Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-14

Grafton of this question is quite suffi
cient; but + do not propose to asser
that l know, exactly, all the particu
lars, antecedents and subsequent t,
this early prehistoric occupancy. n,
n can know, beyond a study Of tina
which is left, and the forms of tn,
knives, scrapers, lance heads. and ar
row points appear to be little differ
ent from the same class Of article.
found in the basin Of the Mississippi
except that the predominating charac
ter of the material used was obsidian
In many places springs of pure wa.
ter exist. The Picnic Springs are idea
ones, flowing from the rocks at thu
base of the mountains just above
which circles a beautiful grove of pine
timber. At the upper limit of the
timber an immense snowdrift accumu.
lates during the winter months, which
saturates the side of the mountain
with moisture during a greater portion
OF the summer season. This climatic
action causes the timber to thrive, but
at a point where the saturation ceases
an artemisia plain begins.
Savage Comfort
Through this plain Picnic Springs
sends forth a creek 20 feet wide and a
foot in depth. The water stands at
~ degrees without an appreciate
change throughout the year, and there
fore never freezes. AT the end of the
timber around the springs and along
the terrace on both sides of the creek.
prehistoric man located his village. The
site was well selected and the accom-
modations afforded by timber, water
and a terrace formation, ample. The
PLAIN was q vast pasture for buffalo;
elk and antelope grazed on every hill
side; bands of wild sheep herded on
every crest. and all the streams were
stocked with fish. Here man lived
and thrived in savage comfort. Later
he fought for possession and suprem-
acy, for his implements of war, made
OF stone, seem unmistakable in char
acteristic forms. Periods and epochs
have passed; the has
changed. All that is left, of absorb
ing interest, fails to certainly disclose
the identity of the earliest man."
The Missourias. Indians
The Missouri river received its name
from the Missourias Indians, a once
extensive tribe referred to in older
writings as Oumissourites, Missourites.
Missourias. M~issouria and Missouri.
with various other notifications. Upon
this subject Brewer writes:
The Missourias Indians, after whom
the name Missouri has come down to
us. are now practically an extinct band
or tribe, having been consolidated with
the Otoes, now at Ponca, Oklahoma.
1t is evident, and more than probable.
that they are the descendants of that
ancestry who located somewhere on the
Missouri river prior to the advent of
the French, and. increasing in num-
bers, developed into the numerous
bands known to exist. some of which
passed up the river and some down it's
In that way the habitat Of the
~NiissOurias became fixed near the June
ton of the Missouri with the Missis-
hence they were known as peo-
pie Living on the Mouth of the
Waters
Their reduced numbers, from a DOW
,rful and savage tribe. came from war
are. and from the destructive influ-
ences Of smallpox which depleted their
'anks until they were no longer able to
the ~onslaughts of their enc
MES. n claiming the protection of the
JtoeS, consolidated and extinction as
separate tribe followed.
Like all other North American In
they knew nothing concerning
heir origin, save only those traditional
of uncertainty, which their sue
in the western country have
'een unable to fathOm.
As b~lood-thirsty savages they fig
ire IN contemporaneous history. treach-
and cunning in modes of action