The suburban citizen., 1901-10-12
SOME SAVAGE PASTIMES
SCENES AT A SERIES OF FESTIVE.
TIES OF THE SIOUX.


to greater or less extent In all hui
man beings, has not neglected "the
noble red man" As a rule he is pic.
tured as morose and sullen, broodlng
eternally over the wrongs his race
has suffered at the hands of the white
man, writes a correspondent of the
Chicago Chronicle, from Sioux Falls,
S. ID. In reality he finds as keen an
enjoyment in the pastlmes that de-
light the Caucasian as does any other
mortal. The fact Is the Indian is a
social and sOciable being, and at times
is decidedly sportive in his inclna-
tions and habits. To this those who
have visited them on their reserya-
| tions can attest, for on cccaGions they
display relish for athletic and other
amusements in strange contrast with
their usual slothfulness. At times
the stolid and dignified Indian Ceen
at the agencies by the casual visitor
throws aside his natural reserve aS
easily as he would toss aside a blln-
ket, and with the greatest Zest en-
ters into the sports peculiar to the
Indians. The last one CT these gath
erings among the Sioux On the Rose
bud reservation, called by them the
season Of sports, was notable for
number of interesting features.
The season Of sports lasted three
days. The morning Of the lrst day
opened in the usual way by q grand
charge Of Sioux at daybreak This
was participated in by about 200
Sioux warriors All were on horse
back and dressed strictly in war cos
tune, consisting Of a breech-clout, the
usual bonnet made Of eagle features,
with a double row Of feathers ex-
tending down the back to below the
waist, while the horses had feathers
In their tails and foretops and were
painted in different colors. The war
riors were also painted in all the col
ors of the rainbow.
The Indians who participated in the
charge congregated about half mile
from camp in the deep ravine through
| which flows Ponca Creek, and were
concealed from the view of the war
riors left in camp. The latter were
| supposed TO represent Pawnee In
| dians-the oldtime enemies of the
Sioux. The camp consisted Of 1853
lodges, which were built in a ring
shape, so as to encircle about 800 acres
Of ground on the big plateau. In the
centre OF the circle of tepees was u
lodge known in Indian as Tip Jyklhe.
| This was supplied with food by all
the women in the camp and any one
who felt so disposed could eat at any
! time he wished. Nearly all thu old
warriors, those too feeble to paftcl-
pate actively in the sports, spent most
| Of their time at the refreshment lodge,
eating and relating experiences of the
! past, when they were on the warpath
against the whites or other Indian
tribes. Just as the day dawned on
the eastern horizon the 200 warriors,
with blood-curdling warwhoops and
horses at full speed rode into camp
and for fifteen minutes made pande-
monium. The firing Of guns and the
constant war cry Of the excited war
riors mingling with the wailing of the
women was sufficient to chill the blood
| Of any one not accustomed to such
scenes. After about fifteen minutes
OF fierce mock fighting, in which five
Of the Pawnees were supposed to be
| killed, the Sioux retired, driving be-
fore them about one hundred ponies
belonging to the Pawnees.
! The Sioux lost only one man killed.
They left him on the field, and while
retreating a Pawnee brave, with all
the barbarity which was characteris-
tic Of that tribe in the old times, pro-
ceeded to scalp the victim. This was
done by passing a sharp knife around
the top Of the victims head. This
! was represented to show that, al
though at this time the Sioux were
victorious, there was one Sioux scalp
left in the possession of a Pawnee
brave, who would at some future
time ayenge the death of his brother.
This spectacle gave a true representa-
tlon Of how the Indians made war in
years gone by. The dead Pawnees
were buried with suitable ceremonies.
in which the loud waillng of the
squaws bore no small part.
Breakfast came next on the pro-
gramme. After breakfast, which con
sisted chiefly Of bread and strong cof-
fee, Circle Foot, known throughout
the Sioux nation as one Of the bravest
Of old'time warriors, gave an exhlbi.
ton Of how he went on a horse-steal-
ing expedition against the Omaha In
dlans early in the SOS. At this time
the Sioux were encamped near old
Fort Laramie and the Omahas near
their present reservation on the Mis-
souri, River, a short distance north of
the city Of Omaha.
Circle Foot at that time was quite
a young man and, Wishing to make
name for himself by doing some brave
deed concluded that he would go on
foot and alone to the land of the
Omahas and steal some Of their
ponies. After spending two or three
days in communion with the Great
Spirit during which time be refrained