The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-09-02
Interesting Historical Finds
Made Along Banks Of Missouri

last year began his search for similar
relics I'm this state and was finally re-
warded when he traced down the stone
turtle Whether the relic is q totem
"a religious sign for a clan) or a water
mark Ia a question. The shape OF an
immense turtle was clearly marked
| by the boulders which were of all
sizes, the legs, head and body of the
animal being plainly discerned. When
the discovery was made DIR. Libby inn
mediately detailed Professor stout and
William Greenleaf to take charge OF
the relic and transport II to Bismarck
plan OF the turtle was drawn and
the stones were numbered and noted
In the plan as they were taken up
The turtle now rests near RooseveIt's
cabin on the state capitol grounds.
This is q unique discovery and North
Dakota can now boast Of the only
relic OF the kind in existence. There
are reports of snake and crawfish
which were also located In the VII
entity but these have been DESTROYED
py farmers who have gathered up the
bouiders Unfortunately Some idea
or the size Of the MOSAIC can be
gained from the fact that IL IL 15x20
feet, A fence viii be erected around
the formation at the capitol grounds
to prevent souvenir hunters from
running away with the stones
The Indians with the party know
nothing of the MOSAIC and would not
even go and look at 1t because It is a
relic left by the Sioux, their bitter
enemies, the tribe who drove the
Hidatsl and Mandans from one point
to another after the terrible smallpox
plague Of 1887.
Studying Villages.
Naturally the most important work
OF the party was the surveying and
laying out OF the Indian villages. a.
number of which were visited for the
hrst time. From stanton, the starting
point or the party, where DIR. Libby
and the Indians Joined the other
members. to Eagles Nose, in the vi
cinity OF Fort Rice, where the party
turned back, every Indian village
along the Missouri river. with one ex-
ception, was visited. The villages are
even now discernable from a distance
from the fact that they are covered
with sage brush Once a village was
reached, the Indians, Holding Eagle
and Sitting Crow, would make a
circle by the ditch line which surrounds
all Indian villages They would
then go into the center Of the VIII
lage and invariably locate the holy
tepee IL there was one. This tepee
differs from the others. in the village
from the fact that the segment Of the
off frra \.
holy place was found the village was
pronounced Mandan, If 1t was not
round 1t was known to be Hidatsa.
me holy tepee having been found, the
indians would squat on the ground
ana smoke to the gods OF the village,
passing the pipe around in much the
same manner as piece pipe. Then
perhaps they would sing a few of |
the old songs. In many cases the
indians were even able to name the
FOUNDER OF the village and point out
INDIVIDUAL tepees. To them a large
part OF the work was like visiting
tneir old homes and once when par
ticularly affected, one of the old In
dians said what in English would
mean II the old people back on the
reservation were here, they would
cry. Some Of the villages were new
however, to the Indians themselves.
but they win undoubtedly find out
their history from the older members
OF the tribe on the reservation ana the
work Of the society next wear win he |
much easier. Tho method of identify !
ing the village and finding the holv
tepee was the one used by DR.. ,Ibbv |
and he was rather interested in seeing
that the Indians themselves used the
same method
Just outside of the ditch line OF one |
or the villages found was evidence Of /
an old inclosare which the Indians |
could not explain. To the white men |
however, 1t was plain that this must |
nave been the trading post of some !
trader probably dating away back to |
l74O. The trader had evidently start |
ed his post just outside the village
and had the Indians fortify ii for him.
Discover Signal Tower.
Another interesting dfscoverey was
that of signal tower by DR.. Libby
and William Greenleaf. They had de-
cided to climb a butte in the vicinity
Of Sanger to look over the surrounding
country and as luck would have it
they climbed the only butte that was
surmounted by signal tower such as
the Indians used to pass the news
along the trail. The other three
buttes were barren, but as the two
members of the party reached the
top OF this butte to their surprise and
delight they saw an inclosure of some
seven feet square made of limestone.
the pieces being laid one on the other
to form q wall. At one point the wall
thus formed was about four feet high |
and so carefully had the pieces OF
stone been put together that 1t had |
withstood all the severe winds. In
this signal tower the Indians would |
build their fire OF damp brush so as
to make plenty OF smoke. Over this |
was spread the buffalo robe and the /
signalling was done by raising the