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Show CROW FLIES HIGH AND EIS BAND OF GROS VENTRES. Some years ago Crow Flies High and his band of Gros Tentre Indi-ans, numbering about 335, left the Fort Berthold Reservation, N. Dak., and remaining away beyond the control of the agent, they were joined from time to time by other desertions from the reservation, until their number aggregated 200. Their absence from the reservation, freedom from restraint, and general lawless conduct furnished a bad lesson for the Indians living on the reservation, whom the Government is endeavoring to start in self-support and civilization. It was therefore deem'ed best to return these Indians to their reser-vation and cause them to conform to the restraints necessary for their welfare and improvement, and as this would require a display of force the War Department was requested last January to instruct the com-manding officer at Fort Buford, N. Dak., to proceed, upon call of the acting Indian agent of the Fort Berthold Agency, to take Crow Flies High and his band and return them to their reservation. Early spring was the time designated, so that the band might be captured before breaking winter camp and be sett,led upon the reservation in time lor 8pring planting. The command left Fort Buford March 17,1894, captured Crow Fliea High and his confederates, Long Bear and Blackhawk, with their fol-lowers, and on April 2 turned them over to the Fort Berthold Indian agent. Capt. H. S. Foster, Twentieth Infantry, in command of the expedition, displayed great skill and ability in the execution of his orders and unusual wisdom and tact in takiug and managing the Indians. The expedition a,t that season of the year proved to be one of extreme difficulty and hardship. On the secolid day after lcavmg the post a furious blizzard (the most seve1.e of the winter) set in and raged for forty-eight hours, filling coulees, blockading all traffic by rail, and forcing the command into camp for four days. On the morning of the seventh day the march was resumed, ouly to be "struck" by another fierce blizzard. Snow blindness developed with Capt. Foster, and several members of the detachment and some Indians who had been picked up had milder attacks of the same sort. Previous rains had washed away bridges on their line of march and immense ice gorges 'had filled the streams t,o overflowing. Property was crossed in boats oonstructed with wagon bodies and wagon sheets; animals were made to swim the streams; empty wagons were hauled through with ropes and chains, and there were several narrow escapes from drowning. Nearly every rod of ground passed over had to be carefully recon-noitered to avoid mud, water, snow, crust, and coulees, and wide ! detours were frequent. In the face of these obstacles and difficulties the command traveled 300 miles in twenty-four days, at great personal |