Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-01-08

1919 especially 10 W1GneSS JuolF mOOuS
operandi of diverting the waters of
the Yellowstone from its channel for
the purpose of irrigating their miles
of garden land. A rude wooden
wheel had been constructed with pad
dies, so that the course Of the current
revoIved the wheel. The savage then
gathered all the empty tin oil cans
thrown out from the fort, and attach
ed them firmly to different parts Of
the wheel, so that with the turning
wheel the cans went down empty and
came up full. The full ones discharg
ed their contents into trough, from
which the water was conducted by
series of troughs from place to place,
and finally reached the upper part o f
the garden, where it was distributed
by small cutters to every portion OF
the garden. In this way was lrrlga-
ton carried on, and the Cheyennes of
their gardens talked of all through the
north west. The other bands on the
Rosebud and Tongue rivers gave up
hunting for a living and commenced
the business of raising cattle. This
was, in reality, the beginning of the
herds In the northwest.
Their friend, Gen. Mills, encouraged
them in every way to earn their own
living. He gave them plows, shovels,
rakes, harrows, and other garden i'm
plements, loaned them wagons and
taught them how to harness their
hardy, cayuse bucking ponies to the
wagons. When it became necessary
to build roads over the reservation, he
did not employ outside labor, but gave
the job to the Cheyenne bucks, who
worked as hard and as faithful as any
pale face could have done. When
night came, each one Of the red labor
ers received bright, new silver
dollar for his portion, and all went
back to their tepee homes well satis6-
ed and pleased with their reward.
In 1880 their great friend, Gen.
Miles, or Buffalo Coat as he was call
ed by the indians, received his we'll
earned promotion. and left for other
fields of duty. From that day the
poor Cheyennes began their downward
course. With no reservation, with no
agent to look after their wants, with
no friend to extend the helping hand
| of protection, this remnant of great
race were robbed, maltreated, and
gradually crowded to the wall, until
ws find them to day in wretched,
famishing. naked condition, in want
| of the actual necessaries of life.
Lazy white men beheld with amaze
ment the success of Cheyenne agri-
culture. They saw with amazement
the rapidly accumulating wealth of
the Indian herds. Whit men wanted
the Indian lands, and they took them.
Herds came crowding IN from all
sides, and although there were miles
upon miles of fertile prairie land un-
tenanted save by myriads of buffalo
and antelope, YET there was no room
for the Cheyenne cattle, and their
animals somehow became branded
with tie white mems brand, and were
seen No more by the rigatful owners.
About nine hundred are now living on
the Rosebud, and up to the past year
have been self supporting. Major T.
III. Logan, a regular army officer, has
charge of the band, and he is doing
the best he can until the authorities
at Washington settle upon some plan
for the future.
I walked among their lodges, and
was much interested in the various
bills of fare which each separate tepee
had on thus particular day. In front
of one teeee an old hag-100 years old
| should judge-was seated on the
ground pounding into -four some ker-
nails of Indian maize. This was to be
made into a paste, and afterward
baked III the Goals of a fire shoulder
ing near by. At another lodge-Calf
Shirts, I believe-a regular feast was
to take place. The Indian referred to
bad just returned from Miles City
laughtering house, where he had
managed to pick up a few things,
which, though not palatable to civil
lzed taste, yet were much prized by
the savage red man. A little further
down the line a regular hubbub was
going on in front of Iron Shirts lodge.
Tom toms were sounding, impromptu
dances being executed, and lots of
nonsense taking place, all on account
of dog. The dog-feast of the Chey-
ennes is the greatest of all feasts.
There is no luxury for a Cheyenne
table like a dog, be he pointer, setter,
fRll-blooded, Or otherwise.
Once let the Cheyenne get hold of
dog for cookidg purposes, and he is
fixed for a week. / took peep into
the lodge of Iron SHIRT, and there lay
fine dog before the Goals. nice and
brown to turn, all ready for supper.
1t is curious and strange fact that
North American Indians Of all tribes
VIII turn away from the choicest beef,
venison, or buffalo hump, if he can be
sure of getting dog instead; and
many of the tribes raise colonies of
dogs for the same purpose that we do
beeves, As there were no dogs in
camp I inquired of Rowland Sow it
happened that Iron Shirt was SO for
tunate iD securing one. Rowland
questioned that brave on the subject,
and learned that a party of English
tourists has paid visit to the cams
few days previous, out of curiosity,
and that the dog was theirs, From
the moment the doomed canine en-