Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-04-21
Campaigning With Sibley=--by A. s. Van Osdel

gEded out Of the grass in front Of us
on to the surface of a big flat rock
near the bank of the river.
He seemed to seanch around like a
dog for a place to suit his snakeship,
and then stretched himself out on the
bare rock for a snoose. I was think
ing if it was worth while to heave a
stone at the monster, when a dark
shadow fitted past and large eagle.
swept down and nearly caught him
mapping, but not quite.
The snake sprung his rattles and
coiled himself ready for an attack;
while the eagle lowered around maxi
ing a dash from the right and the left,
coming lower and lower but beyond
the reach of the snake. 1t was an
intensely interesting contest and we
watched the tactics of the combatants
in breathless silence, as the eagle
skirmished around the willy reptile. Z.
At last the snake made a spring,
but failed to strike his antagonist;
and, before he could recoil himself
again the eagle swept down with
lightning rapidity and sliced him with
both talons close behind the head.
The King of the birds now had his
antagonist ION the neek'-as one of
our omrades expressed it-and swept
into the air; while the snake struggled
and twisted, away up in the blue sky,
as the victor proudly sailed in wide
circling sweeps. He rose higher and
higher until the reptile hung limp
and lifeless, and then scared away off
into the blue distance carrying the
lifeless carcass. of his victim along
with him. .
Soon after witnessing the tragic
combat between the rattlesnake and
the eagle, we remounted our horses
and visited the old deserted Indian
village. It was situated one-half mile
below, near the southern verge of the
plateau on a high bank facing the
river; and covered an area of about
ten acres. Several old dirt lodges
were still standing, delapitated and in
the last stages of decay. These old
structures were built in a circular
form and were from fifteen to twenty
feet in diameter.
Their foundations we're prepared by
digging two or three feet into the
81 ound, and forming the earthen floor
by leveling to the required size of the
circular lodge. p.
The substructure was formed by ar
ranging fixed posts inside the circular
excavation, one against :. the other,
making solid outer wall around the
circle. Resting on the upper end of
these timbers were plates to keep
them in position, upon which were
huge rafters rising at an angle of
about thirty degrees to the appex or
skylight, left open in the center Of the
circular roof, to light up the interior
and for the exit of smoke from the
central lodge fire. The roof of the
lodge thus formed, was supported and
upheld by timbers set perpendicularly
under beams passing around beneath
the roof. On the upper side of the
rafters willows were laid crosswise to
protect the tinibers from coming in
contact with the earth, with which
the lodges were covered over with a
thick layer. ~. ~ ~z
One of these old structures was
larger than the others, and was evil
IDENTIFY used as a council lodge, as the
roof was strewn with old decayed
buffalo skulls and other tokens used
in their mysterious cereomnies.
The incidents and events that had
tranapired within the precincts of that
old village, if known, would make sub.
jects worthy to he portrayed by the
delineating pen of an Irving or a
Cooper. ~ ~. 4
There, in that beautiful valley, en-.
braced within a thousand graceful
lswells and terraces, village had been
built on an extensive plan; the send
subterranean village OF the Assina
BONES; who, after defeating the
Sheyennes, perhaps located in this
fortified village, and remained there
for generations to come In pleasant
weather the roofs of those old dir
lodges became a lookout for the war
rior; an airing place for gossip and
mirth; a trysting place for the lover;
and an elevated position for the con
jurer and doctor; who could display
his mysterious art and test this
potency of his medicine to an admir-
ing public.
From the old deserted village 8
tgreen valley stretched before us sur
rounded by rugged heights. terminal
ling at a point below Id perpendicular