The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-05-15
The Way we Make Presents to the Indians,


illustrative Of the manner in which Uncle
Sans agents expend his money in giving
presents to the Indians. The scene is Fort
Yuma, at the junction of the Colorado and
Rio ella, opposite the southeastern corner
of California:
Next day, Superintendent Poston and
myself held a grand pow-wow with the
Yuma chiefs and their people. From all
parts of the neighborhood they came; war
riors, squaws, and children; from the mes
quit bushes and mud holes of the Colorado:
from the sloos and the arroyas of the Gilla;
the cotton-woods and the deserts and the
mountains of Castle Dome. Every village
had its delegation Of dusky tatterdemalions
Lizards and snakes and mice were hastily
cast aside in the wild anticipation of muck
a-muck from the great Father. Hungry
and lean, painted and bedizened with orna-
ments. they came in to receive the bounty
of the mighty Federal chief.
"Great were the rejoicings when we
opened the boxes and bales of merchandise
so literally furnished by the Government
contractors, Cronin, HuxtaIl & Sears, of
New York. Red, white, green, and gray
blankets; military suits, glittering with
tinsel; old swords, four feet long; sun-glass-
es for lighting cigars; and penny whistles
for the small fry. 1t was, indeed, a won
derful display of the artistic triumphs of
civilization, we'll calculated to impress the
savage tribes of the Pacific with awe and
admiration. There were axes of the best
Collins brand, that flew to pieces like glass
against the iron timbers of this anomalous
region; and hats made by steam, and fam
ing red vests stitched by magic, and tobacco
boxes and tin kettles that might be opened,
but never upon earth shut again. Sur
rounded 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, and spades and shovels, and sashes
and military buttons, charms, amulets, to-
bacco boxes, and beads; shook them by the
hand collectively and in detail, and pow
vowed generally in the approved style.
" Pasqual, the doughty head-chief of all
the 1umas, long known to fame as the
longest of his tribe, predominated over the
ceremonies. Agrave, cadaverous, leathery
old gentleman, with hollow, wrinkled
cheeks, and a prodigious nose, through the
cartilage of which, between the nostrils he
wears white bone ornament with swing
ing pendants, is Pasqual the doughty. On
account of the length of his arms and legs
when stretched out altogether,
bear a strong similitude to the windmill
against which Don Quixote ran tilt-the
mighty Pasqual is regarded with respect
and veneration by his tribe. His costume,
on the present occasion, consisted of
shabby military coat, doubtless the same
worn in ancient times by his friend, Major
Heintzelman, the embroidery of which has
long since been fretted out by wear and
tear, and the elbows rubbed off by long col
lisiOn with the multitudes of office seekers
among his tribe. OF pantaloons he had
but a remnant; and of boots or shoes lie
had none at all, save those originally fur
nished him by nature. But chiefly was
Pasqual conspicuous for the ponderous
bone and appendages that hung from his
nose. A slight catarrh afflicted him at the
time of our pow-wow, and it was not with
out great inconvenience that he managed
the ornamental part of his countenance-
turning repeatedly away to blow it, or adj
just the awkward pendants that swung
from it, and always reappearing with tears
of anguish in his eyes. took pity upon
his sufferings and gave him some snuff as
surfing him it was sovereign remedy for
colds in the head. The result was such
series of explosions, contortions of the
facial muscles, and rattling of the orna-
mental bones, rs to alarm me for the sanity
Of the doughty chief, who seemed quite
wild with lie accumulation of his agonies
The assent ed wisdom of the nation grunt-
ed repeated in token of amazement; and
Pasqual muttered, between the paroxysms
of his atlIi,tion, Ugh! muchee pepper!
belly strong dust! Burn 'um Injun nose"
"Tebarro, the next great chief, wrap
ped himself in an American blanket, and
dyed his face gloomy black. I think he
was in mourning. He wore tar on his head,
and tar Oh his cheeks, and tar on his nose
and chin, which becoming mingled with the
grit and dust of the Colorado desert, gave
him sort of asphaltum look, like the
and pavements of Los Angeles
When he stood in the sun he melted-such
was the force Of his grief. Black tears ran
down from his head and cheeks and chin,
and mingled with the wool of his blanket.
he wept tar.
"These distinguished chiefs and their
people received the presents allotted to
them with great dignity and good humor.
There was no grabbing or stealing, nor any
sign of discomfort. Every man received
his share with satisfaction, and with graft
tude to the Great Father in Washington.
When they shook hands with US for the
last time, ana we were ABOUT TO part. the
scene was really affecting. / almost shed
tears at it myself, unused as am to crying
about what can't be helped. In squads,
and couples, and one by one, they affection
ately took their leave, with their hoes and
axes. spades and shovels, gimcracks and
charms, stuck all over them-in their
sashes, brooches, clouties, blankets, and
pinaforeS. One went with necklace of
mattocks around his neck and three Collins
axes in his girdle: another with his head
thrust into a glittering pile of tin-ware:
while a third. one of the unbreeched multi
Iudc. wore frying pan in front by way Of
m apron, and Il corn-hoe behind. in the
usual fashion of rudder. Old men and
Young were tuning their jews -harps; lux
nrous squaws were peeping at the redun-
liant beauties reflected by their little link
looking glasses: children were blowing
heir tin whistles. and small fat papooses
we're hanging their heads out of compressed
bundles behind their mothers, wondering.
with open mouths and great round eyes.
what could be the cause of all the hubbub