The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1869-06-23
The Way we Make Presents to the Indians.

! pecuutrit. vi %. hOsS DlOWne, NeWeu nS
a humorous writer, is, that in matters of fact
he is trustworthy, while he hesitates not to
broaden his pictures in order to make them
more lnughable; and though his portraits are
very frequently caricatures, the touches of
! fancy are SO applied to mislead no one, and
/ the real information which the reader receives
| is not diminished by the amusement which
| be obtains from the marrrer OF its preseuta-
tion. From his last published volume, 1.-The
| Apache Country: u Tour through Arizona and
Sonora, we take II few passages illustrating
| the manner III which Uncle Sans agents ex-
pend his morey in giving ;;tesents to the In
ton of the Colorado and tire Rio Gila, oppo-
site the southeastern corner Of California:
Next day, Superintendent Poston and my
SELF held grand pow-wow with the Yuma
| chiefs and their people. From all parts of
! the neighborhOod they came; warriors suriaws
and children; from the niesquit bushes and
mud-holes of the Colorado; from the sloos
and the arroyas Of the Gila; tlte cotton. woods
and the deserts and the mountains Of Castle
Dome. Every village had its delegation Of
dusky tatterdeinalions. Lizards and snakes
! md mice were hastily cast aside i'll the wild
anticipation of muck-a-mucb from the Great
Father. Hungry and lean, painted and bediz-
ened with ornaments, they came in to receive
the bounty of the mighty Federal chief
Great were the reJoicings when we opened
| tho boxes and bales Cf merchandise so hbor:
| ally furnished by the Government coiitrat.ors
Cronin, HuXtall a. Sears, of New York. Red
white green and gray blankets; military suits
/ glttering with tinsel; old swords, four feet
| long; sun-glasses for lighting cigars; and
penny whistles for the small fry. 1t was, in
deed, wonderful display of the artistic tri-
uInphs Of civilization, well calculated 10 i'm
press the savage tribes of the Pacific with
awe ana admiration. There we're axes Of the
| Collins brand, that flew to pieces like glass
against the iron umbeTs Of this anomalous
region; and hats made lty steam and flaming
red vests stitched by magic, and tobacco box
es and tin-kettles that might be opened, but
never on earth shut again. Surrounded by
| all the military paraphernalia of Fort Yuma,
| and with ceremony the most profound and
| impressive, we delivered our speeches and
! dry goods To the various chiefs; We gave them
! damaged hominy and hoes, aud spades and
! shovels, and snshcs and military buttons,
| charms, amulets, tobaSeo-boxes, and beads;
/ shoCE ;hCm by the hand collectively and in
detail, and pow-wowed generally in the ap-
proved style.
"Pasqunl, the doughty head-cliief of oil
| the Yumas long known to fame as the longest
of his tribe, predominated over the ceremO-
MES. grave, cadaverous, leatherY old gen.
| tlcmeH, with Hollow, wrinklod Cheeks and n
| prodigious nose, through the cartilage of
which, between the nostrils, he wears white
bone ornament with swinging pendants, is
Pasqual the doughty. On account of the
length Of his arms and legs-which, when
stretched out altogether, bear a strong simili-
tude to the windmill against which Don
Quixoto ran II tilt-the mighty Pasqual is re-
garded with much respect end ve,leTatiOn by
his tribe. His costume; oi, the prhseut 0cca-
sion, consisted of shabby military coat
doubtless the same worn in ancient times by
his friend Major Heintzelman, the en-
broidery of which has long since been frstted
! puf INV ind ha oil
off 10y long collision with the multitude of
otfice-seekers among his tribe. OF pdntaloons
he had but remnant; and Of boots or shoes
he had none at all, save those originally fur
nished him by natuto: But chiefly was Pas
quail conspicuous for tie ponderous bone and
appendagoS that hung from his nose. A
slight catarrh afflicted him at the time Of our
pow-wuw, and it was not without great incon-
veTtienCe that lie managed The Ornamental
part of his couutenance-turning repeatedly
away to blow it, or adjust the awkward pen
dantS thai swung from it, and always reap
peGrin2 with tears of anguish in his eyes. ]
took pity upon Ills suiierings and gave him
some snuff, assuring him it was sovereign
remedy for colds in the head. The result
was such IL series of explosions, contortions
Of the facinl MUSCLES, and rattling of the
ornamental bones, as to alarm me for the
sanity ot tlc doughty chief, who seemed quite
wild With the accumulation of his agonies.-
The assembled wisdom Of the nation grunted
repeatedly in token of amazement; and Pas
quail inuttErod, between the paroxysnis of his
affiction, Ugh muchee pepper belly strong
dust burn um Injun nose ~
"TebarrO, the next great clief, wrapped
himself in an American blanket, ard dyed his
face gloomy black. / think he was in
mO,ithing. He wore tar on his head and tar
on his checks, and tar on his nose and chin.
which becoming mingled with the grit and
dust of the Colorado desert, gave him u sort
of asphaltum look. like the house-tops md
pavcments 0f Los Angeles. When lie stood
in the sun he melted--such was the force OF
his grief. Black tears ran down from his head
and checks and chin, and mingled with the
wool of bis blanket. Literally he wept tar
"These distinguished chiefs and Their
people received the presents allotted to then
with great dignity and good-lmm6r Ther,
was no grabbing or stealing, nor any sights o
discomfort. Every man received his shar,
u With satisfaction, and with gratitude to the
Great FATHER in Washington. When they
shook hands with tts for the Last time and W,
were about % part, the scene was really af
fcctihg. almost sliod tears at il myself, un
used as / am TO crying about what can't b
helped. In squads, aud couples and one u,
one, they affectonately took tlibir leave, Will
/, their hoes and axes, spades ard siiovels. GIN
cracks and charms. stuck all over them-il
their sashos, brcccbos clouties, blankets. nm,
pinAforcs. One went with necklace Of mat
So tocks around his neck and three Collins axe
in his girtlo another with his head thrus
into glittcTing pile of tin-warc while
third, one Of the uuhrcechcd multitude, wor
n frying-pan in front by way of an apron, an
u Cprn-hoe behind, in the usual fashion Of