The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-11
A MEMORABLE VOYAGE.
Nathaniel Wyeth's Trip Down the Missouri
Sixty Years Ago.

Nathaniel Wyeth's Trip Down the Missouri
Sixty Years Ago.
August 7th: .'Camped on Gray Ball
river. Here / found n piece Of about five
pounds Of bituminous coal, which burned
freely. Its fracture was too perfect to have
come far" This is among the extracts
from John A. Wyeth's article on Nathaniel
Wyeth and the Struggle for Oregon" in
Harpers. August 17th: saw four griz-
lilies. 10th: Arrived at Big Horn river.
and went out to get bull hides to make
boat"
This boat was eighteen feet long. and was
made in this way. Slender willow poles or
branches were cut and the butts forced a
abort distance into the ground in an ellipti-
cal shape, corresponding to the rim OF the
hoat. These wee about one foot apart,
The ends of opposite poles were now bent
towards each other until the proper curve
for the bottom of the boat was secured,
aui then tied together with leather
thonps. Other poles and branches were
interviewer in an antero-p osterior direo-
ton until a strong wicker frame WAS COM
pleted. The skins of three buffaloes were
sewed together with thongs. and these were
laid raw sid out upon the frame, to which
they were securely stitched. A slow mot
blaZing) fire was then stated underneath
the shell. and in this way the skins were
dried and made to contract tight upon She
frame.
II this boat, on Aug. Is, 1888. accompanied
BY Milton Suhlette, two Indian lads and
two half-breeds, Nathaniel Myeth under
took one of those p~erilous voyages OCCASION
ally recorded in the annals of frontier life.
The starting point was near the fatal
ground where, in 1876, the gallant Custer
and his entire command persisted at the
hands of Sitting Bull and his meroiless
braves. and not very remote from the place
where this unprinoipled savage met a bloody
end. December. 1890. Down the Big Horn
they foated into the Yellowstone. and
Louis, traversing Wyoming. Montana, Da-
kota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas. and Mis-
souri,. thousands of miles of perilous wind
ings, over rapids. bars, driftwood, snsgs.
and rocks, requiring as much vigilance to
keep their frail bark from being sunk as to
keep out of rifle or arrow shot of the cum
ming savages who prowled along the banks.
With all their precautions of crawling into
the willows and dragging their boat after
them at break of day, and travelling only at
night to prevent their being seen by the In
dams. they were taken in by a large band
of Crows. Fortunately they met with this
mishap 80 near to Fort Cass, a trading post
at the junction of the Big Horn and Vel
lowstone, that the Indians. fearing TO kill,
only robbed them, and allowed them to de-
part. Il
Powder river. and on the oath struck the
Missouri. Here the bull-boat was aban-
doned for a canoe, or a ~'pirogue.'"
September 3. they came in sight of TWEEN
ty-one lodges of Indians. Il Immediately
had the boat put into a thicket and forth
fed as we'll as l could. AS soon as it WAS
dark we proceeded forward with a high
high wind and a cloudy sky. All went we'll
until we were just opposite the village, |
when we %unluckily grounded on a sand bar. |
Here we worked hard for some time to get |
off, and had the Indians seen or heard us,
we could have made but little resistanoe;
but they did not, and after some time we
got off. These were the Aricaros, and
would have scalped u.s."
With all these dangers the trip was not
without its destinations On Sept. 4, after
tipping the boat. getting wet, and then 60
ing ashore to dry, they 'hoated through
the night eleven hours, a beautiful still
night. the stiffness interrupted only by the
neighing of the elk. the low of the buffalo, |
the hooting of the large owl and the
screeching of the small ones. and OCCASION |
ally the splashing of a beaver in the |
water'-a picture of wildness and solitude
now only possible in re%trospection.
September 6, 1888: Seeing an elk on the
sand, killed him. Very acceptable, as we
had had nothing to eat since yesterday |
noon; save his horns for my best friend.
Mr.. +. Tudor. Of Boston," 18th: Run ON a
sand bar and was unable to extricate the
boat In the dark; the mosquitoes almost