + will do my best to make them of one mind, and to keep the peace. I + am a bad young man, too, and have made much trouble. I did not get + to be a big chief by good conduct, but because I was a great + fighter, like you, my Great Father." + +These words were really delivered. The allusion to Congress and to the +President hit the nail on the head; at least, it is thought so. + + +_Spotted Tail in New York._ + +On the 14th of June, the four lords of the desert, Spotted Tail, Swift +Bear, Fast Bear, and Yellow Hair, had a busy day. They began in the +morning with a visit to the French frigate, Magicienne, where they were +received by Admiral Lefeber and his staff, and a salute was fired in +their honor. They were conducted to the admiral's state-room and +regaled upon cakes and champagne. The latter they enjoyed immensely, +but Captain Poole wisely limited them to one glass each, not desiring +to witness a scalping scene on his frigate. After this repast, the red +men were conducted all over the ship. The admiral then had one of the +fifteen-inch guns loaded with powder, and each one of the Indians +pulled the lanyard in turn. This was royal sport for the Indians, and +as each gun was fired they looked eagerly for the splash of the ball +which they thought was in the cannon. It was impossible to explain to +them that the gun was loaded with powder only, as when they visited the +Brooklyn navy-yard a shotted gun was fired for their especial +edification, and their delight was then to watch for the ball striking +the water. + +After the visit to the frigate, the Indians returned to the Astor +House, where a crowd of five or six hundred people was assembled. The +private entrance on Vesey Street was besieged by an excited multitude +anxious to get a peep at the "red-skins," but they were disappointed, +as the stage drove up to the Barclay Street entrance. + +Although they had been to a certain extent amused by what they have +seen in New York, still, they were all anxious to get back home. +Captain Poole says that the crowds which dogged their footsteps +wherever they went annoyed them considerably, and it is owing to this +that they have departed so abruptly. Many invitations were sent them, +including one from James Fisk, Jr., to visit his steamers, and one from +the officers of the turret ship Miantonomah. Spotted Tail, however, +declined to accept either, being tired of Eastern life. He also refused +to take a trip up the Hudson, saying that he and his brethren all +wanted to go home. + +Before the Indians' departure from Washington, President Grant handed +four hundred dollars to Captain Poole, and directed that each chief +should choose presents to the value of one hundred dollars. They were +accordingly taken to an up-town store, where each filled a large trunk +with articles of various kinds. Combs, brushes, umbrellas, blankets, +and beads seemed particularly to please their fancy. Swift Bear wanted +to take about a dozen umbrellas, but was dissuaded from it by Captain +Poole. + +They took a Pacific Railroad car on the Hudson River Railroad, at eight +o'clock in the evening. + + +_Red Cloud in New York._ + +Red Cloud changed his mind, and came on to New York to attend a great +meeting of friends of the red men, at Cooper Institute. On the evening +of June 16th, the party were treated to a grand reception, at which it +was supposed that no less than five thousand were present. Among other +things, Red Cloud said: + + "I have tried to get from my Great Father what is right and just. I + have not altogether succeeded. I want you to believe with me, to + know with me, that which is right and just. I represent the whole + Sioux nation. They will be grieved by what I represent. I am no + Spotted Tail, who will say one thing one day, and be bought for a + fish the next. Look at me! I am poor, naked, but I am chief of a + nation. We do not ask for riches; we do not want much; but we want + our children properly trained and brought up. We look to you for + that. Riches here do no good. We cannot take them away with us out + of this world, but we want to have love and peace. The money, the + riches, that we have in this world, as Secretary Cox lately told + me, we cannot take these into the next world. If this is so, I + would like to know why the Commissioners who are sent out there do + nothing but rob to get the riches of this world away from us. I was + brought up among traders and those who came out there in the early + times. I had good times with them; they treated me mostly always + right; always well; they taught me to use clothes, to use tobacco, + to use fire-arms and ammunition. This was all very well until the + Great Father sent another kind of men out there,--men who drank + whisky; men who were so bad that the Great Father could not keep + them at home, so he sent them out there." + + +_Reception of Red Cloud at Home._ + +Doubtless speculators and contractors were disappointed when they +heard, on General Smith's return, of Red Cloud's satisfaction, and what +he said about being peaceable, and using his influence among his +warriors. A thousand lodges were gathered to receive him, and the +demonstrations made over his return exceeded any the oldest Indian had +ever seen before. + +On the way out, Red Cloud gave General Smith his reason for asking the +government for the seventeen horses. He did not really need them, but +made up his mind that if he had been sent back on foot from Pine Bluff, +or Fort Laramie, his tribes might think he was lightly esteemed by our +authorities, and thereupon they might begin to despise him. His +influence would decrease, and he might be unsuccessful in preventing +war. He merely wished to accept of them as a tribute to his exalted +position as a great warrior among his people. The general said that his +appearance, with his whole party well mounted, had the desired effect, +and Red Cloud's warriors saw at a glance that the chief was believed to +be a great warrior by the Great Father at Washington. + + + + +CONCLUSION. + + +Boys love fair play, and I know they will make every allowance for the +poor Indian, who is, in his wild state, indeed a savage, born and bred +up among the wild beasts of the forest; untutored and cruel to his +enemies, whether man or beast. We must take him as we find him, then, +and not as some sensation writers would make us believe, to be _more +noble and generous_ than many white men. For we may find many noble +examples of generosity among them, in freeing captives and forgiving +wrongs done to them; but they have been for over two hundred years +victims of the white man's dishonest dealings, and I think that we +would do pretty much as the Indian does, if we were Indians, and had +been taught the lesson of our forefathers' wrongs. The Indian agents +have been in former years mostly dishonest, and cheated those they +should have remembered were simple children of the forest; and though +they were knowing enough to perceive they were badly dealt with and did +not get their due, could not tell just where the cheating came in. You +remember the story of a white man and an Indian going a hunting on +shares. Well, they killed a wild turkey and a buzzard, the latter good +for naught. They sat down on a log to divide the game. "Now," said the +white man, "You take the buzzard, and I'll take the turkey; or, I'll +take the turkey, and you take the buzzard." The Indian opened his eyes +wide, and replied, "Seems to me you talk all buzzard to me, and no talk +turkey." + +Very little "talk turkey" has the Indian experienced in dealing with +the whites. Indeed, you can judge of fair dealing, or want of it, when +it is known that an agent came out our way to pay off annuities with +blankets, etc. These were "shoddy blankets," and when one tribe was +paid off with them, the agent bought them all back again with bad +whisky, and went on farther, to pay off other tribes in like manner. + +So one agent carried out to California some annuity goods to pay off +Indians, according to treaty, _and among them were several thousand +elastics; and yet no Indian wears a stocking_! + +The bad Indians _must be punished, just as bad boys, who do wrong; +and the army alone can deal with refractory Indians, whose tender +mercies are most cruel to white men, women, and children_. + +General Sherman came out here in 1868 as one of "the Peace Commission," +to personally investigate the whole matter. On his arrival at Cheyenne +and at Denver, a large number of pioneers were ready to insult him, +because he would not make a speech, and authorize them to band together +and kill Indians wherever found![4] + + [4] A man whom I had some respect for, said to me at this time, + "If we can get up a smart Indian war now, wouldn't it be the + making of Cheyenne?" He had an eye to an army contract. General + Sherman would probably have called him a "bummer." + +This idol of the American people they were not willing to trust to do +justice to both parties, after visiting among the tribes on the plains, +and in New Mexico, and seen things for himself. Such is human nature. +But the general could wait his time, and the judgment of the whole +people will be, to give him credit for a far-sighted policy, the result +of a wise head and an understanding heart, that swerves neither to the +right hand nor the left, so it be in the plain path of duty! Why not +believe and trust him in the future, as we have in the past? We are to +take care how we draw down upon our nation God's anger for _previous_ +years of injustice and bad treatment; and if General Grant had done +nothing more to signalize his administration than the appointment of +honest agents to look after the welfare of Indians on reservations, +while leaving to Generals Sherman and Sheridan the dealing with wild, +refractory bands of pagan savages, roaming over the settlements on the +plains, to do their murderous work of brutalities that sicken the heart +to contemplate, and make to the sufferers a welcome death as speedily +as possible,--he would be one of the greatest Presidents we have had. + +I have thus tried to give an impartial history of the "Indian +Question," showing the characteristics of our white settlers in their +treatment of the Indians; and, on the other hand, painting the savage +as he is, in his wild, cruel nature, and with whom we have to deal with +all the wisdom our government can devise. I have done so with a +purpose. This is to show how little Christianity has done thus far to +make white men just, fair, and honorable, and to gain the respect of +the red man for the Christian's God. It is a sad reflection, too, that +we are doing so little, and that the world's conversion is so far, so +very far away in the future. _There is a dreadful responsibility +resting somewhere!_ + +If our religion is not a sham, we must meet the question as it has +never been met before. Infidelity has no surer or more deadly weapon +than that which it wields to-day against our professions of love for +the souls of our fellow-men, while we content ourselves with +expressions only of that love. It is hollow, superficial, and full of +cant. If our religion does not take a deeper form, and go out in active +sympathy and work, it will surely perish, and deserves to perish. Men +ask for results, and it is right they should. The tree is known by its +fruits. We cannot gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles. This is +Christ's standard. Do we belong to Him, or are we false, hypocritical +children of the Evil One? + +Our Saviour said, "It must needs be that offences come; but woe to that +man by whom the offence cometh!" Now, if so be that God, who is just, +shall require that we atone for all the wrongs perpetrated upon the red +men ever since the Mayflower landed her pilgrims on the shores of New +England (for there is no repentance for nations at the day of +judgment), or that our children shall suffer in some way for it,--who +shall say it is not a righteous retribution? "Vengeance is mine, I will +repay, saith the Lord." + + + + +LORD'S PRAYER IN SIOUX LANGUAGE. + + + Ate-un-yan-pi, Mar-pi-ya, ekta, nan-ke-cin, Ni-caje, wa-kan-da-pi, + kta, Ni-to-ki-con-ze, ukte, Mar-pi-ya, ekta, ni-taw-a-cin, econ-pi, + kin, nun-we; au-pe-tu, kin, de, au-pe-tu, iyoki, aguyapi, kin, + un-ju, miye. + + Qu, un-kix, una, e-ciux-in-yan, ecaun-ki, con-pi, + nicun-ki-ci-ca-ju-ju-pi; he, iye-cen, wau-ur-tan-ipi, kui, + un-ki-ci-ca-ju-ju, miye. Qa, taku, wani-yu-tan, kin, en, unkayapa, + xui, pa, Tuka, taku, vice, cin, etanhan, eunt-da-ku-pi. + Wo-ki-con-ze-kin, no-wax-a ki, kin, ga, wouitan, kin, hena-kiy, a, + ouihanke, wanin, nitawa, heon. Amen. + +The name of God is Wakantanka. The name of the Lord is Itankan. + + + + +APOSTLES' CREED. + + + Wakantanka iyotan Waxaka Atezapikin parpia, maka iyahna kage cin, + he wicawada: + + Qua Jesus Christ Itankan unyapi, he Cinhintku hece un Mary eciyapi + kin, utanhan toupi; Pontius Pilate kakixya, Canicipauega, en + okantanpi, te qua rapi; Wanagi yakonpi etka I, Iyamnican ake kini; + Wankan marpiya ekta iyaye. Qua Wakantanka, ateyapi iyotan waxaka + yanke cin, etapa kin eciy atanhan iyotanka; Heciyatankan meaxta + nipi, qua tapi kin, hena yuuytaya nicayaco u kta, Woniya Wakan kin + he wicauada; Omniciza, wakan Owaneaya kin Owaneaya kin, Wicaxta + Wakan Okodakiciye kin; Woartani kajujupi kin; Wicatancan kini kte + cin; Qua wicociououihanke wanin ce cin; Hena ouasin wieawada. Amen. + + + + +DISTANCES. + + +From Omaha to Cheyenne is five hundred and sixteen miles; Cheyenne to +Greeley, on Cache-la-poudre River, fifty-four miles; Cheyenne to +Denver, one hundred and eleven miles; same to Golden City; Cheyenne to +Sherman, thirty-three miles (this is eight thousand two hundred and +forty-two feet above the level of the sea); to Fort Sanders, fifty-four +miles; Laramie City, fifty-six miles; Salt Lake, five hundred and +thirty-five miles; Salt Lake to Lake's Crossing, Truckee River, four +hundred and ninety-nine miles; Truckee to Sacramento, one hundred and +nineteen miles; thence to San Francisco, one hundred and twenty-four +miles; Omaha to San Francisco, one thousand seven hundred and +ninety-two miles. + +Cheyenne, northwest to Fort Fetterman, one hundred and seventy miles; +Fort Reno (abandoned), two hundred and seventy-four miles; Fort Phil. +Kearney (abandoned), three hundred and thirty-nine miles; Fort C. F. +Smith, four hundred and twenty-nine miles; Helena, Montana, six hundred +and nine miles; Junction of Bear River to City of Rocks, one hundred +and eighty-one miles; to Boise City, three hundred and ninety-three +miles; to Idaho City, four hundred and forty miles; to Owyhee, four +hundred and seventy-five miles; to Fort Ellis, Montana, six hundred +miles; to Fort Brown, Sweetwater, four hundred and forty-two miles. + + + THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Three Years on the Plains, by Edmund B. 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