The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-02-08
WAS PROBABLY A BLUFF.
A Savage Lot Of Sum- orshlpsrs on The
Local Reserve.
THE SULLEH YAKIMAS YIELD A POINT.
Inspector Mccormick ana Agent Err
win Have n Thrilling Experience
in Their Etfort GO Treat with an
ignorant Tribe.


Great Father in the Sun. They are ours.
We will not give up another inch OF
them. We are weary OF the pale faces
treaties. Go! We never want to see YOU
again. There is the way. Coz
These were the words uttered through
an interpreter on Sunday last, In a capa-
cious teepee just hevond Union gap, by
Young Ko-ti'a-kan, chief of the wild and
untamed Yakima tribe. to Hon. p. Me-
Cormick, special inspector OF all the In
dian agencies il the country, and Hon.
L. T. Erwin, agent OF the Simcoe reserva-
ton. These officials had been invited to
pow-wow with the savage Yakimas on
that day concerning the matter OF allot-
ting lands in severalty to all the Indians
Of the local reservation. Seventeen hun.
dred Of these Indians have already &C.
cepted alotnents. About 800 refuse to
accept it. The Yakimas compose the
chief element Of this dissenting crowd.
There are fourteen different tribes on
the Simcoe reservation. OF these the
klickitats are the most numerous and the
fakimas The most savage. During the
past twenty years OF annuity government
the Yakimas, who are irretrievably de-
voted TO the cause OF sun-w orshiping,
have never accepted a dollar, blanket,
had horse shod or sent child to
school. They accept their present condi.
ton surlily, but refuse further to treat
with the whites, through agents or other
wise.
When on Sunday last the agent and
the inspector appeared, by invitation
(the first time, by the way, that the Yak
inas have ever invited conference with
United States officials on any subject) in
the large teepee on the strip along the
Yakima river occupied exclusively by
the fakimas, they found 200 war-painted
redskins only in breech-clout and feath-
ers, arrayed in rows of forty, equipped
and sullen, to greet them.
Passing among these strengthening
aborigines," said Inspector Mccormick
to our reporter, Il shook hands with 200
OF the most fiendsh.looking red-men it
has been my experience to meet through
out the entire country. Every time they
took my hand they lifted it toward the
sun--a symbol of their peculiar religion.
During this ceremony a few Of their
number, who appeared TO be serving as
an orchestra, kept up an incessant beat
ing on rocks and their curiously made
drums until the din became quite unbear-
able. When We had explained our prop
osition, their spokesman, savage-look-
king young chief, spoke as | have told
you. OF course We went. have never,
during all my experience with the Indi-
ans, seen such war like demonstration !;
but am not now much surprised at it
since | have learned the history Of that
intractable tribe.
II desire to say" continued the inspec-
tor, that was iorcibly impressed with
Judge Twins ability to deal with these
strange people and his unusual measure
OF tact in controlling them. Among all
the many agents have visited not one has
shown the same degree OF intelligent
readiness for his work as has MIR. Err
win-aLd | recognize the fact that he
needs it all to treat with his wards sue
cessfully. believe these YAKIMA Indi-
ans, who constitute only fragment of the
local reservation population. will never
be good Indians. They are 80 exclusive
that they have not yet learned OF the
power OF the white people close about
them should it ever (but it never will be
necessary to employ it to subject them
to proper conditions in their manner of
treating with governmental authorities.
They are mean and surly, OF low degree
of intelligence and to educate them as
their red brothers re educated will be a
severe task"
Mr.. Mccormick left on monday evening
for visit to the Puysllups. He was
thoroughly impressed with the extra
ordinary advantages Of our magnificent
country and he declares that he will never
miss an opportunity to visit US again.
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