The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-08-24
FROM THE BLACK HILLS.
letter n ,sr1, from uai |. Kavenua .nnla Boy,

/ n We are permitted TO-, publish the
following letter written by Mr.. VIM.
BrakIow, from the Black Hills country
to his brother in this town .u
DEAD WooD, d. T., Aug. 1st, 1876:
DEAR BROTHER Your letter of
May Both I received yesterday, and
you may, be sure I was, right glad to
hear from home. 1 wrote you in
June, but it seems to me you did not
get my letter. sent it by some man
who was going back TO the States. lie
must have been Killed by the. Indians
going back or you ought,to have, re-
ceived il. ] have been mining until
about FIVE weeks ago but the water
has given out, SO that we. cant mine
any more now. l have made a little
money, but no great fortune. have
been out on the foot hills, and plains
hunting and fishing. ! have taken up
a. farm on Red River of l60 acres of
the best farming land. Grass is four
to five feet long. If the Indians are
only driven out OF that country it will
be very good. Game is plenty, such
as deer and antelope, and the river is
full of fish. have spent four weeks
there building cabin and stockade.
and hunting most OF. the time. Indi-
ans are plenty there yet. see them
every day. About four weeks ago,
when out hunting they got the best of
me. 1 had killed deer three miles
from camp down in a deep, ravine
where could not get down with the
pony. l saw no Indians about, so
| hitched him to small tree and went
down the ravine and brought up the
deer. After l got up l saw an Indian
on my horse going for the Hills at his
best. He had laid in ambush watch
ing. Well, so it goes. | did not like
it bit, but what could | do but start
for camp OH foot. Well, l will get
even with them when l can get hold
of another one. Horses are scarce in
+ the Hills, for Indians are stealing
them all the time. There isn't a day
but what they get from ten TO twenty
horses. All the Agency Indians have
lett their places without horses or guns
and are now III here stealing all they
can get hold of. They want to get to
The Big Horn to fight Crook and his
men. But hope they will soon be
killed out. There are about 10000
warriors with good horses and guns.
as good rs the Government has if not
better. l have not much fear for them,
all l want is a fair show. I am quite
well, except my eyes; they are very
sore from looking over the plains
when awful hot, but hope they will
be better soon. walked Saturday Is
miles TO Dead Wood, aud am going TO
have another pony, and l expect to
return to the farm this afternoon and
will see if they can get him. l do like
| to be out.
Dead Wood is getting to be quite a
city, with about 200 stores, dance
houses and saloons in it. Provisions
are getting cheaper, for they are bring
ing them faster. than they car use
them. There are from eight to ten
hundred teams coming in every week
now, mostly 'oX-teams. l would like
to have you see the Hills, for it is
quite sight: all log cabins. Every
thing goes ON lively. Sundays all
places are open and every ybody gets
drunk who has a dollar to his name,
This is what you call "a free country"
However. if man steals he is bound
to be hung. They hang from one to
five every week for stealing or MUIR
dering. 1t is nothing uncommon.
The folks are going now about i from
here to see a man hung for stabbing a
fellow. They got him yesterday about
50 miles from here and he came to
Dead Wood last night about IL O'Clock.
He is to be hung at half hast ten this
forenoon Such is the country. /
do not know when will go home
If the Indians are taken out of the Big
Horn / am going to stay there this
winter; if not may 60 home. ~ 4
- y 1t is great country, l tell
you. Now, thinkI will go out TO
my ranch tomorrow. However, the
report this evening is that the Indians
are there very thick. Perhaps Dead
Wood will send out men to fight them.
They ask for 100 men with ten days
"grub" and gun and horse. . ''a7'i'' ii'
Well, l think Twill have to stop for
this time. Unjust get little "grub
to eat !; have to bake bread and. fry a
little bacon with some coffee. Don't
you think you would like it? 1 tell
you, when get at it can eat,a good
bit. My appetite never has been bet
ter than since i have been in the Hills.
l can eat any time and good big
mealitoo. h aHseHI -roii 3dT'
Give my regards to- all Il: - 81 f'f
Tell them would like to see them,
but dou't think they would knew
me. am black as All Indian, with
hair cut very close to my head, iland
haven't shaycd since l left home. L
only change my clothes till, they are
W orn out, and can lay down OH the
ground anywhere now without a
blanket and sleep Ikea good fellow.
l remain your Bro, - -
w. j. BKAKLow.l
a COUNTRY subscriber informs lis
that lille operating u reaping .nachine
the other day one Of his cows got in
front of it aud he soon had 'beef Ia
moaced." la t.sssti 4 .,.,-s.s-.l l5fifsi, los,