Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-09-10

Remfniscences 0f"Old strike the Ree.".
"0ld Dakota" and their Contemporaries
I'm the Early Part of the Present Cen
tury.
BY CREEP EASY, OF CALAMITY FARM,
[Continusd from last week
Catching one of the hobbled horses
chat was feeding on the bark and twigs
of the young cottonw wood trees which had
been felled for that purpose by the In
dians, young Strike-the Rec leaped up
on it's back with his prizes and plunged
headlong down the level stretch OF fats,
followed by o large body of Arickaree
warriors, who had initiated his example,
Luckily the young Yankton had sell
ected sturdy and iftfooted mustang,
and with whip he hurried it up through
dark canyon out over the plains, with
an excitement known only to those who
have experienced some similar deed OF
daring and are running for their lives
The night was daEk and tempestuoue,
thunder rolled across the sky and the
ArickRrees soon lost ell trace OF their
hated foe.
During the whole night the young fu-
gitive sped on his way, encounterlng all
difficulties with the stoic Indifference
characteristic of bis race.
It is needless to detail the adventures
of the route. Suffice it to say that ere
morning he found il impossible to con-
tinue on in the direction he had taken,
owing to the number OF swollen creeks
and torrents that were rushing to the
Missouri and obstructing his passage.
He changed his course in the direction
OF Eagles Nest hills and after three
days of hard riding, during which time
he allowed little rest to himself or sturdy
steed, he crossed the headwaters of the
Wakpa, or Grand, river and pursued his
way in the direction of the Cheyenne.
The Cheyenne valley was at that time
the scene of one Of those annual gather
ings OF traders, trappers aud Indians.
Two rival FUR companies which for sev.
| eral years had been endeavoring to cut.
Wips uhA Out.bAo ooS ShC duObuGEi
were enoamped on the hanks of this fur
bearing tributary of the Missouri, en-
gagged in outtitting their men with the
! supplies which had been transported NJ
the Missouri from st. Louis on q boa,
and landed few days before.
To this rendezvous various free trap.
pers. traders, French Oreoles and In
dians had come to dispose OF their furf
and purchase the necessities and luxu-
ries Of life. and competition ensuei
between the rival companies for theil
trade, each one trying to get all the pei
tries and furs they could in exchang,
for the tempting supplies of sngar
coffee, whisky, ammunition, tobacco
scarlet cloth, blankets, bright shawl
and glittering trinkets. Here, then
was the trapper' cessation from toll
hunger and alarm, where they were al
for fun and frolic. great feastings ant
carousals, where they drank together
sang together, laughed, whooped anc
tried to out-brag and out-lie each othe
in their stories of adventures, conquest
and achievements.
The encampment presented q livel,
scene. The various mess fires were sur
rounded by picturesque groups, stand
ing, sitting and reclining, SOM
busted in cooking, others in cleanin,
} there weapons, while the frequent laugl
told that the rough joke or merry stor'
was going on.
In the middle of the camp before tn
traders store sat two persons, engage
in conversation in the Indian language
, One was "Old Dakota" and the othe
was "Strike-she-Rse." The latter wa
squstted on buffalo robe, his etron
features and red akin glaring in th
: bright sunlight, while he reoounted 6
the young Prenchman his adventure
and exploits since they parted on I'll
e banks of the Cannon Ball. He he
. come 10 during the day, and, trading b
J, mustang for nsS blanket, quantit