Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-10-25
Initiation i'm an Indian Tribe.

Sebastian Beck is plain honest look
ing German, probably 50 years Of age,
and lays claim to being considerable of
a linguist and capable of peaking seven
languages in addition to Sioux Indian,
which he speaks with great huen y, ap-
parently. During nearly ten years Beck
was a member of the s oux tribe His
story of how he ran the gauntlet is thus
toni:
"We did not know what fate awaited
us. But we had scarcely arrived at the
Indian camp than we were given to un-
Ierstand that we would have to run the
gauntlet. This consisted in running be-
tween two lines OF braves, five hundred
in each line, and taking all the blows
that they could give Is while we made
the run, which was twice up and twice
down the line. The lines were Just 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.
ave we're compelled to keep within
this line, and the Indians were not al .
lowed to leave their positions in the line
but could inflict all the punishment pos.
/ sible while we were within reach of each
OF, them in turn. The Indians were
armed with sticks, moccasin., an / every
thing that could be used to trike with
| of nature that would inflict pain with
out doing great bodily injury, but ,hief
ly with kind of cat-o'-nine-tails used
by the Indians in riding their ponies.
This is a terrible weapon, having a
large number of strings on the end OF
leach of which is a chunk of lead. There
were large number o: squaws in the
| lines in addition to the braves, who ap-
peared to take as strong an interest in
the matter as the latter. We were strip
ped naked, with the exception of breech
outs which were given us. | was plac.
/ ed first in the line of twenty-five, the
run being nude by all together in single
file.
| "Tbis was decided advantage 10 me
as | could 60 as fast as l 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, civ.
ing me to understand that was to run
as fast as could. / did not he d the
advice after l got well started, but il
served me until got past the first dOz.
en-, as l started while they were chatting
among themselves. g.
"But the rest of the way l got it l tell
4 YOU. l Just ran for dear life, taking the
I blows as they came. could not repress
some .exclanations OF. pain as the whips
cut into my flesh. but l managed 70 keeI
from disgracing myself in the minds o.
the Indians, although suffering terribly
at every blow received" ''. N.'
''Did many of them miss your"
"After the first dozen none that
know of. They laid on the blows as hard
as they could, but conformed strictly tC
their law, which is not to leave theiI
place in the line to inflict iurther pnn
iShment. -
"When l reached the end of the lin,
the flrst time was covered with blood
and thorcughy windedt being scarcely
ables to stand. We managed to ge
through with our lives, not one ofth,
tweuty five falling or giving up. W,
ware then admitted to the membership
in the trlbe."
f Beck is now travelling among the In
dams looking for his wife and children
whom be lost when captured years ago
Denyer News.