Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-02-18
AN INDIANS FRIENDSHIP.
How Col. Lenvenworth, Jr., Was Wei.
coined by Chief Sntantn.

u IL. hlnS, Oh hHlSdS Nlly, was
stage driver and messenger across the
plains for 80 years, and had many adj.
ventures. In Col. Harry Inman's book
"The Old Santa Fe Trail" Mr. Ryns is
quoted as follows:
"rhe Indians on the plains were not
at all hostile in 1s61-62; we could drive
into their villages, where there were
tens of thousands of them, and they
would always treat us to music or wal
dance, and set before us the choicest
of their venison and buffalo. In July OF
the aforementioned year Col. Leaven
worth, Jr., was crossing the trail in my
great Kiowa chief. The colonels ia.
Their was among the Indians great
deal while on duty as an army officer
while the young colonel was a small
boy. The colonel said he didn't be.
lieve that old Santanta would know him,
Just before the arrival of the coach
in the region of the Indian village the
Comanches and the Pawnees had been
having a battle. The Comanches had
taken some scalps, and they were camp.
ing on the bank of the Arkansas river
where Dodge City is now located. The
Pawnees had killed five of their war.
riors, and the Comanches had engaged
in an exciting war dance; think there
were from 10000 to 10000 Indians
gathered there, men, women and chill
dren of the several tribes-Comanche
Kiowas, Cheyennes, Arapahoes and
others.
when we came in sight of their camp
the colonel knew, by the terrible noise
they were making, that war dance
was going on; but we did not know
then whether it was on account OF
trouble among themselves, or because
of fight with the whites, but we were
determined to find out. If we could get
to the old chief, all would be right
So he and started for the place whence
the noise came. We met n savage, and
the colonel asked him whether Satanic
was there, and what was going on
When he told MS that they had had @
fight, and it was a scalp dance, ouI
hair lowered; for we knew that if il
was in consequence of trouble with thu
whites we stood in some danger of los
ing our own scalps.
"The Indian took us in, and the stu
alton, too; and conducted us into the
presence Of Santanta who stood in thu
middle of the great circle, facing tn,
dancers. 1t was out on an island il
the stream. The chief stood very erect
and eyed us closely for few seconds
then the colonel told his own name tina
the Indians had known him by when h
was a boy. Santanta gave one bound
he was at least ten feet from where w
were -grasped the colonel
hand and eXcitedly kissed him, the
stood back for another instant, CAV
him second squeeze, offered his han,
to me, which |, Of course, shook heart
lily; then he gazed at the man he hal
known as n boy so many years age
with countenance beaming with de
light. | never saw anyone, even amon
the white race, manifest so much 10
ms the old chief did over the visit o
the colonel to his camp.
"ITe Immediately ordered some Of hi
young men to go out and herd on
mules through the night, which the
brought back to US at daylight. He the
had the coach hauled to the front of hi
lodge, where we could see all that wa
going on to the best advantage. w
had six travellers with us on this ioui
ney, and it was great sight for the ter
derfeet.
SIT was about ten o'clock at nigh
when we arrived at Santanta's lodge, an
we saw thousands of squaws and buck
, dancing and mourning for their dea
!. warriors. At midnight the old chic
{ said we must eat something at ono
, So he ordered fire built, cooked buffal
and yenison, setting before us the yer
best that he had, we furnishing came
fruit, coffee and sugar from our coac
mess There we sat and talked and al
until morning; then, when we wei
ready to start off, Santantaand the otht
chiefs of the various tribes escorted I
about eight miles on the trail, where "
halted for breakfast, they remainin
and eating with us."-St. Louis Glob
Democrat.