Daily globe., 1878-02-25
HENRY NJ. STANLEY ON THE PLAINS
Il Leaf From, Hts life.


Democrat. During the spring and snm-
mer of that year his letters under the sigma
ture of STANLEY will be remembered by
many, not only from their graphic descrip-
IONS OF Indian life, but bold fearlessness
IN crltlclslng men and measures. military Or
civil, that Won for him no inconsiderable
reputation He was present with Gen. Han
cock in April, when the Generals ur-
fortunate attack and total destruction of the
Indian village of the Cheyennes and one hun
dred thousand dollars worth of property oc-
Cured. The burning of this village was the
immediate cause of the war that followed.
the damage to the construction of the Pacific
railroad, and the outrages and barbarities
that the Indians afterwards perpetrated. Ii
is enough here to say that the affair settled
Mr.. Hancock's S Presidential pie. as subse-
quent events proved. The letter of Stanley
who was an eyewitness when the order was
given. together with his accounts of the lives
that the officers lead at the outposts, did not
tend to give the military very exalted loca-
ton in public opinion. In the decline of
summer peace commission composed of
Generals Harney, Sherman. Sanborn, Terry,
Senator Henderson. Commissioners Taylor
and Colonel Tappan was sent out by the
government to treat with the Indians. After
proceeding as high up the Missouri river as
Fort Sully they returned to Omaha in Octo-
Der, and Mr.. Stanley received orders to join
the COMMISSION as correspondent for the
Democrat. The hostile Indians were agree
able to meeting at Medicine Lodge Geek.
branch of the Arkansas, 145 miles from
Fort Harker. The expedition occupied
about six weeks, and your correspondentha
daily opportunities to become tolerably we'll
acquainted with Stanley and form some sort
OF an estimate OF the manner of man he was.
since he belonged to that sort who carry
their hearts on their sleeve, and was particu-
larly outspoken in regard to himself.
In personal appearance he was stout. dis
posed to be thick set, his physique not mas
sive nor of that chubby. wiry. bread should
cred sort that would stand great amount of
hardship. His hair was black. and his eve a
sort of irdescribable color, perhaps a cross
between gray and green-an eye once
seen never to be forgotten-not from any ex-
traordinary brillaincy or fash it contained so
much as an oddity that was peculiarly It's
own. One of the correspondents always
| spoke of his eyes AS wolf eyes He wore
a slight mustache. was most abstemious in his
| habits. and possessed of more enthusiasm
and energy in his profession than any person
/
energy. that no amount of ridicule phased.
that no sneer of increIulity daunted. that no
amount or labor hindered. that no possibility
or fear OF danger or consequences turned aside.
coupled with All amount of assurance in re-
lating his own exploits that at the time
seemed, if not on the ''brag'' order, at least
slightly savoring of Munchausenism His
| life had decidedly been romantic one. He
entertained Us during the long and dreary
rlde from Fort Harker, over the desoiate and
dreary Kansas prairies as the springless
ambulance wended its way slowly and iolting
along over the ratty road, with tales of his
life i'll Persia and Turkey. his robbery and
| imprisonment as spy and his final deliver
ance by the aid of the United States minister
at Constantinope. His memory of adven-
lures was remarkable. and when the springs
of that ran dry. he had the gushing and
luxurlant fountain of q we'll nigh Oriental
imagination to draw more facts from. He
pointed out ali the notable places along the
route-the ford at Fort Zarah, where the
Mexlcans We're killed, and then launched into
a description Of mules. their peculiarites.
differences and traits of character only their
OWL, and the next minute descanted in
strains of boyish admiration over the wonder
ful acting of a Miss Annie Ward at that
q
decidedly fond Of the lady with sort of
frank and boyish admiration that was re-
freshing to behold in one so versed on
places, and countries, and people in distant
and different climes. At 4 o'clock of the
afternoons, he was the first to seek place
to write. He was friendly with all the scouts
and neglected no source of news. Of his
early life, he gave no definite information
said his earliest recolections were of being
on shipboard the pet of the Captain and
favorite of the sailors. on account of his
fearlessness and cat-ike activity When
asked how he came to get into journalism. he
SAID the first line he ever wrote was an ac-
count OF naval engagement that lie wit
messed from the masthead one of the earlier
ones OF the war; he sent it to the New York
Hera!d. 1t was accepted, published and
literally paid for and Stanley received a fiat
tering letter from Mr. Bennett. as Stanley's
was the only account. This SO fired the
boys ambition that has applied himself to
reading and study as vigorously as he could
and the formation of the resolution tc
travel and write. In furtherance of this
plan, he must have visited Turkey toward
the close of the war. for in the winter OF
1867 he appeared at jefferson City, hired q
hail. paraded the streets in Turkish turban
and garb, and advertised grand lecture on
Turkish life. manners and customs. delivered
in the costumes Of the country. Missouri
legislators We're then more interested in rail
road steals, the repeal of the test oath
quality Bourbon whisky, and new modes in
draw poker, than III the Turkish traveller
and Stanieys lecture was not success. Al
Omaha-which he made his headquarters
then-he aided one of the Omaha CITY papers
: but spent his best energies in studying ant
posting himself on Indian matters. His
powers OF labor were immense. and he never
tried or lost his temper. / have known him
after riding all day in the ambulance to re.
main up the entire night, wrapped in al
oyercoat and blanket. and on his knees. b,
the aid of a tallow candle. write, the live
long night. several letters to different papers
yet on the same subjects, changing Language
and ideas. SO as to be ready for the courier
who started at the break of day. and the,
trust to the jolting of the ambulance for his
mods Of respose, on the narrow roads.-to re
peat the operation. il he could secure an,
news, or smelt chance for another letter
The commission was detained longer thar
was anticipated, owing to the delay of tht
Cheyennes in coming i'll to sign the treaty
but at the end of October the last of til,
hostiles came in. took their government
clothing and rations, uttered the usual In
dian complaints relative to the white man.
, Ill treatment to then-all wanted to go t.
, Washington to see the great father-anc
, beng liked up for the winter. start out earl,
IN the spring on the war-path. That fall
met MI. Stanley IN st. Louis. carpet bag IL
hand ready. at moments notice to 90 t,
, any point In the universe from the equato
to the poles. He felt assured he could max,
Cprn Npyu 1, !,