NE-THIRD of a century ago, that is in | by the Spaniards, three centuries and a quarter ONE the spring of 1833, Randolph Marcy, a tall young man, just graduated from West Point, was assigned to duty with Company D, Fifth U.S. Infantry, stationed at Fort Howard, Green Bay, in the then frontier Territory, now almost central State, of Wisconsin. The captain of this company was Martin Scott, famous as the hero of the "coon" story, certainly one of the best marksmen, perhaps the very best marksman, that ever lived. More than thirty years of active service, mostly upon the frontiers, have made Colonel Marcy familiar with the life and character of the peoples residing there. We doubt if there is another living man who has had so much intercourse with the Indian tribes of the great Western Plains. ago, the dog was the only animal of burden, as it now is of the Esquimaux. How they lived then we can only conjecture. Horses were first introduced upon the Plains somewhat less than three centuries ago. They rapidly multiplied; but can hardly have become common until within six generations. Now the Indians of the Plains are probably the most expert horsemen in the world. Horses and mules are their wealth; to steal horses is their occupation. The cleverest horse-thief is the model young man. Is-sa-keep, an old Comanche chief, once boasted to Colonel Marcy of his four sons; they were the finest young men to be found, and a great comfort to him in his old age; they could steal more horses than any other young men in his band. The tribes of the Far West have scarcely a trait in common with those who once peopled The Comanches, or "Snakes," may be takthe Eastern slope of the American Continent. en as the model and type of the tribes of the The latter lived in permanent villages, subsist- Plains. With the exception of the Dacotahs ing more by agriculture than by hunting, and or "Cut-throats," and possibly the Pawnees or made their war excursions wholly on foot. The "Wolves," they are the most numerous and former are nomades in the strictest sense of warlike. Yet, all told, the three bands into the word. They have neither houses nor fields. which they are divided number barely 15,000 Their dwellings are lodges, which they carry souls. Still this band has for years harried all with them wherever they wander. Their food the northern States of Mexico, carrying their is wholly of flesh, saving a few herbs and roots war expeditions often a thousand miles away which they find growing wild. With the East- from their homes on the Plains. When a chief ern tribes war was but an episode in their lives. wants to get up a large war-party he provides With those of the West warlike and plunder- himself with a long pole trimmed with a red ing expeditions are the business of their lives; flag and eagle feathers, and rides through the peace is the exception. When first discovered camp, singing the war-song. Those disposed to Thirty Years of Army Life on the Border: Compris- join him mount their horses and follow. This ing Descriptions of the Indian Nomades of the Plains; is repeated from day to day until the war-party Explorations of new Territory; a Trip across the Rocky-or, as we phrase it, the "regiment"—is made Mountains in the Winter; Descriptions of the Habits of up, when they set off. different Animals found in the West, and the Methods of Hunting them; with Incidents in the Life of different Frontier Men. By Colonel R. B. MARCY, U.S. A. Harper and Brothers. But these great expeditions are rather exceptional, occurring only now and then; whereas it is quite necessary for a Comanche who wishes to be any body to have taken a turn into Mexico, and have come back with a few horses. So the usual way is for half a dozen young fellows to set out on their own hook. Each needs only a horse, a bow and arrows, a lance and shield. These every one is supposed to have. Now and then one has a gun; but the bow and arrow is the main reliance. The Comanche bow is less than a yard in length, scarcely half that of the old English long bow; but it is made of a very elastic wood, and at short range is a very effective weapon. It will send an arrow clear through the huge body of a buffalo. The shield is circular, made of two thicknesses of hide, an inch apart, the interval closely packed with hair; it is proof against any thing short of a rifle-ball, and even this will not go through unless it strikes fairly perpendicular. Thus provided they set out on a journey of a thousand miles or more, through a perfectly wild and desolate country, depending for subsistence wholly upon the game which they kill. They make their way to the northern provinces of Mexico, where they lie in wait near some hacienda until an opportunity occurs of swooping down upon a solitary herdsman. If he is wise he decamps at once, for the savages invariably kill all men who offer the slightest impediment to their operations, and carry off all the women and children as prisoners. They are sometimes absent from their tribes for two years before they have secured sufficient plunder to enable them to return with credit. A horse-stealing expedition to Mexico is to a young Comanche very much what a whaling voyage or a journey to the mines is to a young American. Some eight years ago Von Tempsky, a German traveler, gave a vivid description of the condition to which the provinces of Durango, Chihuahua, and Zacatecas had been reduced by the inroads of these marauders. The open country, he says, is rendered almost uninhabitable. The towns and larger ranches are the only secure places; the silver mines can be worked only when protected by troops; merchandise can not be transported except under a strong convoy. During the government of Santa Anna a wealthy gentleman proposed to free these States from the Comanches. Upon his own estates he organized a band of rancheros, who manifested their superiority over the savages, who soon learned to give him a wide berth. He then offered to raise at his own expense a company of guerrillas, and agreed that after two years he would pay for all damages inflicted by the Comanches. As payment he asked only the taxes formerly levied upon silver mines, the working of which had been abandoned in consequence of the Comanche incursions. This offer was declined. Von Tempsky relates an exploit of one of these rancheros, which reminds one of the Conquistadores who followed Cortéz. He was a powerful man, and always rode a well-trained horse. In riding over his estate he wore a stout leather cuirass, but his only offensive weapon was a long, straight, double-edged sword. One day riding out alone, he saw a dozen Indians driving off some of his cattle, and dashed straight upon them. They thought a single man not worth noticing. A few bounds of his horse brought him upon one of these "man-spitters," and the first thing which the Indian felt was the guard of the long sword striking against his breast-bone; the blade had passed sheer through his body, and was sticking out from his back. The Indians now rushed upon him with their long lances. Some thrusts he parried, others struck harmless upon his leather cuirass. In a few minutes three more of these savages went down before the blows and thrusts of the good Toledo blade. The others took to flight, pursued by the single | ly honored by his tribe. This idea is inculcated from their earliest infancy. It is not surprising, therefore, that with such weighty inducements before With the exception of some of the African him, the young man who, as yet, has gained no retribes, whose business is slave - hunting, the nown as a brave or warrior, should be less discrimComanches are the most absolute race of free-ready acquired a name. The young braves should, inate in his attacks than older men who have albooters on the face of the globe. Their hand therefore, be closely watched when encountered on is against every man, and every man's hand is the Plains. against them. "The mode of life of the prairie tribes," says Colonel Marcy, "owing to their unsettled and wandering habits, is such as to render their condition one of constant danger and apprehension. The security of their numerous animals from the encroachments of their enemies, and their constant liability to attacks, make it imperatively necessary for them to be at all times upon the alert. Their details for herdsmen are made with as much regularity as the guard details at a military post; and even in times of the most profound peace they guard their animals both night and day, while scouts are often patrolling upon the adjoining heights to give notice of the approach of strangers, when their animals are burried to a place of security, and every thing made ready for defense. "No people, probably, on the face of the earth are more ambitious of martial fame, or entertain a higher appreciation for the deeds of a daring and successful warrior than the North American savages of the Plains. The attainment of such reputation is the paramount and absorbing object of their lives; all their aspirations for distinction invariably take this channel of expression. A young man is never considered worthy to occupy a seat in council until he has encountered an enemy in battle, and he who can count the greatest number of scalps is the most high "The prairie tribes are seldom at peace with all their neighbors, and some of the young braves of a tribe are almost always absent upon a war excursion. These forays sometimes extend into the heart of the northern States of Mexico, where the Indians have carried on successful invasions for many years. They have devastated and depopulated a great part of Sonora and Chihuahua. The objects of these forays are to steal horses and mules, and to take prisoners; and if it so happens that a war-party has been unsuccessful in the accomplishment of these ends, or has had the misfortune to lose some of its number in battle, they become reckless, and will often attack a small party with whom they are not at war, provided they hope to escape detection. The disgrace attendant upon a return to their friends without some trophies as an offset to the loss of their comrades is a powerful incentive to action, and they extend but little mercy to defenseless travelers who have the misfortune to encounter them at such a conjuncture." On approaching strangers the Prairie Indians put their horses at full speed, no matter whether their designs are friendly or hostile. When a party is discovered approaching all that is necessary to ascertain their disposition is to raise the right hand with the palm in front, and "It is a safe rule," says Colonel Marcy, "when a man finds himself alone on the prairies, and sees a party of Indians approaching, not to allow them to come near him, and if they persist in doing so to signal them to keep away. If they do not obey, and he be mounted upon a fleet horse, he should make for the nearest timber. If the Indians follow and press him too closely, he should halt, turn around, and point his gun at the foremost, which will often have the effect of turning them back, but he should never draw trigger unless he finds that his life depends upon the shot; for, as soon as his gun is discharged, his sole dependence, unless he have time to reload, must be upon the speed of his horse." ORIGIN OF THE TONKAWAS. perhaps, the only white man who has ever been present at one of these dances, which are always conducted with the utmost solemnity and secrecy, and with as much pomp as their limited means permit. The Major, as Indian Agent, had acquired the favor of the Chief of the Tribe, who introduced him secretly into the lodge where the ceremony was to be carried on, and placed him in a position where he could see without being seen. century among the Indians of the Rocky Mountains. He says: "They are the most onsartinest varmints in all creation, and I reckon tha'r not mor'n half human; for you never seed a human, arter you'd fed and treated him to the best fixins in your lodge, jist turn round and steal all your horses, or ary other thing he could lay his hands on. No, not adzackly. He would feel kinder grateful, and ask you to spread a blanket in his lodge ef you ever passed that a-way. But the Injun he don't care shucks for you, and is ready to do you a heap of mischief as soon as he quits your feed. No, Cap., it's not the right way to give um presents to buy peace; but ef I war governor of these yeer United States, I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd invite um all to a big feast, and make b'lieve I wanted to have a big talk; and as soon as I got um all together, I'd pitch in and sculp about half of um, and then t'other half would be mighty glad to make a peace that would stick. That's the way I'd make a treaty with the dog'ond, red-bellied varmints; and as sure as you're born, Cap., that's the only way." "Soon after this, about fifty warriors, all dressed in wolf skins from head to feet, so as to represent the animal very perfectly, made their entrance upon all-fours in single file, and passed around the lodge, howling, growling, and making other demonstrations peculiar to that carnivorous quadruped. After this had continued for some time, they began to put down their noses and sniff the earth in every direction, until at length one of them suddenly stopped, uttered a shrill cry, and commenced scratching the ground at a particular spot. The others immediately gathered around, and all set to work scratching up the earth with their hands, imitating the motions of the wolf in so doing; and, in a few minutes, greatly to the astonishment of the Major, they exhumed from the spot a genuine live Tonkawa, who had previously been interred for the perform"As soon as they had unearthed this strange and there endeavor to punish them if they debiped, they ran around, scenting his person and ex-serve it. To this Baker replied: amining him throughout with the greatest apparent delight and curiosity. The advent of this curious and novel creature was an occasion of no ordinary moment to them, and a council of venerable and sage old wolves was at once assembled to determine what disposition should be made of him. ance. The Tonkawa addressed them as follows: 'You have taken me from the spirit land where I was contented and happy, and brought me into this world where I am a stranger, and I know not what I shall do for subsistence and clothing. It is better you should place me back where you found me, otherwise I shall freeze or starve.' "After mature deliberation the council declined returning him to the earth, and advised him to gain a livelihood as the wolves did; to go out into the wilderness, and rob, kill, and steal wherever opportunity presented. They then placed a bow and arrows in his hands, and told him with these he must furnish himself with food and clothing; that he could wander about from place to place like the wolves, but that he must never build a house or cultivate the soil; that if he did he would surely die. This injunction, the chief informed the Major, had always been strictly adhered to by the Tonkawas." Colonel Marcy suggested to him the idea that there would be a lack of good faith and honor in such a proceeding, and that it would be much more in accordance with his notions of fair dealing to meet them openly in the field, "Tain't no use to talk about honor with them, Cap.; they hain't got no such thing in um; and they won't show fair fight, any way you can fix it. Don't they kill and sculp a white man when-ar they get the better on him? The mean varmints, they'll never behave themselves until you give um a clean out-and-out licking. They can't onderstand white folks' ways, and they won't learn um; and ef you treat um decently, they think you are afeared. You may depend on't, Cap., the only way to treat Injuns is to thrash them well at first, then the balance will sorter take to you and behave themselves." During his thirty years' service on the borders Captain Marcy conducted several import5th of March, 1852, he received the following ant exploring and other expeditions. On the order from the War Department: "Captain R. B. Marcy, Fifth Infantry, with his company as an escort, will proceed, without unnecessary delay, to make an examination of the Red River and the to its source, according to special instructions which he country bordering upon it, from the mouth of Caché Creek will receive. Brevet Captain G. B. M'Clellan, Corps of Engineers, is assigned duty with this expedition." Just ten years from that time Brevet-Captain G. B. M'Clellan, as Commander of the Army of the Potomac, was just entering upon his campaign on the Peninsula, and Colonel Marcy was his Chief of Staff. This expedition threw much light upon the physical geography of a region hitherto wholly unknown, and as yet known only by this. Perhaps the most notable single feature is the discovery of an immense What shall be done with such a people? Colonel Marcy says: "The only way to make these merciless freebooters fear or respect the authority of our Government is, when they misbehave, first of all to chastise them well by striking such a blow as will be felt for a long time, and thus show them that we are superior to them in war. They will then respect us much more than when their good-will is pur-bed of gypsum 350 miles long, and from 50 to chased by presents." We imagine that if the opinion of frontiersmen were asked it would be expressed in the following words of Jim Baker, a friend of Marcy, who has spent a quarter of a 100 broad. Hitherto the largest bed of this mineral known within the United States was a deposit in Iowa, covering an area of two or three square miles-not one-ten-thousandth |