Sharp County record., 1879-05-29
AT A PIEGAN TRADING.POST.


Montana, on horseback and alone. .
Chance gave me one day an agreeable
companion. We idly wasted time
among the foothills of the Rocky Noun
tains; fishing for trout in clear brooks
of cold water; camping in bits OF ever,
green; shooting deer, the black-talled
and the white tailed; shooting antelope
and elk, and trying to shoot moose
We drifted slowly nOrthward. Unen-
numbered with baggage, we had no care
Every instant was keenly enjoyed. My
companion was an ex-consumptlve from
an Eastern State who owned nothing
but his horse, rifle, and fishing-tackle.
Life to him was merely holiday, to be
enioyed if possible, but under no cir
cumstances to be worried over. Our
original purpose was to goto st. Mary's
Lake, near the British boundary line-a
lake which | had heard one white man
and several half-breeds describe as the
most beautiful in the world-and there
TO fish and hunt. While talking one
night as we lay in our blankets on the
Upper Milk River, Warner proposed
that we should diverge north into ku-
pert's Land, and see an "Indian trade"
at one of the Belize River trading posts.
The talk was brief. | agreed to go.
So the next day we wandered north
ward in our careless, happy fashion.
We hunted, we fshed. If we were sue
cessful, we had plenty to eat; if unsuc-
cessful, we went hungry. The perfect
independence and laziness of the trip
pleased me. The pure air, the strong
winds that constantly blew, the cold,
pure water, the exuberant animal life,
the quaint stories l listened to, all
charmed me.
just below the junction Of the St.
Mary's with the Belize River, on the
south side of the stream, nestled among
the tall cottonwood trees, lay a long,
low, earth covered log house. At the
southeast and northwest corners two
storied bastion rose over the building.
The second story overhung the hrst,
loopholed, each commanding two SIDES
of the post. To the south from the
corner of the building ran heavy pal
isade of cottonwood logs set on end,
and inclosing half an acre. This palis-
ade returned to the north of the build
ing. At the far side of the incloSure
was heavy gate. Inside, the building
was divided into five rooms (bastlon not
included). The east room was the fur
and store room; this opened into the
trading room; this led into sleeping
room; this into store room and kitch-
en-. The partitions between the rooms
were heavily built of solid logs. There
were tsso nnpninos to the outer air
one, the kitchen door; The other,
an aperture of eighteen inches square
from the trading room to the space en-
closed by the palisade. The kitchen
door was constructed of hewn logs a
foot square, hung on number of mass
i've hinges. 1t was fastened by beam
of wood that took two men to lift into
place. | went over the building with
Haley, the agent, and we ended the in
spection in the fur room. Here Were
piled buffalo, antelope, elk, and beaver
skins. Along one side of the room bar
rels of Yellow-head whisky and barrels
of Anchor brand whisky, barrels of al.
cohol, and barrels Cologne spirits were
ranked. Over a tin cup of Cecent
whisky we sat and talked of the COM
ing trade. Haley told me l could stay
in the trading room with him or go into
one of the bastions, as | pleased.
Having finished the whisky, l lounged
out to the kitchen, where the men were,
and joined the group of 16 outcasts who
formed the fighting force of this fort. |
listened to the stories they eternally
tell, and looked the group carefully
over. There were deSerters from the
United States Army, Hudson Bay
Company's employees, and Missouri
Spikes" of course. All were picked
men for courage, and most of them were
fond of whisky. Their pay was good,
their work light, their conversation
nasty. l listened to the yarns of the
last trade; of the fighting and murder
among the Indians; of the profits of the
business. Finally, for relief, Warner
and | wandered off to fish. Far in the
distance l saw black objects moving
along the top of the north bluff of the
river, and | knew that the Piegans were
coming. Soon dozen of these wild
horsemen were at the river bank Ford
ing it, they rode up to the post and dis
mounted.
The listless, inactive Pixies, and the
seemingly stupid Hudson Bay men, who
had reduced loafng to fine art, had
become as alert as hawks. Rifles were
seized, and instantly the men took posi-
ton to cover the kitchen efectually. To
do this promptly, thoroughly, and still
not be Extensively obtrusive in doing it,
not to be insultingly suspicious of the
Indians, was difficult feat; but it was
well done. Haley was left alone
in the kitchen; | was seated at