Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-11-15
THE SOUTHERN INDIANS.


 The first knowledge that the Southern Cheyennes and Arapahoes had of the ap- pearance of the Messiah was from a Car lisle boy who had been visiting at the Pine Ridge Agency in December of last year. On his return he told his people of the excitement among the Northern Indians, and they eagerly accepted his stories In February. Washa, Sergeant of the United States scouts, and Black | Coyote, chief of the Indian police, were sent to the North for further information. 1 The tribes supplied them with money obtained from several hide sales. They visited among the Indians in Dakota and Montana and returned month later. On their arrival all the Indians of the two tribes assembled to hear their report. They seized the opportunity to gain no- toriety, and assured the Indians that while they had not seen the Messiah they were confident about his appearance, for they had seen Sitting Bull and heard his stories and strange songs. For a while they were famous among their people. This satisfied the people for a time, but they finally longed for the real apostle and humbly petitioned Sitting Bull tc visit them. The latter part of September he arrived, and the worship dances
 were inaugurated. The Indians came il swarms to the place, about four mile: from Fort Reno, and pitched their teepe: in circle, surrounding level stretch O
 prairie. Each night men and women ant children, to the number of 5000, formed
 a ring and sang their worship songs ant danced from right to left around Sitting
 Bull and the chiefs within, who stool
 with outstretched hands, and chanting tt
 them strange songs. All night they dane
 ed. Occasionally one overcome with ec
 citement would drop from exhaustion
 but the next in line would move up ant
 fill his place. This was continued unti
 Sitting Bull assured them that they hat
 shown sufficient zeal, and then thei teepes were taken down and they depart . ed to their winter quarters. The differen
 bands continue the worship, and ever
 night the noise of two or three dance
 can be distinctly heard at the fort.
 SITTING BULL INFLUENCE.
 The influence Sitting Bull has upon tn Indians is astonishing, and he maintain
 1t by a species of mesmerism easily cal
 culated to inspire them with awe He
 evidently a shrewd and cunning Indian
 A Carlisle boy, who denounces the frau, and wished to investigate it for himself
 appeared before him at once of the dance l and asked him to exhibit his powers 5 Firstly, he has number of songs entirel = unknown to the Indians, which l., say
 he learned at the dance he attended i
 the spirit land" These he continuousl
 chants. When this young man appeare
 before him he began singing and inciden
 tally seized him by his left foot. Immed lately a sensation like an electric shoe 9 passed over him, and all the lights chang ed to a green or purple hue Then Sii ? ting Bull blew upon the crown of hi a head and he became cold. He asked tn 1, subject to put his arms about him, bu : on attempting to do so his arms flew bac | and dropped helpless at his side A . these experiments were made in the pre-. ence of the assembled Indians and th effect upon their ignorant minds can b easily imagined. This young man doe a not believe him prophet and is fire s from the superstition of his race, yet | c feels that Sitting Bull is gifted with som 5 strange power. Undoubtedly Sittin l. Bull possesses mesmeric powers to som : degree, and finds the Indians minds l fertile field to work upon. He surround ;, this power with the story of the Messia 1T and appeals to the Indian hatred of tn 6 white man to more easily influence then > His description of the Messiah is exactl q as he is portrayed in pictures that han s upon the walls of every church ar $ school house in the Indian countr,
 Especial stress IS laid upon the stat - ment that he has a beard, and shows thi 4 Sitting Bull has taken his story frol ,' badly equipped missionaries, for fndia1 IT never permit the beard to grow and h r picture of Christ could not have bee n nn selfconceived. The whole story origina 70 ed with Sitting Bull, and the prophets 1 the North are but his apostles. The Q have not the powers ascribed to him an
 only arouse the Indians by the excit r. ment of the dance and the story of tt a future which awaits them. Sitting Bu
 is very ordinary looking man, a lit
 below the medium in height, and dresst 1f in customary leggings and blankets. La. B week he paid a visit to the Kiowa h Apaches and Comanches at their urge1
 solicitation, and from that reservation Il