The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1886-12-08

forgotten to work the lever of his Henry.
The chamber was empty his deadly aim
produced only dull snap and the Indians
jumped behind the shelter Of the wood
cribs. Big Dan, in the meantime, had by
means of running and stumbling reached
the stockade gate, but not before two pul-
lets were implanted in him-one IN the
arm, the other in the hip. Neither Joe
nor Dan knew what had become OF the
other men. Joe had seen Long and when
he last saw him he was pursued by several
Indians, but as he was a powerful runner
and apparently unhurt, we had strong
homes that he had escaped and would
bring lis assistance.
The next morning Dan was unable to
move. but Joe mounted on top of the cabin
to watch the surrounding brush and |
went out to search for our mis-
sing companions. Not two hundred
wards from the stockade / found the bodies
Of Jordan and Foster, lying beside the log
they were chopping on, stripped naked,
but not mutilated. [ searched for but
could not find Long and as the under
growth Of brush was dense | did not care
to run the chance of taking very wide
circuit, as we were almost sure he had es-
capped. [ wrapped Foster and Jordan IN
blankets, dug hole and put them in it.
Jordan had come on the river the pre-
ceding fall, and on his trip down from
Benton had been attacked by Indians, one
Of his companions killed and had only
saved his own life by his expertness as
swimmer and diver.
Foster had several letters Of introduce
ton to prominent gentlemen Of Denver,
and was a born mathematician. His sole
recreation was the working Of problems in
algebra. I preserved the, one he was
working on the evening before he was
killed. Poor fellow! In a few short
hours he had solved the final problem.
We sat in the cabin for three days and
nights, expecting renewal of the attack
at any time. Howlong and dreary it was,
the strained waiting for either relief OF
attack? The excitement produced by the
rustic Of deer Or the tramp of q stray
buffalo followed by the reaction of mo-
notous, deadly silence only broken by the
occasional CALCULATIONS of the wounded
Dan to some favorite saint.
The fourth day, no assistance reaching
as, we concluded that Long must have
been also killed. Again Joe mount ed the
cabin and [ searched the surrounding
brush and this time found the dead body
i Of Long. In nv former search \ had
passed within few feet of him, but oW.
ing to large log that he laid beside hao
mot seen him. He was shot through
I twice. but the Tudians had apparently no
found him, as he had not been stripped o.
J. mutilated. He was a magnificent speci-
men of manhood, over six foot tour inches
and had a daughter in the states who wa
notified of his tragic fate.
Our last hope was now gone. Neithe
/. Joe nor Dan could travel and determin
ed to 60 and get some help. Between oul
place and the Musselshell river three othe
men had cabin and were engaged II
chopping wood. [ reached these mems
] place (I can't recall their names) and the.
accompanied me back. Joe had yoke O.
{ oxen and wagon. The oxen generally fet
among the dense willows and the Indian
+ had not seen them. Our only means t
= get the wounded men away was to hau
! them. but the side of the river we were OF
T was almost impossible for man on horse
! back. and we were obliged to cross it. LII
= ice on the river WINS too rotten to bear u
r the cattle. so we were compelled to wal
until the river broke up, which it did j
! about 4 week. We then swan the cattl
+ and RATED ourselves and the wagon acros
a and went up the river about fifty miles {
! small settlement at the mouth OF tn
]. Musselshell. We had only reached ther
r when James Brewer and Capt. Andrew
j. had a race for life across the Musselshe
+ bottom and white woman, old miner
I will remember her denny Of Watery fame
n and a young Crow squaw were walking
T short distance from the houses, when
! few Indians who had crawled through th
q sage brush commenced firing upon then
e The squaw was shot through the lowe
+ part of che body and Jenny could have e
4 caned had she abandoned the squaW, sh
i clunp to her and endeavored to drag he
Is towards the houses, but bullet crease
i her neck and stretched her on the grount
\ An Indian dashed towards her and tor
Q two sealps from her head, as she lay sense
. LESS. With tne first Shrek of the Wome
f several men rushed out Of the houses az
! onenea fire At the Indians. The who
thing scarcely occupied Il minute. Th
q women were carried in, the sqaaW maxim
! loud lamentations. but the white Wonla
d was supposed 70 be dead. The squaN
f. afterwards saw in the Crow eamp. dlrfle