Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-09-17

StsA ~ saS &SShs b0h tlC SNGdb CplIlt
wills it not. Before ten suns come and
go, Iron Horn will be IN the happy
hunting ground, but he will take many
Blackfeet with him." and Williams,
deeply moved. related to the assembled
crowd that upon their passage up the
Yellowstone, but two days previous, Q
Mexican Creole had diee of the small
pox, disease which he informed the
Indians was terribly contagious and fatal
to those not guarded against il by
medical operation.
Pointing to Iron Horn he continued:
"The Mexican who died of the dread
disease, owned, among other things, the
gay colored ponoho that enveIope the
form OF she sub-ohiei and he breathed
his last with il around him. Those that
remained in the steamboat had been
vaccinated and the boat cleaned and
ipmigated to prevent she disease from
spreading, but as Iron horn had stolen
the Mexican poncho. before IL could be
destroyed, and had worn il many hours
he felt quite sure that death was his
portion"
Williams added that every Indian
near him, who touched him OF the in.
fected poncho would die also, unless he
could save them with his medicine.
The Great Spirit is angry, dark night
is coming. One month and perhaps moi
q Blackfoot lodge will be full"
Long ere Williams had done speak
ing every living being within the arena
had moved to distance from Iron-
Horn, who still set smoking his pipe, 70
all outward appearances az calm and un-
concerned ss if he was not in imminent
danger.
Slowly rising, Iron-Horn said: .The
Great Spirit is in the clouds, and calls
his people to him and they must co."
And disdaining to show fear, the Black.
foot warrioFg drew Tho poncho closer
about him and walked away In the dt-
rection of his lodge.
The soene shat followed was painful
10 witness. !. The 1ndiana had heard
about the disease, and the sad havoc
this Rreai distroyer Of human beings
had comnltted among the tribes on the
Missouri the season before, and pande.
monium reigned supreme.
The infected poncho spread the dread
disease among the the inhabitants OF the
village. The red blo:oh and bile, con-
gestion OF the lungs, liver and brain,
were ell new symptoms TO their med.
icine men and struck horror into every
heart. In their frenzy and ignorance,
in spite of the advice Of She Kentuckian,
they increased the number OF their sweat
overs, and whether frantic with pain or
tottering in the last struggles of death,
they were placed in them, sweated pro-
fusely, and then plunged into the waters
OF the Yellowstone. They endeavored
for while to bury their dead, but these
we're soon more numerous than tho liv-
ing. Their hunts were ended, their
bows were broken. the fire iii the great
calumet was extinguished forever.
Mad with superstition and fear, brother
fogsoek sister, and the mother her child
and fed from the tated village to the
elevated wales Of the mountains, where
the influence Of the climate restored the
remnant OF the band OF health. or the
1000 souls, only 600 survived. Iron. Horn
was one among the earliest thas died,
while the chiefs daughter .pnrsnaded by
Williams, was the first who fed. The
medical studens did his best to persuade
the Indian 70 abandon the place at once,
also exerted himself to save as many as
he could. bat both his remedies and ad-
vice being disregaydsds with ths young
Indian beauty and his friend he made
his wey down the river in o canoe as
best he could; and the "White Medicine
Chief," as he was termed by Che Indians,
was never moro seen on the banks OF the
Yellowstone.
schcolcraft, in his history of the north
American Indians. in speaking OF this
pestitential disease among the tribes of
The upper Missouri, In his closing re-
marks says: "This disease appears at
length to have asserted its virulenoe on
the Blackieet, numerous and powerful
tribe. One thousand lodges are re.
ported to have been desoiated and left
standing without solitary inhabitant
on the banks Of the Yellowstone, once
the residence of this proud and warlike
race, a sad memorial OF this dreadful
scourge. Visitors TO this region during
the year this dread pestilencs was rag-i
ing there, represent the country as being
truly desolate. Women and children
wero met wandering about without pro.
lection, or seated near the graves OF their
kindred, uttering pitiable lamentations.
On every side desoiation and wrecks CT
mortality presented themselves TO view.
No longer did the curling smote from
the tenantless wigwam betoken vel.
come. Ils closed doors gave sad evi-
dence Of the silsnce and darkness wtthia.
The prairie wolf sent up its dismal howl,
as it preyed upon the decsying Cur.
cassee, and the lonely traveller, as he
rapidly passed through this scene Of
desoiation and death. was frequently
startled by the croaking Of the raven. or
the screams OF the vulture and falcon,
as they scared aloft Ger trees and craes
commanding . view Of these funeral