Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-03-29
Lisa Ordered Men to Fire Artillery and Muskes to Scare
5000 Hostes First Fur Company in State Was Successful


What was the first tArm or cor
pOration to do business In what to-
day is the state Of Montana9
Where was their place of business
the first building erected by
white men in what Is today this
commonwealth? In what year was
this enterprise estabIished2 How
long did Il continue in business?
who were the men interested?
When Lewis and Clark returned to
st. Louis from their trip up the Mis-
souri, and across the Rockies to the
Pacific in 1906, they brought informa-
ton of the richness of the upper Mis-
souri, as a fur trading country. One
man Immediately graSped the import
ance of this knowledge. He was Manuel
Lisa, the only prominent Spanish fur
trader that the Spanish regime of 40
years developed in what was then
known as Upper Louisiana. In holiness
OF enterprise, persistency OF purpose
and in restless energy, he was 1an
representative Of the Spaniards OF the
days of Cortez.
Plans An Expedition
NO sooner had he heard the descrip-
ton given by Lewis and Clark OF the
rich r-producing country along the
Missouri and its tributaries than he
began planning to exploit 1t. He formed
q partnership with William Morrison
and Pierre MenArd Of Kaskaskia, Ill,
and started careful preparations 70
lead an expedition to the upper rivers
the following spring Of 1907. 1t was
venture of enormous hazard, for the
destination was 1000 miles away,
among hostile tribes who were treach-
erous and desperate warriors.
At that time there was no newspaper
in st. Louis, the Louisiana Gazette
being established two years later, so
Yan r.
ing upon this expedition. Neither are
there any documents or letters extant
concerning it, From statements made
by Lisa and others who accompanied
him on the trip, however, many facts
about the journey were later obtained
and have been preserved.
AS early as possible In the spring
Of 1807-probably in May-the expedi-
ton left st. Louis. The merchandise
destined for trade with the Indians
was carried on a keeIboat, and the
progress of the party was limited to
the slow rate at which this boat could
be dragged up the winding course OF
one of the most difficult navigable
streams in the world
DeSerter rs Shot
Lisa had with him as his right-hand
man George Drouillard who had been
interpreter and hunter for Lewis and
Clark. At the mouth of the Usage river
one of the boatmen, Antoine BisSon-
cite, deserted. Lisa ordered a search !
for him and commanded that he be
brought back dead or alive. Drouillard
overlook and shot him, wounding him
severely. Lisa put the wounded man
Charles, but he died on the way.
At the mouth of the Platte, Lisa
had a most fortunate experience. A
boat with q solitary passenger was /
seen coming down the river, BY good |
luck 1t proved to be the very man of
all men whom Lisa would have chosen !
to encounter. It was John Golfer, one
of Lewis and Clark's men, who had
crossed to the Pacific with their party,
and who, on the return journey, had
left the explorers to trap and hunt
on the upper Missouri in company with
two extraordinary Adventures, Dick
son and Hancock, who had Travelled
alone from St. Louis to the mouth of
the Yellowstone to trap and hunt.
What happened to Dickson and Han
cock, history does not relate, but Col
ter did not remain in their company
long, and, after a most thrilling series
of adventures among the Indians, he
had decided to return alone down the
river. Lisa persuaded him to turn his
face westward with LiSa'S party once
more, and so, abandoning his little
craft, Golfer again faced the perils OF
the wilderness. 1t was now more than
three years since he had left the
frontiers of civilization.
Lisa SkTIlfuI Leader
Above the mouth of the Platte river
the danger from hostile Indians was
serious. Death lurked at most turns
Of the river, where parties might be
concealed, and the utmost adroitneSs
IN dealing with hostiles was necessary.
The lives Of the party often hung as
upon thread which the slightest error
OF judgment or weakness might break.
In after years defects of leadership
cost many lives on the hostile shores
of the Missouri
But Lisa was as far master of the
art of conciliating the good will of
the Indians as was any trader that
ever assembled the river. He knew when
to be gentle and when severe. He never
was caught in an Indian snare, and {
he passed In and out of many.
On this occasion he passed the Sioux {
safely, but was stopped by that most
treacherous of Missouri river tribes.
the Aricaras. However, with his usual
skill he extricated his party without
fighting. :
Some distance above the Mandan
village In Dakota he encountered be-
tween 1000 and 5000 wandering As
collected on the river
bank. Here he realized that a bold
policy was necessary and determined
10 terrorize the Indians before COM
Ing into contact with them. He caused
the swivel cannons to be heavily load s
ed, had every musket charged and
then steered directly for the shore
along which the Indians were assem-
oled. One hundred yards from the