The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-03-28
THE PASSING OF THE
BISON
A. D. 1888


than this? If anybody wants to feel
the veritable spirit of adventure, let
him read MY Life as an Indian" by
+. w. Schultz. His life is an example
in manliness, his record the best we
have of a red Indian tribe, his book
the most specious and lovely in from
tier literature.
The Blackfeet got their name from
the addressed, arrOw-proof leather of
their moccasins, which were dark in
color. They were profoundly religious,
scrupulously clean-bathing daily, even
through thick ice, fastidiOusly moral, a
gay, light-hearted people of temper
like the French, and, even among In
dams, the most generous race in the
world, they were famed for their hos
pitallty. The savage is to the white
man, what the child is to the grown
up, Of lesser intellect, but much nearer
to God.
When the white men reached the
plains, the Blackfeet mustered about
forty thousand men, hunters. The ma
tiOnal sport was stealing horses and
scalps, but there was no organized war
until the pressure of the whites drove
the tribes westward, crowding them to-
gether, so that they had to fight for
the good hunting grounds. Then there
were wars in which the Blackfeet more
than held their own. Next came the
smallpox, and afterward the West was
not so crowded. Whole nations were
swept away, ard those that lived were
sOrely reduced in numbers. After that
came white frontiersmen to trade, to
hunt, or as missionaries. The Indians
called them Hatwearers, but the Black
feet had another name-the Stone
hearts. The whites were nearly al
ways welcomed, but presently they
came IN larger numbers, claiming the
land for mining camps and ranching,
which drove away the game. The In
dams fought the whites, fought for
their land and their food, their liber-
ty; but a savage with bow and arrows
has no chance against a soldier with
a rifle. For every white man killed
hundred would come to the funeral, so
the Blackfeet saw that 1t was no use
fighting.
In 1853 they made a treaty that Sc
cured them their hunting ground, for
ever free. The Great Father at Wash
ington pledged his honor, and they
were quite content. It was the case
with nearly every western treaty, that
settlers would break 1t or find some
means Of evasion. Troops drove the
settlers of, but went away and the
settlers came back. So young warriors
broke loose from the chiefs to scalp
those settlers and burn their homes
and the army would wreak vengeance.
Such were the conditions when Schultz,
a green New England boy of nineteen,
came by steamer up the Missouri to
Fort Benton.
The truly respectable reader will be
shocked to learn that this misguided
youth went into partnership with a
halfbreed trader, selling water with a
fiavoring of whisky at very high prices
to the Indians.
Schultz had a chum, BlackfoOt
warrior called Wolverine, who taught
him the sign language and deal of
bush craft At times this Wolverine
was unhappy, and once the white man
asked him what was wrong. There
IS nothing troubling me-" answered the
Indian, then after long pause: II
lied. / am In great trouble. love
Piks-ah'-ki, and she loves me, but /
cannot have her her father will not
give her to me-"
The father, Bulls Head, was Gros
ventre, and hated Wolverine for being
q Blackfoot.
81 am gcing," said Wolverine, ito
steal the girl. Will you go with mel"
So one evening the pair stole away
from the Blackfoot camp, rode east
ward across the plains, marching by
night, hiding by day. Once, at river
crossing, they discovered the trails of
large war party of Crees on the way
to the eros Ventre camp. II knew"
said Wolverine, laughing happily, that
my medicine would not desert me, and
see, the way is clear before us. We
will ride boldly into camp, to the lodge
of the great chief, Three Bears. will
say that our chief sent me to warn him
of a war party working this way. l
will say that we ourselves have seen
their tracks along the bars of the river.
Then the Gros Ventres will guard their
horses; they will ambush the enemy;
there will be a big fight, big excite
ment All the men will rush to the
fight, and that will be my time will
call Piks-ah'-ki. we Will mount our
horses and fly" So, riding hard, they
came In sight OF the Gros Ventre camp.
"AhI" said Wolverine, there is the
camp. Now for the big lie." Then,
more seriously, PITY me, great Sun
1 want to copy out the whole book,
Pity me, you underwater creatures of
my dreaml Help me to obtain that
which l seek here"
So they came to the lodge of Three
Bears, presented tobacco as a present
from the chief Big Lake and were well
coined with a special feast of boiled
dog, which had TO be eaten, no matter
how sick they felt The Gros Ventres
believed the enemy were coming and