The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-11-28
VOL. 16, NO. %.
A ROUGH TRIP.
Ho" we Game Down From tn. North Ten
Years Ago.

Ho" we Came Down From the North Ten
| Years Ago.
For the Rec North West, by &C. s."
Precisely at two o'clock, wboop-Up time,
In the afternoon on Tuesday, November II.
1874, .. s@
PARTY OF SIX PERSONS
lett the gates Of Fort Hamilton, on Belly
River, bound for the South and United States
territory. Some Of these men had come out
WITH winter supplies for the Post and were
now returning with partly empty wagons.
Two double OK teams were the property of
J.J. Healsy, and two light wagons, drawn
by horses, together with some loose stock,
were owned in partnership by one Henry
and a noted weller and prairie man called
"Big Sandy Lane" both Of whom were in
the party. Besides these, there were two
hardy frontiersmen, named respectively vo-
gle and Joe Bowers. Johnny Manning, for
msrly Of Missoula, and since sheriff at
Deadwood, Dakota, was the Captain of the
outfit, he having been sent sut by Healy as
wagon.master upon the merits of friendship
The sixth man was one designated with q
&C." He was physically disabled and inca
pable Of much exertion where labor was
concerned-a cripple. He had sought the
land OF the Great Mother to do little study
ing on the Indian question, while Claggett
and Page were compiling results before the
U. s. Courts Of their Indian investi cations,
which gave such shock to the Ring in 1873;
and he was new returning to the United
StafAa n I'm ~ h. box
clss, without fear or hindrance.
THE FIRST or THE TRIP.
There had been already several severe
snow storms, but the road was reported clear,
and on this particular day the weather was
so very fine that the expedition started in
high spirits and made the first camp after
nine miles travel. On the 18th, sixteen miles
brought them to Kipps Coulie, where favsr-
able reports wore received from one Jack
Thomas, and tho south wind blew deceitful
promise. On the 10Th they reached Edman's
Coulie, but the following morning was OPP
pressiysly warm, the sky was clouding In
the East, and the snow, which heretofore
had been light, became new so heavy that
advantage had to be taken of bare ridges off
the road, but camp was made on Milk river
in good order.
SNOW BOUND ON MILK RIVER.
A small skin lodge, OF TIVE mon capacity,
had been taken along for quarters, and In it
nightly five of the party crowded closely to-
gether, while &C." slept in the wagon.
Awakening on the msrning Of the 2lst, &C"
thought that his blankets had increased in
weight, and upon investigation he found An
extra spread Of snow, six inches deep, that
had driftsd in under the wagon cover. 1t
was daylight, and the wind was sounding an
icy reveille. Hallooing to his comrades he
was told to lie still and keep warm, and after
reached in, and also a fry ing pan biscuit, a
sort of cross between bread and csal, but
the latter, which had dropped on top of the
bed, was frozen so hard in few minutes as
to prove unestable. At last, about noon he
left the wagon aud Joined his companions in
the lodge, every crack of which had been
carefully stopped, and very small Gre In the
center issued such quantities Of smoke that
IL threatened TO turn the halfblinded in
mates into bacon, although they had nothing
Of the hog about them.
BURNED HIS FOOT OFF.
The storm continued, and in the next night
&C" suspesting one of his feet to be in close
proximity to the nrs, asked one of the boys
to feel the situation. He Immediately re-
ported that the foot was not only in the fire,
but that part Of it had already been con-
sumed This was a great calamity, but fortu-
natsly IL was only q wooden feet, and 1t had
contributed little warmth to the lodge. 1t
was a bad night, and daylight On Sunday
was welcomed by all, but 1t was bitterly Geld,
and the popular "sun dogs" warned them to
keep In the tent and their cramped and un-
comfortable position. Toward evening
THE BLIZZARD CAME UP REINFORCED
and with such fury that 1t was found neces-
sary to turn loose the tied up stock to keep
the animals frsm perishing. This state Of
affairs lasted until the 24th, when the "nor-
thsr" veered slightly to the West, and Sandy,
after short tramp, luckily recovered oil tile
horses but one huddled together In deep
cut. The cattle had evidently gone South
with the storm, teward the MarIas.
SHORT OF PROVISIONS.
All the provisions that these men had to
subsist upon was -four and coffee, It bsingthe
custom In those days to kill anne along the
road, where generally buffalo and antelope
were met In numbers but the gale had
driven them with it, and the travellers had
had no meat for several days. It was there
fore great but premature joy when Man
ming announced that there was big woolly
thing on the ice Of the river. Vogle and
Sandy started Immediately with their guns
for ths suspected buffalo calf, and found,
upon close inspection, small and worthless
porcupine. Johnnys smoked eyes and the
extraordinary magnifying power of the iced
air had caused deception In regard to size
and specie-and the sticks that had been
sharpsned for q roast were now distingust-
ingly thrown away.
CONCLUDED TO STRIKE OUT.
On Wednesday, the 25th, the boys cenclu-
dsd to strike out, and about noon they selec-
ted the lightest wagon for tho best team,
loaded on only the necessary bedding, food
and "C.,n abandoned the rest OF the outfit
and started ints the snswy waste. Horses
and men worked hard till after sundown,
when having made only TIVE miles they en-
camped in deep drift and returned to Milk
river camp on the following morning, minus
one animal, which had given out. 1t was
now determined by all except Manning and
&C." to return to Fort Hamilton. The for
mer wished to proceed South and recover his
cattle, and the latter was anxious to reach
the settlements in Msntana-bsth were un- \
acquainted with the country, dressed in
winter garb. and several offers made fer
some one TO bring them through wsre re-
jected.
Sandy alsne felt inclined to 20 IL his part
nsr would consent to furnish the best horses
and Henry was afraid to loss them. AZ
this point &C." made very liberal and fnal
proposition to cover the anticipated loss OF
stock, and IL was accepted. He was . Do
taken 70 Su river, and Manning 70 the ma