The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-06-24
commanding officer at Fort Custer, who
delivered fine Grafton.

commanding officer at Fort Custer, who
delivered fine Grafton.
Col. Daggett was followed by eX-con-
gresham Frank Mondell of Manchester,
Wyo., who made the address of the day.
He is a fine speaker and his address was Il
scholarly effort and appreciated by all
dress line of march was formed which
proceeded to the monument dedicated to
Lit. c. F. Smith, where the decoration of
the graves took place, followed by a salute
fired by squad of infantry from Fort
Custer, which ended the exercises.
While nearly all of us were in attend
was going on at the Indian camp on the
banks of the river where we landed, and
where hand of Crow Indians were en-
camped Here was to be seen combined
medicine and war dance, participated in
by some $50 Crow Indians. With the ex-
ception of breech- cloths most of them
were stark naked, their bodies being
painted in the most grotesque and fantas-
tic hues Imaginable, while many of them
wore gorgeous war bonnets, some of
which reached to the ground. 1t was a
weird sight, but still novel spectacle to
those of us who had never seen dance !;
but assure you, looked upon it with far
different misunderstanding that the par
Elephants We're friendly-than though we
were witnessing the one that took place
few days previous, some 40 miles east, at
the Lame Deer Agency, where the Chey
ennes held a real war dance, and are now
on the war path against the Custer Coun-
ty officials and settlers who are trying to
arrest some murderers who are among
them. Half of the troops from Fort Gus
ter and several companies from Fort
keogh are now at the Agency to protect
the settlers and render what assistance is
necessary.
The dance we witnessed was also sug-
gestive, as it was in sight, or SO near, the
graves of the victims of the murderous
red skins-although the Crows did not
participate against Custer.
knowing that the Cheyennes were out
in war paint made many a spectator shud
der at the thought of what the Crows
might do in the way of a massacre if they
were 50 inclined: but nothing of this kind
was to be feared, as they have been peace
able Indians for years, are well taken care
of by the government, and are perfect.
ly contented. Why they keep up these
spectacles of barbarism it is hard for one
to tell We were informed that the dance
began about O. clock and it finished at
$50, We We're also told that they par
ticipated in them sometimes as often as
three times a week, and that they some
| times lasted through the night, at which
i time, of course, torches are used. The
| crowd numbered fully 1,5O0 and it was
, estimated that there were over 900 other
Indians present, some from the Agency
close by, many from camps all along the
river, and some who came from a dis
lance in wagons and on horses and ponies.
In partaking of our lunch at the river
! in the evening We were joined by Shin
bone, Crow brave of some Importance,
but not a participant in the dance, al
though he had his face painted, as do
most of them all the time. This Indian
has fine ranch just across the river from
where we were camped.
1t was an ideal day for such an excur-
sion, there being just wind enough to
keep it cool 1t was a very quiet and
orderly crowd, not a drunken, or disor-
derby person to be seen throughout the
day. We arrived at Billings on our re-
turn, at 10 o clock, pretty we'll tired from
the trip of over 1870 miles and upon our
feet all day.
Very Truly ours,
E. J. MORRISON.