The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-07-07
SCorrsspondenos Upton Advertiser.)
yAOl THE FRONTIER.
Ro00dicine Disadvantages

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ksdedicine Dance-Farming-&c
o'r'oz k1 az Mo- Ss5 e., isl.
From time immemorial 1t has been
edstotHsry, for many, and perhaps all
Che various Indian tribes to have yearly
dances, public for all the tribe who
wish 70 attend. The Sawnees used to
have their green corn dances to rejoice
over the flrst corn that was fit to eat
No one, I think, was to eat any green
corn until after the dance.
The Kiowas, Comanches, Apaches
Cheyennes, aud Arapahoee, have what
they term Medicine Dance, which,
takes place every spring about the time
that the cotton falls off Of the cotton.
wood trees. A very large lodde Is
built for the occasion by setting mp
poles, and stretching buffalo skins,
dressed with the hair of, around in q
circls. The men only dance, and they
contInus Il four days and nights with
out cessation, and without eating or
drinking. Should they become ex-
hau11ed and fall, which Is sometimes
the c.. they are tied up by the specta.
tors end they continue trying to move
untilthe time expires.
Essh one who has sufficient energy
and strength enough to go through with
the lance u considered invincible for
that;ye He may commit any daring
deeds, aud no danger Of being killed in
the oct. Consequently all who wish to
70 on faides are anxious to participate
in the dance.
This year the promised runner who
was to come and let Us know when the
dance was to take place, did not come,
20 that it was, as usual, select to the
Indians. We understand that the lodge
was unusually large, and there were
many to so through with the ceremo-
mics. Many big speeches were made.
The Qua.ha da, or Rowing band of Co.
manches who have never submitted to
come into the reservation to settle,
calling Them squaws and towards and
contending that it was contemplate to
be here in subsection to the colored
troops.
Satank, who is an old veteran Kiowa
Chief, who for more thana year has been
stationed here, made telling speach on
the death Of his son. He went with a
few Others went to Texas few months
ago merely to get few horses without
Intending to do any harm, and the Tex
ans killed him. He now wished for
revenge. He wanted some of the young
Graves to 60 to Texas and kill white
man as near to the place where his son
was killed as they could find one, and
bring him the scalp. He could then
quit crying for his departed son!! Oh,
how dark and miserable must the mind
. people be who who eau utter and lis
ten to such talk with appreciation; aud
yet VIC have them by the thousands
wear the center of the United States
Missionaries from our country in large
Numbers cross the ocean and travel
thousands of miles to labor for the con-
version of the heather of other lands,
but how few are the missionaries who
attempt to approach with the Gospel
the savage heather of our own loved
country.
We are told that the speech of
Satank chow would that he without the
KY had the desired effect, and thirty or
forty young men started to Texas soon
after the dance, to obtain the desired
revenge. Gen. Grierson, who COM
mands at TT. Sill, had anticipated this,
and written to the military officers in
Texas that there would probably be
another raid there about this time of
year. He also has patrol out along this
side of Red River, watching for trails.
All the Indians who attended the
dance were urged to leave this place and
80 to the plains. Some of them wished
to know why they should go, as they
were kindly treated here, received their
ratios regularly, and would not leave
One daring man, Tab a-nan-i ca, lead
band Of thirty or forty in here, drove
the men out of IA corn field about four
miles from the Agency, cut up the tent,
stole what they wanted that was in it,
drove off the mules they had there, and
started back to the camps Of the most
isea.dly Indians and reported that the
soldiers were after them. They un-
doubtedly wanted the soldiers to fol.
low them aud fall upon the friendly aud
innocent Indians. and thus compel
them to leave. But they failed In this.
They were not followed The friendly
Indians took the mules from them and
returned them to their owners.
To-day We commenced cutting the
fall wheat 1t was sowR very late,
after l cxMe ia lith month. 1t has been
no dry almost ever since that the straw
Is short, and not thick Ola the ground,
but the grain is plump and nice. 1t
will probably yield Is or is bushels to
the acre. The spring wheat has been
in head abo4t week and, does not look
very laronafsing.