Delaware Tribune

Among the Indians,

EXPERIENCE OF AN AGENT'S WIFE.

OMAHA AGENCY, NEB., June 4th.

The following is extracted from a private letter of Mrs. Dr. Painter, wife of the Indian Agent for the Omahas.—Eds.

I am happy to be able to give a favorable account of our new home, and should never tire of praising this glorious country. Indeed, this is the 'Cottage Home' I have so long pictured in my mind, as my ideal. I little thought to find it in this far Western country. Mrs. T., the Agent's mother, extended to us, on our arrival, the kindest, warmest hospitality. She is a warm-hearted Southern lady, about 50; very lively and agreeable. She did the honors to perfection. Our dwelling is a roomy, comfortable frame house, two stories high, painted white; porch front and back; a side hall, large parlor on one side, sitting and dining room, with nice pantry and kitchen back, which makes quite a large building, with three good rooms on the second floor; also, a good cellar, ice house, poultry house, meat house, &c. The Council House, and office, is a low one-story red building, in one corner of the yard, with benches, stools, &c., inside. The yard in front is terraced, and some very fine shade trees surround the home, which, together with the beautiful flowers which are abundant, make it a fairy bower. It is surrounded by a neat paling and fancy gate.

The Indians are willing and anxious to work for us, but they are cunning enough to demand exorbitant wages, at least higher than I have ever paid before. A squaw asks $1 a day for washing, and yesterday an Indian charged the Doctor $1 for hoeing a little while in the garden. They are all very civil to us. They allow us the use of two cows, for their keep during the winter. They seem much pleased with their new Major. The Superintendent holds the title of Colonel. The Agent is commander-in-chief of the agency. This tribe is under good discipline. They have a police force of Indians, of their own organization, and whenever an offence is committed, the offender is tried, sentence passed, and the guilty one is punished. They mostly confess their crimes, and submit bravely to their fate without a complaint.

On a high bluff, in sight of our house, stands an hexagonal frame house, with flag-staff on top, which is called the block house. It contains government ammunition. On 4th day last Mrs. Thornhill accompanied the Doctor and myself to the Winnebago agency, to attend a grand council held with the Indians. We went to the home of the agent, partook of a good dinner, and met with several officials, who were very kind gentlemen, Samuel Jones, Dr. Wilkinson, Col. Denman, ex-supt., and others. The Omahas came riding in on their ponies; they were dressed showily in different colored blankets, many of them red, the prevailing color. Some were in citizen's dress however. S. M. Janney addressed them, and told them our object in coming among them. They appeared pleased to see their father, and grandfather, as they call the new Major, and Superintendent. Each chief, in turn made known his wants, through the interpreter, an intelligent half breed, the two Tribes, Winnebagoes and Omahas, are considered to be the most civil and intelligent of any, and these two agencies are the most desirable. My husband did not select this, or any, but it was offered to him, (the Omaha, and he will, I know, as he ever does, conscientiously perform his duty. If S. M. Janney gets the Winnebago agency for his brother Asn, it will be very pleasant for us to have him as neighbor. It is only 8 miles off. Excellent level road all the way, with not a stone to be seen, and a magnificent country of rolling prairie. It would take a volume to tell you all the advantages of this beautiful country, my dear friends, and only the artistic skill of a photographer could do justice to the scenery. Some of the Indian chiefs are fine specimens of humanity. They have singular names—Standing Hawk, Two Crows, Yellow Snake, Fire King, Lion, Ga-ha-ha, are specimens. Col. Denman, Col.(?) Janney, and Dr. Wilkinson came back home with us, and held a council with the Omahas next day. The form and ceremony was similar to the other one, but the attendance was small, many of them having gone in pursuit of several ponies, which had been stolen from them, by another Tribe; they requested passports, before leaving, in case they might get into trouble. They will go out on their summer hunt, the last of this month, and will be absent several months. They take their families, provisions and so on. We shall have a quiet time, I suppose, when they are gone. We often see them riding or walking across the fields. Some of the employees say they have resided among them many years, and have had no trouble. Indeed, to my surprise, I can lie down at night feeling as safe as I ever did in my life. We thought we were going into danger when we left Maryland. How different from our expectation: the inhabitants are not as particular to fasten their doors at night as we have been accustomed to do. If our friends could see things as they are here they would change their opinion of the fancied hardships of an Indian Agency. Emilie will be delighted, when she comes, to ride over the bluffs and valleys on an Indian pony. She won't want to return to old Maryland. She could ride twenty miles and not be tired. Captain Porter and wife were here last night. They have just left for Decatur. We have had plenty of visitors since our arrival here; we get well acquainted in this Western country, directly, and feel at home amongst the people. We went over to the Mission House and called to see the Engineer's wife, to inquire about a young girl as servant. We have to entertain company frequently, which is very pleasant. The public road from Decatur to Winnebago passes in front of our house, and the stage runs twice a day, so that our facilities for getting supplies are better than we anticipated. 'Our trader, Mr. Chase, has a squaw for a wife, and lives more like his wife's tribe than his own. He is a very important personage at the reservation, being a good interpreter, so conversant with the habits and character of the Indians as he is. He also attends to the post office. The Major is postmaster at the Omaha Agency; there is no danger of his medical faculties rusting for want of use, as the Indians are constantly coming into the office for medical advice and for medicine. They are subject to scrofula and various other diseases. They made a proposition yesterday at the Council that they should have three day schools, instead of the mission boarding school now in operation. They have a fund of $25,000, out of which they can pay for the erection of school houses and employ teachers.

On the Winnebago reserve there is a comfortable house, called a hotel, where travelers and those visiting the agency are entertained. On our reservation the farmer is expected to keep the stopping place. This country is subject to high winds—in summer balmy, in winter bleak. Riding over the bluffs this morning, it was with difficulty I could keep my wrappings on. The Indians have forty yoke oxen and as many light wagons for their own use. They have 500 acres of corn in, but no wheat. They raise Spring wheat which makes good bread. Corn can be raised twelve years in succession, without any visible change. The Dr. intends to have a great part of the reservation in wheat, next year, and flocks of cattle and sheep grazing on these beautiful hills. The Indians are lords of the land and they are very anxious to hold their own lands, and not have the whites to settle among them, and after a few years to oust them out. Their new Fathers have assured them they shall not be dispossessed, but they shall retain their land. We have cause of thankfulness to a merciful Providence who has been with us on our journey, and brought us safely to the end of it. Did I tell you we have an excellent garden with plenty of vegetables as we had at home? Wild fruit grows here in great abundance. I can purchase all I need from the squaws. The flowers grow larger than ours at home. I have no need to regret our flowers in Harford which my husband took such delight in. We have the yellow woodbine honey suckle which is rare with us at home. And here we have the cotton wood tree. It is similar to the Lombard poplar, but is smaller in size. Its leaves are of a light downy substance like the thistle. Remember us affectionately to our friends, &c.