Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-09-21

hendable by. the Indian mind, COS
tuned In srctesque, Enthusiastically odd
extravagant and ridiculous apparel.
with whimsical oruamentation, with
decorations in profusion, with color
combinations uncou;h in art and In
describable appearance. thousands
upon thousands OF Indians celebrated
In high ~conclavc their first annua
fair last week. at the agency AT Fort
Yates. on Standing Rock reservation
the likes of which never Was witness
ed before. al least in the annals o.
the white man. Never since the great
1,eace conDertce held by Captain
Clark in lSl3-just 30 years ago-has
there eve been such a combination
OF the dusky tribes. and then. accord
ing TO history, the array was not such
as this, And what is more there will,
in all probability new be anothe.
There may be other fairs, but the
question Is, will there ever be one
which will equal this. There were
Indian guests from the various reser-
vations OF this state, from South Da
kota. from Minnesota, from Montana.
from Nebraska. and from various 9th
er states.
These poor a~borigines, once mon
a-chs of this western continent but
now reduced IN numbers and power
until their condition is really pititul.
are mere children in mind. and are
a charge Of the government. the *.
tensiveness of which is no, compre-
hended by the person not brought in
contact with their everyday life. But
this was the u big gala time for
them, the May-day OF their lives, for
none had ever experienced such a
sre., and joyous even; as this. II
was Il round OF SONG and dance:
n continual visi; and feats; one
shout Of ioy-making AMI ecstacy,
During the day they killed their
beeves, divided the meat which was
prepared aud dried by the squaws,
and they rers!led in the feast which
followed. Then cane the many dances
which proved great Joy to them. They
INDUCED in the grass dance. common.
Grating the Joy CT the Indian youths
who over a century ago met in the
woods and In their childish Way
bound grass about theic feet, heads
and other parts OF their bodies, and
executed the countermaroh in their
revelry, They did the buffalo dance,
indicating plenty Of meet: the scai.,
dance Of victory: the serenade dance
of happiness. The sauaws executed
the side step. in which no brave was
allowed to participate unless he has
protected a woman's honor by stIik-
ing IN enemy in her defense.
Then came the horse races. pouy
races. foot races. contests in dancing,
steer roping. broncho bus.ipg. and
numerous athletics which would but
tire the reader ir their enumeration
The program OF the day was crowded
with events to tltar extent which
would cause a threering circus tc
pale into insight canoe. by reason OF
its diminutive size, its scarcity OF
attractions AMI its lack OF Originality
OF features.
In the evening, before the thous
t-ANS Va kCN.FSs> NllS ShiLp mes NSsS
lighted and the feast was on. Fo,
miles could be seen the fires, while
around them Was formed the smoking
circles, and as the pipe OF peace was
passed, the steady tonl-tom beat from
the hundreds Of drums echoed and
re-echoed out over the grim hills OF
historic Fort Yates. and the hideous
N~fnc ~ M larnar, t,;nrrnI tl, .,t.h,
air till the gray Of the morning. The
scene was beyond description: the
weird cries. though of merry.making
We're such as never to be forgotten
by those who beheld the panorama
aud listened. The regret is that tle
outside world cannot be given this
treat which was witnessed and heard
by but the few.
The scene Of the once busy and
dignitied army post is now grown tO
weeds, and the streets can ge outlined
only by cellar holes, rims of old chin
neys, water pipes and hydrants pro
iecting from the ground in places
There is an occasional building left
whic his occupied as a hotel. or a res
tuCLCG AS0SiIlS SOAAC vi lhS SuAPtos SS
of the premises. The scene is oae
Of wierd historical / romance, and
speak in mute sentence OF the siren.
uous experiences of those sturdy pio
neers who blazed the way for civil,
cation. The subduing of the west was
one, of the most mighty problems
ever attempted by man. one which
caused innumerable hardships and
heartreading experiences: m which
tried mems souls, wrecked nerves
and cut to the quick of noble eldeav.
or. Probably the most grim, ~treacher'
Gus and ,unconquerable obstacle with
which they Lad to contend. We,
which proved a mighty agent in ser
vice-is the Missouri river and its
approaches. Rough. wild. unsubdued,
it marks the dividing line between
the east and the west, 1t was along its
banks that the government stationed
its osts from which were.o be sent
the c0nQuoring emisaries of ciyiliEa.
ton. In this state and on the Missou-
ri's banks were established Fort
Yates, Rice. Lincoln. Stevenson. Der.
th6ld. and Union. later called Blu
ford.) Of these none were more
servicable than Yates and its history
is crowded with famocs characters
and Interesting events. II lies near
the South Dakota line. about half way
between the north and south boundar-
les or Standing rock reservation and
Il under command of Maj. ]. Y. HAM