The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1877-08-21


Curious History.
II IS \ well known fact in the mountains
that the m"st influential men an"ng the
Indians are what * -slissi ,cnscs.i- white.
Their familiarity with the habits 81 civili-
ksiion-il,-ir -i,r-w.ins-ss and s,yaciiy, make
them an invaluable "lj~ct e. the savage, 10
his dealings with the Government aud the
settlers. A few wears ago, ma tribe uas con-
sidcred complete without its
sQrAw NAN,
as he is named. from the fact that he l.
required TO marry family of the band, and
in this way identifies himself with It's
fortunes. The Wild and adventurous life
led bv the savages-the wonderful episodes
that almost daily cheer the mouoiosy Of
their wandering existence, and the nnre-
strained freedom which characterize il, Is
powerful incentive Z" the un.s.uth front
i-rman. Eut few years ago there in
'iuc-men:s were largely augmented by the
opportunities which this
FREE AND EASY
mode Of existence afforded for acquiring
fortune, and influence. The-c Ne men 81
constituted that they would infinitely pre-
ifr to lie chief of Wild and savage tribe,
with unlimited freedom im excess to the
staid and sober requirement, of civilized
liic. Their feelings are greatly intensified
by an experience which the large freight
ing expeditions, whhh few years sg".
were the only means of transportation e.
the far West, afforded. The habits AMI
feelings thus acquired untitled men ior the
restraints ii organized society. There was
4 novelty in the
WILD LIFE or THE PLAINS,
and the grandcurs oi the wilderness which
charmed their selr>cs and lc, them captive.
Of this kind was Thomas Hunt, horn in
Cooper county, and whose parents reside
there now. In 1886 he was wagon master
in the employment, oi the famous fright
ing firm OF Jones, Russell X Co, III this
! county, and i'm company with n numl'cs al
respectable gentleman. now living in the
neighborhoci al S-lslia, pulled cut his
Wagons
ON THE LARAMIE TRAIL
He was quick, high spirited, and rensrka-
bic alike Tor his Intelligence and I'll. steal
beauty. 4 iavori,e with his companions
he was trusted by his employers, and very
naturally occupied place from which h,
could aspire Ia an influential position IN
life. Eut the blood al the rover WAS in his
! veins. and be more than once avowed his
purpose of never again returning To civ
plains, and Le hal ri course seen something
oFINmaN LIFE,
I and become infatuated with il. ~ when
the trains reached Laramie lac gave up hi.
charge and joined n trapping expedition i'
the Bow river country, then as now, Oh,
hunting grounds I'll the N.z Per a. ana
Pen Il Orille In.iians. With his pr"con
ceiv.d notions III what constituted the
blessings ii existence. il is not strange thai
he >oon Infatuated himself Ia the practice.
I'll the tribe, and in
THE LANGUAGE oY THE FRONTIER,
became ore al them An incident :elaie,
al him at this time marks the singular
character al The man. perhaps more dis
iincily AMI wildly than any mere diScrip
ton coulL do. Among these Indians the
sun Dance is favorifc test of courage
They meet in the fall after the buffalo hun,
Is over Ia make what they call Big Eesii
cine, which, Is meant Ia develop the power,
81 endurance. which i neat To bravery ana
cunning, a chief virtue In the savage. Ihs
ceremony. II the savage ordeal can h. .ii:.
niIie.i by such Il mare, consists in 4 bar
barous practice
~ SELF TORTURE.
The Indian Who cries "ut ar gives signs a
pain Is ca>hiered from among the braves
AMI l. forever afterwards known ~ Ssiu1w
This torture is as peculiar as the ingenuity
of the savage. Sometimes lac will take :
knife and lasl, his arms and brcaSt-soms,
times \ glowing brand Is applied To hi
naked breast and held there until Iuenchet
in blood ar il burns Ia the bone; some
times he will run thorns throu, h the
muscles oi his arms AMI suspend himscl
by them until
THE FLESH IL TORN orr
and releases him. The agony is Of cours.
excruciating and the pain almost unendura
bic. The Disagreement is the beast thin,
that is thought about il. Indeed, the scar
are honorable men,entoes OF his courage
Woe to the savage who blenches at the test
A groan would pillory him in the irib'
forever-a cry would raise storm Of de
risicn that would kill him with shame
This terrible torture Hunt sought and en-
dure,i. His iron nerve carried him through
test which would have wiring
smRIEKs OF ANGUISH
from any ordinary M n. Thenccforwar
he was a chiefiain in the tribe. lie mar
ried chiefs daughter aud became III,
leader Of a war party. The Ne.' Perez
we're then al feud with the fur traders. and
Hunt led many daring raid acrors tb'
line into the British possessions, aud ont
night in the autumn Of 1863 he slormes
the pos, of winnepeg and gave its garriso'
10 the tomahawk and
| rur co. 4 psyc KNIFE
Finally the mountain police, As the cavalr!
Of the northwest territory is named, chase
the Nez Perce~ out Of Canada and they re
turned To their reservation On the COlum
bia river. But they are said to have man
tanned intimate relations with the Sioux
and to have shared in the war which led d