Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-13
OLD D~AKoTA's STORY.

VIM. Root, Jos. Carpenter and myself,
had, during the month of February gone
up the James river to q point near the
mouth of Firesteel creek to hunt and
trap beaver. Meeting with indifferent
success, and learning that q band of In
dams was located q short distance above
US, we moved farther down the river
and Joined the old Frenchman. Few
men had seen more than he had of the
wild life Of the great west. He had
hunted with the Shoshones OF the Pa
citic coast, he had been chased by the
Grows and Blackfeet near the hesdwa.
ters Of the Yellowstone, had held high
carnival in the bull pens OF Mexico, had
worked for the American fur company,
had ranged all through the Black Hills,
Wind river and Big Horn mountains, as
a free trapper, and had lived and traded
with the Indians of this territory SO
long that he. had received the we'll
merlted soubriquet OF sold Dakota"
He was q character OF note himself-old
and passionate, piercing black eyes,
which would dilate while ne sucked fu-
rionsly at his old pipe, and related his
marvellous hMG soul stirring narratives
OF adventure in the wild west.
But his rscollections Of adventure
wh::a c0 the :.A,s,onrl River near old
Tort i.ice, when with "Old Strike the
rrsee," were by far the most interesting
to me, owing to the fact that the old
chief was thea enoamped on the river q
,ahort distance from where We were. /
will relate this characteristic and
singular stoiy as it WAS told me, ss near
ly as 1 csn from memory.
It appears that "Old Dakota" who
was then q young man, had been trap
ping west of the Missouri river. and,
had come into winter quarters on the
Missouri to dispose of his furs and spend
the winter months in recreation and
dissipation.
Among the Indians who came and
located around Fort Rice, when the tribe
paid their visit to trade with the white
men, was a young and buxom Indian
girl, who, after one or two interviews,
took foreible possession of the young
F~renchman's heart. Nothing was more
common and according to the habits
than to marry this fair denizen Of the
wilds. But, slas! the young damsel's
father refused to part with the girl un-
less the Frenchmsn gave him a good
horse in exchange. Unfortunately the
young trapper had parted with all his
hard years earnings ere his heart was
taken by storm. The custom with the
Indians was to receive in consideration
of exchanges (for the parents use)
something of equal marketable value
with the daughter. The usual course
for the swain to select his best horse,
lead him to the tepee of the fair ones
parents. tie him to apost and walk away.
II upon examination, the horse was &C.
eepted IN interview ensued and matters
were soon brought to a final issue. If,
on the contrary, the girl was considered
more valuable, other presents were re-
quired ere the relatives could be per-
suaded to part with the girl. Uuluokily
the young Frenchman had squandered
his earnings in expensive luxuries and
the enioyments of high living,
chief of which was poor whisky and to-
bacco, which bring SO many of these
stalwart and hardy pioneers to prema-
ture death. He had not the wherewith
to buy q horse, and without a horse he
could not. secure the dusky maiden as his
wife. The trapping season was long since
over and il lacked q month OF the new
time of starting.
However, the young trapper shouldersd
his gun, and left the comforts and
amusements of Fort Rice to seek the
haupts of wild game, hoping to raise by
the laborious prosecution of the chase
the means OF winning the Indian girl
from her relatives.
In the pursuit of game he wandered
over much ground and in due time he
appeared on the north bank OF the Can.
non Ball river with q goodly supply of
futs. Two months had been passed in
trapping, when, following a new path,
the adventurous trapper entered a deep
and woody glen. Pushing his wsy
through he at length came out on the
edge of an open glade neal the mouth OF
the north bank OF the Cannon Ball.
Raising his eyes for an instant the trap
per backed into the woods and paused
to reflect. An exclamation of surprise
followed this action. He had discovered
a mystic lodge of the Yankton Indians,
To explain his conduct we must glance
at the peculiar customs OF these Indians
at that time. No young Indian brave,
though his father was the bavest, Of the
tribe, could rank himself among the
warriors, and be entitled to marry or
enjoy the many other rights of Citizen
ship until he performed some act of
daring and in.repidtty, In early spring,
therefore, the young men OF proper
age would band themselves together in
small companies and take to the wooda--
like the knight Grants OF old--in search
OF adventure and peril. Having found
out q secret and retired spot they formed
a huge conical shaped hut, constructed
OF poles and branches Of trees, of from