Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-07-17
THE DANBUaYMAN on THE PLAINS
what lie Thinks Of the Overland Your
wey md the Indians

What He Thinks Of the Overland Hour
wey and the Indians,
Bailey, of the Danbrry Ne,os, has
been across the plains, and is writing
for his paper his Impressions of the
journey. Here is an extract from the
last article, which will make the read
ers laugh, aud be glad that he 10 not on
the Pacific Railroad:
In one place, five of eight business
places Gall the village boasted) We're
liquor saloons. Cheyenne has rine-
hundred population, and saloon for
every nine inhabitants.
There is an unfinished aspect in
every hamlet; that dreary, monoto-
nous roll and hump TO the hills, that
indescribable barrenness of soil, that
makes the trip too tedious for language
to define.
All that day the sun baked down on
the alkali and sand, all that day the
sand and alkali inflicted as much dam
age to the sun as it could, and content
eddy made up the balance on US. The
air was close, however well the car
was ventilated. The sand sifted in
and percolated through the stoufest
habiliments.
Euchre lost its attraction. Nov
els dropped to the floor, and even the
guide books and watches grew less
popular.
How the people stood it in the other
cars, having slept one night in the
cramped bed formed by the seat, and
with another night of similar torture
before them, haven't learned to this
day.
We saw plenty ofred men, and they
are to be found at nearly every station
on the Central Pacific Road. We met
none on the Kansas Pacific or Union
Pacific beyond Cheyenne. But here
they exist in abundance. They belong
to the Piute tribe, and the name well
decribes them, although lido not know
what it signifies. But it sounds ssme-
thing as they look. The men are of
medium stature, broad features, and
short heads. The women are like them.
The hair of both Is black, coarse and
long, with q luster to it that shows 1t
did not come out of stores. 1t is
combed straight down around, and
nearly hides their faces. If it quite
concealed them the hair would have
more friends than Jim Fisk possessed
before he fell and killed himself.
The men wore blankets and pants.
The blankets had the appearance of
having been used to smother b fire in
a slaughter-house And the pants
well, one look at the pants would fetch
tears from any distance. Idon't know
as their faces were dirty. Perhaps they
were not. If any one could get down
to where their faces are, he would find
out.
They were strong, healthy looking
men and women, but they di!n't have
that ferocity about them that scares
work. How they live do not know.
They may hunt for living. II so, it
goes to show how wonderful are the
ways OF creation. know of no better
place to hunt for living than on those
plains.
There was none of that wild grand
eur of apparel which had been led by
circus representations to believe mon
opolized the trunks of savages. The
blanket and pants, with soft hat
(where there was any hat at all) con-
stituted the wardrobe of both sexes.
There were no feathers, no fringes.
But there was paint. 1t was streaked
across the face In different hues. They
evidently gave great deal of attention
to this branch of art, and had attained
a success that appeared marvellous
When you got down from the car in
the night, and in the light Of the station
lamp saw one of these sample clerks
from the great national paint shop
cUme toward you, you got on the car
again. You may not have sprung on.
But that's the way it looks.
We passed few of their houses
Some of these were formed of poles
set in circle in the earth, and tied at
the top with strips of hide, and partly
covered with bits of cloth. In the GEN.
ter of this pavilion q 1re or sticks and
roots cooks the meals, and here the
family gathers to think OF the traditions
of the past and cough up smoke.
The Pukes-that Is Piutes, are people
of few pleasures. They have no combs,
so they ride on the cars to pass away
time. They get up on the platforms
to the baggage and postal cars, and
will sit there for hours and dodge cin-
ders. When they become tired of the
motion they will get down. Wherever
they stop they are at home. They
miss their clean linen, and bath, and
parlor organ, but they control their
emotions SO perfectly that you do not
suspect it.