Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-27

rose, Tie ldllGI VI lllC yObilS SiAASAt $780,
fered, and Spotted Tail gave him blow on
the head with tomahawk that laid open
the scalp for six inches. The other offend
ers retired to their tepees completely coWed,
and the outbreak was oyer. This was good
news to US.
| dressed the wounds of the poor
teamsters. and made them comforta-
bic. Some of them were so severely injured
as to REQUIRE my care for some days, and
| settled down to see the Sioux and Their
strange customs. By 10 o'clock in the
morning the advance of the Indians APP
peared on the crest Of the Platte bluffs and
soon the main body were swarming down
to the river. IN the distance they looked
like ants on an ant hill. The Platte was at
nearly full bank, but the men, women ana
children, mounted on ponies, plunged into
tbe stream. and swan it like beavers. A
pony, with three or Jour little chlldren,
some of them hardly able to walk, would
breast the current, and take his bur
den safely to the opposite bank. After
the crossing had been made the
camp was pitched near the river,
and in half an hour the woman had
all the tepees up, and the camp looked like
an army corps in Sibley tents.
The old trading post soon assumeda stir
ringappearance; chiefs and warriors cameln
and greeted Beauvais with loud hons, and
inquired after his father, who was absent.
The squaws came up from camp to trade.
The bargaining between an indian trader
and a party of squaWs would be a lesson
for a rcady-lnade clothing merchant. As
they come in the trader takes no notice OF
them, although they may be old customers
of his, and he may not have seen them Tor
wears, as i'll this case. The squaws look
around inditferently and unconcenedly,
never betraying any interest IN his wares.
At last one mentions that goods are
plenty and sales dull" The trader re-
plies that, on the contrary, goods are high
and scarce, and that he has had such q
rush of trade that he Is almost out of every
thing" Then the sqUaw remarks that
" furs and skins are very scarce, and that
soon there Will be none at all" To which
the trader replies that he is glad of 1t, as
there is no more demand for them" TIE
suuaw then asks how much sugar for an
antelope skin, or some other article, and
when the quantity is named all the squaws
declare that he is " the stingiest man in
the world" and that his heart is not rs
large as a grass seed"
At last the Indian ware is passed over the
counter, quickly seized and placed beyond
recall. and a small tin cup OF sugar IS
dipped up, at which there is chorus OF
ordinations from the squaWs at the small
ness of the cup and at its not being full.
And so it went on with every article
sold and bought
Young Beauyais expected to reap har-
vest from the Indians during their stay,
which was TO be week. TO increase the
trade, he arranged for feast to the chiefs.
A beeve was killed, and every cooking uten-
sil in the trading post was called into
requisitiOn. An old Indian was sent to
extend the invitations to the feast.
He went down to the edge of the land
bench that overlooked the camp, and walk
ing along its edge he shouted out his mes
sage. He gave a glowing account OF what
they were 10 have, and of the generosity OF
the white brother Every time he passed
near tepee, in which there was an invited
party, there was an answering " How
how how . which seemed to be an I'M
qualified acceptance. In the interval be
tween the invitation and the feast had an
opportunity to see some OF the patrlarchs
of the tribe. They had the most wonder
fully scanned and Weather-b beaten faces but
otherwise they did not show the effects Of
age. The eye is as bright as IN youth, and
erect as at twenty. They have a
their arms, legs, breasts, and even their
faces, when their friends take their depart
ure to the 'happy hunting grounds You
have 4 record Of the loss Of friends through
a long life Of dangers and perils in these
white scars. What q story they could tell,
Improperly interpreted, of the loss Of friends
in fierce hand-to-hand battles with the
Pawnees, Crows, Utes, Apaches, and pale
faces; or perhaps they record the loss Of
those nearer or dearer than brother war
rioTs-a wife, a daughter or a son. Just
before the time for the feast some OF the
old chiefs took possession Of the great
warehouse, set apart rs a banquet room.
They took their places, and then
awaited the arrival of the guests.
When these came they were welcomed
By loud '' hows," and assigned to places
according TO rank. When an ordinary per
sonage came III the hows " were moderate
only: but when the party had specially
himself they were long and
loud. Little Thunder, an eX-head chief,
was brought in. He was lame from
wound in the hip from q poisoned Pawnee
arrow. His greeting was enough to take the
roof off the building. When all had ar
rived and taken their places the food was
brought in, steaming hot, IN tubs, kettles,
mans and pots Each lot was greeted
with loud How how how ~ Then
Little Thunder commanded silence.
and made q speech in which he charged
each one to put every particle of hate OF
the white man out Of his heart before eat
ing their food. II recalled the late treaty.
which they had all signed, and urged them
to observe it in good faith. The speech was
quite long and in its delivery this old I'M
warrior displayed wonderful ora
tOrical power.
After he had finished. came the feasting,
which lasted till the last vestige Of food
had disaupeared. Spotted Tail the head
chief, who had so severely punished the Of
tenders the night before, sent word that he
was ashamed to eat white mans food
after what had happened. He said that his
heart was too sore over the conduct Of his
people to engage in any festiVity. He also
sent word that he wanted to see me, and
that lie would call upon me during the
day
After the feast, the young men appeared
with the pick Of their horses, and there
was q succession Of races on the
wide hard overland road. a match
would be made and then the bet
ting would commence. If Il man
was betting, he threw the blankets, pipes,
or other property on the side OF
the road that his choice Of the horses
was to run on. As the betting grew
fercer and faster, the pile increased, till it
seemed as though there was
nothing more in the village to bet. Then
the riders would mount without saddles,
the parGsans of each horse range them
selves along the side of the road, the start
ing Judge would send them off, and then
would come the most Economical yells ever
heard from human mouths all cheering
their favorite on Is he passed them. The
race over, the winners picked out their
property and winnings from the two piles.
In this way twenty races would be run in
couple Of hours.
About sunset Spotted Tail came to the
trading post, and stalking in without
word Of greeting TO the others, walked oyer
10 where / was standing. and extending his
hand. said How?' He was fully six feet
tall, and finely formed. His features were
uncommonly regular, and his expression
pleasant He ordered all the Indians about
. h. -, J,