St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-13
Life at Mendoza.

From among Lle Ildliy dlnuSIHS HUI
dents related of Gen! Sibley's first years
experience at Mendoza, we select the
following: As the season advanced, and
the lakes near Mendoza were visited by
ducks and geese, the young sportsman
INDUCED his favorite desire. On one
occasion a Sioux Indian in the distance
and Mr.. Sibley both discharged their
guns at the same flock of ducks. almost
simultaneously, the Indian having only
one barrel, Mr.. Sibley having two. out
of which the shot flew thick among the
birds. With cool impudence, the In
dian stepped to where eight fowls had
fallen. and, one by one. laced the whole
number, dangling, to his body, having
thrust the head of each beneath his
belt. Loading his gun, Mr.. Sibley then
cOoIly walked over to where the In
dian stood. and with Infinite self
possession, and the air of immem0rial
right, unlaced, at his leisure, the entire
number from the Indians belt. attach
ing them, head by head, securely to his
own, the Indian staring and mute with
establishment. Like Scotch GeOrdy,"
who, DESTROYS of teaching theology. yet
unable to use the vocal organs, held up
three fingers to denote that there are
s'three persons in the Godhead," then
dubbed his fist to prove that these
three are one," SO Mr.. Sibley, duck
girded, and wishing to preach dis
course of morals, and yet pOwerlesS to
speak the Sioux tongue, reSOrted 10 the
genuine Dakota sign language, in order
to communicate his ideas and reveal
his emotions. 81 held up" he
SAYS. Two fingers, denoting that, if he
had been satisfied with two ducks, |
would not have.Obiected, but as he was
so gluttOnouS as to appropriate the
whole number, he should have nOnew
1t NAV be imagined that the Indian I'M
derstOod, by two fingers uplifted, two
possible ducks. but, as no actual fowl of
that number were offered. it is hard to
conceive how Dakota logic eOnld have
dreamed of ducks at ALL By what pro-
cess of ratiocination untutOred "LO,"
who sees God in clouds and hears him
in the wind" could see ducks in the
digitals of Mr.. Sibley, or pass from the
outstanding major ana minor premises
to the conclusion ''shan't have any," or
how 20. is really an entertainment
for GdipusI More likely. the
Indian, abashed by the shaking
menace before him, began to think that
Sibley meant to say, You uncOnverted
heather. you! You have done this bust
ness once! shooting my ducks l came
all the way from Alackihac to find, and
even stealing them here in my pres
encei If you do it twice, Eli discharge
both barrels at your head!" At any
rate, this was the first lesson in ethics it
was Mr.. Sibley's privilege to impart to
the tawny children of the proud Da-
kOtas. In later years, when familiar
with the Sioux language, it afforded him
supreme amusement to. repeat and
mimic the incident, and tell how dashed
the Indian was at his cool presumption.
For nine years young Sibley continued
to live a bachelors life at Mendoza, or
St. Peters, as it is sometimes called.
pursuing zealOusly the interests of the
fur company. and deyoting his leisure
hours to literary pursuits. Among the
noble band of pioneers who becamed his
fastest friends were such men as Joseph
Brown, Joseph Renviile, Louis Proyon-
Gale. Louis LaframboiSe, the two Fari-
baults. Alexis Bailly, Norman W. Kilt
son. Franklin Steele, Henry NJ. Rice,
Wells. Prescott, Forbes, Mcdonald,
Harrison, Beaulieu, Cakes and BOrup.
In bearing testimony to the character of
the early settlers, Gen. Sibley is quoted
as follows: -.
1.-The pioneers of Minnesota, as a
class. were far superior in morality, ed
uCdllOi dHu lliltillStttc 70 tile plOli6tIS
of most of the older territories, and they
have left favorable impress upon the
character of the state. They were by
no means free from the vices and fFail-
ties of poor humanity, but, on the other
hand. were for the most part diStin-
guished for charity to the poor and
frfendless. hOspitable even to fault,
and enthusiastically devoted to the in
terestS and prospects of our beautiful
Minnesota. Although, generally speak
ing. men of limited school education,
there were exceptions to this rule, in
dividualS being found among them of
respectable literary attachments. And
for the most part they were religiously
inclined. Men who are brought
face to face with Nature in
her deepest solitudes are led
naturally to the worship of that
Great Being whose hand alone c0rld
have created the vast expanse of wood
and prairie. mountain, lake and river,