Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-04-20

was patriarchal and the officers of chief
and prophet were hereditary.
In the state and national councils the
chiefs officer was elective but was usually
held for life as the incumbent was nearly
always reelected.
AS time passed oil and the white men
encroached upon their lands from the east,
the divisions or the east were forced west
ward and into the lands of the other diyi-
sions. Previous to this time they had not
trespassed upon each others lands and
their migrations were from north to south
and return, according to the seasons, for
furs, fish, game and wild fruits, each divi-
sion %traversing its own land, and they
never journeyed east or west except on
their own division of country. The refu-
gees of the other divisions did not always
receive a warm welcome from their
brothers of the other divisions. When the
Sistowans were driven out of Minnesota
in 1862. they sought refuge with the Tito-n
vans. But dissentl0ns in regard to their
hunting grounds arose, and the Titonwans
attacked and nearly decimated the Siston-
wans who were driven back east of the
Missouri and to the lands OF the Wapeton-
al where a remnant of those once
powerful division still exists under the
name of the Sisseton Sioux, on the Lake
Traverse reservation.
A %Sistonwan, it is said, was unable to
pronounce the letter (Which he pro-
nounced L., and to this circumstance the
thriving town of Lakota in North Dakota,
built on the lands of the Wapetonwans
owes its name.
The nan Ihauktonwannas was soon
corrupted into; Yanktonwans or YanktOns.
1t was from this tribe that the present
tribe of Assinaboines separated and after a
fierce fight went northwest to their present
location west of the Missouri, having first
dispossessed the original owners, who were
of the division Of the Titonwans. In 1882
the Assinaboines numbered 1000, now they
do not exceed 1000.
The Assjnaboines are very poor, and
their poverty especially in horses arose
from their traffic with the British half
breeds from the Red River of the North,
who were wont to make frequent trading
expeditions into the country of the ASSN
aboines with whisky and ammunition to ex-
change for ponies. Having few horses
they could not go far in search of game
and as the n%eighboring tribes encroached
upon their hunting grounds from all sides,
they were frequently upon the verge of
starvation. In 1868, a camp Of forty lodges
near Fort Buford, subsisted for many
weeks upon the offal of the butcher shop
and corn picked out of dunghills at the
post stable. They had trained dogs
which were hitched to their travoise and
made to do duty as ponies during their
frequent journeys from place to place
made necessary by the scarcity of game
Although uniformly, friendly and faith
full to the government, they received nc
aid in return, for by a strange preversity
of action the government discarded its
humble friends and bestowed its bounty
and rewards upon the rich and independ-
ent Sioux. whose hands were red with the
blood of white men, women and children
One of the most interesting studies in thu
condition of Indian tribes of this reglor
was the bond of union existing between
the Arickarees, Mandans and the Mime
teeres, or as the French named them, thu
Gros Ventres du Prairies, 'the Great Eater
of the Prairie." The Minneteeres were 81
called because of the traditions that thei
ancestors ages ago, had crossed the BIZ
water to the westward and were the origi:
nal occupants of this country until dis
possessed by the ancestors Of the Sou,
who came in great numbers out of tn
north.
But chief among the fascinating Legend
with which tradition has filled the Indian
book Of antiquarian lore-is the mystery 0
the Mandans. The people Of this tribe ar
lighter in color and have greater mechani
cal spill than their neighbors of the othe.
tribes.
It is my belief that they are the de
s%cendants OF the female captives, who wer
spared from the general destruction, mete'
out to the original occupants of this region
by the nordes of Sioux invaders centurie
ago. To learn of the origin of the race
have made nc book research, no study o
prehistoric relics. l have simply talke'
with the untaught children Of nature an,
have found many Of their statements born
out by history and a preponderance of ex
listing evidence. They say that the Man
dams were originally white, the womel
having long fair hair, and the men wear
ing long blonde whiskers. They wer
numerous and possessed all the land
having cities, farms and herds of buffalo
until destroyed by the Abenaznis, 1.-THE fore
fathers of the Indians. The account Q
their destruction is similar to what wOul'
take place, should the pent up millions Q
the empire of China be suddenly trans
ported to these shores and begin a war Q
determination against the white inhabl
tants of this country. They could destroy
but could not restore. Only a few womel
captives were spared, to become the wive
Of their captors. But they kept aloaf, an
when their children were grown, dwell
with them apart, and enmity arose between
their descendant and the children of tn
dominating tribe, which continues to thi
day.
The old Arickaree squaw who had be
.H -. .H -H-HNL - 4 49, !"