The Dickinson press., 1915-09-11
MasHdshllE2:Sd
geo. HEATON LUMBER co.

the oldest Indian in the tribe, because
his memory seemed to reach farther
back than that of any other Indian.
Whenever he went anywhere with his
band he always rode a few miles in
advance on his pony. Anyone that
knew him could identify him for
miles, as he always rode alone at
high speed, and his quirt, which con-
sisted of a short stick with straps
attached to one end, was constantly
applied. Upon arriving at a ranch
he would leave his comrads and visit
the rancher. He always knocked at
the door, and then entered before he
was hidden. After entering, he would
grunt GLOW" to anyone that might be
present, appropriate a chair, select a
good position neal the stove, take out
his pipe and smoke until he was in
vited to eat. His only purpose Of Wis
iting was to get something to eat
and he would never end his visit with
out eating, unless told to get out.
Although he could speak English
fairly well, he would never converse
in that language. The result was
that if there did not happen to be
anyone present that could speak in
his native tongue, he would sit for
hours like a sphinx. Unlike his fel-
low Indians he never adopted the
white mans method of dress, but al
ways chung to his traditional blanket
This fact, together with his ugly look
and his haunting silence, gave him a
terrifying appearance, especially to
women and children. The old chief,
like the rest of his comrades, had
the appetite of a glutton, nor were
his table manners strictly up to date.
On one occasion when Crow-Fly-High
and two other Indians were eating
dinner at a ranch, there was on the
table a pan Of exceedingly large sized
baked potatoes. After emptying and
filling their plates two or three times,
there was n huge potato left in the
pan. The Indians looked at the po-
tato then at each other, and began an
eating contest. At first the race was
about even, but soon it became ap-
parent that youth must be served, for
the chiefs age was telling on him.
Finally realizing that he had lost he
suddenly stopped, looking at the po-
tato and then at one Of his competi-
tors who was just finishing. He stood
up, reached nearly across the table,
secured the coveted prize, placed it
along side of his plate, reseated him.
self and went on eating as calmly as
though nothing had happened.
Another characteristic of the In
dian was that he never questioned the
quality Of his food, He was never
Irnoxxpo RI ,coioot xooot po poo%for 1x,h Of
it's quality. On n occasion an In
dian asked my father if he might
have a calf that had died the night
before from black leg. The hired
man, who had just come from the
east, inquired in a rather curious way,
what, he wanted to do with that old
dead calf. Whereupon the Indian re-
piled that he wanted to eat It. See
ing the look of incredibility and as
tonishment on the face of his inquirer,
the Indian added: "Ugh! calf make
good eat; put a little salt on 'em,
then, he make good eat" Gradually
the Indians ceased leaving the reser-
walton except for the purpose of Wis
iting their so-called cousins, the Crows
in Montana. The Indians were very
much inclined to visit each other, es-
pecially for the purpose of trading
horses. All the Indians have since
left that part of the reservation be-
tween the Little and the Big Missouri
rivers. And that portion of the land
which they formerly occupied, is
now leased by the United States gov
eminent to the Springville Cattle Co.
for stock raising purposes.
Prior to 1908, there were but few
families living in Mckenzie county.
The first white women to make their
home in this pioneer county were Mrs.
Daniel Manning and Mrs. Hans Chris
Jensen. These women with their
families, spent the winter Of 1889 in
Mckenzie county, returning to Dick
inson, N, D., the following summer.
The first family to make permanent
residence in the new region was that
of Chas. Shafer, consisting Of three,
Chas. Shafer, Eva Shafer, his wife,
and; Geo. Shafer, their two-year-old
son. They came to Mckenzie county
in 1890, from Dickinson, N. D., MAX
ing the journey of eighty miles by
means Of a team and wagon. Shafer
had already established his home
there six years before. The Shafer
homestead occupied the site Of the
present county seat, t~wenty-one years
before the organization Of the county.
Later the Shafer family was joined
by VIM. Benson and wife, Mrs. Fred
erick Diehm and John and Fred
Diehm. The first Of these returned
to Dickinson after a short stay, not
being able to accustom themselves to
the hardships Of the frontier life.
\ Hunting was the chief means Of sub
s%istence for these pioneer families
during the first few years. AS game
of many kinds was plentiful, the hunt
er was. able to supply a large guam.
tity and better quality Of meat thar
can be found In more modern com
munities. 1t was Skaters custom II
the fall Of each year to 60 into thu
Little Missouri Bad Lands, and afte]
a weeks hunt to return with a Wagon
load Of deer, sufficient to last Until
spring. Then he would secure q sec
ond load and with that woNld journe!
to Dickinson, where il was traded TO-
flour, sugar, shoes, and other neees
saries Of life. He would next TAX