The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-07-31
The Northwest Frontier.
correspondent of the ST. Paul's Pioneer writes thus

correspondent of the ST. Paus Pioneer writes thus
TRAVERSE DE Sioux, July IL.
This seems to be the region of thunder -s,orms-the
pivot Of empests-the shifting place OF the winds
Clouds fly around and over it, driven by everchanging
atmospheric currents, inermnglng sunshine and shower
in the hour and mixing the elements of weather
ken the subject OF the weather into careful consideration
being determined to have different state OF things This
morning, of the chiefs, Walking Thunder, made a
speech 10 this effect
"This high water is unusual The Great Spirit does
not smile. He gIowls al us, Something does not suit
him Our corn ieds-where are they' Our young men
cannot hunt The powde. in our rifles Is we! i vii no.
gives little beef and little since we came 10 the
treaty. But we are poor-very poor. Our RIBS may be
counted like the poles OF odgetrame. through the skin
Corn will not grow without sunshine, and II we have
nothing 10 eat we must sarve Our horses are thin. We
thought they could run some but even Shasta Wastas
(Mr Tyer's) horse outrun our fastest buffalo nag
Our dogs are ean-very leans they are 100 poor to bark
They howl little sometimes, but very feebly. We are
glad our father up here with little and little
beef and il may be lew slices OF pork Tor US TO eat
We were very hungry, and we are yet The red man is
agays hungry The white young men fat; they look
very sleek and greasy The reason IS that the Great
rain; IL is more Than there is any use Of (Ho hol] Our
tents soaked with water. II pains 10 have our
women loaded down with wet baggage when we travel
We cannot bear IT, may be the steamboats, drove this
flood up the river when they came The boats brought
up litlle and little beet and il may be slice OF
pot Insy are wesIng HV tents
not peaked. The Great Spirit rains on both. But there
is too much thunder and rain and sharp lightning We
want beef and less thunder They say the Great
Thunder Bird has dashed his wing upon the head OF the
Blue Earth River and broken open fountain, oat Of
which This ireshet comes II was whispered TO me in a
dream that ought TO have round dance this after
noon. lilo no no j II may much thunder and
lightning and rain. II Great Father wants TO buy
our land will talk with him about at proper time
Our Great Father has several cattle lett yet There
hurry Beef is good for the red men, but cookosh (pork
is very II our Great Fathers children think much
of cookosh, why do not they eat il instead OF beef
Probably, because like whlskey they think beef is not
wholesome Tor u.s. [Hoi no no j We will attend the
round dance this afternoon and Try TO aay the storm
and appease the Evil Spirit The wing Of the Thunder
Bird must be broken" tHo no bo!l
Accordingly, in the afternoon, the round dance was
made ready The spot selected was nearly half mile
back OF the river upon the PLAIN between the FIRST and
second bench. The commission, with our whole camp,
present, and perhaps thousand Indians OF the
several bands The theatre OF this rel gious dance
crcu lar enclosure made up OF the limbs OF The aspen
stuck in the ground, interviewer with four arched gate
ways toward each point OF The compass, making an
about the size Of a large circus.
image cut out OF bark, designed to represent the Thunder
Bird, hanging suspended by a string from ITS top AZ
each oil the four arched gaeways stood another pole and
image OF the same description but smaller than the
IN the centre Near the foot OF the central pole was
little aroor oil aspen bushes, in which sat looking
Indian with bis face blackened and wig OF green grass
his head, who acted sorceer and uttered incanta
tons and propheses with ervent unclion and beat the
drum and played the Indian flute and sung by turns,
10 regulate the various evouons OF the dance Before
ibis arbor at the foot OF the central pole various
mystical embleRs-tbe image OF running buffalo, cut
out OF bark, with his legs stuck in the ground ALSO
pipe and red stone, shaped something like head, with
some coored sbavings, moss or other material on the
Uranium 10 represent hair This red stone is said to rep.
resent the Spirit Of Evil TO be appeased AT signal
given by the socerer the young sprang IN through
the gaeways, and commenced a circular dance, IN pro.
cesson around the sorcereI who continued TO sing and
10 beat his drum and occasionally changed the order OF
dancing, or atodng the dancers respite. by blowing
hiS lin he N he n
hop Shaker step, which we in their medicine and
seal dances After fifteen twenty minutes Of violent
exercise the dancers ran out oil the rng returning after
short respite
In the third few horsemen, in very gay, fantastic
costume, accompanied the procession OF dancers within
the by riding around outside OF the enclosure. In
the fourth and last multitude Of boys and girls joined
the band OF dancers IN the and many more horseen
joined the cavacade that rode swiftly and more swiftly
around the area, some dressed IN biue emofodersd
blankets, others in white; and every horseman, as be
skfuly and swiftly rode, subject for the paintef be
music qulckenng and the excited performers flying Ike
whirlpool OF fantastic men and horsess M. etn,uoa
make a fortune out OF it ina month as an equestrian
show Suddenly, at the end OF The fourth act several r.
lies were discharged at the poles which the Thunder
BIRDS were suspended. cutting them all instantly down.
when the curtain fell and all dispersed SO ended the
round dance-the most imposing exhibition probably that
~ among the Sioux
Soon after the beadsmep and chiefs of large band OF
Indians Just arrived from Lake Traverse with Mr. Riggs,
called upon the commissioners. and presented with
a osei. ihey iney were very hungry, ana tneH
looks certainly couoboraed what they said
Shakopee tSx or Hall Dozen) is 10 leave with his
band Tor home tomorrow. They are not wanted here
but at their own village where they will meet with the
lower bands TO treat They up here because they
hungry--foowed the cattle up Shakopee will not
have anolber opportunity here of boasng the oihe
Indians that he usually dimes with the
by invitation" Sbakopees men now leading their
horses into the river, and swimming them across to the
other sde each horse swimming by the side OF canoe
They have to land far below here
CHoLERA--Ths disease prevails at Ravenswood, Jack.
sop county, Virginia. and up to the oath instant there had
been seven dealha Among the victims were MI. John