The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1888-02-11
STANDING ROCK AGENCY.
SCENES AT THE DISTRIBUTION OF
BEEF AMONG THE INDIANS.

n Crowd of Savages Waiting for Thci,
Bi-AIonthly Issue of Sations-At th.
Slaughter Pen-Sittimg Bull and Gaul
The Cricr.
Early on Oct :, 1SSti. l was comfortably
seated i'll an open huckboar,l, with my knees
under Il buffalo robe to keep out the cold. and
the thriving town of Mandan, Dakota, WAS
rapidly disappearing behind me. hadco
nlcnced the fifty mile ride southwark to Fort
Yates, on the Missouri river, where is the
famous Sioux agency known us Standing
Rock agency.
Late that afternoon we drew near tho
agency. We passed many Indians on foot,
or riding their ponies. Trpces or Indian
tents began to appear in great hunters.
Crowds of Indian boys. clad even on this,
cold day i'll only cotton shirt and deer skln
mocrasins, were playing in the road Euci,
hoy had II bundle of long darts, which he
would throw by resting the dart upon the
ankle of one foot held i'll the air ior that rur
pose, and then giving the rod n sudden jerk
with his hand. 1t was wonderful to what
distances and with what accuracy they would
throw these darts. My companion told me
that these villages of tents were only tempo
night the tcpees would he pitched, far ;,alr,.
The Indians had collected here now for their
bl-monthly issue of rations On the follow
ing morning, which happened TO be Satur-
day, the cattle would be killed and the beef
distributed, and on Monday the other com
poncnts of the ration, consisting of flour,
meal, salt, sugar, coffee and pork. would bc
issued Saturday is known us "klllns day."
and Very ful1 pf intnrnct I f,,,,J
AT THE SLAUGHTER PEN
The next morning tho officer at Fort Yates,
whose guest was, suggested our driving, 10
the killing. learned that there were two
slaughter pens, one north and one south of
lhc post, and both distant about two miles
from it. The Clover killing" is attended To
lirst, all the Indians living on that side OF the
post receiving their beef there Each head
OF cattle is carefully inspected and branded
before The killing commenced. When VIZ ar
rived at the ''lower killing we found uu
enormous rrowdof Indians, numbering prob
ably 5000, while coming in across the prairie
on the numerous trails leading to the cattle
pens were hundreds more walking, ri,llns
driving oxen OF leading ponies Most Of Tie
Indians rode bareback or wtho IL IL blanket.
Their ponies are hardy little beasts, and are
which We're introduced into Spain with the
Sar;lrcns, and into America by Curtcz and
llS followers. have frequently seen one of
these tough little animals trotting tlon, will
three r"mplacent, full grown Indians OH his
back.
The inspecting and branding of the cattle
had already been completed, and the shoot
ln:s commenced when We arrived The cattle
shot down from the outside by Indians dc.
tailed for the purpose. The two sides of the
st"ckade not in range of tho rifles were
crowded with Indians of all ages and both
sexes, while from the vantage ground of
thcIl' wagons many more were looking on
with brutal pleasure Eagles feathers and
Ike ornaments frequently adorned their per-
sons, but their principal clothing consisted
OF cast off garments of civilization, covered
III nearly every case by dirty government
blanket. When poor steer was struck in
some spot that was not vital u grunt of salts
iartl"n aud pleasure arose from 1000 Indian
tllroats at the wounded animals suffering.
Sitting here and there in little groups wcro
some i'd fellows whose ago had cooled their
love for bl"Hlshc'l. They Were calmly and
silently passing the long stelnmetl Indian pine
the Indian traders, busy bargaining for tho
hides of the animals that We're being shot
down.
SITTING BULL AND GArI.
My host pointed out to me a buck who
was, perhaps, so years ofagc He vast tall. and
had slight stoop in his shoulders He wore
m"rcasins, trousers, and blue cllrl cot
ton shirt. On his head he had an OH ..lack
hat l, uI. in, <>f,
pinned to its crown. Over ull was the IIal-
k"t. and in his hand was the lon. stenmM
Indian pipe. This man was Sitting Bull.
Among the white nlcn, as well as in his own
tribe, he has n reputation for dishonesty,
cunning and trrachcry Gatll, a rival chief,
of whom Sitting Bull is very jealous. is a far
one, and full of character. When introduced
graspcd my hand us though he meant il.
Gnul recognizes the fact that it is useless for
his people to fight the whites, and for that
reason he is Il counselor for peace Sitting
Bull, on the contrary is constantly encourage
ing dissatisfaction Should the Sioux eve.
take to the warpath it is most proball" ,ii,,t
the more civilized under Ganl will remain at
peace, while the others under Sitting Dull
will make the trouble
An important person III these killings is the
tribe "rricr.' He was an old buck of llsty
lungs. who, standing upon small Hill pro-
chained II feast, and advising all to fill them
selves while the opportunity offered
Other vocal sounds of Il more luguliluus
character wero heard on all sides. One
woman was seated on the ground, rocking
herself 10 and fro, uttcrinS most )itcol,s |
,tpi1 1,pt.
were vyinS with her in producing tn" most |
mournful sounds. These were mo,lrncis, de-
loring the taking off of some n"lr relative,
or bright and shining light in the tribe.
These deaths arr, however generally kept |
secret if possible until the following annual |
census, in order that the surviving mclnlnrs
of the family may enjoy the rations of the
deceased brother or sister.
One lref creature is allowed for :; certain |
number of Indians who are grouped accord
ingly. When the shooting was over the /
stockade gates were opened, and one repre-
sentative from each group pushed forward /
with his yoke of oxen or team of ponies eager .
to seize upon the biggest and fattcst steer
~ surging mass of men and animals wcr,.
thus soon passing through the gates The
slaughtered cattle We're then drawn ont Lv ,
the horns and placed i'll convenient place, to |
be dressed. This work is done by the sqllawS, |
who commence Mt once, and in few min |
utcs u hundred groups scattered about are |
busly engaged in an occupation that seems
to suit them.
Every scrap Of beef is saved Even thccn-
trails are eaten raw. The lungs and livers
are given to the squaws to rcm;incratc them
for dressing the animals. After the work
| ,)I
groups enjoying light lunch of raw liver
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