American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-31
How a Tribe of Indians Caught the
SMALLPOX.

From the Journal of J. J. Audubon.
Early in the spring of 1887, the
steamer ArsinibOine arrived at Fort
Clark with several cases of small
pox on board. There an Indian stole
blanket belonging to a Waterman
on the boat, who was then at the
point of death, and took 1t away to
SOW the seeds of death among his
tribe, which caused his own death
and the death of thousands of his
nation. When it was known that he
had taken it, a benevolent person on
the boat went to one of the chiefs,
told him the fatal consequences
which would follow. and offered a
new blanket and reward besides,
if he would have it returned but
suspicion, fear or shame prevented
the man from giving it up. and the
pestilence broke out and began to
spread among the Mandans at first,
to which nation the chief belonged.
Most of the Indians were distant
eighty miles at that time, killing
butfaloes and preparing their winter
food and the whites sent al express
begging them not to return to their
village, and telling them what would
he the fatal consequences. The In
dams sent back word that their corn
was suffering to be worked, and that
they would return and face the dan
ger, which they thought was fabu,
lous. Word was again sent them
that certain destruction would at
tend their return. But it was all in
vain come back they would, and
come back they did, and the plague
began in it's most malignant form,
their habits and improper food max
ing them a ready prey, and few
hours sometimes terminating the
loathsome disease by death. The
Mandans were enraged because at
first it was confneu to them, and
they supposed the whites had caused
it, and saved themselves and the
Ricarees from the pestilence; and
they threatened the lives of all the
former, supposing they had a medi.
cine to prevent it, which they would
not give them. But by and by the
Ricarees and whites died also; the
disease incl easing in malignity hun
: dreds died daily, and bodies thrown
beneath the bluff created an intoler
able stencil which added to it's fatal.
ity. Men shot each other when they
found themselves attacked. One
man killed his wife and children, and
then loaded his gun, and placing the
: muzzle in his mouth, touched the
trigger with his toe and blew Out
his own brains. One young chic
made his friends dig a grave for him
and putting on his war robes, ht
tottered out to it, singing his dealt
song, and jumping in, cut his bod,
nearly in two with a knife, and wal
buried there; and others committed
. suicide after they were attacked, IA
ther than die of the loathsOme dis
ease. The annals of pestilence d,
,, not furnish another such example o
, , horrors, or where mortality was 81
great i'll proportion to the population
, OF the once powerful tribe of Man
dams only twenty-seven persons re
, manned, and one hundred and fift,
!, thousand persons persisted, and tn
7 details are tOu horrible to relate
? Added to this the few whites VIII,
were alarmed lest the Indians shout,
massacre them as the cause of tn
! evil. One influential chief attempt
l ed to instigate the Indians to kill al
= the whites, but he was himself seize,
and died before his plans were ma
tured but in his last moments b
confessed his wickedness, and ex
pressed sorrow for it, and begge,
: that his body might be laid befor
!, the gate of the fort until it was bu
! ried, with the superstitious belle
that if this were done the white MA
! ! would always think of him and fol
: give his meditated crime.