The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1888-03-24
A MONTANA PIONEER,
WHY HIS HAIR AND BEARD ARE AS
WHITE AS SNOW.

Incident in the Career of Paul NIcCor.
mick, Ono of the Men Who Helped to
Open up the Yellowstone in Spite of the
Sioux.
After being bcsicged in Fort Pease for
some time it became evident to our advent
urrls that further supplies of provisions,
ammunition etc, would be necessary to hold
out against the besicgers, and it was deemed
important that one of these daring pioneers
should volunteer to run the gauntlet and Sc
cure not only an ample supply of provisions
and ammunition, but re-enforcements also.
1T was 800 miles to Bozeman, the nearest
place of relief, and over lonely, wild coun-
Try, infested by savages, but Paul McCor-
mick cheerfully volunteered to make the
dangerous trip alone. Leaving the fort by
dusk and travelling mostly by night, in ten
'aNs he was at Bozenlan andsecured not only
plenty OF neceSsaries for tho garrison, but
ORGANIZED quite little company of recruits,
and with the stealth of wild animal they
slipped down the river and succeeded in gain
ing the fort without any loss. Soon after it
was found necessary that another trip should
be made, and again Mccormick passed
through the Indian lines alone and returned
again i'll safety. Then he at various times
Slipped out of the fort by night and after
killing Il deer or an elk the next day ut some
great distance off, would return in the same
manner to supply tho inmates with fresh
venlson. So daring We're his feats that his
companions had concluded that he was in
reality insensble to fear
RUNNING A GREAT RISK.
One evening, after nearly weeks cessa-
tlOn of tirinr hy fIn TpJ;o
and none of them have been seen in the
vicinity of the fort for days, Mccormick
told some of his companions that he proposed
to venture out early in the morning horse
back and ascertain if there were really any
Indians still i'll tho vicinity. His friends
warned him Of tho danger, but he secuted
their warning and persisted so determinedly
that they gave up i'll despair, intimating
loudly that they would never sec him again
alive.
lrue TO his determination, the next morn
ing found him ready for tho trip. One of
nus comrades, realizing the risk Mccormick
"ouid undergo alone, volunteered to accom-
lany nm, and at tho first approach of day
llSsit the cato was opened and the two horse
men quietly departed, tho ominous warnings
OIL Their companions still ringing in their
ears Proceeding up and down tho valley,
which Is here u wido bottom, they failed to
discern the slightest signs of Indians, and ac-
cordngly came to the conclusion that the
Sioux had abandoned the siege. Before re-
turning, however, curiosity led them to make
u reconnaissance to q couee which came
down from the foot hills, and while passing
along this shallow coulee McCormick's COM
l'anon remarked that ho saw something like
the tracks of Indians i'll tho sand only short
distance away, and begged Mccormick to
| como and see
NoLLEY FROM THE sAvAGEs.
just at that moment whole swarm of
savaGcs rose up from behind the sage brush
aud cmptied volley from their rifles. Tho
distance was less than twenty feet, but evi.
IDENTITY the aim Of the Indians was very poor
owing t" their haste and excitement. Nc
'"rnlcks companion was badly wounded,
ana The horse, instead of making toward the
l"rt' rushed among the savages, and the
rnler was of course lost. Mccormick, how
ever, wheeled his own horse toward tho
Tort, and dashed back in the greatest haste,
beng surrounded by tho red devils, who
seemed Z" rise up out of tho earth on all
Sldc', shouting and giving unearthly yells.
dc'ormlck, being mounted on a fine charger,
quickly passed tho Indians on foot, but wa;
| '-'''N't.y ~''AAoiiOeu ny UWO lIluluu lOrelneD.
VINO, i'll some unaccountable manner had got
iet"ccn him and tho fort. McCormicks
horse, being very swift, enabled him to pass
one of them, though the Indian gave him q
terrible blow on the shoulders, his rife having
been emptied when Mccormick was approach
lhS The other horseman was now across
his path and waiting his turn, but, being
under considerable excitement, his gun,
though so close to McCormick's faco that his
flesh was filled with powder, failed to do any
llarln, and the occupants Of the fort, having
heard the firing, now rushed out to protect
their comrade, and ono Of the Indians was
shot and his scalp taken.
But, poor Mccormick his terrible scare
during that brief space Of time had nearly
1nnervcd him. Never was thero exhibited
II more awful picture of fright than was por-
,lnyed on his countenance on reaching tho
st"ckudc. Hair erect, pale as o ghost, he
| IliitEed with s.ch fear that he could not for
u long time give any account of his advent
nre In fact, he presented pitiable spec
taclc, and did not fully recover his senses
1or weeks. But the strangest affair of tho
whole occurrence was that his hair and
whskers, which had been of jet black color
and glossy i'll appearance, during those ten
minutes Of peril had become white as the
driven snow, and the stranger could now
easily mistake him for an octogenarian.-
Philadelphia Times.