102 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bcli,. 176 



entry into the Hills, they were not wanted by the Sioux, nor did 

 the Indians want them if they were intended to induce them not to 

 go to war with the Crow and their other enemies. "All they asked 

 of the white people," Warren quoted him as asserting, "was to be left 

 to themselves and let alone . . ." (Warren, 1856, in Eobinson, 1904, 

 pp. 227-230). Subsequently, Bear's Rib, who appears to have been 

 an able leader despite later strong disaffection among the Dakota 

 themselves, met Captain Raynolds at Fort Pierre II, where he pro- 

 tested the provisions of the Yankton Treaty, and Raynolds reported 

 the able speech of Bear's Rib in his own words (Raynolds, 1868, p. 

 20; also in Robinson, 1904, pp. 249-250) . 



By the provisions of various agreements such as the Treaty of 

 Fort Laramie, of 1851, and the unratified "treaty" made at Fort 

 Pierre by Harney in 1855, annuities were made to various peoples 

 of the area centering about Fort Pierre. These annuities were paid 

 during special visits of then nonresident agents of the Indian Office. 

 Thus in the spring of 1862 there came to Fort Pierre between two and 

 three thousand Sioux, from seven bands, to meet the agent, Samuel 

 N. Latta. The Indians with one exception refused to treat with Latta 

 at this time, however, or to accept any "presents." This exception was 

 Bear's Rib, who, "after persuasion," accepted goods for his band 

 though claiming that in so doing he was endangering his life and 

 that of his followers, and who asked that no more goods be brought 

 unless under military protection. A few days later, a party of Sioux 

 "came in from the prairies," killed him and several of his people, and 

 compelled the remainder to flee (Robinson, 1954, p. 288; report of 

 W. P. Dole, 1862). 



Bear's Rib had been at odds with other Dakota leaders because of 

 his adherence to the Whites. Latta himself, in his report of the affair, 

 mentions that the chiefs had protested that they were in the minority, 

 that they "had been promised protection," that the amount of the an- 

 nuities was so small as to promote discord rather than harmony 

 among the Indians, and the like. Other chiefs present at the council 

 seemed to be agreed, withholding their approval of the annuity pay- 

 ments and refusing future benefits. Only Bear's Rib, whom Latta 

 refers to as an Uncpapa chief "appointed" by Harney and "a brave 

 and good man," remained friendly to the Government, though ap- 

 parently well aware of the risk to himself. Latta stated that a few 

 days after he had delivered the annuity goods, a portion of the Sans 

 Arcs who were opposed to intercourse with the Government appeared, 

 and "within the gates of Ft. Pierre" killed Bear's Rib and several 

 others (Robinson, 1954, p. 299; report of S. K Latta, Aug. 27, 1862; 

 Robinson identifies the post in question as Fort Laframboise, but this 

 seems doubtful) . 



