Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-03-13
Indians Saved Lives of Captain Williams Men
When Herd of Wild Buffalo Staged Stampede

n b doubtful whether any expedi-
tion set out for the Rocky mountains
which was less prepared 10 make the
journey by experience in plainsman-
ship. or knowledge Of Indian tactics,
than the one conducted by Captain
williams, that left st. Louis In the
spring Of 1907. bound first for the
Nandan village on the Missouri. This
expedition served as an escort for the
Mandan chief, Big White. who, to-
gether with his wife and son accom-
panied Lewis and Clark down the
Missouri.
1t did not take the shrewd old chief
long to plumb the depths of these
mems ignorance. and but for his aid
and advice they might never have
reached their destination.
One afternoon when on the plains
they heard a sound like distant thun-
der, that rapidly increased in volume,
and being continuous, could not be
caused by heavens artillery" They
did not understand it, there being no
thundercaps in sight, and becoming
momentarily more apprehensive, they
went to their source Of knowledge
Big White-and asked him to explain
1t. He said 1t was caused by a stam-
pede OF frightened buffalo that were
coming toward them, and judging from
the sound, their number must be large,
In which case 1t was exceedingly dan
gero,LS to be in their path. Stampeding
buffalo rush straight ahead and
trample down all that comes In their
way.
Thus timely warned, the little COM
pany awaited the coming of the herd.
1t was at least an hour before 1t came
in sight. BY Big Whites advice, several
men, including Big White and his son,
rode out 200 or 300 yards in front of
the train. and by shouts, waving of
hats. and rapid firing of guns, man.
aged to separate the herd, a part of
1t going to one side of the train, and
a part of 1t on the other, but 1t was
necessary to keep up the shouting and
firing until the whole herd had passed.
which took about an hour. A grey
hound belonging to the company,
rushed under the feet Of the buffalo
and was instantly killed.
The men said that the shouts of
Big White and his son did more to
separate the charging buffalo than
was accomplished by all their gun
firing. An Indian halloo was a sound
these animals knew. and had learned
to dread.
Although the company was short of
meat. no effort was made to kill any
buffalo. as the stampede might have
preferred to go hungry. than to be at
tackled. After the danger from buffalo
was over, the company rode or 10
miles and camped.
The next morning three men were
sent out to hunt game. Before they
left. Captain Williams strictly charged
them to keep together, and a certain
point was designated where they were
to Join the party that evening" When
the time came. two Of the men arrived
but the third failed to appear. His
companions reported that they had
sighted deer and were going after
them, when the missing man said he
would hunt an elk he saw, so, con-
trary to Captain Williams orders, he
left them and they lost track Of him.
A large fire was built to guide him
to camp, but was speedily extinguished
when Big White warned the company
that Indians as well as the lost hunter
might be attracted by it. When morn
ing dawned. search was instituted
for the stray hunter, and notwith-
standing that three Indians had been
seen the day before, the white men
fired their guns and made a great
racket in the hope of attracting the
attention Of the man they were seek
ing.
They went to the place where the
hunters said they last saw him, but
could find nothing to indicate his hav-
ing been there. This caused them great
alarm. They feared he had been cap
tured by the Indians who were in the
neighborhood, and having thus learned
that a party Of white men was near,
they would surely attack it. This dan
ger apparently had no effect on the
gun-firing and noise made by this body
of unsophisticated pilgrims. 1t was the
season for buffalo hunting when large
bands Of Indians would be out after
them, and the Williams party was in
the most hostile tribes, and every pre-
caution should have been taken not to
meet them.
The conduct of these men on this
occasion is fair sample of the care
lessness that in the end led to the
destruction of all but four of the ex-
petition that set out from st. Louis
so gaily, to make fortunes in the will
derneSS. One of the survivors was Rose,
who deserted to live with the Crows,
and could not have been greatly
blamed for having in this manner
chosen the self-preservation possible
as a member of the Crow nation, rath-
er than to remain connected with a
body of men who did not understand
the first principles of what every from
tiersman should know.
While riding around in search of the
lost hunter, some Of the party saw a
horse in a small grove Of trees near
the river, and heard 1t neigh. They
thought it belonged to the man they
sought, but 1t might have been picket