The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-03-10
A TRIBE IN MOURNING.
Many Indian. Drowned Near POpln. Creek.

Many indians Drowned Near POplA: Greek.
A special despatch from Fort Buford,
Dakota Territory, says A bearer of des'
patches has just arrived here from Pop
lar Creek Agency, Montana Territory,
bringing news Of calamity which can
scarcely be appreciated in its full force
by any one who is not familiar with the
frightful hareships Of frontier existence.
About FIVE days ago news reached US
here that the Missouri river had opened
at Fort Benton, Montana, about three
days previous. Shortly afterward we
heard it was gradually breaking up all the
way down to Fort Peck, some five humid
red miles below Benton. In view OF
these reports the fact that the agent OF
the Yanktonais at Poplar Creek took no
steps to avert the misfortune above re-
ferred to, would seem to need explana'
ton. 1t seems from the report Of the
courier, whose statement is verified by
the personal knowledge Of your cores.
pondent, that the greater part Of the
Yanktonais camp was located for the
winter, presumably for the purpose OF
being near water, on a large, low hAt I'M
mediately on the bank of the Missouri
river, and that on the evening Of the l0!h
instant the water was found TO be rapid
ly rising in their immediate vicinity.
After the manner ofthese savages they
made efforts that were equally vigorous
and futile to escape from the evident de-
vsstation which threatened them. They
tried to drive in their horses, but found
that the poor brutes were even more
paralyzsd by fright than they were.
They endeavorad to take down their te-
pees, but discovered that their loose
poles were tightly frozen in the ground,
The thermometer indicated that the cold
was already % degrees below zero and
still intensifying. Major Ilges had or
dered all the troops out and the soldiers
we're making every possible effort to save
their red skinned brethren, but the re-
sistless flow of the rising river came
steadily on them in the darkness and
the cold. The mournful wall of the
squaws filled the air with Intellectual
protest to heaven, and the feeble cries Of
the babies and children, sickened almost
unto death with cold and fear, seemed
fitting song over the deaths of their
forefathers.
With the dawn of the day came sight
which will haunt for many night every
one who saw it. Where yesterday was a
busy and merry camp, filled with the
hum and hustle Of life, was now only a
greater waste of frozen water. High up
in the trees, where evidently they hal
fed to escape the pursuing food, were to
be seen the bodies Of eight Indian men,
frozen stiff and stark. Five hundred
ponies we're also dead, some standing
knee deep in water, but rigid from the
cold, and many more being frozsd into
the ice, the water having first drowned
and then solidifed around them. The
numbtr JfIndians who a y perish ed
cannot now be stated with any degree of
certainty, The whole tribe is in mourn
ing and refuse to be comforted. They
feel that the GreatSpirit is against them.
Their condition is indeed most pitiabe
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, all are gone. Could any
story of desolation be more completeP