The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-27
INDIANS In A GHOST DANCE
Big Feel, lhs Famous Dancing Master
Of The BannOCkS,
CAUSE OF ALL TROUBLE IN THE TRIBE
A Talk With the Old Warrior Who Has
Preserved the sun aud Ghost Dances
They Gather ia Fear at Clusters
Death Anniversary.

Of the massacre of Custer went travelling
across the country Custer probably fell
in June, 1876, but IT took four weeks
before tho tidings of the awful fate Of
| the Seventh could be verified and author
itative word sent to the War Department.
Every year, since that event. beginning
IN June and lasting two months, there has
been trouble among the Indians Not al
ways deep enough TO be called an out
break" but such as to cause uneasiness
among the troops that have charge OF
The Bannocks and the Shoshones. who
now cause the principal disagreements.
The Indian trouble can be counted on
every summer. not only among those who
slew Custer, but among all tribes.
This year the following despatch was
sent TO the War Office:
Three hundred Indians mostly Ban
nocks. are holding a ghost dance In the
Camas prairie Gov SteunenberS mas
wired 10 the BannOck agent ana mas ask
cd the Interior Department FOR assist
ance."
This means that the awful annual GER
| cmOnv of the Ghost Dance has begun, and
that until it dies down in the cold weather
thore will be anxiety in Idaho. wyoming
Utah. and all along the lines OF the resel-
walton.
D. BANNOCKs THE INDIAN 400
The Bannocks are a peculiar tribe OF
Indians Before they became wards or
| tho Government and were imprisoned
upon their Idaho and Nevada reservations
thew were the richest Indians In the
world. Tho Apaches were poor Wild men
| compared 20 tho fat. smooth. long-legged
/ BanHocks. and the ShOshOnes were work
ingmcn" TO them.
The BannOcks were tho hardest OF all
10 subdue They fought right to the
death and died fighting And that Is the
reason there are 50 many of them now.
The BannoclIs number not over COO
bucks. and these live quietly upon the
reservation. drawing their pensions and
leading the lives Of gentlemen" They
do not till the soil. for no Bannock has
ever been known 20 work. But when the
Government money Is exhausted they go
out and shoot. They throw away the car
casscs Of the game, but skin them ana
sell the hides Tor good money" at Fort
Hail. the headquarters OF the reserya-
tiou.
As a general thing the Bannocks are
quiet Their principal trouble is with the
whites of Idaho and Utah. one OF the
clauses in their contract with the Gov
eminent is that they shall be allowed 10
hunt game for sustenance upon the unoc-
cupied lands and forests, provided there Is
no trouble with the whites"
This virtually gives tho Big Indian the
privilege of hunting all the year around,
without regard to the game laws. Ana
this the whites bitterly resent. They see
the choicest elk and moose being picked
on by the Indians. While they dare not
lift as mucn as a shotgun until he light
season arrives Thus there is always
"BannOck trouble" in Idaho.
The trouble that now threatens ana
which has caused the Government 20 send
out troops is the annual Ghost Dance.
During the day it is the Dance Of the
Sun. But at night it becomes the Dance
Of the Ghosts.
Under the escort Of one of the officers
stationed near the reservation ! made a
trip into the heart of the BannOck cOun-
try. They live upon the big reservation
I'm wigwams that are located together IN
little groups or clumps. Surrounding each
group of wigwams IS a piece OF lana
which the squaws work. Many OF these
land pieces are twenty acres I'm size ana
yield enough green food for the Bannock
warrior to subsist upon as delicacles All
the year around. There IS great deal
said about the beauty Of the new wig
vans but l found them precisely as they
We're in the picture in the school histories
Of twenty years ago.
There" said the courier assisting me
out OF the big travelling wagon and point
ing towards one Of the groups Of wig
vans There sits Big Feet, one OF the
richest bucks Of the Bannocks. He IS
the king, as near as they know one, ana
leads IN an things Big Feet is response
dancing teacher of the BannOcks"
10 was not far from twilight. and Biz
Feet sat in the foreground, bathing IN me
rich light Of the setting sun. while his
lsquaws behind him prepared for the
night lie did not rise as l approached
ana might not have seen me.
81 am "a traveller" ! said. who wished
10 talk with a great Indian chief. VIII
the chief listen2'
Big Feet nodded.
You are a Bannock?" asked, heS'tat-
Ing for a minute. not knowing just what
10 say
\ grunt Of assent. From The back
ground the sQuaws watched slyly.
Tell me-" 1 said growing holder. III
the BannOck Indian Is a good Indian
"Neer goOt Indian" said Big Feet in
clear. though. thick English.
Does ne dance?' ] asked cautiously.
With one hand Big Feet pointed to-
wards the sun and with the other touched
his heart. i knew this 10 mean in sign
language that he danced in his worship
of the sun.
And you-do you dance?"
For a minute Big Feet hesitated. Then
his pride triumphed
ME teach them to dance" he half
whispered in his thick tones. "Me finest
dancer of all the Indians
As l turned 10 80, for Big Feet would
talk no more about the dance. the old
chief reused himself to his first show Of
interest i'm me.
you from Fast?" he asked.
81 am further East than YOU" replied.
you from Washington" asked he, with
a quick, searching glance.
No" said /.
Then no good to talk with you" was
his dismissal Of me. As ! started away
he called out: You see much Of the
wOrld?"
Il have been around it," replied. an
six months l have seen the sun set in
every quarter OF the globe.
As / climbed back into the wagon my
guide said: THAT old fellow is responsible
for IL all"
For The present alarm?"
Yes and for such trouble as the Ban
nocks make"
Every year at this time the bucks Cen
ire" Probably because they know that
the anniversary Of the Custer slaughter
is near, and % protect themselves I'm case
Of attack; for they still fear a tardy re-
vcnge of the white man. and. while to-
eethcr, they 30 through with their Indian
ceremonies. going back TO the DAYS Of the
utmost savsgery. Big Feet is the leader
of the daLces He knows them all and
teaches them 10 the younger ones.
STOPPING THE DANCE.
will there be serious trouble?"
No one knows. They are dancing now.
but Gen. COppinger, of Nebraska. has or
ders 10 send out troops TO stand guard.
ana Fort Douglas is sending up its men
TO watch"
can nothing be done now?"
Yes and no. The Indians are dancing.
not upon their own reservation, but on
Government land. II the settlers COM
plain Of them they can be scattered by the
troops on the ground that they are dis
turbing the peace"
But what harm can their dances do?"
AN Indian dance" said my courier
officer. paling a little as he spoke, means
unspeakable horror. 1t means bloOdshed
always.