Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-02-16

ttuO LII lGS uoIdl1SJ dIIhSJ uulto iuucSCIiua-
bic. Have you ever been to Five Points,
in New York :? If SO, imagine what a
scene would be produced if :he contents
of several wagons, filed with all kinds
ofluxurious yiands and costly wares. sud-
! denly deposited in some central locality
of that region, and Immediately loud
announcement made that all who were
hungry and needy were invited to step
forward and help themselves. What an
assemblage of rags and tatters, of villain
Gus faces, and deformed and distorted
features, would the magic announcement
instantly conjure up. Something similar
in character was the picture on which l
have gazed to-day, upon the distribution
of few thousand dollars worth of blan-
kets, guns, beads, and other articles OF
tawdy fnery, among several thousand
eager sayages. 1t seemed as though the
whole Sioux nation, of every age and eve
ry sex, and every species of dogs, cats,
and all, had been gathered together from
far and wide, to take part in this impor
tant ceremony. The goods were placed
in the centre of the parade ground, where
they were divided out into three separate
parcels, in the presence of a chief of each
of the three separate bands present. Re
moved to q short distance, and forming a
large circle, were seated other chiefs and
warriors ofthe respective bands. Behind
these, and forming as it were, various
eclipses with the main circle, were seated
and standing, a promiscuous multitude of
old hags, of squaws with saddles upon
their shoulders, squaws with pappooses
on their backs, squaws with pappooses IN
4 l. IaiY. oil Of
young women without pappooses, and of
children of any and every age, male and
female, attired in every variety of costume
and ornament which savage taste or inge-
nuity could devise.
Interspersed here and there through
out the crowd, in every direction, might
be seen projecting over the heads and
shoulders of the seated crowd, number
less villainous looking wolf dogs, who
had come along with the rest of the house
hold to enjoy the spectacle if not to share
the bounties of the occasion.
! When the main division of the goods
was completed, the then several parcels
were respectively borne to a spot in front
of each of the three separate bands, and
then sub division of them was again
mado among the warriors lodges by SOL
dierS of their own, selected for the pur-
pose. Under this arrangement, every in
dividual present came in for his or her
portion of the annuity greater or less ac-
cording to his or her rank and dignity in the
nation. During this entire time the circle
of warriors remained in a state of placid
dignity and repoSe, seemingly attentive
to the orders of the old brave, who occu-
pied himself with walking around the cir
Gle, exhorting all parties to conduct them
selves upon the occasion with becoming
dignity and self-command The different
circles of squaws and children were, on
the contrary, throughout the whole Pc
riod constant cauldron of excitement,
commotion and discordant noises. The
different scenes and incidents constantly
taking place among the molly groups
were as diversified as amusing. At one
moment an old woman, haggard and dis
torted with age and hardship, would sud-
denly dart out from among her compan-
ions, and standing all alone, break forth
into chant of which the notes are so
fuctuating, so capricious, and so whim-
sical, that it would have required all the
skill of most undoubted master in mu-
sic to have determined whether it was in
tended as funeral dirge, or an air of ex-
ultation and Joy. This eccentric melody
she would continue to chant forth until
the exhausted state OF her vocal powers
would compel her to desist and resume
her place among her comrades. This
ceremony seemed to be contagious, for
no sooner would the actress become seat
ed than similar apparation would sud-
denly spring forth from some other group,
and 90 through the same eccentric per-
formances, to the great qualification and
amusement of the spectators. At anoth-
err time some hideous looking hag who
had Just received few yards of scarlet
cloth as her share of the distribution,
would throw the gaudy fabric around her
withered and shrinking form, and imme-
diately with almost frantic Joy commence
series of Terphsichorean evolutions,
something akin in character to a Scotch
jig, all the while utterIng to herself a
low, mysterious chant. Whilst these
performances, and others equally origi-
nal and amusing, were going on in GER
tain groups, the peace and tranquility OF
others would be suddenly disturbed by a
regular dog fight ; two or more rascally
wolf dogs setting upon one another with
a zeal and ferocity which would, in five
minutes have attracted around them quite
a numerous crowd of admiring and excl
ted hackers, in any of the streets of one
of our large cities, upsetting in their an
CRY demonstrations, squaws, pappooses,
pack-saddles and everything within reach.
During all such exciting scenes, the un-
seated squaws preserved their tempers
with admirable self-command, remaining
in a state of strict neutrality, and permit
ting the combatants to fight the battle out
to their own satisfaction. Would any