Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1851-11-04
INDIAN CUSTOMS.

b' II will be remembered that some time
since Colonel Lea and Governor Ramsey
were sent out West by the Government, to
conclude treaty with The Sioux Indians
They were accompanied by the editor of the
ST., Paul Pioneer, who has furnished the pub
= lie with several highly interesting sketches,
stwr,len on The treaty ground a, Traverse Des
Sioux, between 5,h and 18Th Of July. Some
OF them are scarcely less graphic and pic.
iuresque Than The best sketches by Cooper.
lirr is description Of an Indian wedding:
INDIAN WEDDING.
bra About noon the marriage of David Barri.
fbpul, with Nancy Wiroa Mcclure took
ptacc'in the marque OF the Commissioners,
-il,,helresrnce Of all the party in the camp,
and several friends Of ibe parties to br7nar.
y ried, The bridegroom is 4 large, handsome
4 .ssInap, pbtnl lhiny years old, aud The bride a
StfesIi young girl Of fouuccp, large Of her
sage, cducotrd in srclusion ar The Mission
ae11fIonse, ard almost wholly unacanhinied with
.alhc s3ci,.ly Of The whites. She cameoinlo
The marquee trembling like young luwn-
birShing like the opening bud Of a dewy
laony in the glare of sunshinc. ..r.
Thcsmalrage ceremony, in the EPisco'
pal form. was performed by Alexis BaiIy,
ESQ.,. justice of The peace in and for this
County, after which The bridegroom produc-
cd an abundance Of lemonade, which sparkl-
cd and Iuumed joyousIy, as if it had been
champagne uncorked in any of the brown
iron, palaces Of New York After the wed.
ding, all went 10 dine together; and after
edinner, .oasls and speeches appropriate lc
the occasion flowed freely.
Toas,s whre then jrank,u Colonel Lea, O.
The Indian Department, and Governor Ram
sey, both Of whom made brief speeches.
$50 After dinner there was q virgin feast o
'o,he young Dakola girls, nineteen in number
and fifteen young men. Before sitting dowr
otolhe feast, consisting of tea and fried cakes
leach of The party advanced aud touched 8
1red stone, which was placed in their midst
this being The test oalh,oi virginity. q.
A young man jumped inio the circle ant
seized one Of The girls, and dragged her ou
-iwi,hou. any ceremony. This was equivu
lent 10 accusing her Of immodesty, ant
having taken a Golse oath. II was the g n
era! belief in the camp, however, lI,ai tn
young mans accusation was false. and ,ho
be attempted to faslen this disgrace upol
her in revenge Of having given him the nit
ter.
% The Indians have grea, fear of thunder
and the region of the treaty ground is DE-
escribed by The writer as ''pivot Of 'r..,cs,s :
Rains and storms are fequer... and ,errible.-
'gfhe Indians in The camp were very mac
excited on tie subject. and finally ihey .c
solved 10 take the weather in hand. The
followed the example of white men, who, i
AL emergencies, cull meeting and max
or hear speeches. The following speec
was made by Walking Thunder, and ind
Gates the an'dole which he proposed fc
ytheir meteorological grievances;
basfsb! SPEECH OF WALKING THUNDER,
- ms "ien .,a,er Is unsual The Gret
..,p,nt does moi smile. He growls al u.s.
Something does not suit him. Our cor
fields, where are they? Our young me
Cannon hunt The powder in our rifles
wet. Il will moi burn. We kill no game
nothing. Our Great Father gives us liu
beef and Iiule corn since we came TO Il
treaty. Blu, we are poor. very poor. On
rOS IHuy Ue COuHteu llk0 lnB pulCS w u lJut
g. frame through ,heskin. Corn will NOT gro
without sunshine, and if we have nothing
eat we must slarve. Our horses are Thin.
We thought they could run some. but evt
Shasta Wasia's .lMr, Taylor's) horse C;
omrun our laslest buffalo mag. Our do
afeBean, very lean. They Nre too poor
bark, They howl a lrle sometimes, b
yeryfeebly. I'VE are glad our Father cur
eupshere with iltle corn and lhdc be-
upd, il may be,a few slices Of pork, for
.Io,eat. We were very hungry, and we q
yete The red man is always hungry. 7
yYhiie young men are FAT. They look We
ssicelS apd geasy, The reason is, that !
-iGreai Spirit gives themsmurc food I'VE
nMelfIse 30 much rain; is more than the
Is any use Of. Our TENS are soaked "
waicr. II pains US 10 have our women 10,
ed down with we, baggage when We lrav
We canno, bear it. l'muy be the slea