The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-11-13

NEVADA AGENCY, Oct. 81, 1888.

which it has recently doomed" is very becom-
ing and trust that in consideration OF the re-
duction of the annual subscription, its attractive
appearance and the able aud in eresting man
ner in which it is edited, many new subscribers
will also he coming in No doubt many OF your
readers are aware that have been in the "glori
Gus West" now almost one year, living in this
wild and barren country, doing my part in en-
deavoring to cviliZc and educate the untutored
cred man." Often my thoughts direct them
selves to the land of my nativity, "far Florida"
via. its fertile soil and heaih-giving climate.
Yes, sometimes / even dream that | can hear
the whisperings of the tall and stately pines.
and the roar OF the mighty gulf as it wears OF its
wrath beating the white and beautiful shores of
Santa Rosa Island.
The Indians who live in the reservation at
which am employed are called the PAh Urcs.
There are about 800 of these people under the
supervision OF this agency, and all are more or
less civilized. Many speak English well, ana
have adopted the best they know how all the
ideas Of modern civilization. There are few,
however, who still cling to the doctrines of their
ancestors and roam among the mountain peaks
and deserts bare in wild, savage, but perfectly
harmless state. Among the Indians on this
Pyramid Lake" Reservation we have some
very fine specimens OF manhOOd both from a
physictl as well as a mental standpoint. Since
my stay here | have discovered that the Indian
has very fine sense OF Judgment, and their lead
crs chiefs are men whose opinion or word you
can always rely unol. O coarse l Only speak
Of the Indians who have me under my per-
sonal observation.
One Indian, who see every Monday, (sSnc
day. "Od Pdnch0 b. name, Is looked upOa a
= rem .rkable fine character. IL, Indian name
is SO Onc- Clpta,' and he j. said t. b. ~
years Old almost blind, bat his motive powers
are in good condition, and he looks as il hn were
good for fifty years more. O.d Panch"," as
he is familiary called, WAS The guide to
Genera Fremont when he first crossed the
Sierra Nevada mountains IN 1916 on his
way to the golden shores OF California.
In recognition of his faithful services on
this and many other occasions the |.
Government presented ''od PanchO" with a med
al, which he preserves to this day ana taxes
great pride and pleasure in showing II to all
strangers and new corners. j would b easy
matter for me to write a volume Oh the habits,
characteristics and peculiar manners o. This pee
PIE, bat do moi D. Wot!ie-, NJ H2Eeu,l tFN rot
undertake it. What prompts me to write you
anything at all was novel sight | Witnessed
few weeks ago, and being novel to me came 10
the conclusion that description of it would be
novel as well az interesting to many OF your
readers. 1t was an Indian dance.
"Ol with the dance"
Let Joy be unconfncd.'
Ii is customary among these people, just be
fore they begin their spring work, such aS har
vesting, planting and getting their farms in
harvest work is completed to have big "pow
wow" This includes dancing, singing aud
feasting in their own peculiar style The festivities
last for about seven days and nights during which
time they refrain from all manual labor, inst
the Chinese do during China New Year. Il was
my good fortune to DC in attendance al one
OF these "pow vows" or dances, about two
weeks ago The dance took place in bcau:i-
itul spot about five miles from the Agency head
quarters. An hours dangerous ride horse
back over the mountains by starlight brought
two other employees and myself upon
the scene OF action. AT first, all we
could see were several large fires burn
ing brightly midst grove of large cotton wood
trees being surrounded on every hand by huge
mountains 1t seemed as ii we were at the bot
tom OF large well, so high and steep were the
mountain sides. As soon sighted,
the chief or master OF ceremonies | Go not re-
member his name, came up md offered US the
hospitality of his camp, wigwam, or tepee, as
we call it here, which Of course we reluctant
" but politely refused, as we had no ide;, of re-
naming over night. II was midnight before the
dance commenced Then, all OF a sudden, more
large fires were kindled and all hands assem-
bled piece OF ground cleared for the occa-
sion. A large circle was formed with the men
all on one side and the women on the other
Every one participated, old and Young male
and female, and even the blind Indians, and if
my memory serves me right was big an
lDJun as any OF lncm lOr the Time beng. For
about ten minutes, silence reigned supreme, then,
as quick as clap of thunder a most terrible
yelling and following, like SO many crows.
started up from the men. This was the signal
for the dance AS quick as fl Ssh OF lightning
every Indian was in perfect motion, going round
and round with astonishing ease and grace:
their steps were somewhat similar to the three
step polka but much shorter and quicker and
always in the same direction. This mo ion was
as regular as the pendulum of a clock and kept
up necessarily hour acrhOur to the crow like mu-
sic which have above mentioned. The Sic D was
new departure in the tcrpsichorean art as far
as | was concerned. The old Indian who acted
as master OF ceremonies, stood on stump near
by, and with voice like screech owl would
now and then utter some command in his native
tongue which appeared applicable only to the
female dancers as every time Ne gave one of
these orders one of the 'squaws" would lightly
tween two buck Indians. | was told that this
dancers were systematically arranged in couples,
sisted OF beef, fish and bread made out of nuts,
which grow on the pine trees peculiar to this
country, called the "Pi-nut" This is ground
very fine and used as a substitute for -four. 1t
would take too long to describe the different
costumes, as no two Indians were dressed alike
Such scene | never Witnessed before | have
seen dances of every nationality, from the negro
20 the swell Germans Of the Eastern arislocracy,
but never in my life did | see one, while crude
IN It's surroundings, 50 perfectly harmonious in
Its execution. Everything seemed joy, happi-
ness and contenment Everyone full of ehthu-
STA IN. and if seemed &c if their cOuls 1rnro on