Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-03-15
GOLIATH Is SLAIN
BY INDIAN DAVID
WHITE MAN SOLD FATHER-I IN
LAWS SKELETON TO SCOT
TO TAKE TO DUBLIN

Many years ago, where the thriving
city of Lewistown, Mont, now stands
was an Indian trading post, called
Reeds fort.
Reeds fort was kept by Major Reed
and Bill Bowles. The latter was a
sQuaw man and was married to a
! daughter of a Grow chief, called Long
Horse, whose band hung around in
| that vicinity, and Long Horse was his
father -in-law. Perhaps Bill was not
married to this squaW In the conven-
tional way, as there was nobody In
that country TO marry them at that
time. The usual way at that time was
either by buying a girl from her father
for a few bottles Of whisky or some
trade goods or stealing her, or winning
her on a horse race or In poker game,
which was all usual and regular
Major Reed never was squaw man.
1t was not considered good etiquette
In those days to ask a man where
he came from, or where he was going.
It simply wasn't done, and curiosity
regarding such things was frowned
upon and discouraged and brought one
decided unpopularity. The major was
a well-educated, gentlemanly man.
who bore himself well, even when in
drink
One day an Indian runner came to
the fort and reported that a band of
Blackfeet was coming that way from
the north. AS the Crows and Black
feet were mortal enemies, Long Horse
rallied his band. got all the white men
he could to join him, made war medi-
cine and went forth to meet the Black
feet and give battle.
Long Horse Big Indian
Now Long Horse was tremendously
big Indian, about s feet and or 10
inches tall, well proportioned and
about the biggest, finest looking speci-
men of an Indian in the west. He rode
a big, fine American horse that
weighed about 200 poundS-no cayuSe
or indian pony could carry him.
The Crows and Blackfeet met on
a creek east Of Reeds fort, called Flat
Willow, and the Blackfeet were told
that this was Crow country and they
must turn back, at which they laughed.
There was, evidently, some pretty |
smart white men with the Crows and
1t was finally arranged between the
two bands of Indians that the two
chiefs, Long Horse and Weasel Calf, |
should fight between the two bands |
and whichever was victorious the other |
band should retire. The Crows and the |
smart white men had kept the big
Long Horse and his fine saddle animal |
armed with a lance, a knife, q toma-
hawk, and a shield Of dried buffalo /
hide and rode forth to fight and the |
Crows naturally expected that their
man with his size and weight and |
strength and his big horse, would ride
right over the smaller Weasel Calf and
his cay1se.
David and Goliath
It was kind Of a David and Goliath
performance, as it turned out They
both charged and both lances were
caught on the buffalo hide shields and
both chiefs were endorsed and fell to
the ground, but the Weasel's lance
mad pierced Long Horses shield and
rome through his body and stuck six
inches out of his back and killed him,
while the Weasel had suffered no in
fury except from the fall from his
horse. He jumped UP and ran to Long
Horse with his knife IN his hand to
finish him, and saw that he was dead.
BE did not stop to scalp him but cut
off one Of his long braids Of hair and
neld It I'D and gave the warwhoop,
hen ran back to his people.
Some Of the young bucks among the
Crows wanted to fight and avenge the
ieath of Long Horse but IL was pointed
mt to them that their medicine was
bad that day and that they
mad better go nome as agreed ana
make some good medicine and try 1t
again another day. So they picked upl
ong Horse, laid him across the saddle,
read ON one side and feet on the
,ther, and tied him on and started
Jack with the body.
souaws wall Over Body
When they got back and the squaws
lad walled over Long Horse for a
,ouple Of days and the medicine man
,ad made the medicine 70 help him
n his way TO whatever place a dead
indian goes to, they finally built
,latform up In 8 big cottonwood tree,
wrapped Long Horse up In some buf-
alo robes and buried him up In the
Long Horse, the father-in-law Of
an B0wles, remained buried up IN the
rec for q long time, until his bones
1ere well bleached and sun and rain
nd SNOW and the elements had done
ncfw work.
one day along came scientist from
he University Of Dublin, Ireland.
aF,ed DR.. Jamison, who was brother
4 the DR.. .Jamison who conducted the
arnous Trausvaal raid which brought
a the BOer war.
Tsne doctor was q great student Of
tnn0lo@y, which Is q study Of people
nd nafl0ns and their customs and
hmracteristicS, etc. At any rate, the ,
o.anr was browsing around and ieaxn-