The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1867-10-19

lodges in medicine hats and cloaks, or stream
ers pendant, and tipped with buffalo horns:
They were painted, feathered and-excited
the same as No. /. Then came half dozen
white horses, bearing spears, shields and
arrows, with the scalp decorated with ribbons
hanging from the bride bit. They were, If
anything, more excited than No. i. The dan
cling alternated With running around the circle
and yelling like demons. They do not cum
Der themselves with any unnecessary clothing
during the dance. A red flannel shirt would
have suHiced the whole party. Clothing
scarce when the scalp dance was first intro
duced. During the performance, Mr.. Mat
thews, who accompanied the party, was en-
gagged in sketchiDg, and complains of the
absence of drapery. The dance ended,
baskets were forthcoming, and royal feast
of dainties, delicacies and substantlals
was spread on the table covers laid on
the ground. Cuddling down robes
around them, the half hundred and more, made
time pass quickly as disappeared the con-
tents of the Innumerable silver mouthed bot
ties that seemed to be spontaneously indi-
genous to that locality. A dip an the river
to cool the brow and cleanse the hands a
stroll through the camps, looking at graves
two feet high, and made by three sticks, where
they improve on Christian customs by burylng
their babies; glance at the medicine lodge,
and the party were once more assembled to
have a couple of photographs taken by Mr..
Carter, and see grand and lofty feat of tumb-
ling from the back of a CREASED horse, by
full blooded American gentleman, weighing
200 pounds. This exhibition closed with the
most extraordinary performance probably
ever witnessed on the continent. It consist
ed of concerted action between horse and
rider, the horse passing from under the rider,
! at given signal, and the gentleman lighting
without tou ching hands or feet to the earth.
1t was immensely successful. The goods were
then distributed, the braves receiving red and
the sauaws white blankets while knives, axes,
spoons, ticking, shawls, etc., ETC., ETC.,
were afterwards given to them by the
Chiefs. Den Doic, called Ten Doy, is a fine
looking, intelligent and honest Indian. He
| is 26 years of age; is a sen of Bonaparte, the
head Chief of the Snakes, who died of small
| pox at the Upper Platte Bridge, in 1852,
| where about 500 of that tribe fell victims to
| that disease. Den Doic was willed by Bona
parte to Bob Dempsey, (who married his sis
teri to be educated, but his mother took him
! away at the instigation of Tom Levat, the
/ Spaniard. BE has been Chief several years.
| Tuck-a-kee, called by the Indians, Kookan,
| Great Rouge) and by the whites, Big
great rascal, was caught by the trappers and
released on promise that he would reform. He
has since done nothing very bad, except saw
] ing the life of james Dempsey, near Fort
| Bridger. The longevity of some of the
| souaws is almost incredible. Bambewot is
| I63 years old. She was once scalped by the
| Utes, has now a full head of iron gray hair, Is
| almost blind, and was nursing her great great
| grandchild. Manawot, (No Name) is 100;
was very rich in ponies twenty years ago, but
is now poor and decrepid, crawling about on
| crutches. Another very old squaW, on the
inquiry of the interpreter, said, with a still
wicked twinkle in her eye, that she was SO old
she had forgotten her name and age. A CEN
turion coquette. They are certainly the most
! prolific of all human beings. The number of
| papooses was astonishing. Qurtettes, tTiplets
and twins could alone account for the num-
Der of children. Five O'Clock found every
body on the eve of starting, or, dashing up
the slope toward Virginia. Heavy shadows
were crawling out from the mountains; the
air was fresh and invigorating, and the four
teen miles ahead suggested good time, which
was made as horse-hesh permitted, the party
coming in until long after night. Another
wagon turned topsy-turvy coming down the
mountain, fortunately injuring no one. The
| excursion was delightful one, and was, per-
haps, as universally and fully enjoyed as ever
was ga day among the Bannacks."