Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-12-26

, The Piegans no longer believed the
representations Of the British traders;
they saw no snare In the higher prices
offered them for their furs; and soon
they were besieging the fort in
anxious throngs to barter their
peltries for the white mans goods
In a very few days Kipp had Sc
cured 6.540 pounds Of beaver skins
upon which he realized the next
spring sac, 900. This was a transaction
rarely equalled In the annals Of the
fur trade and amply compensated him
for the gift Of a single barrel OF
alcohol, which had sufficed to make
200 gallons of Indian whisky Having
completed their trading, the Black
feet departed for the north
British Incite Blood Indians
Great was the chagrin Of the British
traders when they learned Of the sue
cess Of their American rivals. and as
the Piegans had failed them, they now
sought to persuade the Blood Indians
Canadian tribe Of the Blackfeet ma
tom. to undertake reduction Of the
fort The Hudson's Bay men repre-
scented the Americans as scoundrels Of
the deepest hue, whose sole object was
to plumber and destroy the Indians
and take from the Indians their lands
They appealed to the greed Of the
B1oods by picturing the great stock OF
merchandise they would secure by
taking the post and killing the traders.
The Bloods, convinced Of the wisdom
Of following this advice. consented to
attack the post and prepared to do so
as soon as spring came.
In the meantime the garrison aV
Fort Piegan whiled away the winter
Of 1892 as best they could and were
yearning for the approach Of spring.
Early in the spring, a Piegan Indian
arrived at the fort and disclosed to
Ripp the startling news of the In
tended attack ct might be said here
that the Bloods were OF far more
savage nature than the Piegans and
an attack from these warriors was
much to be dreaded by the white
traders.) About 100 cords Of wood had
been cut, and Kipp at once had this
carried into the fort. after which he
turned his attention to the cutting OF
a great quantity Of ice to supply them
with water In the event Of siege.
This done. he was ready. and in a few
DAYS the Bloods arrived to the num-
Der of about 1900 hideously painted
warriors Finding the gates securely
fastened against them the Indians at
once surrounded the post and opened
fire at long range. They gradually
grew holder until they came near
enough for the garrison to return the
fire with fatal effect. Nevertheless
Kipp had wisely decided to fire upon
them only at the last extremity, as he
desired rather to conciliate them and
secure their trade, than to incur their
hostility. He therefore. ordered his
men not TO fire, but to let the Indians
see that he was constantly ready to
repel any attempt to carry the place
by storm
This state OF affairs continued for
IL days, when the garrison had ex-
hausted its water supply. The Indians
had maintained a desultory Tire, to
which not a single shot had been re-
turned by the garrison. so not man
on either side had been killed or
wounded. But Kipp now resolved TO
disclose to them his resources for de-
Tense, and by impressing the Bloods
with the idea of their inability TO take
the post, with view to inducing them
to raise the seige.
Train Cannon on Tree
An immense cottonwood tree, some
nine feet in diameter near the base
and with heavy gnarled limbs and
shaggy branches grew near the fort.
and, charging a brass four FOUNDER
cannon heavily with grape, ne fired
into the tree. A tremendous shower Of
snivered splinters rained down around
the tree, and this. together with the
thunder Of the discharge, gave the
savages such an exaggerated idea OF
the awful destructive powers OF the
gun, that. seized by panic, they fled
in every direction
Nov, boys, in with your ice,
shouted Kipp. who was well pleased
with the result Of the shot In an hour
q large supply Of ice had been
gathered and placed inside the fort.
It was at first supposed that the In
dams had departed for good, but pre-
sently two warriors appeared IN view
and cautiously approached the post.
Kipp went out to meet these two and
invited them to enter the post promis-
ing protection. This they refused To-
do, but Kipp. by a sudden movement,
cut off their retreat and ordered them
into the enclosure, at the same time