The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1866-10-27
Correspondence.
NEVADA CITY, Oct. Is, 1866.

from prospecting trip to the Big Horn,
q few items incident to it might be of
some interest to your readers. In COM
pany with four others, l left Helena the
9Th day of August, and after travelling |
six days we reached the Yellowstone
river, at the Bozeman crossing, dis
tance of about one hundred and forty
miles. We laid over there seven days,
waiting for man calling his name Will
son, who had promised before our leav-
ing Helena to meet us at this point.
This man had told me that he, in COM
pany with three other men, had made
very rich and extensive discovery in the
Big Horn country, which was all that
prompted me and many of my friends to
start on this dangerous trip. But greatly
TO our disappointment, we learned be-
fore leaving the Yellowstone that he was
an outrageous imposter, consequently he
did not make his appearance among us.
Then, not wishing to turn back, we uni
ted ourselves with the jeff. Stamford
prospecting party. Our party by this
time had increased in numbers to one
hundred and fifteen. With this number
we considered it tolerably safe for US to
prospect either in the Big Horn or Wind
River Mountains After leaving the Yel-
lowstone we left the emigrant road at
our left, taking an Indian trail which fol
lowed along at the base of Boulder Noun
tains. This trail crossed seven or eight
quite large streams, some of which were
very rocky and rapid. The party along
the base of the mountains made short
drives, often laying over a day at q place
for the purpose of prospecting. Very
fine colors only, could be obtained there.
When the Stamford party had travelled
together distance of one hundred miles,
we had arrived alta point where we had
to either turn up toward the Wind river,
or down to the Big Horn. Here the
party, all not being of one mind, split.
Seventy-fve myself making one of the
number,) went toward the Big Horn,
jeff. Stamford, with the remainder, to.
ward the Wind river. We were three
days making the Big Horn river, after
leaving Standford-a distance of about
seventy miles. A good part of this three
days travel was over bad lands, which
was nearly void of grass or water. We
RATED the river Just above the canyon
/ fifty-fve miles above Bozeman' S crossing
where fort c. L. Smith stands. BeinE
above and ON the right of the mountain
we concluded to travel and prospect Oh
this side about seventy-fve miles, thel
to cross over and prospect back or thu
for gold being discovered by US on th
upper side, we crossed over. After cross
ing the mountains, OUR first campin!
ground was on Goose creek, an eastern
tributary of Tongue river. 1t was Oh
this creek, about six miles above tn
Bozeman road, and eighteen this side @
Fort Phil. Kearney, where Col. J. n. Ric
and J. w. Smith were so horribly mul
dered by the Indians. Twill here give
|, few of the particulars of this sad occur
renee. We laid over one day to rest on
horses, which was the 18th of Septembel
Rice being very fond Of hunting, starte
tout with Smith for that purpose, bot
:, taking saddle animals along. Nigh
come without their return. This fac
: caused us extreme anxiety, for we wei
aware that we were among a numeroU
, and bloodthirsty tribe of Indians, alth
!. up to this time we had seen none, "
\ many fresh signs had been seen. 0
: the 14th eight men were sent out
) search for the missing, who returned {
: night without success. a search on IL
18th proved as fruitless, but about fol
= o'clock P. NJ. two of our men came
4 from hunting, and reported that dow
e the creek about FIVE miles they had di
= covered three dead horses, two of whic
4 apparently had been killed by Indian
. From the description they gave, we we
= fully convinced that two of them we
= the horses belonging to Rice and Smit
- Early the next morning fourteen of !
I went to the spot, and after a few mi
- utes' search found both of their remain
7 which were lying about three hundr
= yards from their horses. The third hor
= we discovered to be an Indian hors
y The numbers of pools of blood, POI
y tracks and other signs that were visib
:. ~ led us to the belief that quite numb
=, IL of Indians must have been killed duri
;a 10 the struggle. The two bodies were a
80 80 fully cut up by arrows, four or five
: = which were still remaining in each. 0
:, - ball had penetrated Rice's chin; Il
= = was the only mark of the kind we d
y covered on either of the bodies. Be
5s were scalped, and laying on their bacl
40 40 The only part of their clothing missi
:, was their hats. Rice's watch was tax,
- - but three finger rings and small brea
= pin were left undisturbed Their gu
~ - saddles, ETC., were of course taken aw
go 90, Both bodies were wrapt in blankets a
I buried as decently as possible in {
es grave.
al We discovered hay party the Is
a who informed us that we were abb
Id eighteen miles this side of Fort Pl
, a Kearney, new fort, which had been
es tabIshed few months. We proba
he would not have visited this fort hat
to uot been for a sick man who we kn
tie must be taken there. On the 18th
IA was carried to the fort on litter,
es- corted by the remainder of the pal
Eorf Dhil K oornov 10 a III az bu ting n