Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-06-01
Indian POM-MON.

Mr. Browne tells some thrilling stories
OF his travels through Arizona and Sonora
and the silver regions of Nevada. Oeca-
sionally we come across curious and gro-
tesque passages.
The following account OF great pow
WOW held by Yuma chiefs on the occasion
of the distribution of presents from our
government is we'll calculated to excite
merriment:
Pasqual, the doughty head-chief of all
the Yumas, long known to fame as the
longest of his tribe, predominated over the
ceremonies. \ grave, cadaverous, leathery
old gentleman, with hollow, wrinkled cheeks
and prodigious nose, through the cartil-
age of which, between the nostrls, he wears
a white bone ornamented with swinging
pedants, is Pasqual the doughty. On ac-
count of the length of his arms and legs
which, when stretched out altogether.
bear strong similitude to the windmill
against which Don Quixote ran tilt-the
mighty Pasqual is regarded with much re-
spect and veneration by his tribe. His
costume, on the present occasion, consisted
of a 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 collision with the multitudes of
Office seekers among his tribe. Of pant
aloons he had but 4 remnant; and OF boots
or shoes he had none at all, save those ORR
ginally furnished 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 1t
was not without great Inconvenience that
he managed the ornamental part of his
countenaDce-turning repeatedly away to
blow it, or adjust the awkward pendants
that swung from it, and always reappear-
ing with tears of anguish in his eyes. /
took pity upon his sufferings and gave him
some snuff. assuring him it was sover-
eign remedy for colds in the head. The
result was such series of explosions. con-
tortions of the facial muscles, and rattling
of the ornamental bones, as to alarm me
for the sanity of the doughty chief, who
seemed quite wild with the accumulation
his agonies. The assembled wisdom of
the nation grunted repeatedly in token of
amazement; and Pasqual muttered be-
tween the paroxysms of his affiiction
ugh muchee pepper belly strong dust!
Burn 'um Injun nose'
'Tebarro. the next great chief, wrap
ped himself in an American blanket, and
dyed himself in gloomy black. l think he
was in mourning. He wore tar on his
head, and tar on 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 house tops 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. Literally, 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 nor stealing, nor
any sign of discomfort. Every man re-
ceived his share with satisfaction, and
with gratitude to the Great Father in
Washington. When they shook hands
with US for the last time, and we were
about to part, the scene was really Affect
ing. l almost shed tears at it myself,