The Opelousas courier., 1895-09-14
"WHOOP UP"

tied by wild Indians, scarcely less wild
trappers, a few wandering gold-seek'
ers and more prowling whisky traders.
What is now a partially settled coun
try, traversed by the Canadian Pacific
railway, was then the hunting ground
of nearly forty thousand red len
Crees, Blackfeet, Bloods, Piegans, As
siniboines and other aboriginal tribes,
few of whose members have ever seen
q white man, except the ubiquitous
trappers and whisky traders afore-
said.
After acquiring this immense terri
tory by purchase from the Hud-
sons Bay company in 1869, the Cana
dian government incorporated it
with the Dominion in 1870, and
not very long afterwards organized
that famous force known as the
Canadian Northwest mounted police.
This was done for the purpose of not
only aiding in the settlement ct the
country, but also of suppressing the
whisky traffic and protecting the In
dians from the unprincipled dealers in
that destructive commodity-these
constituencies rogues, mostly Montana
men, having been long in the habit of
selling the vile stuff to the savages at
an enormous profit and impoverishing
their ever-thirsty customers by taking
payment therefor in horses and furs
at prices fixed By themselves, thus re-
ducing whole tribes to absolute beg
gary and rendering them exceedingly
dangerous foes to civilization.
So z~ealously did the police perform
their duties that by and by a number
of the most desperate traders, harassed
beyond endurance, formed themselves
into a sort of joint stock company and
built what they considered a secure
place of refuge in the heart of the In
dian country and far away from the
usual range of the mounted police.
The structure these men erected was
situated in a deep gorge contiguous to
Old Mans river, in the midst OF most
dismal surroundings, and about one
hundred miles north of the boundary
line between Montana and Assiniboia.
The cunningly concealed building,
thoroughly and artistically put to-
gether, was worthy of a better than its
intended purpose. Indeed, it stands
to-day the strongest and most substan-
tial fort In the Canadian northwest,
and still bears the suggestive name,
"Whoop Up" bestowed by It's founders
during the first nights registering rev.
elry within its walls.
Making this stronghold their base Of
operations, the whisky dealers for
some time pursued their nefarious
trade with impunity, amassing riches
tor themselves while utterly democrat
izing and shamelessly robbing their
customers. But at last a
rumor of their fiendish work reached
the commandment Of police, who decided
TO send q strong force, with q couple
Of light field gums, to discover the fort
II possible, capture its occupants and
destroy all contraband wet goods"
found therein.
Early in the spring these troops set
put on their adventurous march, one
full of h~ardships and peril that It is
surprising a single man was left to tell
story; but that all survived its
manifold dangers is little short of
Their route lav for !
thousand miles over unLnown nla;,s
deserts and mountains. and throngh
.erion. Inhabited III yarl;Le .nare
whom they knew nothing and who
equally ignorant OF them and
heir beneficent designs. Neither Off
len fort,s exact localitv. al .nr -
hem knew va. th.t * L. mh
,irht a liz Pocky m-ann.s;ns and
bout ! hundred miie. fren ~ r-,a.h.
RI edge Of Montana-a as.cr;nt,an
'carcsly more definite than would be