, 1874-06-01

Cuntnr's Proposed Expedition OF Ex-
plNr{a&itN.

Cuotnr's Proposed Expedition OF Ex-
plornsiUn.
From she 81. Paul prsss.
The Black 1ii]la country, nltuatcd In tho South
western portion Of Dakota Territory, aud lying
hetweou tho Dolia Fouros1o ltivor and South fork
of the big Cheyenne, branches Of tho Missouri,
and extending into Montana, Is ut the proseik
ti1no tine1 1plored by tito white mau. Numerous
expeditions hsyo from tin,c 10 tinao hoen tattcd
oue for tho purFoao Of exploration headed by
men OF intlotnitablo perseverance, md undoubt-
cd daring. but nono have Oh Jot bcon ablo to
These attempts at exploration i,avo in nlnont
eseyy inssahca becn ,su5larln<!uced by the
very gonoral boliof thnt gold aud silver are to
bo found. Several Of these expeditions
s' vo ea oo"s 1s'fe ecool ast 5'ssssasa ssse
cnrnestly endcayoring to obtain tho oonseut Ok
tho Genoral Government to explore It. Dnt the
Government has over refused to grant permission
to any QUO to penetrate tho Dack Hills country,
laying as 1t docs III tho very heart OF tho Sioux
1ndlan roHorvatton; and also refused protection
to such parties ns heye attempted 1t without Gov
ornmolt cognizanco.
All such attempts huye, however, proved uu-
succosBfu1 nud 1t is sail that tue foot Of tho
wilfto man has never entorcd tho region. TIC
Sioux Indiaas are possessed of suporstitlous
belief TINT tito rogiou is tho homo Ut tho do
parted spirits Of tllo Indians, preparatory to their
ofton visit the sacred region for the purpose of
communicating with the departed spirits. IoB-
Aoeaod Of this boliof. they havo rof!aed to alloy
tho foot OF tho whito man over to roluto tho sa-
cfed soil.
An ordor has, however, boon recently issncd
camninnuing Gen, Cuatnr to make an cxplurn-
ton of tho rogion and ten companies Of cavalry
and t,ro Of artillery aro lifting for tho expedl-
of June, providing nothing occurs which will
necessarily divert tho attention OF tic forces
| unon tho frontier. Lieut-Col. Fred Grant aud
Con. Forsythe, of sheridau'a stal, accompany
the expedition. and Col. Ludlow, ohlcf Of En-
gsnoers, now, located at this point, will bayo
! chnrgo Of tho surrey. Several Experienced
| miners will also accompany tho expedition for
| tho purpose Of examining the claimed mineral
deposlts, and # is believed that tho mystery ap
faotorily solved. Whilo 1t is pot the purpose Of
dian tsibes, tlero ia no doubt that tl,e
expedition will moot with tho most vo-
}o,lt opposition. Neither is 1t tho purpose
Of tho expedition to permit Of any Citizen ae-
companying tho. forces into tho Bluof Hills
| country. Several independent expeditions nre
already ta1kod Of. Ono is enid TO bo forming as
Sioux City, and another at Bismarck under tho
1nnn WHO has before stood hro. These earoii-
t'ons propoao to follow in tho waAo Of Gen.
Custar md his forces, but tho Government will
oppose al such attempts. 1t ia equally tho pur-
| against the invasion by fbuaterlng e1peai'
tions and to explore tho unknown region. Fur
tier thnn this it las over boen tho policy OF the
Var Department to kcep tho troops moving into
tho Indian country NO aA to provo to tho iniabi-
tants that tboy arc watched, md any 1cprcda.
tionB or attempts tn ]oaYo thu reservations vii
DO mot with punishment. This, doubtless, is in
great degree tho purpose Of tho expedition
now forming.
The threa.cncd outbreak which tho telegraph
announces ,nny delay the expedition, and, II ths
hoat:1itcB ate long continued, must result in til,
postponcmont OF tho project for tho present
The Sioux hayc long been spelling for war will
tho Kecs, aud hayo wugcd it upon thom when.
ever it were possible, offering every insult know
to Indian warfare. Should thoy n,alo an attacls
who are friendly to the whites, government pro
tection will be tenterea them. Tho Sioux, as I
sequence, must finally be rcpulscd, and, shou1t
this 10 the case, thoy would not in all probabili
y. make violent opposition to tho pisek Hi IL
psso hyng S s5sSnSh OF til
At nil events, whatever Bhnll bo tic result o
the threatened outbreak. tho result OF Gen
Guitars Black Hills expedition Of exploration
will be awaited with interest. whether intended
with bloody conflicts with thu Indians, or other
| .iua