Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-04-08

49, y
did you get that diseaseP'' The ques
ton brought him into sitting posture
and then rising to his feet he rebuilt the
fire and answered. 81 will tell you /,
story" Without other introduction hi
began:
8 In 1869 was prospecting for golG
side OF the Rocky Mountains and empty
into the Flathead River. had no sue
cess, and became discouraged. I re
solved to cross the range by one of the
many passes, and prospect in the val
leys Oh the eastern slope of the noun
tains, l knew this land was secured by
the Blackfeet war parties, as the war Of
1869 was then raging, though the rag
ing was all on the Blackfeet side, the
settlers fleeing to the military posts and
the towns for protection. I had de.
scended into the valley of the Marias,
and had panned out plenty of ground
without getting a color. I resolved to
60 further down the stream; so, leav-
ing the valley, rose up to the plains
and rode to the eastward. Cutting off
big bend of the little river, 1 came to
the edge of bluff. Ca, efully, looked
over. Below me was little glen. The
high bluffs receding from the river bank
and describing a circle inclosed some
thirty acres of meadow and a little
grove of poplar trees. Cautiously /
looked and made out the tops of several
lodges standing in the grove. This was
pleasant discovery. Then I noticed
that there were no horses to be seen; so
I .dismounted, and. lying down behind
some rocks, watched the camp. After
an hour of watchfulness was convinced
that there were no Indians in the vii
lage. Not sign of life could see; no
smoke, no blackening of the leaves of
the trees. A careful examination of the
bunch grass with my field glass showed
me that it was in seed, and that it had
not been grazed on. Still afraid that
there was some trap, hesitated, when
saw seven white-tailed deer walk out
of the woods, stand an instant, then
slowly feed back into cover. Knowing
that they would not stay near an Indian
village, I at once mounted and rode
down trail into the valley. 1 struck q
heavy trail leading into the grove. 1t
had not been used lately, as saw spi-
ders' webs stretched across it. I rode
into the woods and soon came on the
camp. There were twenty lodges, the
tents in two rows. sat on my horse
and looked carefully at the deserted vii
lage. The birds fitted from tree to tree.
Some sat on the lodge poles and sang.
Spiders webs stretched from bunch to
bunch of the grass. thought all the
spiders in Montana had spun their webs
there. Every lodge had its door sewn
up. say every lodge, but there were two
or three open. I was awe-stricken and
inclined to ride away without
further investigation, but decided to
look into this strange condition. l dis
and cut a slit into the first
lodge. Looking into the gloom of the
tent, was startled to see many Indians
sitting around the walls all blanketed,
all motiQnless. Enlarging the slit by a
cross slash so as to admit the light, l
was shocked to find that these were dead
Indians. The flesh had dropped from
their skulls. The circle of dead men
seemed to be grinning welcome to me.
Their stony, white teeth glistened bright
". The empty sockets of their eyes all
seemed to be turned on me. I would
not have been surprised to have had
bony arm and fleshless hand come forth
from under the rotted blankets and
beckon me to enter. The arms of the
dead warriors lay before them or at
their sides. There were bows, and quiv-
ers filed with long war-arrows, and
flint-lock muskets. Hanging above them
On the lodge-poles were punches
IF worm-eaten, jerked meat.
looked into several of the lodges.
ALI were the same.
Zone tent, the largest, had but a sim
Mt hosyp
with feathers. Hanging around the
1eshless neck bone was a great neck
lace of the claws of the grizzly bear, the
points of the claws hidden between the
ribs. Above him, fastened to a lodge
pole, dangled bunch of Indian scalps;
: full belt of cartridges was buckled
around him. His blanket was thrown
across his legs, and lying on his lap,
with the feshless hands grasping it, was
. breech-loading rife. There sat war
chief with bow and full culver to his
back, ready to engage in fight the min
ute the soul should again be bfeathed
INTO him. Leaving him to await the
went to the tents that were
opened. These found had been plum
Tered. The dead had been thrown
Down, their skulls apparently kicked
out, as they were not 10 De seen, ana
the smaller bones had been scattered
over the ground. Saddles were gone,
blankets were missing. Indignant at
;he outrage that had been offered to the
lead of brave people, was about to
enter the lodge, when it seemed as
though heard voice speaking, so dis
,inct1y was the idea conveyed to my
brain. 1 said: you ass! This is the
village of the Blackfeet dead;' then
slower, as if the words dropped into my
ears one by one. .They-died-of-
small pox.' Instantly comprehending
my danger, ran to my horse, mounted,
and rode quickly away. 1 was afraid
TO look back for fear the dead warriors
we're standing outside of their lodges,
me to return. I was dread
fully nervous, actually frightened. The
horrors of the village haunted me and
drove me from the valley. went north
10 the Milk River. Not finding color
here, crossed the range and descend
I'd to the Flathead River. was tired
# prospecting. and, being still nervous,