Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-11-06
& CLARKE's EXPEDITION.

The Great Explorers Among the e.
tons and Mandans-Some OF the
Characteristics of the Respect
i've Tribes.
About the first of October they arrived
the stamping ground of the Tetons the
great chief of which staggered under the
lovely name of ssU Untongasabaw.' They in
vited the chiefs on board of their boats,
smoked the pipe of peace with them, made
presents of tobacco, paint, ribbons, cooked
hats etc, and apparently made friends OF
them. But as soon as they had turned
their backs the willy sayages attempted TO
capture the boats and prevent them from
proceeding up the river any farther Capt,
Clarke Just introduced them to the swivel,
loaded and aimed ut the Indians. He told
them that the "Great Father had furnish
of destruction to be used against all who
threw any impediments in their way.
That settled it with the superstitious Red
men. The exploring party then Went Gil
shore and had a council with the chiefs III
a council-room built in the shape of three
quarters of a circle and covered at the top
and sides with skins well dressed and sew
ed together. They ate and smoked togeth-
er for some time when an urgent inyi-
tation to dance was extended to the " hite
men. A large fire was built in the centre
,,r l,o11 :,I
heat and illumination. The orchestra was
composed of ten men, some of whom play
ed on those hideous species of the tam
BOURNE formed of skin stretched across
hoop, others made jingling noise with
long stick, to which the hoofs of deer and
goats We're hung. Still others manipulat-
ed primitive instrument consisting of
small skin bag filled with pebbles. Be
sides this delectable music there was a
'sWhoop-la" chorus of half a dozen male
voices. As a further charicature upon
modern society in high-life, the squaws
came forward gorgeously decorated. These
dusky society bellies had a far more hu-
name way Of dispatching their victims
than have the fickle fair ones of civilized
life. The former carried poles in their
hands upon which were gracefully hum
the scalps Of numerous vanquished alaes.
The latter beguile their deluded adInIrarss
with unfulflled promises and lead them ss ssss
lingering death, despair and chagrin. The
men and women danced separately. the
former simply jumping up and down
while the latter shuttle along OH the ground
without the least rhythm Of motion. The
performance was varied by the iafernola-
ton Of braggadoaio speeches from the
warriors. The one who was the deepest
dyed in human blood received the loudest
applause. The Teton dudes had their
heeds shaved except 4 small tuft on the
top, which they encouraged to grow until
they could wear it in plaits over their
shoulders. When in full dress they added
to the top of the head a hawks feather.
worked with porcupine quilts and consid-
cred themselves especially adorned when
grease and coal. Over the shoulders they
wore a loose robe of buffalo skin. dressed
white, adorned with porcupine quilIs
loosely fixed so as to to make a iingling
noise when in motion, and painted with
grotesque figures. In their dress they
We're evidently as sensible as our civilized
dudes.
The last Of October they reached the
Mandans. With them Lewis and Clarke
Went through the regular order OF business
in establishing amicable relatione ana then
began to investigate the peculiarities of
this tribe. On the evening of their arrival
the prairie took fire and enveloped the en-
tire plain in flames. 4 numberssof the In
dians We're destroyed A remarkable es-
cape Of half-b breed boy is noted His
safety was ascribed by the sayagas to the
great medicine spirit who was supposed TO
have preserved him because he was white.
But more natural cause was the presence
of mind of his Indian mother, who threw
him on the ground, covered with the fresh
hide of a buffalo and escaped herself from
the flames. As soon as the fire had passed
she returned to her offspring and found him
unscathed, the skin having protected him.
Like the Tetons the Mandans favored the
party of explorers with grand reception
and ball, equally brilliant and delightful.
The whole religion of the Mandans CON
sisted in the belief that one Great Deity
presided over their destinies, This being
was in lheir conception. associated with the
healing art, from the fact no doubt that
they instinctively turned to some super
human power for relief from all their
bodily ills. Each individual selected for
himself some particular object of devotion,
which he termed his medicine. 1t was
either some invisible being or some animal,
which thereafter became his protector and
intercessor with the Great Spirit, Their
sacrifices upon the alter of their heather
Gods might well be observed by mercen
ary. sordid christians with whom we so Of
ten come in contact. It is indeed pathet-
ic to see how these poor benighted beings
CROPPED in the darkness of ignorance and