The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-09-30

Indians. It was told by White Grass,
a medicine man, as follows:
when Mad Wolf was a young man
he was chief Of a war party that
crossed the Rocky mountains against
the Faltheads. Two Of his brothers
also started but turned back before
they reached the Flathead country.
Mad Wolf and his party returned by
way of the Cut Bank pass. After
crossing the summit, they entered the
dense forest near the head of the
canyon. Mad Wolf was in the lead,
while the others followed in two Sc
parate columns along each side of
the trail, as was the custom of war
parties in those days. They rode in
silence because the trees were so
dense they could not ses far "a adj
vance.
Suddenly Mad Wolf stopped ard
signed to the others that he hea.
something ahead. The Blackfeet iu.-
mediately ambushed themselves -
the trees. A war party Of KoOtenNi
Indians were returning from an expe-
ditiOn into the Blackfeet country.
They a into the ambush and there
was a fierce battle.
Mad Wolf, as chief Of the party,
was entitled to the first shot. He
singled out the leader, but the KoOte.
mai chief was very brave. Although
badly wounded, he ran into the thick
woods, where Mad Wolf killed him.
While taking his scalp, Mad Wolf re-
cOgnized on his belt the scalps OF
his two brothers who had started
with him, but who had turned back.
He hurried back to his people, who
by this time were hard pressed and
were retreating. Mad Wolf now.
aroused to great courage and daring
rallied the Blackfeet to another at.
tack and o turned the rOut into q
victory. They killed all of the KoOt.
enai, except old squaw. After
scalping the dead, they clothed hel
in a soft, tanned buckskin dress or
Inamented with elks' teeth, and witt
leggings and mOccasins decorated
with porcuDine quilts. They painted
her face black, and giving her +;
warm blanket and a sack of drieC
meat, set her free with the praye-
that the Sun would take pity on then
just as they had pitied this helpless
enemy"
Mad VOLTS last Talk.
Mad Wolf was a great orator AM
wise in council, and advice to hi
tribesmen was always good and al
ways conservative. On more thai
one occasion he kept them from tax
ing the warpath against the whites
telling them that it meant death an.
sorrow to the tribe in the end. H
faced the end stOically. He knew tn
Red Mems race was run and tina
nothing of their old glory remained
or could ever come again to exist a
it had in the past. He advised tn
Blackfeet to follow the ways of tn
! white men. In his last speech, b
said in part:
you have all heard of u K-acI
sinO (Great Grandfather, President
who calls us his red children. He
: the only one upon whom we can d.
I pend, and we must now look to hin
as in the past we have prayed to tn
, Sun God. He lives far away tOwaT
? the rising sun, but I shake hand
with him now, for our hearts feI
good toward him. Let everyone kee
: away from firewater and send yOJ
children to school. If they can lear
! the talk of the white man, they wi
: be a great help to US, for the ways
: the white man IRE IN top now.
: shake hands with all of you, my Chi
: dren. I wish that you may feel Il
: sunshine Of Joy in your hearts an
J that you may have no trouble. VIII
1 speak with my mouth, I feel in n
> heart. Farewell"
Death Of Mad Wolf.
It is now % years since Mad Wo
died, but his memory is green in Il
hearts Of those still alive who kne
him best. Just before his death fOl
e large crosses Of light appeared abor
d the moon, a sign which the Blac.
e feet believe pOrtends that a gre
chief is going to die. He was i'll b
d three days. Ear Rings and Viii
BLACKFOOT INDIAN WAR PART