The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-10-19
THE gkTAg.s OF a 'ERA VEAEs.

The tDoundIess prafrle3 iGae many ~
their charms when Boreas is abroad IN hs
land indulgipg in sucil unexpected fr@* " ~
lie did last week. We know this fro'n x /
perience and could call up several 9witp ,@ses !
to attest the fact # necessary. Waile t:'ayel- !
ing from Martins dale to the Judish Gap last |
week we came upon camp or esnale SKIN
nera" who were vainly trying to soe comfort
able by hugging IS closely as possible the
fire they had kinded by the roadside. We
stopped to extract a little Warrntn from the |
camp fire when one Of the boys gave vent to !
| bis pent up feelings in this strain:
ssThis is h-ll, ANT it Maybe you think
it's pleasant to be caught in such storm
/ with nothing but sumner clothes, but can
| tell you it ISM Hang NE ifE1'd start out on
the Fourth ofsauly after this without an ov-
ercoat, oyershoes and several pairs OF blank
cts =
We knew how it was ourself, and hence
our svmpathies were easily aroused Before
we left, the camp held counsel OF war ana
resolved to send messenger to the nearest
atore for winter supplies. AT Stephens
d Bros at the Gap. We took 4 he precautlon
10 add few needed articles 0 our summer
outfit, and afterwards journey'ed with more
i comfort.
| One OF the pleasures we ntesapated from
a trip across the country from White sui
phur Springs to Benton was thst OF seeing
| the Judith Basin, the alleged garden spot OF
/ 80 ~. s< ht7f dor
curnstances not exactly calculated 10 throw
halo Of beauty over the scene. II it hac
been throughout IS attractive as the "Val'
Of Cashmere, ;, as described by Moere. II,
beauty would Certainly have been lost upoi
us. The stage left the Gap about thre'
o'clock. at which time there were faif sndl
: cations of better westber. But by the tin
swe-oot into the Basin we found ourselves Il
h|inding snow storm, and 1t was aausos
;m,,ossible to see more than dozen YARD
ahead. Night overlook us fifteen miles IRON
the station and the driver urged on al
steeds as rapidly as possible to get through
Rut he didn't. It was impossible TO dis
: finpnish the road in the darkness owing 7
- Il the leaVv lali " sA'H e4no A = ~
were soon lost on the prairie. After Wane
ar;no around awhile it was decided to follo1
n,1r track back to Smyth's ranch, a dlstanc
t. If three or four miles, and wait for dayllgh
. which resolve was put into execution
aneeaily as possible. There was nc, one s
hone.at the ranch, but we managed 70 g
in and succeededin passing 3 confortab
nioht. From the abundance Of t'gsub" 9
hand (including the greater portion of
lnicely dressed antelope), We cooked an e
SSs eenent supper and breskfaat and l.sft ne:
ed morning without having an opport1nlty
thanking our host The rest Of the Journe
tbronph the Basin was made while the me
curY was ranging in the neighborhood !.
- zero and when the ground was covered VI
foar inches of SO we naturally fail
re- tn become .slost IN admiration OF the cou
trv we saw. Under other and more favor
HE circumstances, doubtless. we would ha
been prompted TO go into ecstaeies over
=. heauties of the Judith valley.
p The ,rip from Mann's to Benton y
: made at night and lacked a good deal Of ]
s mo q nIeasant one. While coming do
L1g one Of the several long. and steep, hills 9
make that read dreaded ona for freight
lrhe brake proved to be Of no aeryfea On
.snow, an:1 We. .saoa found. ourselves goi
: .ksnun hill at a terrific rate of saesd. See
i1aat a smash up was Imminent the f1ri
tstnrned his horses eff the Taad, just slzatr.fn
the brink Of q high Irecipiee. + vas
! a cleae call, but the passengers didn't begin
get scared until they goto and say Wha VII
narrow escape they had. But that J
hardly the worst experience ne had. Wl