Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-22
For the Enquirer.
Pen and Ink Sketches OF Kansas Torrftory
tLe'ter No. 8
IHcnnpror
LFcohPTos CITY, KANSAS TERRITORY.
April q, 1857.

Garrison e. Co., who coms 10 Kansas with opv iy,
dollars, expecting To end land Apwn9 with milk
ana honey, and all the necessares of life "wi,bou,
money and without price" They are leaving in
Groves. They can't stay they have not money
enough to take claim oiand and settle on il; there i.
no work for 30 many; and hence il is hunger that oom
pels Them tn leave. However. many have remained
ann settIed on Claims and are building dwellings
'.s'churches and they here with clocks tinwarc
o'o's' shoes and wood-n nI;ri"gs, with cottons cali
onea ana sanets; they are here with choice lots oi
Srnon 'nanms and perfumery; in short. the omrpre.
OF mankind"
| L-aving Lsavenworth on our way tn Lecomptop,
anu aiter JJurneying about two me- we ascended the
nlgh ana PERCEPTIONS bluff which rises abruptly on the
nest. ! was Informed that il was known BY the
nahe OF "filot Knob" but could not learn whether
IL was indsoted to some particular incident for ia
nafne' or merely to the fancy Of some Individual
Suo' no oouot assembled ifs sfeep sides years ago.
standing upon the summit, enjoyed beautiful and
Potnreeque view, which do not think can be al
forded by any other locality In Kansas Lsavenworh
| City and Fort Leavenvorth appeared distinctly in
view while in tte distances. could be seen the town
Of Weston, in Missouri. The view on the North IL
extended to ct least aity miles up the river; while
on the south, the rolling prairi-s, diversified with
large bodies of timber, appeared in eight. Every.
where could be seen the improvement Of the SQUAT
ter and far away in the distance behed the fertile
| prairee OF the Delaware Reserve. coald trace the
| serpentine course of The Missouri for sixty mles
nor0us whistle OF the steamboats,, as they plad be.
tween the different furshing towns upon it's banks.
Leaving Pilot Knob, my comrades and I, Thy the
oy, one oi them son Of an Ex-Governor Of Kansas
the other young gentleman from the Valley OF Vir
GINA pur1ued our way rolling prairie here
and there infespersed with fine bodies of timber,
untll we arrived at Strangers Creek Here we found
an Indian entertanment-a small bewed log cabin
very unnvlting one assure you, from its outside
appearance. Hogs dogs and cats we're in sbun
dance perambulating through and around the cabin,
while the young squaw was kneadiny dough and pre.
pariug dinner for soms half d"zsn of those dirty
"blsck csrpet-saok fellows" fresh from Yankeedom
We tried to eat some of their dinner bat sad TO re-.
late, il was forced back from where il came. Ie1.
amnrd my valice. and luckily found lunch put
up by "fair hands" before left old Virginia. which
ssrved to appease our hunger for the time being
We hurried on until the shades of twilight had
dawned upon u.s. when We again found Ourselves 10
another Indian settlement, where took lodgings
for the night. Here found every thing in the Gu
linary line served up "a Ia mode" The cooking was
really nice, and every thing in and around the house
was Clean and IN every respect inviting to the wea
rytrayeiler. Things looked comfortable here, ]
had curiosity enough TO inquire if they were not If
the "F. F. Gs was informed that the landlord was
the son of the Chef oi the Delaware tribe.
The gradual extinction and decrease of the Indian
tribes, one after another hrs been the theme of se
rious and melancholy reflection among intelligent
men. We have always had men in our country who
would constantly avail Themselves of the opportunity
to distribute ardent spirits among them. But our
government has generally prscfised towards them a
uniform and dignfad moderation. and an uncsasing
orbearance Its provisions to prevent the sale of in
toIicating liquors among them have been severe and
in most caves, carried into effect Ye. the strctness
of our laws in this aspect has been one OF ths most
constant themes Of complaint their part; and the
manner in which we have withheld the poisonous
whiskey from them, has been considered by them az
the result, alone, of our covetousness. It has
heen the watcbful care of successive adminis. |
tTat Uhf hna nRn Rod fhn,,
.troying anO'her. Had It been the poll |
cy Of the nation to eIterminae the race in the |
shortest way, has often been declared was the OBJ
jsct and Intention, nothing more would have beer
necessary than to encourage these savages, excite
their jealnnsy and stir up their enge and let them
brutnly kill one another. But, the contrary IL |
seems to have baen the railing maxim Of the govern.
nent TO ward off all rhe evils possible from th. un
fortunate ana dsyStsf race In ne csu.r. of
Rsr decay anu ~ mt 'Th &c rand in their own
ture and character. and the Interchangeable order of
things. 1t is as natural as the laws which govern
aud control our existence, that savages should give
place IN civilized possessed OF the str ngh sp
r and cultivation OF the present social condition and
compact They must and will fade away before the
influences which operating against them, A. morn
ing dew melts before the But as We ace written
in legbe characters the signs Of the tines, and
knew that the days Of their national existence are
nearly numbered. we may not let them pass away
without reflections and regrets on the sad des
tiny which they are hasreDlng.
The DeIawares. Pnttnwntomisa, Wyandofs. shaw.
naes &c. are, perhaps, physically. and po'slbly mo-
rally not unlike the throughout our country
The complexion Of those | have mentioned, is NOT
what may be termed the 'red skim but OF darker
AID mnre orppery hue, not altogether unlike the
,ulor Of wrl.smnked bacon. And the same un'
changAable tinge is Observable in the new born in
r,nt that you r-e in the man Of four.scors years.
There il no part Of their external appearance that
NOR. strangely Distinguishes them from other pPo
pe than their hair It is always, In all the tribes,
under all circumstances, and In each Of the sexes,
black until changed by age il ls generally straight
and lank, or matted, and In other resptcts rasem'
BILE, the horses name, but much dner. In walking,
they place one foot in right lin. heors the other,
aud seldom turn their toes from thar lina in this
way they Instantly discover the track OF their o~n
people, as distnct from ihat of other racss. The
sorshead is bread and sinpst invariably retiring III
= small degree. The nose is prominent, and tha base
of the nostrils has remarkable expansion; the lips
Of an intermediate thickness between that OF :he
whites and the negro; cheek bones, high and more
strongly marked; taoe below the eyes uncommony
wide: ewes of a deep, solemn backnsss when in a.
pnse but shining, and lustrous IN excitement. Inc
souaw has very distinct female conformation and
dsicacy of rounding of the limbs, a. unlike the
har.he- and more brawny masculine form nf fhe male.
a. possibly can be. There s much more strongly
mark ed difference between the general moulding OF the
form of the sauaw and the Indian, than there Ia be-
tween the white male and female This seems TO De
refutation, directly in point OF the system OF those
who assert that the Trailer form Of the American
female IL only owing to the want OF exposure and
early gymnastic exercises and habits OF the male
Yet il s notorious, thst the sqnsw Is not only un'
trsm,npsd by stayS, braces and hooDs, but from the
time of her advent into this world is eft to the In
stincts and actions Of nature. She gambo and frsks
through chldhoed in the open air nnn exposed 10 all
wrathers. As years increase she gradually engages
in tn. out-of.donr tolls Of the Indian woman IN"
becomes the newer of wood and the drawer OF ~A"r
for the Indian wigwam, while her coarse. uncouih
lord reposes and smokes In the shade. iet' tnesr
daughters Of the rude wilderness have the urn ISL
decacy of limb. the fine contour ot Jo'nt, ana m''s
feminine slepdernass Of foot, ankls and hand than
he most pampered daughter Of civilized indolence
! and luxury.
upou their minds that journey through this part OF
the Western country is extremely aaneer"o.i Psr.
hapa .bsoutely foohardy and presumpfuous 10 think
f But can assure all such persons, thnt their Tears
are entirely groundles,; that journey in Kansas ,s
| attended with more danger than II would ne 10
Virginia or Missouri that they need NOT IN 20 mucn
srn.nse 10 arm themselves to meet the Indians OF
the Eastern part of this Territory, at present. Re-
! voIyprs. bnwiuknives, shot.guns, rides and dlrk'
! would be likely to be carried long time "lthou'
! 6pdny occasion TO uas them IN combat with An "a
saulring foe. The Red Men OF kanras nave t"e
lonY mingled with their white br-ihren to give much
want 10 hostile feelings, il they have any. The en-
oroachipg wave of emigration, whiIe il has corrupted
their morals and stimulated their passions in some
respects has cha.tenrd their oelIgerant feelings and
actions in respect to the epcroachments OF our Peo
ple
Kansas, has heretofore been understood as signify
ing region outside the pale OF civilization; and
oonysys the idea of vast, level, woodless wilderness
alternating with grassy swells and sandy wastes
with sluggish streams and marshy swales Indian wig
vans painted warriors, wild BEASTS and deaolaton
In the picture which it unfods to ths Imagination
there Is, in the foreground clusters of native hue
where the smoke lastly curls from the apex OF conn
cal bark cabns-the indolent native recnes IN tot
shade, and the uncad youth sports on the unepcsa
lawns. In the rear, herds Of elk and deer. e.a
zing in quiet security while the lightootsa ,hs
10 seen stsslthiy threaiinR the ravine:' to"aoI
lair Of bis game Beyond thsss, all else is .' solemn
etillne.s, lifeless reposs-naturs appareuny AZ
uninvitins bsreune.' and fearful mono'onyi i wber n
vastly different ths ideas OF the sso oo,har nam.
c;viI;, .,on l.nds 10 il the msgic OF hho'her nee