The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-03-20
WEAPONS USED BY INDIANS.
The Modern Rifles and Revolvers are Now
Used.

pany Of regular troops, some years
ago, in the heart of the Indian coun-
try. 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 a high bluff near
the camp, announced that he saw OBJ
jects approaching through the cotton
woods that fringed the creek on whose
bank we were located. l Immediately
guessed our red ncighbors were about
to pay us a visit, but whether Of hos
tility or friendship it was impossible
to tell. Wishing to be on the safe
side and yet not appear afraid, | or
dered each man to load his rifle and
place it at the entrance of his tent,
with a full belt of cartridges near by,
so that both could be seized at mo-
mcnt's notice.
y long file of Indians entered camp
in few moments, and each one, as he
halted his pony, put on broad grin
and grunted ''How !" which is the
universal Indian greeting. 1 saw that
there was not squaw among them,
which was a suspicious sign. But on
the other hand, they had no weapons,
except few bows and arrows. Imade
no comment one way or the other, but
gave the chief some tobacco and sugar,
and then proceeded to handle his Nav
ajo saddle blanket with apparent ad-
miration.
Feeling it gently as if to test the
closeness of the weaving, | noticed a
hard body, which could not be the
pony's back. In an instant the edge
Of the blanket was thrown upward and
repeating rife Of the latest pattern
was disclosed
The old chief laughed long and loud,
making believe that he had hidden the
rifle just for a joke. But as further
search revealed the fact that every
buck had a rife hidden similarly be-
meath his saddle blanket, and revol-
yer in his shirt besides, there can be
little doubt that an attack had been
meditated, should the opportunity
occur.
The Indian of to-day has discarded
his primitive weapons of war, and
adopted the white mans. An Indian
can reload an empty rifle or revolver
shell as we'll as white man. How he
does it is a mystery, for the white
man needs special set of tools for the
purpose, and the Indian has none that
are not improved. The fact remains,
however, and was so we'll known to
General Miles that, when campaigning
after Geronimo in 1886, he published
an order directing that his soldiers
should turn over to their officers all
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 mcditated, and quite
generally in hunting, for there it an
swers as we'll and is more economical.
The degree of skill attained by the
Indian in archery is truly astonishing ;
but it is the result of long and con-
slant 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 him
self for war.
These latter are powerful weapons.
Ono +hot on Indian would with the
greatest ease, draw to the arrow s
head, could scarcely be bent four inch
es by white man. They will send
an arrow 500 yards, and put it through
board an inch thick.
On one accession a mans skull was
found transfxcd to a tree by an arrow,
which had gone completely through
the bones and imbedded itself so 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 4 feet long, and an
inch thick in the middle. A warrior,
with sharp knife and file, will take
week to make bow, which will sell
for about 50 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 ornament
ed, carved and painted, these bows are
beautiful, and readily sell for $50 OF
$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 Shos'
homes made their poisons of ants,
dried and powdered, and mixed with
the spleen Of some animal. Tie mix.
ture was then placed in the sun and
allowed to decay. The result was such
deadly poison that if the arrow ever
broke a persons skin it was sure to
produce death.
Arrows are made very carefully, fol
upon their construction depends the
bowman S success. Three or four arc
the limit of a days work, even when
the rough material is at hand. The
branches from which they are made
are cut in the fall, when the sap is not
running, and are tied up in bundles,
| so they will not warp. They are then
hung up in the tcpee, in similar
manner to the bow wood. The shaft
is usually channclcd, or grooved, SC
as to allow the flow of blood from the
wound. Arrows pertaining to differ
ent tribes may be distinguished by
the expert after examination Of the
feathcring, painting or carving. In
deed, it is said that individuals Of the
same tribe can tell each others arrows
in the same way.
The tomahawk and war club are
hardly used at all. Their place has
been taken by the knife, one or more
being always carried by wild Indian
in sheath attached to his belt. Used
principally for skinning game, these
knives are nevertheless, at close quar-.
ters, deadly weapons of attack or de.
fense. They are also used for scalping.
Scalping is not religious ceremony