The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-08-19
TFrom the Journal of J. j. Audubon.j
How a Tribe Of Indians Caught the
Small POx.

Early in the spring of 1887, the steam
er Arsiniboine arrived at Fort Clark with
several cases of smallpox on board.
| There an Indian.stole blanket belong
ing to Waterman on the boat, who was
then at the point of death, and took it
away to sow the seeds of death among his
tribe, which caused his own death and
Of thousands of his nation. When it was
known that he had taken it, benevolent
person on the boat went to one of the
chiefs and told him the fatal consequent
ces which would follow, and offered new
blanket and areward besides, ifhe 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 thief belonged Most
of the Indians were distant 80 miles at
that time, killing buffaloes and preparing
their winter food; and the whites sent an
express begging them not to return to
their village, and telling them what would
be the fatal consequences. The Indians
sent back word that their corn was suffer
ing to be worked, and that they would
return and face the danger, which they
thought was fabulous. Word was again
sent them that certain destruction would
attend their return. But it was all in
vain come back they would, and come
back they did, and the plague began in
its most malignant form, their habits and
improper food making them a ready prey,
and few hours sometimes terminating
the loathsome disease by death. The
Mandans were enraged because at first it
10 Al 4
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
medicine to prevent it, which they would
not give them. But by and by the Rica-
rees and whites die also; the disease In
creasing in malignity hundreds died daily,
and bodies thrown beneath the bluff,
created an intolerable stencil which added
to its fatality 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 chief made his friends dig grave
| for him, and putting on his war robes, he
tottered out to it, singing his death song.
and jumping in, cut his body nearly in
two with his knife, and was buried there !;
and others committed suicide after they
were attacked, @hther than die of loath-
some disease. The annals of pestilence
do not furnish another such example of
horrors, or where mortality was so great
in proportion to the population. Of the
once powerful tribe of Mandans, only
twenty-seven persons remained, and one
hundred and fifty thousand persons
persisted, and the details are too hor-
rible to relate. Added to this the few
whites were alarmed lest the Indians
should massacre them as the cause of the
evil. One influential chief attempted to
instigdte the Indians to kill all the whites.
but he was himself seized and died before
his plans were matured but in his last
moments he confessed his wickedness, and
expressed sorrow for it, and begged that
his body might be laid before the gate of
the fort until it was buried, with the SUI
Perstitious belief that if this were done.
the white man would always think of him
and forgive his meditated crime.