The New York herald., 1874-07-25


are said TO have sacred charm for the red man,
but TO be terra incognita TO the whites, and are
doomed to continue so If the protests OF few
are TO be needed. This attempt OF Custer's Is
saId TO be the irst effort III IL Is such an effort
on the part OF the government 10 obtain reliable
information touching the natural resources OF the
mysterious country in question.
The following extract will suffice TO show how
this expedition OF Clusters is viewed by The press
and the people:-
While the expedition is doubtless undertaken
zaton, the act Will very naturally be construed as
= breach OF iaith ON the part OF our government
by the Indian tribes, TO whom this region was
ceded IS permanent reservation
Why these hills are to remain unknown 10 the
white man and to civilization is based on the tact
that II invaded by Custer 1t will be in violation,
Indicated in the above extract, OF treaty obliga-
tions with the Sioux Indians. But this, If It is
really as represented, shows clearly that
THIS TREATY Is AN ABsuRDlrY,
and should at once be modified. II these hills, as
reputed, are rich with the precious metals, they
should be explored without delay, that
money scarce country may have abundance and
prosperity. Treaties with Indians should nave
provisions allowing the government to explore
any part Of the United States, if it thinks proper
to do so, and il the Indians will not consent 10
such provisions then break or all treaty stlpula
tions with them and punish them severely for
every violation OF law OF which they may be guilty.
II the white kills ne is pursued, and If caught,
either hung or sentenced to Imprisonment ior life.
The same stern rule OF justice should be applied TO
the Indians.
TIE TENPORIZING SPIRIT,
so prevalent at the present time, causes precious
moments TO be thrown away. What good effect
had this Christian and praseworthy spirit had
upon the Indians Can any body say that they are
any nearer the handling OF the plough, and pos
sessed of any more OF the civilng influences oithe
day than before this spirit was introduced into
the policy OF the government ~ The answer TO
these questions, We think, must be in the neg
ative
THE INDIANS CHARACTER.
The Indians, OF course. are very prone to profess
friendship, and act eXemplarily long 1t suits
their purpose and convenience. They use pohcy
because they believe the white men are easily
duped. The Indians ways, in the opinion OF the
Indian, are past finding out and it would seem
they are about right, as the white men have had
their character to study ever since the settlement of
the country and it is lact patent to all that they
are In ignorance OF 1t still. they would not have
been trined With so long. When use the term white
man use it in qualified sense, and except those
villains who are daily stealing from the Indians
and making them desperate. Powder, lead and
tended, are common articles OF traffic between
those men and the Indians When these devilish
articles are interdlcted by the government. with
the severest penalties attached, mdssacres Will be
Will be readily brought under the sway OF the
white man, whose natural disposition Is TO treat
HIS MEANS OF SUBSISTENCE.
1t Is often said that II the Indians do not receive
bring the Wild hey
subsist II this were really the case it would he a
good tnng Tor them, as they would be forced to
abandon their nomadlc life ana conform TO the
manners Of the White man. upon whose vocatiOns
they would have to depend lor livelihood. But
this Is Tar from being the case. as the Indian is
more expert with the bow ana arrow than he has
ever been with the rine To illustrate this will
servation.
In the spring of 1863, at Fort Randall. Dakota,
which was then an ou of-tne-way post and
favorfte rendezvous Of the various families OF the
Sioux Nation, we assembled number OF the young
bucks very small boys, who were armed with
the trees and, being new comers in an Indian
country, We were very desrous to see them shoot
view We offered them liberal prizes in the
way Of edibies, &c, II they would display
laughed and shook their heads, much as to say
"We WILL" We now Dusled ourselves in fixing the
made 1t quite large; but nnding they were exceed
ingly expert and that they won their wages with.
ont trouble, we put up smaller mark until
finally we got them hring through the ring IN the
cork OF canteen, little inch in diameter,
through which tney managed to pass their arrows
frequently. There was hardly an exception to
this good shooting. So it will be perceived that,
having acquired this accuracy in youth they must
20 great extent retain 1t during manhood
The strength with which Iull grown Indian can
send an arrow from his DOW saw fully demon
strated In the vicinity OF Fort Larned, Kansas
during a buffalo hunt. In the progress OF the
nunt, which was in full view OF the post, the In
dians sent their arrows so deep into the buifaio
that We could see but small part OF the Ieathered
end or the arrow, and IN or two instances tney
passed completely through the body OF the buffalo
Fhese examples are suniclent as illustrative Of
tnelr wonderful sklll with the DOW ana arrow.
THE Use OF THE RIFLE.
wandnrn SAIL Win M ad and rlhe nowevef Is no nTt SO
Indian 10 fire az a marx with a rifle, because pow
der and ball with them are TAR more precious than
money with us. on the Yellowstone expedition
OF last year we encamped IN place in the valley
OF the Musse Shell where had been large Indian
the many bark nuts and pole enclosures for
their ponies. While the ground, which
during our long and dS' tedious @ journey 'p'se we
discovered several marks or targets, at which
the indians, no doubt, had been testing their
sEll with the rife, and the common remark and
surprise o. all was the poor shooting. The dis
tance fred could not have been very great, as the
opinion they cannot compare with the white man
in handling the rife. Custer speaks OF the son OF
so good shot Custer himself, as he came out
best shot In every trial. Powder ana lead, there.
fore, with which they can do SO much mischief IT
is certain are not necessary for hunting their wild
game.
SANTANTA'S DESSERTS.
The name OF Santanta, mentioned above, Is a
familiar name TO Us. We heard IL often when we
were youthful soldiers or pioneers In Kansas. But
II our recollection is right we always heard 1t in
cOnnec ION with some bloody deed Tie use made
OF this well known name OF Santanta was prlnc
paliy 70 Illustrate the treachery ana unrellaDlty
OF the Indian character This big and bloody In
dian should have been hanged while he was a
prisoner In our hands but short time ago.
THE NOBLE RED MANS FRIENDSHIP.
The circumstance / am about to relate occurred
THINK In the year 1852, while We were stationed
on Pawnee Fork, busy engaged IN the process OF
adobe making TOR the building OF Fort Larned, since
which time 1t has been renovated and built anew.
At the time above stated the troops and white
men generally were deadly foes OF the KiOwa
Indians, who were Staying the whites wherever
lound. OF this tribe Santanta wes chief IL was
generally known and believed IN those days that
was a very warm friend OF the possessor
OF Walnut Creek Ranch, which was then an
important station on the line or the Santa Fe
route. The white person here alluded to bore the
name OF Peacock. Santanta, when he could not |
show himself to a white man except when he came