The daily gazette., 1881-02-15
EDITION
Many inalans Drowned Near
Poplar River.
A TERRIBLE CALAMITY TO THE YANK-
ToNNAls - THE WHOLE TRIBE IN
MOURNING FOR THE DEAD.
Fort BUFoRD, D. T.,

1 IN
MOURNING FOR THE DEAD,
FoRT BUFoRD, D. t.,
February IA, 1881.
"A bearer of dispatches has Just ar.
rived here from Poplar Creek Agency,
M. T., bringing news of calamity
which can scarcely be appreciated In
its full force by anyone who is not fa-
miliar to the hardships of frontier ex-
istence. About five days ago news
reached us here that the Missouri
River had opened at Fort Benton, M.
t., about three days previous. Short
ly afterward we heard that it was
gradually breaking up all the way
down to Fort Peck, some hve hundred
miles below Benton.
For more than half century there
has never been such a food and ice
now an now prevails on the Upper Mis-
souri, and its tributaries, including
Poplar River, which has overleaped its
barriers. and is now sweeping the val
ley and carrying death and destruction
far and vide. So far the Indians
camped here and in the vicinity have
been the greatest sufferers. Our camp
is almost surrounded by a sea of ice
noes, borne upon the crests OF the tur-
bid waves.
| INEFFEoTUAL STRUGGLES.
After the manner of these savaoes
they made efforts that were equally
vigorous and futile to escape from the
evident devastation which threatened
them. They tried to drive in their
horses, but found that the poor brutes
were even more paralyzed by fright
than they were. They endeavored to
take down their tepees, bat discovered
that the loose poles were tightly frog
en- In the ground. The Thermometer
indicated that the cold was already
~ degrees below zero and still inten-
styling. Major Ilges had ordered all
the troops out and the soldiers were
making every possible effort to save
their red skinned brethren, but the re-
slstless how of the rising river came
steadily on them in the darkness and
the cold. The mournful wall of the
squaWs nlled the air inineffectual pro-
lost 10 heaven. and the feeble cries of
the babies and children, sickened al
most unto death with cold and fear,
seemed fitting song over the death |
OF the rights of their torefathers.
DROWNING OF INDIANS.
The attending suffering among the
Indians consequent upon the unexpected
break up Of the winter is frightful, and
at least eight lives are known to have
been lost. Visible from a high point
near by are the bodies OF five Indians
lodged In the tree tops between the Pop
lar and the Missouri rivers. They are
doubtless those of the bucks who fed TO
tho willows on the 9th when Hargous
captured Black Catfish's camp. BY that
captured Il9es has saved many lives.
Capt ain Overshine was unable to cross
the Missouri, and the UDcapspas, after
whom he was sent, it is believed, have
perished. The death song fills the
camp with dismal waillng tonight, and
the uncertainty as to the fate of many q
relative or friend adds to the gloom.
HhRDs SWEPT AWAY.
Not less than i've hundred ponies be-
longing to the Yanktonais have been
drowned. In sight of the agency was a
large herd which struggled for hours
against the remOrseful inroad of the
ice-flled Hood. Gaining slightly higher
ground 1t remained there for hours, but
hnally was swept away to death. To
get fuel Is impossible, and it is fortu-
nate that the temperature, though low,
ls not excessively so, a. it has been
nearly the whole Of the winter. Many
OF the Indians, awakened IN the night
by the surge of the waters, ran for the
high ground in race with death, leay-
ing tepees, robes and all that they had
behind.
Ilges did not feel justified In moving
his command until he had heard OF the |
condition Of the stream below, but the |
column moves out for Buford tomorrow /
and will probably reach there not later
than Wednesday, the 10Th.
SCENE OF DISSOLUTION.
With the dawn of the day came a |
sight which will haunt for many a night |
every one who saw it. Where yesterday
was busy and merry camp, filled with |
the hum and hustle of life, was now only |
great was.e Of frozen water. High up |
In the trees, where evidently they had |
ned to escape the pursuing food, were |
to be seen the bodies Of eight Indian
men, frosen stiff and stark. Five hun
dred ponies were also dead, some stand |
ing only knee deep in water, but rigid
from the cold, and many more being
frozen into the ice, the water having
FIRST drowned and then solidified around
them. The number of Indians who
actually perisbed cannot now be stated
with any degree of certainty. The
whole tribe are in mourning, and refuse
to be comforted. They feel that the
Great Spirit is against them. Their
condition 10 indeed q most pitiable one.
The fruit of their winters hunt and the
buffalo robes they have brought in have
all been swept away In one night. Their
loved ones, their lodges, their ponies are
All gone. Could any story of desolatIon