Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-08-01

ncrs.
The editor OF the Minnesota Pioneer,
is furnishing the public with series Of
letters, written daily from the Treaty
Ground, at Traverse de Sioux. We
make few extracts descriptive princi-
pally of Indian sports, speeches and
manners, Col. LEA, the head OF the In
dian Bureau, was present in person and
made very excellent speech to the red
men, in the name of the "Great Father"
He adopted also, an outcast Indian Or
phan, and named him LUKE LEA. The
speech of "W alxing Thunder, on wealth
err, is tone of them"
Tuesday, the 9th, was devoted to re-
Elections upon the sting Of the buffalo
gnat in the daytime, and the musquiios
at nighi-there being immense numbers
of these insects in every tent.
On Wednesday, report was receiv-
ed, that all the Upper Sissetons, and The
Cut Heads, residing in the remote buffa-
10 ranges, numbering 5000 or 1000,
would be in by the goth, but the policy
of waiting so long for them was discuss
ed, and its propriety doubted. There
was quite a disturbance among the Indi-
ans on the background, and the excite
ment became SO great that resort to
firearms was attempted, but was pre-
vented.
Friday was an eventful day in the
camp.
More news arrived Of the approach Of
large numbers Of the remote bands. II
is no small matter to assemble the entire
people of vast extent of country, like
this, which is inhabited by scattered
bands. destitute Of food, and without
road TO travel-a country larger than
the whole State of Pennsylvania or
Virginia or New York. Meantime, our
able Commissioners are losing no OPP
poriunity of conciliating the bands that
are present and informing themselves Of
their condition and expectation.
The editor does not say much of the
female portion of the company, but we
presume many Of them came out in
"Bloomers." They had little turn Of
i, through one day: when after dinner,
there was virgin feast of the young
Dakota girls, fourteen in number, and
fifteen young men. Before setting down
to the feast, consisting of tea and fried
cakes, each Of the party advanDd and
touched red stone which was placed in
their midst. this being the test oath of
rginity.
"A young man jumped into the circle
and seized ole of the girls, and dragged
her without any ceremony. Il is the
general belief in the camp, based. how
ever, entirely upon surmise. that the
young mans accusation Of the girl, is
false, and that he attempted 70 fasien this
disgrace upon her, in revenge OF her hay-
ing given him the miiten.
july IL, 1851.
This seems to be the region of thunder
siorms-ihe pivot of iempests-the shift
ing place of the winds. Clouds fly a.
round and over il, driven by oyer-chang-
ing atmospheric currents, intermingling
sunshine and shower in the same hour,
and mixing up the elements of weather,
rather finer than we like to have them
sliced. The Indians, who dislike rains
and fear thunder, have taken the subject
of the weather into careful consideration,
being determined to have different
state OF things. This morning one of the
chiefs, Walking Thunder, made speech
to this effect: "This high water is unusu-
al. The Great Spirit does not smile
He growls at US. Something does not
suit him. Our corn-felds. where are
they? Our young men cannot hunt
The powder in our rifles is wet. II will
not burn. We kill no game; nothing
Our great Father gives us little beef and
little corn, since we came to the ire aiy.
But we are poor, very poor. Our ribs
may be counted like the poles of lodge
frame. through the skin. Corn will no
grow without sunshine, and if we have
nothing to eat, we must starve. Oul
horses are thin. We thought they could
run some; but even Shasta Wss,a's (Mr