The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-02-14
ON THE GROW RESERVATION.
N Indian Race that Is Fortunately
Fast Dying Out.

y
Fast Dying Out.
Our ride from the fort to the field
ras through the pretty valley Of the
Little Big Horn. We passed one large
)row village and at one point witnessed
picturesque sight-to wit, about
,undred Crow Indians engaged In ac-
mal manual labor. Capt Watson, the
military officer In charge Of the Grow
Lgency, has established here an eX-
,erimenatl farm, the Indians perform
ng the bulk Of the work. He had them
engaged in chopping down sage grass
on the bottom as we passed. These
Crow Indians are the ricdest vagrants
In the world. They own 1he land COM
posing the vast reservation, they have
free food and ammunition IN abund-
ance, and they only number about
1900 all told. If they had their hold
ngs In severalty they would have
mall fortune per capita.
As we came upon the sage-brush
.miters the landscape was full OF color.
The handsome ponies, with gay blan-
TETS and rich saddles, were tethered
IN the plain, and the golden sunshine
vas gliding their trappings with au-
tumnal effulgence. The bucks wore
broad white sombreros and were clad
In variegated blanket coats and trous-
ers, while the squaws could have given
June rainbow cards and spades, 80
to speak, in the matter Of color Though
they really had hoes), and can truth
fully say that I never saw such for
midable, forceful array and SO little
achievement. The men were for the
most part sitting around, smoking Gig
arettes or lounging half asleep, While
the papooses rolled In the sun, and the
squaws alone swung the glitterins
zoe.
These Crow Indians, take 1t, says
Col Cockertll, in the New York Herald,
bear about the same relation to virile
Indians Of the Sioux stamp that the
genus corvus bears in ornithology to
the white-headed eagle. When one OF
these Indians takes up bit Of land
and sets up as granger the govern
ment builds him nice frame house.
As soon as the house becomes pedicul-
ous the aboriginal farmer sets up
tepee on his front lawn, moves his fam
lily and his penates into it, and turns
the government mansion over to his
ponies. I saw a number Of instances
In which the corvine son Of AGricola
lad thus returned, hog like, to his wal
ow.
On ration day at the Crow agency
these genial wards Of the nation flock
there to man and woman for frolic.
Each gang Is allotted certain number
Of cattle, and they do their own slaugh-
tering. This Is a gala occasion for the
Indian and his dog When steer is
stricken down he Is Immediately evils
cerated, and the leading man seizes the
kidneys as a bon bouche. These are
eaten warm and raw, and II the buck
Is in high feather he smears his face
with blood The liver and heart Of the
steer are eaten by tradesmen Of lesser
degree, while the squaws squeeze out
the intestines and proceed to devoul
them with gusto, cleaning by water
even being dispensed with.
Engaged In this sort Of barbaric
sustatory pastime will be found In
dians who have been schooled at Carl
isle and elsewhere, and who ought to
know better. And right here, under the
shadow Of the handsomest, best equip
ed agency in the West, and under the
eye Of the finest cavalry barracks out
side Of San Antonio, Tex, these In
dians dispose Of their dead by hanging
them up in tree tops. l saw within
FIVE miles Of the fort a Crow corpse IN
tree-a very becoming place for a
crow-and I could but regret the scare
ity Of trees and similar ornamental.
tions. 1t Is somewhat satisfying tc
know that these Indianse who cling Sc
tenaciously to the skirts Of barbarisn
are not fructifying. Their census
shows an annual decrease Of from
fifty to a hundred. Their general
worthlessness and the vices and dis.
eases kindly translated to them by the
whites may be depended on to do the
business, and the Crow Indian, like the
Irish wolf dog, will soon be reminis
oapca