Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-03

dams mo- shoot" me, but would stab me to
death with knives. One squsw went through
the psntomine Of roasting me alive. jose
.phine told me that it was only done to tor
ment me-. If Douglas, had, got killed l
would probably have been punished. Many
Of the squaws looked very sorrowfnl. Others
were not kind to me, and Freddie Douglass,
the chiefs son, whom I had taken into my
house at the agency, and washed and taught
and doctored and nursed, came to me in my
captivity and Knocked me worse than all the
rest. The Douglas blood was in him, and
he was bad. He said I was q bad equaw
and an old white squaw. Hetried to steal
the old wildcat skin that 1 slept on, and he
etole my handkerchief while I was asleep,
and jeered me during my imprisonment.
Douglass re%turned.from lighting the SOL
diers on Saturday night. On the next day
his wife went back 10 the agency for the
cabbages raised BY cultivation. Douglass was
morose and Snllen.a and had little to sly He
did not seem 10 bs sstisled with the military
situation, but thought the Indians would
annihilate the soldiera Large numbers of
head men and captains came to consult
Douglas. They wete IN and out mest Of
the night. making speeches and discussing
things in general. Douglass often
asked US where the agent was. I said that
l did not know. Douglass rejoined that
neither did he know. Mrs Douglass treated
me spitefully, and her chief was. not much
better, though he gave me enough to eat.
10 . day or v Jehnson became very cross.
and early one morning we began to move
again. 1t was q very long and terrible
pony with neither saddle nor bride nor
otiyrnro Thoro woo nplv q font o1oSh atrar.
ped on the horses back and an old halter
to guide him with. 1t was the most dis
tressing experience in my life. Not q Gin
Gle halt Wal made, and my pain was so great
that the colo drops stood on my forehead.
] could OILY cling to the pony by riding
astride. We travelled rapidly over noun
tains 90 steep that one would find difficulty
in walking over them OF foot. The dust
was ~suffocat!nR. AID l had neither water
o dinner. Josephine and Mrs. Price
rode ahead. One of the mountains WAS so
steep that after making part of the ascent
Douglass party had TO turn back and 20
around it.
We reached q camping ground half an
hour after dark, and pitched our tents 10
the valley. The noon VA small. was
go faint that l could not get off the horse
nor move until . kind woman assisted me
to the ground. I wa too i'll and exhausted
10 eat, and I went to bed without any sup
per. We stayed at this piece several days.
AZ the soldiers approached the Indians
moved further south at intervals of two or
three days, until they reached the pleasant
meadows on Plateau creek, below Grand
river, where Gen. Adams found ue. Before
We reached this last place Douglass permit.
ted Josephine to come to see me every day,
and the long hours were more endursble.
The courage of the bravo girl and her words
of hope cheered me very much. Ny life
would not have been safe had 1t not been
for her influence with the IHdians. She
could speak some of their Language, and she
made them cease terrifying me with their
horrible threats and indecent stories. She
finally forced Douglass to give me q saddle.
90 that on the last days Of journeying I had
something besides . bareback horse to ride
upon. 1t gave me great Joy on one Of the
evenings, % We passed each other in the
moonlight to hear her cay. keep up good
courage. mother. I Nm oil right. We shall
not be killed" The last evening our stay
VA devoted to songs and msrrymaking .by
those who were not away on the mountains
watching the soldiers. Mrs. Price Joined
in some OF the chofuses. because it helped
% and made the Indians more lenient.
They told . great variety Of stories and
cracked jokes on each other and on the
white men. They had dances and medicine
festivals. However, the Indians were
troubled and anxious about the troops.
Runners were conetantly coming and going.
The least rumor or movement of the sol.
diers threw the Indians into q Autter. Chief
Douglas began to realize the situation.
Colarow advised them to 60 no further
south, though the troops were moving down
from the Moth. "Bstter fight and defend
their camps" he said, than retreat. CHEZ
Ouray, the friend Of the whites, did moi
want the White river Utes on his domain,
Douglass spoke Of the agency q zone for.
ever. he said it would have 10 be built ur
again. The Indians had lost all, and. viii
. Sigh, he exclaimed: Douglass . hear
poor mai now" When he had time ID fef
to abusing the agent, and said II be hai
kept the troops away there would have beer
Ino war. One day I was told that . Whit
man named Warrington would come soon
At lat % UnconpahGre Ute same sfron
lChief Ouray and spote very kindly 70 M
and % he sat by the FIRE said: "To-mor
row five white men coming and some In
dams !" among them would be "Chicas,
; man, sherman 9 great big peace man
. Gen. Adams aid they were 1oinR 10 have
talk and the captives would 70 home. II
Uncompahgres said that Q wagon would /,
J waiting at = certain place below Plstisr
: Next day We we're washing II Ne eseeI
. ahen Chief johnson cane sna ri < ri
coshc1l VA . BE- Hold, aaA q -
g mp 10 the tents until ths ed sfAsnssain,
Dinner was sent to us by the squaws, an