Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-08-09

lis this beardleSs boy the desperate
mutineer of whom I have been told"
When he heard the full story he COM
plimented Clarke upon his courage
carried on the shoulders of a crowd
back to his hotel. He received a COM
mission in the Texas army and served
through the war.
While in the southwest, Clarke en-
countered the West Pointer whom he
had flogged. He also had been dis
missed from the academy and threat
kill him. The two men were riding
in opposite directions across the coun-
try, alone, when each recognized the
other. Clarke had two pistols, but had
shot at a prairie chicken a short time
before and did not know which one
was loaded. The men rode closer,
hands on pistols, the gaze of each
mounts almost touched, the other man
yielded the road and went by. Clarke.
expecting bullet in the back, breathed
easier when he reached a turn of the
road.
Came West in 1S41
In 1841, through his fathers in
fluence, Clarke secured employment
with the American Fur Co. and came
to what is now Montana. Through his
dSSNo "a dol AIi5, many ill4l
escapes and his persuasive personality
he acquired strong influence over the
Indians. He married among them. His
first wife was the daughter Of Black
feet chief and his second wife mixed
blood. His reputation as an Indian
trader brought him an offer from the
Hudson's Bay Co. to become its main
factor but he declined it.
Through one of his exploits he &C
81 Z
Bears. On trip up the Missouri river
he killed 80 grizzly bears in as many
days, and on one day killed four OF
them in a short space of time. The
feat amazed the Indians and they
thereafter venerated him as a mighty
hunter.
An incident that occurred in the
fiftieS reveals Clarke'S power over the
Indians. He was trading in an Indian
village when an Indian attempted to
steal some goods. Clarke knocked him
flat. The Indians swarmed angrily
about him. He stood in the entrance
of the trading lodge and held them at
bay with two derringers. Calf Shirt,
great chief of the BloodS, came up
This man shall live" he cried; he
has big heart"
Calls Council Meeting
He called a council meeting and
invited Four Bears to attend. After
the pipe of peace had been passed
around the circle and there had been
much discussion. Calf Shirt summed
friend" he said addressing Clarke
you are continually acting in a man
ner dlspleaSing to the Nation. We
think you wicked: but that is beside
the point. This touches us: You give
less for our robes than other traders.
That tongue of yours makes my young
men come and go at your beck, ana
we cannot understand it. Little Beaver
Maj. Alexander Culbertsonl gives us
rich presents: pays us richly for our
robes; treats me as great chief
should be treated. But your very smile
will make my men take their robes to
you. What power do you possess? Has
the spirit of the Manitou fallen upon
you? hate the white men, but hate
you less than any white man l ever
knew"
The pipe was then handed to Clarke
He took a few puffs and then an
swered: Il thank you for the good
advice. There is wisdom in it. -Four
Bears will heed it in the future. But
as that power which belongs to me,
I reply to you in the words OF the
great ones of the Nation: 1t is my
medicine, and mine alone.
Many Narrow Escapes
Clarke had many hairbreath escapes.
He was on a boat near Fort Union
when a man with a grudge against
him entered his cabin and drew q
revolver. Clarke was faster on the draw
and shot him dead. While he was in
charge of Fort Benton small party OF
Blackfeet raced up to the fort and
asked protection from pursuing Aricka-
rees. They were admitted and mo-
ment later bowling band of 300 In
dams appeared to demand the Black
feet be turned over to them. Clarke
refused, while at the same time send
ing a man from the fort to locate a
blind girl, his own baby daughter and
an Indian boy who was acting as
nurse. The blind girl was shot, the
Indian boy mutilated and Clarke's
daughter spanked. when the man from
the fort Snatched the daughter from
the arms of a redSkin and bore her in
safety back to the fort. The mutilated
Indian boy managed to get away and
swim to an island in the Missouri
Amid a hail OF arrows Clarke went
out and rescued him Then the Aricka-
reeS laid siege to the fort for three
hours without avail.
In 1864. deciding to go into horse
and cattle raising, Clarke settled on
the Little Prickly where he was killed
five years later.
A long chain Of circumstances led
up to the tragedy. The first was when
NetuScheo, a cousin of Mrs. Clarke'S,
with a number of other PieganS, came
to the Clarke ranch for visit. About
a week later all the Indian horses as