Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-25
Character of the Tribe That Has
Gone On the War Path.
THEIR Love OF BOOTY and SCALPS
Various Little Wars in Which
They Have Engaged.
THEPRESENT OUTLOOK

1t has been a long time since federal
troops were ordered out to put down an
Indian outbreak, and 1t Is only done in the
present instance a precautionary meas
ure and to allay the fears of an excited
community. The Indians who are now en-
gagng the attention of the authorities are
Bannacks or Banaks, a tribe belonging to
the general family of Shoshones or Snakes
This family also includes the tribes of Co.
manches, 'Utes. Moquis and other less nu-
merous. The traditions of the Bannacks Is
that they came originally from the far
east. Their language resembles that of the
Comanches. The main tribe Of Bannacks
was first found in Oneida county. In the
southeastern part of Idaho, along the valley
of the Snake river. They are now estab-
lished at the Fort Hall reservation. in that
region. That portion of the tribe now
showing hostile purposes are in the jackson
Hole country in Wyoming. They left their
reservation in search of game, and are said
to have gone on the war path because OF
indignities received at the hands OF white
settlers.
Cause of the Trouble.
The latter objected to their presence on
their hunting preserves. and killed four or
five of them in effort to drive them
away. This aroused them to state of
frenzy, and 1t is said they have sworn to
be avenged. So far officially reported at
Washington however, they have not as
vet killed any of the settlers, nor COM
mitted any serious depreciation 1t is to
avert such a calamity. and. II possible. TO
persuade the Indians to return peaceably
to their reservation. that the Secretary OF
War has ordered troops to the scene OF
trouble.
last made trouble for federal troops. On
that occasion a war party set out on an
expedition against the settlers, and 1t fell
to the lot of Major General Miles, then in
command of that military department. to
intercede. He finally captured them, and SUBJ
sequently stated that that trouble, like most
other outbreaks among the Indians. was
due to deceit, double-dealing or injustice on
the part of the whites who dealt with
them. In 1873 bad blood occurred between
the Bannacks and the settlers, and the IT.,
dams went on the war trail, killing set.
tiers and stealing horses and live STOCK.
Miles After Them.
Gen. Miles, with 100 men and seven scouts.
went after them, and at daylight or Sep
TENDER 4, 1878, surprised them in Clark's
Fork Pass, in the Yellowstone valley.
In the ensuing fight eleven Indians were
killed and q hundred others, including wo-
men and children, were taken prisoners.
Several soldiers were killed, including Capt.
A. T. Bennett of the fifth infantry. The
captured Indians were held as prisoners for
several months, after which they were sent
back to their reservation. The present out
break is the first time they have made any
trouble since then.
According to the last report there were
1.493 Indians of various tribes on the Fort
Hall reservation. OF this number about
$40 were of the Bannack tribe, the remain
der being Shoshones. The reservation
covers an area of 1850 square miles, but
is very short of game. 1t has been the
custom of the Indians to stop at the agency
only long enough to secure their rations
and then go off to hunt.
Their Character.
Speaking of these Indians Gen. Miles re-
Gently said that many an innocent settler
would probably pay with his life for the
recent attack on them. Scalps and horses
are the two things which the Bannack is
taught to crave. The warrior who has
taken these from an enemy will go when
he dies to land ruled by big chief who
wears the feathers and robes of a full chief
and rides fast horse. This big chief will
lead them all in the chase, and buffalo and
other game will be plentiful and easy to
take. To provide a horse for the chase,
the favorite horse of a dead warrior Is
killed at his grave. Formerly squaw was
also killed at the grave and sent after him
to wait on him. The Bannacks are taller
and straighter than the mountain Indians
round about them and have the reputation
of being more warlike.
They Like Blood.
They are said to be very blood-thirsty
and it is alleged that they sometimes kill
their parents when they get old and bur-
densome. They regard themselves as the
salt of the earth and are proud and i'm
perious. With them work is degrading and
fit only for squaws They are distinctly a
hunting tribe. however. and have behaved
SO well of late that it was generally be-
lieved they had undergone thorough ref
ormaton. An army officer on duty at the
War Department says If they have really
gone on the war path it must have been
hs.caIlse of great rrnyAca ton