The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-01-20

IIy decked ont with paint and beads.
holding the medicine stick" This
Of long pole on which were
bits OF oolored cotton streamers.
and, at close intervals, one after
the other. round looking glasses and
shells Al she moved and swayed with
the music she turned the medicine
stick" round and round, and the mir
rors catching the freight, glistening
and rejecting, It shone Like 30 many
brilliAnts. II was esteemed q great
honor to carry the wand Of the "med-
icine man" and the bearer OF it was evil
IDENTIFY an object Of envy.
We walked round between the line of
dancers and waited for the next figure,
which, after pause, was announced as
before by the master Of ceremonies.
This time the dancers formed in straight
Lines, radiating from the fire, giving the
lines the effect Of the spokes Of wheel.
They stood, men and women, one be.
hind another, too close TO count them,
and ct the sound OF the music began
the dancing and singing again. The
movement was 30 regular it called forth
our admiration. After Q time there
seemed to be stir in the circle where
the medicine man sat, and presently we
saw him rise up and take basket-a
round, willow one, such ~ the squaws
use!snd ALI it with cornmeal, and,
placing the basket inside OF his arm,
walk down the first line of dancers. He
first sprinkled with the meal the heads
Of those dancing and then scattered i.
along the Path where they danced,
going through this ceremony until each
line Of the wheel was duly powdered.
This, We were told. was the . benedic-
ton Of the great chief to his people," q
recognition Of their contributions to
him In the shape of horses, cattle, etc. !;
for although claiming to be religious
doctor. he Is not unlike other ministers
Of men. quite willing to be substan-
tally rewarded for his services. This
ceremony concluded the harvest dance.
We fingered q moment to watch the
vast crowd dispense. A few of them
remained for the night where they had
danced; others mounted their ponies
and accompanied their friends to the
villages near Fort Apache.
This custom Of dancing at harvest
time has been an annual one, but it was
never before associated with the object
OF rAidng the dead. But Knock-e-ti-
Klinny had made the rounds Of the
different tribes, his dance had been at
tended with much ceremony, great
hopes had been inspired, and the In
dams were becoming impatient for the
results. They wanted him to make
good his word and bring the dead to
lie. The corn was ripening. Where
were their friends? The time had come
In ock-e-i-Klinny's career when q
comp d'etat was necessary, and he de-
clared one. Ills
The dead would not return. He
could not restore them as long as the
whites remained. Imbued with this
religious conviction, is it to be won
defed 1t that the war spirit could not
slumber or the whites fail not to take
warningf The Indians near Fort
Apache became holder and more indie
pendent. Threats were heard of what
would soon happen. By some military
ltfategy OF the department commander,
General Wilcox, q company of infantry
was taken away from this post, reduc-
Ing Its strength. The medicine man,
now eager to rest his cause on any for
lOrn support, announced, we afterward
learned, that his power had sent the
troops away. He pointed to the then
new comet and repeated that it was
good medicine /; the rest OF the whites
would soon follow.
General Carr reported promptly all
Ehese proceedings to the department
commander, and was referred by him to
he Indian agent. The medicine man
,ould not be arrested by the military
hen. Tor he wss travelling on the agents
pass, and was reported "a good In
Lam. The agent had long known of
MS dances and prophecies, but he
'nought them OF no consequence. When
islegIaphed 70 by General Carr, he re
'ponded quickly: "AYrest the medicine
nan or kill him. or both" General
WILCOX notified General Carr of this
rider. and also stated that two comps-
lies Of cavalry would be sent from Fort
Thomas to this post.
By this time the medicine man had
eft for Cibicu. forty miles to the
outhwest. We were told he would re-
urn and hold his last dance here.
General Caxr waited, hoping he would
eturn, - the increased force expected
Vould then be here, and il any outbreak
ook place here or on the roads he
vould be prepared. The medicine man
I'd not return. nor did the troops ar
i've. The telegraph wires were down
out We learned, by Indisns), but Il was
handler would revoke The ordar 10 90
ending troops without General Cars |
and leave us without help |