Yankton daily press and Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1875, 1875-05-02
Where Thirty Yoke Of Cattle
81 Became Sand blind
J erem,an Pro,caM ls,.c. to Ex.
plain.

with the Sioux for robes Nand fnrs. He
possesses an incxhaustiblc fund of informa
ton concerning Dakota which he has
CLEANED from personal experiences, and
what he tells may be implicitly relied
upon. VIC have been quito anXioils t9~gct
tue old tradcr's story for a nlimhcr SnfE |
weeks, believing u would prove n6t only
entertaining, but valuable at this time when
the country is agitatcd with the Back |
Hills subject. and through the efforts Of
Maj w. P. Lyman, also twenty years Dan
kotaian, We have been successful. Proteau
is thorough American in sentiment, bit
he has never been able TO conquer our Ian
guagc 50 as'o speak i,tlncf',v. ve' one can !
understand him very we'll.
lie left ST. Louis in the employ of the
American Fur Company in 1913, and for
several years was engaged on the upper
Missouri and its tributaries, trading with
the Sioux. While thus. engaged ,shc had
occasion to make a trip 70 Fort Laramie, in
Nebraska, and while there in 1854. lie met
Sir George Gore, an n/Englisl sportsman,
who had prepared himself for a senson's re-
creation on the plains and in the mountains
PRoTEAu's SToRv
left the Fur Company u, l.aramie anl
engaged with Sir George Gore Us lnln,rl
and tcamstrr. James Bridger was employ
cd as guide. We left laramie Seally in the
fall for the Yellowstone coun,ry;S taking a
route which led us past the, Black Hills, IN
the southern and eastern base, and reached
the mouth Of the Yellowstone late in Nos
v.mber. We then marched Up the Yellow
stone 10 Tongue river, where we built a.
fort nd-relnaincd for the winter hunting
and trapping. The following April We
started with 10 carts and 40 men, crossed
lle.head Of the Rosebud and went 10 the
Big Horn river, where we built fiat boat :,
and floated down the Big Horn 10 the Yel.
lowstone and down fhat river to its mouth,
where VIC met Sir George, who had made
the trip by land From there VIC. came
down the Missouri 10 the mouth et the Lit
tfr Missouri, and -ull that stieutn 10 lis head
then struck across on 10 tile Belle Fourchc,
ami down to Bear Butte, and spent some
time on the Swift or tapid,creek- and Box
Elder, in. the Black Hills.
One Sunday IAHeni- Out 10 ll.e falls Of
Swift creek with Lamonrie The falls
were quito high ana emp,ied into broad
basin. As we were standing by the falls /
noticed some yellow looking stuff in the
water, and said tn Lamourie-""I BY
George! there's gold!. I.look off my shirt
and scooped up three double Nandsfl.l Of
4 the yellow stuff aud putt In my shirt
Then Lamourie and Invent back 40 camp
4 Sir George noticed me as ne ryached camp
1 and asked me what had in my shirt !
, said gold! He then looketilat It little
} while, when he said 4" Oh, ID Jerry, that,
not gold. that's mica. Has NOT very well
!, posted about gold and thought Sir George
VAS He took it and put IL Ii two ,blacl
bottles and plsd1d them in his chest. TIL.
next day We marched out Of the Black Hills
and two or three days after Bridyer'tnld me
that Sir George told hin, II Ms gold. 81,
George also told IAmourie thai Il he would
y prospect on the bead of swift Greek Ii,
would find rich gold .ilen. We left TIL
4 BLACK Hills on account Of ,hsslndians, ant
9 when We ao. back to tire Lit,e Missouri ",
!; were attacked BY about 500 Indians ,l! VIII
4 ran off all dur horses
4 left Sir George that fail, and under
J. stand he weat backl.o England ! cam
!, down TO Fort Pierre in a il,t b,at and wa
engaged by the thr complny again
"A THEslo CITY ROUTE,
) That winter | took five wagon loads ,
= goods down below the Niobrara ,tA-irull
4 With. tie Indians. We had tiyc yoke /,
y cattle TO each wagon. remained NIL vii
lei trading with the Indians and in Marc
@ u ..e---.---~s. /. !.