Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-01-27


tor, - pretty smAst SNOW storm was car.
rying on when We reached the top. With.
out stopping to zee our lsursls fade 10
snow, We fastened 70 descend the opposite
side Of the mountain. In doing this We
found the great didiculty to be not 10 get.
Ting down, but rather in staying up, for
the slope wss 80 steep and the ground 20
slippery that it was . serious matter, and
required no slight dexterity to make re-
spectacle descent down 1.-THE one little
mountain that was mere nothing" The
little one must have been sorely yexed at
our overcoming him SO easily, for it seem.
Cd to wax warm and perspired freely-at
least is side was very wet and slippery
every whit - wet ~ sweat could make il !;
20 We slipped and slid along until al length
in detached parties We reached the bot
tom and were congregsted together in Ga
mache prairie, 90 called from its prolific
yield Of gamache, root not unlike the
wild onion, and which il highly priced
among the mountain indians - an article
Of food. Here We found our band Of pack
horses wss minus one bright particular
ornament, ''onr spotted bobtsil," also that
be bad forgotten to send forward his load
Of potatoes or notify " Of his intention to
quit when he concluded to lay over" in
the brush for better weather. The Major
is kind. hearted man --noae more 81, -
his many friends can testify declsr
cd that spotted bobtsil' must be found,
~ it would be outrageous cruelty to leave
. poor horse TO perish on the top Of high
mountain, and be heavily packed too, With
four bushels Of good potatoes; 90 . hal,
WAS called instanter, two men sent back
after the potatoes and horse, put the
most valuable article 6rst), and We camp.
ed on the spot About sunset the horse
hunters returned, but no bobtail; he could
not be found. At breakfast in the morn.
ing . nice calculation was made to see
whether anything could be made by End
ing the horse and losing the day. which
properly itemized would he on one side -
follows, TO wit: I bushels po.Asuss, (lady
fingers. at SIS per bushel, $50; one spot
ted bobtail pack horse, blind, SIS l
pack saddle, -; and sppeshemos. At
SOC and $l-total, $50. Against this val
liable amount, no one could plead bus'-
ness or even inclination u 80 on, aud
therefore We remained in camp and re-
newed the search for the poor potatoes
aud horse" During the day two phea'
SAINTS were brought in--one about the size
and shape Of the common pheasant VI
drummer Of the States. aud differing from
it only little in color and brilliancy Of
plumsgs, and the other the same shape
and bearly the same color, its color bsing
not % brilliant and Of . more somore hus,
but as large Is turkey. These two birds
were delivered over to the Major to be
fricsseed. II defy the world to beat Major
c. At fricases when he has potatoes and
onions 10 CAMP, aud while eyeing them
with juicy lips, sntici pating the great stew
they would make, he thought they were
each different sort Of a bird from the
other. The Col. thought that they were
the same-that one WAS small snd young
and the other old and full grown. Each
would back his judgement; > bet WAS pro.
posed aud accepted, and they became
warm 10 the matter. The birds we're laid
side BY side and minutely examined and
compared again and again, even to the
character and color Of the down upon the
eyelids. Those Of the party best acquaint
ed with the mountains we're appealed TO,
and decided in favor OF Col. ", but the
Major was still not satisfied, AID after bis
return to the Fort was detailing the mat
ter to some Of his friends when Madam
CrLBERrsoS. noble child Of nsture, who
Was born and reared in the country. agreed
with him. and thus decided the matter.
The came evening = large cat was killed
on tree near camp; its color white, with
large yellow spots, and differing from the
common house cst only 10 size, it being
three times rs large. The horse hunte rs
brought the animal in all safe aud sound.
" Goose" was cautioned to be unusually
spry in the morning that we might secure
an early start. We we're all still in hap
py sleep, no one dreaming Of breakfast,
when it Was announced, aud VIC had to
get up aud eat it. This we dln very soon.
aud after sitting by the fire aud smoking
pipe tor some time, we examined the
position Of the 'dipper' and the three
kings" both OF which we found lamenta
bly, low, and retired to bed again, perfectly
satisfied that extra spryness with Goose
Was breakfsstiny three hours before day
break.
We lourneyedon without further mishap,
and on the third day folI"sine climbing
up the short and steep ascen. 10 the sntn
init, and about noon stood en Yep o. tns
Rocky mountains IN Cadets Pass from
which spot we could SEQ beyond Crown
Butte to point very near home. The
sight OF familiar localities on the home
side Of the hills enlivened US Il great deal,
ana we travelled down the east slope with
the confident satisfaction Of knowing that
We trod once more upon cur own sod
We found the immediate crossing OF the
mountain both in ascent ana descent very
similar to Lewis and ClRrke's Pass, the
difference being TOO little to be appreciated
by the traveller. We camped thai evening
on Dearborn river again, only lew miles
below our camp going west.
This was the evening fixed upon by
special agreement to boil nice sugar
cured ham, which the Colonel had taken
with him from Fort Benton, emil Therefore
inquiry was made for il even before the
packs were unloosed, hut. alas il Was not
to be found. There was the blanket with
which il had been covered. on top OF n
sack Of wheat, still bnlxsd up in proper
shape and torn 10 admit = respectable
ham % lie snugly beneath, Blu. when .e..ssl
the Colonel found all the hog meat left to
indicate bis FIRST attempt a. carrying nice
ham across the Rocky mountains aud back
again safely, WAS 4 smart grease spot on a
cowskin sack and II was nothing more.
From Dearborn river W travelled very
Ieisurely. ~ our animals gave evidence d
being somewhat weary and worn. and
reached Fort Benton Vt sun set on Monday.
Oct. ll,h, al safe and sound, when we
found our friends on the look out and glad
10 welco,us us and oar vegetables home.
Nv frat cara. Af(er eating I hearty euD.