Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-02-11
The GHOST DANCE.
1t Is Not New But Was Invented by
Captain Jack, tho MOdoc.


Modoo fame, is the &estor of the ghost
dance, although it was not known then
by that name. The present Sioux
dance may have received a few extra
embellishments, but it is simply moth
ing more or less than the old Modoc
war dance. . .r'
Captain Jack, during the days of
peace preceding the Modoc war, at
tended dance given at frontier tav-
ern, at which he was a spectator, evil
IDENTIFY deeply interested. When he
went back to his tepee he was seized
with a desire to introduce Some new
features in the Modoc dances. So, after
consultation with a few of his trusted
ieutenants, he inaugurated a grand
circle dance. The Indians kept going
continuously to the left to the music of
tom-toms, dancing as they went with
wild disregard to musical precision, but
with great enthusiasm Finally, Scar
Faced Charley tainted with exhaustion.
The dance was stopped. When he re-
gained his senses he graphically de-
scribcd what a wonderful vision he had
experienced. He had seen Wee Ma Katah,
the most powerful of early-day Modoc
chiefs, when the tribe was in the zenith
of its glory. The spirit of the chief
told him that by killing the first three
white men who came into their reser-
walton all the land would be re-
stored to them and that all dead Modocs
would be brought to life. The story
made q great impression on the Indians,
and the. fate of General Candy. and the
Peace Commission in 1878 tells how rig
S,Ix ia Il
spiritual suggestion.
after the death of the commission
this same tribe held one Of their circle
dances around their remains, and with
war-whoops and blood-thirsty hearts
started on the long campaign among
the lava beds, where they picked off
soldiers among the natural fortifica-
tions of the region. have been in the
Bad Lands of Dakota, and it is indeed
equally as bad a countryas the Oregon
lava beds. A dance among Indians is
always prelude to trouble. In 1873 it
was the circle dance. In 1890 it was the
ghost dance. 1t is as natural for an
Indian to use his feet and lungs before
going on the war-path as it is for a fish
to swim. 1t is part of their tradition.
Superstition to large extent pervades
the breasts of the Indians, and they
think that war without the usual
dance preface would be 'hoodooed.'
"The Sioux are not, in my estimation
the wickedest Indians to handle. They
are the most cowardly tribe on Amer
lean soil. The .Blaclfect nre the
meanest and the Alodocs the bfavest-
although every Indian believes in fight
ing in ambush. The Apaches are per.
haps the most numerous and merciless.
The Blackfeet Indians have aghastly
ceremony when they don war-paint.
They have council of war. Then
twelve squaws are huddled together
and chant a weird death song. The
Oldest warriors, aged and unfit for
further active campaigns, then draw
lots as to which will sacrifice his blood
and be a martyr for the new campaign.
The one who draws the straw with n
spot of black paint in the center then
stabs himself in several places in the
presence of the tribe. AS he falls the
blood gushes from his wounds. Into
this blood each warrior dips his finger,
emitting unearthly war-whoops as they
do so. This is equivalent to an oath
that they swear by the blood of their
sacrificed comrade to be true to the
commands Of their chiefs and fight to
the last. ..........-,r. .s.s
IL. "The Bannocks at Ross Fork agency
are perhaps the best dressed Indians in
the country. They are the dudes of the
Nation in that respect. Ordinarily an
Indian is slovenly, dirty and Indifferent
in his dress. The Brannoclxs, of Idaho,
however, take good care of their
blankets and have more pride than the
usual run of redskins. They IRE great
travellers also. They enjoy the priv
ilege of'free transportation on all the
Union Pacific trains, provided they ride
on freight cars or the blind baggage.
They are so we'll behaved that the In
dian agent allows them leave of alb
sence whenever they wish to CO."
,. O. Soap from Corn. ~. see. .s. >
1t Is claimed that nm Eastern chemist