The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-08-29
INDIANS TELL
ABOUT COMING
OF EXPLORERS
Few Survivors of Mandan
Tribe Have Legend About
Lewis and Clark

Grand Forks, n. D., Aug. 29.-,Pt-
Tina, the coming of the Lewis and
Clark expedition to the Upper Mis-
souri, river was an event TO be re-
membered not only by the whites
but by the Indians is proved by the
fact that it became 4 legend of the
famous Mandan tribe which the ex-
plorers found in 1904, according To
Dr. o. G. Libby, head of the history
department at the University OF
North Dakota.
The Indian reaction to the visit of
the explorers is told by DR.. Libby
in the following article, the thir-
tcenth of "A series which he has writ
ten for the Associated Press.
There are very few survivors OF
the famous Mandan tribe that Lewis
and Clark found living at the FIVE
Villages in 1904. Nevertheless the
story of this expedition is still pre-
served in oral legend among them.
Their tradition runs like this: zone
dav white man came up the river
with IA boat in which were many
white men. part of whom rowed and
part pulled the boat by rope. They
we're very tired when they reached
the principal village Of the Man
dams and many Of them had sore
shoulders. At first no one welcomed
them until Sheheke, Coyote, invited
them to his tepee, fed them well and
cured their sores. After time, when
they were ready to go back to the
Great White Father. they invited
Sheheke to go with them and he went
down the river with them and his
wife and little son went, too.
Journal Confirms Legend
The original journal Of Lewis and
Clark confirms this old legend III
every particular. There are, to be
sure, o considerable number Of gaps
in the Mandan story but it is correct
in every detail. The sequel is equally
interesting. After visiting at Wash
ington for year, the Mandan chief
asked to be, taken back to his village
On the return voyage up the river
the party were fired upon by the
Arikara at Grand River and the
boats returned to St. Louis. Not un'
til September "a, 1909. did the much
troubled chief find his way back t.
his home people.
So wonderful and improbable were
the stories told by the chief that, IL
the absence of any witnesses to tn
marvels he related Of his three year
visit among the whites, the tradi
tiOnal courtesy and forbearance .
the Indian broke down. Sheheke wa
declared to be an unmitigated liza
and cheat. The family never re
covered from the stigma and the lat
est descendant who related the stor
was looked upon by his fellows a
moor sort Of an Indian.
Sheheke was killed long after thi
~ L. as1l h
son, White Painted House, succeed
FLYING in front Of his tepee, a fla
that his father had brought back fro,
Washington. He could speak Englis
very well and often served as inter
prefer for the traders that visited ;
his village. His SON, Tobacco, die
III an early age in village to whic
the Mandans fled when the smallpo
scourge struck them in 1897. tt
son Of Tobacco, Gun-that-Guard
thc-House, told the story Of h
family and it has been preserved
the records of the State Historic
Society.
Long Mandan, we'll known Ma
dan at. Fort Berthold, was fond
relating to the white traders the
how Capt. Clark looked to him. wh'
as BOY OF nine, ne went Win II
father to the white mans camp. Il
winter of l8O4-5. He described Il
cleaning silver buckles on his sho
and at his knees, the blue unifor
and glittering brass buttons and h
long cue hanging down his back. b
mostly he was impressed, boy lii
by the size of the white man. 80
me-" he said, che seemed to be Gig
feet high and so broad shoulder
that he could hardly enter the do
of our tepee."