Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-02
A STORY OF FORT WHOOp UP.

An hour after sunset on the 18th OF
November, 1882, | drove very tired
and leg-weary pair OF mules into the
strong and spacious stockade of Fort
Whoop Up, in the southern portion of
the Province Alberta, in the Canad ian
Northwest
A hall-breed boy took my mules to
a comfortable stable inside the fort
while the only other occupant of the
place gave me hearty welcome and
invited me into his quarters.
A few minute, later We sat down TO
an excellent supper of antelope steak
warm bannocks and strong tea, and
when the meal was over | was invited
to take "a good cigar aud a seat in oae
of two big rush-boltJme chairs, which
were drawn up Oh eithe.' side Of the
big fire place. in which a gre 4 lie Of
dry cottonwood logs was blazing
cheer.ly.
Presently | introduced the subject
OF "old times. and he quickly warmed
with the theme.
Dye know, stranger, said Mr..
Akers, Its not often | come across
anybody ! KIN talk TO like you. One
man comes along an he don't know
anything 'cept about bull whackin' an
VIOLIN and SIGH like, an p'l'aps the
next is some English swell as kin only
talk about Germany an Rooshia an
Injia an Gladstone, an vet he couldn't
harness a boss or cook "A meal Of vittils
TO save his life. Now | like a man a.
knows nothin' about this kentry an
other kentrles too; "a man as kin ride a
cayuse an drive mule team, and yet
knows suthin' else besides. The Lord
knows | hate tenderloot, but he don't
make me as mad OF some fool of mule
skinner who comes to this kentry an
in two years forgets everything he ever
knew outside of it, thinks lnjuns was
jest made TO be killed, and swears jest
to show Oft.
Il had little experience with some
OF 'em when fust KEN up here from
Montana, an if We like I'll tell We about
it,
OF course l readily assented, and Mr..
Akers. lighting a cottonwood splinter
at the fire, lit a fresh cigar, and, after
inviting me to profit by his example,
commenced as follows:
You see when / first KEN out from
Maine, struck fur St Louis, an from
thar | KEN up the Missouri, tradin' an
huntin' an trappin' till | struck Fort
Benton. | got around among the In
juns, an like the rest OF the traders in
those days | found whisky was the best
stock could carry. OF course | had
other truck, but thar was more profit
on WHISKY than anything else. But |
never doc,ored my whisky. I'd Just
take out lew kegs OF high wines an
never put nothin' in il but water. an
the more they'd drink the more water
I'd chuck in it, an so they'd never get
drunk. The other traders used to put
strychnine an red pepper an terbac-
GER, an all sorts o pisenous drugs be-
sides the water in theirn. an give 1t TO
'em, the same strength right on till
they was crazy, fightin' drunk, or else
laid out paralyzed.
Now that wasn't my way at all. I'd
sell 'em I'll the whisky as was
good fur 'em, an all the drink (sich
as it was) that they wanted, but i'd
keep EN- from gettin' fightin'
drunk.
You've hurd tell about Iniuns
goin' crazy when they gifts the taste
Of liquor. That all rot. They're jist
like anybody else. They take whisky,
it makes EN- feel good. and bym-by
they want 10 fight. Now the difference
comes in right here. White
menll thump. an bite, an rassel, an
gouge when they fight, but the Injuns
don't know nothin' bout that kind o.
fghtin'. They allus fight with knives
an guns, an OF course thet's danger
Gus.
81 saw the only way 10 stop il was
10 give 'em just enough whisky TO
make EN- feel good, but not TO let 'em
git fghtln' drunk. The more they
took the weaker I'd make it, I'd get
all their furs an robes jist the same.
but when they'd wake up next mornn'
broke, an think they's had an awful
spree, they wouldn't be mite sick. an
they wouldn't be any of 'em knitted.
They'd all be thar, an ready TO 90
right out huntin and trappin' agin.
jest the same as IL they'd sold their
furs fur blankets an grub an ammu-
milton.
"Arter while, when they found
thar want enough for the military to
do lookin' arter the Injuns, they set
them TO huntin' us traders jest tu keep
their hands in like. an at the same
time give this government sorter
nominal return TO show fur their grub
and wages. They KEEP huntin' US an