The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-04-07
MANDANS PROBABLY
AMONG first, Says
INDIAN AUTHORITY
Were Followed Closely by Gros
ventre and Friendly Re-
Iations Existed
IA vERENDRYE HERE IN 1893


Hard-Riding Sioux Drove Hid
atsa Across River: ORR
gins Are Indefinite
BY COLONEL A. b. WEIGH
CWh0se name among the Sioux b
Charging Bear'')
Without argument as to what
people, II any, were here when the
present tribes arrived in what now Is
North Dakota. we have had several
great tribes In this area since the
earliest explorers arrived. OF these.
the Mandans probably were the ear
lest arrivals, at least upon tn, upper
Missouri river.
They were followed by the appear
Ance Of the Hidatsa (now called the
Gros Ventre) and these two tribes
were close allies and co-inhabitants
OF q group Of villages at the time
of the arrival OF the Frenchman. La
Verendrye, who came into this coun-
try by way of the Great Lakes water
ways and Lake Winnipeg, in 1893 and
hAin in 1742.
/tyrhe Mandans already had been in
heir village sites at the mouth of the
Heart River for considerable time,
and it is quite probable that they
already had deserted any villages on
the east or left banks Of the Missouri
which they may have founded. Yer
endrye wrote many details Of their
village dwellings and Notifications
and was amazed at the system of de-
Tense they erected, many Of which we
ssaye been able to identify. These are
to be found at several places upon
the right banks Of the Missouri both
North ana south Of the present city
Of Mandan, and the bitches and re-
doubts of both Looking Village" close
to Bismarck, and the Village Of the
Double Ditch" some miles above the
city, may be seen and studied even
now.
Students differ a. to tho probable
place Of origin OF the Mandans, some
holding that they came from q gen.
eral easterly direction. and others
claiming that they were at one time
situated at the mouth Of the Mississ-
ipp'. In any event, they participated
in great trek from their native
country, a journey which covered
period Of perhaps q hundred years
before they were discovered by white
men.
Az Far South Az Omaha
s. Ruins positively identified as Of
Mandan origin are to be found as far
south as the vicinity Of the present
Omaha, and from that territory, sim
ilai remains are quite frequent along
the Missouri, as far north as SaniSh,
N. D.
There is little doubt that they were
living at the five villages" at the
mouth of the Heart in l742, when the
two sons OF Verendyre visited them.
During the summer Of 1742. these
two young men stayed several weeks
among the Mandans, awaiting an OPP
portunity to undertake an exploring
trip into the southwest. where they
thought they would discover the Pa
cific ocean within a few days travel
from the Mandan villages.
They finally did journey as far as
the Shiny Mountains" (probably the
Big Horn RANGE in company with q
war party Of Sioux. but the trip ended
abruptly through a false rumor that
another tribe of Indians had attacked
their home camp where they had left
their old people and the women. Upon
reaching the Missouri river, the YER
endryes spent the winter with camp
OF Sioux, upon the present site Of
Yankton, s. D.. and then followed the
Missouri north: crossed over to the
Mouse river and on to their principal
fort upon the Assiniboine or Lake
Winnipeg lake. When the Lewis and
Clark expedition arrived here in the
carly winter of 1904, they decided to
spend the winter with these friendly
Mandans" in the vicinity Of what Is
now Fort Clark, NJ D., and since that
date, the Mandans have maintained
their permanent habitat in the vicin-
ity Of their present home at Ebo-
woods. N. p.
At some remote time, there appeared
the people now commonly spoken Of
as the Gros Ventre. Their tribal name
is "Hidatsa." They appealed to the
Mandans to be permitted to cross to
tho right banks of the Missouri. This
request was granted, and ever since
that time, the Hidatsa have lived In
close communion with the Mandans.
Tradition relates that this was ct q
time when the Mandans were living
In several villages on the west side OF
the Missouri and in the vicinity Of
the mouth Of the Heart river.
Origin Is Shrouded
The origin Of the Hidatsa Is shroud-
ed with more than usual doubt and
conjecture, they claiming that they
first appeared upon the earth at the
Devils Lake and. that, after many diff
ficulties having been overcome, they
travelled south and west. Traces Of
Indian occupation upon the shores Of
Spiritwood Lake In Stutsman county
correspond with their traditions, and
they probably lived there just 50 long
as game was abundant and then fol-
lowed their scouts to the Missouri
river. from which time their known
and surmised history Is almost identi-
cal with that Of the Mandans At
the time Of the Lewis and Clark ex-
petition they were found In company
with the Mandans In the "five VII
1aoes" Of these two people, lying be-
tween Fort Clark and the Knife River,
on the right O. west hanks Of the
Missouri.
The Hidatsa were earth lodge
peopae" g were the Mandans, and It
= quite difficult to make distinction
hetween the village ruins Of these two
tribes. While examining several hum
ord pounds Of bone. stone ana wood
implements and artifacts belonging
~ tl1e author. taken from thee DIFF
'9eeent village site, II company with
elfaee a16atsa q Nandans. each vii
ado0t1fy identical specimens 9 having
oon made ~ their own people. i =
eu1te peObebie that the Grows a. Mon.
ea1nA ~ Gooco06nnte 6 d band Of