The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-12-07

tfHt tiE 0lQuA. ltt tOWlii UHt NlfftAA Nfi't
did not understand syllable of English
or French, and had never received any
education. lie was proud that he knew
nothing Of the language and customs Of
The pale-fnce, and avoided learning them.
lie obtained and mliniaincd supremacy
over his tribe simply by superior natural
cunning. lie was essentially dcma-I
goguc, following the will OF the majority
instead Of shaping their opinions. iiel
was originally mchicine-mnn, and thcl
warriors rallied around him because
they discovered in him the qualities Of
personal courage and shrcwanees. llel
was never chosen Chief, nor DO the.
Sioux ever elect a Chief. They simply
follow the man they believe d possess
superior wisdom until they lose faith in
him, when they rally around some other
person who happens 10 have the ascen-
dency in their good opinions. One
secret Of Sitting Bnil's erg-comlinued
popularity i his extreme reserve and APP
parent humility. lIeiS among thc poorest
Of his tribe. Tic lost hi. tent il crossing
the Missouri river. and when he arrived
'on British soil. he had no shelter for
himself and family. He obtained al
small tent. the shabbics. III The VILLAGE.
IN which he, his wife and five children.
and his unmarried sister, Il maturel
maiden fifty years of age. lived. ilel
was also very devout, according TO thcI
savage idea Of devotion, aud this quality
Won him respect. lie observed will
strict fidelity all the ceremonies Of his
pagan religion. such as the sun dance
and the new moon dance. IIc worshipsl
n ns.fl ats1 hn-
llieves that he hears the voice Of God I'LL
the wind and the roar Of the waters.
His personal habits are simple byl
choice as well as by necessity. lie des- n
pises the costumes of civilization. a
shirt, pair OF leggins, moccasins. and a
coarse blanket is all he wants. Buffalo
meat is all the food he will eat. Whis-
ky he looks upon as the evil spirit and
will not taste il. He isas
4 uxosTENTATioUs N HEs MANNER
as he is simple III his habits. lie cxacts
mo defcrcntial treatment and LAYS no
claim to being Chief, though be Il inn
,lplicitly obcycd. lie treats his wife and
'fhildrcn with consideration, aud docs
mot believe that one man should have
more than one wife. though some az his
braves have two and even more. In ap-
,lpcafance Sitting Bull is not unlike the
.Iordinary Indian. except that he bears
Some external evidences Of greater cum
ming than his associates. He is swarihy
alaDd fierce. and his hair hangs in loug
separate trcsses. the middle trcss being
,lmuch longer ikan the others. and always
NEATLY plated and ornamented with a
,Isinglc caglc-fcatAcr. lie II fifty years
!, of age, but his hair Is still as black as Il
Grow. His eye is as keen as the eagles.
aud he Is the most expert riileman of ali
1.-THE Sioux. Ii Is said OF him that his aim
Ills so sure that no man at whom his rifle
! has been pointed has escaped. IT Is be-
! lieved by the Young braves that The
Great Spirit has ordained that Sitting
.,'lBull cannot shoot al white nun with.
! out killing him. lie il also The best
sIbowman of his tribe, and often uses The
arrow in battle aud in The chase.
Abbot Martin said that during Iii.
eight days stay in the Sioux camp. Iii.
!. 'ert was almost constantly crowded with
visitors. The Young men came. laughed
land talked with him, told stories and
.isang. Their songs have no words
merely tuneful sounds. many Of The air.
o,lrich with melody and music. 1hoagl
!, their songs have no words. Tie senii
lmcnt and subject, whether CAV or sad
are easily distinguishablc by intonation
expression and attitude. In this wa,
y xthey have war songs. marriage. funcra
eland devotional songs. which are al in
dtclligiblc IN their rendition as The yerba
dlcompositions OF the civilized races.
! THE sQuAws
calso came 10 sec Abbot Martin and max,
n him welcome. The Sioux women h,
rhescriles as contcntcd and hanpy
Il Though they do the drndgcry or catnl
clife, they laugh and sing a. gaily as NO
LINEN do in civilized life, ana are devote,
dIo the cause Of their husbands. Mar
Icriagc II not binding OH either men no
i women among the Sioux, and when Oh
u gets tired he or she quits. These intor
dmal divorces are frequent, but toler
,fable degree Of domestic harmony seem
lsto be maintained, nevertheless. III
owomcn arc as prond of the deeds OF thci
i braves as arc the braves themselves. an
, they crown the warriors returned fror
dlvictory with green twigs. This tri
mumphal ceremony Is observed when
Il ever the warriors return from Il victc
,drious campaign loaded with spoils. bu
4, mot after triumph In defense OF thci
Tclcamp or stronghold. such as they rcgar
'hIthe Custer fight 70 have been.
ll Abbot Martin left the Indian countr
Ola few weeks ago. and returned 10 NJ
in Indiana. The object ,
tchis visit here was 10 obtain the consci