New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-26
THE PERISHING PONCAS.
FRIENDLY INDIANS IN MISUNDERSTANDING THIS
UNDERSTANDING BUFFAL0S SPEECH
CoURTING BY TORCHLIGHT.

NOTWITHSTANDING BUFFALoS SPEECH
| COURTING BY TORCHLIGHT.
| YANKTON Dakota Dec. 30.-At point about
so miles west OF this place the junction of the Mo
brara and the Missouri Rivers is located what remains
OF the once numerous and powerful tribe Of Ponca
Indians under the charge of Lieut. W. II. Hugo as Agent.
Near the norh-we portion OF the Territory under
Capt Walter Clifford. at Fort BerthOld, the Arrcha-
rees Mandans, and Gros Ventres with portion OF the
| Assnaboine tribe. Although far removed from each
other and in wise connected far past history
association is concerned they are I'm many respects,
very similar regards their present condition and fu-
ture prospects While the different bands OF Sioux have
pursued their warke career these Indians have made
great advancement in agriculture and the mechanic arts
and have become, TO q very great extent sesustainng
building comfortable Lighthouses in which TO live, and
raising large amount of and other articles upon
which to subsist Last they planted much more
than usual and gave especial attention. and until late
in the Fall their crops looked very promising The drouh
the most critical tme however cutting it off
exceedingly short while at the Fort Berthold Agency,
far NORTH early frost in Anguish added to the dis
couragng situation of affairs by killing the squashes,
beans and other vegetables which had been relied upon
for present subsistence The industry shown by these
tribes and their in providing for themselves has
caused Congress TO appropriate comparatively little for
their support and the last hill only gives them enough
tocary the business OF the Agencies and furnish them
with some blankets &c. with margin for giving them
anything TO eat there are any Indians who deserve
be fed these they They have been friends to the
whites ever since they made their first treaty, and no
man will accuse them of temporary hostility. They
have given up valuable lands to the Government and
have been OF cOmparatvely.very small expense 10 it,
and they give promise Of being much less In future AT
the time they have been greatly harassed by the
Sioux who have killed some Of them, stolen their horses
from them, and hemmed them in to prevent them
from going abroad to hunt. And yet these Sioux, who
host lie nd rea
coded any lands and who do not pretend to sup
port themselves beautifully fed and warmly clothed
and are OF plenty during the coming Winter.
The story Of the POncas told in the plain Indian
STYLE In speech made to the Governor upon his visit
to them in council held Oh the Indian grounds Stand
ing Buffalo spoke substantially AZ follows:
"FATHER: | was anxious to you; am glad TO see
you You have been Just TO US; we can trust you you
viii hear us We have tfled 10 90 az You Iod US 10 no.
We want to hear about the goods our Great Father prom
Used whether we will get them this year IL Is cold
people have but half blanket Our clothes are all worn
out. our women and children are hafnaked and are
@Smething want to see it want to put my hand on it,
We planted and worked our crops as our Father directed
hut the Great Spirit wouldn't let them grow. They all
dried up and withered with dust OH them. We are poor
and thin but the Sioux have been well fed. They
Father seems 10 fear and feed them we'll and when they
full they feel strong and brave and they come ana
Father tells us to keep quiet; we have kept quiet;
but it is hard to keep still when the sioux sioux
not If wished to, get our horses back, for the
sioux are too many for us We cant say al we want TO
and want clothes We are willing to DO and ~ lear so
as to have what we need viii our Father hear usF'
This Ponca tribe is few in numbers, compared with
what it was in days. 1t has most interesting
history. hafcentury more ago. they were located
west of the Mississippi some distance below St Louis
Civilization drove them to the Red River OF Arkansas, up
which they gradually passed, from point to another
and thence across to the Nobrara Coming down this
they placed Is years in what is now Nebraska
and nearly opposite the site of Sioux City. With the
settEnent Of this gon they have been pressed west
ward again to their present location They have always
noted for their bravery and even now they are fine
looking men, and the Sioux dare not meet then-pness
they Outnumber them four TO This tribe wac in the
habit years ago. of making their tOmahawks and arrow
heads stone They titled the soil long before tina white
man taught Them using exceedingly primitive plow
made of taken from the Buffalo, and raising Indian
with Their manner of courtshp was rather
singular. The warrior smitten With maiden, sntered
her wgwam at night lighted splnt at the fire. and ap
preached the place where she was lying If she blew out
the hight he accepted lover; but if she allowed 1t
TO burn out it time for him to out Also And not
return.
w be most unfortunate if these Indians aId those
Fort Berthod, permitted TO suffer Their lives are
worth than those Of the treacherOus Sioux IL
the latter must be fed in order 10 keep them from muir
derng the white people 1t would be well for at the
same tlnt, 10 look Aler Inc fOncbb 80
st hand that assistance reach Them in emer
gency, in mid Winter but those at Fort BerhOld
completely cut off after the close of navigation. Last
Winter in great extremity che agent sent TO surround
ing forts, and got few supplies fitted up stean-vat,
in which he personally superintendent making soup,
while he kept a large stOreToom warm by means of two
coal stoves also borrowed the coal being mined from
vein beneath the village. He has given warning of the
present situation and both he and Commissioner Parker
will undoubtedly do all in their power to prevent suffer
ing but they only after oil, the money which
Congress has provided, and this distribution is not
always the most deserving who fare best.
AMERICA MONOPOLIZING EMIGRATION.
II. e Al.