The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-09-02

IN A WARNING to settlers of the yell
loWstOne valley published in various
papers early in 1886, h celebrated
William T. C"Uncle Billy") Hamilton
told the cattlemen when to look Tor In
dian raids. The item appeared under the
ambitious title of Representations"
From the first moon in April to high
water in June and from August to the
last of October-from the second to the
last Of the third quarter in each moon
named-is the time to look for raids from
the northern Indians" the old trontlers-
man advised.
cat the sight of indian in the regions
outside of the reservation, let the gun
speak unless the party is accompanied
bv white men. Sheepmen are especially
warned to be on their guard at night
during these periods. The Indians re-
ouire some moon to travel by night and
are not likely to stir during the dark OF
the moon. Raids may be expected TINS
year from the Piegans and Bloods and to
a lesser extent from Sioux and Assin1-
boines.'
Items from the press Of the time as
well as historical accounts show that att
err the period Of active Indian warfare
that the settlers in the eastern part OF
Montana were greatly annoyed by forays
by small bands of Indians on horse steal
ing expeditions, ostensibly against other
tribes of Indians. Horses and cattle OF
white men were liable to be run off in
stead of those Of their Indian neighbors
and cattle or sheep killed for sustenance
while on the expeditions.
In the first decade of settlement in the
Yellowstone valley, bands of Indians from
the northwest and northeast frequently
made dashes into the Crow territory and
these Indians retaliated by forays into
the lands Of their enemies.
Because Of their alliance with the
whites to save their country from the
more powerful tribes, the Crows had
earned the c-ontemptuous title Of WON
en-" from the Blackfeet, although the
records of some Of the skirmishes show
the Crows giving a good account OF them
selves. The Blackfeet, of whom the
BloOds and Pigeans were branches, occu-
pied the territory north OF the Missouri
and east Of the Rocky mountains. Be-
tween them and the Crows to the south
of the Yellowstone was a wide territory
which during the decade became more
and more strongly occupied by stock
men. and their animals often fell prey
to the marauders especially if they were
returning empty handed from the land o.
the Crow.
After the Sioux who took part in thu
warfare of 1876 and 1877 had fled to thu
Canadian border, the northeast part o
the territory became another center TO
fOrays against the Crows and Sioux n
Assiniboines also figure in the role o
guerrillas although to a lesser degree.
From the earliest records, the Crow
are held to have been consummate hors
thieves and if not SO bold in attack, the
were more crafty in the fine arts OF steal
ing. To secure an enemy's horse unde
tected from the inner circle Of lodges
was one Of the tests Of chieftainshiI
The petty warfare was by nc means one
sided.
The annexing Of some scalps on o. c
these expeditions greatly enhanced tn
reputation of the warriors. AS a u
however in the years after the tribes ha
abandoned open hostility TO the white
the stockman was not molested himsel
Occasionally however there were deat1
on both sides whe irate owners attacke
the thieving Indians. Now and then thel