Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1931-04-10
Little Journeys in
Americana
An Unusual Indian
B. LESTER 3. COLBY

- Northwest Territory in 1916 as
rl'ild with his parents He lived
aianns the Indians for more than
seventy years He became a preach.
er and worked long and tirelessly at
the almost hopeless job of rescuing
the red men of that day from saw
agery
Among the Indians he was known
as Rah Wah Wah or "The Old Chief
In the evening time of his life he
wrote a book, sort of memoir of his
years on, the frontier, | have never
seen hut two copies of this book and
/ possess one of them.
In the book he pictures some of the
remarkable personalities he knew
among the Indians One character
especially intrigues me. The man
was known as Captain Shigser. He
must have been a most unusual sort
of Indian. Too he had an unusual
sort of wife.
feel that ! can do no better than
to let Finley describe him | quote:
"He was among the handsomest,
best made and | think, the proudest
man ] ever saw He was remarkable
for his entire abstinence from all in
tOxicating drinks or mingling with
the company of any Indians when
drinking. He was married to squaw.
half white said to be the daughter
of General Butler.
She was beautiful woman Her
skin was not dark; and her large,
blue eyes; her long, black hair. ana
tall, well-proportioned person. with
her rich and embroidered dress. gave
her magnificent appearance
HE was dressed in the finest
broadcloth, made in the fashion OF
the Indian costume, with thirty siIve.
half-nSans hanging on his breast ana
down his back. His headband was
filled with silver hobs, and his linen
bosom was stuck full of silver
brooches; his belt was OF the finest
and best of wanlpum, and interwov-
en- with beads and purcupne quilts;
his legsins were frnged and filled
with silver bebs, and beaatifully dec
GRATED with horse-hair, dyed red; his
moccasins were lined with green silk.
and ornamenied with porcupine
quilts. All they had was in perfecI
keeping.
Ills tomahawk blade pipe, and
handle, and his rifle barrel and stock
were inlaid with silver; and their
horses were OF the best kind; and
all their equipage blankets and ev-
erything about their camp were in
the same style. They did not pitch
their tent close to the other Indians,
and very seldom associated with
them
81 have given this description to
show, that even IN savage life. there
are great distinctions in their hail
its and ruling passions | do moi
know what became of this couple
but / should not wonder if they both
fell prey to savage envy, for those
drunken Indians did not like them
"They said, Toe much proud
81 never knew but two other Indi
ans but would drink and become in
toxicated at times the one was a
Mohawk, and the other a Seneca
Compare Shigser with Billy Wyan-
dott and his squaw, Betty Betty and
Billy used to get lordly drunk and
knock each other about They would
shove each other into the fire, club
each other. slash al each other and
at times would have murdered each
other but for interference.
Finley describes general debauch
in which Billy and Betty participated.
He wrote:
"This was an awful scene for so
Der man to look upon. Here were
encamped between two and three
hundred Indians, and one-third, if not
one-half. drunk; men and women,
raving maniacs, singing, dancing,
fighting, stabbing and tomahswking
one another-and there was the
rumseller watering their whisky till
1t was not strong grog, and selling
1t for four dollars o gallon his hired
men gathering up all the skins and
furs, then their silver trnkets. ear
hobs, armhands. halfmuons. silver
crosses and brooches giving gill of
grog for dozen silver brooches
then their guns, tomahawks, and
blankets. till they were literally
stripped naked, and three or four
were killed and wounded
"The reader may sci what estimate
he pleases. or call II by what name;
yet, if there ever was greater rob
Der, or a meaner thief, or dirtier
murderer. than these rum-sellers, he
is yet to be seen :"
Finley records, however, that Billy
and Betty finally quit the bottle"
became teetotalers and lived to
ripe old age. Billy was blind for ten
years before he died.
These old books are yellowed with
years. They are strangely interest
Ing. Mucn OF their content is heav
ily written. They run TO long para.