The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-09-26
By Martha Edgerton Plassmann.

| n " MIMI ItllIdIkdDlC olOi
IN of the West has been told,
- ' than that of Hugh Munroe,
the White Blackfoot, or Rising
Wolf, for whom a rocky height in
Glacier park is named.
Born in the year of 1898 in the
province of Quebec; his father a
captain in the British army; his
mother of noble and wealthy
French family; he was destined to
spend eighty-two of the ninety
eight years of his life on the from
tier. On his visits to Montreal he
often went with his grandfather de
la Roche, to the warehouses of the
Hudson Bay company. There he
saw trappers, voyageurs and In
dams, and heard many tales of
their adventures. He 1onged to
know more of their life, and begged
his parents to let him go West.
At length, worn out by his inn
perfumes, they gave their consent,
and he entered the Hudson Bay
service as an apprentice for five
years. He was assigned to a remote
post, Fort Bow, at the foot of the
on the Saskatchewan,
leaving for that place before he
had completed his sixteenth year.
The journey was made for the most
part by water, the five boats of his
party being carried from lake to
lake or river, it being a year or
two before he reached his post.
There he saw vast number of
Indians collected, to trade when the
boats came in. They were Black
feet, eros Ventres and Sak-sis.
They were superior in every way
o any Indians Hugh had seen in
he East. He felt a strong desire
o become acquainted with them.
Being asked how many he thought
here were then at the fort, he
aid, Five thousand; )" and was as,
onished to learn that there we're
'ver thirty thousand. '"Then,
COULDN'T they take the fort, if they
ried?" he questioned. without
doubt" was the reply. "What
them is this" indicating
he cannon near which he was G
landing. '"They are afraid Of it, :
The factor was not greatly pleas F
d at seeing Hugh. II asked for r
len, not boys" he remarked; but t
n learning who Hugh was, he t
ormed better opinion of him, as v
e knew Hugh's father and grand 5
ather. Il
Noticing how DESTROYS Hugh n
Tas to learn the language of the n
'lackfeet, the Factor asked him a
ow he would like to live with them
or a year. Nothing would please Il
lie more" returned Hugh. The ii
actor then told him the reason G
or having him do so was three Fl
Did. He was to learn the Ian al
uage, in order to act as interpre- il
r; he was to note the good beav- Fl
streams along the route he W
aveled; and above all he should d
arm if the American Fur com d
any was trying to initiate trade IL
18th the Blackfeet. A responsible W
ission for boy of sixteen to I'M b,
artake. lei
The Factor gave Hugh in tn
large of Lone Walker, chief of m
le Small Robes and head chief of 81
e tribe, having promised a gun, m
70 blankets and two lengths of T
list tobacco, when he brought the w
~ back to the fort. &c
When they were ready to leave Sc
e fort, Hugh was surprised to hs
e that the Indians did not wear in
e war bonnets of which he had H
ard. He was to learn that these w
ere only worn in war or on
eat occasion. His Indians wore eS
lther shirts, leggings, moccasins at
lbroidered with porcupine quilts, co
d leather wraps, often decorated TT,