Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-09-19

merry they held the Spaniards in great
respect, as they put large attachments OF
troops into their country. Since 1905,
however, the Spaniards have not done SO,
restrained probably BY the consideration
that the territory belongs to the United
States, and being debarred from the ouly
effecsaai means Of checking Indian dep
relation their settlements are placed in
the same unfortunate situation that ours
we're on the borders Of Florida.
The agriculture OF the Pawnees, is a.
bout the same as the kanses, aud Ottoes,
like them they only reside 10 their villa
ges. during the intervals Of planting and
! gathering their corn living nearer the
habitual haunts Of the Buffalo than those
Dations, they subsist more exclusively Oh
it /; they never hunt on the. Missouri and
have bat little intercourse with the whites.
They are proud, naughty people. and
have great ideas Of their own strength and
Importance. One Of their principal men
told the interpreter What do we care
for the whites; did not our fathers live
very well without knowing that such peo-
pie had an existence Have we not plen-
ty of Buffalo meat, and corn, not only for
ourselves, but TO give our friends, when
they come to see US; and what Pawoee is
SO poor, that be cannot, if he chooses.
give his guest horse to ride home Who
is there ia The world, thai does not know
oil the bravery, and numbers OF the great
Pawnee nation" notwithstanding, how
ever, the good opinion they have of them
selves, they are believed to be less war;
like than their neigbbors, owing to the
comparative ease with which they live,
subsisting entirely 90 Buffalo, which they
find so near them. The chase OF the Buff
ialo, besides being less Isborious than that
Of the elk or deer dues not require the
use Of FIRE arms, with which the Pawnees
are &c. expert; Ehcis language IS more
cultural than that of the Kanses and 0ssa-
ges, and approaches nearer to the Sioux );
their figures are tall and slim they have
remarkably high cheek bones, and GER
tain wildness Of look I; this is peculiar to
them. Their government, like that Of the
Oitoes, is an hereditary aristocracy the
power and authority of which is very
much dependent open the individual char
acter of the principal chieftain. They are
not SO Clearly or. rather, they are more
filthy 10 their persons, lodges and cook
ing, than other tribes. There is a Ger
tain custom among these Indians Of
swearing they will not survive the death
of a certain friend or friends, that fire.
quently leads them TO desperate deeds.
About two years since trader, descend
ing the Arkansaw with some packs OF
beaver, and about thirty men was attack
ed by a party of about three hundred Paw
nees They made a breastwork of their
packs Of beaver, aud finally succeeded 10
beating off the Indians, killing five or six
of them. After the Indians had despaired
of success. aud were about giving up the
attack, two men made furious charge by
themselves. They were both cut TO pieces,
The memory Of these men is universally
cherisbed-they are celebrated in all their
war songs.
The Pawnees find that formidable ami
NAL the white or grizzly bear, 10 their
hunting excursions towards the head of
La Platte river. On the Missouri, it is
seldom seen below the great bend, and is
found most frequently on the Yellow
Stone, aud its branches--and at the three
forks of the Missouri. This bear will
usually attack man II approached very
near. Indians consider il great exploit
to kill one of them. When they are a.
harmed they rise completely erect on their
hind legs, and dart forward by jumps !;
move much swifter than man can run,
rushing forward with the utmost ferocity,
their mouths wide open, and swapping
their teeth which makes noise like the
shutting Of steel trap: man attacked
by one Of them 90 the open plains of the
Missouri, but has little chance of escape,
if there be neither tree TO climb, nor wa
ter to take to. The tenacity Of life 10
these animals has been exaggerated but is
very remarkable : as many as thirteen
balls have been put Into them, withou,
killing them; ba, there are also instances
Of their being killed, by two, or even one
ball: the most mortal part is directly un-
der the ear they attack and kill buf.
falo, dragging him 10 their haunts. where
they bury if they do not wish to eat him.
These animals are SO fierce, ardent and
furious, that they soon exhaust their
strength in pursuit they are hunted by
the Indians on horseback a party oil
three or four men, well mounted, approach
the bear, and one Of them provokes him
to pursue him this he does with his ut
most force the horseman TO avoid the
bear, has put his horse to his metal; be
leads him round the circle 10 his com
panions, Que of whom provokes him he