The Glasgow courier., 1916-11-03

to his loyal followers.
"From the style in which he dressed
l really thought he was king" wrote
Larpenteur, telling Of his first meet
ing with Mckenzie.
Suit of Broadcloth Given
To Every Clerk.
Every clerk engaged at the fort re-
ceived at tie outset a complete suit
Of broadcloth. When Larpenteur was
engaged by Mckenzie he left his skin
suit at Fort William remarking that
he would be ashamed to be caught at
Fort Union in it.
"All the clerks were strangers to
me-" continues Larpenteur in "Forty
Years Trader on the Upper Nilsson.
RI" "and when the bell rang for
supper l saw them put on their coats
for, as found out afterward, they
were not allowed to go to table in
shirt sleeves. One of them, perceiving
that l was coatless, was so kind as to
lend me coat, and so we started for
supper. On entering the eating hall
l found splendidly set table with a
very white tablecloth, and two wait.
ers, one negro. Mr.. Mckenzie was
sitting at the head Of the table, ex.
tremely we'll dressed. Mr.. Mckenzie
who played the nabob, went to bed
late, and rose later, and as nothing
could be served till he was ready, il
was nine o'clock before we got to
breakfast"
1t was here that one of the most
desolating plaques Of history ragged
the smallpox scourge of 1887, sweeping
from this fort and Fort Clark out
over the prairies, and according te
Audubon, taking a toll of 10000
lives. Every day one or more cart
loads Of corpses were dumped over the
bluff into the river.
Audubon, in his journal, gives a
vivid description Of the plague.
Stolen Blanket Carries
Death to Thousands.
"Early in the spring of 1887" hi
writes, "the steamer Assinniboine ar
rived at Fort Clark, with several case!
of smallpox on board. There an In
dian stole blanket belonging to ;
watchman on the boat, who was ther
at the point Of death, and took it ava,
to SOW the seeds Of this disease amons
his tribe, which caused his own deatl
and the death of thousands of his la
ton. When it was known that he hat
taken it, benevolent person on thu
boat went to one of the chiefs, tOlt
him the fatal consequences that would
follow, and offered to give new
blanket and a reward besides if h
would have it returned; but suspicion
fear or shame prevented the man iron
giving it up, and the pestilence brok
out and began to spread among tn
Mandans at first, to which nation tn
chief belonged.
"Most of the Indians were distan
80 miles at the time, killing buffaloe
and preparing their winter food; an,
the whites sent an express beggins
them not to return to their villages
and telling them Of the fatal con
sequences. The Indians sent bacl
word that that they would return ant
face the danger, which they though
was imaginary. Word was again sen
them that certain destruction woult
attend their return; but it was al
in vain, come back they would, ant
come back they did, and the plagu
began in its most malignant form
their habits and improper food max
ing them a ready prey, and few
hours sometimes terminating tn
loathsome disease by death.
Stricken Indians Threaten
To Kill All Whites.
"The Mandans were enraged be
cause at first it was confined to them
and they supposed the whites ha'
caused it, and saved themselves AM
the Ricarees from the pestilence; ant