National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-12-05
Indian Forays Upon White Villages
How the Sayages Signal Each Other.
Life on the Plains.

foray upon the settlements, says Gen.
Custer, the first object is to place as
long distance as possible between
themselves and any party which may be
in pursuit. To accomplish this, as
soon as they have completed the de-
struction and havoc Of which the set
tiers are the victims, the entire party,
usually numbering from fifty to one
near the settlements previously agreed
upon, and at once begin their flight
toward their village, probably located
at least two hundred miles from the
scene of their attack. Being mounted.
as all war parties are, upon the heetest
of Indian ponies with extra animals
driven along, little or no rest for either
pony or rider is taken during the first
twenty-four hours, by which time it is
no unusual feat for war party to
traverse n distance Of one hundred
miles.
During the early part of the fight
every precaution is adopted to prevent
leaving heavy trail, or one easily TO
be followed; to this end, intsead of
moving, as is customary, in single file,
thereby leaving clearly defined path,
each warrior moves independently of
his fellows, until all danger from pur-
suit is safely passed, when the party
! falls into single file, and, with chief at
the head, moves along in almost un-
broken silence. If during an attack
upon the frontier settlements the In
dams should encounter unexpected and
successful resistance, 'necessitating a
I Ill ,,nl 4
their part, they still resort to stratagem
in order to secure their safety. In ac-
cordance with a plan previously formed
and understood by each member of the
party, and specially provided for an
emergency, the war party finding them
selves about to encounter successful re-
sistance on the part of the frontersmen
beat a hasty retreat; Tut instead of
taking their fight in a single direction
and in one party, thereby leaving an
unmstakable clue for their pursuers,
the entire party breaks mp into numer-
Gus smaller bands, each apparently fee
ing in an Independent direction, few
of the best mounted usually falling
behind to attract the attention of the /
pursuers and give time to those of the |
party who are burdened with prisoners
and captured stock to make good their
escape.
In such an emergency as this, rem
devious for the party has been pre-
viously fixed upon. Its location is
usually upon or near some water course
or prominent land mark, distant per-
haps thirty or forty miles ; thithcr all
smaller parties direct their course, each
by separate and usually n circuitous
course. Should either Of these smaller
parties find themselves closely pursued,
or their trail being followed and all eff
forts to throw the pursucrs or prove
they relinquish the plan of
uniting with the Others at the estab-
lished rendezvous, as that would i'm
peril the safety of their comrades, and
select a new route leading neither in
the direction of the rendezvous nor of
Inc village in order not only to elude
out mislead their pursuers. Then en-
sues long and tiresome fight, until,
having worn out or outwitted their pur-
'uers, of whose movements they keep
themselves thoroughly informed, they
make their way in 50 ETY. to the village. !
Vt TIE latter, lookoIts are constantly ,.
Kept on some prominent hill to watch :
he coming of the absent warriors, and !
,ive notice of their approach. A war :
,arty returning from successful raid !,
nto the settlements, and bringing with !
hem prisoners and captured stock, is y
n event of the greatest importance to y
very occupant of the village. Having :
rived within a few miles of the vii =
lge, and feeling safe from all danger
rom pursuit, the chief in command of =
he war party causes a signal smoke to -
e sent up from some high point along II
he line OF march, well knowing that r
eyes near the village are on the =
lert and will not fail to observe the >,
ignal and understand its meaning. Il Il
1t is wonderful to what state Of per- Z. T.
ection the Indian has carried this sim ~
lie mode OF telegraphing. Scattered >,
Yer great portion OF the plains, from h h
British America in the north almost TO u u
ne Mexican border on the south, are Il
} be found isolated hills, or, as they .,
re usually termed, "buttes," which :, ~
m be seen distance of from twenty
} moIe than fifty miles. These peaks !,
y varying the number of the columns -
smoke different meanings are con- ~
eyed by the messages. ~,
The most simple as well as most east =, ~
varied mode, and resembling some w
hat the ordinary alphpbet employed re ~
the magnetic telegraph, is arranged hi
Y building a small fire which is not a.
lowed to blaze then, by placing an ~
mful of partially green grass or weeds g.
'er the fire, rs ii to smother it, a dense
hite smoke is created, which ordina-
Iy will ascend in continuous vertical
lumn for hundreds of feet. This col
mn of smoke is to the Indian mode of
what the current of cleo Or
city is to the system employed by fa
e white man the alphabet so far as of
goes is almost identical, consisting in
it does of long lines and short lines HI
dots. But how formed? is perhaps in
e query of the reader. By the sim co
est of methods. Having his currents IL
smoke established, the Indian oper- DO
)r simply takes his blanket and fro
spreading it over the small pile of fol
eds or grass from which the column ett
smoke takes its source, and properly re,
ntrolling the edges and corners of the arr
lnket, he confines the smoke, and is mG
tnlS way aDle 10 retain IL lor several oV
'ments. BY rapidly displacing the w
Inket, the operator is enabled to far
Use dense volume of smoke to rise, inl
, length or shortness of which, as cal
IL as the number and frequency OF aw
} column, he can regulate perfectly, til,
lply by the proper use of the blanket. ha
r the transmission of brief messages. inc
viously determined upon, no more is
lple method could easily be opted. tw,
soon as the lookout near the village tho