Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-04-20

"a write Of Albert Pfeifer as he was
four years ago. For all | know to the
contrary he is still living; one of the last
and the bravest of the mountain men.
" Another specimen of the mountain men
was an old fellow whom [ nay call seth
Baillie. Seth was rather an intelligent
man, and during our rambles used to be
amused to hear his opinion on men and
things, all of. which he pronounced with
the utmost confidence, though his educa-
tion las far as book learning was concern
ed) was limited, and his range of observa-
ton equally so. Still. like Western folks.
he looked upon himself as particular
smart" and " right smart chance Of an
" argu6er.''
Baillie had been a good deal employ
ed as guide to the emigrants (or, as he
called them, " emigranters''), for whom ne
had supreme contempt The only job of
that sort he ever looked back upon with
pleasure was the plotting of troop of Z.
s cavalry for service in the Indian war of
1855. He greatly admired the " smart
ness " of the major in command, and the
way he settled troublesome account.
They had lost a wagon here. and soI1 >
ed his carbine now and then and, in fact
their accounts were in such state that to
present a report and to account for every
thing to the quartermaster general was i'm
possible. At last they came TO the Co.
lumbia river, and to place where there
was a good deal of dry timber. s. Are
there any falls about here. Baillie the
major asked. Oh, yes; the falls of the
Columbia were not over mile. We'll,
then.' the major thought, Well build o
raft f; the roads pretty bad On the
raft was placed broken wagon, three
legged mule, five or six broken carbines.
an empty cask, and few more such Talu-
ables. The major wished to guide it along
with ropes, and though BailIie assured him
that the current was so strong that this
was impracticable. he insisted. At last
the men shouted that they could hold on
no longer. Wall. then. let 90 was the
answer and over the fall in q few min
utes went the raft and its contents The
major cussed a small chance for show sake,
Baillie remarked. but after a while he
winked and said to me. d" guess that's
A. Q. 6. assistant quarter master gener-
ais way O squarin' accounts. Every
thing-and something more too-th=e was
missing. got scored opposite to 1T IN bis
book Lost on raft IL the Columbia
River p"
" The fall of beavor sounded
the death knell Of the old free trapper
One day pestilent fellow discovered silk
to be substance for the knapping of bea-
yer hats, and so beaver was quoted at a
reduced figure. That changed announce
ment, simple as it was, may be said 70
have echoed through the Rocky Mountain
region, and to have destroyed a class of
men who. with all their faults, were a
manly and generous race. Bearer has
now fallen to about five +sailIings per
pound. and is hardly worth tripping. The
business of trapping has fallen almost en-
tirelv In the hands of half-breeds and In
dians, VINO pursue Is AFR their solid and
lazy fashion. A few trappers, III e Baillie.
still pursue the busEess, more, aowevers
from the oid habit 24sn for arr real pro-
fit they derive from Ii. Af1ssssf them are
scattered, or have taken up some of the
employments which the spread of the white
settlement has brought to the lodge doors.
They leave, become small traders, OF store
keepers, farmers on the borders of civili-
zation, or hangers-on of trading posts,
living on the memories OF the past. The
new impetus given to civilization will soon
clear them off entirely, and the place
which once knew them will know them no
more"