The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-14
NARRAGANSETTS POWWOW.
sURVITORS or rms TRIBE CLlTs
LANDS or RHODE ISLAND.
They assert Owner.hin Of senbosrd wortA
over 81 600 ,OOO-Ths Hundred Msubsr,

Over 81 0O0,0O0-Ths Hundred Memhrrs
OF the Ttibe VIII Meet at Chnrisstovy,
Church Jnn. IL 10 Prepare n Petition.
WESTERLY Il. l.. Jan. ia handful OF rod
men dwell mt tho village Of Charlestown in th,
state among sand knobs that fringe the mar.
gin OF the booming ocean. These survivors Of
the ancient Narragansett tribe once the most
powerful and warlike In southern New Eng.
land. will make another attempt within
few days to regain possession OF valuable
lands that belonged 10 their ioreiathcrs. There
IL something unspeakably pathetic in this for.
lorn.hope endeavor Of the ingenious red men
TO wrest from the =" Rhode Island Plantations"
by judicial means what was taken by the stats
from the old tribe by foul or fair meanh as tn.
opportunity offered itself They had Hgrea,
powwow at Charlestown village great only
because It was important. for the once mighty
tribe numbers onlv a few braves and sduaws
when the councillors OF tho nation decided
that IL was best to 60 ahead with their schems
to get back their own" TAG Sun had the
story OF the meeting.
tall red man. a councillor o: his tribe. erect
swart. stalwart loped Into the ONCE Of ths
Westerly DnjW Tribune day or two ago. and
this is the notice" he printed In the adver-
Using columns Of that newspaper:
rHt siRR.G,~Hrr iNpiaSs
will meet at the Indian church. In Charestovn Mon.
day Jan 10 1874 for the purpose OF placing thsir In
divdus names upon Position to be presented to the
General Assembly. at its next session In Providence
this month This will be the last meeting Of this PEG
pie. Every member should bring 90 cents to help d..
fray the expense OF getting our claim before the State
Per order committee. GEoRGE a. AsuoSs
GiproS AruoHs
Only a very few full. blooded Narraganset
Indians yet survive. and IL is probable that
George q. Ammons and Gideon Ammons the
acting advertising messengers OF the nation,
who eXempllfy the salient, distinguishing
personal characteristics OF the old-time war
riors. their strong. massive features. the aaui-
line nose rugged chin. and broad cheek bones
and bold. fierce eye. are as distinctively to tho
manner born as any m en- Der ofthe tribe to-day.
They are fine specimens OF the +. +. Va OF the
best red races OF New England, and notwth-
standing the political humiliation that has be-
fallen their people. they are still as proud IS
princes; are princes. in fact, by hereditary
right. They were received by the Office force
Of tho Daily Tribune with the respect and m UGH
OF the honors that are paid to genuine
nobility. whether OF character. intellect or
rank. They performed the duty that called
them there In an intelligent. straightforward.
and conscientious manner. with no waste OF
words. and also without bruslueness or pre-
Righteousness. and. having don II o. ped itiously
strobe silently therefrom with somewhat OF
q stately carriage and mien. They unhitched
their farm steeds that had been tethered to
stone posts in the busy little street. and hav-
ing expended no time upon town designations.
in frivolous gossip. or tipping at the village
tavern. as white farmers on a trip to town are
apt to do. they got aboard their strong and
bright painted farm wagons and bowled rap
idly out Of the village sober-faced. erect seri-
turned to look at them as they rode along the
village thoroughfares. for NarraEansett In
dian Is well worth look ing at even In these days.
In respeCt either OF his physical DerBOlal.
tribal characteristics.
- All the great New England tribes: who; With
red men on the continent. are fast dwindlinR
sws and only is" braves ana
the Mohegans aud Pequots or Peauods
RGods Island ne Psn.ooss nssa
their tribal Organization intact at Indian
Town: the Mohegqns at Mohegan village.
on the right bank Of the Thames River.
stonineton ana l;edyard. on the shores Of
cut, and the Narraeansetts at Charlsstown. on
the shore of the open ocean. in Rhode Island.
Tns r. red are about
of the tribe attended the late great powwow.
old men and panpooses in arms. in the Indian
present at the forthcoming great council hrs
on Jan. Is. Said a white man this week. whs
"lHither came the young aud m ature braves,
and also the old and decrepit Indian people OF
little State, mum boring, in ali about 100 Der
sons: and they were all gathered in their rude
srsssy sand Rs ~ s sos RheSs fanS
This building. by the way which the tribe
adsn sns used for their soS.
e the tile q nss,iP' house. xhioh
y The fact Is, the NSrrasahsstts are
not particularly strong in tho distinctiveIy or
vertet. but in late years have given in their
alleaiance. almost altogether. to the Second
Briefly the motive Of their first meeting
was that they might discuss a proposition,
sy the wise men q the nstop that
the Rhode Island Assembly. involving their
alleged ownership OF narrow strip OF the
serpentine shape. conforming to tho serrated
coast line. and the pecuniary value Of which Is
The red men" continued the narrator.
: have NO DOUBT that their claim is perfectly
MONDAY to US whites that while their title to
All the land in question, with its numerous
clpie OF equity their scheme to regain it is
purely visionary, and that the claim will never
be paid. The white man. we all know. never
nuired by his own law OF spoliation from peo-
pie 4 pleases him, him 10 term inferior races
is over a roqGh-and; tough. brisry wilder:
ness about all the way to the humble stone
in and out In unfenced freedom through .
rugged plain that 10 dotted over with strange
m attitude Of rough boulders. Finally the road
winds into Charlsstown hamlet, a pretty clus.
ter OF white-painted dwellings, In the centre ~
Plain. from the outer southern rim OF which
The country slopes gently. with here and there
sandy knoll, down 10 a rampant OF sand dunes
along tho margin Of the tempestuous ocean.
The red men dwell in neat one story houses IN
one quarter OF the hamlet and. with varying
success, TIL the sandy ami stony acres about
The village exactly as their white neighhors do
The iiIst nowwow went on smoothly and
successfully ali the forenoon then the nation
had dinner in the church. and in the afternoon
named Commission, whose business II should
be to press forward the claim. The old men
wanted COMMITTEES appointed 10 present thu
,ase to the Com mission. but the proposition
was not adopted. Old Mr. Ammnns one Of the
wissst fathers Of the tribe, with paper anil
pencil laboriOusly figured out the perunlary
sum that the ella m should bring In 10 his peo-
Pile. and he read his financial verdict amldA
perfect silence on the Tart Of the congregation.
- wit, lust 81 ,uI5.OnO. His report was
'ented as matter of course and then every
Indian, man. woman, hoy and maiden. Clipped
~ NlsA nIaif .F1-D,a ali IN IA