Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-06-07

Berthold ! went up TO the Texas to
witness the beautiful sunset. It was
the fitting close Of q perfect day. The
entire western sky was a glow OF deem
pink shadowtng TO crimson, given back
by the waters about us In hueS OF
roseate bronze, and the dreary river
banks on either hand were transfig-
ured by the all-pervaded splendor.
Silhouetted against this background
was a group of young braves singing
and swaying to the rhythm As thew
sang boys voices from the lower deck
echoed the refrain in a higher key.
their shrin Hi-yi-yi-yis' In exact time
with the leading chorus on the Texas.
None OF the singers gave evidence by
so much as a conscious glance that
they noted the presence Of an audience
OF white men and women; an audience
that was greatly disturbed by this i'm
promptu concert. Was this q war song
preliminary to a general massacre? A
song Of defiance 70 an unseen enemy
or hymn to the dying dayP We want
eu 70 know, and that too, speedily
Left to our own Interpretation Of its
meaning our imaginations naturally
suggested the worst.
To add TO our anxiety. the boats
Officers. who had promised us that at
Fort Berthold the boats should be sep
arated for the night, had them tied
up side by side. with gangplanks con-
meeting them. and permitting free
communication Of the Indians with
one another
our army passengers considered the
SITUATION alarming and We we're OF the
same opinion. With the coming OF
darkness no one wished to sleep except
the very young children, who had no
thought OF danger In the words Of the
old song:
I'VE we're crowded In the cabin,
Not a soul would dare to sleep
I'VE simply sat there and nursed
our fears, until, realizing the useless
ness Of 1t all. I decided at midnight
TO leave the others to the full enjoy
ment Of anticipated horrors and re-
tired to my stateroom. where my two
little girls lay peacefully sleeping. I
tried TO lock my door that gave on
a corridor. but discovered that the
lock was broken. With all the movable
furniture In the room barricaded the
door. This accomplished. and hoping
that we were to be killed the chill
dren would never awaken, laid my
self down beside them. closed my eyes,
and never opened them until late next
morning.
Child. Girl Drowned
ION going to breakfast I learned that
had missed the most thrilling ex-
Perlence OF the journey. In the early
dawn an Indian child, in attempting
to cross the plank TO reach another
boat had fallen into the water. A
chiefs daughter. while trying to rescue
1t. had been caught by the undertow
and both we're drowned. On seeing this
tragedy enacted before their eyes the
Indians raised their death wall and
the passengers who had been looking
for trouble were sure their hour had
struck
I'VE were relieved from this danger
but our fears continued and increased
with the passage of every hour until
We arrived at Bismarck. There we dis
covered that the officers Of the boat
were as badly frightened as we, and 1t
was reported that our captain had re-
fused to go to Standing Rock on his
boat, but would take the train to that
point and reaSsume his command when
the Indians had left. It was further
said that after the passengers had
the Indians had secured
some whisky. With the aid Of this
stimulus they recognized their strength,
took possession of the Star Of the West
and made life exceedingly interesting
for the white men who remained on
board. This accounted for the captains
desertion."