The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-05-12
Irfl1aI from Fcrt Bsn1~E

Mai. Vaughan, us. Agent for .le Blsck,
feet Indians, arrived In this city yesterday
morning. The; Major Fleft his post Fort
benton) $50 miles above the mouth of the
Yellow Stone, ina M!ckinaw boat, on the
10th of March. The first part of this trip
was very tedious and laborious one He
was 30 days in making two hundred miles,
the gorges in the ice making it almost i'm
possible for them to get along at all. After
reaching Fort Stewart 80 miles above the
Yellow Stone, he double-manned the boat,
and by running night and day, reached
Sioux City in eight days, and making the
trip to st. Louis from Fort Stewart in fifteen
days-taking the railroad from st. Joseph.
We learn from Major Vaughan that uni
verSal peace prevailed among the Indians
of the region from which he cemes-inhab-
tied by the Gros Ventres, AssineboineS,
BlaclSfeet, Crows, Arickarees, Mandans and
Sioux. There had been more than the
usual number of Buffalo in the Rlackfeet
country, and the trading houses Of p. Chou
teau Jr. & Co., and d. NJ. Frost 4 Co., had
done an excellent business. They will be
able to send forward very large number of
robes-22, 900 TO $4,000. The Sioux Indi-
ans had Jared much worse than other tribes,
and many of them had been in starving
condition. Such was the extremity to which
they were driven, they were compelled to
kill their horses anddogs, TO avoid absolute
starvation.
The winter WAS not so severe as had been
experienced in that climate in previous sea-
sons, but an unparalleled amount Of snow
had fallen-nothing of the 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.
On the llth of February, an express ar
rivedat Fort Benton, notifying Maj. Vaughan
that the Blackfeet Indians were coming to
receive their annuities. This express found
him at the farm which he was opening for
the Indians, under treaty stipulation,
about forty-ive miles from Fort Benton, in
the Sun River Valley. He at once resolved
to 60 out and meet them. Starting the
next morning, 1.-THE 9th, with well known
guide and interpreter, by the name of Perot,
he pursued his journey until or 2 P. NJ, the
snow having commenced with their journey
At that hour, the wind changed to the north
and it became intensely cold. The wind
and so dense was the snow that an object
could not be discerned at ten feet distance
To add to the calamity, they got lost, and n
night Perot separated from Major Vaughan
and was not heard of afterwards. All eff
forts to communicate with him were of nc
avail, and the Major pursued his journey
For three days and nights he kept travelling
his horse, with wonderful instinct, dis
covered the trail of another animal, belong
ing to d. NJ. Frost & Co., followed it, ant
brought up finally at Sun River Valley, from
which the Major had taken his departure
During all this time, he had nothing to eat
and when he reached camp it was found tina
his cheeks, nose, fingers and toes, were frost
bitten, and it required great effort to reliev,
him from the pain thus produced. AS sooI
as possible, thereafter, two Indians and thre,
white were dispatched, to find Mr.. Perot
but it was only to discover his dead body
greatly disfgured by the attacks of wolves
&c. Major Vaughan is on his way to Wash
ington, with a view to make such arrange
ments as are deemed essential to carry on
the treaty with the Blackfeet Indians b,
which fifteen thousand dollars are appropri
ated annually for a farm for these indians
81. Louis Republican.