Omaha daily bee., 1874-06-03
HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS.
The Indians Getting Excited Over
the Black Hills Expedition
Troublous Times Antlci-
pated.
Sioux CITY Tiuies, May 81

Since the recent mysterious move
ments among the Sioux Indians at
the various up-river agencies many
speculations have been rife con-
corning their intentions. The
people at Fort Lincoln are just now
vexed over this problem, and no
incOnsiderable excitement prevails
there, as the citizens are fearful of
an attack from the Cheyenne In
dians, who left their agency on the
22d, 400 strong, which number was
to be augmented at Standing Rock
by the acquisition of another hum
dred.
But a few days since an old In
dian warned General Custar against
going on the Black Hills expedition,
informing him that such an expedi-
ton would result i'm bloody work.
General Custar will Immediately
hunt up these marauding bands now
out on the war path, and is prepared
to makea summer campaign against
them if necessary. There are nc
white settlements back of those posts
to be endangered, consequently the
citizens at Bismarck are anxious for
the opening of hOslilities between
the military force and the Indians,
feeling confident that it will result
i'm a sure victory for the troops.
Four hundred and fifty men are
expected to leave Fort Lincoln to-
morrow, (Monday) to learn the
whereabouts of the Indians, taking
with them sufficient rations to last
eight days, and will go i'm light
marching order. The Indian scouts
who have been seen from time to
time of late about Lincoln, have
been each time driven away by the
cavalry.
The simple announcement of the
fact that the foot of the white man
is said to have never entered the
Black Hills, is of itself a sufficient
incentive to fire the desires of thou
sands to visit that region, and the
time has now come when that coun-
try will be explored and its hidden
resources of wealth unveiled to an in
terested and expectant people. One
remarkable superstition of the
Sioux Indians is that the Black
Hills region is the home of the de-
parted spirits of the red men, pre-
paratory to their going to the happy
hunting grounds. In accordance
with this prevailing belief the Sioux
often visit that sacred region for the
purpose of communicating with the
spirits of the departed ones; and
being possessed of this belief they
sternly refuse to allow the white
man to pOllute the sacred soil by his
presence.
While it is generally understood
that the government will oppose the
following up of the expedition by
independent bands of prOspectors,
1t Is yet generally conceded that
such parties will follow along i'm the
wake of the military expedition.
Every precaution will be taken to
protect the Indians against invas-
ion by the fillibustering parties, and
the inhabitants are warned against
leaving the reservations Oh threats
DullISIlIIltnt. IL IL ltditu tIldt
the outbreaks which are just now
threatened by the Indians will in
some measure delay the expedition,
and if the hostIlities r continued
for any length of time, they will
undoubtedly result in Its indefinite
postpOnement.
If the Sioux make an attack on
the Rees, who are friendly to the
whites, as has been alleged to. be
their purpose, the government will
most likely step I'm and tender them
protection. AS a consequence of
the Sioux would eventually he
repulsed, i'm which case they would
scarcely be expected to make stren-
uous effort to oppose the expedition
to the Black Hills. At all events
this expedition is one that will be
watched with a great deal of anxiety,
and thousands of people will await
the result of it with bated breath.