The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-12-25

old pony-having the appearance Of being al
Indians turned out, with a fairly decent saddle
and across the seat were thrown a roll of blankets
a mess Of -four, and two or three blackened peacl
cans that evidently did duty in the culinary.
Ihad seen such h%abitilments in which this stran
ger was attired, pictured in the old early Ohie
books that told us all about Simon Girty, Lcwi
Whetzel or old Daniel Boone. Could my eye:
deceive me, or was this another Rip Van Win
kle case Of a sixty years sleep? At any rate my
You are a hunter, l guess" l had %venturee
to say.
That what am he re:or,cd.
'Where have y II been hunting?o
'Of ]ate-down around Fort Rice
Get any game down that way?"
81 reckon | did. Elk, antelope, deer, bear ane
moose
"Moose:?" >
"That's what | said, Moose.
"There is no moose on this river
ii reckon there is moose ON this river. | killee
a young ull moose on the bottom this side O
Fort Rice. l reckon I know what I'm talkins
about. I'm a moose hunter from Maine!
"A moose hunter from Maine??'
"Ihat's what | am. A moose hunter from
Maine"
We'll, unsaddle and bring your donnage in?'
That's what III Go, for I'm going to stay
whole month with you" /.
"Baitcd with Curiosity and springing my owr
trap said ! scfllt.
On the following morning nv unkempt gnes
said his desire was to W.. the stockade as a kline
of Headquarters. He would hunt a little; visit {
little; with an occasional trip to the town by the
This he did. but in his hunts he neve,
brought hack any game; in his visits to distan>
woodyards he brought back no greeting and
in his weekly visits TO the town he brought no in
formation from the outside world. ~;
One cay we concluded to visit the Burnt woods
getting out cordwood for the steamboats, Chri:
here told the s'c1v of his prominiton a
the Spanish Woodward whereby the warning hae
saved his life. The Moose Hunter was greatly
interested in its recital. On our road home il
passing through the long bottom above the little
fort We espied a travelling war party, and l sug
gested we keep out of sight until they passed,
He complied with alacrity. But some of the red
warriors had already seen us. and in our fancied
security were treated to a surprise. They hao
us surrounded. They were Gros Venters, how
ever, and took in the Moose Hunter at a glance
After surveying his nuzzle loading long tom, one
warrior extending his open palm said in English:
"Caps!"
In a second the Moose Hunter handed him 3
full box of percussions. and the Gros Ventre
cIasped them and made off.
Why, what a dough. god 70 give that Indian all
your gun caps" said chiding1y.
"Oh, I've got another box" he replied, land Il
| did mt have, it would't be much loAs," he added
p~hilosophically.
A few days later, the hunter said he woulc
take a ramble up to Forts Stevenson and Der
,hold," which he did, but failed to return. A For
Buford mail carrier had noted him as a queer ole
bloke who stopped at every Indian camp and wooe
yard he came to-"
The year following the steamer Nellie Pecl
tied up for the night at Mercer & Gray's yard a
Painted Woods landing. DIR. Terry a St. Louis
ex.physician was acting as clerk and purchasing
furs for the Durfee & Peck company. Sitting ii
the boats cabin were a party relating incidents o.
happenings along the river. Among others the
writer told of his experience with the Moose
Hunter from Maine. AT conclusion DR.. Terry
ad ded: