66
THE UMPIRE SUNDAY, DECEMER 25, 1887.
THE FUTURE OF THE RED MAN. AN INTERVIEW WITH RED SHIRT. HOW THE INDIAN CHIEF MET BUFFALO BILL [BY AN ENQUIBER.]
"I should like to meet Red Shirt if it can be arranged and have a little chat with him." "Certainly," replied Major Burke, and accordingly the other morning I was introduced to the Sioux chief. Red Shirt, who only left the Indian reservation last March, looks every in a man born to command. He has a singularly fine intelligent face, and the peculiarities of Indian physiognomy are less remarkable in his case than in that of the Wild West Show in Manchester. Arrayed in a red woollen shirt and moccassins, the inevitable blanket thrown round to him so as to leave the right arm free, he looks an ideal Sioux. As he converses his large, bright eyes flash as he gets more and more deeply in earnest, but his countenance, save for an occasional flickering smile that plays about the corners of the mouth, remains as stolid as that of the Sphinx. Red Shirt, whose intelligence is of a very high order, is evidently a shrewd observer, and his good common sense is clearly demonstrated in his replies to any questions put to him.
As is usual at these palayers, Broncho Bill acted as interpreter, and succeeded admirably in coneying the questions and replies. Major Burke, however, explained that it is almost impossible to reproduce the similes drawn from nature, and the often poetic imagery of Indian oratory, unless the interpreter has a corresponding command of graceful English diction. My first question was how Red Shirt, an Indian chief, came to be a member of Buffalo Bill's company, and I was told that he only agreed to join the combination after the United States Government had given special permission and a grand council of the Sioux nation had been held.
THE DEATH OF YELLOW HAND. "But did you never see Buffalo Bill until you joined this show?" "Yes, I saw him long ago, but we never spoke until a little while since. All the men of the Sioux nation know Buffalo Bill by reputation. The first time I saw him was at the fight at War Narnard Creek, when the white men were too many for the poor Indians. It was twelve or thirteen years ago, but (and here his eyes twinkled ominously) that fight I can see now. Buffalo Bill in the struggle can see now. Buffalo Bill in the struggle killed Yellow Hand, a great Indian brave, and took his scalp. I tried to fight y way to the white man to revenge my brother, and although we got very near I could not reach him. Had we met one would have died; but the soldiers were encircling us; five of our men were shot down, and we fled. Then we would have killed each other, but now we have the same heart, and we are brothers. Yes, Colonel Cody is very good to me and my people."
A GREAT INDIAN BATTLE. "Will you tell me another fight in which you were engaged?" "Yes, I will tell you of a great fight of the Sioux nation with the Pawnees, who were always bad Indians. They had me our people on the hunt and killed them; they had attacked our villages and carried away our squaws and children, and their young braves came, like serpents in the grass, and stole away our horses. The Sioux nation offered to make a treaty of peace with the Pawnees, but the bad Indians refused, and the Grand Council of the Sioux sat down to discuss how we should punish these bad people, and every chief there spoke for going on the war path. Then we made ready to fight. It is fifteen years ago, and I was a young chief then: but my father, who was a great chief, was on the war path, and I was eager to prove myself a great warrior in his eyes. I collected my young men, and we set out, altogether 1300 strong, under 16 big chiefs. The most experienced warriors were sent on two days' march in advance to scout, and scouts were thrown out on every side to guard against surprise. For eight days our braves marched against the enemy, and then some spies came back and told us that they had found the Pawnee village. This made the hearts of our young men glad, for we felt that we should punish the wrong-doers. Our scouts told us that many of the Pawnee braves were on a big hunt, but that nearly all the remainder of the tribe were at the village. We gathered round the camp without being discovered, and the great chiefs told the young men how the battle was to be fought.
67
EVENING MAIL.
MANCHESTER, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8.
BUFFALO BILL'S WILD WEST.-An event of an especially interesting character came off at Buffalo Bill's "Wild West" last night, when one of the Indian women gave birth to what we understand is the first Sioux infant born in this country.
68
THE SUNDAY CHRONICLE, FEBRUARY 12, 1888.
THE LUCK OF CODY'S CAMP.
Miss Frances-Victoria-Alexandra-Little-Chief-Ogallala, who was born in the Wild West Camp on Manchester Racecourse on Wednesday morning last, has been the cause of much rejoicing amongst the members of Buffalo Bill's troupe. We understand that the little red lady's father is a Christian and a member of the Episcopalian Church, and the baptismal ceremony will take place within the next few days. Mrs. Little Chief was not only doing well at the latest advices, but, as is the happy custom of the women of her race, was walking about the camp and exchanging congratulations with the other squaws within 48 hours of the interesting event. It is stated by Major Burke that when travelling on the plains it is the usual Indian practice in such cases to leave a swift horse furnished with a "Travois," or trailing hammock, in charge of the midwife, and that the happy mother is generally able to ride after and overtake the tribe before three days have elapsed. This is the first Red Indian child born in the British Islands.
69
THE EVENING NEWS.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1888.
CHRISTENING AN INDIAN BABY. - Yesterday afternoon an extraordinary scene was witnessed at St. Clement's Church, Salford, when the female child of the Sioux Indian "Little Chief," which was recently born in Buffalo BIll's camp, was christened in all the rites of the English Church. The entire body of Sioux and Apache Indians at present ocated in the Wild West camp walked in procession to the church, which was filled to overflowing with a miscellaneoous company, comprising Colonel and Miss Cody, Major Burke, Buck Taylor, Cowboys, Mexicans, and other spectators. The baptisim was performed by the Rev. J. J. Scott, the service being translated sentence by sentence by Broncho Bill, the Sioux interpreter. After the baptismal rites, the assembled body of Indians sang, "Nearer my God to Thee," in the Sioux tongue. This is the first time in the histroy of the English Church that American Indians have taken so prominent a part in the service.
70
THE COURIER MANCHESTER, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1888.
BUFFALO BILL'S WILD WEST.
St. Clement's Church, Salford, was, yesterday evening, the scene of an exceedingly novel and interesting gathering. The baptism ofthe papoose which wasborn in the Indian camp on the 8th instant took place in the presence of a congregation altogether unique. English ladies and gentlement, American cowboys, Mexican vaqueros, and Indians assembled forthe purpose of witnessing the ceremony. It was indeed a sight worth seeing, and it will long be remembered by all who were privileged to attend. There was no desire or intention on the part of the management that the event should partake at all of the character of a public ceremonia; rather the reverse. But somehow or other the fact that the christening was to take place at a particular Church, and at a certain time, got abroad in the nieghbourhood, and the consequence was that the approaches to the sacred building were surrounded by sightseers, long before the doors were opened, and when the hour for the commencement of the service arrived the interior was filled, excepting a number of seats in the centre, which were reserved for the members of Colonel Cody's company, and a few ladies and gentlemen who had been specially invited to attend. The baby, it will be remembered, is the daughter of Little Chief of the Ogallala tribe of the Sioux nation. Little Chief, who is next in authority to Red Shirt, the celebrated fighting chief, is a fine specien of the natives of the Far West, and his specimen of the natives of the Far West, and his squaw, who enjoys the distinctive name of "Good Robe," is really a handsome woman-- strongly built, intelligent looking, and modest in a high degree. The father and mother are both members of the Episcopalian Church, and they naturally desired that their offspring should be baptised according to the faith and ritual of their adoption. Since the birth of the child much discussion has taken place in the camp as to the question of her nationality; and while some of the "boys" and the Indians have held that she is an American, others have strongly argued that, having been born in England subject. "Outsiders," who have been permitted to express an opinion upon the matter, have adopted the latter view, and they insist that the young lady must ever be regarded as a Lancashire lass. One thing appears to be certain, and that is that the little one is the first Sioux Indian ever born in this country, and it was the knowledge of this fact doubtless which induced so many persons to attend the ceremony of last night. The feeling of interest was very great, and when the papoose was brought into the church, many of the ladies could hardly be restrained from leaving their seats, in order that they might have "a good look at her." The
time fixed for the ceremony was six o'clock. Shortly before that hour the majority of the Indians from the camp entered the building, and took the seats which had been set apart for them. They marched from the camp in double file, and were escorted by a number of the borough police force. There were some seven or eight sqauws present in addition to the mother of the child, and one of them attracted a good deal of notice as she carried an infant in the orthodox Indian style in a contrivance fastened upon her back. Red Shirt, and Little Chief were in "full dress," and they looked strikingly picturesque with their feathers and other adornments, which stamped there at once as being superior to their fellows. Colonel Cody (Buffalo Bill) and Miss Cody also attracted considerable attention, as also did Major John M. Burke, the general manager, and the stalwart Buck Taylor, the King of the Cowboys. The Indians had their best blankets on specially for the occasion; some of them were decorated with beads and feathers, and the faces of all were more or less streaked with "war paint." The chief participators in the ceremony having taken their allotted places round the font near the enterance to the church the service commenced. The Rector (the Ray J. J. Scott), stood in the centre, and on his left were the mother of the child and two other squaws, the godmother, Mrs. A. M. H. Gardiner, and Mrs. Whittaker, who is styled the "Mother of the Camp," while to his right were Little Chief, Major Burke, Broncho Bill, the interpreter, and Mr. A. M. H. Gardiner, manager of the Manchester Racecourse Company, who acted the part of godfather. The principal portions of the service were duly interpreted by Bronco Bill, and the papoose at the appointed time was handed to the Rector, who baptised her, giving her the name of Frances Victoria Alexandra. The baby--a plump little morsel of copper-coloured humanity-- was comfortably ensconced in a "bonnet"-- a covering consisting of buckskin ornamented with beads, and closely resembling a minature cradle. Not the slightest sound proceeded from the "bonnet"-- a covering consisting of bucksin ornamented with beads, and closely resembling a miniature cradle. Not the closley resembling a minature cradle. Not the slightest sound proceeded from the "bounet" when the water was poured out of the small silver dish by the Rector upon the papoose, nor indeed, at any other time during the service.
At the close of the ceremony the mother and father and the godmother and godfather passed down the aisle to a seat near the pulpit, and then followed a very striking and interesting feature. The hymn, "Nearer my God to Thee," was given out by the rector, and it was sung in the Indian language by a number of the members of the Ogallala band. One voice was heard first, then another joined, and gradually the volume of the sound increased, and above the somewhat husky sounds which proceeded from the males could be heard the shrill and by no means unmusical voices of the females. "Mita Wakantanka Nikiyean"-- that is, "Nearer, my God, to Thee"-- concluded, the rector ascended the pulpit and delivered a short address appropriate to the occasion. Taking as the basis of his remarks the first two words of the Lord's Prayer, he dwelt upon the importance and solemnity of the ceremony of baptism, and pointed out that Americans, Indians, and all nationalities could all unite in addressing the Deity as their Father as those present had done that night.
The register was duly signed, the parents making a "mark" opposite their names, and then Mrs. Whittaker carried the papoose, who appeared to be fast asleep, along the aisles in order that the desire to see the little one, which was as strong as it was general, might be gratified. Several of the more impressionable ladies present insisted upon kissing Frances Victoria Alexandra, and it was with no little difficulty that the nurse pushed her way through the throng. The Indians then marched back to the camp, and the parents returned in a cab.
Many presents have been made by the Indians and the cowboys to the parents for the child. Red Shirt has presented her with a pony, and Eagle Heart, Little Bull, Blue Horse, and other chiefs will, as is customary, follow his example. Mr. Gardiner has given her a very handsome necklace consisting of English coins of different periods, plated with gold on the one side, and on the other beautifully enamlled. The Indians will, it is understood, call the little one by the name "Over the Sea." The English names given to her, it may be stated, are in honour of the Queen, the Princess of Wales, and the wife of the President of the United States. A congratulatory telegram has been received at the camp from the chiefs in Dakota. It runs as follows:-- "Pine Ridge, Indian Agency, Dakota. To Colonel Cody, Wild West Camp, Manchester. Red Cloud and chiefs send greeting to Little Chief. As English born Sioux is an item in Ogallala history. The great ocean is no longer a tradition to them. Signed, Gallagher, the Inidan agent, and Robinsons, missionary of the Protestant Episcopalian Church." Further rejoicing took place in the camp amond the Indians last night in celebrations of the event.