Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-02-07
ors appeared on tho bluffs, and with great
ceremony entered the village.

oi'o"seu ioT hoiuinH tue gFanO council,
and prepared for grand feast bullock,
four hundred pounds of bacon, several
sacks of -four and liberal supply of cof.
fee, sugar and tobacco.
After due preliminaries the grand coun.
Gil was convened. The Major then repeat
ed, but in more forcible language his ad,
dress OF reprosch, warning aud advice
made at the previous council. All listen
ed sttentively aud assented to the sound.
ness Of the logic. The terms of treaty
we're dictated By him, by which all hosti
lities existing between them ars hence.
forth and forever to cease all the injuries
inflicted, aud all the annimosities which
have been held by either toward the other
to be forgiven and forgotten, and peace
between the tribes, and relations of friend.
ship by the members of each toward the
other are established, and they pledge
themselves each to the other, and Jointly
to their Great Father, the President, and
to the Government of the United States
faithfully to observe and obey these con-
d;liohs. 1t was drawn, agreed to and
signed, and all shook hands. All then
adjourned to large earth covered lodge
to enjoy the feast. This over, the princi.
pal chiefs sitting in circle made mutual
inquiries and explanations until about 10
o'clock p. NJ, when the drums being
brought in the grand dance commenced
The music is made by the large drum
which is beaten upon by as many as can
sit around it, with gourds containing peb-
bles, with bells and whistles and by the
voices of all. The Lodge in which the
dance was held is circular, and over forty
feet in diameter, with nearly perpendicu.
lar sides to six feet in hight, and sloap.
ing roof with an aperture of about eigh-
teen inches in diameter at the apex
Around the fire in the centre, which was
the only light, there danced from fifty to
a hundred at time of these red men of
the plains. They were dressed in their
war costume. Some naked, except the
breech cloth, their bodies and limbs paint
ed with various colors and in various
ways. Others, with head dresses and body
ornaments Of feathers and furs, hecklases
of bears claws, and skulls of small AMI.
mails and birds, and leggings elaborately
worked with high colored beads and orna
mented with tassels of human hair from
the scalps of those slain in battle, and all
carried and brandished their spears,
knives, tomahawks, pistols and war clubs
as they danced.
The scene presented was, as Major
HOFFMAN remarked, as he quietly and
seemingly conteuted and happy lay on
robe smoking his pipe, that Of pancemo.
mum broke loose and in high eXuItation
over some great victory Of hell over trdth
aud justice. The excitement was for me
rather too great to be altogether agreeable
and while the Major wished he had
few Of bis Eastern friends present to enjoy
the sight, inwardly wished myself safely
away, and took occasion to leave with
him, not desiring to remain when be was
away, shortly after midnight.
The Major has constructed q strong
stockade and block house for the protec-
ton Of his tr::' and agency against
attacks from the Sioux from the Missouri
above him, but he feels exceedingly NOR
tilted that he has not with all his efforts,
and representations Of his exposed posi-
ton, been able to obtain either from the
General or Territorial Government siu-
gle gun, not even a musket, nor a single
cartridge. asked him for copies of his
correspondence on the subject but he de-
clned to grant my request
All the treaty Indians say that the upper
Sioux will certainly come down with the
opening Of Spring, if not sooner, and that
unless the Government supplies in time
men and means to protect the settlements
Of southern Dakota and northern Nebras-
ka, all will be destroyed. 1t remains to be
seen what will be done.
There are at The Ponca Agency some
twenty.6v buildings, including valuable
steam saw-mill, and large house in
course Of construction for a manual labor
school house, and much valuable proper.
ty. With one l2pounder cannon and 30
,nuske,s with ammunition, Maj HOFFMAN
with his employees and Indians in bis
stockade and block.house could protect
all these and no doubt successfully defend
the place against any number OF Sioux
He has not asked for troops and does not
want any. lie has his Indians perfectly
under his control and believes he can use
them to better purpose in fighting Indians
than soldiers can be used. TRAVELLER.