Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-09-06
TRAINS WAR DANCE.
Described by an Engiishmnn,

From the North American Review.
Mr.. White devotes his energies more
particularly to describing the material
OF the editorial excursion. Of course
it has largely made up of generals and
colonies and majors and captains; that
was inevitable, for, since the wsr, the
rage for military titles has assumed
proportions throughout the west even
more alarming than formerly, and the
rank and file has wholly ceased to exist. |
Most Of these men had, however, fairly
earned the titles they bore, nor does
the author indulge in any of1 the usual
sneers in this respect. There was, |
however, on this occasion, an exception
to the genera rule as regards military
titles, and, indeed, a very important
ono this particular excursion was
graced by the presence ONO less a per-
son than the distinguished and ire
pressible Mr. George Francis Train
who made himself the soul of the party
Mr.. Train neither was, nor pretended
to be, in any way associated with the
press, but rules intended to secure the
exclusion of ordinary mortals had no
potency as against him. I" In vain was
/ it explained to MIN, with all possible
/
was only for writer's. He is a man who
rises superior to hints, and who, wheth
Ell he wants to provide himself with
amusement by getting into party, OF
to make political capital by getting into
a jail, generally does what he wants. "
That the editors would, however, have
deprived themselves of large part of
their entertainment by excluding the
IL l. ID
became very evident; he was butfoon
in chief to the party. One instance of
his proficiency in this capacity, as told
by Mr.. White, is very amusing. AT
North Platte they encountered a body
of Ogalalla Indians, who were living
near the fort and under the protection
of the government. The correspondence
at once seized with professional ardor
on this opportunity of interviewing
the "noble red man." and formal
"palaver was 1mprovised. Colonel
S., the spokesman Of the party, first
addressed Big Mouth" the chief of
the tribe, in set speech which was
discourse to him through an intelpre-
ter; what ensued can best be given in
Mr.. Whites own language -
big Mouth began to reply as soon
as the Interpreter ceased, speaking in
own Indian tongue. It would be hard
to e1aggerate the calm dignity, the
strong self-rehance ofhis manner. His
bearing was not only the bearing of a
gentleman, but Of q very naughty one,
who liked to be respected and was used
to it, Then our jester, Mr.. Train, who
had been unusually quiet for some time
advanced into the middle Of the circle
Gentlemen" said he, 81 don't think
very much of the speech just made by
our good friend III the red skin. Ihat-
: ter myself that [ can make you an in
finitely more startling address, and in
, the very same language; and immedi-
ately he commenced speech in the
loudest and most impetuous gibberish
with the widest and most extravaqant
gestures, jumping, flinging his arms
abroad, tearing his hair, and rolling his
eyes in q manner peculiar to himself
Probably it would have boon impossible
} to go through any buffoony more keen
I y insulting to the feelings of Indians
L None OF them at all relaxed the gravity
OF their expressions, and Big Mouth
L himself said to the interpreter, as that
3 functionary afterward repeated to us,
[ know that is no real language >
| When Mr.. Train had run down, an In.
1 dian dance was called for. A war-dance
e was what we desired; but the chief OBJ
y jected, saying it was contrary to the
e usages of his tribe to dance the war
q dance, unless somebody had been killed
, and scalped. Of course Mr.. Train i'm
/. mediately proposed that somebod,
should be killed and scaiped on the
L spot; but the general voice was in ia
It yor of the best performance attainable
: without having recourse to human sac
e rilice. Two young redskins stepped
: out for the dance. Ali the redskins
: looked as if they had quite fornotter
n that it was mere exhibition got up tC
L order, and that they and it were sur
: rounded by observers as you looked
e at their excited faces and movements
g growing more and more eager and wilt
1 with animation as you listened to The
d cries, growing quicker and sharper anG
l. louder, it was hard not to imagine thai
: the dance had some real significance
: for them, and was the expression of {
S feeling that mastered them the more
S it got utterance-so rap anC
e so enkindled and so utterly relieved
: from acknowledgements did the whole
:, wild assembly appear. Alter the grave
, performance came the burlesque afteI
J. the savage, civilized man took the
/ stage; Mr.. Train was again to have hi:
g turn. Advancing again into the cen
tire, be assured Us that he thought as
: little of Indian dancing as Of Indian
: speaking; as he had competed with the
| Latter III el0quence, SO he would com
: pete with the former in elegance.
q Whereupon he took off his coat, ben
s his tall body nearly double, and in tha
t posture commenced capering round anG
S round the circle, finging his legs on
c IN the most grotesqae manner, and ut
: tering yelps, barks, and howls in com
: parison with which the Indian cries
n were notes at once most musical anl
: melodious. Probably, with the single
exception of the gibberish speech il
imitation of Big Mouths address, this
performance was quite the most often
= sl7e to Indians that human ingenuity
a could device but that it was much
y more ludlcrous than any comic dancing
y TO De seen upon any stage, must be
/ readily and freely conceded. The edi-
h tors, however shocked, fairly shouted
e and screamed with laughing. Big
/ Mouth, indeed, and the elder men look
ed on with that unmoved composure
e which might almost have led you to
: suppose that they saw nothing odd in
the performance. But the younger men
g and the women could not keep their
5 countenances at all; and I particularly
observed one elderly and portly squaw,
5 who, after vainly struggling with her
5 emotions, broke down and shook all
= over with morriment When Mr. Trair,
r by prolonged caperings, had exhausted
even his wonderful bodily powers 0or
he is mau Of fine figure and very re.
, markable strength we moved off to-
ward the train, musing much by the
way on the superiority of white men to
red"
} Large Noses Sign of Genius.
A contemporary writes q column to
prove that IaT0p noses ORC on,