Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-05-16

tain area, and no more was received
at Fort Benton until 1860.
First Steamboat Arrives
In 1859 the first steamboat arrived
was the Chippewa, and its coming
signalized the coming of a new chapter
in the history of the post, and it also
marked the high point of the fur trad
ing period. The late fifties and early
sixties were the palmy days of that
area at the fort. The Indians came
from far and near There were not
only the Blackfeet, but also the Crows,
kootenais, Flatheads and Pend dor
eilles. In those days trade was the
occasion of no little ceremony. A band
of Indians. having been out on a hunt
for a sufficient period to have made
a good catch of skins, would return to
the fort. The morning following their
arrival the warriors, and even the
women and children, would paint their
faces, dress in the best of their bar
barrie costumes and move in body
to the gates. First came the chief, clad
in buckskinS and beadwork or porcu-
pine quill characterization. Usually he
wore as ornaments bear claws, eagle
feathers, weasel skins and elk teeth.
He would be armed with bow and ar
rows, with a large, round and highly
painted shield and lengthy hunting
knife.
When close to the fort the Indians
would begin to chant a song. Then
from the cannon Of the fort there
roared forth a salute. the flag was run
aloft and the portals were thrown open.
The factor would emerge to greet the
head chief, and the latter usually pre-
sented the factor with fine horse or
with some other valuable gift. The fac
tor then served the chiefs with a meal
and dram Of whisky, and after a
lengthy and dignified silence. during
which the pipe was passed, the trade
as they were counted, the Indian would
receive trade balls of lead, weighing
one-half ounce each, and these they
presented at the store in exchange for
goods, which usually were blankets,
cloth, beads, knives, flint steels, brace
lets, rings, etc.
Tobacco Supply Gone
One of the curious happenings at
Fort Benton in 1862 was a tobacco
out early in March, and there was no
hope of relief before the arrival of the
first steamboat in May. At first little
was thought of the shortage of this ar
ticle, but soon the disastrous effects
became evident.
The garrison at this time consisted
of the governor, or "bourgeols;'
clerk, an interpreter, several carpenters
and blacksmithS, cooks and hunters;
and some 80 laborers. The fare was ex-
tremely plain, consisting usually OF such
game as the hunters might procure,
and hominy, although the governor,
clerk and other more important en-
ployes were also given rice, sugar, dried
fruit and occasionally biscuits. AS the
men were quite closely confined to the
fort, the quality OF food served and lack
of entertainment made their lives seem
most monotonous. They were inclined
to be discontinued and quarrelSOme.
and when their tobacco gave out, they
began to grow sullen and morose. Oc-
casionally one of the garrison would
bring forth a small amount, which he
sold readily for $40 per ounce in gold.
BY this time considerable gold dust
was being received from the new dig
gings at Bannack. Old frontierSmen,
who had often in emergencies in the
wilderness gone for days without food
uncomplainingly and had suffered all
manner of hardships, seemed to for
get their manhood under the Unsuitable
craving for tobacco and surrendered
themselves to spells of rage that re-
suited in many fights and several kill
ingS. 1t was found that the man who
was occasionally producing and selling
tobacco had procured his store by tear
ing up the floor and gathering the
VI G1lC WScO l1ldI 1ld0 o4AlCo
through the cracks.
Sells for $40 Pound
The first steamboat was eagerly
watched for because of the tobacco it
would bring, and the general misery
was increased when word at length ar
rived that the boat had been held up
by low water some 20 miles below the
fort Some of the garrison started out
on foot to meet the boat and bought
all they could carry at 81 50 per pound.
Hurrying back to the fort with this
they reaped a good profit by selling 1t
for from IS to $40 per pound.
In 1864 the beginning of the end of
the fur trade was foreseen by the
American Fur Co., which sold Fort
Benton to a private firm. In that year
the building Of the town outside of the
fort also began. In 1870 Fort Benton
became a military post, and continued
to house a garrison for several years,
when it was abandoned and its grad
ual decay followed
H. 1%ocf a