The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-08-20
By Martha Edgerton Plassmann

than the Northern Cheyennes,
whose reservation lies little east
of that of the Grow nation. Here
on 48o, 500 acres of rough country,
suited for little but grazing pur-
poses, are now living in dire pow
ETY., the remnant of a once powerful
TRIBE.
A very small portion of this re-
servation can be cultivated. Its
natural resources consist of soft
coal in abundance, but of poor
quality; building stone and timber.
AS might be expected under such
conditions, stock raising is the prin-
ciple industry undertaken by the In
dians, although they also cultivate
about 5000 acres, with what success
in dry year may be imagined, as
but 20 acres are irrigated. So far
during their residence in this unin-
viting section, their ownership of
the land has not been questioned by
the whites but what will happen
should the future reveal there are
more desirable products, can be pre-
dicted from our dealings with the
red man in the past.
The Cheyennes are of the Algon-
quin stock, and the first no.
tice given of them was when they
came to LaSalles fort in Illinois in
1850. They are said to have been
originally an agricultural people
living in villages, and also makers
of pottery.
If the first historical mention of
them is of their visit to the Illinois
fort, their own traditions claim
that some of them reached the
Missouri four years earlier, in 1916.
They once lived in Minnesota; then
driven westward by more warlike
tribes, they settled on the Cheyenne
rivera tributary from the west Of
the Red river of the north-but
were again compelled to flee, and at
length found their way to the Mis-
souri,, where they lived much as did
the Mandans.
! Whey they abandoned this quiet
life is not recorded, but they event
ually crossed the Missouri, and be-
came very much like so many 9TH
or tribes, buffalo hunters of the
Plains, and teepee, instead of earth
but jewellers.
Among the enemies of the Chey-
ennes were the Assinaboines or tht
Inorthen Dakotas; the Kiowas, tht
lComanches, the Crows, and later
the Pawnees and Shoshones. They
also fought the Apaches and the
lUtes. Their quarrel with the As
linaboines was an old one, and grew
out Of buffalo hunt in which the,
both participated. The Assina
BONES had the advantage, as the,
fought with guns, while the wea
ons of the Cheyennes were club
and sharpened sticks. The Chey
ennes, frightened by the report 0
the guns, took flight. The emit,
thus begun ended only with the ter
mination of war between the diff
ferent tribes, at a comparatively re
cent date.
According to George Bird Grin
nell, this was the first time tn
| Cheyennes had been attacked, an
they did not understand it. Final
| " an old man "stood up and har
agued the people and said. NOV
we have fought with these people
they attacked us and have kille
some Of us. After this let us figh
with all people we meet, and W
shall become great men, This ad
| vice the people listened to willing
| ly, and at once proceeded to act vi
| on it.
| But, how were they to fight wit
other tribes if they had no guns
The manner in which they obtaine
/ their first firearms is matter {
tradition which says that it wa
through the economy and quick W
of an old woman that they cam
into possession of them.
The Cheyennes then had n
horses, their burden bearers bein
dogs and women-at least it is NJ
at all likely that the warriors lei
much assistance, their business b
ing to hunt and fight, and the
could do neither loaded down wit
| camp paraphernalia. They wei
hunting buffalo on foot, so II
tale begins, and had been quite SUI
| cessful. They decided to lea'
| their former camp and move dow
stream. An old woman, howeve
refused to leave, saying: Il sha
stay here for time, because ! wi:
to finish pounding up my bone
and skimming of the grease"
may be unnecessary to explain tn
II it was impossible for her to boil h