The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-04

a fanatic of the pronounced sort. He had
been away from the agency for nearly
year, and after his return the agent had
noticed numerous powwows of the In
dams, at all of which Porcupine was
present Early in the spring the Indians
had begun dancing the ghost dance. After
these weird caperings the Indians would
be sullen, and defiant as well, and APP
peared to be possessed of the idea Glat 1t
would only be a short time when they
would hold undisputed possession of the
country.
Porcupine was finally prevailed upon to
attend a pOWwow with the white men,
among whom were Maj. Carroll Col Cur
tbs, the Indian agent and the correspond
ent. Bear Ridge and Big Beaver were the
other two red men of prominence at the
talk After much questioning, Porcuplne
said that during the previous autumn he
had made a long journey with the two IT.
dams named. He could not make clear to
his inquisitorS just where he had been, but
from his description It was judged he had
visited the Walker Lake Indians in Ne
vada. There he said he met a person he
called Christ, who. he said had reappear-
ed on earth. Porcupine declared he had
found the holes in this Messiah's hands,
and otherwise followed the Biblical story
most conscientiously He said the Christ
had taught them the ghost dance and
told them all to be good; that in the
spring, If they were good, he would make
them all young again, and that they would
never die.
For three hours the powwow lasted at
Lame Deer and before it closed Porcu-
pine had worked not only himself, but
also the Indians clustered about the tent
opening. into a religious frenzy.
The great body of Indians was encamp-
ed fifteen miles from the agency. near
little hamlet called Ashland. and II was
determined to go there and save the store
keeper and the sisters of the Jesuit school,
all the white people having deserted the
country. To get to the valley in which the
Indians were camped It was necessary to
go through a deep ravine, fanked on each
side by abrupt hills. After the conference
at Lame Deer. IL was reported that the
Indians had sent runners out 20 Ashland
Mai. Carroll did not think this had any
significance, though he had informed the
Indians that the representative of the
governor of Montana was going TO visit
the Cheyennes at Ashland. 1t proved aft
erward that the powwow with Porcupine
was a fortunate thing. and probably saw
ed the lives Of many people.
Arriving at Ashland. Il was found that
the Indians had built on both the hills
commanding the dehle immense breast
works, while all the way through the de-
file were ambuscades which had held only
the party from twenty TO fifty Cheyenne
fanatics, each determined to kin a white
man. Porcupine had been sent word that
the time was not come and that the In
dams must meet and talk with the man
sent by the Little Father; that the white
man would see that they got enough to
eat and that they must not harm him.
After meeting the Indians at Ashland and
assuring them they would receive more
rations (mauy OF them were really IN a
half-starvng condition.. receiving In re-
turn their promise that they would not
modest the settlers. Col. Curtis returned 10
Helena and three companies OF troops
were left az the reserva ton and we're kent
IN camp there until 1898.
In July OF the same year two Young IN
dams who had killed two sheopherders
were wanted. They eluded the troops and
posse sent after them. but one day thew
dispatched word 10 the commanding officer
I at the reservation that at a certain hour
on spccined day they would appear az a
stated point, mounted. and would ATTEMPT
70 run the gauntlet OF the troops. The In
dians were fully appdsed OF the scene that
was 10 bc enacted. and the result was a
panorama such as Is seldom Witnessed
North and south OF the agency are two
long, gently sloping hills on the north
ern han were gathered an OF the Cheyenne
ulbesmen, women and children-the wo-