Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-05-16

fraught with danger, when men mus
1 be on the defensive until friendship
was proven.
Allen said: Howl" and gave the
Crow sign but the naughty brave sal
silent, lips tight. Allen assured him
as best he could, by sign language
that he and his party were friends. thai
| they were on their way up into Big
Horn Canyon prospecting for gold, thai
all they desired was to camp and rest
until morning And still the young
brave, surrounded by his 20 warriors
sat his horse in silence, suspicious and
inimical, cycling the preparations for
making camp.
Allen and his men built fire Of dried
cottonwood branches and hung pets OF
coffee over it. They thrust chunks OF
buffalo meat and that choicest Of all
ellie es-fat buffalo tongues-on
sticks and broiled them over the flames.
Soon the fragrance Of sizzling meat
and boiling coffee accomplished What
all Aliens assurances Of friendship had
failed to do-dispelled the grim sus-
picion on the faces Of the Indians. They
shifted, they glanced at one another
and nodded and smiled. and then, with
one accord they leaped from their
horses and came toward the campfire.
Gravely Allen took from glowing ashes
a big hunk Of buffalo meat, dripping
with fat, and proffered it to the young
brave Gravely he accepted, dividing 1t
and giving to each Of his warriors a
portion. The Redmen ate ravenously in
grateful, companionable silence. Cof-
fee was poured for them and Allen,
who knew the weakness Of the Indian,
made it into thick syrup with sugar.
And now, in the stern, watchIul eyes
of the brave, there was hint OF warm
friendliness. After the feast was over
the men, both Redmen and whites, lay
sprawled on the ground, smoking the
peace pipe, while Aliens party gave
the Crows news Of the outside world.
They told Of their recent victory over
the Sioux and Grizzly Bill, IN a rare
burst of generosity, presented the Crow
brave with one of the Sioux scalps.
They discussed what was in everyone S
mind at that time, the massacre OF Gus
ter,s men by the Indians, and the Crow
brave reminded them, with fine pride:
I'VE, the Crows, fought with the whites
against the Sioux, Some of our Crows
were Clusters scouts" But now our
the Sioux, have many good
guns taken from the whites while we,
the Crows, have very few"
Allen presented him with q needle |
gun taken from the Sioux that day, and
said: Our White Father in Washing
ton is going to build fort called Fort
Custer, where there will be many SOL
1iers to protect whites and Crows from
The Sioux. Our White Father knows the
Crows do not speak with crooked
tongue"
GraveIy the Grow brave stood erect,
not very tail but broadshouldered and
;plendidly built, and extended his hand
% Allen. Some day may be chief OF
ny people. will never forget what
you have spoken" He pulled his knife
rom its sheath at his belt and extend
ID it. Allen understood. To swear blood
by the knife is, for the
indian, to pledge a vow Of friendship
i'll death. He placed his hand beside
he slim, bronzed hand on the blade,
hus beginning friendship that fu-
ure years cemented, and that was cli
naked by that last reunion in DR..
Aliens office SO years later.
Allen remembers Plenty Coups who
vas the ambitious young brave, Aleek-
hea-ahoosh then, as man of iron,
With cold reserve and innate hauteur,