The St. Johns herald., 1896-02-15
ABOUT THE BANNOCKS.
The Irdians who Eavo Boer Civ
 ing the Govern o-s Troabla.
s Esriike Tribe That Zs 2 Distc-::ing Eie- lzsens Among t;.c sav,-.cs cf the -o-thvcst-Cns Version of
 Tnesr Grievances.

The Hammock Indians. who were re- ported 10 be cn she yTGr-rath because nf the settlers interfering with their killing of elk. occupy the Fort Hall res crvation in soutllcastcrn Idaho with the Shoshones. The Shosho2es, says the Philadelphia Telegraph, are more numerous than the B2nnoclzs, who in 1894 were 7T2, all told, IS2 being males over IS years Of age. while Of 1.745 .shosioncs there were 2e6 males above IS years of age. The Bannocl1s, or Bannal1s, belong to the general family of Shoshoncs or Snakes, which family also includes the various tribes of Utes, Comanchcs, Moquis, Chemchucncs, Ca huilla and the Aeehi, KiZh and Nctolo tribes of California. Their tradition is that they came originally from the far east. and their language, which is so different from that of the western Shoshones, resembles that of the Co., lnanchcs, whose home when white men first found them was about the head waters of the Brazcs, the Colorado and eastward to those of the Arkansas and Missouri rivers.
 The main tribe of the Bannoclzs was first found near where they are BOW es- abolished, at the Fort Hall agency, in Oneida county. in the southeastern part of Idaho, along the Snake river valley. They arc taller and straightcr than the mountain Indians round about them, and have the reputation of being Iaore warlil1c. They are nearly all able to speak the language of the Sho- shones. but the latter do not speak the Hammock tongue. This is the same as that of the Flutes, and the latter say that the Bannoclls split off from them. Before the Bannocks got horses they
 were very expert ia the use of the bow and arrow. They are distinctly a hunt ing tribe, and look upon work as an everlasting disgrace, except for squayvs. They view themselves as the salt of the earth. They have earned 9 reputation for bloodthirstines3 and are said some times to kill their aged parents when the latter begin to become burden.
 The only purpose for which the Ban no Us appear to be preserved is to veX and annoy the Shcshoncs, who take more kindly to labor, schools and the use of other clothing than blankets tllaa do the Dannocl1s, who have ap- pearcd to be ineurab ply opposed to civ ilizaticn for themselves and other h. dians. The two tribes have been thrown together for many years on the same reservation, and while the Sho- shones have manifested a willingness to accept the benefits of schools and ia- siruction in the use of implements of agriculture, tho Bannocl1s have as- i.aaed a superiority because of their refusal to be civilized, and have taunted tho Shcshoncs as ''squaw5" because ihcy embrace the opportunities for iln- p-oveTaent held out by the government. The Shoshoncs are peaceful and indus trious. There were raised and sold for tlie reservation during 1903 moro than Si5.GOo worth Of agricultural products, of which it is safe to assume that the Shosloaes produced . very considera- llc share. The reports of the Indian agcnS show that of all the Shoshones and Bannoelss on the reservation only li0 can speak enough English to be un derssood in ordinary conversation. The degree of civilization to which these Indians have reached is indicated by the statement that there w&s one mar riage during the year, and fifteen chiefs were living in polygamy.
 Gradually white men came into the prairie, and, finding it well adaptcd to thc raising of hogs turned thousands of these animals loose in it. The hoes ate up the roots which had supplied the Indians winter needs, and they com plaincd Of this as a great injustice. This led to bad blood between them selves and the whitcS, and in 1878 party of the Bannoclls went on the war trail, killing several settlers ard steal ing horsol They went along thc trail which Chief Joseph and his band lad followed the year before, driven to war by just sHch causes.
 Cen. Miles with 1C0 men and seven scouts went after them, and at day light on September 1, ISIS, surprised them in CiGrS's Fork pass. on Clark, I'orl1 of the Yellowstone. beyond ia, National park. Eleven of the Indians were killed in tho battlc which fol lowed. ard tho rest, nearly iC0 2ll told including women and children, were captured. Capt. Andrew T. Bennett, of the Fifth infantry, wGs cno of the killed amoag the soldiers. This party Of the Bannoells were held as prison CTS several months. their stock was taken from them, ana then they were returned to their reservation. They nave made no trouble since. The less of their grounds for the supply of roots was not so serious 10 tkera as the less of their hlnting grounds.
 The game in the Yellowstone park has undoubtedly attracted them now. ;.rd 1t appears 10 Niles as # a rarty of irresponsible settlers CT cowboys had Gouc cfcer a hunting rarty and cap ,arcd 1t. Speaking cf the reported killing Of tLcsc Indians. Cen. Niles said that probably many an innocent settler would pay with Us life for the acts of these men. ScaIrs and horses are the two things which t,.e B2nnoell is taught to crave. Ti.e U,,rGicrU who has taken these from bis cac.nyw will go when he dies to a land ralcd by . big chief who wears the fcat hers and robes of Q full chief ard rides fas: horso. This big chief will lead them all in the chase. and buffalo and cthcr game will