Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-27
THE BADLANDS BANSHEE
HOW THE GHOST WALKS AMONG
WESTERN DAKOTA BUTTES.
An Apparation Which Scared Years
Growth Out of Party of Hardy Cattle
Herders-A Richly Colored Story All
the Way From Glendive.

/ An Apparat1On Wn1cn scared I0ar
Growth Out of a Party of Hardy Cattle
Herders-A Richly Colored Story All
the Way From Glendive.
Glendive, Mont. special: Many strange,
weird tales have been told of the "Ban-
shee OF the Bad Lands" The spot in
Western Dakota known as the Bad Lands
is among the many attractions to curl
osities seekers who travel over the North
ern route, and in many respects it forms
the most novel and interesting landscape
in this wide, wide world OF inexplicabie
freaks. They have been given many names
by scientists and Others, but none more
appropriate than that OF "Hell with the
Fires Out"
For strange, fantastic shapes and marvel.
lous combinations of form and hue they
stand peerless in the line OF landscape
wonders. 1t is not in daylight that the
Bad Lands appear to the best advantage,
They appeal Ito the .imagination and
present the most fantastic shapes at night
when the moon is out and the pale light OF
the beauteous night-orb streams through
the latticework formed by the peaks and
pinnacles of the pointed buttes which stand
out ogainst the sky like the spires and
towers OF an ancient city.
1t is during moonlight nights that the
awful grandeur of this strange phenomenon
is presented most strikingly, and it is when
the moon is in the full that the ghost which
has been the terror of huntsmen and the
wonder OF herders appears. 1t was about
year ago that
THE GHOST WAS FIRST SEEN,
and when first reported was believed to be
nothing more than the effect of the moon
light upon some OF the strange forma-
tions.
In May last the first reliable report OF
the appearance of the apparition was
made, and, although the matter was kept
as quiet as possible by those who made
the investigation. lest they should be
branded as superstitious towards. it has
become known among the herders and
cowboys that "the ghost walks" in the
Bad Lands, and that there i, one spot
about which it is impossible to keep the
cattle at night.
One of the men who made the investiga-
ton is John Watson, well-known cow
boy, who has mingled with the herds in
Texas, Wyoming and Montana for years.
He is not timid man, but in relating his
experience with the unwelcome visitor OF
Uuo Ddu LduuS uC duuAAouOu GAeso IO coOoA
transfxed and speechless at the appear
ance OF the ghost.
It was about midnight when the party
passed the "Watch Dog OF tee Bad Lands,
a huge rock in the form OF dog, which
stands out from the summit OF a butte. A
mile south OF this was the spot where the
ghost was reported to have been seen. As
they approached the base OF the butte
they were
STARTLED BY A FLICKER OF LIGHT
which looked like the flashing OF lightning
through the moonlight. This was enough
to cause them to pause and gaze at each
other in silence, and for a moment they
stared into each others eyes with wonder
ment and awe. The solemn hush which
night and fear produce fell upon them and
when Watson spoke he did SO in whispers
lest his voice should wake the spirit of the
dead.
Gaining courage the party proceeded, but
before they had walked ten yards another
and more brilliant flash OF light illuminated
the surrounding country and brought the
adventures to standstill. This flash was
followed by hazy, shadowy, indescribable
gloom which seemed to, hang about the
haunted butte, and in an instant the form
of person robed in white appeared upon
great rugged men who had lived a life of
fights and daring were huddled together with
clasped hands like affrighted children, and
every one was gariDg at the phantom
form.
Noiselessly but swiftly thefo descended
the butte with outstretched arms, as if
pleading for help. As it neared the men it
was seen to be the form of a woman. The
thin white raiment trembled in the night
air, and the thin white form moved toward
the group. At last one Of the party mus.
tered sufficient courage to address the
phantom. exclaiming:
"Hello! Who are you, and what do you
want?"
No sooner had he spoken than scream
which
NARROWED THE BLOOD OF THE HERDERs
echoed through the Bad Lanus aad "ns
heard vibrating and re-echoing through the
narrow gens for many seconds. With the
scream the form disappeared, and in an
instant was poised upon the summit Of the
hill.
The investigators were satisfitd. They
did not hunger for further proof With
trembling forms and stammered whispers
they started on their return trip, only to
be followed by the appariation. The form
came swiftly down the side Of the hill, and
when within about eight rods OF the re.
treating cowboys slackened its pace. For
over a mile this "Banshee of the Bad
Lands" followed them, and Watson says
that when they got back to the road where
they had left their ponies they lost no time
in putting the spurs to the horses and fee
ing to the ranch.
The ghost disappeared as soon as the
horses were reached, and Watson declares
that he would not visit the haunted butte
at midnight again for all the cattle in
these vast grazing lands.
There are many theories advanced by
the superstitious. The most generally ac-
cepted being that the ghost is that OF a
woman who was murdered and buried in
the butte. 1t is claimed that the appara-
ton has been seen several times since
Watson and his party visited the place,
but this is the only story known to have
bee. told by one who has investigated.
GUILTY OF FMANSLAUGHJER.