The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-04-07
An Indian Council.
Communicated


Indian Councils, such as were IN old times
quite common in the State of Indiana, are
held in our territories once in while in this
day and generation, with quite as much
pomp and ceremony as was used at Vim
cennes in 1910, when Governor Harrison
made his famous treaty with the willy saw
ages under the celebrated Tecumsch, who
may be regarded as the most remarkable of
the savage warriors of America. The Indians
of the far West know the value of their
lands, and are as capable of driving good
bargain as any people under the sun. This
is especially true of the Crow, or Absaraea
Indians, who own an immense reservation in
Montana, and have always been good friends
of the whites. They like white mems ways
and bond of friendship stronger than any
thing else was their mutual fear of the Sioux
or Dakotas The annuity goods were always
looked for with interest, and a council was
considered necessary part Of the ceremonial
on their arrival.
In December, 1869, Major General Han
cock, commanding the Department of Da-
kota, directed Colonel Albert G.. Bracket to
go to the Yellowstone river and there wit
ness the delivery of the goods to the red
men. The Colonel had but small escort
with him, and was personally acquainted
with many of the Indians, who had partaken
of his hospitality, and had been kindly
treated by him on more than one occasion on
their journeys to the settlements of the
white men.
The Colonel knew he would meet the
chiefs and head men, among whom were
Iron Bull, Wllking Eyes, Big Fingers, and
The Coat, who had been strong friends of the
whites and stood by them when they had the
war with the Sioux. There were few houses
at the agency, and the goods were there in
advance of his arrival. When the goods were
opened the Indians did not think the clothes
given to them were of the best quality, but,
as they cut them up as soon as received, this
made but very little difference. a few days
before his arrival a party of the Crows had
been engaged in battle with some Cheyennes
in the country belonging to the Sioux, in
which six adult Cheyennes and four children
had been killed. One Crow warrior was
brought in mortally wounded, in conse
quence of which there was great mourning
in the village, where thirty-five hundred OF
them were congregated, the squaws waillng
and pulling out their hair, while the men
cut off the joints of their fingers in the ex-
cess of their grief.
The red men like their white brethren are
fond of meeting and smoking in council,
where they behave with the utmost decorum.
Two days after Colonel Brackets arrival the
Indians assembled in a council house, the
weather being quite cold, and there stated
their views and wishes. Iron Bull did not
attend as he was too much smitten with
grief at the death of his daughter, who was
acknowledged to have been comfort to the
old man.
The peace pipe was duly prepared by
medicine man, and passed around, all OF the
whites and Indians in succession taking a
puff.
Winking Ewes arose and said: ''The Great
Father at Washington has sent you to Us To
see that we get the goods which are due Us.
We earned his good will by being true friends
holt hair
against the Sioux, who have now been driven
to the Eastward, where their lodge fires are
scattered over the prairies. We wish to be
friends with the white men, who for many
years past have stood by us and taught US
many things. They have given us tools to
work with, and plows TO cultivate the soil.
Our horses are numerous, and we are a
wealthy nation of red men. We know who
are our friends and the dangers we would
meet were the white men to become our ene-
miles,"
Peter Shane was the interpreter who after
ward ,ost his life at the time of the Custer
massacre, having in some way got mixed up
| with the Sioux.
The Coat who prided himself upon being
something of an orator, arose, and holding
| his buffalo robe around hin, said: I'VE are
| glad to have the white man with us and glad
| he has brought the presents from the Great
Father in Washington. We want to stand
well with the men in power among the
whites. We are no beggars. All that we get
| is due us for the friendship we have given
the white men in their troubles with the
warriors of Red Cloud. We all remember
the terrible massacre of Fetterman and his
command in 1866, when no red men helped
| the whites but the Crows. You would not
have had any mail that winter if we had not
brought it in through the deep SHOWS on our
| backs, and the slaughter would have been
still more dreadful If we had not helped
you. You have found our people in mourn
| ing. We have been fighting the Cheyennes.
hearts are on the ground. Iron Bull daugh-