The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-31

. The Shoshone Indians lived long
ago in the Rocky Mountains, but
they have gradually moved westward
until now they live on the western
side. where there are two wonderful
springs which send water eastward
and westward to flow into our two
great oceans. The water from n
flows through the Yellowstone Park
to the Missouri River, and then by
way Of the Mississippi and the Gulf
of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean;
while the other one flows westward
many windings till at last it joins
the Columbia, and after passing the
cascades, flows smoothly for $50
miles till it finally reaches the Pa.
cifc Ocean.
Because these Indians live on the
banks of the winding Snake River
they are sometimes called ~"Snakes,'
but Shoshone is their Indian name.
A tribe of Indians usually takes its
character from the head chief. II
he is a man who cares for his people,
thinks for them and leads them, then
they follow and do what he says.
Washable was such a chief, and his
people loved and followed him. He
had a large country, four hundred
miles square, called the Wind River
reservation, and here he grouped his
Indians in small villages. At his re-
quest Uncle Sam had an army post
nearby, and for many years Washa-
kie had chosen to be the friend Of
the white man.
Washable was a tall, big man,
with fine eyes and a great deal of
hair. He spoke broken English, but
could make himself understood. He
was a great eater, and it was always
a mystery to me how n Indian
could eat so much. He ate very po-
litely, but it was like a giant taking
his food.
The country where these Indians
lived was very cold indeed. One Of
the stage drivers, John Hanson, al
ways tied shawls about his legs be-
fore he started on a trip, and he told
me once that Bill Shocks, who drove
the stage before he took it, froZe
both his legs when it was thirty de-
grees below zero, and that was moth
ing unusual; so the Indians were
glad to wear furs to keep them warm.
Now there was a great deal of gold
in the mountains where the Indians
lived, and Sioux, Shoshones, Chey-
.ennes, Crows and others all agreed
to sell their land, which was valuable
for mining, to our government, and
go where there was no gold, but a
bountiful supply Of good water and
plenty Of game.
Washington" agreed to pay the
Indians for their land, and they
moved away as they had promised,
but the money did not come. The
Indians all around Washable had
been sometimes friends to the white
men and sometimes not, but when
the money did not come they were
ready to fight. They said: "You
white men do not keep your prom
ises." Washable was the only one
who seemed to understand that Wash
ington was far away, and that the
money must be voted by Congress
before it could be paid. He would
not fight, so the other Indians were
angry with him, and a band Of Crows
attacked Washable and his Indians.
Now Washable was a friend to the
white men, but he knew how to fight.
He met the Crows in battle, drove
them northward, and they were glad
to run away as fast as they could,
leaving their lodge poles behind
so you see he could fight when he
had,to.
I often met this good chief and we
were fast friends. Once when I was
riding through the Yellowstone Park
he told me of his latest battle. The
Sioux Indians had been determined
to break the power Of the ~Shoshones,
to defeat them in battle, and carry
them off captive. Led by young Red
chief, a band of Sioux came upon
Washakle, but he had so drilled his
men that they held every pass
through the mountains, and fought
so hard the Sioux were obliged to
give up, particularly as their young
chief, Red Cloud, fell in the last at
tack. Washable received praise from
the Indian department for the ability
with which he kept his Indians to-
gether, and the help he gave our off,
GERS and soldiers.
He vas always glad to see me, and
in the Yellowstone Park sent Sho-
shone Jack with a band Of Indians to
ride just out of sight on all sides of
us as a guard. We were as safe in
that wild country with them around
us as we would have been anywhere
else in America.