The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-09
NEW YORK HERALD FRIDAY, JULY 9, l875-TR1PLE SHEET

no harness and advice about agriculture, with no
seeds most melancholy smile breaks on an In
dams face when ne relates what the government
mas done Tor him In an agricultural way. II the
department would send dozen good, honest
farmers or intelligence out here, and have them
teach Iorty Indians the rst principles OF farming,
agriculture would become contagious among the
tribe in few year The trouble Is
that O little skinning is done here and
there and few wniskey specializing "iarm-
ers" are put over large number OF
Indians Except In cases the result Is a
shame TO the department The whole thing Is q
fraud on its lace. The men who turn the sod and
leave tt for Indians who have no ploughs must
know that little or nothing can be raised. The
officer VINO Ia In command here would do more In
one year with a company OF soldiers toward
teaching them TO farm than the Agricultural and
indian Departments combined. The Indians can
read character, and they soon discover the
triders Wnen they are sick and hungry they go
to the officers. because they know that they are
men OF responsibility and action. The agent walks
around his barracks with cane and talks vaguely
about tlllng the soil and living on tobacco ana
beans. while his superlntendents spasmodlcaly
wrestle with the sod and look alter their smuggled
whiskey.
The Indians are successful IN raising horses. and
WY Souiu hhhC lOIbuHGS Win CAtIc. OLOCh IulS-
Ing is the solution of the Indian question In my
opinion. The history OF the races SHOWS that men
were first hunters, then keepers OF herds, and,
lastly, tillers OF the soil. The philosophers at
Washington would take the wild hunt
e. OF the plains and make them farm
ers at once. IL Is contrary to the laws
of nature and OF civilization. Men descend in the
order that they Use. The dissipated young
farmer who goes to Texas becomes herder, th en-
hunter. and, finally, a desperate and vaga-
bond. But the Indians are not so vicious as many
suppose. When they mix with the bad whites
they become corrupt and immoral.
The Indian who shoots q white man on sight for
a cause may be honest and brave IN his wild way.
beggars who hang around railroad stations and
live by gambling and stealing. The phy stefan who
has been at this place ioT several years says tna
the Sioux women, as class, are more vlrtuous
than the whites, especially the unmarried squaws.
Onicers and soldiers corroborate the statement.
Among the ZOO Indians here there are less than
dozen prostitutes. and they are mostly Marie d
women. The married life OF squaw Is hard. She
bears so many burdens and performs so much
drudgery that she grows despondenr and sells her
virtue for money to buy cloth aad trlnkets. The
chastity OF the maldens Is the subject OF frequen
remark among the whites. But II any one wants
After q charming tete-d-tete with Two Bears he
asked the interpreter TO show me his daughters
lsurveyed them ana told him tnat they painted
beautifully. Their faces showed more vermlllion
than city beliefs. Some Of the squaws are
splendid specimens OF physiological architecture,
and the frames OF the "bucks" are the fines
models in America.
THE INTERPRETERS.
knew 1t was useless to rely on the agents In
terpreter when / visited the CHIEFS He Is Igno-
rant absolute and immoral. Onicers and citizens
say that lie has caused much trouble here.
asked him the number OF Indians encamped
around the agency and he could not tel Finally.
he said 80 good many" 1 am erleved to
say that he Is 1u-blooded negro. His
wife is Sioux and his children ar e
what may be called works OF art They sing like
an Indian and dance like negro. The character.
Istlcs OF the two races peep OUT in singular con-
trast, and between the turbaA and the blanket one
ts almost bewlldered. While tho daughter handles
the bake Kettle her brother gives the war whoop
and swings his tomahawk. TIE Interpreters
name is Black Hawk, and he Is about as III to be
an interpreter as he Is 10 take charge or an art
gallery. The military claim that he smuggies
whiskey and has already caused the death OF one
man In his own house at midnight orgy. His
log CABIN IS q lew rods west OF the agency build
ing. The officers say that he keeps house OF
prostitution, and furnishes liquor TO the Indian
and soldiers who frequent 1t. Most or the Indians,
and especially the chiefs, call hun a bad man. The
other interpreter, who is employed by Colonel
Poland the commanding ofcer, has been a
teacner IN the Indian schools at Cheyenne agency,
near Fort Sully. He is intelligent. After studying
at Ann Arbor he served his time IN the war.
Agent Palmer was against him. and would not
allow him around the agency When Colonel
Burk succeeded him the young man came
over the river and was stopping near the
quarters when he received orders from that gen.
ileman to leave or he would send him to Fort
Suy. He did not CO. Colonel Poland was then
requested to put him under guard ana send MIN
to the fort. Now. the Colonel knew the inter-
prefer and liked him. and, having Obtained per-
mission to employ him for the government, no
told the agent mat while he was In his charge
and did his duty he should protect HIN. The
agent intimated that he had exclusive control Of
the reservation and that the military had no right
to interfere with his Affairs.
The agents are very frlendy to the soldiers II
there Is danger. Last winter when the mercury
was twenty or thirty degrees below zero Colonel
Poland was sent for In great haste. The agent
feared q massacre The soldiers made forced
marcn down the river from the point where they
were stationed above. The first night they camped
at Cannon BAH Greek on the MISSOURI Tne cold
was intense and wild storms were sweeping
over the Plains The next morning they began
their march early and at midnight their buges
rung out on the wintry air OF Standing Rock. Inc
agent and his friends said 1t was most Joy full
sound. the Indians suffered for months after It.
but they offered no violence. There were 900 OF
them ana less than 100 soldiers.
PASTORAL LIFE IN THE INDIAN COUNTRY.
COlOnpl Poland aaid for w on raIV
Trustworthy and that he was at my service. l en-
gagged the gentleman and we started for the
Yanktona lodges, lour miles up the river. The
scenery along the road was like panorama. The
long green slopes and the unduatIng meadow
lands OF the bottoms were alive with ponies and
occasional groups OF indians. As we galoped
around the battements of a mgh blur that COM
manded the country for twenty miles u broad
valley opened among the hills and at the further
end of 1t tract OF ploughed ground appeared. 1t
was lovely Sunday afternoon. Bands OF dusky