The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-01-14

the time of their midsummer pow-wow.
I had seen him and wanted to have a
talk with this veteran Palouse chief,
born over hundred years ago.
The old man was not at home. Sew
eral young Indians lay in the dripping
tepee, stretched upon their blankets.
AS started to leave the shelter of the
wigwam, one Of the young fellows rose
to his elbows and said to me:
MY friend, you had better not at
tempt to go until the storm is over, Be-
sides, I fancy Hoo-sis-mox-mox will be
back pretty soon. You will find Il
learn you are a newspaper mani that
he will tell you thrilling stories. He
knows scarcely any English, but as l
am familiar with both his language
and yours I shall gladly act for you as
interpreter"
'sYou will certainly be capable OF
doing that" said to the young man.
II suppose I should" he answered
back. 'Only a short while ago held
q chair at Che-ma-wa, the Indian Col
lege, you know, near Seattle.
"You see, am just on visit to some
Of my friends and relatives, who be-
long to the tribes of this reservation.
am Yakima, yet have here many
kin folks. And there is great pleas
ure sometimes in casting aside the con-
ventionalities of civilization.
"This blanket? Oh, that is the most
comfortable thing to wear, when. one
lives in a tepee. 1t serves for coat
>yercoat, bed and cover. I lived the
Indian life for four years once, but
hadn't on blanket for long time un-
til yesterday. Here, pull off your coat
and try one"
I wrapped myself within the folds
Of the bright woolen.
"Now, take cigarette, half close
your eyes, dream and you will be an
Indian veritably," said my new ac-
quaintance.
Comfortably stretching out. I little
cared for the rainstorm or the return
of Yellow Hair. I learned from my
companion, who name was Stonewall
Jackson, that his father, soon after
the Civil War, had come from Ten
nessee to the State of Washington.
and, like many Of our pioneers, mar
ried an Indian girl. Ny friend, then,
was an educated half-breed.
"You have tried on, then, both the
wild life and the civilized. Which do
you like the better:" I asked.
why, certainly, I prefer the civil
ized life, but can you not see how
those who have been reared close to
natures heart would choose the wild?
1t must have been some satisfaction to
my mothers people to roam at will
over this vast country and have no
barbed wire fences in their way aud
no signs stuck about, Keep of the
grass Their tribal warfare was only
daring sport. And wait until you see
the big parade! You will say that it
equals q pageant Of kings"
eat any rate, when the Indians were
called upon by the whites to give up
the larger part Of their country-they
fought
"That was in the war Of '55:'
s.Yes; in what is known as the va
kima War, because it was led by IA
mi-a-kin, head chief Of the Yakima In
dians."
'Your mothers peopie?"
Eyes"
"Well, what was the cause Of that
war? I know that you can discuss it
fairly. as you have in you the bloods
of the two races"
There were many causes. In the
first place, I must say for the Indian
that until he was badly abused he was
always very good to the white man.
Read the journals Of early explorers
and you will find that all the tribes
in this country, with the exception of
the Wishrams, were kind to the whites,
giving them ponies, and, at times, di-
yiding with them their scanty stores OF
food. The Indians were confiding. and
traders among the pioneers took ad-
vantage of them, exchanging worth
less trinkets for valuable furs. The
missionaries tried to teach them that
their inherited religion was false. Set
tiers poured in and occupied their
lands. They stood everything but be-
ing driven from their pastures and
hunting grounds. This was the cul-
minating cause Of the war.
"And it was a fierce war, too. All
tribes from the Pacific to the Rockies
acted in concert. They made their
first and last great attempt to oust
the Bostons-Boston man. YOU know.
is what the Indian calls the white
man, because the first expedition Of
whites to this country was from Bos-
ton. The Boston man then was gradu-
ally driving the Indians from their
lands. The various tribes made SIM
ultaneous attacks at places many hun
dred miles apart
"But how could they do this: They
couldn't use te,egraphic instruments, y
said I.
"Oh, yes, they could. literally. tele-