The Morning herald., 1876-07-13
SITTING BULL AND THE SIOUX


PersO0AA d Sketch OF the Savage Chief.
The St.@Louis +" Globe Democrat" of Sat-
urday, gives the 5bllowing sketch of the 81
oux Chief in conversation with Mr.. j. D.
Keller, of that city, Mr.. Keller was, from
1868 to 1878, clerk of the agent at Standing
Rock, and had an ample opportunity 10 get
acquainted with this tribe of blood thirsty
savages. In fact he lived among them so
long that he learned to speak their language
"like g native" and was 1 great tavorite
with the big chiefs who came to the agency.
They called him "Mipnehua Ochila,"
(the writing boy.) The word Sioux means
''cut throat" According to Mr.. Keller's
statement, the various bsnds of Sioux num-
Der from u, 900 to 10000 and are divided
into the following different tribes:
Unkapapa, Black Feet, Sans Arcs,
Two Kettles, Upper Yanktonais, Lower
Yanktonais, Santee Sioux, Burgklyns, Min
necopjous, and Galkas. Part of these live
east and part west of the Missouri. Taton-
ka Ota1ka (Sitting Bully who led the saw
ages to the fight against Custer, belongs to
the Unkapapas (lried beef eaters.) Mr..
Keller knows him well, and describes him
to be about five feet iu height. He has
large head, eyes and nose, high cheek bones;
one Of his legs is shorter than the other,
from gun-shot wound in the left knee.
His countenance Is Of an extreme savage
type, betraying that bloodthirstiness and
brutality for which he has been so long noto-
rious.f He has the name of being one of
the most successful scalpers in the Indian
country. There has been a standing reward
of 81 600 offered for his head for he laet
eight years, by the Montana people, who
have special cause to know his terocious
nature, some OF his worst deeds having
been perpetrated in that Territory. The
Sioux, when on the war-path, black their
faces from the eyes, down, the forehead
being colored bright red. When in
revenge the, death " Of friends Isi or
relations, they cut their heir short and
daub their faces with white earth. They
consider the greatest act of valor to be the
striking Of their enemy with hard instru-
NETS while alive, and, " 1ether alive or
dead, 1t is the first one that strikes the fal-
len foe that "counts the coup, ,"and not the
one that shoots him. They do not always
scalp. Their object in scalping is to furnish
a proof OF their deed, and give them to their
women to dance over. They attack in
sweeping, circling line, eagle-like, give
volley, pass on, circle and return on diff
ferent angle. When they kill one of the en-
envy there is always rush to get first crack
at him, SO as to "count the COUP" and then
some Indian who was disappointed in get
ting cut at the victim while alive, scalps
him. The Sioux always camp with tepes
(lodges) in circle, making as it were, d
stockade, and when Oh dangerous ground
they picket their ponies in the centre. Mr..
Keller is familiar with the ground where
the disastrous engagement of Custer occur
red. Concerning this he said "My idea
Of the Custel slaughter is that the Indians
had no women or children in their lodges,
and had parapets dug under the lodges out
of sight. Custer thinking it was family
camp, rushed in the centre OF their fort,
where resistance would necessarily prove
fatal. His only means of escape was
after finding himself in this fix, to run
right though and out, and not to stop to
fight, but join Reno's command on a retreat.