Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-03-12
STRANGE ! ! | TALES
By {. R. Steinbrueck

nemoration of Lewis and CIark's ex-
petition by the Exposition at Port
and, Oregon, the general interest in /
he early history OF our state, closely
with their exploration Of
sur country, Is yividly aroused. Our
mind is led back to the times, when
he prairies, now bearing cultivated
crops, were dotted with the herds of
The buffalo and with abundant game
Of every kind natural to our region.
We think of the wild free people; who
claimed this vast dominion once their
own, undisturbed by the tread of the
pale face. Urged on by the surviving
spirit OF civilized men, our thoughts
dwell with curiosity on the subject of
the greatest interest, now before us,
and we become DESTROYS of learning
more distinct facts about the past, of
our predecessors of the country and
the nations we have conquered by the
continuous incessant advance of civil
ization.S Among the many questions
tosabe answered, one OF the foremost
Is 1.-THE origin of = the Mandan In
dians, = which is shrouded in mystery.
Historians of our times are puzzled
over the solution of the riddle, and
no. facts have = been constituted
through ages, no certainty is arrived
at. We of North Dakota hold the last
end of the thread OF the life of that
peculiar tribe Of Mandans and may
praise us lucky, envied by many, to
be able to trace part of It's history,
by the signs and tokens left behind
them; by It's ancient remains we
find by researches within our own
boundaries. Further we, can not go
unless intruding on other states
privileges. But now the questions
arises, Where did the Mandans come
from, where and how did they orig
inate" There is the puzzle and
there is a. field of exploration before
the jealous historians, ethnologists
and archaeologists of other: neighbor-
ing and farther states, which task
may, ask of a man more of his pains,
than he is disposed to give. And
after ala-mystery still may prevail.
r. The Mandans were distinctly and
vastly different tribe from all other
tribes of Indians in the Northwest.
Thanks to Geo. Catlin's minute
descriptions of the Mandans, 20 whom
in preference he devotes a. predomi-
nantly large share of his reports, we
learn with safety the visible difference
in their exterior as well, as in their
intelligence above their neighbors
They were fairer in complexion, had
hair of all European shades, save red
and auburn, had eyes gray, blue and
hazel, some wore boards, and their
features were finer.
Breckenridge (1811) tells us in his
travels of "She-he-ke", the Mandan
chief who had accompanied Lewis
and Clark to Washington, D. c., thus
tsHe is a fine looking Indian and very
intelligent, his complexion is y fair,
very little different from that of a
white man much exposed to the SUM-;
and 4'His wife has a good complexion
and agreeable features. What sound
reason is there to .discredit the state
ment of eye witnesses, of men like
Catlin, Breckenridge and other ex-
plorers, beyond the general doubt that
always is attached to what is new and
strange to us? But now, where and
what is the cause of that immense
difference of the type of this tribe,
surrounded by and in the midst of
their brown, black haired and black
eyed, high cheek boned,'s swarthy
neighbcrs2 The Mandans had not
sprung up on a sudden. Trappers or
traders could not effectuate such a
general and thorough change in
aboriginal character. Centuries of
intermarriage with white people must
have created a new and peculiarly
distinct race or nation
IL The Mandans wandered northward,
till they finally persisted and conse-
quently they must have come from
the south, Geo. Eatlin- has traced
their remains to the head waters of
the Ohio river, consequently they
came from the southeast, and as their
story goes. from the, big water
There Is an historical fact related
of q Welsh prince Madoc having
sailed about 1l4O a.. %. to the eastern
coast Of North America, after touch
ing Ireland. bringing with him num-
Der OF adVenturers and immigrants
from Wales and from ireland. These
stayed IN America and In all possibili-
ty took Indian wives. The origin Of
the Mandans Is largely ascribed to
this lot Of white people and were
often called Welsh Indians. Why
did they, not stay In their country
along the coast There seems to me
more plausible a very different story.