St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-31
Legends Of the Big Muddy
in the Olden
Times.
Houses and Men Go Down in
the Fatal, Rushing
Waters.
The Farmers at Huron Set
Forth the Legislation
Wanted.
Yankton's Boom--Option Not
Effective - Bad Seed
Wheat.
Special to the Globe.

| Special to the Globe.
MANDAN, March 3O.-The condition
of the Missouri river at this time,
threatening to go on the rampage and
destroy property along it's banks with
it's ice gorges and swollen force, re-
minds me of the story that the Sioux
tell of the eventful spring of 1882, when
there was fearful loss of life and prop
erty to them at Horse Head point, To-
Gated on the east side OF the Missouri,
just below Beaver creek, some few
miles north of Fort Yates. A large
body of Sioux wintered in the low
grounds east OF the river in the timber.
They had very comfortable place
there in which to spend the win
ter. They were secure from billiards,
the force of these winds being broken by
the thick timber that surrounded them.
They figured that if there was any dam
ger from the spring breakup they would
be warned in time and would be able to
get out. But they were not as fortunate
as they expected to be. The river was
solid as ever, apparently, when dark
ness set in on that eventful night, and
they retired to their lodges without any
apprehension of the impending danger.
In the middle of the night they were
awakened by the sound OF rush
ing waters, the believing of
their cattle and the horror struck
CRIES of their ponies. A gorge above,
nothing about, had broken, and the
waters came down with a grand rush.
The village had 1,5O0 horses in the en-
closure and the entire band was
drowned. From this Incl lent the spot
got the name of Horse Head point.
The stories as to the number OF Sioux
that actually persisted in the muddy
stream vary, but there were at least 200
this figure being the minimum named
by the traditions of the tribe.
The writer was on hunting eXpedi-
ton in the vicinity of this scene of
death, few weeks ago, and of course
there is nothing there now to Indicate
that at any time so many human lives
were lost. 1t was mostly women and
children that persisted, though there
were some strong and brave red men
who were choked by the surging wa
that the village was camped, about
mile from the river. But the land at
the foot of the bluffs is lower by several
feet than is the ground near the river
bank, and rise of ten feet in the stream
would mean rise of at least fifteen feet
near the bluffs. A good many of the
lakes that are to be found along the
Missouri are formed originally by over
flows such as this was; the ground is
washed out little more year
by year, and ultimately the
water goes in in such volume
each spring, that with the additions it
receives from the hills and springs dur
ing the remainder of the year the basin
keeps supplied all the time. 1t may take
good many years to make an absolute
drowning of this Sioux village, but tits.
in the process of making. The Indians
who travel over this country have an
especial adherence of this particular
locality, and they will on no account
stop here and camp. They will not as
much as picket horse here, for they
are afraid of the uncanny influences Of
the place. They have legend that is
not of such character as to inspire any
great amount of confidence in the mind
of the white man who may possess any
belief for the supernatural, or who, not
possessing this, yet has desire to keep
away from localities that have stories of
spirits connected with them. They say
that the chief of the band who were
camped here had
a
named Silk of the Corn. She was being
courted by brave named Strike the
Enemy, and the young folks were build
ing many air castles about the time that
the flood came to sweep away their day
dreams. In the middle of the excite
ment that accompanied the rush of the
chilly waters, the brave heard the cries
of his affianced in tree top, and he
swan towards her and succeeded in
getting her off, and was in fair way to
carry her to place of safety. When he
was within few yards of the welcome
bluff heavy piece of ice, nearly buried
in the waters, came Surging along,
struck him in the side terrible blow
with it's jagged edges, and bore him to
death. Silk of the Corn managed to get
a few feet at the time her lover was
borne off. She called to him, and with
her bright eyes peered into the dark
ness, but in vain. There was no re-
Spouse to her cries, and no answering
gaze was to be seen.
1t took but few moons to wear away
| the brightness for which the chiefs
| daughter was renowned. She declined
| to listen to the words of cheer that her
companions offered her. She declined
to eat with her people, and only took
enough nOuriShment to barely keep soul
and body together. Before the corn of
the coming summer waved in the breeze,
she had gone to join her brave in the
happy hunting grounds, and now, say
the Sioux, she is to be seen on certain
nights riding a white horse, uttering
the most heart-rending cries, and cali
ing for her lost brave. There is same
ness between some of the legends that
are scattered over the country from the
Indians, and this would seem to have
been made in the same mold as others
| that we have heard, but the fact remains
| that the Sioux think that this particular
| locality is haunted, and nothing will in
duce them to go nearer it than is abso-
| iutely necessary.