The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-08
Campfire stories-No. 3.


To return to when I was a boy in
the Dakota territory, would like to
describe how the primitive Indian
youths grew to manhood. and the kind
of games they played. In the accom-
panying Question Box 1 shall answer
many questions that have been asked
me regarding just how American In
dian boys played games.
While the boys in the civilized east
were playing football. baseball. ice
hockey and their other games, L knew
the Sioux Indians. In short, 1 was a
western boy.
To give you boys an idea of how
primitive were our games. 1 will tell
you of the chief sport of our winter
days.
tive Indian ice boats on the upper
Missouri river. With my Indian boy
friends 1 would construct a crude ice
boat in this fashion:
Taking suitable number of barrel
slaves. we dashed them together
lengthwise with buckskin thongs.
Thus, the slaves were raised from the
surface both in the front and rear,
making a canoe effect. Then a soap
box was .dced in the middle of the
craft. Next we placed a stout pole up
right in the front end of the box. To
a cross-p piece on the pole we lashed
blanket. We were then all ready
to go.
When those smashing winter winds
hit the crude sails of our little prim-
tive ice-boat. we would travel so far
and so fast in one direction that it
would take US all day to walk back.
AS l have related before. learned
as boy to ride Indian style-bare
back-as well as in the saddle of the
white man.
I had one particular Sioux Indian
boy playmate who happens to be one
of the heroes of my boys book, In
jun and Whitley" In fact, We two
boys grew up together.
We played the rugged. body-build-
ing games of the native Americans,
which sure call for the greatest en-
durance and best craftsmanship. For
instance. both of US had sturdy. wiry
Indian ponies. In those days Indian
boys used the bow and arrow as well
as before the white man came, chiefly
because of their lack of funds neces-
sary to purchase the long guns" of
the palefaces, and partly because of
their native pride of tradition in bein g
skilled in the use of the bow and
arrow in the hunt.
With my Indian playmates, 1 would
contest in this sort of rough game.
Mounted bareback on our PONIES, we
would ride furiously towards a certain
| spot we had marked out in the
ground, and discharge an arrow from
the bow into the ground as near the
| spot as possible. This feat was re-
markably difficult. and it taught the
! Indian boy how to hunt the wild buff
| falo which roamed the western plains
| in millions in the old days. Waht a
crime that these magnificent animals
were sacrificed to the wanton cruelty
and greed of white men who. killed
only for the thrill of killing. Worse
than that. they killed merely for
the hides. Millions of buffalo were
slaughtered for the hides which these
! hunters sold for as low as a dollar a
hide. Today there are only a few real
buffalo left in the scanty herds that
exist in certain parts of the United
States and Canada.
Indian hunters killing buffalo for
| the, necessary meat would fearlessly
| dash up to the side of one of the huge
beasts and kill their game with one
mighty draw of the bow, he arrow
entering under the left shoulder, pene-
trating to the heart.
| Boys, this feat was naturally pecu-
liar to the American Indian, and
altho tried my best against the Sioux
boys, 1 never could approach their
skill or accuracy.
enjoyed my innings when it came
to shooting with the rifle or six-gun,
altho the eagle eyes of the Indians
| greatly aided them in becoming sure
| marksmen. In feats of strength such
as wrestling I could more than hold
my own. 1 look back with no little