The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-08-11
The Crow Country.

The vast valleys of the Big Horn.
Powder and Tongue Rivers, lying 10 the
north and west of the Black Hills-all
of which will, in the ~fullness Of their
development, constitute one commercial
system-were formerly known as "the
Crow country" They are naturally
the richest portions of the continent
~excelling in agricultural as well AS min
eral resources. The description Of these
beautiful and wonderful regions by
Arapooish, an old Crow chief, who has
long been in "the happy hunting
grounds" is thus rendered in English
through the charming pen of Washing
ton Irving-Robert Campbell, ESQ, Of
the American Fur Company, being the
chiefs interpreter:
"The Crow country is a grand conn-
try. The Great Spirit has just put it
exactly in the right place; while you
are in it you fare well whenever you
go out of il, YOU fare worse.
elf you 90 TO the south YOU have to
wander over great barren plains the
water is warm and bad, and you meet
the fever and ague.
"In the north il is cold; the winters
are long and bitter, with no grass; you
can not keep horses there, but must
travel with dogs. What is a country
without horses?
"On the Columbia they are poor and
dirty, paddle about in canoes, and eat
fish. Their teeth are worn out, they
are always taking fish bones out OF their
mouths. Psh is poor food.
"In the east they dwell in Villages;
they live well; but they drink the mud
dy water of the Missouri-tbat IS bad
a Crows dog would not drink such
water.
"About the Forks Of the Missouri Is
q fine country; good water; good
grass; plenty OF buffalo. In summer
il j. almost as good a country AS the
Crow country but in winter it is cold;
the grass is gone, and there is no salt
weed for the horses.
1.-The Crow country is exactly in the
right place. IL has snowy mountains
and sunny plains; all kinds of climates,
and good things for every season.
I When the summer heats scorch the
plains, you ear 90 up under the noun
tains, where the air is sweet and cool,
the grass fresh, and the bright streams
come tumbling out of the snow-banks.
There you can hunt the elk, the deer
and the antelope, when their skins are
Mt for dressing; there You will find
plenty of white bear and mountain sheep.
"In the autumn, when your horses
are fast and strong from the mountain
pastures, you a 60 down into the
plains and hunt the buffalo or trap the
beaver on the streams. And when win
ter comes on, you can take shelter IN
the sandy bottoms along the rivers
there you will find buffalo meat for
yourselves and cottonwood bark for
your horses; or you may winter in the
Wind River Valley, where there is salt
weed in abundance.
"The Crow country is exactly in the
right place. Every thing good Is 10 be
found there. There is no country like
the Crow country
But, alas, for the old Chief, the Crow
and the Sioux country IS now ''exact-
ly in the right place" for the white
man. The last link il being welded Of
the chain of continuous industries
which is to connect ocean with ocean,
and the swelling tide will carry the saw
age tribes on TO n higher plane. o.
sweep them out OF existence altogether.
Humanitarian protestations are in van
this is manifest destiny -BIgck Htds
Pioneer.