Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-07-31
DOWN THE YELLOWSTONE.

u Success.-Steamer Bachelor
Indian Depredations aud white
AIlies.-Stnge Line and other
2 lmpr0vements.-Th Grow
Agency Management
Farming Opera.
: lions, Etc.
, Fort Keogh, the neatest, most compact,
and most military looking post on the Vel
lowstone, seems, at present. about desert
ed. a blue coat here and there indicates
that there is somebody at home. but cv-
erything wears deserted appearance.
Captain O'Toole, the gentlenlanly post
trader, carries large stock of goods, and,
when the boys are at home, does good
|. business.
found Mr.. Kcmmis, the jeweller, with
his hands full of work. in spite of the dull
ness around him.
Near the post and on the military reser-
walton Il number of lodges of Sioux and
Cheyenne Indians have their camp. In the
spring OF 1878, private George Yoakam.
Go. G, Fifth Infantry, was detailed to in
struct them in the art OF farming. With
unsuitable implements and q poor supply
of seeds he commenced the task. That
season he succeeded in cnlisting few
lodges in the enterprise, and had about II
acres planted to corn. beans, potatoes, mel
ons. squashes, etc. The result was quite
gratifying and each lodge that participated
last season was anxious for more ground
this season. They turned out and fenced
! alb off, tl,ox,
have planted, and their crop is generally
well cultivated and very promising. Most
of the Indians are wonderfully interested
in the work. They should be supplied
with better implements, and AL seeds
needed. AS they have shown some desire
to earn a portion of their bread by the
sweat Of tlldo face. they ought to receive
every encouragement possible.
The steamer Batchelcr, on her down
trip. broke the cable of the Yellowstone
ferry at keogh and caused delay of sew.
eral days in my return trip.
find many deIredations have been COM
mtted by the Indians since passed down.
The settlers are in a constant state Of anxi- |
ETY. and alarm. Many horses have been
stolen, houses have been ransacked and
guns, blankets. etc, carried of. On The
2nd inst, the house of Mr.. Gee. who lives |
on the south side of the river just opposite
Rosebud station. during monlentary alb
sence by him, was entered by three Indi-
ans, who took his gun and fired upon him
several times-luckiiy he escaped unhurt.
|
things from his house. On the afternoon
of the 10th inst. he was again attacked by
two of the same indians and kept in his
house for some hours. l arrived at Rose
bud station just as he escaped and got
across the river. He did not know to villa:
tribe the Indians belong. AS passed
up the river few miles found 4 band of
fifty Crow warriors crossing the river, and
those that attacked Mr.. Gee must have be-
longcd to the same tribe. They claimed
to be hunting Sioux.
called on Moses Coe and found him as
as could he expected. lie hav-
ing received two severe flesh wounds by !
the hands OF the Sioux on the night of the
LIST inst. q
On the evening Of the lst inst. arrived
It Etchetah and put up with Mr.. John G.
Guy. In the morning found myself short
II a horse. After spending several days >
If useless search. abandoned the hunt and !
ook the coach for Saltwater. feeling salts !
led. however, that it was not by Indians :
hat am ''set afoot.' (,
Mr.. Clark is having new and comfortable .
stables and station houses erected at many :,
places on the line. At Spring creek, MIR. ,
John j. Anderson has just completed for r
he stage company very fine frame barn, I,
much-necded improvement.
At Coulson. noticed a new store build
ng which l learned was for Meadows
nd that they expect to pnt in a stock
# goods soon. This will be good
ews to the citizens OF Clark's Fork bot a
ON. 81
AT Saltwater, boarded a cayuse and a t.
idle of Is miles takes me into the Crow q
Agency. Here am greeted with the usual u
Omplaint, ''HOrses stolen" the Agency n
aving been visited the night previous and e.
elieved of few head. Every man that i
ould he spared was sent out on the hunt IL
Or the depredators, and with the usual re- n
ult: found tracks 81
Major Keller, the gentlemanly Agent, is Il
cry enthusiastic in his work. making the II
,tcrests Of the Crows his interests and in
GEMS thoroughly imbued with the idea of al
ivilizing his wards. lie certainly has
lucl more confidence in them than have,
ut hope his brightest anticipations may
e realized.
The Agency is happily situated on the -
ank of 4 beautiful stream, the Rosebud. a ~
ranch of the Saltwater. The creek fur a.
isles an abundance Of water for the A gen. u
y, also for irrigating purposes and will :"
'rnisl the power for the new saw-miIl VI
Ow under construction. The farming in ~
'rests are under the supervision Of Capt. = =
carse. He has about forty acres under =,
'op. and has prospect OF a large harvest. 81
e is this season fencing and preparing to ~ ~
Iigate about 100 acres for u meadow, ~
ucli-needed improvement. rs most of the ~
ny this season has to he hauled distance L;
twenty miles. Heretofore the hay and III
God have been furnished for the Agency
! contract, but this season, with decreas-
force, the Agent is expected to furnish
9TH. AS there will be nearly 200 tons of TO
~ needed and nearly an equal number Of he
'rds OF wood, he has no small amount of tn
DIRK on hand. The promptness (:) with wi
hich the Indian Department fills the esti- fro
ates for supplies is shown nv the recent n:
rival Of goods on estimates made eigh- Cr