Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-12

md, in fact, almost an endless variety OF
logs. Several Indians, wrapped In tnelr
,lankets. were summing themselves before
heir tepees We stepped from onr carriage
nd stood moment, hesitating what TO do. |
The day was chilly, and all OF the openings |
n the lodges were closed. Presently the |
,apyas before one of the entrances was
pushed ASIDE, and head and shoulders OF an
indian appeared. He beckoned US to come,
hen disappeared, closing the entrance again.
We went to this tepee, and, STOPPING down
the entrance to an Indian lodge is but three
1r four feet high, looked in. A fire was
burning in the center of the lodge. A hole
in the pointed top allowed the smoke to es,
cape. Some pieces OF meat were suspended
about the top, to dry. Around the hre were
seated eight Indians and squaw. Gan
any of you speak Engllsh?' l SAID to them.
An Indian on the opposite side of the lodge
arosa. and politely SAID: 1--WE shall be glad
If YOU will come in and explain card that
some one has sent to Standing Bear. Inc
sneaker was small and sight in figure, with
delicate features and an intelligent express
sion. We recognized in him the interpreter |
Charles Morgan. 1t was not an inviting
looking place, but my curiosity was strong; |
: Surned TO my friend, Mrs. Ward. and asked
if she would 90. ''Certsinly," she replled. |
The interpreter introduced us to each Indian,
beginning with the chief, Standing Bear.
/
Little Duck, Yellow Horse, Cries for War,
Iong-Runner and Zhemonie, the squaw.
Each gave Us a hearty hand-shake, accom-
panied by the usual "Howi" When we
came to the woman, she covered her face with
was ashamed OF def rffgsan explained that she
means YelIow-SpottedB Buffalo. A part Or
the Indians wore blankets, the rest were at
tired in citizens dress. Some OF their clothes
were very ragged. Their coarse black hair
was long and uncombed. All wore mecca
sins, except the interpreter, whose feet were
encased in pair OF neatly fitting, highly
polished boots. His clothes were clean and
hair closely cut After the introductions.
the chief made room for us TO sit between
himself and Mr. Morgan. l took the card,
which was a postal, addressed in pencil. to
Granddaughter, Omaha Barracks" Some
verses, clipped from a newspaper, were
pasted on the back. They were composed
mostly of long, high-sounding English words
and Latin quotations. All the sense that we
could make from them was that justice de-
manded that the mercy seat be exterminated.
The reason for this demand was not stated.
Around the edges was written, in pencil, a
hope that the Indian would soon be equal to
the white man In mental strength, as he now
equaled him in physical. We both con-
fessed that If the verses had any meaning
we failed to discover it. | asked the inter-
prefer to give me an account of this band
| since they left their southern re servation. He
began by saying
THE HISTORY OF THE PoNCAs
The Poncas are half Yankton aud half
| Omaha. The three tribes speak the same
language The Poncas were sent south
against theit wishes. Two years ago nine of
their chiefs and an interpreter were taken
| down to the Indian Territory to select
tAe appearance of the country, and when
| they were asked to sign paper they refused.
| Tn s caused a quarrel, aud they would 60 no
| further, saying that they would go home, if
compelled to go on foot. And they did come
| back on foot IS far as the Omaha agency,
where they were supplied with ponies to con-
/ tjaue their journey. When they reached the
| Ponca agency they told their people to go to
| work, that they would find no better coun-
| try. But soon the soldiers came and made
| them put their farming utensils into their
! houses and lock them up. They were told
1 that they had signed a paper agreeing to go
/ TO tha-InCiian Ten tory, and that they must
| go. They replied that they had never
! signed any paper to go there. that long ago
they had signed one TO go to the Omaha res
ervatiop, but that was all. They were told
/ Il would do no good to 90 there, as the Oma-
! has were also TO be sent to the Indian Terri
tory. Finally they were forced to go. All
went but seven lodges Of Omahas, who had
married into the Ponca tribe and were living
! with them. After time these decided to
! follow their friends and see what kind of a
country thev had found. While in the south
neatly all OF them ssf-raa sick NTH ohilis and
/ fever, and one of the seven lodges died out.
/ At last they determined to return to the
| Omahas. Standing-Besr the only Ponca
among them, came also with his family. His
wife was sick, and he had promised
/ bis son, who had died In the south, that
| he should be buried at the Omaha agency.
! they were more than two months making
! ln al fl,o oF
| Cheyennes. Of,en they were without food
! for long time. Some of their ponies died,
and the rest were SO gauut and weak that
they could hardly p2rform the duties re-
| CURED Of them; but they had made the
I whole jouIaey without stealing head OF
stock, horse, or single article of TODD.
| When they reached the Omaha agency they
| were nearly staIged, many of them were
1 sick, and their ponies nearly exhausted.
| They were given fo2d by the Omahas, land
was NEE sured out to them. and those who
were able went to work. He pointing Ia
Crazy Bear, fine, intelligent looking In.
| dian, who was closely watching us) had
sowed twenty-eight bushels of wheat when
lieutenant Carpenter came for them. They
| will probably be made to return to that place
in the Iudan Territory where q white man
cannot live. Six of them are now sick, some
will die on the way if compelled to return
II IS awful long silse e ne 0 tt2Sky faces
around me. All were gazing tteadily into
the fire., The tears were chasing each other
down the face OF Zaemonis, Standing Bear
was the first to move. He took up a long
| tomahawk and filled a pipe-bowl in its head
| with weed the Indians often use instead OF
/ tobacco. After Lighting it in the fire he pro
Z ceeded to smoke few whiffs through
| the long hollow handle, then handed
| 1T to Buffalo Jack, who sat next. We
asked the chief and Long Runner z few
questions through the interpreter; then, after
| repeating the ceremony Of shaking hands all
around, we babe them good afternoon.
A TOUR OF INSPECTION.
Mr.. Morgan told US to feel free to go where
| we liked. We asked him to accom- oany US TO
the different lodges, which he kindly did,
patiently answering our numerous questions
and interpreting what we wished to say to the
Indians and squaws we met. We found a
baby all alone IL one Of the tepees. The lit
tie fellow had Just awakened from nap, and
finding himself alone, had made known by
| loud cries his serious objection to such treat
ment. His little round, dark, greasy face was
wet with tears; he wore little shirt of un-
bleached cotton, and was as fat and dimpled
and bright eyed n baby as any mother might
| wish to see. a little boy came for him, and
we passed on to the next lodge. Here we
| found two sq1aws at work. One held sick
baby in her arms, as she beaded moccasin ;
the other. who was young and good-looking,
| was binding dark cotton comfort With some
| bright pieces of flannel. examined her
| sewing, and found 1t well done. Both of
| these women we're neatly clad, though their
| clothing was old and much worn. They told
me it was all they had. The last lodge we
| VISITED contained the sick. Some pieces of
| beet were cooking IN a kettle over the lire.
| An Indian, wrapped in blanket, fay by the
1 Eva TOD a