Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-01-26

rows"
ASK him to tell me the famous Sc
cret Of the sun glass used BY the In
diaIs in battle to direct their move
ments by means of code of signal
rays"
He is asking me the most sacredly-
guarded secrets OF the Indians" said
the medicine man. "How did he ever
know enough TO ask such questionsP"
1t may be incidentally remarked Just
here that TO appear to know nearly all
about things concerning which we real
~ knew little or nothing was a bit of
strategy we had determined to employ.
1t charged the Indian with Just that
much less responsibility for divulging
such mysteries or initiating novitiates
into the privileges of the acolyte.
There is" said the medicine chief,
"a system of signs and signals which
runs all through the Indian race. This
is necessary, since every tribe speaks a
different language, in order that they
may communicate with each other.
These signs are made by smoke, blanket,
pony, sign language, fire, arrows, flint,
steel and mirror. The code of sun glass
signals to which you refer is part of
.egular system Of signals at great dis
ia .ces which has been reduced
TO science by the Indians
On a bright day and when the sun
is in the right direction piece of look
ing glass held in the hollow of the hand
of the chief directs the movements of
the whole field. The reflection of the
suns rays thrown upon the ranks
serves without trumpet or command to
communicate the order of the chief
According to the direction of the rays
the ranks move east or west or north or
south; should there be distinct flashes,
the party hurries forward, moving to
right or left, as the flashes indicate. If,
on the other hand, the scouts sent on
ahead discover a large force close at
hand a continuous, quick, vibratory,
tremulous motion is given the mirror,
but no distinct flashes. The party in
that case scatter and secrete them
selves. The system" said the medicine
chief, lis simply perfect. A chief in
this way can sit on his horse on the top
Of knoll and without word and with
only a slight movement of the hand
direct the movements of his men in the
valley below. Civilization has never
been able to invent such a system of
drilling troop of cavalry in the field"
What Is the secret among the In
dams of sending up smoke in great
puffs and then no smoke? How is it
done?"
"They hold blanket for awhile over
a small fire, and when the blanket is
full of smoke they open it and send up
the stipple. Indians notice every OBJ
ject as soon as it moves. Ages Of trans
mitted power have trained their vision
to keen perception. The signal Is only
an expansion of the sign"
How do the Utes bury. and why Is a
dead Ute never foundT'
They bury by night" said the med
icine man, ''in cave, and seal up the
cave so you would never know where to
begin to look. They will never talk
about 1t to anyone"
How do they split the buffalo col
umn?"
Suppose a column of buffalo coming.
perhaps fifty miles wide and a hundred
miles long. The Indians will ride
against that rushing wall and split it
into two separate wings by means of
what is known as the flying wedge
One Indian rides ahead, then two, then
three and so on. They shoot a buff
falo at the center of the line, say,
and quick as it falls another right be-
hind it, and another, till they have
felled three or four, thus opening
path which they may enter and which
opens gradually wider and wider until
the vast herd splits and the two wings
slowly separate.
What are fire arrows used for and
why DO they make thcm?" | said to the
conjurer Of secrets.
Fire arrows are sent up sometimes
as a signal Of danger They are seldom
used in war and are generally used for
the purpose of burning out raccoons,
bears, rabbits, etc, from old hollow
trees.
''What are flint and steel used for?
For information Take an example,
said the chief. ~ party go ont to sur
prise camp Of Indians. An Indian scout
is sent ahead He cravls close to the
tepees, counts the lodges and then turn
ing round and drawing his blanket
about his head, only letting the front
of his face show he strikes eff sparks
on the finder and the counted number
of the sparks is the number OF lodges.
lis it true Tint the Indians were the
first masons ana that taeir masonry an
telates all others in the paste"