Morning journal and courier., 1882-08-31

Around Et-A Rich Indian-BfSH-
 nous Indiana-Indian PolIcemen-The
 Work of ssthe M MissI0n'-S0me Fine
 scenery-aueer Indinns-One Named
 ssHoly Ghost''-Sioux xRIaidenx-Hxi2,tary
 Life the Fort.
 FoRr ToTTEN, Aug. 21.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Minnewaukan, incorrectly translated Dev- ills Lake, is held in great fear by the Indians, no one of whom could be induced to venture upon it, even in the calmest weather, or to bathe in it on the most alluring of summer days. The supcrstitions connected with it are numerous and show that the Spirit of the Lake" does not choose to have it's waters rippled, save by the wild fowl that swarm it's borders or the pickerel that fill it's depths Tradition says that dark hand reached up and drew down two venturesome braves that attempted to cross it, and that many h. dian lad was taken to the everlasting sleep by disregarding the prohibition of the ''Spir- it" Not canoe ghdcd over its pungent briny waters when the whites first came, and the Indians expected to see any boat swal- lowed up that attempted its waves
 Had been orthodox aborigines we should not have reached Fort Totten in so drencled a condition. after a four hours row in a beating rai1 amid angry white caps; but it was ''ration day" and we determined to see, storm no storm, the noble red man come in and get his monthly allowance of pork and meal Owing to the kindness of some dilatory contractor the provisions had not been forwarded to the Indian agent, who, after the manner of Mother Hubbard, went to an empty cupboard and so the poor Indian had none. There are on thls reser rsatlon of some $50 square miles about twelve hundred Indians, many of whom have been here for ten years more, and have advanced con- siderably in the arts of civilization They are entirely under the control and supervi- sion of the Indian agent, Major Cremsey, who has been at this post for nine years (though not in his present capacity until last year) and seems to be thoroughly acquaint- ed with, and alive to, the needs of his wards. Every encouragement is given to induce them to cultivate the sol-tools, seed and teams are given those who show any desire to be- come farmers, and any Indian who will get at least fifty acres under cultivation has a deed in fee given him for that amount of land. Thus far but ''brave' has sufi- ciently subjected himself (perhaps I might better say his squaws as they do most of the work) to the restraints of steady occupation to acquire deed. He q wish 1 could re- member his unpronounceable name) came on to the reservation after the Custer massacre Ca real wild Indian, " went to work immedi- ately and has become the richest Indian on the reservation. He also has the reputation among his fellows of being stingy and will soon die of consumption. Does it pay for an Indian to become civilized ? The ma ori ty of them have small patches of wheat, which generally looked we'll, corn of pecu liar variety throwing it's ears from the root, and vegetable gardens. Some of them have few cattle, but it is. difficult to prevent ham fr0p hni ba TuiY, ter and few of them increase their herd from year to year. Some are so improvident to eat the grain given them for seed The men like teaming, and if they appear likely to care well for team of oxen they have them granted with a good strong wagon, by means of which they earn considerable money in drawing provisions, lumber, etc, from the railroads to the reservation. Bigamy and OK teams would seem to have little connection but they do. One great cause of the waste | and improvidence among the Indians was and | is the indifference of the squaws, which re- ! suited from the practice of the men of put l ting away one wife and taking another or l taking several if they could buy them from | their husbands fathers This generally | happened at dance and was done often purely on whimsical grounds, or on the spur l of the moment, with notice to the u,for- | tunate squaw that she was to be with her children homeless, unless some other "brave" l chose to take her. Naturally under such a system their only object was to enjoy as much as possible what was at hand, and to 1 get what few things they could for their | children. This custom Major Cremsey de- | termined to put stop to at the outset by re- | fusing all aid to those who persisted in | changing wives, or who, having only one, at 1 tempted to take a second. Those who al ready had several were permitted to keep 1 them, as it would have involved much hard l ship and broken many family ties to compel | & separation. And here comes in the OK l team. One fellow, who had by good beha- l vior won for himself q team, abused and drove out one wife and went off for another. 1 He was promptly reported by policeman to l Major Cremsey, and on his return with his | bride he found no oxen in their accustomed l stalls. They had been transferred to more worthy Indian. It did not take Indian No. l l long to discover several before unknown beauties in his old squaw, and he appeared ct
 the agency very shortly, announcing that he | had taken back his wife, but he still has no | oxen, and, according to the Major, is not lia
 ble to have this year. I hin. at mass
 Sunday sheepishly circling around to attract | the agents attention.
 1 I have mentioned Ca policeman" and wish
 to enter protest against calling these wild | bronzed fellows, with their feather and gilt | bedecked slouched hats and shaggy Indian l ponies by so prosaic name Why not cal l them rangers or at least "guards?" They
 are Indians twenty I believe, chosen on ac
 
 l Indians on the reservation and report daily 1 any absentees or disorder, or any other mat | ter of importance to the agent. They ar'
 paid monthly for their services and provid, l themselves with ponies, as they are all mount
 ed, and have sort of uniform, which in nc
 way resembles that of any other policeman
 No Indian is permitted to leave the reserva
 ton without pass from the agent, but thes
 are frequently granted to small parties o
 them to make visits to friends on some othe
 reservation. They are exceedingly fond botl
 of making and receiving these visits, the i generally are the occasion for dances the OK
 changing of presents and indulgence in vari
 ous festivities The great celebration of tn
 year among them is the Fourth of July
 when their agent gives them grand ope
 air feast, and they have foot and horse races | games of lacrosse, at which they excel
 dances in full war paint and feathers, an | speeches, in hich the warriors dilate upo ) their exploits, accompanied by the customar pipe smoking
 Through the kindness of Major Cremse
 we accompanied nm on Sunday to ''Lh | mission' to attend the afternoon service con } ducted in the Roman Catholic form for tn Indians. The mission is the agency schoo
 for any Indian children who can be induced
 with their parents consent to attend, fo the greatest obst ,cle is the opposition of tn l older Indians The children at first do nc ! take kindly to such unaccustomed restraints , but most of them, after a moderate eXper , ence of the comforts of warm dry and clea clothing, beds and dwellings. and good food t are glad to come back, especially after tn 8 summer vacation of two months, durin
 which they live with their families in ali tn luxuriant squalor of an Indian habitatior
 We saw several little fellows who had mad
 things very lvely' for their families thu they were permitted to stay even during tn
 summer, and there were also number of ol phans. too small to care for themselves On the drive of eight miles from the ager l cy to the mission had some opportunit v to the general characteristics of tn , country and dwellings. The land is covere with hills ana knolls some of them severn ] hundred feet high, overlooking Devils Lax and covered with grass to their summitf I The view from Sully's Hill (named fro1
 General Sully) is one of peculiar attractiv, ness. The soft green hills, with gentl rounded outlines, stretch away to the sout @ as far as the eye can reach. To the east th
 same hills are, here and there broken a their contours by bits of woodland. To th north the wooded and many bayed shores ( - Devils Lake with it's bright green water
 stretch, while to the west the unbounde