The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-01-01

began to leap overheard. I caused
the nose of the boat to be held close
to shore so hat they could get to
land without drowning, and in a few
minutes we were clear of them.
Then, reversing the engines, we steer
ed for the opposite bank and made
the boat fast.
"The danger being over, I vent to
General Curtis room and told him it
was safe to come out. I said:
who is afraid of Indians now,
General Curtis?"
"His only reply was: Who would
have thought the rascals would dare
to modest a government officer?'
"The Sioux cared a lot about a
government officer! His remark
showed how little he knew about
the Indian character.
mo further attempt was made to
treat with these Indians and we went
on up the river. AS on a previous
occasion, the Indians followed us.
Durfee & Peck at this time had a
trading post on the site where Fort
Buford later stood. The Indians
made a signal from the opposite
side of the river that they had robes
to trade, and the agent at the post
wanted to borrow our yawl to go
across and get them. I consented,
but advised against it. The traders
crossed and actually bought several
hundred robes, but just as the boat
was about to put back the Indians
jumped on the crew, killed one, badly
wounded another and would have
Ki11nI oil bod 7 not nrO,an+Trv a-o---z
the river with the steamboat to their
assistance.
1.-THE commissioners then went on
to old Fort Union, at the mouth of
the Yellowstone river, where they re-
NAMED for a time treating with the
Assinniboines, Grows and eros Ven
tres. The Crows and eros Ventres
came down by the steamboat Miner
under promise that they should be
taken back to their camp on the
Musselshell by boat. The river be-
ing to low to take so large a boat as
Ben Johnson farther, the COM
mission seized a small boat, the
Amanda, employed by the wal de-
Dartment. The Amanda was headed
Up the river to meet Colonel Reeve,
who was on his way back from the
Judith river, where he had estab-
a post. The Crows and eros
Ventures, with their presents, got on
board and started up the river. The
agent for the Blackfeet, George B..
Wright, was also on board on his way
Fort Benton.
"At the mouth of the Milk river
he Amanda met Colonel Reeve, who
promptly took the boat, put the In
ashore and left them to walk
home. The anger of the Crows was
ired to a desperate pitch by this
action. They refused to take their
presents, tore up the treaties and
;wore that they would fire on every
BOAT going up the river. Wright was
lfraid to return overland to Benton,
70 he went back with the boat and
vent all the way around by Omaha
Salt Lake to reach Fort Benton.
1.-THE commissioners and Wright
lad a wordy battle before they de-
ided to get together and send in re-
'orts of the incidents of the Crow
nd eros Ventres treaties that would
gree.
1.-THE commissioners were afraid to
o further up the river and the prov
f the Ben Johnson was turned down
tream again and pursued her way
sisurely. The property bought by
ne commission as treaty presents
as put off, partly at Sioux City and
at Omaha"
There is no doubt but that the
roperty referred to was stolen by
commissioners and sold by them
t Omaha and Sioux City. The cost
{ the boat hire for nearly 100 days
as about $4,000.
The peace commission of 1866
ost the government upward Of $780,
90 and not only accomplished moth
lg of good, but did no end of harm
inflaming the Indians along the
-issouri against the whites.
Asiatic Russia has 1913 rivers with
- . ri 90 Lla Ian q &c I o z . -:ls.