The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1866-09-01
THE wIND RIVER MOUNTAINS.

I Captain Standifer now heads an expedition o
about one hundred men, who intend thorough
exploration Of the Wind River Mountains. The
first party OF the expedition started from Helena
" Wednesday; others, Thursday and Friday. Most
likely the various detachments are together.
The impression has been prevalent, for more
than three years, among the miners of Montana
and Idaho, that the Wind River Mountains con.
tain contain rich and extensive gold deposits.
Prospectors from both Territories have frequently
attempted explorations. but, going i'll small par
ties, the hostilities of the treacherons Grows and
Gros Ventres have invariably compelled retreat,
| or prevented penetrating tar enough into the
country to ascertain anything definite
That gold, coarse gold, exists somewhere there,
is undoubted. The Grows, ia different pIaees-
Salt Lake City, along the emigrant road, and
here-haVe exhibited and traded off large mug
GETS saying they obtained them in the Wind
river Mountains. I'm Indians word is good for
nothing; but that being their cnantry, the TACT of
their having the nuggets, and Offering to dispose
of them for trifling considerations is almost con-
elusive OF the existence of mines in those noun
taiIIs.
But we have more positive evidence Two
years ago, Hugh McQuade. altypographical friend,
and several comprehensive majority of whom
including Hugh are now in the Territory-pros-
pected along the big Horn" on their way here
and found ground that 'Dan-out' fifteen cents to
the pan. About the tine they made the discovery,
d
came to their camp, and loi.ered around until
they succeeded in making one of the party u
prisoner. They carried their captive to lodge,
few miles distant. where they concluded to
adopt him into their tribe. As preliminary GER
emony, they first scalpiug knife in hand, COM
menced to clear his face of its profuse crop of
wiry and fiery whiskers-red hair being particu-
larly obnoxious to the savage eye. This operation
was SO satisfactery-tO the .Operators-that the
reaping process was next extended to the cranium
Save single tuft on the crown, the prisoners
head was shGrn as bare as when he first peeped
upon the light of day. He was then presented
with AN old blanket, SguaW and two or three
ponies, and duly christeDed Jim Crow" Hugh
and party, having determined upon the rescue of
their comrade, now made their appearance. A
parley ensued, and Jim Grow )" in consideration
of pair OF blankets, sugar, coffee etc., and the
whites Immediately leaving the country, was ran
somed. Hugh says they were not dis posed to lose
any time in performing the last condition of the |
bargain though he Is satisfied they lett behind
them as good mining ground as was ever dis |
covered in Montana. Mr.. McQuade is now in the /
Elk Creek diggings, Was formerly employed in |
the Montana Post ofiicey and is a man who can be |
relied on.
But Captain Standifer's confidence is mainly
based the reports of three acquaintance of his
who prospected in the Wind River Mountains LIST
fail. They report having found dggngs OF ex
richness. in various places In one
place they obtained from onelto five dollars to the
pan, coarse gold. IN another, the gold was fine. i
and prospected from three to fifty cents to the
pan, through gravel twenty feet in depth. A
1eputation of Crows, after a few DAYS operations
waited on them, and, seiZing all their horses and
nearly all their provisions and blankets told them
1 they would dig no more holes, and kin no more
buffalo, they could leave the country without fur-
her m0leStatiOn. 1t is needless to say that thev
rot away as fast as possible. One of this party.
Joseph OliVer-now in Boise, we belieye-We
znow to be man Of reliability.
1t indications have not yet ceased to have
Weight with the gold-hunter, every encouragement
; offered by the physical character of the Wind
Siyer range Nowhere has volcanic conyulsiOn
eft more prominent marks. On eYerv side. we
re told, irregular, charred and fire-reddened
rags look down upon chasms which are strewn
18th washed boulders of quartz and granite
ging to the right of all the lines of travel be-
ween Utah and Montana, and of the old Ofegol
migrant road their position is isolated. This. E
oupled with the untriendliness of the fierce
,bes lnhabitng them, accounts for but few white
ZEN ever having ventured into the Wind River
Oltudes. 1
But the Wind River Mountains must now nm.
'ck their treasures A hundred experienced a
lonntaineers, we'll proyisioned and well armed.
nder one OF the most intrepid and indefatgable :
aders that ever Travelled the borders will short E
tear asunder the primeval veil that has hidden 4
lem, and soon, perhaps, startle the public mind
America with the development of a new Ell
orado.
The statement that Captain Standifer and marty =
tended gVing to the reported discoveries of +
capt. Diedsoe, In the Wind River Mountains - is d
roneons. Capt. Bedsoe is on the headWaters ofl ii
e Snake, in an entirely different locality from n
at which fills Capt. Standifer's speculative eve,