The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-07-20

Tfip, nc,
A llm,lb reporter met Professor w. y.
Cummins yesterday, who has been lur the
past low months makinp geological col
lection In tho COmancho reservation,
Indian Territory, Tor the Academy OF
Science, at Philadelphia. The account OF
his Investigations Is given Us briefly
told by him 10 the reporter:
|; nave recently been making Q geological
examination Of that part of the Indian Ter
ritory situated south of the Wichita Noun
tains and west of Fort Arbuckle. inc
Wichita Mountains are entirely within the
Comanche reservation. This reservation
belongs to the Chickasaw Indians, but was
leased Il few years ago by the United states
asa reservation for the Comanche, klowaand
Apache Indians. The eastern line OF this
reservat on is parallel with the wtst lihe
of Montague county. The Wlchlla Noun
surrounding plain, and are composed OF n
coarse, soft hesh.colored granite. The
peaks conical, occasionally terminating in
sharp points, standing at intervals OF from
Quarter TO one mile apart Inc
direction OF this mountain chain
is about south 60 degrees west and from hve
TO fifteen miles III breadth From the TACT
that the ground occupying the space be-
tween the mountain peaks is level smooth
surface, and exhibits no evidence OF up
heayal or distortion, indicates that the
upheaval Of these mountains was OF prior
date to the deposition OF the valleys. The
granite of the mountains eXhiti $ very
impeI fest qualification, with the seams dip
ping about twenty degrees with the hori-
ION. Immediately in contact with the
granite, and conformably in qualification
Herewith, is a strata of silurian limestone
and sandstone, making the foothills. In
contact with the silurian strata comes tue
~ r,vl, gt~
here is horizontal and forms the extensive
plains to the south and east OF this range OF
mountains 1t is evident therefore, that
the upheayal of these mountains was a!ter
the siluran period and prior to the per-
milan. From the fact that the mountains
are composed almost entirely OF granite
and other silicious rocks that usually &C
company metallic veins, and from
the fact that in many places they bear
evident marks of great local disturbance,
and from the fact that small particles OF
gold and other metal can be washed out OF
the sand in the beds of the streams hoWlng
out of the mountains, | have no doubt
but that this will be found upon examina-
ton to be very productive mineral dis
trict. The Indians are camped upon the
very ground where the precious metals are
supposed to occur most abundantly, land are
there for the expressed purpose OF prevent
ing anyone from making an examination
oil the minerals. l. lb COtulndIucl VI bhS
United States troops at Fort Sill, situated
at the foot of the mountains, has positive
instructions to arrest and prevent anyone
from making any examination for minerals
on the reservation, and ore sees, nailed up
on trees, notice to that effect. had per-
nit from the secretary Of the interior to go
into the Indian territory for the purpose
of making a scientific examination and
collection. As soon as got across Red Riv-
er, the Indian police met me and required
that report within four days to the COM
mander of the United States troops at Fort
Sill. This did, and was informed that so
long as confined myself strictly to scien-
tiic researches would be permitted to re-
MAN, and the Indians watched me to see
nat followed instructions.
The valleys Of the streams flowing out Of
The mountains ale very fertile. An analysis
of the soil from Cache creek shows that 1t
possesses strong and enduring constituents
and is admirably adapted to the production
of grain. Along the margins OF the streams
is thick growth OF black walnut, slippery
elms, wild China, overcup, blackberry, and
ASH The oyercup (quercus macrocarpa)
especially is here seen of very large size,
often from three to four feet in diameter
and with twenty to thirty feet of stock, and
having a very straight grain. There IS also
along Cache and Beaver creeks at short ln-
teryals fine groves OF post-oak, much supe-
''cross timbers' in Texas. The country
lying back from the streams is quite level
and all prairie. The country is quite SINH
lar TO the country. in TeXs, west
of the "cross timbers, and is
of the same geological age. The Comanche
= Indians are camped along the creeks and
spend their time in hunting and going to
the agency for supplies. The United States
government issues them rations every two
weeks, for which they have to go to the
Wichita agency. A few Of the Indians have
small patches OF corn cultivated by the
squaws, and few have small herds OF cat
tie and horses, but the most OF them i've IN
perfect idleness. Nearly all the men can
talk enough English to make themselves
understood, when they desire to do so, but
would often stay in our camp for hours With
out saying word that we could understand.
Nearly all of the young men nave been 10
school one or two years. An Indian is al
WAYS hungry, and is sure to beg for 'chuck"
before he leaves you and is delighted be-
yond measure if you give him cigar,
which he will smoke with great delight, IN
haling the smoke into his lungs and blow
ing it out at his nose. They are much
more clearly in their habits and person
than | expected to find them. They live
in lodges and carry the poles for the frame
work OF the lodges from place TO place by
attaching them to each side of the pack
horses. with one end trailing upon the
ground. There is very little game in the
Comanche reservation, except turkeys
which We found in great abundance; ior
some reason the Comanchcs Will not XII
or eat a TURKEY They delight IN skunk,
and consider IL so great luxury that they
will not talk about sellingOne; but turkey
they DO not consider III TO eat.
There are plenty OF fish in the mountain
streams, OF which we TOOK great many
with hook and line, mostly suniish, and
al. of flta cot
plentv of catfish. We saw numerous
tracks Of cougar, panthers, wildcats aud
foxes. We caught some wildcats
with our dogs, bat were 80
unfortunate as TO lose All
our bounds before We had been in the Ter
ritory a week. Our last dog was killed by
cougar within two hundred feet OF our wa
gon one day while we had stopped TO make
a crossing on Cache creek. about twenty
miles below Fort Sill. The cougar seems
20 have leaped on the dog fr-n tree, and
before We could get TO him, although not
more than two hundred feet away had IS, 50
iacerated him that he had TO be Killed. We
considered ourselves fortunate IN getting
of so easily, when we discovered the kind
Of an animal that was making our old
hound yell so terribly. The Indians told
US that Il was a common thing 20 nave
their dogs killed by the cougars, out that
they were never known TO Attack an IN
dian.
The country east Of Che Comanche reser-
walton for twenty-five miles Is very similar
70 that Of the reservation, after which there
IL much more TIM Der and a great deal more
sand. and / suppose 1t 10 belong
70 the carbOniferOus formation being very
similar 70 the cross timbers IN Montague
| county, Texas. succeeded IN fering
k-ery fine collection Of yerte brates - 3AKing
the permian period, which have already
.pped to the Academy Of Sciences al
,adelphia.