The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-07
THE ATROCIOUS APAClIES.
The Excruciating Tortures to Which
They Subject Their Young Men.
The Story of an Eye Witness of the Apache
VOu-DOo, Savage Ceremony of
Incredible Horrors.

break, and have murdered forty or fifty of the
frontier settlers. IL is not surprising These
periodical massacres on the frontier will con-
tinue to occur as long as these rcd devils are
allowed to live. II is wholly unreasonable to
suppose that such thing as eivilizing the
Apaches is possible They are never at peace
with the white people. and at no time
is it safe to venture among them without good
protection They are the most treacherous and
the most atrocious savages, with the possible
exception of the Comanches, that live For
period of something more than year lived in
their country, and if'I come to the worst on my
last long Journey don't expect to get any
nearer hell than was during the time that
was among those Apache demons"
The speaker was Louis Rounin, Frenehman,
apparently about thirty-five years old, in whose
eye there was restless expression which told
quite plainly that he was not and could not
be man of settled ways Of living. He
had been in America, he said, fifteen years,
and the first three years of his life in this coun-
try had been spent on the Western border. He
had fallen in with surveying party. and had
spent several months in the wilds of Arizona
and New Mexico, where he had frequently been
brought in contact with the Apache Indians, and
had seen much of their savage character and
customs. He had long ago left the frontier
country, however, and was now in the employ of
Michigan lumber dealing firm. He
was in indianapolis on business, and it
was by chance that Journal reporter made his
acquaintance. The remarks quoted above were
made in the course of casual conversation. He
was an easy and an entertaining talker, and
having struck upon an interesting subject, he
was encouraged to tell something of his ex
perience among the tribe which is now terrify
ing the Western country.
"In 1872 was captive in one Of the smaller
bands of the Apaches for about ten days" Mr..
Rounin said, land doubtless would have been
beaten to death in running the gauntlet had
they not expected to get something in the
way of guns and ammunition for my
release 1t was while the nation was
preparing for one of its murderous ma
rauding tours among the settlers, and they were
in need of guns TO arm their warriors for the
outbreak, which occurred few months after
wards. Another member of our surveying party
and myself had dropped behind about five miles,
and dozen or more Apaches came upon US
while were passing through can
yon, and carried as off to their vii
lage in the mountain recesses We
were alarmed more than we thought it safe to
show, and pretending that we had lost our way,
promised them guns, powder and whisky if they
would conduct us to our party. They showed
no eagerness to accept our proposition bat they
seemed to have some idea about realizing some
thing from the advantage which they had over
us, and for the purpose of celebrating over the
matter in a council, they carried us off with
them. We were not subjected to the
cruelties which they usually practice upon
their captives, but We were kept under close
surveillance, and were allowed no opportunity for
escape.
1--WE had been In captivity about week,
when their annual YOU doc began. The Won doc
is a religious ceremony, by which the fitness of
young braves for leading in war and in the chase
is tested The tortures of the rites are horrible,
almost beyond belief The young Apaches who
aspired to be considered as braves, and to estab
lish reputation for endurance under
pain and suffering, had made careful
preparations to endure with credit the ordeal
through which they were to pass. / have read
fragmentary descriptions OF the ceremony, but
none of them give anything like graphic
description of the horrible fortunes that / wit
messed. The ceremony was conducted under the
nation, who was regarded vita a generation that
was little less than worship The rites were
inaugurated with grand dance in the open air.
The ground selected for the performance was in
front Of the medicine lodge, and embraced
an area of about half an acre.
The ground had been pounded with mallets by
the squaws until it was hard and smooth. In
the center of the space curb was erected by
driving stakes into the ground in the form Of
circle, and a buffalo robe was stretched over the
stakes. A small stone altar was placed in the
center of the Enclosure, and on this burned the
sacred fame. If it had ceased to burn the In
dams would have regarded it as an i'll omen, and
it would have become necessary to sacrifice a
female to the Good Spirit. There were sixteen
young men who were to participate in the death
dance, and they stood aside from the crowd,
arrayed In the most gorgeous attire, each one
personating some animal both in action and
sound The chiefs of the nation had assembled
in the medicine lodge to witness the proceed
ings. The young Indians began dancing around
the sacred fame gradually quickening their
pace until they were going at full speed, all the
while yelling and screaming in the most frightful
manner. After this had continued for about
half an hour. the medicine chief gave a shrill
whistle, and the young braves instantly fell
upon their hands and feet and began to practice
the distinctive peculiarities of the animals they
personated. which affords much amusement to
the spectators. Some of their actions were of
gross and revolving character In the heat of
the excitement there was wild scream, and the
squawS scattered in every direction, seemingly
terror stricken. A misunderstanding monster, en-
tirely nude, with his body blackened and creased,
began pursuing them. Around his mouth We're
frightful indentures resembling canine teeth,
and in his hand he carried a long staff. with
red ball attached at the end. He shrleked and
groaned as he pursued the fleeing women, who
became frantic in their endeavors TO elude his
grasp. The medicine man stepped in between
the monster and the women, and placed pipe
under the nose of the demon the effect Of which
was to hold him immovabie When the
superior power of the medicine man had thus
been tested and acknowledged, and the squaws
had been allowed time to get safely away. The
pipe was removed and the monster was allowed
to continue his beastly antics. Becoming ex-
hausted, the women no longer showed any fear
of him, and began to annoy him in all conceiv-
able ways. Finally one approached near enough
to throw handful of dry, yellow clay upon his
person. 1t adhered to the grease, and his color
waa ehannad To 6 MINGLED black and yellow Tho