The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-17


high. At its base there is clear, running
river or properly brook-for it is only about
70 feet wide. The shape which the stream as
sumes at the immediate foot of the mountain is
that OF crescent, forming quite large pool
or basin.
Under the shadow which the great mass OF
disrupted rock throws over the water at certain
hours the pool looks as black as ink. The mo-
ment the water energies into the sunlight again
it sparkles and scntlates until it is painful for
the eyes to rest upon it's rapid1y-howing rip
pies. That the great elevation of this detached
portion of the range was caused by some extra
ordinary eenvulsion, which moved it from its
normal position, is apparent, and curiosity is
excited TO assign q reason for the limited area
Of the npheaval.
The stream which flows 80 pieturesguely at
the base of the isolated mountain is called by
the Indians Medicine Bluff Creek; the hill
above it, Medicine Bluff, From the time when
the memory of the various tribes "runneth not
to the contrary" Medicine Bluff has been a
prominent and sacred spot In the traditions and
legitimate history of the many nations of saw
ages. but especially in that of the Comanches
and Michitas. 1t was sort of "0ur Lady of
Jourdes" place. where the sick were cured in
the most miraculous manner after they had
been given up by the celebrated doctors of the
tribe. If the party afflicted had never
seriously grieved the Great Spirit the
who were carried to the top of the bluff by their
friends had at any time offended the Great
Spirit they died at once, the wolves devoured
their flesh, and their bones were transported to
the Land of Terrors." Sometimes, when the
individual taken up to invoke the aid of the
Indian god had lived an exemplary life, instead
OF being cured of his feshly ills he or she was
translated like Elisha of old, to the happy
hunting grounds.
The Comsnches declared that at night the
Great Spirit frequently rested on the top of
the mountain, and when that occurred, the
whole region to the verge of the horizon was
lighted mp with q strange glog, resembling
that emanating from an immense prairie-fre
reflected upon the clouda The Indians also
claimed that no dew or rain ever fell upon the
extreme summit of the bluff, where the sick
were TO lie and wait for the manifestation of
the Manitou; nor did the wind blow there 90
that it was calm spot, comprising all the es
sentiais TO speedy recovery.
One among the many traditions connected
with the charming but weird place was told by
an aged warrior OF the Comanehes one evening
around the campfire in 1868. after white
winged peace had spread her wings once more
over the prairies, snd we were pulling vigor-
oHsly at our "breyerewoods," filled with
fragrant Lone Jack" The old fellow, wrin-
killed. and black with the smoke of the tepee in
which he had lived for nearly 80 years, and
he sucked as indnstriously as an infant, told
this story:
There was once. ages before the white man
had invaded the country Of the Indian, very
cid warrior who, sick and respondent, went to
the top of Medicine Bluff to be cured. He for
many years had ceased to hunt the buffalo,
lived with the weuaen of the tribe, and settled
himself down TO peaceful calm, awaiting the
time when he should be called to join his faith
e1s. One day he struggled to the top of the
Bluff in the hope he might die and be carried
bodily to the happy hunting grounds, as he
knew from the traditions of his tribe others
had been before him.
He had been absent from his lodge and the
village for three nights. During all that time
the frightened people down below, who had
been diligently watching, observed a great
blaze on the top OF the mountain, as If it were
ssignal-fre to warn them Of some impending
danger TO the tribe.
On the third morning young warrior was
seen descending the trail from the nights Of
the Bluff, drawing near 10 the village. When
he entered its streets he looked about him in
evident surprise. he approaced the Chiefs
lodge and sat down by the fire.
The warriors OF the tribe gazed at him with
awe and that curiosity which stranger ever
eFokeS- Nc one seemed to recognize him. All
remained silent, waiting for him TO speak.
Lighting his pipe with coal, he took pull
a. il himslf, Naturalization, then passed it
around the circle. The warriors noticed that
his pipe-stem was decorated with the feathers
of the gray eagle, denoting him to be a great
warrior, one wbe had captured large number
ofsealps, so they regarded him with still greater
wonder, After every one in the circle around
the Chiefs fire had taken Whit the stranger
commenced his story:
After / arrived at the top OF the Medicine
Bluff, / looked of at the vast expanse which
surrounded me. i saw the village Of my peo-
pie; could hear the dogs bark and the children
laugh; ] could hear my own family mourning,
Rs If some one had been taken from them;
saw the buffalo covering the prairie, and the
cunning wolf lying in wait TO pounee upon
his prey. When j again looked all around me-
and beheld the young warriors in their pride
and strength, / asked myself: Why do live
any longer? Ny fires have gone out. ] must
follow my fathers. The world is beautiful to
the young but to the old it has no pleasure.
will go therei'
With this upon my mind, continued: Far
away toward the setting sun are the hunting
grounds of my people, Then j gathered all
KY strength and leaped from the giddy hight
before me. / knew no more of the woes of
this life. was caught up In nj-air and sud-
denly transported TO country where game was
countless; where there was nc wind no rain,
no sickness; where all the great chiefs of the
Comanches who had ever died were assembled;
where they were all young again, and chased
ths buffalo and Toasted as when on earth. There
was no darkness. The people were continually
happy. Beautiful birds sang on the trees The
ar-whoop was never more heard"
The old Chief had been rejuvenated, and now
came back to his people with all his youthful
Nigor TO live again with his own tribe. The
story of the strange warrior captivated the
Indians. He at once became an oracle and
great Medicine Man in bis tribe; his power to
cure the sick was wonderful. and his counsel
was implicitly obeyed ever afterward.
Medicine Bluff has, of course, lost much of
its prestige among the Indians, for the reason
that since the extinction of the buffalo and
ether large game the tribes have been scattered
being generally pretty closely confined TO the
reservations, with the children taught in
schools, and the superstitions, or at least many
OF them, having passed gradually out OF the
remembrance of the new generation, known
only 10 the few old warriors left.
The savage, like the white man, in his dis
appointments aud miseries sometimes resorts
10 suicide as euresl for and end all of life's
burdens. Among the powerful Comanches
Medicine Bluff WAS for an unknown period,
one OF their famous places, like the Tendome
Column in Paris, from which to terminate an
unsatisfactory aud miserable existence. The
Bluff was also rendezvous for the young war
riors, who were TO go for the first time in bat
tie with the tried soldiers of the tribe to pro-
pitia1e the Great Spirit.
The sun in that nation. as in the old tribe of
Natchez, symbolized their god. For three con-