Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-03-04

Cheyenne, turns TO the northeast the dis
lance OF -four or five leagues and, after
wards, 1t turns again to the west as far
as Mandan. On the north side from there
up to the eros Ventres. 1t receives only .
single river, which issues forth above sixty
leagues above the mouth of this river OF
the Cheyenne. On the west side OF the
Missouri there are five rivers all of inc0n-
siderable size. 1t is estimated that the
Mandan village is distant one hundred
leagues from the entrance OF this river of
the Cheyenne.
The Mandan Villages
1.-THE Mandan count only three hundred
warriors. This nation Is divided into three
villages, the largest of which is situated ON
the western side of the Missouri and the
two smaller ones upon the other bank OPP
posite, quite near this river.
1.-The eros Ventres are more numerous.
They can put upon foot eight hundred
warriors. They are divided into two VII
lagos situated upon the bank Of the Mis-
souri, on the left in ascending, about two
leagues above the Mandan. They are all
settled In their dwellings, which they leave
only by brigades either for war or to hunt
the buffalo.
Gros Ventres, the woods Of the Missouri
are thicker and of larger full grown trees
than upon the lower part OF this river;
that is to say, from the mouth OF the great
river Platte in ascending to this place.
The Assiniboines
1.-THE Assiniboin, a wandering nation to
the north of the Missouri, with whom the
English traders of Canada and of Hudson
bay traffic in p~eltries, visit the Mandan
and the eros Ventres, from whom they
obtain horses, corn ana tobacco, in ex-
change for guns and other merchandise
that they bring there.
The Yellowstone
A fifty leagues above the eros Nentresy
to the west of the Missouri there discharges
a large river, called the river of the yell
lowstone. which is almost as broad and
deep as the Missouri. This great river has
it's source in the mountains of rocks In the
western part. Its banks are well supplied
with wood. There are found frs, pines,
North American frs, birches, aedars, ana
every other tree. The buffalo nnd other
wild animals rove In herds along lis banks.
Many little rivers that flow into 1t abound
in beaver beyond all belief. The nation
of the Grow, a numerous people, owens
along its banks and, higher up. in ascend
ing toward it's source, are situated seVeraI
other savage nations that are still unknown
to us. The savages assured me that 1t was
very deep a long distance from Its mouth.
A Canadian, named Menard, who, Tor Six
teen wears has MADE his home w,gn the
Mandan, whittier he came from the north,
and who has been several times among the
nation Of the Crows in company with the
eros Ventres, their allies, has assured me
that this river was navigable with large
~irogues more than a hundred and fifty
leagues above it's mouth, without meeting
any falls or rapids. They take usually
fifteen or twenty days of slow march ON
land to go from the Mandan to the Crow
nation. A fort built at the entrance OF
this river would be very profitable Tor tine
opening up of a large trade in Peltries,
fort Union was later located here), not
only with the nations situated upon the
banks of this beautiful river, but likewise
with those that roam the banks or the
Missouri above its outlet. Such are the
: ChiouitoHnes, 1.-THE Shoshonesl, and the
Snake nation of which we have only slight
knowledge. A large part OF the Assini-
boin nation, which roams over the land
north of the Missouri, would have a much
shorter distance to come to trade, its pei
tries at this fort than to carry them TO the
English fort on the Red river. (The Hud-
sons Bay company had penetrated the Red
river country
1.-THE western and northern part of the
Missouri, from the White river thirty five
leagues above the Ponca up to this river
that / have said flows into the MISSOURI
sixty leagues above the Cheyenne river, 10
visited only by the Sioux nations, called
Teton, who are divided into four wander
ing tribes they roam also over the west
side Of this river in order to hunt the
buffalo and beaver which are found there
in greater numbers than on the other side.
The Sioux tribes are those who hunt most
for the beaver and the other good peltries
OF the upper Missouri. They sc0ur all the
rivers and streams without fearing any
one. They carry away every springtime,
from out Of our territory, a great number
of them, which they exchange for mer-
I chandise with the other Sioux, situated on
the st. Peters and Des Moines rivers, ire
quented by traders of Canada. 1t would
be easy to establish upon the Missouri
storehouses of merchandise to provide FOL
their needs and to secure the trade of theiE
peltries.
'At the beginning Of the month Of April
the Sioux wander far from the banks OF
(Oontinued on Agricultural Page)