The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-08-03

oxpeditionnry force. though then
within sight Of the Rocky mountains,
became practically lost on the vast
plain. without single guiding clew to
its objective point There was, how
ever. no danger of its members starv-
ing, as the whole country was literal
ly swarming with. buffalocs. anteiopes
and deer. while In some OF the rougher
localities the terrible grizzly bear
roamed undisputed lord OF the wilds.
The bewildered police frequently
saw Indian camps in the valleys, but
before they could reach them every
tcpee and redskin would disappear; for
these untamcd savages had never seen
or heard OF the red-coated. heavily
armed stranger who had thus uncere-
monionsly invaded their country The
scarlet uniforms. the shining brass
cannons. mysterious weapons and long
train of wagons excited their fear and
suspicion. Individual warriors would
sometimes ride in wide circles around
the force. but none could be induced
20 stay for n palaver; nor would amy
ever approach within half mile; and.
knowing every intricate pass as they
did. not one could be captured.
After many days of fruitless search.
the commanding officer decided to fire
signals Of distress in the hope OF mt
tracing some wandering white men
who might be able to put him on the
right track. So. beginning one morn
ing, cannons were discharged during
the daylight hours, and at night the
heavens were lighted up by rockets
and blazing freballs. AL the Indians
for miles around were frightened half
to death by the booming OF the great
guns and the streams of fire. shot into
the air by the mysterious visitors, TO
whom they now attributed supernat-
ural powers; but in SO far rs bringing
In guide was concerned the signals
were wasted. Therefore, nothing moro
was attempted in this line till after
another week OF useless marching.
Then. when one night encamped on
. hill, and, as we afterward found,
only few miles from Whoop Up, the
pyrotechnic display was resumed, and
it's effect upon the dismayed whisky
traders, then in the fort. can be told
in the language of one Of the ruifians,
known ms "Four-ace Pete" who told
me the story some years afterward:
THAR was, said he. ''only nineteen of
as In the fort when the Injuns fust told
ms of you fellers bein' on Bow river,
erbout hundred miles away; fur old
Tom Higgins--that's the boss-war of
to Benton with the rest OF the gang, an
he'd took all the horses along to bring
back big lot of yaller jacket Indian
whisky. But we lsnowed thet you
greenies warn't no kind OF hustlere on
the prairies, an SO we warn't in no
hurry TO skip out. Anyhow, we
couldn't have quit till Tom come in
with the stock; but we reckoned he'd
be back time enough; so we got all our
pelts bundled up an everything ready
fur a quick move when he did come.
"Thar war twenty fve-gallon kegs
of whisky left, an at another time they
would have bought power of pelts.
but now we was in hurry to trade the
stuff Off. an was willin' to let 1t go
cheap. Oh, Lordyl But tibet war most
surprisin liclxerl Why, sir, it war so
tarnel full of aquay fortis an other
lively ingredients that when you
dropped a nail into a lSeg OF 1t she'd
fizz as good as Sedlitts powder an
cat the iron up like 1t was a stick OF
candy.
"When a Injun took drink OF that
air yaller jacket you could hear IL
sizzin' all the way down his throat. an
1t war SO captivatin' in reachin' the
right spot that most any redskin
would've traded his grandmother fur n
pint OF It. But jist when we wanted
them so bad thar warn't nary Iniuns
erround, 'cept some old plnyed-out
bucks what hadn't nothin' but ther
carlsisses to trade.
EUR awhile we thought we'd have
| 70 bust up them kegs or drink the
bulge ourselves; an as none on us was
anyways anxious TO commit suicide, we
warn't SIGH fools rs to do that.
"Waal, when you redcoats was mean
derin' round the plains an accidentally
gettin' nearer to the fort. things begun
to look mighty blue fur US. But one
day thar come camp Of Crees from
the Cypress Hills an sot up their tepees
| purity close TO the fort--they was Little
Pines band, the meanest lot of reds on
the plaina Every dirty buck of 'em
war jist dyin' fur whisky, but they
didn't have no furs 10 trade, an the old
chief wouldn't let them swop of thcr
ponies; tellin' us, cool as could be, that
II we dickered fur 'em he'd take 'em all
away ag'ini
1.-THE cayuses bein' considerable
liIfelier lot of critters than their own
crs, an us a-wantin' of them 80 bad,
this talk Of old Piney's made us hop
PIN mad, an we'd have laid him out
cold If the Injuns hadn't been too many
for us to tackle. So we jist let EN-
hang erround. sufferin' awful fur n
drink of whisky, but nary drop
would we give 'em, an thousand of
SIGH varmints dassent have stormed the
fort. We was willin' 10 give one keg
of whisky fur two ponies, though un-
der ornery circumstances half gallon