The Benton weekly record., 1880-01-02
Original Story
F:..ONT1 ?.
SK- -ETCHE11
BY j. j. HEALY.
q Blos,sSy Battle.

The Missouri gaa1ep and adjaFelH 3##
mad nlainS. from Benton 10 Fort BtlE0Eas
hayt been the theatre Of some OF fle s#s3sS
remarkable incidents recorded in hassIsr
history. Far removed from the ntast &S77
yaneed 0ut-l1osts of civilization, a17G 'zss1ts
ally provided by nature with all t31e fez
ollirrmei4fs of a wild and savage life sS
It'll >parsciy settled region became a ~
early day the faw0rite haunt OF iaf##Fl
tribes.
/, was not, however. slntil after cue
Minnesota massacre, i'll lSsis that t5se
Sioux, who have made this regiSp s0 fle-
torious, left their first trail of blood f3kss8a
the banks Of the crooked stream; buG5fffssss
that time on, down to the present day, this
extensive tract of country has been tsse
sccur Of more blood-shed than perhaps tia5T
other section upon the american eont5T
neut. 49,: I""~-"@"
The comparatively few murders asla
wholesale ltcherics by the Sioux recorHes
since the days of Lewis & Ciatn, t.,i'fl is9li
small portion Of the crimes COMMITTEES 35
this lIood-thirsty race, and afford It5$!a
idea Of the numberless victims who Aa8e
been killed iii open warfare, orslaugttetEai
in cold blood. For! 4 time after their ss1st
appearance along the river they satf6sa
nothing human flat had the misfortune &c
cross ther paths. men, women ana etsEE
drcu, whether OF the white race or Of sttS1la
Indian tribe IOt tileir own, were slattgiIt#E.
ed without causc or provocati0n, and 5ai
no other purpose than to crafty Elteti
insatiabie thirst for blood. Il was no t3a4'
Iii yeH~ later that these fiends Nsre
checked in their brutal career aud nlastgs5e
fear and respect superior skill and tat#e.
In the early days, the yocations eb9safy
followed by the white inhabitants-tsls1
could not properly be called settlers a'
few, if any, were permanently located
along the river, made them All attractfNe
and too often an easy prey to the SiaiA
The profits of the fur trade were then fast
principal and nearly the only inducel#tsg
for white men 70 seek this dangerous coials
Try. and remain III constant peril of ttasal
lives, though doubtless many were les
hither through pure love of adventure y
by romantic ideas of border life- The tn
trade, and especially the traffic in rotte#8#
was conducted chiefly with the indi;1s@
White hunters and trappers also FURNISH
a supply Of furs and peltries, and 34l
traders frequently employed white mela 3
hnnt or catch the fur-producing anlmt1a
BAT the main supply came directly or n:
directly from the Indians, from Wha'f
even the hantera frequently purchaSfts
robes and flIs, which they afterwards sale
g HE regular fur companies or trader
pne of The peculiar teatuu;s.of this trafsis
ts that hostile Indians, if not always W.
iho@t desirable customers, are usually sl#
1host profitable to traders. 4 war-paSss
q iiostiies will usually accept With harsglfss
indifference whateyer price er goods tsll
teadtr chooses to give item in retufH.
@hie the peaeeabiy- disposed red-skin VII
S1f-%% t4te atartlestbargain possible, and N7all
usually demand, beg or steal more thaa
~ stock in trade is worth.
As the profits of the fur trade we're dst
.Ss't almost entirely from the Indians, tllH
s.49ef ,.,a vas not only compelled 70 dwfil
sssii ttte Indians, but anaong the most
ssale ard blood-thirgtY tribes, and tlAF
~. i,''ff can well imagine Till perilouH pos.
s issla ille constant eSe1tsEsiian assfl asas
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