Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-07-08
For the Journal.
LrMaI. IpAHo. June "a. 1850,

lkHdt, tDAho, Jutc 80 looVs
EDfToR JoURSAL:-1 closed my last
March 10Th, arriving here just as the
sun was gliding the highest peaks Of
the grand old mountains which close us
in, and from among which there Is no
possible outlet save Immediately up aud
down the river.
The Indians who were expecting us.
and anxious to see the new '.capItsn. ;"
as they den0minafe the agent, were
gathered in force around headquarters.
confess that have been ushered into
crowds of. strangers-ladies and gem
whom was more favor
ably impressed upon first sight.
Each one seemed anxious to shake
hands with me. and snch jabbering and
laughing was never had on my account
before. There | stood. talk l conld not,
because ! knew nothing to say, until y
huge six-footer, Ashendivo by name,
came mp to me and taking the by the
hand, exclaimed, .show's old stones"
'first rate" says I, show are you,"
"wino," says he, which signifies good.
Next morning rs soon as the doors
were opened, the house was full of
Indians, all eagerly gazing at me. /
could not understand word they were
saying, and, for aught | knew, they
might be planning to take my scalp. 1
confess that felt just little streaked,
and guess that if Alf. Moore, or George
House had been here, 1 would have
taken an extra policy on the life of the
newly indncted Indian Agent at Lemhi.
There are, that belong at this Agency,
about 200 Indians, and not one of the
entire number knows single letter of
the alphabet.
There are not to exceed dozen of
them who wear citizens clothes. The
males wear leggings similar, in cnt, TO the
oil cloth ones we wear in Ohio, that are
fastened to string or strap which is tied
around the body, and under this same
string or strap, both behind and before,
is passed a strip of cloth. called breech
clOut. An ordinary shirt is worn as
covering for the body, and over these
government wool blanket. This with
the moccasins they wear, constitutes
their entire dress, summer and win
ter, they never wearing anything on
their heals.
The females wear a sort of loose gown,
with short skirt and short wide sleeves,
leggings which fiC closely to their
limbs, and around which their mocca-
sins are closely tied, TINS making sort
of 'sblooIner costume" and then over
all they also wear blanket. They also
go bare-headed summer and winter.
The men, as class, are rather good
looking, being as straight as staigbt can
be, while the squaws are, without
doubt, the homellest human beings that
ever lived.
The squaws do all the work, such as
carrying wafer, cutting and carrying
wood and moving their lodges from
place to place. have seen the
men ride on horseback, when going
from one place to another, while their
squaws would walk and carry a pap
poOse, and as much plunder besides, as
an ordinary white man could lift.
As tribe they are pOlygamists OF the
"strictest Sect" they being allowed just
as many wives as they can buy and
maintain. 1t is rare thing, however,
to find an Indian with even one squaw,
as they call their wives, unless he has
one or more horses.
Some of the principal ones of this
tribe have great bands of horses. it be-
ing no uncommon thing for one Indian
to own from twenty-five to forty of
them.
They are the most inveterate gamblers
I ever saw. They will bet anything
they own-hOrses, money, rings or
and always pay when they
lose, and | have never known two Ol
them to quarrel, even though they lose
the last blanket and go home stark
naked.
The women gamble the same as the
men; they will divide off in equal num-
bers, sometimes as high as twenty on a
side, and play ball with clubs, a game
like our old game OF shinny.
On this game they will bet their shawls,
Detticoats, moccasins or any thing they
own.
They all, male and female, wear long
hair, which, with few exceptions, Is jet
black and fully as coarse as the name of
one Of our common horses.
The men wear no boards. They have
little tweezers with which they pull out
every sprig of beard just so soon as 1t
makes its appearance.
They are not satisfied with their color,
but paint themselves with every con-
DCitaUiC hihN VI pdihe, iDu OOihS thO
fayorite. Sometimes they paint the
entire face red, and then with other
eolors paint spots here and there, thus
making themselves look indeed fright
full.
Their fingers they often have literally
covered with rings, their necks hung
with beads, theii ears pierced nearly all
round and completely weighted down
with rings and shells from half an inch
TO two and three inches in diameter,
while around their wrists from one to
half dozen copper bands are fastened,
each Of which are hung with rings or
beads.
A feather of any kind, they prize
very highly, no odds what its size,
shape or color; they braid them in
their hair and let them hang all around
heir heals and necks, and then with
faces painted with three or four differ
,nt cOlors, and neck, ears and wrists
,rnamented as above described, they
will stand before mirror and actually
augh at themselves. They are certain
y the vsinest human beings living.
Tenday, their chief, is said to be one
If the finest looking Indians in the
United States. He is little over six
eet high, as straight as an arrow, with
IN Intelligent head, face and eyes, and
low is, and always has been a true
'riend to the white man.
Pegge, the heir apparent, is also
! fine looking specimen of man. He is
nearly six feet in height, is built az
iearly perfect as any man ever saw,
las Intelligent, well shaped features,
md eyes that told ME on first meeting
lin, that If wanted him for friend,
must play the hypocrite, just little.
fore anon. X. A. STONE.
For the Journal.