The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-31

THE oHosr DANCE.
It La Rot Now But Wn1 Invented by
Captain Jack. tho Modoc.

Captain Jack. tho Modoc.
People have been led to believe that
the ghost dance is original with the
Sioux" said an old frontiersman to a
Denver Republican man recently.
This Is u mistake. Captain Jack, Of
.Modoc fame, is the Nestor of the ghost
dance, although it was not known then
by that name. The present Sioux
dance may have received n few extra
embellishments, but it Is simply moth
ing moro or less thun the old Modoc
war dance.
Captain Jack, during the days of
peace preceding the Modoc war, at
tended dance given at a frontier tav-
ern, ut which he was spectator, evil
IDENTITY deeply interested. When he
went back to his tepec he was seized
with desire 10 introduce some new
features in the Modoc dances. So, after
consultation with IL few of his trusted
licutenants. he inaugurated grand
circle dance. The Indians kept going
continuously to the left to the music Of
tom-toms, dancing us they went with
wild disregard to musical precision, but
with great enthusiasm. Finally, Scar
Faced Charley tainted with exhaustion.
The dance was stopped. Whom he re-
gained his senses he graphically de-
scribcd what u wonderful vision he had
experienced. He had seen Wee IA Katah,
the most powerful of early-dny Modoc
chiefs, when the tribe was in the zenith
of its glory. The spirit of tho chief
told him that by killing the first three
white men who came into their rcser-
vation all the land would be re-
stored to them and that all dead Modocs
would be brought to life The story
made great impression on tho Indians,
and tho fate of General Candy and tho
Peace Commission in 1873 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 lavn beds, where they picked Off
soldiers among the natural fortihca-
tions Of the region. have been In the
Bad Lands of Dakota, and it Is indeed
equally Us bad q country US the Oregon
lava beds. A dance nmong Indians is
always prelude to trouble. In 1873 it
ghost dnncc. 1t is Us natural for nm
Indian to use his feet and lungs before
going on the war-path us it is for q fish
to swim. 1t Is part of their tradition.
Superstition to n large extent pervadcs
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 cownrdly tribe on Amer
lean soil. The Dlackfeet are tho
mcanest and the Modocs tho brnvcst-
although every Indian believes In fight
ing In ambush. The Apaches arc per
haps the most numerous and mcrcilcss.
The Dlackfeet Indians have CHASTITY
ceremony when they don war-paint-
They have council Of war. Then
twelve sQuaws arc 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
nnd be martyr for the new campaign.
The one who draws the straw with
spot OF black paint in the center then
slabs 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 unenrthly war-whoops rs 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.
"The Dannoclss at Ross Fork agency
are perhaps the best dressed Indians in
the country. They are the dudes of the
Nation in that respect Ordinarily IN
Indian is slovenly. dirty and Indifferent
in his dress. The Drannocks, of Idaho,
however, take good care Of their
blankets and have more pride than the
usual run of redskins They are 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 IRE SO we'll behaved that the In
dian agent allows them leave Of OBJ
senoe whenever they wish to Co."