Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-05
GENTLE sAvAGEs.
TDe Fivs Nations and Their Neighb Ors
The Labors of Missionaries Among


Them.
Equidistaut from the Bay Of Fundy on
the East and the Golden Gate Of the West,
the map of the United States presents no
more fertile field than this 20 reward the
labors of the practical philanthrOpist, or
evolve the theories of the speculative phi
lOsOpher, writes a correspondent of the
New York Tribune from Indian Territory.
On few hundred square miles of Indian
Territory, directly south of Kansas, and
Immediately west of Arkansas, exists a
population of about $1,000 souls. They are
mostly the direct descendants of barba-
rOus and warlike tribes, who were long
thought to be imperviOus to all refining
influences. but who have been, for at least
two generations, under the protecting and
fostering care Of the government. They
now exhibit many well-develOped phases
of true culture, and, in a large tract of
country which was an absolute terra in
cognita when the constitution was
adopted, one may now travel over we'll
made roads, through pOpulous villages,
ard among farms cultivated and har-
vested with implements Of the newest
patterns. The traveller, when fatigued,
will be politely accosted and Hospitality
received into a dwelling fitted with all
uG6lEdDlG COHNEuAEnCG6. duu With
many Of the priced acquisitions of East
ern communities. Not infrequently the
visitor, if of polite demeanOr, will be
favored with the intelligent conversation
of a graceful and well-bred matrOn, or
be surprised and delighted with the mu
steal performances OF a modest and
affable daughter. And all this is not the
outcome of the Eastern emigration So
cIeties. as in Kansas, but the direct result
the habits of industry and sObriety on
human beings who, while roaming the
primeval forests, had become still more
ferOcIOus b. contact with civilized vices.
There is no question that sometimes mis-
takes were made by missionaries, who,
laundering, neglected to teach the Indian
to work, to induce him to live at home, TO
fOrsake the chase and abandon his
nOmadic life; but it is also equally true
that wise efforts have been rewarded with
success.
1t is just fifty years since the Rev.
Messrs. Lee and Spalding responded to
the entreaties of a delegation of Flathead
Indians. who came from the infant Terri
tory of Oregon to st. Louis in search OF
some one to teach them the ''better reli-
giOn." These gentlemen, accompanied
by their wives, on horseback crossed the
most rugged Wildernesses of the Rocky
mountains. In their venturesOme pro-
gress through such lonely region, ana
encOuntering so many savages, they were
not once mOlested, but were everywhere
treated with the utmost kindness and re-
spect. On arriving among the Indians of
the Columbia river they at once Organ-
lied an industrial school as well as good
religious instruction, and they and their
successors have proved the absurdity of
the assertion that the Indian can never
be civilized or Christianized. The
NeZ Perces constitute one of the once
numerous bands of the Flathead tribe
though they never actually practiced the
extraordinary and obscure custom of fiat
tening their skulls, as did those who
rOamed over the lower waters of the Co
lumbia. These Indians, knows as Chief
JOseph's band, have discarded leggings
and blankets and dress as white people
do. Though they are full-blOOded Indians,
their children learn very rapidly; 100 of
them are members of the Presbyterian
Church; their teacher and pastor are both
pure Indians, and their chiefs daughter
Bright Eyes-is an eloquent advocate
of their elaine. The civilization of these
Nez PeTces Indians is one of the direct
results of the labOrs of the Christian mis-
siOnaries, Lee and Spalding.
Many tribes, once powerful, have be-
come extinct or have become merged into
other tribes, and the several communities
now known as the five civilized nations,
viz, Cherokees, Creeks, ChOctaws,
Chickasaws and Seminoles, with their
emancipated negroes and the whites who
choose to live among them, must, in few
generations, through gradual fusion, be-
come one amalgamated state. AT pres
ent each tribe has a government Of its
own, modelled on the government of the
/ United States. The Legislature has Sem
ate and House of Representatives, both
p1npfnH nv tho manila This
makes the laws, restricted only by the
laws of the United States. Capital crimes
are punished by the military modes in
preference to hanging. Expert and re-
spectacle artisans and mechanics have
been encouraged to settle among them,
though they are very careful whom they
admit. A white man who wishes to set
up in business in Indian Territory must
first get license from both governments,
and the Creeks tax each white business
house 5000. A white man has no voice in
the government, but if ne inter-marry,
his progeny have all the rights of the full
blood. No loss of social status results
trOm-neither do the laws prohibit-inter-
mixture of races. The limits of the land
on the reservations are accurately de-
fined; and, among the civilized nations,
there is about one section of good land
for each family. There are many excel
lent and several very large farms, some
with grist mills and stores attached, or
managed as stock farms, and all exhibit
ing decided capacity in the owners.
Literary pursuits are also encouraged,
and newspapers are published in the In
dian languages.
Beside these Five Nations, there Is
much larger number that may be called
the outside world of Indians, scattered
over other parts of the territory and
country. The Osages, to the southwest,
though engaged in farming, have not adj
vanced like the Five Nations. They de-
pend too much on TIE income from gov
eminent bonds given for the 8,00O,0 900
acres of Kansas land they sold to the
United States. These annuities amount
to about $55 for each individual, but, as
evidence that they are beginning to emu
late their more refined neighbOrs, they
have recently made a law providing that
all children who do not attend school at
least six months in the year shall lose
their annuity. The Sacs and Foxes also
enjoy an income from the government.
The Cheyennes and ArapahOes, who num-
Der about 5000, have no game to hunt on
their reservations, and consequently look
To the General Government for support.
Most of them wear leggings and blankets
and do little for themselves, though the
schools among them are very prosper
Gus.
The great difficulty which the superin-
tendent of Indian education has TO con-
tend with among the semi-civiliZed tribes
is the reluctance with which the girls are
permitted 20 remain in school a sufficient
time to receive anything like satisfac-
tory training. The untutOred father looks
only at the market value of his daughter.
and on her nearing the age of u years,
becomes anxious to realize on her." even
if he should afterward reimburse to the
young husband, which after marriage is
sometimes the case. This obstacle will
be removed only when the desire for men
tai improvement prevails over ayarice.
A GYPSY GIRLS ROMANCE.