The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-06-25
The Fourth Of 1913.
(By Mrs. Leila Leydig.)

Does the average person realize how
scarce the real full-blooded Indian is?
We were spending summer in the
heart of the "Little Rockies, in
northern Montana, and had become
entrauced with the rugged cliffs and
strangely wild scenery about us. Con-
sequently July 4th was starting re-
bukingly from the calendar. The
morning of the Fourth dawned bleak
and cold. Wrapped in our heavy
chinchilla coats and buffalo chaps,
we smiled at the recent weather re-
ports from Chicago, and started on
horseback to visit an Indian camp
which was assembled twelve miles
from our camp over the toughest road
we khad, yet travelled. Leading our
horses most of the way and hindered
by. a heavy fog which hung over the
top of the mountains, we arrived at
the Indian camp about noon.
The camp was situated in valley,
and when we came to the highest
point on the mountain, beneath us
were thin layers of clouds. The fog
cleared while we watched. The clouds
slowly moved and separated-a real
moving picture---and there nestled be-
tween billows of foam were 200 or
more wigwams. Upon entering the
encampment we were accosted cour-
teously. by two mounted half-breed
Indians, who asked for an admission
fee of fifty cents. We began an in
spection of the tents, and found a
queer mixture of our civilization and
the barbarous custom of the savage
In few of the tents was typical old
squaws as brown as the earth upon
which they sat; skin painted red:
hair braided and ornamented with
feathers: and the many -colored blank
ct wrapped about their uncorseted
> waist. But in most of the tents was
plainly written the advent of the
white man. Sometimes noticeable in
the cast of features, often in the
lighter huse of the complexion and
the very modern apparel.
Would you expect to see taffeta silk
! waists alongside the traditional IN
e dian blanket and war-paint?
The pow-wow tent or theatre was
i large and circular without seats.
p Watched the performers march in led
S by "Has-a- pipe, the chief, ensconed
in an immense moose skin. A majes-
: tic head-gear covered his head; chaps
: decorated his limbs and moccasins his
!, brilliantly attired. The squaWs wore
: dresses decorated with elks-teeth,
: weasel-skins and tails. Many OF these
I: ornaments were relics and were priZ-
$ ed as such by the owner.
The celebrat ed "Sun-dance" was to
E be the afternoons performance. An
Indian wildly dancing and tlourishing
a willow branch entered the pow-Wow
tent with leap, vigorously switching
the performers to action. Thus, the
dramatic rise of the curtain! This
= was wonderful sight. The bright
: play of color, the barbaric rhythm of
/ their bodies, the continual pound
pound OF their drums, the rise and fall
I of voices, in the war-like "Hoi-hoi' '
y made scene one will not soon for
L get. There was something hypnotic
y about their movements and voices,
1 and we crouched upon the ground,
Watching intently, seated near old In
dians, squaws, young bucks and maid
: ems who might claim twentieth cous-
e ins to the performers. Some of the
: young bucks danced for prizes (theil
: money was spent Immediately for
h cigarettes and tobacco) and the agil-
e ity of these fellows was surprising
if not alarming. They danced on
v their heads and in other equally diff
q cult positions. We was in constant
' fear lest the white blood in them
: would turn tricky and leave COM
t pete wreck upon the hard ground.
Thoughts of the 'tango" and chest
y tation" followers and wished they
i might take lessons from the "Sun-
dancers". The full blooded Indian
is very old, not even Knowing his age.
Few of the younger generation under
stood the language of their chiefs.
They were commemOrating many saw
age and cruel customs. Asking an
+ Indian girl near us if she knew what
q the performers were saying. "Naw'
she draWled with her mouth full Of
!. gum, 81 cawn't grab it,. Mild ridi-
| Guile seemed to be the diversion of the
o younger half-breed spectators.
:, We. as a nation, are glad to see that
the Indian has lost his vicious
e tendencies. But, what a pity to lose
: the traditional myths and mystical
+ beauty which surrounds the ances-
' tors OF the real Indian.
. The celebration lasted several days,
t and we would gladly have fingered
: had not we realized our perilous task
a of finding our way home at night.