Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-02
Out Among the Indians.
AGENCY OF TIE CHEYENNEs AND
ARAPAHOEs, Nov. %, 1870.

| middle of the stream, where his horses could
drink. When he tried to start, his wheels were
fast in the quick-sand, and his horses broke the
double-tree We drove by in good haste, with
out stopping, and reached the shore safely. They
| had to work half an hour to get their carriage
out of the quick-sand. We press on until eight
O'Clock to reach place where we can spend the
night without camping. 1t lis William Shiyley's
store, au Indian trading post for the Wachita
tribe of Indians, new agency having just been
established here, with jonathan Richard,
Friend, for agent. The buildings for this
agency are going ups all is new; and J. Rich
ard not ut his place, being absent on business.
We are made welcome for the night at the store,
having food and place to make up our beds on
the floor. Our landlord, Shirly, is sent for in
the morning. He proves to be well informed
man, Irish by birth, and in days past has been
trader out in the borders of Texas. He gives
us all the information we ask, declining all COM
pensation for us or even our horses, saying that
was not his way in this wilderness country. He
said the Indians in the tribes few miles about
here had raised several thousand bushels of
corn this year upon the lands plowed last year
under the direction Of Agent Tatum. We stan
for Fort Sill about A. NJ. a ride of thirty-ive
miles. We find better roads than for some days
aud make good progress for these parts, reach
ing Fort Sill about O'Clock
The Indian agency, mile and half beyond,
L. Tatum, agent, was our destination and TO it
we went, finding him open-handed to receive us.
We here felt quite at home, having passable
beds and other comforts good for these far away
regions. This is where the Indians committed
depredations last spring, and a few of their
young men behaved very badly. There is still
more or less uneasness with a few in one or two
of these widest tribes. The mass of these were
off on the buffalo hunt, yet many of their more
important chiefs were now in for ratious of coF
fee and sugar to take out to their hunting
ground. As soon as they found we had arrived
they began to gather around We met several
of them the same evening. They called Agent
Hoag big chief, and looked upon us all as i'm.
portant men that their great father at Washing
ton had sent out to see them and do them good.
As soon as breakfast was over next morning
they appeared for council.
Lone Wolf, chief of great shrewdness, Kick
ing Bird, Tumbing Bird, and Satanic, all Kio-
was, and PAGER, an Apache, took the lead with
some fifteen others in asking questions &C., &c.
When about ready to proceed several of them
take great pains TO shake hands heartily with
Agent Tatum and all of us. Then they prepare
several pipes, one of the chiefs sending a full
puff upwards to the great father, then one
downward to mother earth, and gong through
many other forms which were not explained,
e., .1,,s,,
nifcant.
Lone Wolf took the lead. He said the great
father told the Indian he must live on the butfa-
10 and other wild game. You are white, we
are red-whte man takes one road, Indian
another. 1t takes long time to see alike. They
have tried corn raising and it made many of
them sck-some of them died and they don't
want to try it again. White men don't let them
have guns and ammunition and that is the
reason they don't all come in. He thinks they
ought to have guns and ammunition, then they
would feel better.
The depredations in Texas are as much the
fault of the Texans as of the Indians. They
come out and attack us, then We rataliate.
Why don't Texans do right if they want In
dams to? The talk AT Washington is not cor
rect, soldiers began first, then we retaliated He
wants war cut Oft to-day They heard last
night that annuity goods had come, and were
so oyerioyed they could not sleep. Ifwhite man
is good to us we will go a little further in being
good than white man. We want some powder
to-day. They heard some big father was coming
who would help them. They have been tired
waiting for him. Some big men are here and
there is no use waiting for any bigger.
Satanta says he is not mad, nor has been
Wants ammunition and will not give tup. 1t is
their right to have it, and that is tine reason the
young men went TO war this season. He says if
government will be foolish about it they will be
so too. If they can't have it they will 90 to
Mexico and Texas. The Texans keep moving
up further and further, and have no paid us for
their encroachments, and we are not satisfied
Tell the president if he Will move Texas further
off they will be quiet. He wants Camp Supply
moved on the north; these two things done they
will keep quiet; don't care to go to Washington.
Lone Heart, the leading chief, who began the
reid last spring, and shot one man at least, died
oil sickness a few weeks since.
The position of Agent Tatum at this point has
required great care and tirmness and yet, as it
would seem, the Indians have great respect for
him, and regard him as their friend and care
taker This agency covers some six or eight of
the widest blanket tribes that appear at all this
side of Texas or New Mexico, numbering six
thousand or more; only few of them take any
interest in farming. They are great pleaders for
things they want and some of them are as keen
i'm their oe mood hn of
said, "You ask us to walk in the white mans
path. White man don't shoot deer or buffalo
with bow and arrow. He has ammunition. We
can't walk white man path without rife and
ammunition" There are 4 few of the better
families who are DESTROYS of schooling their chill
dren, and new, commodious stone house has
just been completed for mission school. A new
agency house has been nearly completed. They
have good steam saw mill, and a mill to grind
corn coarsely. The agency farmer raised abou;
1000 bushels of wheat and nearly two thousand
of corn this year, and preparations are being
made for more next year. The lands here are
good; the climate beautiful; winter exceedingly
mild and very short.
When the day comes that these Indians will
turn their attention to cattle raising and farm
ing, they can have all they need with compara-
lively little labor. This spot, in connection with
the fort, seems more like place one could live
in than at most any we have visited, as there is
| so much more society here. The trading post
here is probably the most important of any in
the Indian territory. The In iians bring in
many buffalo, wolf, raccoon and other skins,
which, with the trade from the one thousand
men, including soldiers and their eleven hun
dred horses and mules, gives the basis of con-
siderable trade, The fort is pleasantly situated,
and its officers and their families, with few
other inhabitants, make social circle that
should be tolera5ly agreeable. The soldiers are
all colored. Several Boston men and one from
| Worcester were enquired out. Gen. Grerson
seems like the right kind of man to fill this
difficult post His forbearance is great, and he
will not shed blood without what he considers
the most imperative necessity, By his courtesy
we spent couple of hours at his house in a
pleasant family, and dued with them.
| This mint IL IN (ana Horn Aftor ena,,d;n,r