The National tribune., 1901-08-01

near the foot of ithei mountains north and
south is capable1Uf cultivation, and an oc-
casional grove of ppst-oaks on the north
and east of the pange. A few pecan trees
grow on the headwaters of West Cache,
and an occasional walnut was found by
the troops, the latter being of small
species, however. In Pixies narrative
(The National Tribune, Aug. Is, 1898 he
says of the mountains: They are iso-
lated from each other, and do not lie in
a chain or range, but each peak rises by
itself from perfectly level plain" In
this he was mistaken, having probably
only been among the isolated knobs or
mountains on the west, for there is u con-
tinuous range or mass of rocks for 40
miles facing south, some masses rising
higher than others, table-Shaped or ir-
regular, but no defined peaks among
them, and in that distance no. pass
for Il wagon road and but four very diff
iicult bridlepaths. In fact, the Indians
had no trail from north to south through
the mountains and had to go around one
end or the other.
table land 90 between Cache Greek and
Big Beaver. They are but a few hun
dTed feet high, very rough and irregular,
having here and there upon them stunt
ed growth of timber. Gypsum crops grow
in innumerable places on them. There is
good grazing on all the highlands in the
reservation in the Spring and Fall, and
fair grazing ali Winter in the valleys.
Antelope and deer were formerly in the
open country, while bear, panther and elk
were found in the mountains. Wild tur-
keys and other small game were plentiful
and wolves numerous. The buffalo have
long since gone, where 80 years ago they
were plentiful. Rattlesnakcs are numer-
Gus, and there are some tarantulas and
ccntipedes, but not in great numbers. The
7th Cav. killed 600 rattlesnakes in our
rocky lodge near the Medicine Bluff in
the Spring of 1869.
The best lands are along the Washita
River and along Cache, Beaver, Otter and
Rainy Mountain Creeks. All the lands
along the mountains are good, but not as
rich as the bottom lands. The climate is
delightful, but there is a warm spell al
ways in Summer. Snow rarely falls in
Winter, but there are frequently very
cold northers. | never heard Of any cy-
clones or other great storms.
For the benefit Of prospectOrs, | will
cOndense by saying that Ignite, very
safe bituminOus coal, is found near Cache
Greek, and also at the west end of the
mountains. 1t used to be told that pctro-
leum exudes into IL branch of Rainy Noun
tain Creek, but | cannot vOuch for its
truth. Marcy found quantities of native
copper near Fort Arbuckle, in the Chick
asaw Nation, and also found it in Texas
near the Big Wichita River. In the latter
vicinity mines have been opened and
worked. The vein seems to trend nolth-
east and southwest.
The country in Texas south of the res
ervation is exactly the same kind of lands,
perhaps not so much gypsum in it, and it
is all good country for peaches and grapes,
| IN Ny
tatOes make a very poor crop in this sec
ltion, sweet potatoes yield tremendously.
1t is all Il great grass country, and | have
no doubt the cultivated grasses will be
success. So. .hf
l remember being on scout on Red
River with Capt. Walsh formerly Lieu
tenant Colonel, I'D Pa. Cav.l, and we
crossed bottom in which the grass stood
fully seven feet high. | could not see
over it at all on horseback, and Walsh,
a tall man on a tall horse, could barely
do so. The bottom was nearly three
miles wide, the grass was getting dry in
August, and the Indians we were pursu-
ing about three miles ahead of us. a
breeze sprang up from the north while
we were toiling through the grass, and we
felt that we would be in a terrible position
if the Indians fired the grass on us. 1t
was a great relief to US to come in sight
of Red River. i
And now few words about the otGer
Indians on this reservation. The Kiowas
when first known We're on the Upper Ar
kansas and Plat Rivers. The C0manches
aver that they formerly lived in holes in
the ground, and to substantiate this Col.
~ G.. Boone, the veteran frOntiersman, in
formed me that when going to the Rocky
Mountains with Ashley's trapping party
they were surprised one day TO see num-
her of Indians they had been observing
suddenly disappear. An Investigation
proved them to be Kiowas living i'll sub
terranean habitations about eight feet i'll
diameter, neatly lined with grass and buff
falo robes. They call themselves ''a-toOl-
pay" but the COmanchcs named them
"COO-e-a-wah." tuItle-dOvcs, from their
slOvenly habits, the turtle-dOvc having Il
filthy nest like Il pigeon. There is no
poetry about these fellows. The kiowas
came under the protection of the Co
manches, obtained horses from them, and
have always been n set of arrant, coward
ly, murderous rascals. While the Co
manclrc dialect is clear and fluent, and is
spoken by members of every tribe on the
plains, and WAS, in fact, as Marcy says,
the Partisan of the plains the kiOwa is
Il harsh, cultural tongue, which few white
men understand. 1t is believed the Kiowas
are an OlfshOot from some Of the distinct
northern tribes of Indians, who, driven off
by their enemies, Travelled as far as they
could for refuge.
The JicarillO band of Apachcs were for
merly the terror of the Guadaloupe Noun
tains and southern New Mexico. They
fell in with the Comanches and have lived
EcighbOTs to them for years.
The COmanchcs KiOwas and ApacheS
were forced upon this reservation by Gen.
Sheridan after the Indian war Of 1865. ..
and agreed to remain upon il. The Co
mancheS and Apaches stood by their prom
iscs pretty well, but the kiOwns raided
to Texas on every favorable occasion. In
$50 they murdered a number of people
with an emigrant train near Victoria
Peaks, and as Gen. Sherman was coming
through the country on an inspecting tour,
nc followed the maraudcrs to FOIt Sill.
Here he sent for the various Indian
Chiefs for IL talk, and told them Of the
depreciation. Satanta bOastingly admit
ted that he commanded the raiding party;
that he was Il big Chief, bigger than Shcr-
man, and on a par with Washington (the
PresidenU. Sherman had Satanta and
Big Tree arrested and sent to Texas,
where they were tried for murder and
sentenced for life to the States Prison at
Austin. Satanta subsequently killed him
self, and Big Tree was released. SO they
quicted down, especially after being dis
armed and dismOunted.
Color at the Tan-American Exposition
(The Worlds Work.
"Mr. Charles Y. Turner's color scheme
will grossly offend you or it will greatly
t.tn al Il