The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-21
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, AUGUST 81 1898

l had at first started And now all along
began a general tusillade. Our men had
all dsmounted here and there among tire
women, and their shots began TO tell. for
every minute or two a Sioux, and some
times both horse and rider would fan
among the sage bush. Their shooting even
from the backs of their flying horses was
not without effect, for they killed two
more women and wounded a man. But
now achievements began to come in
sight, for some of our hunters, who were
riding leisurely home had heard the shoot
ing and returned 10 see what was up. as
soon as the enemy saw them coming they
ceased hring at us and started on TO the
south as fast as they could go, pursued
by some Of the men who had been pro-
teeting the women, ahd all of the new
corners, ffty-four al told.
We now had time to count up our losses.
which we found to be two men, seven Wo-
men, and one boy killed, and three men,
eight women. and four boys and girls
wounded. OF the enemy We had killed
seven and seriously wounded one who
was quickly dispatched. Three of cur
party who were killed lost their scalps,
and we. of course, took eight 1t did not
take me long to hasten back TO camp
and tell what had befanen US, and then
what excitement there way! Men actual
~ rushed for their arms and horses and
fastened away. Women cried and walled
and surrounded me, begging to know who
was killed. I could not, of course, give
the names Of the women, but when l told
who the men were their relatives in the
crowd hastened away sobbing out their
names, TO prepare for their burial. In an
hour or two the dead and wounded were
brought in, and the sound of mourning
was heard on every hand, aud mingled
with it one could hear the relatives of
those who had killed an enemy calling
out their names and prasing their cour-
age and success. About shutdown the pur-
suing party returned, having had a rum
ing fight with the Sioux for miles They
had killed two more of them, but had
finally given up the chase, as the enemy
had better horses.
Archie and I put In sleepless night,
for the mourning was kept up without in
PERMISSION. Even in our lodge there was
sorrow and gloom, for one OF the chiefs
wives had lost q. brother. We both were
depressed by the calamity which had be-
fallen the people. Early in the morning
the dead, carefully wrapped and bound
in blankets and robes, were carried on
travels to a grove of cottonwoods up the
stream, and then placed on platforms
dashed to the branches. for their eternal
sleep. Beneath the aerial graves of The
men horses were killed that they might
not go afoot to the sandhills and by their
sides or wrapped up with them We're their
weapons and war shoes. Missionaries and
others have made such an cutlery against
this practice that the government long
ago forbade aerial sepulture Yet it does
not seem to be nearly as repulsive az
putting q loved one In a deep hole in the
ground and covering him with a ton OF
earth.
The next afternoon the scalp dance took
place. Those who had lost relatives paint
ed their faces black, the women cutting
off their hair and scarifying their arms
and ankles. They carried the scalps OF
the enemy suspended from sticks, and
went about through the camp, stopping
here and there to dance and sing the
plaintive scalp song. Few white persons
have any taste for Indian music yet some
of our greatest musicians have pronounce
ed it purely classical in construction. One
could clearly perceive in this scalp song
the dominant theme of sorrow for the dead
kindred, and a minor one of Joy that they
had been revenged. Afterward these scapr
were handed over to the warriors and they
in turn danced with them; but their song
was one of exultant victory