Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-10
Trutn's War Dance.
DEsCRIBkD' BY AN EhGLIsHMAN.


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Mr.. White 'devose4 his energies more
particularly t" describing the editorial
excursion. OF course it wda larsely
made up of generals and colonsfs and
ma ors and captains; that was inevitable,
for, since the war, the rage for military
titles has assumed proportions throughout
the West even more alarming 'than'! for
merly, and the rank aud file has wholly
ceased to exist. Most of thess men. had,
however, fairly earned the titles they
wore, nor does the author indulge in any
of the usual sneers at bis competitions in
this respect. There was, however, on this
occasion, an exception to the general rule
as regards military titles, and, indeed, 8
very important one 4; this particular ex-
cursion was graced by the presence of no
less person than the distinguished and
irrepressible Mr.. George Francis Train,
who made himself the soul of the party.
Mr.. Train neither wac, nor pretended to
he, in any way associated with the press,
but rules intended to secure the exclu.
sion of ordinary mortals had no potency
as against him. "In vain was it explain
ed to him, with all possible .clearness and
point, that the exeureion was only for
writers. He is man who rises superior
to hints, and who whether be wants tc
provide hinrelf with amusement by get
ing into party, or to make political cap
ital by getting into Jail, generally doe:
what he wants' That the editors would
however, have deprived themselves of 8
large part Of their entertainment by ex
Guiding the late inmate of n British Bas.
tile soon bscame very evident; ;. be wa
buffoon.in-chief to the party. One in
stance Of his proficiency in this capacity
as told by Mr.. White, is very anusin g
At North Platte they encountered body
of Ogalalla Indians, who were living neal
the fort and under the protection of tht
| government. The correspondents at once
seized with professional ardor on this OPP
portunity of interviewing the "noble red
man." and a formal "palavar' was impro
vised. Col. S., the spokesman o.
the party, first addressed "Big Mouth.
the chief of the tribe, in a set speech
which was discoursed to him through ar
interpreter. What 'ensued can best bt
given in Whites ewn words:
"Big Mouth began to reply as soon al
the interpreter ceased, speaking in his
own Indian tongue l. would be hard tc
exaggerate the calm dignity, the strong
self-reliance of his manner. His bearing
was not only the bearing of a gentleman
but Of a very naughty one, who liked tt
be respected and was used to it. Their
our jester, Mr.. Train, who had been un'
usually quiet for some time, advanced
into the middle of the circle. Gentle
men," said he, II don't think very mucl
of the speech Just made by our good FRIEND
in the red skin. / flstter myself that
can make you an Infinitely more startling
address, and in the very same language ;
and Immediately he commenced a speech
in the loudest and most impetuous glib
/ berish, with the widest and most extrav
agant gestures, jumping, finging his arms
abroad, tearing his hair, and rolling hi
eyes in q manner peculiar to- himself
Probably it would have been impossible
to go through any buffooury more keeuly
insulting to the feelings of Indians. Nom
of them at all relaxed the gravity of thei
expressions, and Big Mouth himself sale
to the interpreter, as that function9ry af
terward repeated to a., II know that is NJ
real language When Mr.. Train had rut
down, an Iudian dance WAS called for.
war-dance was what we desired but tn,
chief objected. saying it was contrary II
the usages of his tribe TO dance the war
dance, unless someb0dy had beer
killed and scalped OF course Mr., Trnir
Immediately proposed that sonebody
should be killed and -calped on tht
spot; but the general voice way raised
in favor of the best performance at
tainab bic without having recourse to hu
man sacrifice. Two young REDSKINS step
ped out for the dauce. All the redskins
looked as il they hsd quite forgotten that
it was mere exhibition got up to order
and that they and it were surrounded by
observers and you looked ut their excit
ed faces and movements. growing NOR,
and more eager aad wild with anination
as you listened TO the cries, growjn4
quicker and sharper npd loud"r, it W.!
hard to imagine that the dance h "a Am,
real significance for them. an1 wAs the *
preston If feeling that III .stered then
the more, the more it got uttertnee, -sC
rapt and 80 ;pkindlrd and 40 utterly re
lieved from relt con-ciou~ucss did tn
whole wild rs.rmby appear. After thu
| gray" ptTf"finapcr c,me the 'urlefqHo
| after he smvngt, eiviliz d lnnn took tn
stage Mr.. Trniu was again to hive hi
turn. Advancing again into the ceLter
he assured us that he thought ~ little @
Indian dGucing rs of Iudian speaking Il
4 he had competed with the latter in tlo
| uuence, so be would compete with tn
former in elegance. Whereupou he tool
off his coat, bent his tall body nc4rl,
double, and ir that posture commenc
ed capering round and rrund th
circle, fioging his lcEs out in m
most grOtesque manDer, aud attrriu:
Yelrs, bark4 ,nd how'll, in cnmperi
SOB with which the Indian ciiss wei,
notes at cncc quiet aud m'4ndinu-. Prob
| ably, with the single exception ~ tht
gibbcrish speech in imirarinn Of Bi.
Mouths addre.p, this performance wal
quite the most offensive to Indians thu
human Ingenuity could devise; but I'm
it was much more ludicrou- that an,
stage, must be readily and freely CON
ceded The editore, however Inucl
shocked, fairly shouted and eamrc
with laughing. Big Mouth, indeed, anc
the elder men, looked on with that un
moved composure which might almos
have led you 10 suppose that they saw
nothing odd in the performance. Blu
the younger men and the woman could no
keep their couptenanoes at all; and r
particularly observed one elderly npt
portly squaw, who, after vainly struggling
with her eInotious, broke down and shool
All over with merrimeut. hen MI
Train, by prolonged caperings, bad ex
hausted even his wonderful bodily pow
ers (for he Is e man of fine figure an,
very remarkable Strength, we moved Cd
toward the train, rnusing much by tn
way on the superiority Of white n,cn i
red"-NorM american Rcciew o..