The Crows, The Great Crow Country and the Old Chief’s Interesting Story of His People

(Originally published in the Hysham Echo February 11, 1926 by Dan R. Conway & also November 22, 2013)
CONT. FROM LAST WEEK

“We all know that in earlier times, our people lived on the shores of a large body of water, which was larger than we are able to describe. From the Kansas river our people journeyed northward by degrees, pausing for a long time at the point where the two branches of the Platte river join. It was here that I and the older men of your tribe were born. Our journey to the northwest from the Kansas river was a slow travel, for we stopped for long times in some good country. Our chiefs marked their route by putting piles of stones along the way, so that we could go back easily if we needed to.

“When our people arrived at the North Platte, they found large bands of buffalo and they remained there for many moons. Be it remembered, my sons, that during this time, your people were very poor. They had no guns, no horses, no implements, and no metal vessels of any kind. It was much a harder task in those days to erect a lodge, to kill the meat and keep living than it is now since the white man has brought us our ammunition, our knives, cloth, needles, and kettles. Then, I am told, our people were able to cut and fashion a sort of stake or pin but with great labor, and these were used to keep the bottom of their lodges in place. Large stones were piled around the bottom of the lodge upon the skin where it touched the ground. The buffalo were butchered with pieces of sharp stone. Our men, were very skillful in chipping off the stone in scales for such use.

Minnataries and Crows Separate

“When our people were camped on the North Platte, they once suffered very much from famine. They were separated into two bands which camped near each other, and one day a few buffalo appeared. These escaped the hunters of one camp, but were killed by the hunters of the other. The camp which had failed to run down the animals, demanded some of the meat but were refused. This caused a quarrel and strife between the two camps. One camp accused the other of stinginess, while their neighbors replied: ‘Go and eat the corn you are so fond of.’ They agreed to separate.

And, now, my sons, you have the story of the origin of the separate tribes, the Crows and the Gros Ventres of the Missouri. But, although these two tribes were thus separated, my sons, they never made war upon each other, and occasionally made friendly visits one to the other.

“As near as we are able to figure, this separation must have taken place about 1775 or 1780. At least, the old men who told me the story, were very young when it happened. The Crows called the Gros Ventres Ah-mah-sha, the ‘Ground Houses’ or ‘House of Earth.’ The Gros Ventres, (or Minnataries), raised corn, but we do not know today how or where they first got it. These Minnataries, though, left the Crows and took up their permanent camp near the habitation of the Mandans on the upper Missouri.

Legend of the Sun

“Our fathers tell us, my sons, that many many moons ago, at a time when the Crows were a very numerous people, and when they were great favorites of the Sun, the Sun came among the Crows and took a Crow woman as a wife. They erected a wonderful lodge where the woman lived respected by all of her tribe, and from time to time, the Sun came down and lived with her for a time. It is said that the Sun favored the Crows because of his love for the Crow woman, and that because of this the Crows were blessed with plenty of food, plenty of buffalo and success over their enemies.

“But, my sons, there was among our people then a fool-dog, a man who was supposed to be possessed of an evil spirit, and not responsible for the things that he did. This man roamed about the villages doing hurt to whom he would and no one harmed him because he was a fool-dog and couldn’t help it. Once when the Sun was absent from his lodge the fool-dog visited it and in spite of the efforts of the wife of the Sun, he harmed her. The Sun Woman was greatly grieved and prepared herself for death. When the Sun came she told him what had happened and then put herself to death before his eyes.

“This made the Sun very angry with the Crows for the wrong that had been done him. He determined to destroy the Crows; he caused their corn to fail; he prevented the buffalo from coming to the Crow country and gave their enemies power over them. It was then, my sons, that the Crows were forced to become wanderers on the earth, trying to find a new home where they could have food and rest. For a long time they wandered, suffered very much misery from famine and in danger of total destruction, when the White Wolf, who was the servant of the Sun, took pity upon them. Coming among them, he told them to make a pile of rice stalks and other fuel. They were then to make little pellets of meat and corn and throw them one by one upon the pile until the pile burst into flames, when ten buffalo would arise from the midst of the flame, all of which the Crows must destroy. Should one escape, he would go to the Sun and tell him what the Crows were doing, and then there would be no hope for them.

The Crows did not know what to do, for, although they could find enough meat for this sacrifice, they did not believe there was so much as a kernel of corn among them all. But, at last, they found one old woman who had saved a small amount for seed which she gladly gave since it was to save them from starvation. Ten pellets were made, the pile of rice stalks and other fuel were gathered, and while all the warriors stood ready with drawn bows to kill the buffalo as they appeared, the pellets were thrown one by one upon the pile. The first one did not bring any results; and neither did any of the others up to the ninth. No signs of flames appeared and the Crows began to lose faith; but the tenth caused the pile to burst into blaze, and the ten buffalo galloped out of the midst of the pile. The warriors let fly their arrows and the ten buffalo dropped dead.

“There was then a feast and great joy in the camp. At the suggestion of White Wolf, the charm was repeated and the next flame produced 20 buffalo, the third 30 and so on, ten more each time, until the number reached ninety, all of which the Crows destroyed, and there was a great supply of food. In those days the Crows had no horses, and hunted only with the bow and arrow, and it was a difficult task for them to kill so many buffalo. When the number of buffalo reached 100, a misfortune happened; they killed only 99, and the one that escaped led directly to the Sun and told him the whole story.

“The Sun was very angry, but most angry with White Wolf because he had not been a faithful servant. The Sun told White Wolf to go with the Crows and tell them that he would no more try to destroy them. White Wolf was condemned to forever be a vagabond and an outcast among the animals of the earth. This the White Wolf has been to this day.

How the Crows Got Horses

“In the days of my grandfather, our people did not have horses, and they did not know what they were. The squaws carried large burdens on the march and our dogs drew the travois. Our people then had just as large lodges as they do now, and a whole lodge was too much of a load for one dog, so they were made in two parts so that they could be hauled by two dogs.

“After our people had reached the Yellowstone country, they were visited by a party of the Nez Percés. These people, seeing that the Crows used only dogs, told them of the larger and better animals that they had, and offered to trade the crows some if they would visit their camp. A party of the Crows did so, and there for the first time, they saw the larger and more powerful beasts. They traded for a few and started toward home. On the trip home, my grandfather had an unusual experience. As he stood near the bank of a stream, a man clothed in black from head to foot, rose suddenly out of the water and stood before him. He demanded of my grandfather what he was doing in that place, and was answered that he was after horses.

Then the strange creature gave a loud call, and from the woods nearby pranced a hundred horses of all colors, and mostly fine animals. ‘Take your choice of the lot,’ said he, My grandfather selected a handsome coal-black hose. ‘Now get upon him,’ the creature said. ‘They are strong, and can carry all that you may want to put upon them. Hurry home, but let me warn you never once look behind you till you get to your village, or it will be ill for you.’

“My grandfather had never ridden a horse, but he lost no time in doing as the spirit had told him. He got upon the horse’s back, and as he was carried away, he greatly enjoyed this new way of being carried along over the hills. As he was riding along he very soon heard the clatter of hoofs behind him, as though he were being followed by a large number of the same sort of animals as that he was riding. These did not come into view and he dare not look back.

When it came night, he stopped and lay down on his breast with his head in the direction of the village, so that by no chance through any sudden awakening, should he look behind him. In the morning, he went on his way, and after traveling two more days he reached home. To the surprise of all of his people, he had brought home 100 of the large splendid animals that were to take the place of the dogs as the beasts of burden. From that time on, our people continued to acquire horses, and never since have they been without plenty of them. And, we load them heavy because the man in black said that they would bear it.  (Cont. next week) Print this post