Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-19
By. ALBERT PIKE & GO.

red marauders sally from behlhd the
bluffs. on their feet ponies, and make
short work of them. The latest instance
of murder by the Indians happened
obout three weeks since, at North Platte.
Two conductors sauntered of to hsh'
within a mile of the station, and were
attacked bv band of eleven Indians,
who killed one and left the other trans
fixed by three arrows, after seaiplng MN
twice. The military guard observed the
attack and drove off the assailants, Kill
inc one at long range. The wounded
man was brought in to the station, where
he Law when our party reached there,
with scarcely a chance of life, although
if proper surgical skill could have been
afforded at the outset he might have been
saved.
Without attempting to uphold this
hatred of the Indians which is so gene
rallv felt at the West, the majority of
the excursionists saw much during their
stav at North Platte to help them IN un-
derstanding why the feeling obtains so
deeply. Spotted Tail band Of Ogallala
Sioux, thousand strong, was encamped
there on our arrival, and more forbid
ding, repulsive and squalid tribe could
scarcely be collected. They were recely-
ing their bounty from the Government,
and we witnessed the distribution of the
provisions. Standing Elk, a lesser chief
of the band, was particularly admired
bv the ladies His erect form, finely
marked features and martial bearing
we're in marked contrast to Spotted Tail
and the other warriors; but, alas We
learned that even he was no better than
the rest Of his race. He had hardly re-
covered from a severe injury to his left
leg, which one of his many spouses had
inflicted. and which, doubtless, he well
deserved at her hands. At any rate,
Mrs. Elk had our sympathy, if for no
other reason than the fact that Mr.. Elk
allowed her aged mother, Smoky Sue, to
lead the life of a squalid and miserable
pauper. Seriously, the Government
ought to adopt rigorous measures, in
stead of vacilating policy, in its deal
ings with the Indians of the Plains, who,
no matter what the causes which have
led to their hostility against the whites,
refuse every overture of friendliness and
persist in their career of treachery, theft
and rapine.
The only station of real importance
between Omaha and Cheyenne is Sydney,
which is situated IA miles from the first
named city Here we saw a fine flock of
sheep belonging to an old ranchman
named Moore. There were more than
/ 100 head in the flock, and they seemed
to be in a fine condition. They roam at
large all the year round without shelter,
and subsist solely on the native grass.
Moore's experiment seems to have DEM
onstrated that sheep-raising might be
made profitable on the Plains, and GER
tainly there is fodder enough in the
/ Platte Valley to make it as well adapted
for wool growing and stockraising as
any region on the continent.
Our train stopped at Julesburg, on
the borders of Colorado, which year
ago was the terminus of the railroad
and the home of a floating population
the character of which may be guessed
when it is gravely asserted that during
the six months of the existence of the
town there were one hundred and fifty
deaths among its residents, only one Of
which was natural 1t is now fOrlorI
enough. deserted for the more western
places of mushroom growth, known as
CHEYENNE and Laramie Our stopping
place on Sunday night was Cheyenne
CITY, the capital of Wyoming. Here
we first saw the peculiarities of frontier
life in all their phases. Gambling an(
every species of iniquity were openly
carried on, and in this respect alone i
differed, probably, from cities which pre-
tend to a higher degree of civilization
! Certainly there are among the pOpula
ton as enterprising class of people a
ever founded town. The hotels ar,
good, the daily newspapers anything bu
fossilized, and the evidences Of business
foresight and pluck numerous. Larg,
amounts of capital are invested in mer
chandise, and the expectations of tn
inhabitants are raised and all their ener
gies bent upon building up a substantial
and permanent growth From thi
point to Denver a branch of the Pacif
Railroad will be constructed, and thu
convert the town into a mart for supply
ing the mining regions of Colorado
The distance to Denver is II l miles, an
daily line Of stages now runs betweeI
the two points
l have thus hastily sketehed only
portion of the outward trip of the ex
: cursionists, and find that have alread
! exceeded the limits of single article
while in my desire TO make the descrip
, ton brief | have come far short of do
, ing jt tice TO the subject. shall there
fore close at this point, intending at som
early day to resume the narration, wit
an account of the passage of the trai
over the Black Hills, life at the town {
: Laramie, and details of the constructio
f and prospects of the Union Pacif
Road. H. }. W