New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-10-15
a Very Interesting and valuable Work.


A Very Interesting and ValuaBle Work.
THIRTY YEARS or ARMY LIFE ON THE BORDER,
BY COL. r. B. MARCY, U. s. A., AUTHOR OF "THE
PRAIRIE TRAVELLER,"
From the National Intelligencer.J
This is an exceedingly instructive and fascinating
volume. Col. Marcy, graduating at West Point in
1892 was for nearly thirty years military Officer
on the outskirts or far beyond the confines OF
civilized life. In 1867 he served with A, s. John
stpn IN the expedition to Utah, and commanded a
detachment sent in November, 1857, to New Mex
I.ico for supplies. In this expedition, which was
absent till the following March, the party suffered
terribly, both from the intensity of the Weathei
and from hunger, being Obliged to feed upon Their
mules. In the fall of 1861 he was inspector gen
eral of the army, with the rank Of colonel, and
soon after attached to the staff Of Gen. McClellan,
his son-inaw, with the rank Of brigader general;
and this nomination not being confirmed by the
Senate, it was, with persistent sense Of Justice,
renewed by President Lincoln in 1862. Colonel
Marcy, as he styles himself with modesty in his
book, was therefore chief Of staff with General
Mcclellan through his Virginia and Maryland CAM
paigns.
1.-The Prairie Traveller" is a very valuable little
book, abounding in curious as well as useful tnfor
nation, and from the character Of this small vol
ume and knowledge Of Col. Marcy's career, his
means and powers of observations we were pre-.
pared to find this book deeply interesting. II
much exceeds, however, in its absorbing char
acter,i pur highest anticpatlons. There is an in,
descril ale fascination in the wild romance which
invests che ideas of border life," which admits
of ne " earsomeness in its well told tales Proba
blr thel is living person, either in or out OF
tie arm so well qualified to write book of this
Inature Colonel Marcy. Every page Of the book
shows thf remarkable closeness with which he
studied the life around him. His picture of savage
life is therefore wonderfully lifelike and very val
-....-r.,,-.r " matter Of history.
There are so many worthless, and worse thar
worthless books now teeming from the press, per
tanning to Army Life,1 that this volume will moi
| at present be so widely read we apprehend, as il
merits. When the trash of the hour, however, has
had its brief day. this book will be better known
and its place with the best Of the descriptive ant
historical works upon American frontier and say
age life is not a matter of any conjecture.
We subjoin some passages from the book, takeI
almost at random. The following shows an inter
| esting Indian popularity: -
The name Of each tribe Of Indians has signif
cation, which is represented by sign that is wei
understood by them all.
The Gomanche, or Snake" is indicated by
making with,the hand waving motion, in imita
ton Of tho crawling Of the reptile:
The Cheyenne, or Cut Arm,n by drawing The
hand across the arm to initiate cutting it with {
| knife. .| -. y
The Arapahoes, or "smellers,n by seizing the
nose with the thumb and forefinger.
| The Sioux, or g CUT Throats," by drawing the
| hand across the throat.
| The Pawnees, or +" Wolves, by placing hanC
on each side Of the forehead, with two fingers
| pointing to the front, to represent the narrow
sharp ears of the wolf.
The Crows by initiating the tapping Of the
| birds wings with the palms Of the hands.
| On approaching strangers the prairie indians
put their horses at full speed and persons not ia
miliar with their peculiarities and habits, nigh
interpret thisas act of hostility; butit is the
custom with friends as Welas enemies, and should
not occasion groundless alarm. i,
| When a party is discovered approaching thus
and are near enough to distinguish signals, al
that is necessary to ascertain their disposition Is I
raise their right hand with the palm in front an(
gradually push it forward and back several times
They all understand this to be command to halt
and if they are. not hostile it will at once b.
obeyed - 5
The astonishing aptness of the Indians il
tracking " is shown in this interesting passage
| Almost all the Indians whom have met witt
are proficient in this species OF knowledge, tl
| faculty for acquiring which appears to be innat,
1 with them. Exigencies Of woodland and prairie
| life stimulate the savage from childhood to de
velop faculties so important in the arts Of wa
and Of the chase. r,.a
1 have seen very few white men who are goot
| trnilers, and practice did not seem very materi
ally to improve their faculties in this regard
4 They have not the same acute perceptions 0
these things as the Indian or the Mexican It j
not spprehended that this difficult branch o
| woodcraft can be taught from books, as it per
yet will give some facts relating to the habits
the Indians that will facilitate its requirement.
| a party of Indians, for example, starting on
on war excursion, leave their families behind
and never transport their lodges; whereas, whel
they move with their families, they carry thei
lodges and other effects. If, therefore, an India
| trail is discovered with the marks of the lodg
poles upon it, it has certainly not been made b
a war party; but if the track do not show tn
trace of lodge poles, it will be equally cartai
that war or hunting party has passed that way
and if it is not desirable to come in conflict wit
them, their direction may be avoided. Mustangs
or wild horses, when moving from place to place
leave trail which is sometimes difficult TO dis
I.tinguish from that made by a party of indians
| especially if the mustangs do not stop to Craze
This may be determined by following upon tn
trail until some dung is found, and, if this shout
be in a single pile, it is sure indication that
| herd of mustangs has passed, as they always sto
| to relieve themselves, while a party of Indian
would keep their horse in MOTION and the ordur
| would be scattered along the rad. If the ira
pass through woodland, the mustang will occa
sOnally go under the limbs of trees too low to &C
nit the passage of a man on horseback.
An Indian, on coming to a trail, will general
tell at glance its age, by what particular tribe
was made the number Of the party, and man
other things connected with it astounding to til
uninitiated.
Iremember, upon one occasion, as was ridn
with Delaware upon the prairies, we crosse
the trail of large party of Indians travelling wit
| lodges. The tracks appeared to me to be quit
! fresh, and remarked to the Indian that we mus
be near the party. Oh no,,' said he, g the ira
! was made two days before, in the morning,n
the same time pointing with his finger to Wher
the sun would be at about s o'cock.l Then, see
ing that my curiosity was excited to know b
what means he arrived at this conclusion, b
called my attention to the fact that there ha
been no dew for the last two nights, but that O
| the previous morning 1t had been heavy. He the
pointed tito me some spears of grass that ha
been pressed down into the earth by the horses
i hoofs, upon which the sand still adhered, havin
dried on, thus clearly showing that the grass wa
wet when the tracks were made.
at another time, as l was travelling with tn
same Indian, discovered upon the ground wha
/ took to be bear track, with a distinctl,
marked impression of the heel and all the toes.
Immediately called the Indians attention to- it, {
the same time fattering myself that 1 had mad
quite an important discovery, which had escape
his observation The fellow remarked with
smile, i" Oh, no, captain maybe so he not bee
track" He then pointed with his gun.rod /
some spears of grass that grew near the impre
sion, but did not comprehend the mystery unit
he dismounted and explained to me that whe
the wind was blowing the spear of grass woul
be bent over toward the ground, and the oscilla
ing motion thereby produced would scoop out til
loose sand into the shape have described. III
truth of this explanation was apparent, yet it o.
Cured to me that its solution would have battle
the wits of most white men. IS .t.s,.. d M,]