The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-01-03
FAMOUS SITTING BULL.
The Character Of sitting Hull, tho Great
Chief OF the Sioux.


Chief or the sioux.
Probably when the facts are all known
ii will bc discovered that Sitting Bull
had more to do in in isencing the In
dians against signing the treaty at
Standing Rock than any other man.
Bull is an Indian Of large brain, as the
writer ascerlained while travelling with
him for three months iii The East. lie
il diplomatic in his nature; not q great
warrior. but rather safe counselor.
and as such he has great influence with
the Indians. lie is Il thoughtful savage,
and his travels in New York. Phi adel-
phia aud Brooklyn. in 1884. taught him
the ways of the whites to such an ex-
tent that he is now well able to cope
with them. lie is especially good in
making Il bargain. Indeed, the writer
considers him intellectually one OF the
most powerful Indians on the American
continent. That he has had much to
do in shaping the opinions Of the tribe
there can he no doubt.
Sitting Bulls Indian name is Ta-ton-
ka-i-a-ton-ka, and he was born on the
banks OF Grand river, within the
boundaries Of the great Sioux reserva-
ton and about forty-fivc miles south
west from the present Standing Rock
Agency in Dakota. lie is fifty-fve
year, OF age, has a very large head, is
cool and thoughtful, very decided in
his ways. and yet will listen to argu-
mcnt and will answer With argument.
Ills original name was Wa-Kan-you-na-
gin. Or Standing Holy, which name he
retained until he was fourteen years
old. when his father, whose name was
Sitting Ball. took him along with him
on the war path in the Grow country
(the inveterate enemies Of the Sioux,
and he, the fourteen-year-old boy,
counted his first victory by killing a
Crow Indian. After returning to their
home his father .'thrcw away three
ponies, i. O., killed them in honor Of his
brave sons achievement, at the same
time announcing the he had changed
the hume Of his son from Standing Holy
to that Of Sitting Bull, bcstowing his
own name upon him.
In person, Sitting Bull is solidly
built Indian, not quite SO tail az an or
binary savage, yet heavier in many re-
spects. His features are strong. and
when he walks he turns his toes in
ward, strikes the ground with heavy,
jarring tread, and moves rapidly like
man of business. His general look is
heavy, while that of Little Crow, the
leader of the great Indian outbreak in
Minnesota in 1861, and Hole-in-the-Day
the great Chippewa chief, were more
refined, but none the less true Indians.
The Dakotas believe that they must i'm
itate Hay-o-kah, the undemOnstrative
god. who inculeates the idea that it is
not digniiied. Or manly. or great to
eyince lively emotions of grief or Joy,
but under all circumstances, even of
torture and death itself, the Indian
must show a stoical, impassive face.
and hence the immovable features Of
Sitting Bull or any other Indian who
| lays claim to power among his tribe.
The principal characteristic Of this
great medicine man for he il known
among his tribe rs such--is his stub
bornness Of character, the same Gle
mont which made Grant tho greatest
warrior Of modern times. With iu-
dicious management Bull could, no
doubt, be Won over to the whites, but
you can't drive h:m.-Cor. Ithaca IN.
| " Journal.