The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-05
TOO MUCH INDIAN.
FIVE YEARS. EXPERIENCE rs Il
SQU4W.

FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE rs Il
SQUAW.
Yankee Schoolmarm.
From the Kansas City Times.l
The steamer Fontenele arrived at this city
yesterday morning, after three months trip
to Fort Benton and the mountains. Among
her miscellaneous cargo of robes. furs, pei
tries and Nebraska corn was female named
Miss Amanda Barber, nee Squatting Bear,
who, in at of fanatlcal romance, offered
herself In 1867 as voluntary missionary to
the Brule Sioux, then occupying the territory
between the Cheyenne River and the Big Horn
Mountains, Dakota Territory.
Miss Barber created quite sensation In the
Eastern States by her marriage With young
Indian named Sqnaltiug Bar. who accomps-
MED u party OF Sioux TO Washington In 1867.
Miss Burbrr was at that time clerk In one OF
the Departments at Washington, In position
secured for her by General Butler, before the
impeachment fasco. According TO her own
statement, made yesterday TO our reporter,
she was firmly impressed with the idealty and
perfection Uf the red men of the plains. She
had read everything relating to The Indian
tribes, from the reports OF The commissioner
OF Indian affairs down to the latest dime novel.
Iu q fiL of enthusiasm or temporary insanity,
she offered herself 10, and became The wife
of, Squatung Bear, Junior chief in the Lone
Horn band of Brule Sioux. and with him
and his party returned 10 the Yankton agency,
where she was duly Initiated into her new
lie as white sqnaw. Her romantic
Ideas Of Indian life seemed to have received
terrible shock since her Introduction to her
new home aud relations, and though she en-
deavored to fulfil her mission as teaee er and
missionary to the best oil her ability, her
progress appears to have been as slow as the
progressot civilization on the plains. She
states that her first great surprise Was
being required 10 mount upon wild. vicious
pony, ana travel without saddle or attention
over the country from the Missouri to the
Wuite Earth River, q distance OF several hun.
dred miles. Her inability 10 make the Journey
provoked mirth among her husbands COM
psnlons, and finally exasperated squatlinrg
Bear until he bound her With rope 10 the
pony's back and led Inc animal himself
on the westward trail. She was still more
surprised TO find her husband possessed OF
two other wives, one vicious, dirty sqnaW,
of forty years OF age, the other girl oi
scarcely fourteen years. Her life In his wig
wan, or teepee, was not as bright and happy as
she expected 1t would BIZ. Her HUSBANDS
uUSEuCb W6o lthSu uufouLaHC Wy ACl
rivals to compel her TO perform the vilest
drudgery, sucn as gathering wood, cooking
meat, and scraping robes for the tdnuiug
process, but during Squatting Bears presence
ut home Miss Baroer appears 10 have been
better treated. Her husband, In violent FL
OF passion, killed his oldest squaw during the
GrsJ year she was with the trioe, when with
out warning or notice she was hurried on to
the ifain camp OF the BrI|es, three days
Journey towards the mountain, and from
thence she accompanied the tribe on its sn-
nual 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 Fettermau, distance Of six
ty miles. For this attempt she was beaten
until nearly dead aud then sold by her hus.
band for three ponies to Cheyenne chiei,
who sported The expressive soubrlqnet OF Coo
Goose, or Baconsdes. She was taken North
In 1870, and has remained with The Chryennes
ever since, until her escape this spring, when
she made her appearance at aud claimed the
protection of The authorities at Fort Benton.
Miss Barber's experience would no DOUBT
make story more thrilling than that OF The
"Escapen Num-" She is o woman rather plain
in appearance, skin tawny and black, eSea
masculine-and, In fact, just such woman
as Mrs. Colonel Anthony OF Tennie
Claflin would choose for a second ip Cum.
mand, MISS Barber cOnVerspd with our re-.
porter without the least difdhence, and an.
swered any question asked Of her. She Gays
that, so far as The romance OF indian lie Is
concerned, she lound none OF II. Her efforts
to teach and reform the young Indlan chlIdren
were treated with indifference and contempt.
She learned the Sioux language easily, but
the Cheyenne dialect Was harder to acquire.
She has much higher opinion OF the Chey-
enues than of The Sioux. The latter trioe, sne
SAYS, are to blame for nearly all thievng aud
numbering done In the white settlements. She
found 1t necessary to paint and coor like the
r.eC OF the tribe while she Was witp them, aAd
twice witnessed the murder or executions OF
white men, once soldier belonging to the
TInrty second United States Infantry, VINO
had been taken while out hunting, who was
burnt and scaped; the Others Were two team
slers. brought from Fort MCPHERSON. All
three were burnt at q place called ''saddler's
HilI y 10 the Nebraska "Bad Lands"
Miss Barber has q poor opinion OF Granpa
Quaker policy, which she says is perfect
farce, and is 80 regarded by the Indians. She
asserts that there will be no peace while men
intrude into the buffalo range or tempt the
cupiulty of the Indians by bringing stock and
vsiuabrs out into exposed frontier setlle-
ments. Thu Indians have the greatest con-
to npt for The white nlau's Judgment and the
efficacy of the soldiers.
Miss Barber left the steamer Fontenelle at
this port, and alter few hours rest started on
her way 70 life hume Of her friends at Milford,
Massachusetts.