The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-08-08

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new conner in the fall would be astonish-
ed by the ravens alighting on his shoul-
der and croaking in his ear. The bird
disappeared about the first of December
and it was supposed that he had been
killed by some hard hearted one Of the
party from whom he had been stealing
But few days after Mckenzie and
party's fight, q force of about 500 Sioux,
supposed to be the war party that had
been committing depredations on the
upper river, came circling around the
bottom and fired at the stockade from
long range. The garrison from the out
side portion and from port holes in the
stockade, sent a lively fire and soon after
the Big Horn gun was rolled out and the
Indians had received few shells from
it, they retired from the argument with
several of their number wounded.
Soon after this Mccormick with three
others went afoot up the river to Boze-
man. At Benson's Landing he made two
boats and loading them with goods again
went down the river. With him were
George Herendeen, John Williamson
and another man.
Herendeen, after parting with Major
Pease at Buford, had gone up the Mis-
souri, river by steamer to Carol and
overland from there to Bozeman.
Mccormick left one of the boats and
most of his goods at Bakers battle ground
in charge of Herendeen and with the
other boat and the remainder of the
goods he accompanied by Williamson
went on to Fort Pease and next day
started again up the river for another
load of goods.
In November E. s. Topping built
mackinaw at Bottelers, on the upper
river and with load of specimens from
the National Park, started down the river
on his way to the Centennial. David
Kennedy, an ex-soldier from Fl. Ellis,
accompanied him On the. trip. "A days
run brought them to Benson's Landing.
and finding there Jack Mckenzie and
Billy Smith preparing to take stock Of
goods down the river, they awaited there
till the third day, when the fleet Of four
boats started down together.
McKenzie's boats were not well hand
led and were turned over several times
on the trip. At least half of his mer-
chandise was lost and nearly all of the
remainder was carried in the large boat.
When near Fl. Pease the weather turned
cold and Topping, seeing that the river
was going to freeze up, concluded to stop
near the fort for the winter and wolf, 80
just above the mouth of the Big Horn he
left some provisions, ammunition and
bedding and ran the boat down to
Pease. Here Kennedey and William
son who had joined at Bakers battle
ground walked back and packed their
things about three miles up the Big
Horn, and built there a small log house,
then went to hunting and putting out
wolf bats.
In the latter part of September the
boys commenced putting out wolf bats
and as the Indians did not show them
selves they went out two or three together
to skin the wolves. About the first Of Oc-
tober a German named Fred Harlan
went out, against advice, alone to bait.
Just after he disappeared in the hills
back of the fort, q volley was heard in
that direction and party of about eight
men went right out there and found
Harlan's body living just at the head OF a
little coulie. The signs indicated that
he had had no chance to fight but was
killed by the first volley, which wasfired
from close quarters.
No more Indians were seen for two
months and the wolfers were out in every
direction; bats were spread on both
sides of the Yellowstone as far down as
the Rosebud and up the Big and Little
Horn rivers to the Big Horn range.
Mccormick had hought large stock
of goods at Bozeman and early in Novem-
Der started with it down the river. The
weather turned suddenly cold and at the
mouth of Sweetgrass creek he was stop
ped by ice and had to 60 back to Boze-
man for teams to transport his goods to
their destination.
At the fort quite a large number OF
wolf skins were being brought in daily
and it bid fair to be prosperous season
for the trappers, till near the middle Of
December, when the Uncapapa Indians
again came and in strong force. The first
sign of their presence was shown on the
10th of December, when they attacked
Topping 4 Co., on the Big Horn and
fought them for seven hours.
Kennedy and Williams had killed q
large number of buffalo, on the 18th and
next morning arose early to skin some Of
these, which they had not been able to
attend to the day before. Topping had
come in late at night tired from trip up
the Big Horn and did not get up the next
morning till breakfast was ready. Just
as the first two were getting up from tht
table IAN elk skin spread ON the ground
they heard tramping outside, which they
thought was made by band of buffalo
50 Kennedey ran one way and William
son the other, while Topping continued
his breakfast. In a moment tie lattel
heard two shots that came close together
from the direction that Kennedey had
taken, and knowing then that it was In
dams, he seized his gun and ran out. A
about seventy-fye yards from the cabir
he met Kennedcy and together they rar
back; bullets came whistling between
and around them, hut luckily neithe]
was hit.
Kennedy had run right among twenty
of the savages but did not like to shoot
for he had the impression that they wer'
J Crows. He was soon undeceived for on'
directly in front shot at him with ,
Winchester. He instantly returned tn
fire and knocked the Indian OF of hi
horse, then started back. Williamson
; reached the cabin just after the other
and reported seeing hundred Indian
| which, when his mind became cleare