denig] THE ASSINIBOIN 457 



Indian Trade 



There is no doubt that the Indian trade has promoted the general 

 cause of civilization. Even within our recollection, tribes of Indians, 

 from being bloodthirsty robbers, have changed to orderly and civil 

 people. A foundation has been laid, and the road paved toward the 

 civilization of the prairie tribes, but nothing more. Stationary In- 

 dians have been still further advanced. The few ideas of justice 

 that are beginning to be developed and the verj^ first dawn of the 

 light of knowledge perceptible are in consequence of their traffic and 

 communication with the white trader. The introduction of firearms, 

 articles of clothing, utensils, and other articles manufactured by 

 the whites must tend to enlarge their ideas, set them to thinking, to 

 show them their uncultivated state, and to implant a desire to im- 

 prove. Nevertheless their progress is slow, more so with the Assini- 

 boin than with any other nations. They adhere with tenacitj' to old 

 customs and superstitions, which is vexatious and discouraging; but 

 the Sioux, Mandan, Gros Ventres, Cree, and Chippewa are undoubt- 

 edly much improved. The firm of Pierre Chouteau, Jr., & Co., for- 

 merly the American Fur Co., has for many years conducted the trade 

 with all the Indians of the Missouri and its tributaries, from Council 

 Bluffs to the headwaters of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. 

 The supplies for the trade are brought up each spring and summer 

 from St. Louis by steamboat and distributed at the different forts 

 along the Missouri River as far as Fort Union, mouth of the Yellow- 

 stone; from which point they are transported with keel boats to 

 Fort Benton, near the mouth of Maria River, in the Blackfoot coun- 

 try. From these forts or depots the merchandise is carried into the 

 interior in different ways, to wherever the Indians request trading 

 houses to be established. 



The traders generally bear the character of trustworthy men and 

 the nature of the barter for robes and other skins is such that the 

 Indian receives what he considers an equivalent for his labor or he 

 would not hunt. There is no way in the nature of the busine^ by 

 which an Indian can be made to hunt, nor any means of getting his 

 skins without paying a fair price. Should the merchandise be placed 

 too high to be easily purchased by them they would and can dis- 

 pense with nearly all the articles of trade. On the contrary should 

 the price be too low the business could not be continued ; the pros- 

 pects of gain not being equivalent to the risk of the adventure or 

 capital employed it would lie abandoned. Consequently a medium 

 is and must be established whereby are secured the advantage and 

 comfort of the Indian and a tolerably fair prospect of gain for the 

 trader. The trade, when carried on without competition, is in many 

 respects a highly respectable and important occupation. Therefore 



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