New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-26
BLACK HILLS EXPEDITION.
PROSPECT OF POSSIBILITIES.

SIOUX AN INDIAN EMBAssf-A MULE ~"e
sApE-BANpING OF rHE sIoUx-A FIGHT fhoo-
ABLE.
IyRox THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rhiBuNH'I
FoRr ABRAHAM LINCOLN, ID. T., June Is
white expedttons are organized 10 md the North Pole'
and others pushing quests In Palestine iuheS'
Asia and the interior OF Africa II woaId seem In@'
regiment of cavalry the United States service eouu
met be nut TO better than in exploring portion Oh
our Own country, concerning which, although tue i'
,tuae Of Boston, only miles west OF the Missouri
River, we are utterly ignorant as u IL were III 'no
heart OF Africa This occasion have no DOUBT SUI
ncient for the great Of the people out IL docs o
.een TO satisfy the Indian Ring more than does
che Indians themselves II the seDtnentailsIs oouu
--.orernand the order of the Department commander
from intmatous already given, no doubt they "ou'u
interfere. II affirmed of TINS expedition more pos
itryely but lust untruy II was OF the feo"soue
expedition that travels with chip on Its shoulders
directly into reservation. The DESTINATION as
mmed is correct but the chip is q fabrication.
No doubt reconnaissance may involve nght Win
che Indians but 1t does invite II the exped-
ton we're purpOsey organized 10 single out and whlp
some of the more nsolent bands the river. II could
not indeed haze morally more sanitary object But
this is not its purpose The Indians now seem
determined TO make however, and they attempt
oppose expedition il have that result Gen.
Custer been ordered To the Black Hills He VIII not
90 out proper step to ind an Indian; but
n the Indians 90 of their to meet him. he VIII
still 70 70 the Hills and thrash the Indians IN the
bargain II difficult TO make the friendly Indians
the purpose OF the reconnaissance ana It's
conformity with treaty obligations the hostile Indians
Go not wish 10 understand.
THE AGENCY INDIANS.
Since coming here have sought Intelligence concern
spg the condition OF the Indians the and their
prosed attitude toward the expedition, TO supplement
personal inspection Of all the Missouri River agencies
made last Fall
The Maadans Rees and Gros ventres 80 miles
Tho
Government and always have been, though the Gov
eminent has never very friendly to them. Being
small IN numbers, untedly not exceeding thousand
the Government has had occasion TO fear them, and
therefore surfeited them with food and pres
ents but the contrary, has made them the victim
of starvation policy. II these Indians who are OF an
entirely different lineage from the Sioux had any VIZ
tuous way of supporting themselves. the indifference OF
the Government would not be material; but there is
little game on THAI the river; the Indian has
little inclination for agricultural pursuits, the soil Is
not readily productive and the Sioux are too fond of
coming ND on the side OF the TO make hunt
ing in small parties safe From year TO they have
lived hand-to-mOuth existence. Within the last year
however the Government has been more Just ana gen
erous in its ratOns ana the chiefs OF the tribes
have lust returned from visit to the Great Father 10
arrange for their future prosperity. From 80 to so OF
these Indians have been engaged the expedition as
scouts Their friendship has long been tested The
news Of the Sioux raid their homes at Berthod has
greatly exasperated them. They viii fight desperately
but at the white mans side.
Going down from Fort A. Lincoln, there are
ak agencies OF Sioux Indians within distance OF 400
miles OF these the Yankton YanktOnas, and the San
tee Sioux agencies numbering together about 1850 ln
diaRs friendly, and though few individual mein-
bers these tribes might lend moral encouragement 10
an expedition against Custer, the vast majority would
give il q support whatever.
AT standing Rock 100 miles below Fort Lincoln
at the Cheyenne Agency, within 10 miles Of Fort suly
there are OF three different varieties There are
the friendly Sioux who have agreed TO accept the
Government bride. considering 1t unsafe or impoue TO
do otherwise; second, the "hostes who come TO the
agencies only from necessity 10 foment mischief by
insitng better disposed Indians 10 insolenee and
violence Their influence is powerfully bad especially
uuon the Young mep from whom their section Is mainly
recruited thirdly, there are the semi-hosues VINO vac
ilate bet ween friendship ana hostility and whose mer
earial temper cannot be relied on Considerations OF
se,t,nterest determine them 70 peace, but strong In
naenee from the hostile camp easily induces them to
take the risks Of war
AT Standing Rock there are 900 or 900 Indians
on rations. The number OF young bucks who would
like a chance to bother Custer IN the Black Hills Is
pretty large. II would not be necessary to divugr
their intention 10 the agent The Sioux have neat
eupnemism when kindly recOnciles him 10 their de-
parture. They simply tell hun they want TO go OIL on
hunt They say nothing about the game The Inolans
here have little real progress toward CIVIL
izatiou. Tuey have buut no houses nave no SCHOOLS
among them. made attempt at agriculture; but
when they are eating their ratiOns or fighting the
Rees or the Government they are simply quescent
Their principal chiefs Two Bears. Running Ante
lope " no looks Ike than an antelope Fat
Belly Bear Ribs aud Long Soldier six feet six Inches ii
hight These Indians largely Of the Cacpa9a ana
Onagalla Sioux
AT the Cheyenne RIVER agency there are about 5000
Indians belonging 10 the Minneconjou, sans Arc, Two
Kettle and a part the Blackfcet bands Of Sioux.
Some Of their principal Long Manden, who is
the head Of the Two Kettles, -Four Bear Of the same
band Burnt Face OF the Sans Arcs Little swan Of the
Mipneconious and Little Black Feet The sans Arcs
are perhaps the most numerous. The Two Kettles are
tue most industrious. ana have built nearly forty
bouses : ar Grand River they are powerfully indi-
eneed by the hOstlles, and their young men 1orh
strong war party
DECLARING INTENTIONS.
The Indians at these two ageaeies both by word and
deed ha very frank declaring their intentions
Tor the summer At standing Rock Iudan came in
during the Winter bringing Mcclellan saddle. and
openly boosted that he the who Killed the
airy doctor the Yellowstone expedition. The sugar
coffee found N toe deserted Indian camps last SUM
mer proved that the Indians were lighting had erher
directly from the agencies or Dad been IN contact
with agency Indians. that II would be uureason
abe % suppose that the hOstlles may De cohsideia-
bly, nghened from this To leave no doubt
about tue matter. when OF the projected Black
Hls expedition reached the Indians AT Sdnding ROCK
delegation OF about 100 came up 10 pay their respects
party of l2 chiefs. and again about ha dozen o tue
same dignity, up on the same eIrand Two Bears
present with one Delegation ana Running Antelope
was the spokesman iOf eASh parry zen. 1usler III
formed his interyievers that the Government was
thinking OF sendIgg an expellns e1peito9 mo me
country that this the only portion OF tue COUNTRY
rast of the Rocky Mountains that was not known and
that the Great Father wished 10 learn something about
81: that expedition peacefu one that II he
met any Indians should meet them on irend terms,
they did hostile act that although we were
gong with peaceful Intentions we were going with