The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-10-28
ADVENTUROUS PARsON.
Brought up Among Fighting Savagcs.

seph K. Griffis of Cleveland. who has
recently added another interesting
chapter during a visit to the indians
of the Florida Everglades, where
men are still tabooed by the descend
ants Of Americas first inhabitants.
Mr. Griff1s's mother was quarter
breed Usage woman. His father was
a white mana scout known all over
the frontier by the name Of Califor-
MIA Joe. Their home was near the
present site Of the city of Gainesville.
in Texas.
A band Of Kiowa Indians raided
that section when Mr.. Griffis was but
babe and carried into captivity
large numbers Of the inhabitants
They killed his mother, and Chief
Zepkho-eete Of the Kiowas took the
baby with him, back to the country
of the Kiowas, and presented him to
his wife, who decided that his name
should be "Tahan," which means
Texas man." The story OF his cap
ture was told the boy long years af-
terward by an Indian Of the tribe
who participated in the raid.
The boy loved his foster-parents as
though they had been his own. and
| they took the same care of him as
| they did Of their own children. He
tells many interesting stories Of how
they taught him obedience to his
parents, respect for the only gods
they knew anything about, and Of his
afterfather's instruction in hunting
buffalo and other game and in horse
back riding and long distance listen
ing.
He also tells many stories Of pri-
vation on the southwestern plains
| and how they drank water from the
| buffalo tracks and ate their meat
| raw. He learned how to kindle fires
In a pouring rain without matches
| and how to tie a horse to a hole In
the ground; also how to tell the tribe
to which an Indian belongs by the
shape Of his moccasin as left in the
dust tracks.
TahaI witnessed the so-called bat
tie between the Indians and Clusters
seventh cavalry along the Washita
river, in what is now known as the
! state Of Oklahoma. The captives, Of
whom Tahan was one, were driven on
to the settlers camp, and it was just
following this that Tahan learned he
was not Kiowa Indian. and that the
| chief and his wife were not his real
parents. The white men contended
that he was not an Indian, and that
he was captive among them. and
the story Of the raid on Texas then
came out.
The Indians were compelled to give
| him up. and one Of the white men
| took him into Texas, where he slept
in the quarters Of the horses. One
| night. however he became so lone
| some and homesick that he took one
OF the horses and hit the trail toward
the Kiowa country. and eventually
found road which led him to the
camp and to his old Indian compan-
ions, where he remained until he was
sixteen.
AS time went on the Indians began
to mingle quite freely with the whites
who were constantly becoming more
numerous on the frontier. and the
| Kiowas We're invited to attend an
agricultural fair and horse race at
Muskogee. In one of the races Tahan
riding his pony Buckskin won. and a
government officer who witnessed the
race Immediately sent for Tahan and
arranged with him to enlist for -spe-
cial duty as scout. For two and a
half years he served in this capacity
when one day he was insulted by a
young lieutenant. Then he and an
other soldier. known as Gee Whiz,'
| deserted and fled to the Cheyennes.
| They were captured court-martial-
ed and sentenced to death. Impris-
oned at Fort Reno, awaiting the day
OF execution they cut a hole through
the prison roof and escaped into the
darkness Of the night. For three years
Tahan was wanderer, suspicious and
afraid Of everybody. Toward the lat.
ter part Of his wanderings he crossed
the border into Canada. and one
night in London, Ont, stopped to
listen to the Salvation Army on the
street. He went to the meeting in
the Salvation Army hall, became a
member Of the Salvation Army, and
was later promoted to be a captain.
| After some four years work with