The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-06-25

went back TO MS tepee he was seized
with desire to introduce some new
features in the Modoc dances. So, after
a consultation with few of his trusted
lieutenants, he inaugurated 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-
scribed what 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 it's 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-
would be brought to life. The story
made great impression on the Indians,
and the fate of General Candy and the
Peace Commission in 1878 tells how rig
idly the Modoc chiefs carried out the
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 country as the Oregon
| lava beds. A dance among Indians is
| always prelude to trouble. In 1878 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 fish
to swim. 1t is part of their tradition.
Superstition to large extent pervades
| the breasts of the Indians, and they
think that n 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 Blackfeet are the
meanest and the Modocs the braveSt-
although every Indian believes in fight
ing in ambush. The Apaches are per-
haps the most numerous and merciless.
The Blackfeet Indians have a CHASTITY
ceremony when they don war-paint.
They have council of war. Then
twelve squaws are huddled together
and chant 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 martyr for the new campaign.
The one who draws the straw with a
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.
1.-THE Bannocks at Ross Fork agenc,
are perhaps the best dressed Indians il
the country. They are the dudes of tn,
Nation in that respect. Ordinarily al
Indian is slovenly, dirty and Indifferent
in his dress. The Brannocks, of Idaho
however, take good care of thei
blankets and have more pride than TIN
usual run of redskins. They are grea
travellers also. They enjoy the priv
ilege of free transportation on all tn
Union Pacific trains, provided they rid
on freight cars or the blind baggage
They are so well behaved that the Ii
dian agent allows them leave of at
sence whenever they wish to CO.