Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-04-24
Letter from the Far West.
Grow, CREEK, SOUTH DAKOTA,

| CROW, CREEK, SOUTH DAKOTA,
April TO- 1901. {
Editor Sentinel:
In compliance with your request, and
with promises made to friends before leav-
ing home, send you greeting from one OF
the great young States which takes its name
| from the celebrated nation of Indians among
whom l shall for time remain | am glad
to be able to say that l reached here safely,
and that find it quiet and peaceful coun-
try that am enjoying "tolerable" health,
and that sincerely hope that all who may
honor me by the perusal of this letter may
be continued in health and prosperity and
every blessing that this brief life can give.
The scenes which surround me here differ
so widely from those of our Eastern coun-
try that it would be difficult in one brief
letter to give satisfactory description of all
that is new to me in this wild and windy
region. The vast expanse of treelcss plains,
the rugged bluffs which border the turgid
Missouri; the wailing winds which, in var
ylng seasons, drive binding clouds of dust
and snow everywhere; the dashing and
brilliant forest fires which sometimes chase
the lonely ranchman away from his bed
and board; the bowling wolf, the rattle
snake, and his friend, the prairie dog; the
dusky tribe, of mysterious origin, who make
this CLINE their abiding place, are all sub
jects full of interest to newcomers here and
people of other sections, especially to those
whose lot is cast In sunny, peaceful, shell
tered garden. spot like maryland, My Ma
ryland."
The Indians here are quite peaceable and
friendly, so far as my observation has ex-
tended, though some Of them at times ex-
hbit disposition to talk fellow to death
1t is their delight to hold formal conferences
tlcO lls.I ,tcs
the government, and woe unto the man who
consents to many of these conferences un-
der the impression that Indians cannot talk.
They will talk you, Mr.. Editor, into CON-
atose condition, and in the meantime smoke
your carcass through and through with fra
rant "knakinnick." | have already been
rounded up" for several conferences, and
have each time escaped with my life, being
luckily endowed by nature with more than
ordinary means OF self defence against this
kind of attack. White Ghost, the principal
chief of the Indians on this reservation, is
an orator who does not hide his light under
bushel; | should think his auditors would
do the hiding under a bushe!, or haystack
or anywhere, to wait till the storm rolls by
The wind has been blowing Gndepend
emily of White Ghost) almost without ces-
sation, ever since l have been here, and rain
and snow and hail and the blackest and
most affectionate mud | ever saw have wed
with each other in welcoming the gentle
Spring but the Indian farmers are indus.
triously engaged in breaking ground and
sowing grain. The bleak wind and chilling
showers seem to have no special terrors for
them. The school. boys, at recess, swarm
the ball ground, and the girls enjoy the de
lights OF the swing while the fierce winds
sweep through the white mans whskers
and chill the very marrow in his bones-
The red man can luxuriate in cotton
"upi" while his pale,faced brother may be
shivering with the cold in a well built house
by the side of blazing fire
The Dakota atmosphere is most delight
fully fresh and exhiarating. 1t goes to the
depths of the lungs and renders breathing
most delightful pleasure The water we
drink is from the Missouri river. When first
hauled up it Is almost black with mud, but
after standing five or six hours becomes
clear enough to drink. In twenty four hours
it is clear as crystal, and when sufficiently
cool is most grateful and refreshing. Tim.
Der grows only on the banks of streams and
in the sheltered lowlands; springs are ex-
ceedingly rare, and the the brook called
Crow Creek is the only stream of clear run
ming water have seen upon this reserva-
ton.
| have seen no song birds save the mead
ow lark, and his notes are widely different
from the monotonous call of his melancholy
brother of the East Wild geese and ducks
are quite plentiful in season, and prairie
chickens, jack rabbits and few antelope
comprise the game of the region.
The soil is best adapted to grazing 1t is
easily cultivated, however, and very fertile
and the one thing lacking for the produc-
ton of abundant crops is sufficient amou mt
of moisture. 1t is believed that artesian
wells can be made to supply this deficiency,
and the experiment is now being tried in
various parts of the State There Is hardly
any fruit produced here, berries are not to
be seen, and flowers are very rare. b.