The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1886-12-29
A PERILoUs TRIP.
TBY HENRY MACDONALD. |


sayages are totally different in kind and
intensity from those produced in battle
with civilized people. The soldier is en-
eouraged by emulation and. sympathy.
The cheering columns; the music of bois- |
ferrous drums; the silver voices of heroic
hugles; the grand wild music Of war; the
booming cannon; the glorious rattle of the
musketry; the Haunting flags, and all the
"pride, pomp and circumstance Of glori-
GUS war''-swell, and almost burst, the
brave soel with warlike courage.
Indian war is as pitiless as famine; mer-
ciless aa fire. Savages never attack un-
less they have overwhelming advantage
the odds are usually at least a dozen to
one. There are no thrilling sounds to 81
lence the sense of danger; no such thing
as quarter, and wound means capture
and a horrible death. Under such circum-
stances the hunted man is wild beast
turned at bay and grim despair nerves him
TO sell his life as dearly as possible.
In February, 1868, a man named Bent
and myself left mouth of Milk river for
Helena. That winter we had lived on
"meat straight" so that when we started
from there we were not burdened with
large commissariat, but depended ON our
rifles for our subsistence. A weeks tray-
ell brought us TO Fort Hawley, North
west Fur company post, on the MISSOURI.
A large camp of Gros Ventres had just ar
rived there and every Indian we met ask
ed us who we had killed. I only under
stood, when it was explained to me, that
the Indian who actually kills an enemy
blacks his face in honor of the event. 10
avoid snow blind we had blackened our
faces. Two Frenchmen had been killed
lust outside the fort week before our ar
rival by Sioux.
After few days rest we continued our
Journey and were caught in succession OF
terrible snow storms. The storms had
driven all the game out Of the country we
were tra7ersing, and the only living thing
we saw on the trip was an old scabby,
blind, buffalo bull, which we killed. lie
did not even have marrow in his bones.
His tongue, liver aud tripe were the only
parts of him possible to eat and they were
not the luxures of the season. For ten
DAYS we travelled through deep snow, liv-
ing On rosebuds and water, a diet more
poetic than substantial, when we met
party Of miners who relieved our wants.
When 1 reached Helena met Mr.. 5. :.
Huntly, who employed me to take dis
patch to his division agent, Al. Bradbury,
who was at the mouth Of the Musselshel
river. He had started six men sometime
before that to carry the same dispatch, but
they had been driven back BY Indians.
had left behind me the last white
settlement more than one hundred miles,
when riding leisnrely along [ noticed a
con.motion among the buffalo about three
miles off to my left. l looked with my
glasses and could see Indians rapidly rid
ING towards me- knew of no Indians IN
that country who were not hostile.
cinched my saddle, examined my rifle,
and prepared for a race. thought hao
such start I could easily out run them,
but / ssreckoned without my host"
had the base of the Snowy mountains On
my right hand. The lay of the country
held me to my course. The angle they
were running on shortened the distance
for them at every bound. On, On We
swept over that trackless prairie, and al
every glance took over my shoulder the
distance between us was rapidly decreas'
ing. came to Beaver creek, and Q hor-
ror! Where I struck it the beaver dams
made it impossible for man or horse.
turned and had to run mile before
found place to cross. Inc lHdlans uh'
derstood my predicament; they altered
their course and gained that mile on me
On. on we ran, the distance between "
rapidly decreasing, and realized TO th'
full the sensations Of the hunted fox. NJ J
only hope now was for good position.
came to little butte with washed ou
rayne on one side, and there 4 turned a
bav. more than one hundred miles iron
the nearest white man. What thought
will come into mans mind atsuch mo
ment2 Should Z eyer see the goldei
beams of rising sun again? Was not
almost certain my quivering flesh Woale
be munched. nv bones picked ana knaWe'
by wild animals; my fate unknown 20 es
ery one except the wilder men? on the.
came. their horses without saddle of pflaie
stark naked; their copper coored oodle
with their brass ornaments glistenlng y
the sun; their faces painted with pae, M
and red stripes; their hideous mouths Al
ed with feathered arrows, which they ile
with their teeth. When about three nun
dred yards off ! stopped them. One mao
the Nez Perces sign. let him come "
He said they had captured q band OF morse
hen they saA