The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-01-28
THE CROW INDIANS.
SOMETHING or THEIR HABITS, HIS.
TORY, Ere.
Together With Some Facts of General Interest
Regarding Other Indians Of the Great
Northwest

Before Leaving the subject of Grow
horseinanship, wish to say that have
seen two children, Of not more than
three summers, seated composedly on
young colt, vigorously plying the whip
digging in their heels and trotted along
] beside it's mother The very earliest &C.
counts we have Of the Crows, their re-
! nlarkable horsemanship has been a
matter of wondering comment; and also
! their accomplishment in the art ofhorse-
stealing Yearly they repaired to the
land of the Mandans and other Indians
ron the Missouri river. accompanied by
droyes Of horses, which they trafiiced
for guns ammunition and trinkets, pro-
vided.for their red brethren by the ST.
Louis fur men Their glory and delight
being Il horse. the most enviable Of their
heroes was az accomplished and daring
horse stealer
In 1905, Lewis d Clark's first know
ledge Of this tribe, was by having TWEEN
ty four ont Of thirty-nine Of their horses
stolen, at the point on the Yellowstone
river now known as Saltwater.
These expert thieves had numerous
mannuyers for the accomplishment of
their ends, but usually they proceed in
the same manner as when John Jacob
Astor's trapperS we're set afoot" in 1872.
Their horses were allowed to Craze un-
guarded close by camp. As the men
were eating breakfast mounted indian
galloped past bearing in his hand red
flag. He refined his steed on the summit
Of neighboring knoll and waved his
fiaring banner. An nnearthly yell now
broke forth on the opposite side Of the
camp followed by a troop of galloping,
whooping savages making Il terrific
clamor, beyond where the horses were
grazing. The panic-stricken herd at
once started toward the waving flag, pre-
ceeded by the noisy flag bearer and fol-
lowed by the yelling freebooters in the
rear The Indians had prepared for a
reception from the white mems fire arms,
by having a reserve party who loudly
wlfooped AMI yelled to distract the
campers attention. This ruse proved
successful and the entire party were
obliged to walk many hundred miles
through wild and dangerous country
before they reached their bourne.
As warriors the Crows have never dis
tlngnished themselves in battle az their
neighbors the Sioux and Blackfeet
Marauding and cunning stealthlines was
more in their nature In the Nez Pere
campaign Of 1877, instead of rejoicing IN
the opportunity Of gaining scalps with
the aid Of powerful ally, they turned
their absolute attention to stealing
horses. This was speedily brought to an
end, however, short time time previous
to Chief ,Joseph's surrender by the cap
tire of party of Crows, who were
soundly beaten, being. az they were IN
dignantly informed, unworthy of death.
In the campaigns of the whites against
the Sioux and Cheyennes, the Crows
proved themselves to be worthy and leli-
able allies, and were invaluable as scouts
and gnides. Perched upon the dizzy
heights of mountain they traced the
course Of enemies and by signaling with
hand mirrors accurately directed the
troops.
The boisterous revelry of their tented
villages to-day the apparent enjoyment
with which they dance to the monoton-
GUS music of a kettle drum, speaks but
family Of their past pleasures When
their village was the scene of Joyous fes-
tivity and triumph when banners,
trophies, shields, scalps andpainted robes
were elevated on poles; when their were
war-feasts and dances, songs and music
ard all were arrayed in their savage
finery, when the old man Of the village
with loud voice the events
of the battle; those were the days when
the Indians knew not the fatality of the
white mans musket, the poison Of the
9 fire water and the destroying elements
of government rations But now, as in
the DAYS Of yore, one can hear in the
hills at early morn or latea
night the piteous wailing Of mothers who
retire TO the solitude to mourn with
loud lamentations and weeping for her
dead ones This scene, Is truly effeCting.
as the anguish Of the mourner the
peculiar tone Of her cries and the SINGER
ity Of her actions. tells her story far
better than gilded, plumed hearsc
drawnby caparisoned. horses and followed
by dark -clothed crowd, can do
The Crows like all Indians east If the
Rocky mountains, are tall and straight.
from much outdoor exercise, horseback
riding. running and walking. Their faces
lre long, their eyes bright, their hair jet i
black and worn in peculiar style which
Is adopted by the entire race.
In summer Tue men ami women ilutle
themselves with blankets, and IN the
winter in the hide Of the buffalo. tanned
and often decorated handsomely with I
,olored porcnpine quilts and yellow
,nchre. This blanket Or robe togo quite
frequently serves for covering of the
head as well as the body.
Every vestage Of beard is carefully
.radicated. by the men, who sometimes /
spend hours in combing and dressing the :
hair Of the head, literally applying an
obnoxious pelfries grease Around /
heir necks the Indians usually suspend {
,rophies Of the hunt, such as bears claws i
slk'stnsks, eagle claws, etc, while more
han any other Indian, they love mater +
ais of the brightest hue Occasionally
N gala days, the men will bedaull their
aces with paint. and are as careful and
IS long III making their toilet as the most
maiden. /