The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-10
ALLOTTING AGENTS.
Ex-senator John Kelly Tells an Eagle
Representative Some of the Expert
ences in the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe Country.
What the Land is Like--What the In.
dams Think of the Allotment--Chief
Whirlwind Warns the Agents
to Keep Off His Preserves.

|
of five selected by the government to allot
the lands to the Arapahoes and Cheyennes.
Mr.. Kelly's neck shows the signature of
| Indian territory sun and the tanning pro-
clivities of the spring breezes, and his face
is well bronzed and his appetite sharpened.
The alloting agents on May IA started on
tour of inspection over the new country.
The starting point was Darlington. The
party consisted Of four wagons, covered
and well equipped with provisions, inter
prefers, drivers and other paraphrenalia
necessary A trip across a country still
fresh in the hands and haunts of the abo-
rigine and unpierced by the ameliorat-
ing shaft of civilization has many
enjoyable and unique features in store for
the traveller as well as a balancing deduc-
ton in the irritating mishaps and I'M
| pleasant experiences en- route. For in
stance the whole party in crossing the
North Canadian, going north, found one
OF the foremost wagons, in which were the
agents, going down in the quicksand. The
horses had also broken through the thin
upper crust of hard sand and were strug
| Cling to keep to the surface and against
the current. The animals, however, began
to sink and the company saw that there
was but one thing to do. So out piled all
the agents, up to their necks in icy water
and every man took hold of the wagon and
lifted with might and main.
They succeeded in getting the wagon and
horses out and afterwards hanging them
selves up conviently to dry The crossing
of the Canadian, which was greatly swol-
len by heavy rains was given up.
The first Indian village reached was
Raven Springs on the north Canadian, the
party pursuing a northwesterly course
! from Darlington. Raven Springs is better
| known from the name of the sub-agent
and interpreter stationed there, Mr. Segar.
The little place is made up of the conical
| tepees anu contains about hundred souls.
The chiefs name is VOLTS Robe and with
him the party had an amusing episode.
These Indians are Cheyennes. The only
marked difference to the uninitiated be-
tween the Cheyennes and Arapahoes is in
the aboriginal couture. The Cheyenne
wears his raven tresses in the loose and
flowing Amelia-Rive style, while the
Arapahoe makes an effort at inroads into
the tonsorial art by manipulating his hir-
suit adornment into two short dangling
and stubby braids
DuU 10 btle dueCuOGG. IuS company
rived at Raven Spring at dusk and as
night came on and their arrival was an
nounced to the town, the big Indians came
! numbering in one after another and were
introduced. This proceeding was in this
wise The interpreter would signify
| to the Indian to be introduced that
the visitors were the men who
! had come to distribute the land.
The Indian would then give the usual I'M
smiling, laconic, but approbative grunt,
! ugh" shook hands, and, if he was of extra
ordinary curiosity, ask one question prob
ably, and then, relaxing into a meditative
! state, uncouple himself and squat on the
ground. VOLTS Robe, the chief, was
among the number. Judge Tackett, who
! is at the head of the allotting agents. is
minus good right forearm, lost in the
service of his country. When he extended
his LEFT hand to the noble Wolfe's Robe TO
shake, the red chief drew back with males
tic but superstitious awe and exclaimed:
ugh. no goodp' with glance that cast
aspersion on all the left-handed people in
the world. This was hitch in the pro-
ceedings. But when it was eX-
planned that the judge had lost
his other hand and that too,
in valiant service, the obduracy of the
noble red man was at once overcome and
he grasped the remaining left hand with
both of his and shook it warmly, getting
there literally with both hands and figure
atively with both feet.
The Indians here. as all over the coun-
try, visited were anxious about the pay
ment which should have already been
made but for some reason has been de-
layed At Darlington the pay rolls have
already been made out for a week, and tel
egrams sent to Washington for the money,
but no reply has been received and no
money. So the Indians are growing solic-
itous and questioned the allotting agents
in regard to she first payment with evident
disquiet. They receive SIS per capita.
Mr.. Kelly says that the ticket
of admission to the Indians
consideration and hospitality is the word
that they are sent by the Great Father at
Washington (meaIing the presidenD. A
great portion of the Indians know no
English besides those three words, Great
| Father" and Washington.
The Indian chiefs also expressed their
disapproval of the intention of the agents
to abide at FL Reno, where the hotel facili-
tiles are better They want them to stay
and live right with them.
From Raven Springs the party went
southwest, passing through the Caddo and
Wichita country where they camped at
night, thence to an Indian village Of
| Arapahoes on the Washita. Here they
were friendly received and shook hands
with another bunch of the tribe.
Going north from here the party directed
its course for cantonment on the extreme
north of the lands.
Mr.. Kelly says that they met with
punches of Indians and the Indian police
who scour the country continually on the
lookout for white intruders. Occasionally
they saw the white farmers who are inter
spersed throughout the tribe and instruct
| the Indians how TO farm probably and
for which they receive salary.
At the Indian village at Cantoument,
the willy Whirlwind, one of the most IA
nous chiefs of his generation was encoun-
| tered. Whirlwind. true TO his name, has
always been inclined to be cyclonic and of
! a curative temperament. He feels sure that
he has been wronged by the white men,
and he declines 10 be duped further, by
force or soft inducements In fact. he re-
fuses point blank TO allow the allotting to
go on.
He told the allotting agents that he
would receive them friendly and with
amity so long as they came SIS mere white
visitors. but he warned them not to try TO
allot lands beyond the Red hills, well
known locality in that country. His
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