The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-09-21
OH HORSEBACK.
YelloW-Legged Chickens and sioh-Of the
Road and Fording the Missouri.
The Chestnut Country, and Some OF Gae
Prosperous Residents Tharein-A
Chance for q New Paper

About II o'clock on the morning OF the
2gth ult alter furnishing a little amusement
for sn.aa of the boys in mounting our cayuse
we crossed the ferry at Benton and, IN con-
pany with Mr.. Kohlberg, Of the firm Of Cans
s. Klein, we started for a pleasure (o trip
through Meagher County. Anticipating 10
unpleasant weather, and not having the fear
of snakes in our mind, WE failed 20 provide
ourselves with any of what is generally con-
sidered necessary on such a trip, ut did not
forget to take a buster, the good Of witch
we appreciated many a time, and We advise
all our friends who contemplate a similar
excursion to take one along.
The first days ride was barren Of interest
and at six O'clock we drew off from the road
and found quarters for the night a. the hos
pitable home of j. M. Wetzel, on Belt Greek.
Here we were entertained ia the kindest
manner by Mr. Wetzel and hia wife, and
easily lived on the fat Of the land. 1t was
indeed a pleasant change from the unendlDg
sameness of hotel grub to feast on yellow
legged chicken, the lightest and Whitest OF
biscuits and bread, fresh butter, homemade jel-
lies, real cream, etc. set before Us on the clean
est of tabIecl tbs and served up by the fair
hands Of our hostess. We retired early, in
tending to make an early start for Box Elder
and Sand Coulee, and slept as soundly as the
complaints of soreness IN the part OF our
travelling companion would let us. But the
morning light brought a discouraging out
look, for the rain was pouring Town and
continued all day, so there was nothing to do
but remain in our present quarters and con-
graduate ourselves that we had fallen on such
pleasant ones.
The next morning after bidding our kind
friends goodbye, and receiving directions
bv which w would save d mile and a half,
we struck across the hills for Box Elder.
A feeling of loneliness comes over one
while riding over the boundless and painless
prairies and rolling bills Of our Terrltorv--a
feeling one imagines must be like to that
which comes over the ocean yoyager but
TO the land traveller there is not that samenes
of vision, and one can not help being more
deeply impressed with the power and omnip-
offence of the Creator Of all things, as his
eyes wander over prairies and table land, and
rests on the dark, gloomy mountains stretch
ing out in solemn grenduer on every side
The white, tleecy clouds which hang over
their tops like the smoke from an invisible
campfire gives one 3 feeling Df sympathy
with the untaught sons Of the prairie and
forest in their peleif OF the Great Spirit. aud
at such times one does not care to talk fer II
seems. more fitting occasion for self-nem
munion and thought.
After travelling for q little more than IN
hour we met q h%orsernan who told ua Ii. by
bearing off to the left . little W would ss#A5
q road which would take us 10 Box Elder
and Chestnut, which latter place we intend
ed to make ttaa5 Bjgnt. We bore t.. II feft
and found the road but saw nothing or Box
Elder. We concluded that We hss5 mis- "
-. 49, ~, . t,aE,ra aa.,eigl.r 4.4 t4a @4.,.8a
as we had. q long ride before / o.
reaching Chestnut, and going h4xS W. 4b,
prevent Us going tlroag thai cay, ~ Aett
On for some hours until we came I'll sig3t Af
"a trea-'inal stream with .. new l0'sN Il tie
distance Beyond, which we concluded must
be Deep Greek and Perkins place. AlT3V-
ing at the banks Of the stream it looked too
wide for Deep Greek, and a suspicion came
into our minds that We had gone astray, aud
that Ii was the Missouri that lay hefpra tts-
But there was nething now bat u go CT, aud
IS there was 10 signs ut > bridge We urged
our horses into the stream and commenced
to ford it. T'he stream was a3:3at o00 yas4s
vide, and running like Il n1il#fRGe. mi Our
animals acted splendediJ and s} ls3i L seem
ed 10 as about a mile hat.re We f=aatled III,
opposite bank. We fully found ourselves
once more Looping along O1 soIII g+sttiHd a
half-hour more brought Us 20 me bfa.e ~
fore mentioned, b ar which were gr eng
O herd of some OF the finest cattle VS. have
ever seen Ia Montana Riding na to 3 herd
er we inquired whose place n was, fniiS *
pecting him to say Perkins - bat our
hopes were dashed when he Informed Us that
il belonged 10 the Montana Cattia Company,
some members of which were III y wagon
close by. Approaching the wagon we found
Russell E. Harrison, OF Helena. NIL. Walk
ar and fha Massrs. SnarDe. of Iuliana. Af-
ter greeting the two frst-naznad whom w
had had the pleasure of meeting in Hnlaaa,
we inquired about Chestnut and were told by
MFR. Walker that we were thirty miles from
that place, that Ulm's ranch lay about
twelve miles distant, across the hills, hut ~
reach it we would have to ford Sun River,
where the bottom was uncertain and that
the road we were then On would fake Us tn
Sun River Ieayings In about eight miles. He
alse told us that we had fordsd the Missouri
not above the commencement OF the rapids
aboyetie Great Falls, and hat II our horses
had stumbled and been swept OF their feet
we would have undoubtedly taken avoY.ge
over the falls. "a neither our horses n13F
ourselves had broken fast since mDraang,
and as the skies looked threatening we epn-
cluded to make for the IaaVings. which
place we reached vet through from the rain
which commenced falling soon after Ra left
the Montana Cattle Company. We sat and
shivered by the warm fire that mine host
Renicke built for Us and went 10 he'd win
he chill still on Us, and the whole OF the
next day were con hued to our bed with d
fever. The next morning, feeling 4 little
better, and being very DESTROYS of getting
on, we struck across the country for Chest
nut. which we were told we could make IN
twelve miles. The first place we came to