The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23
THE SNAKE BUFFALO HORSE
BOYHOOD EXPLOIT OF A PROMINENT
MONTANA CITIZEN.

The Wonderful Buffalo Runner Secured by
"a Blnckfoot ~IndiaR-Trick Played on the
Fur Tr~ader-Joscph Kipp'a Invasion OF
an Indian Camp Mt Night When Only IA.
KIPP. Mon. April 19.-In the spring OF 1854
some Indians from the great camp OF the
Blackfeet came to Fort Benton for the purpose
OF renewing their supply OF powder and ball.
They reported the camp as situated on the
Judith River. where game was unusually
plenty. and said that the chiefs had decided to
move in to the fort as soon as the women could
finish tanning the winters take OF buffalo
hides. Tho greatest piece OF new they had to
tell was about a buffalo horse they had cap
tured during O battle with tho Snake Indians.
Never before had any OF the people seen an
animal 80 beautiful. swift and we'll trained. So
great were its powers OF endurance that it's
owner. wi Head, had killed twcnty-thrce
buffalo In a single run. Without the guidance
Of a bride it would swerve to the right or left.
go here or there according to the swaying OF
the riders body or the pressure OF his knee.
In those days. when the only OF
the country was the fur trade. a good buffalo
runner was the most desirable and useful
| piece OF property a man could own. The
r0va0eurs and other employees OF the great
trading company, therefore,. listened with
great interest to the stories these Indians had
to tell about the horse. and each one deter
mined to try to buy 1t. But had they only
known ii. they would not have wasted their
time figuring on thei- chances. Major Steel.
one OF the partners OF the firm. had himself
determined to buy the animal. Not that he
had any special need forit. but he loved to ride
out on the plains with his mon whenever his
duties would permit n short absence from the
fort. and when he did go he rode the best horse
to be found in the land. He said nothing Of
hia ipten fipnp hoWayar and hiIed his TINA
One morning the people OF the fort saw a
long column Of horsemen stringing down from
the prairie into the wide fiat across the river.
It was the advance guard. the chiefs. head
warriors and medicine men OF the Blackfeet,
and hurried preparations were made to re-
ceive them with the pompa and show 30 dear to
the Indians heart. As the head of the column
rode slowly down to the river and across the
ford the cannon and howitzers in the bastion
began to thunder a welcome. to which the In
dians replied by firing their guns and singing
a song OF var and triumph. Every one OF
them was decked out in all his war finery Of
embroidered buckskin. ermine fringe and
futterinR plumes. and they presented
an imposing sight as they rode their
p%rancing horses UP to the fort and dis
mounted at tho gates. The heavy por-
tails swung open. and the agent. Major
Steel. himself. wearing a blue uniform
and sword, stepped forth to greet them. After
shaking hands with the whole party he invited
them to the council room. where the great
stone pipe was filed. lighted. and passed from
hand to hand around the circle. each in turn
taking a few whif.s Of the smoke. The agent
and the chiefs meanwhile exchanged the news
Of the day. The Indians told OF tho prominent
members OF their tribe who had died OF illness
or who had fallen in battle during the winter:
of tho successes Of their people against the
enemy; Of the large number Of buffalo robes
and pelts OF beaver and wolf they had brought
to trade for the white mans goods.
An hour ELAPSED. and the big pine had been
renlled many times. AT last the women OF the
fort appeared, bringing in huge kettles Of
boiled meat and sugared tea. pans Of stcwed
dried apples and hard bread. Here was luxury
indeed! Meat was almost the sole food of tho
Indians and the whites. too-in those times; q
feast comprising sugared tea. hard bread and
dried apples was something to be talked about
and rcmembered for many a day to como. The
kettles and pans were soon emrtied. and then
the pipe was again lighted. and during the
general talk which followed the agent asked
Owls Head for his buffalo horse. The Indian
fatty refused to part with it for any consid-
GRAFTON whatever. saying that he had risked his
life in battle to capture it. and that he loved the
animal az no did his children. Major Steel
therefore said no more on the subject. and pres
emily the Indians. having each received a pres
ent OF tobacco. went out. and remountinH their
horses rode back across the river. where dur
ing their visit at the fort the great camp had
moved in. Four hundred lodges now dotted
the plain which had been desolate a few hours
before. Thousands Of horses were being
driven to water oil out on the hills to Craze.
From each lodge arose the smoke of the newly
and Enlln1 along Tho shore If tina riNnF' NJ VI, N -
gossiped and laughed with one another: dogs
b4Tked. horses neighcd.
began and lasted Tor a number Of DAYS. The
warehouses were emptied OF the goods they
The women, strnttcd about in new gowns Of
bright-hued calico, Every one had a new
blsnket The men bought new guns, saddles,
One day, much to MAJOR Steeii's surprise.
Owls Head entered his ONCE aud harding him
the end Of q lariat said: ".WJ-yok ko-tos."
Tho agent vent to the door. and sure
fast to the most beautiful horse he had ever
laid eyes on. Black as a coal. strong limbed
y pointed ears. It's neck s" arch nnso s II" afL'fS' as
it pranced about restlessly at the end OF the
rawhide rope; It was the perfect embodime9t
whom the Blackioot had taken it. had. un-
white settlements far to the south and east. or.
perhaps. captured It from SONG luckIess emf
grant on tne overland tIall. Inc Major. how
ever. only glanced at the animal. for he did not
wish to show the Indian, how pleased he. was.
Ordering a passing employee to take the horse
TO the stables. he told Owls Head to accompany
him to the trade room. where no gave him vari-
Gus articles OF merchandise far exceeding In
value any price which had ever been paid for a
horse in that country.
The ~corrals and stables had been built Just
outside OF the fort and were commanded by
the cannon in two Of the great bastions. Here
the horses owned by the company were shut
up every night. During tho daytime they were
lpnt ont on fha maria m % y n "a In n bn M nf n
herder. who at this tins, was u boy OF fourteen
years named JOseph Kip. now one OF the
prominent citizens and cntilemen OF Montana.
When Joe came IN with the herd that evening
the Major sent for him and said:
We'll. my boy. I've finally bought that Snake
horse. Wen call him Snake. Now. / want you
10 take him ont with the herd daily and watch
him closely until he has made friends with the
TO keep him in good trim. for Tn going to have
a buffalo hunt before long. BE careful. now,
and See that you don't lose him. for without
question he is the best bred animal this side Of
the Mississippi River, and value him highly
say. No danger of his getting away from mo"
l-I