The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-07-22
HOW A TRIBE OF. INDIANS CAUGHT
THE SMALLPOX.

days he had MS reward --sT5-s -s-5 t-- --i
HOW A TRIBE. OF INDIANS CAUGHT
THE SMALLPOX.
Early in the spring of 1887, the
steamer. .Assiniboine arrived at Fort
Clark with several cases of smallpox
on board. There an Indian stole. a
blanket belonging to watchman ON
the boat who was then at the point of
death, and took it away too 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, q be-
nevolent person on the boat went to
one of the chiefs, told him the fatal
consequences that would follow, and
offered a new blanket and a reward
besides, if he would have it returned /;
but suspicion, fear or shame prevent
ed the man from giving it up, and the
pestilence broke out and began to
spread among the Mandans at first, to
which the thief belonged. Most of
the Indians were distant eight miles
at the time, killing buffaloes and pre-
pairing their winter food; and the
whites sent an express, begging them
not to return to their villages, and
telling them what would be the fatal
consequences. The Indians sent back
word that their corn was suffering to
be worked, and that they would re-
turn and, face the danger, which they
thought was fabulous. Word was
again sent them that certain destruc-
ton would attend their return. But
it was all in vain; come back they
did, and the plague began in its most
malignant form, their habits and i'm
proper food making thema ready prey
and few hours sometimes terminal
ing the loathsome disease by DEATH
The Mandans were enraged because
at first, it was confined to them, an6
they supposed the whites had caused
it, and saved themselves and the Ric.
arees from the pestilence, and they
threatened the lives of all the former
supposing they had a medicine to pre-
vent it, which they would not give
them; but by and by, the Ricarees
and whites died also; the disease in.
creasiug in malignity, hundreds dice
daily, and the bodies thrown beneath
the bluff created an intolerable stencil
which added to its fatality. Men sho
each other when they found them
selves attacked. One man killed his
wife and children, and then loaded hi!
gun, and, placing the n1uzzle to hi
mouth. touched the trigger with hi
toe, and blew out his own brains.-
One young chief made his friends dig
a grave for him, and putting on hi
war robes, he tottered out to it, sing
ing his death song, and jumping in
cut his body nearly in two with hi
knife, and he died there and other
committed suicide after they were at
tackled, rather than die of the loath
some disease. The annals of pesti
lence do not furnish another such ex
ample of horrors, or where mortality
was SO great in proportion to th'
population of the once powerful trib'
of Mandans only twenty-seven per
sons remained, and 10000 person.
perished, and the details were too
horrible to relate. Added to this tn,
few whites were alarmed lest the In
dams should massacre them as tn,
cause of the evil. One influentia
chief attempted to instigate the In
dians to kill the whites, but he wa
himself seized and died before hi
plans were matured; but in his las
moments he confessed his wickednes
and expressed sorrow for it, and be g
ged that his body might be laid befor,
the fort until it was buried, with tn,
superstitious belief that if. this wer,
done, the white man would alwayi
think of him and forgive his medi
tated crime
49,