The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-25
BANNoCK'S DANCING MASTER.
uE IS FAMOUS BIG FEET, OF THE
IDAHO RESERVATION.

Near Roise. Ida, July 19.-It is exactly
.,,ortv-one years since the news Of the
,,ossacre of Custer went travelling across
the country. Custer probably fell In June,
1875 but it took four weeks before the
+,dings of the awful fate of the Seventh
could be verified and authoritative 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
always deep enough to be called an "out-
break" but such as to cause an uneasi-
ness 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 ev-
cry summer, not only among those who
slew Custer. but among all tribes.
This year the following dispatch was
sent to the war office:
''Three hundred Indians, mostly Ban
nocks, are holding a ghost dance in the
Camas prairie. Gov. Steunenberg has
wired to the Bannock agent, and has ask
ed the interior department for assistance"
This means that the awful annual cere-
mony of the ghost dance has begun and
that until it dies down in the cold weather
there will be anxiety in Idaho, Wyoming,
Utah and all along the lines of the reser-
vation
The Bannocks are a peculiar tribe of
Indians. Before they became wards Of the
government and were imprisoned upon
dol o nd
were the richest Indians in the world. The
Apaches were poor wild men compared to
the fat, smooth, long-legged Bannocks,
and the Shoshones were ''workingmen" to
them.
The Bannocks were the hardest of all to
subdue. They fought right to the death
and died fighting. And that is the reason
there are so many of them now.
The Bannocks number not over 600 bucks,
and these live quietly upon the reserva-
ton, drawing their pensions and leading
the lives of gentlemen" They do not till
the soil, for no Bannock has ever been
known to work But when the govern
ment money is exhausted they go out and
shoot. They throw away the carcasses of
the game but skin them and sell the hides
for good money" at Fort Hall, the head
quarters of the reservation.
As a general thing the Bannocks are
whites of Idaho and Utah. One of the
clauses in their contract with the govern
ment IS that they shall be allowed to
hunt game for sustenance upon the unoc-
cupied lands and forests, provided there
Is no trouble with the whites"
This virtually gives the Big Indian the
privilege of hunting all the year around,
without regard to the game laws. And
this the whites bitterly resent. They see
the choicest elk and moose being picked
of by the Indians, while they dare not
Int as much as a shotgun until the right
season arrives. Thus there is always
"Bannock trouble" in Idaho
The trouble that now threatens, and
which has caused the government to send
our troops, is the annual ghost dance.
During the day 1t 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
IIp INTO the heart OF the Bannock coun-
Wy lhey live upon the big reservation in
Nls"dms that are located together in little
groups or clumps. Surrounding each
Sup OF Wigwams is a piece of land
HHich the squaws work Many of these
, ,alI pieces are twenty acres in size, and
S'elu enough green food for the Bannock
hl'IIor TO subsist upon as dellcacies all
sas year arouHd. There is a great deal
ZIG bcduLN OF the new wig
w'HS, out l found them precisely as they
"eIe m the pictures in the school histories
u twenty years ago
mere said the courier. assisting me
gu, u1 Vi the big travelling wagon and point-
rs to"ards one OF the groups of wig
r,-t, lhere sits Big Feet, one of the
linn eSl Ducks Of the Bannocks. He Is the
Iea6s h. near as they know one, and
a. IN an things. Big Feet is responsible
dar tne ghost dance. In fact he is the
NITtelug teacher of the Bannocks -
~ vas not far from twilight and Big
- 49,. sat in the foreground. bathing an
sois ',.u Hsht OF the setting sun, while his
H. d'5 oehlnd him prepared for the night.
not ba, 10y rise as approached and might
TAN, I'll a traveller" said, who wished to
che VIZ" u.l a. great Indian chief. Will the
Dls Feet nodded.
t,ps V ~ are a Bannock ?" 1 asked. heslta-
10 SAY, o' minute, not knowing Just what
ground 5il ,s. Of assent From the back
..rsT .ue squaws watched slyly.
The p,me' ! said, growing holder. '1f
',ver mock Indian is a good Indian"
c''I soot Indian" said Rig Feet I'm
of,, hongh thick English.
Win ne dancer l asked cautiously.
n tbo s oNe nand Big Feet pointed towards
/ hfart ''t WIN the other touched HIS
era.I knew this to mean IN sign Ian.
tbe sa, mat he danced in his worship OF
Fos ru you-do you dancer"
his a.. minute Big Feet hesltated. Then
o., t'iao triumphed.
pera5 .,aca them to dance" he half whis-
zen ~ d" "is thick tones. ME finest dan
%, AH the Indian" ua''-
tai turned TO 60 for Big Feet uoutd
c6Ist ny more about the dance. the ola
iniars'',' 1sed himself to his first show Of
81 , rom east7" he asked.
'y,r tuIther east than you" I replled
viii rom Washlngton7' asked he
"N5.a qlle,Es' searching glance.
hls dIer,l'"o, good TO talk with YOU" was
called LUIS az OF me As started avvav ho
"f bV. You see much OF the worldS'.
tyo-g ,'9 aa have seen the ann set a.
Hulr1er OF the globe" ~
rlid, s, ,'i'iin.d back into the waeon nv
le f5r 't'l y, That old fellow ls resnon my
"Y,. .e present alarm"
h9clu make . 'Neh trouble as the Ban
t,ras y year year at this time the hncr. .o.,
al, t'nhhlv because tbc,, t.. IN