The Red Cloud chief., 1888-12-14

hundred Indians 70 make it q complete
success. Early in the morning the
men and boys would form circle miles
In diameter. riding round and round.
making the circle smaller It every
revolution and growing closer together.
All the game within the ranks VA
gradually collected into . body. which
was driven into an Enclosure formed BY
weeds piled high up At the sides. be-
hind which we're women and cid men.
AZ the game passed this reserve force
these bobbed up and set up unearthly
shrieks and yells that caused the
frightened animals to plunge forward
over q precipice TO which the inclosure
conducted. The slaughter VA terri.
bic. Indians stationed below gave
the quietus TO such Of the game a.
made the descent with but slight In.
jury. At the close of tho day q great
feast was held. and nobody enjoys Q
feast more than an Indian"
''Was marriage q success among the
aborigines?"
Il never heard it limited that It VA
otherwise. The Indian had the priv.
ilege OF taking Al many wives rs he
was able to support, and II he married
the Oldest sister in a family. all the 70.
naming sisters were considered his
property Al they became OF age. In
der favorable circumstances, ia some
tribes. a warrior took q new wife every
two or three years. A separate lodge
vas provided for each wife. as the
women would fall out and scratch each
other il kept together. The children
were fairly idolized among the more
advanced tribes. The parents seemed
TO live for their children. more par
ticularly when the children were boys.
An Indians wealth was known by the
number OF his horses. There were
both rich and poor Indians. but the
latter were never allowed 70 wan,
when there was any thing TO be bad
After a great hunt the poor man wa;
granted the privilege OF taking the
first q nearest the camp. Some
Indians kept their lodges nicely
painted and beyond criticism as to
cleanliness. The lodges were renewed
every year. Is the frequent moving
and exposure to weather made the
skins leaky. The Indians range ex'
tended anywhere that game and food
for their animals could be found. II
was q rare occurrence for them TO re.
main a month In a single vicinity.
The m~onotOny Of hunting and moving
was varied by occasional forays upOr
an ~unfriendly tribe. stealing theii
horses and carrying OF scalps and
prisoners"
'.What was done with the prisOners?'
Unless they were children they
yer put to death. The children were
usually adopted and treated with the
greatest kindness. The older prison
| ers. both men and women, we're dis
patched with little ceremony. The
killing was usually deferred for severa
days after the prisoners . brOugh'
into camp. l shall never forget g
young Pawnee Indian who was killed
before my eyes by a party OF Conan
| ches. He was taken into the open air
his hands was tied to his legs. and h
was shot through the heart. HI
uttered not a word or groan. AfteI
the killing a warrior stepped forward
| and raised the dead Pawnee's scalp
then the war dance was held. after
wards saw a Crow Indian dispatched
even more expeditiously. l called OF
| the captive in the lodge where he wa.
| confined. and We talked together by
| signs. He said he knew he must die
| but felt perfectly resigned to his fate
ms he would infict the same penalty o'
| his enemies il he had the chance
| While we were talking a warrior ap
peared ut the door and made a motion
The Crow stepped forward and wa
| shot within a few feet OF the spot n
had occupied a moment before. Afte'
the scalping and war dance he wa
| tied up in a standing position. with hi
hands stretched as far apart over hi
head As possible. making a ghastl!
spectacle. and left as a terrible warn
| ing to all the enemies OF his execu
toner's
Turning to a moro cheerful subject
| Mr.. Ward continued:
THE winter OF 1888 and 1889
wildly impressed upon my mind. be
ing nv first experience as a trapper
After a journey Of six hundred mile
from Independence l arrived at For
Bent. and early in the fall the differen
hunting and trapping parties starte'
out for a long soiourn in the mountains
l was fortunate in being n OF a part.
OF twelve Of which Kit Carson was
member. We made our he~adquarter
in Browns Hole, on the Colorado
! river. where it enters the mountain
from the east Trapping proved hart
work. but I never enjoyed life more
and we knew no such thing as sickness
Our clothes were made by u W.
hands Of buckskin. Our food VA
nothing but meat. 1t was cooked on
stick or on the Goals. as We had n
kettles. Antelope. deer. elk. bear
beaver and. in case of necessity. eveI