The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-24

Sebastian Beck is plain, honest-look-
ing German, probably fifty years of age,
and lays claim to being considerable Of q
linguist and capable of speaking seven
languages in addition to Sioux Indian,
which he speaks with great fluency, APP
parently. During nearly ten years Beck
was member OF the Sioux tribe. His
story of how he ran the gauntlet is thus
told: 1--WE did not know what fate
awaited us. But we had scarcely arrived
at the Indian camp than we were given
to understand that we would have to run
the gauntlet. This consisted in running
between two lines of braves, five hundred
in each line, and taking all the blows
that these could give us while we made
the run, which was twice up and twice
down the line. The lines were lust far
enough apart to give us room to run, a
line of guns being placed along on each
side between us and the Indians, which
could not be crossed by either us or the
Indians
1--WE were compelled to keen within
this line, and the Indians were not al
lowed to leave their positions in the line,
but could inflict all the punishment pos
turn. The Indians were armed with
sticks, moccasins, and everything that
could be used TO strike with of a nature
that would infict pain without doing
great bodily injury, but chiefly with a
kind of cato ninc-tails used 10y the In
dians in riding their ponies.
This is terrible weapon, having u
large number of strings, on the end OF
each of which is a chunk of lead. There
were large number of squaws in the
lines in addition to the braves, who
appeared to take as strong an interest in
the matter as the latter. We were
stripped naked, with the exception of
breech clouts which were given US.
was placed first in the line of twenty-five,
the run being made by all together in
single file.
This was decided advantage to me,
as | could 90 as fast as / liked. not hav-
ing to depend upon the speed of others.
A friendly Indian, the one who had en-
couraged me at first, signaled me. giving
me to understand that | was to rnn as
fast as | could. | did not heed the adj
vice after | got well started, butt served
me until got past the first Dozen as
| started while they were chatting among
themselves.
'But the rest of the way got it,
tell you, just ran for dear life, taking
the blows as they came. l could not re
press some EXPLANATIONS of pain as the
whips cut into my flesh, but | managed
to keep from disgracing myself in the
minds of the Indians, although suffering
terribly at every blow received"
''Did many of them miss you?"
CATER the first dozen none that
know of. They laid on the blows as
hard as they could, but conformed strict
ly to their law, which is not to leave
their place in the line TO infict further
punishment.
'When l reached the end of the line
the first time | was covered with blood
and thoroughly winded, being scarcely
able to stand. We managed to get
through with our lives, not one of the
twenty-five falling or giving up We
were then admitted to membership in
the tribe"
Beck is now travelling among the In,
dams looking for his wife and children
whom he lost when captured years ago
-DeHger NeicS.