The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-23
LO NOW USES A GUN.
Bow and Arrows Obsolete With the
Noble Rec Man.

Has Nothing but the Best-Still He
Can Make a Bulls Eye With the Arrow
if Need Be-Stories of Men Who Have
Been Scaiped-The Operation Is Not
Necessary Fatal Though Conceded to
BE Very Unpleasant.
The writer lin the New York erald) was
camped with company of regular troops
some years ago in the heart of the Indian
country. There were plenty of redskins
about, as we knew by their signal fires, but
yet we had seen not one. Late one
afternoon, however, the lookout. who was
stationed on high bluff near camp, an
nounced that he SAW objects approaching
through the cottonwoods that fringed tho
creek on whose banks we We're located.
Immediately guessed that our red neighbors
were about to pay visit, but whether
Of friendship or hostility it was impossible
to tell. Wishing to be on the safe side and
yet not appear afraid l ordered each man to
lead his rifle and place it at the entrance of
his tent, with belt full of cartridges near
by. so that both could be seized at mo-
ment's notice.
\ long flo of Indians entered camp in d
few moments, and each one. each matted
his pony, put ON broad grin and grunted
i"How!'' which is the universal Indian greet
ing. | saw there was not squaw among
them, which was suspicious sign. But, on
the other hand. they had no weapons, ex-
cept lew bows and arrows. ! made no
comment one way or the other, but gave
the chief some tobacco and sugar. and then
proceeded to handle his Navajo saddle
blanket with apparent admiration.
Feeling it gently. as if 10 test the close
ness of the weaving, noticed a hard body
underneath, which could not be the pony's
back. In an instant the edge of the blanket
was thrown upward and repeating rifle
of tho latest pattern disclosed.
The old chief laughed long and loud, maxi
ing helieve he ha hidden the rifle just for
a joke. But as further search revealed the
fact tsat every buck had a rifle hidd
similarly beneath his saddle blanket. and a
revolver in his shirt besides. there can be
little doubt that an attack had been rnedi-
tated should the opportunity occur.
Use RIFLE AND REVOLVER NOW.
The Indian of today has in a great meas
me disc arded his primitive weapons of war
and adopted the white mans. An Indian
can reload an empty rifle revolver shell
as we'll as a white man. How he does it is a
mystery, for the white man needs a special
get of tools for the purpose, and the Indian
has none that are not improvised. The fact
20" Ne, no"sse1. az was "eii Ano"n -
Geronimo in 1886. he published in order d.
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oo"o W Lac Hr'nN AnloHo.
The Sioux make the best bows. Cedar and
hickory are favorite woods. The wood is
carefully seasoned by being hung. some
times for months. just out of reach of the
flames of the tepee fire. The bow is foul
feet long ana an inch thick in the middle.
A warrior, with sharp knife and file.
will take week to make bow. which will
sell for about So in trade.
The Crows make bows of elk horn, each
bow requiring four pieces, nicely lifted to
each other and spliced and wrapped togeth-
er. When ornemented. carved. and paint
ed. these bows are beautiful, and readily
sell for $25 OR $50. 1t takes an Indian about
three months to make one.
Before they came much in contact with
the whites the Indians frequently used
poisoned arrowheads. The Shoshones made
their poison of ants, dried and powdered
and mixed with the spleen of sumo animal
The mixture was then placed in the sun
deadly noison that if the arrow aver hroL.