, 1890-07-31
skeletons which mark
scenes of the coyotes feasts.
SMUGGLING.


Canadian furs every year, while the
Canadian trappers are absolutely
shut out of the United States. The
Dominion parliament has "protect-
ed' the Canadian trapper by inn
posing imposts ON American skins,
but none would over be taken over
in any event. The movement Is en-
tirely this way, and that the Cam
adian trapper Is not without just
cause Of complaint, If IL is true, us
he claims, that the Americans rob
him of his stock while shutting him
out of their markets. The Ameri-
cans, however, deny this. They
insist that 1t Is the Canadians who
are the real smugglers, and that II is
their patriotic Resistance to foreign
of the doctrine of protection to
American industry which has
dotted the border with an untimely
cemetery.
However this may be, 1t is certain
that there IL u great deal of SNUG
Cling done along this line of n thou
sand miles in length. 1t confined
almost entirely to pclts and furs, as
those are the only products of Brit
ish America for which this country
has any use. The conditions are
excellent for the smuggler's work.
Such u long line of communication
can not he adequately protected, and
the government seems to have recog-
nized the helplessness of the attack
by making only IL feeble attempt ut
IL. a few revenue officers are scat
tered here and there, miles apart,
along the line. Now and then they
catch "a smuggler in the act of bring
in lot of peltries. His stock is con-
fscated, but nobody has ever heard
of u conviction under the federal
statutes for an offense of smuggling
committed in this part of the coun-
try.
A LONG, Low RAKIsII LOOKING
CRAFT.
The favorite method Of smuggling
is by water. There are n number OF
small and unimporlant streams
which, rising in Canadian soil, u
short distance north of the line, fall
south into the Missouri river, at its
nearest approach-about 400 east of
Fort Benton--comes within less than
100 miles of the line. Nearly all of
these small tributaries fall into the
Missouri somewhere close las Mis-
souri river distances go) to this point.
None OF them are navigable for raft
of any size, but for tour-oared or six
cared skipps, or even at proper sea-
sons of the year for light draught
fiatboats or RATS they offer the
smuggler his opportunity. In a
vessel of no great dimensions or ton
mage he can load the result of q sea-
sons trapping, enough In quantity
and quality to make u handsome in
vcstment. Propelling the rude YES
sci down to its confluence he can
unload his entire stock into some
Missouri river boat bound for st.
Louis-all this, OF course, contingent
upon his success of evading detec-
ton, the risk OF which Is not consid-
cred great.
Big Muddy creek is the farthest
eastern stream at all popular with
the smugglers. Its headwaters are
not far from post of the Canadian
military patrol, but that fact does
not seem to affect the smugglers'
work in the least. On the Alneri-
can side, opposite that post, and for
some distance east ana great dis
tsnce west of 1t, is the Montau, an
Indian reservation. Poplar river is
the next stream to the west which
offers the smugglers my facilities.
IT. skirts a wooded and hllly region,
Just ti:s side of the line, which has
i,een gives tie stimulating name OF
"Whisky Bdttes,n and which has
been the hiding place and refuge oi
q great many men beside smugglers.
1t is the smugglers' harbor and port
of safety in case of storm. Farther
west is the White Mud river, run
ming into Frenchman's creek and
forming u considerable stream be-
fore crossing the line. II is only in
late years that this river has been
much patronized by men in charge
of conIrabaud goods, but as the tur
supplies recedes iurther west and IL
followed, the western streams are
brought into greater requisition.
SOME BORDER BATTLES.
About four years ago u party OF
Canadian hunters attacked an equal
number of Americans not far from
Fort Walsh, and near the head
waters of the White Mud river.
The Americans had n cargo of skins
which had been trapped during
the season. They refused TO sur
render the belts, and were attacked
In consequence. They succeeded in
beating oil their assailants, but two
of the defending party We're killed.
The Canadians suffered loss, but the
extent of 1t is not known. This
affair was brought To the attention OF
the British government, but the
men who had been killed in the
attack were friendles1 and almost
unknown, and nothing came of Il.
Less than year later party of
United States revenue officers, who,
for wonder, were out looking for
smugglers, got over the line with
out knowing It, and attempted to
arrest some Canadians whom they
found in charge of a lot of pelts.
The Canadians resisted arrest, and
shots were exchanged. Lieutenant
McRae, of the American party, was
wounded in the tleshy part of the
leg. A discovery of the facts, and
explanations and apologies, pre-
vented greater execution.
A regular pitched battle occurred
in the summer OF 1883 between an
American party and some English.
men who were hunting in Canada
and crossed the line in the aruor OF
the chase. A party of Americans,
mainly New Workers, We're en-.
camped near the line. The battle
was precipitated by an Irishman
| ACCOMMODATING one of the Ameri.