Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-10-24
to raise the passage money. This man
now claimed that he and his wife
c,.-,rI,f, nun, oIryETT

And that he. the real owner, was
merely a passenger. He added that
there was no one in the train who
knew them or the facts, and that this
man had undoubtedly concealed The
pistols in his boots SO as to get him
out Of the way There was an air of
candor about this story that Influenced
some of our crowd, and as we were
much the stronger We took the fellow
into our train. The stolen property
we left with the thieves in the absence
of clear evidence. This was not i'm
portant, as they were going our way,
and there was a possibility Of straight
ening that in the future In fact, the
following year affidavits from Denver
fully verified the story told Us, and
the property was restored, the rascal
and his wife only escaping rough
treatment by running away. How
much is the conduct of men Influenced
by fear Of the law and the restraint of
society! If you want to see what d
man is made of, place him among his
fellows beyond the reach of either
From Fort Bridger We started for
Fort Hall, intending to cross Snake
River somewhere near that point.
NOTHING SPECIAL OCCURRED
| Until our train was on the last divide,
the slope from which took us into the
river bottom. There we found the
fresh-made graves Of seven men, killed
by Indians. We afterward learned
that they had belonged to a small
party which had preceded Us, and
which had been fiercely assailed on
this divide. The incident had cool
ing effect on our party and, indeed,
the long trip and the many conflict
ing reports had before this subdued
our enthusiasm. Doubts began to
arise Men became anxious. Some
would retrace their steps, but it was
too late. We got over Snake River
by swimming our stock, and impro
vising ferry for ourselves and our
traps. Thence we dragged on until
we crossed the Jefferson and entered
Beaverhead Valley. It was now get
ting late in the season, We were
practically as far as ever from the
Salmon River Country. To get
through that year was impossible.
The more thoughtful Of our company
had already become convinced that
the whole thing was myth, and that
we had the honor Of participating in
the biggest Of the
MANY WILD GOOSE CHAsEs
In the annals Of American gold hunt
ing. In the valley just named We
were met by a projecting party who
had ridden ahead. They had crossed
some hills to our left, and thought
they had found something good. A
council was held. and we turned in
for the new discovery. This was the
origin Of East Bannacl, and the end
of our performance in the Salmon
River humbug. In three days Yam
kee Flat was studded with our tents,
and every man in the gulch was busy.
The way the dirt few was wonderful.
Most of us were green, and much Of
the labor, for want of knowledge,
counted nothing But there were two
or three forty-niners IN the crowd,
and they commenced nosing around,
dropping down the creek and away
from US, and lucky were those who
kept them in sight: They struck some
rich spots, and then nearly everybody
tumbled down the gulch, abandoning
their work, most Of which promised a
dollar at cost of two or three
ORE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MEN,
With pick and shovel, then worked
early and late in that narrow stretch
of couple of miles, and yet it was
seven or eight weeks before the dis
covery of Jimmy's Bar. Men had
camped here, and from this point had
gone to root in ground comparatively
worthless. This was the crowning
discovery in the way of placer mining
in the gulch. There was nothing big
in Bannack, but some Of the stakes
were comfortable-say $4,000 to $50
900.
Our situation that fall and winter
of 1862 was singular. We were an
isolated colony, cut off from eommu-
nication with the world. We could !
not send or receive letter. We were
thrown on our own resources, and
had to be satisfied with pretty much |
what we had with us. The first want |
seriously felt was lumber Our work
demanded this, and in two weeks ev
cry wagonbox had been ripped to
pieces. An enterprising individual
now secured the only saw in the eoun-
try, and soon Bannack had primi-
tive sawmill The best white pine
logs could be had fer the hauling Of a