The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-09-21
ON HORSEBACK.
From Chestnut to Diamond-A Gold
Camp and an Easily Djgested
Supper.
Confederate Gulch and Diamond City-A
Dying Town.

tons to GO on until we found where point
| of bare rocks came down to the road just be-
| fore coming to a bridge, and not to cross the
| bridge, but take plain trail down the creek
which would lead us to Kerley's in five miles.
Werode on until about o'clock, and stopped
| TO let the horses Craze q while and also 10
dispose of the crackers. So far, although
| the road had gone up and down ''teW'
hills, ii Was not altogether bad, though soft
from the recent rains. After an hours rest
| we resumed our journey, and more lone
some and tiresome ROAD It has never been our
misfortune to travel, and the ups and downs
OF life are most forcibly illustrated. As the
traveller climbs one hill he sees only a steep
descent before him, beyond which is another
hill even sleeper and longer than the one up
which he has just toiled, nothing to break
the monotOny OF the scenery, bu. here and
there herd of sleek looking cs.Ssle which
look as though they might be wild, no signs
Of human presence being visible except one
old deserted cabin. In this way we toiled on
constantly ascending higher with each sue
ceeding pull, until at last we realized that the
divide was reached, at the foot OF which We
could see little creek running off among
the hills and on the road below in the tad
ing light we discovered the point OF rocks
our warning 10 leave the road. Night
was coming on, and our horses were tired
and ourselves also, and hungry as well, and
we hailed the sight with Joy, as visions OF d
warm supper ana bed rose before US. AZ
rived at the foot Of the hill and the point OF
rocks, we looked anxiously for thai 'Splaln"
trail, but it was not to be seen. From
point to bridge we searched, leading onr
horses, but nary trail, ana mat sellled it
| "a n
and we didn't know where that was, SO
there was nothing to do but camp for the
night. We had only one picket rope, so we
picketed one horse and let one 20 loose, trust
Ing that he would not leave the other, anu
searched around for wood to build fire,
which we soon had blazing brightly. Then
with only the pleasant "reminiscences OF the
days travel for supper, with The dark scud-
ding clouds and the duster tor a canopy, and
the moaning Of The winds among the pines
on the hillside for our evening hyMn, trust
ing IN the Divine Providence which watches
over ALL we lay ourselves down with our sad
die for q pillow to think over bygOne joys
and perchance to sleep. But there was very
little sleep tor either OF us that night. away
up in the mountains, on frosty night, win
no supper and no blankets, sleep Was very
capricious ana though WoOed would not be
won for long at Time. Cold Ii It had
not been tor that dusler we should, per
haps, have perished. About IL O'CLOCK the
clouds had disappeared anu the mon looked
down like the All Seeing eye upon us ana lent
a little more cheerful aspect to the scene.
Every now and then one OF Us would rise
up ana walk around to get warmed and to
replenlsh the fire which we kept burning
brightly all night, and Ill one OF these peri
a, n VA, NAT
the horses were gone Thinking that per
haps tney had nut gone Tar and that delay
would allow them 10 get 1urluer off, We sa-
lied foltn Ill The moonlight IL search Of them
but an hours Tramp Ialled 10 disclose d
sign, ana there. WeS nObHing to DO but re-
turn to the camp TIRE ana possess our souls
in patience unlll tne InUrnlng light would en-
able us 10 Continue the seaIcn. At the hrst
streak OF gray dawn, we iOee up, leaVlnB
our companion stlll resting, aud tOok The
back track, searching lht ROAD closely "
discoVer,lt possible, Whether They lad passed
that way. But tie heavy tTosL mad L2fuentu
the ground SO that 1t was Impossible 10 tel,
and SO, after going back . considerable dls-
tance We returned 10 Camp, reused our sleep
ing friend, and both started OFT On the search.
The sun was just gliding Tue nlll tops 10 lhu
west OF us, and, while l0UklDg up WITH an
admiring gaze we spltd our unIalthful steeds
calmly grazing away up On the hill slde, all
unconscious Or the anxiety WhicH they had
caused us. lit took us the best part u ali
hour to reach and secure taem, and TO resume
the Journey. Wltn a kind VI gannt feel-
ing III the region OF our coInmlssary depart
.nent, we Travelled On until l:5O p. N at
which hour We found ourselves al Radei .
ranch, where we found plentiful provision tor
both ourselves and horses. ald 10 which We
did ample justice, having had nothing fo cal
since 6:30a. ~ the previous Gay. - 5:50
we bade good bye for the present 20 our
travelling companion, and struck oub Tor old
Diamond. Moonlight was streaming down
Confederate gnlch as we rode into Inc now
almost deserted town, and the 1lrst thing
which caught our eye was The skeleton of
the old Good Templar's hall On the famous
Montana bar. which was being torn down,
preparatory to it's removal to White Sulphur
Springs The sight brought q feeling Of sad
ness over. our spirit, for the old hall was IN
timatelY associated with many pleasant times
spent within it's walls, during aresIdence II
Diamond years ago, hours which will 1--we II
the memory when many other things are tor
gotten il the hurry and hustle OF the future,
pleasures which were shared BY many dear
friends now scattered over different parts OF
the Territory. and who may never meet
agair without some place being vacant.
The hotel in Diamond IS again in the hands
Of the proprietor, q. A. Hampton, while ",
#. Haase and Il. Marks keep the two stores,
the former being postmaster and the latter
agent for Marks s. Patterson's stage line.
Speaking of this line we know Ct none IN
the Territory which is more prompt and reg
ular than this. and there are
nc more popular stage men and freighfsfs =