Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-07-15

HHistella,.eous.
FIVE YEARSgA SQUAW.


We gave a few days ago brief particu-
lars OF the following story, and now give
the full account from the Kansas CITY
(MO.) Times of June 2Sth -
The steamer Fontenellc. arrived at this
city yesterday morning after IA three
months trip 10 Fort Benton and the
mountains. Among her miscellaneous
cargo of robes. furs, peltries and Nebraska
corn, was female named Miss Amanda
Barber. who in a fit OF fanatical romance,
offered herself. in 1867. as a voluntary
missionary to the Brule Sioux. then occu-
pying the territory between the CHEYENNE
River and the Big Horn mountains. Dako.
tab Territory. Miss Barber created onite
a sensation in the EasternssStates by her
marriage with n young Indian named
oiuatting Bear. who accompanied q party
OF Sioux to Washington ins 1867. Miss
Barber was at that time clerk in one of
the Departments at Washington, in a po-
sition secured for her by Gen Butler, be-
fore the impeachment fasco. According
to her own statement, made yesterday TO
our reporter, she was firmly impressed
with the ideality and perfection of the red
men OF the plains. She had read every-
thing relating to the Indian tribes. from
the reports OF the Commissioners Of Indian
Affairs down to the latest dime novel. In
a ut OF enthusiasm or temporary insanity,
she offered herself to and became the wife
OF Squatting Bear, junior chief in the
Lone Horn band of Brlle Sioux, and with
him and his party returned to the Yankton
| Agency. where she was dnly Initiated in
to her new life as a white squaw. Her
romantic ideas of Indian life seem 10
/ Il o. -n1 III =.
Introduction To her new home and rela
tons. and though she endeav5red 10 fulti
her mission 1at teacher and missionary
to TIE best Of Instability, her progress APP
pears 10 have been as slow as the progress
of civilization On the plains.
She states that h~r first great surprise
was being required 10 mount upon a wild.
vicious pony, and travel without saddle or
attention over the country from the Mis-
souri, 10 the Whtee Earth River, distance
OF several hundred miles. Her inability to
make the journey provoked mirh among
her husbands companions, and finally ex-
asperated Squatling Bear until he bound
her with rope to the pony's back and led
the animal himself on the westward trail.
She was still more surprised to find her
husband possessed Of two other wives, one
a vicious, dirty squaw OF forty years OF age
the other a girl of of scarcely fourteen
years.
Her life in his wigwam, or teepec, was
not SO bright and happy as she expected
it would be. Her husbands absence was
taken advantage of by her rivals to COM
pei her to do the vilest tirudgery. such rs
gathering wood, cooking meat. and scrap
ing robes for the tanning process, but dur
ing Squatting Bears presence at home.
Miss Barber appears 20 have been better
treated Her husband. in violent fit of
passion. killed his oldest squaw during the
first year she was with the tribe, when.
without warning or notice, she was hur-
ricd off to the main camp of The BruIes,
three days journey toward the mountains,
and from thence she accompanied the
tribe on its annual buffalo hunt, where she
became sick from exposure and fatigue.
She was left at temporary drying. camp
at Rawhide River. where she attempted to
escape by walking to Fort Fetterman,
distance OF sixty miles. For this attempt
she was beaten until nearly dead, and
then sold by her husband Tor three ponies
to a Cheyenne Chief, who sported the ex-
pressive so6rf1uet Of Coo-Coosc or Bacon
sides. She was taken North in 1870, and
has remained with the Cheyennes ever
since, until her escape this spring, when
she made her appearance at and claimed
the protection of the authoritis of Fort
Benton.
Miss Barber conversed with our report
er without difhdencc, and answered any
question asked her. She says that, so far
as the romance of Indian life is concerned.
she found none of it. Her efforts u teach
and reform the young Indian children
/ ta1
tempt. She learned the Sioux language
easily. bur the Cheyenne dialect was hard
er to acquire. She has much higher
opinion of the Cheyennes than of the
Sioux. The latter tribe she saws are to
blame for nearly all the thieving and mur-
dering done in the white settlement. She
found il necessary to paint and color like
the tribe while she was with them, and
twice witnessed the murder or execution
of white men. once a soldier belonging to
the Thirty->econd United States Infantry.
who had been taken hunting, who was
burnt and scalped; the others were
two teamsters brought from Fort McPher-
son. All three We're burnt at place call
ed ''Sadler's HILL" Miss Barber asserts
that there will be no peace while white
men intrude into the Buffalo range
or tempt the cnpidity Of the Indians by
bringing stock and valuables ont into the
exposed frontier settlement. The Indians
have the greatest contempt for the white
mems Judgment and the efficacy of the
soldiers
Miss Barber left the steamer Fontenelle
at this port, and after few hours rest,
started on her way to the home of her
friends, at Milford. Mass.
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