The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-01-05
AN EHEeEAN VILLAGE.

nestled under the broad shade trees, beside |
a clear run ming stream, in green valley
How pleasant the grass then looks; how
refreshing the bright waters, aud how cosy
the tall lodges. with their shaded vsrandahs
of thckiy ipter~oven boughs.
All day long we had toiled over the scorch-
ing plain, through clouds of grasshoppers
that often struck Us in the face with suftl-
cient force to make the skin smart for sew
erai minutes. Ouce We had seen mirage
of beautiful lake, fringed with trees anu
surrounded by green pastu es. which invited
Us to pursue its teeting shadows, but We
well knew all about these deceptions by sad
experience. aud pushed steadily ou over the
burning sands.
These mirages often deceive the weary
traveller of the desert. Suddenly the horse
man sees river or lake, apparently just
ahead Of him. and he rides on and on,
hoping to come up to it, For hours it lies
before his eyes, and then in q minute disap-
pears, leaving him miles and miles out Of
his way, ard in the mics: of ct sands.
Men have ridden all day striving to reach
.he beautiful river just before them, and then
at night turn back to plod their weary way
to where they had started from in the morn
ing. These mirages often lead to death both
men and horses.
ful, representing a clear lake, with trees.
meadows villages nestled on its shores, but
it scarcely eGualled the reality Of the sceIe
when late 10 the afternoon we, assembled u
rise in the prairie. and saw below US a wide
stream lined with green trees, and on its
banks large Indian encampment.
The ponies pricked up their ears and
neigbed with pleasure as they smelt the
water. and our own delight was unbounded.
We halted for moment to admire the beau
tifu prospect. Through the majestic trees,
slantiug rays of the sun shivered on the
grass. Far away, widening like huge
! silver-serpeut, ran the river, while near by
in a shady grove, stood the viilage-the
children at play on the gieen lawns. not
made by hands. The white sides of the
teepces shoue in the setting sunlight. and
the smoke curlcd lazly upward from their
! dingy tops. Bright ribbons and red grass,
looking g like streamers on a ship, futtered
! from The lodge poles, and gaudiy ydreSsed
! suuaws aud warriors walked about, or sat
/ on the green SOC under the trees. There
| were maideus, as beautiful as Hiawatha, or
| as graceful Minrehaba, wandering, hand
| in hand. along the stream. or listening under
! the shade of some wide-spreadiDg tree to
| words If love, soft and tender as ever
were poured into woman's ear.
| Near the village were hundreds of horses
/ and ponies. with bright feathers haunting
in their names and tails as tLey cropped the
/ rich grass Of the valley.
a group of noisy children were playing
| at game much resembling ten-pins some
boys were shooting al mark with arrows,
aud up the stream several youths were re-
! turning home with rod and line, and fue
strings of speckled rolt
/ { cXyrfy, 1ir,r-
about in the river, now diving, and then
d0using each other. amid screams Of laugh
ter from the bystandcrs on the shore. u..le
and there young girl darted about ike
| fish, her black hair streaming behind her in
the water. While we iogked, the little chill
| dren suddenly ceased from play and ran into
the lodges; mounted III su surrounded the
| herd, aud the swimmers and rromenaders
hastened toward the village. We had been
perceived by the villagers, and the uuexpec-
ted arrival OF strange horsemen at an Iudian
encampnent always creates great excite
ment. They may be friends, bat they are
more often enemies. so the villagers are al
ways prepared for surprise.
Some men are seen running TO and fro
with guns aud bows, and in a few ninut,s
some mounted warriors lett the encampment
/ and rode toward us, going first to the top of
the highest mound to see !! they could dis
cover other hOrscmen in the rear, or TO the
right Or left Of US.
No sooner did they ascertain thurs were
but three in the party, than they rode bold
iy up aud asked Us cur business. | told
them who We were, and where we were
from. upon which they cordially invited US
into the village.
AS approached men, women and chill
dren poured out Of the encampment to look
at the strangers, aud having satisfied heir
curiosity, the sports and anlusements Of thu
evening we're renewed.
| asked permission to camp of no one, for
| needed none, as this was Gods land, and
lot owned by ravenous aud dishonest spec
ulators. So | marched right down to the
centre of the village, and finding a vacant
| space, pitched my lodge. 1t was not neces-
Sary to purchase a town-lot here, for no one,
save HIM who owns all, held real estate
A few Santee women gathered about my
| squaws and chatted with them, anxious TO
learn the news from down the river. See
ing that they we've interfering with the un-
packing Of the ponies and the erection of
the lodge, unceremoniousIy ordered them
to be gone, and they went quietly away
The lodge was soon up the ponies unpacked
and put out to Craze. Having seen things
put IN orter for the night, | sauntersd out
through the village TO learn the news.
Was greatly surprised, when | learned
there was a white man in the village. who
had been sent out to the Indians as a mis-
sionary- All the savagas spoke of him as
kind hearted. good man, who was great
friend of the Great Spirit and Of the Big
| Father at Washington.
l made haste to pay my respects to my
white brother, and found him indeed good
Christian gentleman. lie had white wife
and child, and be and they were living com
fortaby and pleasantly with these wild chill
dren Of the desert l talked more than an
hour with the good man; it was 50 delight
full to see and speak with one of my own
blood aud color. When l left him, l prom
iscd would return the next day and dine
with him, which lid. Il may seem strange
to hear one talk of "Gininn nn1,, In nm In