| Summary: | EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA 21 September 6th the Indians killed four bears and eight deer. While they were pitching their temporary camp, a bear came to the river to drink. Henry shot him, but he ran off, and was found sitting under a brush heap, grumbling and licking his wounds. Another shot killed him. The next day seven bears were noticed drinking from the river at the same time. Red deer were whistling in every direction, and a wolf came near and was killed. The men killed a stur-geon with an axe. They arrived at Park River September 8, i8oo, about 2 P. M., and it being plain that the Indians would go no farther up the river, it was determined to build a post at that point. TERRORIZED BY THE SIOUX The Sioux were the terror of all the neighboring tribes, and the enemy of all. They wandered over the prairies in large bodies and in small, attacking when they thought it safe, lying in wait in ravines or timber, to attack women or children, as they came for water, berries or roots. They lingered about the camps in the hope of securing scalps, when they would return to their home as "big Indians," and bask in the sunshine of admiration. For these reasons, there was an ever-present feeling of dread of the Sioux, not only among the Chippewa, but also among the Mandans, Gros Ventres (Hidatsa) and Arikaras, which led to like raids and like outrages by them against the Sioux. The Cheyennes formerly occupied the Sheyenne River country. They were friendly to both the Sioux and Chippewa but the latter distrusted them, and about 1740 fell upon them and destroyed their villages, and forced them to flee across the Missouri River, when they became allied to the Sioux. There-after, for many years, neither Sioux or Chippewa attempted to hunt in the Shey-enne or Devils Lake country, unless in sufficient force to defend themselves, against any attack likely to be made upon them. About the year 1780, the Chippewa went to York Factory on Hudson Bay for supplies, leaving their old .men and women in camp near Lake Winnipeg. During their absence, the Sioux attacked their village and killed a great number of the old men, women and children. The place where this occurred is now known as Netley Creek. Some years prior to 1800, a wintering trader of the name of Reaume, attempted to make peace between the Sioux and the Chippewa. The meeting was held on the Sheyenne. They at first appeared reconciled to each other, but the Sioux took guns and ammunition away from the Chippewa giving them in return bows and arrows; to some bows without arrows, and to some arrows without bows, and after the Chippewa dispersed on the plains, followed and killed many of them. In the fall of 1805, there was a battle on the Crow Wing, between the Sioux and Chippewa in which the Sioux were defeated, and on December 29, 1807, an engagement took place between 30 lodges of Sioux and the Chippewa on the Crow Wing, in which the Sioux lost 20 lodges and a great many horses. On this date a battle was fought on Wild Rice River in which the Sioux were defeated. Internet Archive
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