Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-03-13
WEAPONS USED BY THE INDIANS.
The Modern Rifles and Revolvers are Now
Used

USeu
The writer was camped with COM
pany 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 as
yet we had seen not one. Late one
afternoon, however, the lookout, who
was stationed on high bluff near the
camp announced that he saw objects
approaching through the cottonwoods
that fringed the creek on whose bank
we were located. Immediately guess
ed our red neighbors were about to pay
us visit, but whether of hostility or
friendship it was impossible to tell.
Wishing TO be on the safe side and yet
not appear afraid, ordered each man
to load his rifle and place it at the en-
trance of his tent, with full belt of
cartridges near by, so that both could
be seized at moments notice.
A long file of Indians entered camp
in a few moments, and each one, as he
halted his pony, put on a broad grin
and grunted "How !" (which is the uni
versal Indian greeting. saw that
there was not a squaw among them,
which was suspicious sign. But on
the other hand, they had no weapons,
except few 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 Nav
aio saddle blanket with apparent ad-
miration.
Feeling it gently as if to test the
closeness of the weaving, noticed
hard body, which could not be the
pony's back, In an instant the edge
of the blanket was thrown upward and
q repeating rifle of the latest pattern
was disclosed
The old chief laughed long and loud,
making believe that he had hidden the
rifle just for joke. But as further
search revealed the fact that every
buck had rifle hidden similarly be-
meath his saddle blanket, and n revol-
yer in his shirt besides, there can be
little doubt that an attack had been
medtated, should the opportunity
occur.
The Indian ftoday has discarded his
primitive weapons Of war, and adopted
the white mans. An Indian can re-
load an empty rifle or revolver shell as
well as a white man. How he does it
is mystery, for the white man needs
q special set Of tools for the purpose,
and the Indian has none that are not
improvised. The fact remains, how
ever, and was so we'll known to Gen
eral Miles that, when campaigning
after Geronimo in 1886, he published
an order directing that his soldiers
should turn over to their officers oil
empty shells, in order that they might
not be left on the ground and utilized
by the Apaches.
The bow is used in war when
a stealthy attack is meditated, and
quite generally in hunting, for there it
answers rs well and is more economi-
cal. The degree of skill attained by
the Indian in archery is truly astonish-
ing; but it is the result of long and
constant practice. The Indian boys
first lesson is to shoot with small bow
and blunt arrow. Finally he receives
the strong bow, and with it fits himself
for war;
These latter are powerful weapons.
rrss,tha One that ao M Tndan n would with the
head, could scarcely be bent four inch
es by a white man. They will send an
arrow 500 yards, and put it through Il
board an inch thick.
On one occasion n mans skull was
found transfxed to tree by an arrow,
which had gone completely through
the bones and imbeddcd itself 50 deep
ly in the wood as to sustain the weight
of the head. He had probably been
tied up to the tree and shot.
The Sioux make the best bows.
Cedar and hickory are favorite woods.
The wood is carefully seasoned by be-
ing hung, sometimes for months, just
out of reach Of the flames of the tepee
fires. The bow is / feet long, and an
inch thick in the middle. 4 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
fitted to each other and spliced and
wrapped together. When ornamented,
carved and painted, these bows are
beautiful, and readily sell for S25 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 arrowhcads. The Shos
homes made their poisons ofants, dried /,
and powdered, and mixed with the
spleen of some animal. The mixture /.
was then placed in the sun and allow |
ed to decay. The result was such a
deadly poison that if the arrow ever /
broke persons skin it was sure to .
produce death.
Arrows are made very carefully, for .
upon their construction depends the
bowman's success. Three or four are
the limit Of days work, even
when the rough material is ut
hand. The branches from which they .
are made arc cut in the fall, when the
sap is not running, and are tied up .
in bundles, so they will not warp. !
They arc then hung up in the tepec,
in similar manner to the bow wood. |