Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-07-21
NJ 7 S C ELL "A N =,
From the New YorS Evening Star.
INDIAN SCENES


mentioned also, IN my other letter, that
our little skiff had brought us down the
river about 500 miles below the mouth OF
Yellow Stone. when we landed at Laid
lows Trading House, which is 200 miles
above the city Of st. Louis. If did not
say IT, it is no matter, for it was even so {;
and "Batlste aud Bogard who rowed, and
| who steered," threw our little bark out
upon the bank, and taking our paddles in
| our hands, and our plumber on our backs,
crossed the plain to the American Fur
| Company's Fort, in charge of MIR Ludlow
who gave US hearty welcome, and pla.
ced in an instant at his table, which hap
pened al that moment TO be stationed 10
the middle Of the floor, distributing TO its
surrounding guests the simple blessings
which belong 10 that fair and silent land
Of buffalo tongues and beaver tails. A
! bottle OF good MADEIRA wine sprung a
l'instanD upon the corner Of the table be-
fore US, and slcOre, point blank, to the
welcome that was expressed IN every fca
ture of our host. After the usual saluta
lions, the news, and glass of wine, Mr..
Laldlow began thus-"WelI, my friend
you have got along well, so far, and am
| glad 10 see you. You have seen great
many fine Indians since you left here, and
| have no doubt, procured many interesting
and valuable portraits. but there has been
deal OF trouble about these pictures, in
! this neig hbothood, since you went away.
| OF course, you have heard nothing of it
at the Yellow Stone: but amongst US, |
assure you, there has not day passed in
the four months without some fuss or ex.
| element about the portraits. The Dog
is not yet dead, though he has been shot
at several times, and had his left arm bro
ken. The Little Bears friends have ov-
ertaken the brother oil the Dog, that fine
fellow whom you painted, and killed him.
They are now sensible that they have sa-
criliced one of the best men in the nation
for one oil the greatest rascals and they
are more desperately bent on revenge than
ever. They have made frequent inquiries
for you knowing that you had gone up
the river alledglng that you had been
the cause Of these deaths, and that if the
dog could not be found they should look
for your life as a settlement of that unfor-
tunate affair. That unlucky business, Ia
ken altogether, has been the greatest
piece OF medicine, & created the greatest
eXcItment amongst the Sioux of any thing
that has happened since came into the
country. My dear sir, you must not con-
| inue your voyage any further down the
river IN your unprotected condition. A
| large party of the little Bears band are
now encamped on the river below, and
for you to stop there, (Which you might
be obliged TO do, } would be TO endauger
your HE" Reader, sit still, and let me
change ends with my story, (Which is
done IN one moment,) and then from a re
latiOn oil the circumstances which elected
the friendly advice and canton of Mr.,
Laid!ow just mentioned, you will be bet
ter enabled to understand the nature aud
manner OF the bloody affair which | am
undertaking 10 relate. About four months
previous 10 the moment am now speak
lug Of, had passed up the Missouri riv-
er by this place, on the steamboat Yellow
Stone, on which assembled the Missouri
10 the mouth Of Yellow Stone river. While
going up, this boat, having on board the
United states Indian Agent, Major San
ford, Messrs Pierre, Chateau, and Nc
henZIe, OF the Am. Fur Company, and
myself, as passengers. stopped at the ira
ding post, and remained there several Gays
where " ere assembled 600 lodges of the
| Sioux Indians, their tents being pitched in
close order on an extensive prairie on the
bank Of the river.
This trading.post is the concentrating
place, and principal trading depot for this
powerful tribe, who number when all ia E
ken together, something like sixty thou
sand. On this occasion, five or six thou
| Il kah lad to hA ofa hoo
and meet the Indian agent, which they
knew were to arrive al this time. During
the few days that we remained there,
was buslly engaged painting my portraits
Of the principal chiefs, for here were as
sembIed the principal chiefs and medicine
men Of the nation. To these people, the
| operations of my brush were entirely new
and unacc Cuntable, and excited amongst
them the greatest curiosity Imaginable -
| Every thing else. (eyen the steam5oat,)
was abandoned for the pleasure and gra
! LITIGATION of crowding into my painting
room, and Witnessing the result of each
fellows success as he came out from under
| the operation of my brush. They had
| been al first much afraid of the consequen-
ces that might flow from so strange and
unaccountable an operation /; but having
been made TO understand my views, they
began TO look upon it as great honor, and
afforded me the opportunities that desi-
red, exhibiting the utmost degree of want.
" of their appearance, both as TO features
and dress The consequence was that my
room was filed with the chiefs, who sat
around, arranged according TO the rank or
grade which they held in the estimation oil
their tribe, and in this order it became ne
cessary for me TO paint them, TO the exclu-
sion OF those who never signalzed them
selves and were without any distinguishing
character in society.
The first man on the list was Ha wan
ghee ia, One Horn.) head chief of the na
ton, and after him the subordinate chiefs,
or chiefs Of bands, according TO the esli-
nation in which they were held by the
chief and the tribe. My models were thus
placed before me, whether ugly or beau
| iiful a II the same and saw AT once thai