The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-04-01
THE YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY.

There was a grand council of assembled
Crows at the agency during my visit, not less
than 5000 persons being present. They swarmed
all over the premises, passing freely in and out
of the court and through the halls, gathering
in groups, and transacting their little business
with the agent and his clerks; but there was
no unwarrantable intrusion into any of the
Offices or agency quarters. There were sights
and novelties as strange to some of them as to
rural visitors in great city, yet none allowed
an idle curiosity to get the better of their de-
corum. Doors Of chambers and sleeping rooms
were left unlocked and open day and night but
not the smallest trife was pilfered by grown
person or child. Even the grateful odors of
the kitchen did not induce the few who Gnger-
ed near the open door to ask for d0aceatf de
casistRe. No treacherous knife point lifted the
hair of the sleeping whites. No tomahawks re-
peated the massacre of White river;for the Crows
have made it public boast for generations
that they have never killed white man. Steal
horses they will when out on their foraging ex-
peditions, for horse-fesh is fair plunder at all
times, and an expert horse-thief is accounted
next in honor and personal accomplishments
TO brave. (Some white people who become
inoculated with this idea, have attempted to
carry it out, and got hung.1 Sometimes the
Crows have captured from other tribes as many
rs 5000 horses at a single raid. They seldom
steal from the whites. Sometimes they tenn
poraTily appropriate or borrow. In some cases,
Grows have been killed by renegade white men,
but the murder has never been retaliated by
indiscriminate reprsal, according to the Indian
code, but has been satisfactorily compromised
with the relatives of the murdered men by
gifts OF ponies. Horses constitute the surplus
wealth Of the tribe aud pass current as money
Many OF the chiefs dress expensively, single
Holiday dress costing fully $500. Some of the
dresses appropriated to dances and state ocea-
is usually inexpensive, but generally of gaudy
cloths and flannels. One of the leading Grow
chiefs at present is known as Smoky" He is
full-blooded negro from Missouri, and very
civil fellow to every one. In times gone by,
not only negroes, but Mexicans, Frenchmen
Irishmen and Americans have been adopted
into the tribe and become big chiefs. Any great
achievement or mysterious performance is al
ways accounted as "big medicine" and entitled
to proper recognition. By such deeds, as
well as by valor in war, men become chiefs
It is to be hoped that the existing amicable re-
lations with this very friendly but brave tribe
may. never be disturbed by designing specula-
tors, dishonest agents or broken treaties
have heard the. present officers of the agency
declared brothers in open council. and seen the
head chiefs place their own rich robes over
their shoulders in token of confidence and es-
teem.
No strangers are allowed upon the reserva-
tion without permission, but the chiefs have
been liberal in granting stations to the stage
lines at every fifteen miles, and are equally
generous in giving leave to small parties OF
sportSmen who WISH to hunt. Ii was my good
fortune to accompany the officers of the agency
thirty-five miles up the Rosebud canyon to a
mountain lake, which temporarily receives
into its bosom the rushing torrent from its
birthplace among the peaks, and then dismisses
ifroaring and laundering on its headlong
Journey to the opening valley six miles below.
With difficulty the saddle horses and pack
mules picked their devious way among thickets
of trees and fallen boulders which filed the
bottom of the gorge. SO lofty were the tower
ing sleeps on either side that their pine-clad
SUBMITS seemed clothed with moss; SO deeply
did they enfold the shadowy glen that they hid
from sight all view beyond. into this seclud-
ed spot but few persons come, but bleaching
antlers Of elks scattered along the pass showed
that even this upland retreat was not a sure
refuge from the hunters. Chattering magpies
flew from tree TO tree in the open glade, and
mountain grouse rustled through the under
brush, scarcely deigning to fly. AT length a
sudden turn around an intercepting
spur revealed q marvellous sight. Noun
tains of every hight and hue, and
shape lowered in front and inclosed a
vast amphitheater. In the immediate fore
ground rose vast noun tain slopes whose almost
PERCEPTIONS sides and rounded SUBMITS were
densely robed with pines. Behind them, far
above the line Of verdure, were lofty pyramids
of naked crags, while higher than all. glitterna
in the MONDAY sun, lowered those mighty
peaks which are white with never-melting snow
The npper atmosphere was bathed in
effulgant light; shadows filed all the
valleys. In the very heart of thi.
impressive grandeur. nesting at the bas,
OF frowning noun tains which seemed enviou,
of the contracted space, reposed the silent lake
5000 feet above the sea, green as an emerald, ic,
cold, and fairly alive with gigantic trout or
one side stupendous cliff walled in the liquit
gem; on the other the ntruding mountai,
vouehsafed little space for grassy lawr
which sloped gently from the border of tn
lake up to q small grove Of lodge-pole pines
its base. few struggling cedars fringed th
aAore. Out OF an adjacent crevice in the rock,