The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-07-04
INDIAN FABLE LAND.
Custar's Expedition to the Fastenesses
Of the Hack Hills.

Inc forces bnuS QeS1BnHIeu Will NC
numerical ly as follows: 600 cavalry,
100 infantry, 100 civilian employees, and
upwards of 80 scouts. There will be
section of Calling guns, and train of
$50 wagons. Gen. Gustav will be &C
companied by Bloody Knife, who, with
Clemmo, piloted the Yellowstone e1pe-
dition last year, and Bears Ears, who Is
said 10 know more about the Black Hills
than any other available Indian on the
river.
Gen. Custar's staff will be composed
of the following officers: Acting Assist
ant General, James Calhoun. First
Lieutenant seventh cavalry Quarter
master and comRnissary.<,.E E. Smith,
i irst Lieutenafib seventh cavalry; Chief
Medical officer, Assistant Surgeon J. w.
Williams, .. s. A; Engineer officer,
Capt. VIM. Ludlow, engineer corps, q.
S. A; Acting Aids, Lieut.. Col. Fred d.
Grant, A. d. c., and Major Geo. A.
Forsyth, A. A. d. G. to lieutenant gen.
eral.
Gen. Gustav will endeavor to make as
thorough a scientific survey as possible,
and to this end is to have the company
of George Bird Grinnell, an assistant
of Prof. Marsh, of Yale, who, aided by
Mr.. L. H. North, will secure as large
a collection of fossils as the opportunity
affords, and will make a report on the
geology of the country. It is to be re
GREETED that mineralogy, botany and 20
olOgy are not to be specially represented
in the scientific corps. A photographer,
however, happily accompanies the expedi-
ton, and Will bring to the outside world
/ the first authentic representation of this
unknown region.
The expedition this year will be less
Z ~ l. L d. Il.
contai ed twice as many soldiers and re-
| quired a much larger wagon train. The
| object of that expedition was to deter
mine the feasibility of a railroad route
/ from the Missouri river to the Yellow
! stone and beyond. The survey was par
amount and could not be delayed to
satisfy our curiosity about the adjacent
/ country. The present expedition has
| entire freedom. Gen. Gustav will pro-
| coed as directly as possible to Black
| Hills, which are on an air linz about 210
miles distant, on marching line about
| $50. Once there he can go yeneu and
where he pleases. The march to the
/ hills will occupy some fifteen days. AL
| lowing the same time for the return, a
| whole month will be left to spend in the
heart of the Black Hills. The infantry
Will be sufficient to guard the train.
The cavalry, after having established
a rendezvous, can move wherever the
country seems to invite.
If the reader Will take a recent map
of the United States and find the point
where the corners of Wyoming, Dakota
and Montana touch each other, and will
| there notice the great swarm of cent?
pedes by which map-makers are wont to
indicate hills, he will know about as
much of the Black Hills as the best
| geographer at present can tell him.
For the chief thing known about them
IS that they are there. In 1850 an ex-
] petition going west from the Missouri
river skirted this range of hills and in
Dictated Bear Butte and some of the
streams which find their sources in the
interior. But only so much of the coun-
try was seen as might be seen of q
walled city by moving outside under q
portion of the wall and noting a few of
the domes and steeples from distance.
OF vast area in the interior of the
Black Hills we have no positive knowl-
edge.
The truth is, that the Black Hill
have long been the stronghold of large
bodies of hostile Sioux, who have been
and still are jealous of the approach
and interference of the white man. Yet
the reports of this region which have now
and then been brought to the agencies
by friendly Indians have been such as to
stimulate interest to the utmost.
From these reports the coulary is be-
leved to be rich in minerals and game
and beautiful in aspect. 1t would long
before this have been invaded by the
white man had not a treaty with the
Sioux still In force conceded it as part
OF the Sioux reservation, and had not
the Indians willingly assisted the gov
eminent in enforcing the treaty. The
present expedition, however, is entirely
In accordance with the treaty. 1t is not
intended to occupy the country, but
simply to explore it, right which the
government reserved for itself. Nc
miners or adventures will, however, be
allowed to accompany the expedition.
Anxious to learn as much as possible
of the country we are to enter, by the
kindness of Gen. Custar was afforded
an opportunity to meet and converse
with Bears Ears, before mentioned as
to the best authority on the river con
corning the Black Hills. Through the
meditation of Mr.. T. F. Gerard, an ac.
= complished interpreter who spent &c
y years in this country and has an init.
mate knowledge of the Rec language
l was easily enabled to get the Indian
story in good English. Bears Ears Gin
dian name, Coon-ough-et-ca-ta- wa) is an
Arickaree Indian, coming from a point
high up the Missouri river. As the
Black Hills are far down on the Dakota
in the Sioux country, and the Sioux
and Rees are traditional enemies, it was
a matter of curiosity to learn how
Bears Ears had come spend five wears
in southern Dakota among the Sioux.
I I hot fho ho1 81 al
history which soil accs4zated for this
change in latitude. The loss of two OF
his fingers, which I readily discovered
on shaking hands with him, was a per-
petual reminder to the Indian of an
early feud, the disgrace, the long
nursed revenge, the retaliation and the
establishment which ensued from it.
Dressed up in an ample suit of United
States blue, devoid of ornament and
war paint, Bears Ears seemed friendly
enough in appearance /; but there was
something IN the piercing eye, the
broad, heavy, rather Gothic features
the str ng base to the brain, covered by
the long black hair, which did not con
tradict his tragic history.
The Rees, like all other tribes of In.
dams, are divided into bands. Bears
Ears was leader of one of these bands
Quarrels among different bands and
their members are frequent, and Bears
Ears was not an exception to the rule.
He himself became involved in a quar-
rel. His antagonist, pushing vords to
blows, took mp a piece of wood from
the fire and beat him over the body.
Bears Ears did not return the blows.
His wrath was bitter, bat discreet and
patient. Had he been well supported by
friends and relatives, he would have
taken his knife and cut off, not the SCALP
bit the top-knot of his foe-one form
0f Indian recompense. But he was not
strong enough in friends to meet the
consequences. Then he waited to see
if his insulter would make PREPARATION
by sending him a horse, which, as a
peace offering TO an injured Indian, COW
ers multitude of sins. BIT no horse
came bearing the olive branch, and
Bears Ears took silent VOW for ven
geance. He prayed to the gods. Ev-
cry day for nine months he rose at day
break, went off three miles, and there
did penance and made offerings to bis
favorite deity, praying that he might
| .1ot love his enemy, but that he might
! hate him more and more. In his ter
rible earnestness he cut off two of his