The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-02-08
M i S G g liza n Q O n q.
For the -BgiS Dc MtelIigence,'
An Adventure i'm Montana.

The last cold snap, which we all felt so
keenly, causes me to remember little Incl.
dent of my experience during a long resi-
dence in the Rocky Mountains. Twas trad
ing with the Indians in Il section of what
is now Montana, then almost unknown to
white men. Fort Owen, trading post In
the Bitter Root valley, 80 miles away, was
the nearest habitation of white men to
where l had made my winter camp in the
Deer Lodge valley. Leaving my camp in
charge of the white man who was in my
employ, made a visit to Fort Owen on
business as well as pleasure. While there
news reached me that the Indians were re-
turning from the buffalo hunt, and as they
would pass near my camp, l was anxious
to return and trade with them.
started one day, about the 23d of De-
cember, on my trip home, taking two
horses, one to ride and one packed with
bedding and provisions for the journey, ex-
pecting to sleep out alone but one night
The weather was intensely cold, clear and
calm. BY night.fall reached the heavy
timber in the canon of the He'll Gate river,
about 80 miles from Fort Owen. Making
camp, tied my horses to trees to prevent
their deserving me. The snow was about
two feet deep, 80 that the scanty grass was
buried, and the poor brutes had a cold
hungry time until morning. With plenty
of wood, food and bedding, was soon as
comfortably fixed as though cold and snow
were afar off. By daylight next morning,
after pemican, buffalo tongues and hot
coffee were slowed in generous quantities
in the place where they would do the most
good, l saddled up and took the trail, which
led through the valley. The trail on the
mountain sides, which avoided the frequent
crossings of the river, was difficult and dan
gerous at any season, but much more so
then on account of the snow and ice. |
travelled along quickly as possible, making
many crossings, foundering into water from
off the smooth ice, and scrambling out
again on the opposite side. At times the
water was deep enough to reach half way
up the horses sides. l would make the
horses jump off the ice into the water, then
bring my saddle horse along side the ice,
get on his back, ride across the water, Jump
| on to the ice, and then make the horses
| jump up. Then away again to the next
crossing.
All went we'll until about 90 miles had
been made. The day was still clear and
intensely cold. The vapor rose white like
steam from the surface of the river water
the bushes and trees were white with hoar
frost, and the air was filled with CRYSTALS of
frost, which glistened like diamonds in the
unbeams. My long beard and moustaches
were a compact mass of ice, preventing me
from opening my mouth, which was as
in wise. Every drop of water splashed
| from the stream became ice on touching my
clothes or the hair on the horses, while the
vapor from the horses nostrils, freezing,
covered them with frost till they Were
white as snow. The twenty miles brought
me to the deepest of all the crossings
Even in summer the water was deep, and
now being raised some by gorge of ice
below the ford, was much deeper. The ice
had formed out from both shores until only
a narrow channel of water was left open. =
To cross under these circumstances was al
most impossible, it being necessary to Jump
the horses from the ice into 4 ] feet of swift
running water, and after to jump them up
! on the smooth ice on the other side. Dis
mounting and searching for some time
found place where the current not being
so swift, ice had formed entirely across the
, stream. | walked across, jumped on the
, ice, testing as well as | could its strength
then at the end of a long larat, led my
riding horse which was small, active In
, dian, safely across. Proceeding TO do til,
same with the pack horse, great clumsy
American brute, he slipped, floundereo
about, fell and broke through the ice wher
the water was fully six feet deep. In m,
endeavors to help him out, fell in up t.
my neck. Scrambling out as quickly a
possible did not save me from thorough
wetting. My pants and moccasins were o
buckskin, a good material for absorbing
and retaining moisture. In an instant afte
striking the air l was incased in a sole
armor of ice. Despairing of saving tn
horse, fearful of freezing myself, hastenec
to cut the pack and saddle from his bacl
and started to the shore to make fire.
: On reaching the shore, determined t.
make another effort to save the poor horse
. lput a strong lariat around his neck pule'
' with all my strength until | succeeded il
choking him so that he partially hoateo
! and during his struggles had the good for