Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-12-08

struotons, from this gifted Indian.
The Younger son of Black Hawk IS
the Adons of his tribe, and is probably
the handsomest man in the world. lie
is six feet three or four inches high,
graceful and elegant in his manner; and.
although weighing, perhaps, two hum
dred, he treads as lightly as an infant
KIsH KE-KosH, a chief of much distlnc-
ton among them, is also talented and
fne.looking man; and, though as brave
as Cae sar, he is regular-built Brummell
exquisite. He usually sports an ebony
cane, with gloriously large and bright
brass head, which he twils in his fingers
in the most elegant style imaginable,
and, when sitting, rests his chin aud lips
apon the brilliant ornament, a la t'the
fine old English gentleman He is a
smiling chap, and celebrated as gall
liant, as your smiling gentlemen usually
are. 1t was rather amusing to witness
his efforts to come the polite thing over
his brother savages.
Every night the Indian camp was con-
verified into vast ball room; and every
variety of dances known among them.
from the clothing of the dead to the
Hat boat double shuffie,' was performed
by them. The squaws have no part in
these amusements, and. usually manifest
but little curiosity to witness their per-
formances. 1t is anything but dancing.
according to our notions, consisting, as
it does, of violent stamping upon the
ground to the measured beats of a drum
"a regular tearing up of the earth-or,
as the Mississippi indictment expresses
it. kicking up fuss generally'-though
there is system in it, and we noticed that
the dancers preserved excellent time
The chiefs and braves are the principal
performers in these scenes. In addition
to the beating of the drum, the dancers
are enlivened by perhaps the widest and
most hideous yells that ever issued from
the threats of human beings; and, al
though good Christian might think that
all Pandemonium had been turned loose
upon our prairies, yet. strange to say,
there is music in the horrid compound.
When all things are put into full blast
the drum beating--the dancers moving
and the singers yelling-hundreds OF
I'Indian dogs join in the delightful chorus,
and it is then that the air is made redo
lent with savage sounds which make the
listener quake while he laughs at the SUI
perlatively ridiculous character OF the
whole scene before him. The young
members of the tribe amuse themselves,
some by aping the dancers 1T respect
full distance, and others by wrestling,
foot races, &c. Most of these young
rascals have HORSES of their own; and it
was laughable, while pltiable, to see them
abuse the poor animals by running them
from morning till night, sometimes in ra-
ces, and at Others without any apparent
motive but to 'cut plunge
This is the only thing we have against
the Sacs and Foxes; theyhave no mer-
cy on horses. The abuse of these noble
animals is the meanest sin which any
one, white, red, or black can commit.
1t is grea: mistake that Indians are
stoics, misanthropes. or anything Of the
kind. A more sociable, communicative,
happy set of fellows than the Sacs and
Foxes, do not exist anywhere. But we
believe it not only impolitlc, but lmposs--
IDLE, to clvilize them.