Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-04-10

men asked him what time it was. He pull
ed out a good-sized silver watch and, after
looking at it for some time, in a fit OF alb
face of his time-piece.
Gen. Gibbon lost his dog to-day-a fine
grey-hound-by poison. The poor beast
crawled to the feet of his master and, look
ing up at him with his speaking eyes filled
with agony, seemed to say, "Can't you
help me ?" The commissions lasted about
three minutes, following each other SO rap
idly that nothing could be done Tor the dy-
ing hound.
We are to remain here for an indefinite
period while the country around us is being
secuted. The men are fixing themselves as
comfortably as possible. Holes are dug into
the river bank to be used as ovens. Pieces
of board are gathered up and made into
chairs, tables, etc. Lying in my tent, /
overheard the following:
sis that an oak board you've got there p
Coax! Where would | get al oak board
when there's no oak in Montana
"Oh, | thought maybe it was n you had
when you listed"
The men spend the most of their time
cat.fishing. There are no trout in the Vel
lowstone below Pryor's Fork.
On the Oath Capt. Ball, with one hundred
cavalrymen, started up the Big Horn river
to look for Indians. On May LIST, he return.
ed, having secuted the country to near Fort
Smith-near where Custer afterwards met
the Sioux-but saw no indications of Sioux.
On the I'd of May the Crow scouts came
in and reported that all their ponies, thirty
five in number, had been run off by the
Sioux, and they asked for the loan of ter
horses to go after them. Their request was
refused. Starting afoot, about five miles
below they found where the thieving party
had crossed the river, and also heard rifle
shots on the opposite side. AS it was use
less for them to cross without horses, they
returned, and when about two miles from
where the crossing wa effected, found the
tracks. of two more who had come into the
trail of the main band since the pursuing
party had gone to the river.
About 5 O'Clock p. M, the cry of "They
have got the herd! There goes the herd!'
startled the camp. In an instant all was
hustle and confusion. The herd of horses
could be seen speeding away toward a body
of timber that covered a ford about two
miles above our camp. One of the compa
nies-E, 9TH infantry-went on a run to the
ford, and Oh their return, learned that il
was a false alarm.
Yesterday, May 18th, two of the men went
out on the table land to hunt. Some snow
began to fall and they became confused.
One of them had about the right idea the
Observation-Disclosures that camp lay in
an opposite direction. After quarreling foi
some time. they separated, one of them
reaching camp last night. This morning
an Indian, Zone of the guides), and six sol.
dleFs, all mounted, went in search of the
missing man., They traced him about fif,
teen miles up the river and finally overlook
him. He had spent the night about eight
cen miles from the river under an overhang.
ing rock, well sheltered but supperless.
This morning, when he started, he turned
his back to the rock, but in about an hour
found himself back to where he started
from. This vancouver he repeated a mum
Der of times. The Sioux had crossed his
trail but it must have been at night.
Signs of Sioux in small parties are album
dant, but their method of scattering upon
being pursued is a damper upon active ope-
%rations, especially with such stock as we
have. The ration question is becoming one
of grave importance $50 miles from Fort
Buford, 200 miles from Ellis, and $50 through
q rOallesS country from Fort pncIr