, 1859-05-12

Mai. Vaughan, United Stntes Agent for the
BlacEfact I1dians, arrived in St. Louis, On Sat-
urday, on his way to Washington.
Fort Benton Is in almost the extreme north
sand miles, in q direct line, from Sioux City
but much farther BY the course Of the river.
The Fort is situated near the foot Of the Rocky
Mouutuins, and not far from Lewis aud Clarkes
Pass to the head waters Of the Oregon-and i!
not more than hundred miles east OF Flathead
Lake, which is one Of the sources Of that rvcr
COMING DOWN THE MISSOURI IN AAck1SAT DnA7.
The Major lef, Fort Benton, 759 miles aboTe
the mouth Of the yellow Stone, in Nackinaw
boat, on the 2uth Of March. The first part Of
his trip was very tedious and laborious one.
lie was thirty two days in making 200 miles, the
rorges in thc ice making it almost impossible
Tor them to pet along Ut all. Alter reaching
Fort Stewart, eighty miles above the Yellow
Stone, he double manned the boat, and by run
ming night aud day, reached Sioux City ~ eight
days, and making the trip to St. Louis from
Fort Stewart in fifteen days-taking the railroad
from St. Louis.
PROSPECT FOR BUFFALO ROBES.
We lca:n'from Maj. Vaughan that universal
pence prevailed amUng the Indians Of the re-
gion from whicl, lie comes-inhabited by the
eros Eentrcs, Assincboine, Klackfeet. Crows.
Arickarces, Mauduns and Sioux. There had
been morc than the usual number Of buffalo in
the Blacktcct country, and the trading houses
of L. Chouteau, Jr,, i Co., and d. u. Frost &
TO. had done an excellent business They will
be able to send forward L very large number Of
robes-2., ,u1y to e3,N!0 TheSiou1 Indians had
Jared much worse than other tribes, aud many
Of them had been in starving condition. Such
was the extremity to which they were driven,
that they were compelled to kill their horses aud
dogs to avoid absolute starvation.
THE WINTER.
The winter was not so severe as had been cx-
pcricnced in that climate in previous Seasons,
but an unparalleled amount Of snow had fallen
nothing If fhc kind had been known for
years. In the month Of April, there were only
three days during which it did not snow, and
most Of the time with great violence
LoSr IN 4 snow STORM.
On the 1lth Of February, an express arrived
1T Fort Benton, notifying Maj. Vaughan, that
the Blackfcet Indians we're comm. 10 receive
their annuities. THIS express found him ut the
farn which he was opening for the Indians, un-
der treaty stipulation, about fVrty-ive inies
from F. Ecnton, in the Sun River Valley. He at
once resolved to 70 out and meet them. Start-
ing the next morning (tle 12th.J with we'll
known guide and interpreter, by the name oi
l'crot, lie pursued his journey until or r.
H., the snow having commenced with their jour-
neg. 1t that hour the wind changed to the
North, and 1t became intensely cold. The wind
Llcw perfect hurricane across tile prairie, anil
so dense was the SNOW, that Ill object could not
he discerncd 1t tcn feet distance. To add to tile
calarnity, they got lost, and 1T night lerot sep
aratcd from Major Vaughan, und was mt heard
Of afterwards. All efforts to communicate with
him were Of no avail, and the Majur pursued lis
journey. For three day and two nj gifts he kept
trayeing~-his horse, with wonderful instinct,
discovered tile trail Of another animal, belong
ing to b. N. Frost d Co., followed il, and
brought up finally at Sun River Valley, from
which the Major had taken lis departure. Dur
ing all this time he had nothing to cat, mud when
he reached camp it was found that Ills cheeks,
nose, fingers and toes were frost-bittcn. and it
required great eur. to rclitye linn from the 1,li,s
thus produced. As Soon as possible thereafter,
two Indians and three whites were dispatched
to find Mr.. Perut, but it was only tn di>cuycr his
dead body, greatly dishyurcs by the attacks Of
the wolves.
Major Vaughan is on his way to Washington,
with view to make such arrangements a. are
deemed essential 10 carry out tile treaty with
the lilackfcet Indians, by which fifteen thousand
dollars are appropriated annually for !: farm for
these Indians