The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-16

Leaf From the Unwr.tten Memoirs of
the ID InieI Boonr of the Nnrthwest

A Leaf From the Unwr,tten Memoirs of
the Daniel Boone of the Northwest.
i. Hough, staff correspondent of the
sportsman's paper of New York, Forest
and Stream, while here last fail made the
acquaintance of several old timers
through the introduction of John d. Lose
kamp of Billings, says the Recorder. He
was particularly interested in the roman
tic relations of Uncle Bill Hamilton of
Saltwater, and devotes three columns of
his letter on the ''Wcst of the Present and
Past" to brief biography of that we'll
known scout and hunter, and some of the
anecdotes of the early days before the
Yellowstone country was opened up to
the white man and when the west was
truly wild and unknown from the water
shed of the Father of Waters.
Uncle Bill has had little newspaper talk
made over him, as modest a girl ought
to he, he has set an example the direct
opposite of that of most or many would
be old timers, says this biographer, and
has kept out of print all he could. For
notoriety-loving scouts. wild west posers
and long-haired people he has a ready
contempt.
Uncle Bill is getting old now, beyond
the limit set for the average man, but he
is still straight as an arrow and there -
fire in him yet, if you can only catch him
talking and thinking of the old timers in
the west. He is nearly 20 years of age
and was born in England, traces of his
Saxon origin are notable even now in his
accent. That he is American in heart if
not In birth is evident from the tattered
flag whose colors are never lowered from
above his cabin on the Yellowstone, whose
green waters whisper up all kinds of
things to the cabin window.
At the tender age of Il we find him out
at a trading station, where Laramie now
is, protcge of Bill Williams, and from
whom he took his first lessons i'll the sign
language, which he afterwards became so
proficient in, and is credited with being
tho best sign talker alive to-day.
In these old days Bill Hamilton came to
be an Indian in every respect of practice
and habit. He lived with them, rode with
them, hunted with them and followed
their customs in every way. even to that
of costume. He was widely known among
the various Indian tribes and universally
respected BY them. The Indians always
said he was the only white man they ever
knew who could ride over the plains, day
in and day out, naked except for the
breech clout, and never be burned or bills.
tered by the sun.
Uncle Bill was on the plains sixty years
ago great explorer. California
In 40 Uncle Bill took in as an incident
but he cared little for gold. He pushed
on to the wilder north. filling various
posts in the army as scout, guide and
hunter. He was employed by the army
commandant, then stationed at the chief
Oregon post, 10 cross the Rockies to the
east and thence go north in order to feel
the disposition of the tribes (of what is
now Montana whether friendly or hos
tile. Bill had with him one companion.
These two men. absolutely alone, awav
back in the days before Montana had
been dreamed of as gold field. crossed
the Continental divide making over the
rough Occur d'Alenes, and thence south
west. working east of the range as low
down as what is now called Gold Creek.
Then they went north, keeping east of
the Rockies. getting beyond the II.
Mary's country, well up into the British
possessions. They had long since deve,-
ofs8a the disposition of the tribes and
found them about all full of fight and
scarce of friendship. Hamilton got
through all right and made his report to
the commanding officer, but his COM
panion " as killed.
lie was sheriff of Choteau county. Mon
tana, during the widest days Of Fort Ben
ton, and II was during this time that he