MEMORIES OF CHIEF EVERGREEN TREE
by Steven J. Adolphson
written December 11, 1988 of visit with Evergreen Tree in 1947 and later years.

How many children can say they have "an Indian friend?" I did, and Evergreen Tree, a Cochiti pueblo Indian living in Wisconsin dells became my first mentor in finding my way in the forest, identifying and tracking wild life, and appreciating Indian lore and customs. It was during my family's first visit to the Dells in 1947, when we met Chief Evergreen Tree. The incidents that follow are my most vivid memories of that special friendship of a world famous Indian entertainer, and a little boy from the time he was about 7 years old.

editors note: Steven wrote several pages of memories. Following is one page, titled
THE CLIMB UP ELEPHANT'S BACK.
Elephant's Back can be seen in the back ground of the next picture.

Mom and Dad dropped me off at Chief Evergreen's house shortly before lunch time. The Chief had a fire going in his barbeque pit and while we waited for the coals to get just right, we practiced with our bows and arrows, using his outside backstop of hay with the blue, yellow, black and red painted canvas bull's-eye. Of course Curly, Chief Evergreen's black curly-haired dog, chased our arrows when they missed or overshot the mar,.

Then we had lunch. Hot dogs split end-to-end and seasoned with Tabasco sauce (a first for me!), mustard and ketchup. we are now off for our climb up Elephant's Back. From start to finish, it was Evergreen tree leading the way, he seemed inexhaustible, sure-footed at every step, and it was all I could do to keep up with him. What a climb! finally, arriving at the top, and at the foot of the Fire Ranger's tower, Evergreen Tree asked me if I wanted to climb the rest of the way -- to the top of the tower. I was afraid to make that particular climb but offered some excuse. The view from where I was seemed good enough -- but the Chief scampered up that ladder and visited with the Fire Ranger, anyway.

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