The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-15

FORT KEARNEY, NEBRASKA TER,
January 81, 1866.
Editors InteLligencer::
Since my last, have enjoyed abun-
dant opportunities of seeing the "Noble
Savage" as he is fancifully called, in
all his grand and very dirty proper
tons. The romance of the great war
rior has departed. In my estimation he
has sunk down to simply Mr.. Low, the
poor Indian. Some good philanthro-
pist should translate Lord Chester
fields letters to his son, into Pawnee,
and distribute them, especial attention
being called to the ugly practice of blow
ing their noses with their fingers while
at table. I had an elegant opportu-
nifty of observing the manners, GUS
toms and costumes of MIR. and Mrs.
Low, they having, in prairie talk, ate,
drank, and slept me for ten days, while
out hunting in company with Lieut..
M, who, by the way, talks Pawnee
too perfection. Their costumes were
easy of observation, being quite scanty,
consisting generally of blanket in
cold weather. Mrs. Low wears hers
without hoops, and is consequently,
during courtships, comerat-able, and In
plain Englishapproachable. Mrs. Low
is,the beast of burthen TO ME. Low,
Transporting his traps, pots, kettles,
buffalo robes, beaver skins and pa
poses,on her back. 1t is astonishing
what loads they will carry Mr.. Low
swaggers along and, to assist his wife,
kindly gives her little "bim
Yerga with his foot. From
all experience it is not hard
try, so come out my bachelor friends.
For instance, one day visited one of
the royal families. The old lady was
at home with her young daughter. The
daughter was ''gushing thing" of
about seventeen, and. when 1 entered
was mending her moecasin, while her
pretty little bare foot was displayed to
advantage She did not blush, probably
not being that far advanced in her edu-
cation. After. making that peculiar
grunt to the old lady, that you some
times hear officers give when taking
agreeable to the young female. Not be-
ing very brassy youth felt little
ticklish in taking seat on the pillow
by her side, to which she invited me.
While sat looking at and admiring the
skill of Miss Low in shoe making.
Lieut.. NJ - talked Pawnee to Mrs!
Low. In a few moments Lieut.. M
told me the old lady wanted my ambu-
lance and two mules, for which she
would give me the interesting female
to whom was at that moment making
signs in appreciation of her dexterity.
I declined on the ground that did not
wish lust vet to run a harem as some
doubts existed as to whether or not
1 would be sent to Salt Lake City
this winter. The Mrs. Low grew very
Indignant at my refusal of such an Of
fer. She felt insulted at the idea of me
refusing the hand of a chiefs daughter,
and limited very broadly that my pres
ence was offensive. I'm inclined to
think it was my good looks that capti-
waited the lady, and not the wagon and
mules, at least flatter myselfthat way.
But now you see, my unmarried
friends, what glorious opportunities are
offered to ambitious youngsters.' Here
was a fine opening for young man,
who by mere commercial transaction
could have become member of one
of the royal families of America. Come
out. gentlemen, ifyou don'twaut wife
you can make fortune; anyhow one
is as good as another, and little bet
ter. ag u '7'lf
About my hunt. L had for my hench-
men my 1st Sergeant, Corporal and
my coffee cooler or striker, Soldiers can
interpret the last named.) To give you
an idea of the amount of exposure and
cold an Indian can endure, will state
it was necessary for me to cross the
Middle Fork of the Loup river. The
ice would not bear our ponies, and toget
them over required some suasion. The
Indians stripped to the skin, followed
the. horses, who, breaking through,
required some assistance to get them up
again. To do this the Indians would
plunge into the water without the least
grunG, and remain there half hour or
so, and on coming out would never
show the slightest of shiYers While
crossing the river a most ludicrous ac-
cident happened to my striker. He was
mounted on q little Pawnee pony, and,
after the ice had been broken, attempt
80 ny, fHNn FNNh aIF q NygaI n
very abrupt bank, making ascent very
difficult; from the fact of its being so
steep there. was danger of the horses
falling over backwards. This is ex-
actly what his pony did, and the poor
fellow, getting his leg fastened between
his carbine and saddle, houndered
around in the cold water at terrible
rate. became alarmed,y and finally
sent an)1ndian to his assistance. Alter
being released from his saddle he stood
up, his teeth chattering with cold and
fright; while his clothes were dripping
wet, and said to me in most comicany
serious way, "By Cd, Lieutenant, 1
had a presentiment of this before
started across" My sides were sore
with laughing, and during the day
you would every now and then hear
big Indian burst into long guftaw
over the funny appearance my striker
had presented. That same Day we
then excitement. Saddles removed,
coats thrown aside, pistols examined,
for we were going to surround them, or
as they say here, corrall them. was
particularly unfortunate. In company
with an Indian i was rapidly approach
ing large buck, who having broken
into gallop (they are such swift trOt-
ters that no horse can catch them was
not making much headway, when my
advance was suddenly interfered with
by small stream frozen over, and ON
which conld not trust my horse. ]
damned (?) the stream and led my horse |
over while the Indian cursed andswor
at q terrible rate. By the time cross
ed the elk was far away. That night /
feasted on roasted elk ribs, which, by
the way, were delicious. From that
time until the end of ten days we suf-
fered terribly with the cold. 1t was SO
severe that one was seized With pains
in the face and head similar to neuralgia
when facing the wind. was twice lost
and both times found by Indians sent TO
hunt me. The last time 1 was carried in,
so near dead was with cold it was only
an accident that saved me. We slept
on the ground with two blankets over
us, with the thermometer rattwenty-nine at
degrees below zero. One might've slept
in q dry swamp, but the wind during
the night drove the water through the
quick sands, and I woke up with three
inches OF ice water. My Corporal
wouldn't get up and had TO be ont out
ofttlie ice IN the morning. We were all
frozen in some place. My nose and
heeIreQuired the Surgeons care when
I returned. The Indians were not ex-
empt and one poor fellow was badly
frozen. The weather until the last few
days has been very severe-the mercu- |
wrangiug from twenty-five to thirty
degrees below zero. Ny stay at Fort