The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-12

contracted many vices. But all, Or nearly all.
can be traced to the influence of civilization
all to the Vaccinations of the white man, whom,
| verify belieye, has done the Indian equally as
much harm jas good. His examples for evil
have predominated over those for good; while
he has introduced every form of vice incidental
TO civilization, he has almost entirely failed 70
impress aay of the great saving truths of mo-
rality and religion on the minds of his red
brethren, Or 20 lead them into the paths that
lead to an improved, elevated, and refined state
of humanity. | refer now more particularly
to the rowing tribes, and not 10 those civilized
and semicivaized nations who have settled in
the Indian territory lying between Kansas and
Texas, and west of Missouri and Arkansas.
may have something to say of these latter PEG
pie at some future time.
Of these rowing tribes | have now seen n
great deal, having been among them, more or
less, for several years and / like them.
cannot belieke, with the modern tourist and de-
linestor of lpdian character, that they are not
susceptible Of improvement and civilization.
believe that the right plan for treating and
dealing with them has never been adopted.
know that they have heretofore had more fire.
water, that bane of all mankind dispensed to
them, than Gospel; more vice and disease than
religion and morals. | know also that they
are naturally savage people, of savage orr
gin, and tina: from almost the earliest history
OF our nation they have been melting out a ter
rible retrbution on the whites, the despoilers
of their homes; that many acts of fiendish cru
city are set gown against them that even at
this day they often murder emigrants aud from
| tier settlers, plumber, and steal. But when
| remember that these crimes, in nine cases out
OF ten, are instigated by wicked white men,
who offensiead them on the war path, | can ex.
| claim, OH lpdian, with all thy faults, love
thee still u
But never could write when any one was
looking o1r my shoulder. A sweet sixteen 4"
Indian nxden has stolen upon me, and now
stands, hSc features bright with curiosity and
satisfactics, looking down into my book, to
learn what ] am doing. have spread my
blanket and robe on the luxuriant grass, be-
meath tbs shade Of pretty oak-not a large
oak-but one whose green and thick.foliaged
boughs reach far out, aud protect me from the
scorching rays of the sun sat me down, a Ia
Turk, book and pencil in hand, and have been
pencilling the foregoing thoughts in nv Jour.
nal, with the intention, of course, of transcri.
bling Them for the Era.
An Indian. family, passing BY espied me at
my scri3bhng; their curiosity was excited, and
they halted. to ascertain how the pae-face
amused himself. Not being obtrusive, they had
approached me quietly and respectfully; and
when discovered them, they had taken their
positions IS follows: About ten PAGES in front
stood the epatriareh, a stately Indian, tall and
straight as hn arrow, attired in picturesque
costume, spGkskin leggins, fringed, and worked
with beaesE red calico shirt, or blouse.
reaching 70 bis knees, while over his shoulders
gracefully hang snow.whte blanket; from
his head waved several eagle feathers; his
bow and culver of arrows suspended over his
left shoulder leaning on his long lance, aud
soberly gazing at me.
His sqnaw, portly matron, with fancy leg
| gins, short calico DRESS red scarf. a pro.
fusion ofA9xuriant black hair hanging over her
shoulderst sat near her lord giving suck to q
nude papoose. A little halfnaked bow of six
or seven summers stood by the side of his
mother, with a finger in his mouth aud looking
very timre. The young maiden, probably the
| hrst.borr ot the family, was gaiy attired with
all the fatcias OF Indian taste-her dress was
very pretty, and so was she. Probably being
aware OF her beauty and her winning WAYS. she
had presun ned to approach me, and look over
| my shoulder.
Having invited the family to seat themselves
around M, [ endeavored to make them under.
stand what I;had been doing, and believe I
succeeded They all appeared greatly interest
ed. thea turned to some blank leaves in the
back part of my diary, and drew some rangb
pictures G. batfalo, antelope, and other animals
OF the plains of soldiers and Indians, both
mounted and On foot The pictures seemed TO
please the m much, The maiden in particular
was IN ecstasles OF delight. But when drew
fashionable belle in the modern STYLE, loye.ofa
bonnet, hoops, fiounces and all, she looked at
her the pioture) a long time with n puzzled
| and perplsxed air. She took the book. turned
| it upside down, and viewed the DRAWN. from
every point of view, but could make NOTHING
out of it. She then put her finger to the ton OF
the picture, and asked me if that was not
sqnaw crawling out at the top of a wigwam.
When ! explained that the figure represented
white mans daughter in full dress, She became
intensely i1txrested ran to thicket close by,
procured .ieseral long withes, borrowed her
fathers blenset, proceeded TO manufacture her.
self an inpAnse hoped skirt in an incredible
short space .of time, and having donned il
strutted and nlrted around, to the great amuse.
ment Of all.
The father and daughter both understood n
little English and a little Spanish but. in their
attempts at conversation, they mixed the Two
together so much as to be scarcely intsllrgible.
When l asked the old man some questions
about the age of his daughter, he offered to sell
hef to me fof two horses and Maynard rife |
had be me, provided l would promise ia take
her TO my home, and treat her well. He evi.
IDENTIFY thought he was offering me a very great
bargain, Tor when L respectfully declined the
purchase, his eopntenanee fell, aud be seemed
offended. "Sweet Sixteen regarded me steadi
ly for some moments, her large, soft eyes wide
open with astonishmsnt, ard thep. WI nopt;ng
lips and eoquettish air, tp-.ned her face from
me,
yum" common for some of these Indian
'''"' ~ sell their daughters. There is scarcely
trader among them that has not from one to
three. am told that the young women like to
be sold to white men. | do not blame them
because the white men feed, clothe, and treat
them much better than the lords of their own
race and do not work them so hard.
About three thousand Indians-Texas Re-
serve Indians, the fragments of five or six
tribes-are encamped just across the plain, at
the margin of the forest, and about three miles
distant from our camp.
But, to give you further information respect
ing these wild people, or to give you an idea of
the beauty of this country, must write another
letter.
named this plain myself, and therefore you
need not look for it on any map.
Truly yours, Guy OAKLEAF.
RAILROADS. IN VIRGINIA. The advanced
sheets of the report on the railroads of Virginia
for 1859 show in Notwithstanding 287 miles
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad located in
the State-l, ABB miles of main line of railroad