Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-15
1sDYH ESE'EC.
SMALL POX AMONG THE INDIANS.
Office of The Bulletin,
SIR Inns March Z

L.
From all our information this subject il appears that
This dreadful disease has found its way to The most
mote bands Of The Backeet and has been fatal to most
lamenable extent. Thousands Of the Blackfeet have
fallen sacrifice 10 the scourge, yet they are SAID 10
blame themselves and attribute it to fault of The
whites. They say they always thought the traders
their friends and had they listened 10 their advice their
plains would not have been srewed with The dead bodies
Of their chiefs and braves The "Pipe Stem: chief OF
great influence, when dying called his people around
him. and his last request that they would love their
traders, and be always governed by their advice "
nav saws one of The traders be blamed for not using
measures 10 arrest the progress of the disense, but
without resort 10 arms on the arrival OF the boat with
81 ppes the Indians could not have been driven from
the fort An express arrived two duys III advance Of the
boat bringing the meancho intelligence that The small
pox buard and represented to the Indians that
they would if they it, be injected by IT, but
might we'll have talked TO The winds The survivors,
however sorry for their Ubsnacy and ure as hum
BILE the pour dogs who seek vain for their dead mas
ters Our trade in this section il utterly ruined for years
10 come nor all The petes pay The expenses OF The
Fort The few surviving Indians, have seen, beg of
me no, leave them in their calamity and if we will
hive pity hem they promise never again 10 act con-
trary TO our wishes.
From Fort Union the accounts from the Companys
Agent, distressing. letter dated The 3Oth of No
veubrr 1887 says: 'A our prospects the Upper
Missouri completely FRUSTRATED, the trade is ruined
f not forever, al least for years 10 come On my arm.
val here on the 10Th OF October. found The Small PoI,
or whatever disease it is, land it appears 10 be
hundred fold horrible than the ordinary kind had
penetruled to the most distant part of the Assnnboin
country and that the poor Indians dying by !lIes
and hundreds day. The patient when attacked COM
planned of excessive pains in the head and oins, and
in few hours would fall down dead. The body turn
ed black almost mme daley and swelled nearly three
times its ordinary size. Several hospitals have been
erected by people, and our medicine stores were
exhausted, but all in vain. For many weeks my men
and carts have been employed in collecting The dead
bodies and buryng them in holes, but since the earth
has become frozen have been compelled to consgn
them to a watery grave. Many widows and orphans
are left in Of the most appalling Distress They
are wholly dependent on the Fort for subsistence and
every feeling Of humanity compels 10 support them,
though with my limited means it is a heavy burden.
should have been less than man. could have
beheld the misery and wrelchedness around me- with
indifference. And, Sir, attn not ashamed 10 acknow.
ledge that have shed tears of bitter anguish over the
dying and the dead"
The disease as before stated, has mt as vel spread
among the Sioux and many Of them have been vac.
cinaed il hoped that The disease will not prove so
disasrous if it, should reach this and
powerful nation.
From The great mass of information with which we
have been furnished by friends, give the follow.
ing summary, and feel confident that full credence may
be given it:
duced by various to about 1900 SOULS living in
permanent Villages, some 1900 miles above St. Louis,
have all died but thirty one.
The Minalarees, eros Venlres, living near The Man.
dams numbering about 1000, by last accounts
abou. one.h half dead, and the disease still raging
The Arickarees amounting to 5000, who but lately
abandoned wandering life, and joined. the Mandans,
were about half dead and the disease still among them
1t probable they have been reduced in proportion to
the Mandans.
The Asainaboins powerful tribe about 5000 strong,
living entirely by the chase, and ranging North Of The
Missouri, in the plains below the Rocky Mountains,
down towards the Hudsons Bay Company, on North
Red river, literally annihated. Their principal
trade was at Fort Union, mouth OF the Yellow Stone