Re: MtMan-List: 1837 Smallpox

[Dennis Fisher <dfisher@sbceo.k12.ca.us>]

Sounds like the revisionist history folks have invaded the fur trade. 
The account I read said that small pox was indeed brought upriver in a
supply boat.  However, from this point the account I read (and I'll have
dig around to find the right book) said that the boat crew was
quarentined and all the Indians were told about the sickness and asked
to leave the area immediately.  The Blackfeet thought it was some ploy
to cheat them out of the trade goods and broke into the post.  When they
finally saw what was really happening they beat feet back to their
villages and in effect spread it all through the Blackfoot nation.  This
was not the first smallpox epidemic in that area, there was one in the
early 1800's.  

                              Dennis