Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-19

veterans of the civil war he found
among them. There Ia one chapter OF
the Grand Army Of the Republic which
has a membership almost exclusively
Indian, and these old soldiers were
able to tell most interesting stories OF
the war from their own peculiar point
of view. One of them, with his broth 3,
or, took part In Sherman's march to
the sea. He related that In one en-
gagement the two OF them gained the
victory for the union. The confeder'
ates were advancing in overwhelming
force. The two Indians realized that
nothing could save the day but divine
intercession, 80 they uttered prayer
to the Thunder Birds. Forthwith
terrific thunderstorm came up, drench'
Ing the Confederates and wetting their
powder, while the union forces remain
ed dry and victorious. Historical re-
search shows that there was such
battle; and that ia was decided by
shower; but the books make no men.
ton of the Thunder Birds.
Some Of these Indians did invaluable
service as scouts and spies In the
civil war One Of them still tells the
story Of how he escaped after he had
been captured by small detachment
of confederate soldiers. He had a fine
horse, which had been used for fox
hunting and was noted jumper. The
confederates made him put his hands
in the air and ride In front of them.
Presently they went down.a road with
q high fence on either sdie. At this
point the Indian had most peculiar
seizure. He began to squirm and
twist and wriggle In his saddle. The
confederate oficer asked him what
was the matter. He explained that
some kind of bug had bitten him
right in the middle of the back and he
was crazy with the desire to scratch
His contortions were SO expressive
that the officer began to feel Itchy
himself. Finally he told the Indian.
who had been disarmed to scratch and
be done with It, The Indian had
gun cleverly concealed in his sleeve.
He carefully scratched around to this.
drew it, shot the officers mount. Jump
ed his own over the fence and escaped
because there was no other horse in
the detachment that could follow.
In addition to studying the Indians
that are still with us. the scientists of
this new and enterprising museum are
making special study of material
near home. DR.. Alanson Skinner of
the scientific staff. formerly assistant
curator OF the museum OF natural his
torv. has iust returned from an exnlor-
alton Of the Susquehanna river valley.
The was most unusual evnloring ex-
petition in that It generally canned
on FARMS or in the suburbs OF cities.
Nevertheless. Interesting remains
were discovered of little known and
rema rkahla tribe of Indians-the An
dastes If Co-estceas. These Indians
lived along me Snsouehanna In the
DAVIS refore tho famous 1ronuois CO.,"
fedaracv reached its greatest strength.
About the onlv white man who ever
saw much of them alive was Captain
T>hn Smith. who came over about
th~oa h"ndre1 voars ago Sra = ,
W eavs th"t those Ardaetes we're
the fines Indians he over saw They
were ~ immense stature: and it has
heen estimated that thew ct"od rcarlv
!~ixs"rd half feet in HEIGHT Thoir
ho"ring was verv nolite and frierd'~.
They were great hunters as shown nv
the fact that thew dressed ther-selves
II. The skins OF bears and wolves.
which are rot eaev TO kill without a
oun ONE Of thew favorjte srorte was
',i,liro hears with clubs IN hand to
band fights. Cartoir Sr-tth was esre-
ciellv interested in their great stone
tobacco pines which he said were
neorlv a yard long. and heavy enough
to heat out a mans brains with.
This tribe ner'ahad hecarse It wns
too proud to admit It was heaten. The,
Andaste warriors had a wav ~ rrefor-
rirg death ia surrender. which was
verv heroic hrt hard on the tribe az
a whole. They whipped the Iroruots
ed thew whipped the whites The,
+ha Irouuois ard the whites combined
.oairst them Most ~ them were
killed and the few survivors absorbed
bv other tribes -
} Mr.. SINNERS exposition found a
burial ground o. this tribe near
Athens. Pennsylvania A number OF
their great tobacco mines. hits OF their
rottery and other interesting remains
were t,nearthed.
Tire averaee modern American
thinks Of the Indians only as bard
ct sovao ea who triod tn rrnrder hts
Grandfather Ha does not think OF tn
long centuries before Columbus came
when these first Americans Possessed
problems Of existence a~d STRUGGLED
toward better wavs Of living, iust
We are dci-o TODAY. IN Peru. in Me-
leo and IN New York. there were then
vourg civili7"tionc o. great nromise.
There were also in America naked saw
AGES making the first crude evneri-
nnents, with stone and fire and all in
termed'ate stages OF development
we've represented
The story Of pre-Cclnmh'an America \
Ia that Of man making the crude he
einnines NJ civilization II '~ the first
chapter nf ,or1r own storv and therefore
irr'enselv significant and interesting.
These sci crtists a~e striving to p,t Il
together and read It. bit nv hit from !!
the cr,lmhled remains Of cities and
peoples that were. .... i