The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-09-09

1
had been marched up and stood around
in circle and silently watched the pre-
parations for their torture on the fol-
lowing day. The pole was raised, /
myself assisted at the request Of some
of the head men; and the people rushed
up aud touched IL with their hands
with reverence and delight, then more
dances aud singing, and the sacred pole
was raised, aud the crowd dispersed TO
different parts Of the camp.
That night after supper the two doc
tors went ont 10 the dancing inclosure;
and Lone Elk aud Tackett, with their
wives, and Mead and myself we're left
alone in the lodge. At about nine
o'clock the other occupants had gone
to sleep aud L was lying on our
blankets. smoking and thinking. You
may remember the electric storm which
passed over Dakota and Minnesota the
night of July list, the storm which
hurled the cabin from the steamer
Montana at Bismark. That storm pass
ed over our camp. It came up gently,
bat suddenly, and steadily increased,
until the rain began TO beat under the
canvas against my face. L moved
toward the centre OF the lodge and re-
placed my head in my saddle 1--WE used
our saddles for pillows)b but not to sleep,
for the wind began to blow furiously
aud the lightning flashed so continu-
ously that we had only frequent spells
OF darkness. Tue rain was beating in
through the soaked canvas aud i rolled
mp our bedding and put il under n
shelter over Tackett, who had crouched
down 10 keep from getting wet. The
storm became furious, aud the ttpee
poles bent SO that began to think We
were going 10 be blown away, but / re-
solved To show n1 anxiety until the
owners of the tepee did. L did not
have long to wait. / saw Tackett in
the centre of the tepee pulling down
on a rope which was suspended from
where the poles were crossed at the
top OF the tepee. Our salvation de-
pended on holding the tepee down, so
so / jumped up and took a
hold on the rope with Tackett.-
Through the doorway of the tepee we
/ could see the rain driven along by the
wind. The canvas began to loosen
from the ground. and we could see the
storm outside. IL was fearful wind,
and imagined that our lives depend
ed on keeping protection over US, for
! 1t seemed that nothing could withstand
/ that hurricane. A pole broke-crackl
/ The canvas puffed like sail. Lone
l Elk and the squaws braced up the
/ broken pole aud held them selves
I against the other poles. Crack au-
other pole. IL guess she will go now.
SAYS Tackett. Hadn't we better be
getting out of this?" | suggested. Lets
hold on until she goes We had been
/ holding ON and my arms we're strained
\ to their utmost. The doctors rushed
/ in wet as drowned rats: "Will she
/ stand?' "Many tepeos have fallen.
i said, 1--WE are trying to hold il; here,
! one of you relieve me on this rope. -
We each took a position and for two
hours that storm lasted and we were a
sorry looking set. Two men on the
center rope aud others with their backs
/ against poles which showed signs Of
weakness; the rain ran down our
sleeves when We braced with our arms,
/ aud down our backs when we braced
with our backs. But We lin spite OF
! our feaTs) passed the time with many q
/ laugh aud jest. Lone Elk had taken
/ his leggings of and hadn't any clothes
/ on TO get wet. Mead was barefooted;
/ the water stood on the ground. In
dians from neighboring lodges would
run in and have laugh at US. Lone
Elk seemed To enjoy the thing i'm
mensely after the danger had passed.
IhtH IL grew monotonous to us; we hesi-
tated sbout lying on the wet ground
Mead and DR.. Shultz's bedding was
soaking wet; DIR. Miller's and mine was
dry, thanks TO the doctors rubber blank
ct. We smoked, told funny stories,
and when we became cold we walked
10 and fro. Finally the water settled
and the ground was only wet, pulled
our bedding from its shelter, and Doc.
NJ. and | made ourselves quite COM
Portable after "my bInkie" had wrung
his breeches out and poured the water
out of his shoes. Mead and Shultz
laid down in their wet blankets, and
Lone Elk came and carefully covered
them with one of his dry ones.
The morning dawned bright, but the
camp presented a scene OF devastation;
many tepees had blown down, others
we're taken down. and their contents
spread out in the glorious sun 90 dry.
But the Indians took the thing good
naturedly, and laughed and joked ut
their own and each others misfortunes.
While waiting for breakfast we four
white men sat on the sunny side OF the
tepee, Doc Shultz leaning his back
| against the tepee, his coat spread out,
his pair OF wet stockings slapped on
either side of him, and his bare feet on
his boot legs. The other medical man
/ had wrung himself so that he was only
/ damp. Mead and | were pretty de-
/ Gently dry. considering that / had had
a birthday the day before, we were
very dry. Many ludicrous sights pre-
seuted themselves that morning, but
none more than our own party. Break
/ fast was little late, and we longed for
a cup of hot coffee. aud gazed wistfully
at the many camp fires, at which that
narcotic beverage, the most grateful OF
all TO the weary man, was being pre-
pared.
Finally we breakiasted with immense
satisfaction, and started for Pappans
"icick-0-ygpi," where we found that
our horses were safe, in spite OF the
storm. Many Of the ponies had STAN
peded during the night. A rumor had
been circulated, that large force of
troops would surround the Indian
camp and put a finish on the sun dance
business The government has pro-
hibited this dance, and many visiting
Indians were present in direct opposi-
ton TO their agents orders. COnse-
quently the rumor Of soldiers coming
fOund many believers. and many were
the questions asked US for information,
aud we did all we could TO pacify the
questioncrs. Once an alarm was given
I've we're in Lone Elks tepee), and the
Indians rushed from their tepees, and
were flying on their ponies toward the
direction Of the expected troops. We
sat in our tepee during this excite
ment rather anxious AS To the result.
The cause Of the alarm proved to be a
train OF twenty wagons. coming in with
material for building the inclosure,
aud the day being misty the mistake
was natural. party of troops would
have found a well armed. mounted. and
provisioned camp; and 1 presume a
large force Of fighting men.
Tis nearly noon before the inclosure
IL finished; there is an opening on one
side only, which We approach; we are
halted by the Indians who inform US
that no one can approach the entrance
until the medicine ~ made. 80 we
sneak around to the side aud crawl
through n hole. as boys do under the
canvass OF n circus tent. aud the view
inside is quite similar 10 a circus tent
/ Tho inelosura IA circular about nftv