Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-08-21

VIC BlSut Caup, tue urHBSluS OF IQOu-
sands of travois, of lodge poles, the
sharp feet of their ponies had worn
deep, narrow and parallel paths, as
plain and sharp cut as wagon road.
Passing the point of the Snowy Noun
tains we traversed the scene of the
great massacre of the Blackfeet by the
Crows, which had taken place some
years previous. 1t was the only time
the Blackfeet were ever worsted by
any of their native enemies, and after
ward they were fully revenged. The
Blackfeet were split up into two large
camps, one hunting along the Yellow
River, while the other went over onto
the Flat Willow Creek, which heads
in the Snowy Mountains and empties
into the Musselshell. There they
camped about, hunting and trapping
until they had all the robes and furs
they could handle. One morning
word was passed to break camp for
the return journey, and in a little
while the whole outfit was on the
move, strung out along the trail for
miles. Most of the hunters were far
ahead or away to the right or left of
the trail, hunting as usual, leaving
the long column of women and chill
dren unprotected. So, when the
Grows suddenly appeared at the rear
they met with little opposition, the
few warriors, the old men and boys
being unable to check them, although
they fought blavely and died fight
ing
''The struggling column of Black
feet was perhaps four miles in length,
but in a very few minutes those in the
lead were apprised that something
was wrong, and frantic stampede
ensued. The Crows had little diff
Guilty, mounted as they were on their
best horses, in overtaking the fleeing
people, and an awful slaughter took
place. Young and good-looking wom-
en-, girls and boys were taken prison
ers, but the rest were murdered as
fast as the Crows could overtake
them, the men and boys of each little
group fighting desperately to the
last. An old medicine man named
Red Eagle, seeing that there was no
chance for him to escape, calmly
halted in the trail, called his seven
wives with their children about him,
and stabbed each one in the heart,
the women bravely walking up to him
and barring their breasts to the blow.
Without word, without a cry, they
sank down and died about him, and
then, just as the enemy was upon him,
he placed the muzzle of his fintlock
to his head, pulled the trigger, and
fell among his faithful wives. Incum-
bered by their prisoners and the rich
plunder, the Crows ere long were
obliged to give up the chase, so many
of the people escaped. The hunters
and warriors rejoined the fleeing col
umn too late to be of much service.
That night when the count was made
more than four hundred persons were
missing, and thousand or more
horses, large amount OF furs, robes
and other property had also fallen in
to the hands of the enemy. AS we
rode along the trail where all this had
taken place we saw many reminders
of that awful day; here and there were
human skeletons, nearly every skull
crushed in, and all along were broken
travois, lodge poles by the thousands,
bits Of clothing, shrivelled robes and
skins.
"Ten days after leaving Fort Ben
ton we came to the Yellowstone,
which was bank full from the melting
snow in the mountains. We built a
raft and foated our goods over and
then swan over with the horses. As
near az can recollect, it was where
the town of Big Timber now stands.
We left the river next morning and
pushed on to the southwest, over a
rolling and broken country. Late in
! the afternoon, as We neared deep,
narrow valley through which q small
stream made its way, looked across
it and beyond and felt sure L saw an
Indian suddenly jump out of sight be-
hind patch OF brush. l didn't say
anything until we started down the
steep slope into the valley and had
got out of sight of any one on the
table land. Then l told my COM
panion, and as soon as we reached the
bottom of the hill we turned to the
right and rode up the narrow plain as
fast as we could go, We went up it
for nearly two miles and then had to
climb out on the prairie again. In
the meantime the Indian [ had seen
had probably run off and informed his
party, who must have been camped
Close by, that we had ridden down in
to the creek bottom and were prob
ably making camp. Anyhow, just as
we rode back onto the prairie we saw
a large band of mounted Indians, sew
erhl hundred of them, riding rapidly
toward the spot where we had entered
the little valley. They saw us as soon
as we rode up in sight, and, changing
their course, came after us with all
speed.
"We few. AS Wiper had the best
horse, he took the lead, and Louis and
I pounded the pack animals after him
They were all big, swift and power
ful, and didn't need much urging. We
had good start of the Indians, but
they had some fast horses, too, and
little by little, q number of them be-