The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
RAIDS OF TIE ASSINIBOINS.
n CHAPTER FROM 7HE WiRS or
THE NORIHWE TERv INDIANS

knP. Mon, Nav 2+-Father De Smet. that
EMBARRASSING aul fearless PRIEST who first rote
the cross over the plains and into tho noun
tain businesses 81 the Northwest, gives II
graphic picture nf m Ass,niholn chief who
through intrigue and the ludicious use OF
poison. with which he removed those in his
way. finally became the leader Of his people.
Almost all tribes Of Indians honor and respect
their chiefs: in no other tribe than the As
siniboins would II lie possible to find man
so base that he would murder his friends and
relatives in order TO attain the exalted and
much coveted uost: an Apache. even. would
not be guilty OF such work. Without doubt
the Assinibous are the most cruel OF all
merican tribes. They are n cowardly peo-
pie and were never known to make an open
and determined ilght like their brother tribes
oi the Sioux nation. SneakinC through the
country like band OF COYOTES. they have
bounced upon or ambushed the unsuspecting
trapper traveller. giving him no chance to
defend himself How many of the early set
tiers. hunters and traders they have murdered
will never be known. They killed seVenty-one
in one season the summer OF 1870.
Succeeding the poisoner. Chatka. n brave
named Little Mountain became chief Of the
Assiniboins and for many years led his peo-
pie their raids up and down the Missouri
and about the plains sIoping to the east from
the Rockies. He was n very tall. wel-built
man, dark. almost black in com lexion. and
wore little Eoatee On his chin-somethtng
quite remarkable. for Indians take great pains
70 keep their faces smooth. What outragcS
this man committed prior TO 1870 will mover
be known. In the summer Of that year he
first became noted hy numbering seven white
men not tar above Fort Peck. In those days
the steamboats, which piled up and down the
liver between st. Louis and Fort Benton. the
head OF navigation. were supplied with fuel
BY woodlands IA hardy. adventurous class OF
men who daily risked their lives TO Ret the
cordwood out. In the spring of 1870 one OF
the first boats to come up the river brought
seven young men and their outfit. They
landed at broad heavily timbered bottom
tions to get out wood. They were all well -edu-
gated and apparently well-to-do young Eel:
lows, and had with them everything one could
think OF for sneit comfort and convenience;
among mons, other things thing humber OF books ,,u
They soon huilt q large, comfortable cabir
pear the bank of the river and with its two
bastions and many porthoes,, it was fairly
ImpreIhaNS.s SO lar as the Indians Mste con
the cabin was completed. some hunters from
the tort found 1t mass OF smnuIderine ruins;
aud lying among the embers we're the chnrred
and headleas bodies, Of its owners. After q
time it was learned through the Interpreter at
tain and his band. Under pretence Of friend
ship he had induced the young men TO let him
anu his warriors inside. and while they were
cooking and ,rreparing feast Tor him he had
sratty got between fh Ss a1h the gun rack
them and murdered them In the twinkiuG u
an eye. No enc at the fort knew the names Of
these unfortunate boys nor whence they had
come Perhaps their relatives never learned
OF The fate which overlook them,
Should detailed accom-: be given Of the
committed this summer It would require at
least page Of THE Sun. Woodhawks along
the river were murdered until the survivors
a. n - q ar q Df
their number IN guard while the rest wero
ohopning. Some Rebuilt their cabins in the
retreat il the building SHOULD be set on hr,.
HIVES ttat year at the hands Of these sayaRes.
The Assnihnins were ut war With the, sur
!n'a a1 yell a n wh he
feet, who largely outnumhered them and were
not aIrut1 to make an attack whenever they
stock by these intrepid warriors, the lssni-
boins were always roor, seldom having
their camp or successfully to run buffalo In
ISa2. after MANY, counScls with his people
Little Mountain decided 10 ask the assist
ance Of the Cree. and make an attempt to wife
the Blacsfeet on the face OF the eaith. Tho
G f5 TOO hal inns spisred at the haG! OF
the. Assnll oins, In vain did they rake
Faids to obtain horse. for no sooner did the
gather u respectable hcri than thov swooned
Down on the camp and drove, them OH. The
II.
Scouts wcrc sent out t. locate the where
ah"uts of tho enemy: aud in due time the allies.
-. Mary's River, where, it was learned tho
BacNieet were passing the sumner Before
they reached the St Mary's tn" nlackfcct had
moved down the river some distance from
where the scouts had seen their camp. and had
pitched III; their lodge, on The h4nks q the
where The town Of Lethhridgc now stands.
Some, thirty lodges were GROUPED ON high
lakeland overlooking the stream. while the
rest, the greater IaTt OF the tr be.
sin;Tn haif {" mile fHr,h-r ": in, a
proaeEinr oI Tnm tEe s@G EHc[ S4Ee M
bo!ns and Crec5 saw the thirty lodges stand
ipg on the cminGnce,. ind naturally thought
enemy in the Vicinity, At the, outside. they
said. there could not be more than sc venty or
began e. talk Of, the easy victory they would
have They couldn't wait. as wa. their Gus,
charged boldly down on the iittle cluster OF
lodges Just at dusk.
II laurened that a young man Of tho Black
feet tribe who LA been visiting the uhrer
camp saw them lust rs they were coming over
NJ! not tnr away. and wheeling his horse he
rode quickly back ANA gave he alarm. In tho
meantime The occupants of the litte camp
selves. There were. indt ed. fewer than 100
OF them all told. but they stood their ground 30
well that thef cnmueilrd the 400 OF the attack
Ing party TO retreat From a long range the
AssinihOips and Crccs kept W steady fire
and killed several of the Blackteet
But now a large and evCr-increasinG body OF
horsemcn began % sweep W from the camp
by the river t. the aid o: their besieged COM
rads-. They charged straight NJ the enemy.
VINO were on foot. and who made no attempt to
check them. bat ran with all their speed for
the river. Many were over.akrn ere they
could reach it and shot or dubbed TO death.
MANY more we're shot rs they swan out INTO the
stream. and their bodies were carried away hy
the swi Il current. Some became exhausted and
were drowned and rh- BIacktc"t uunging
their horses into the stream swan across aud
struck down such Of their fleeing aud cowardly
foes as they could lind in the gathering dark
ness. In ali 80 ASs'uh"as and Crees lost
their lives. Lite Mountain was one of those
who esvaped. Possessed uf great strength
and skIiiul swimmer. he managed 10 clude
his purSuers. and leaving the stream far be-
low the. scene Of battle struck "ut over the
prairie for home.
Ia the tan ol 49, a uartv Of VOTERS with
their !la'h.'t' wives, w"uI from Fort Benton
norm t. Tie 'Wrvt lass .IiIis. whore they huilt
sunetnut lal cabins aud uorTlis. and put in Ne
winter hiniNg bulTato and smaller game. aud
poisoning w"v"' several times 'cfrrr errlnE
the A-SinlDp'us and trveS under Little Noun
tnn mar n&ed To ten. their horses. bur the
Of hunters succeeded ny making u bold chase H.
recovering them. In Aur,.. the lay before the
" TORS we're 10 abandon their quarters ana
return {" the for; with thnir winters rnTcG
LATHE Mountain md his followers suddei IS