The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-05-18
AN INDIAN VILLAGE

4
of an Indian village, unless he ha
been permitted TO come across thu
prairie through q hot summers sun
and suddenly discovers one nestled
under the broad shade trees, beside
clear running stream, in a greer
valley. How pleasant the grass
then looks /; now refreshing the
bright waters, and how cosy the
ltalI lodges, with their shaded veran,
dahs of thickIy interviewer boughs
All day long we had toiled over
the scorching plain, through clouds
of fgrasshoppers that often struck US
in the face with sufficient force to
make the skin smart for several
minutes. Once we had seen a mir
age of beautiful lake, fringed with
troes and surrounded by green pas
lures, which invited US to pursue its
heeting shadows, but we well knew
all about these deceptions by sad
experience, and pushed steadily on
over the burning sands.
These mirages often deceive the
weary traveller of the desert. Sud-
denly the tired horseman sees a riv-
er or lake, apparently, just ahead of
him, and he rides on and on hop
ing TO come up to it. For hours it
lies before his eyes, and then in a
moment disappears, leaving him
miles and miles out Of his way, and
in the midst of desert sands.
Men have ridden all day striving
to reach the beautiful river just be-
fore them, and then at night turned
back to plOd their weary way to
where they had started from in the
morning. These mirages often lead
| to death both man and horse.
The mirage we had seen was most
delightful, representing a clear lake,
with trees, meadows and villages
nestllng on its shores, but it scarcely
equaled the reality of the scene
when, late in the afternoon, we as
cended a rise in the prairie, and
saw below US a wide stream lined
with green trees, and on its banks a
large Indian encampment.
The ponies pricked up their ears
and neighed with pleasure as they
smelt the water, and our own de-
light was unbounded. We halted
for q moment to oadmire the beauti-
ful prospect. Through the majestic
trees, the slanting rays of the sun shiv-
cred on the grass. Far away, wind
ing like a huge silver serpent, ran
the river, while near by in shady
grove, stood the viIlage-the child
rem at play on the green lawns, not
made by hands. The white sides
of the teepees shone in the setting
sunlight, and the smoke curled lazi-
ly upward from their dingy tops.
Bright ribbons and red grass, look
ing like streamers on a ship, futter-
ed from the lOdge-poles, ana gaudi-
ly-dressed squaws and warriors
walked about, OR sat on the green
sod under the trees. There were
maidens, as beautiful as Hiawatha,
or as graceful as Minnehaha, wan
dering, hand in hand, along the
stream, or listening under the shade
of some wide-spreading tree to words
of love, as 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 they cropped the rich grass
of the valley,
A group Of noisy children were
playing at a game much resembling
ten.pins some boys were shooting
at a mark with arrows, and up the
stream several youths were return
ing home with rod and line, and
fine strings of speckled trout.
Scores of men and women were.
swimming about in the river, now
diving, and then dousing each 9th.
er, amid screams of laughter from
the bystanders on the shore. Here
and there a young girl darted about
like fish, her black hair streaming
behind ner in the water.
While we looked, the little child.
ren suddenly ceased from play and
ran into the lodges mounted men
surrounded the herd, and the swim
mers and prOmenaders hastened to-
ward the village. We had been
perceived by the villagers, and the
unexpected arrival ofstrange horse
men at an Indian encampment al
ways creates great excitement.
They may be friends, but they are
often enemies, so the villagers are
always prepared for a surprise.
Some men were seen running to
and fro with guns and bows, and in
a few minutes, some mounted war
riors left the encampment and rode
toward US, going first to the top of
the highest mound to see if they
could discover other horsemen in
the rear, or to the right or left of US.
No sooner did they ascertain
there were but three in the party,
than they rode boldly up and asked
US our business. L told them who
we were, and where we were from,
upon which they cordially invited
US to the village.
AS we approached, men, women
and children poured out ofthe en-
campment to look at the strangers,
and having satisfied their curiosity,
/