The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-18

with all our hearts tina I'd had CO.
capped. Well. can have some idea
OF how we felt when I tell you hat near
by we soon found his corpse treated
In the same fashion as his brothers.
Whether II was Sioux or Blackfeet h a
Old the deed. I don't know to this day.
but ever since I amt hear the sight OF
an InJun. There was a big rock near
by with a deep. narrow cleft In IL. and
there we laid the boys TO rest. piiing
stones on top 50 that no ravenous beast
could disturb their sleep. IL was all
we could do. and there they slumber
until the day breaks and the shadows
flee away" as the preachers say There
was a heavy mist on that afternoon.
with drifting masses OF mountain
clouds hanging low and trailing
through the valleys. That was our sal
walton. for II II had been a clear day
we'd never had lived to tell the tale.
We knew we were somewhere near our
old camp. but with all our caution We
ran smack onto K. and Il was a lucky
thing fov NJ there were no qua or
u dogs round that camp. as they
ginerally is. One Of the first things we
saw was a buck stretched out asleep.
wrapped up in some kind Of a fur robe.
near a small. smouIdering heap OF
ashes and snoring loudly. He must
have been tired out. for he never stirred
and we took no chances. but just sent
him over the divide so quick he never
knew ms struck him. There were
three tepees filled with dried meat.
skins and a lot of other truck. besides
our grub. which they had taken. so Do
and I made up two packs OF the stun
in the biggest hurry you ever saw. MY.
but we did jump around. The pity Of u
was we couldn't find a single gun In
the camp: in fact. the only weapon
- HI L--- IHAx
as we got the packs on our shoulders
we heard the Injuns coming back
across the creek. making a great noise
as their cayuses went k-splash through
the water. and we lit out for all we
were worth. In a little while we plain
~ heard their yells when they saw
what had happened their camp tende
Then we heard them calling to one
another. the brush cracking as they
scattered out to find us. but the mist
was so thick they couldn't see nothing.
and 10 came on dark. so they couldn't
track US. We never saw EN- again, and
II they tried To track ~ they made
nothing Of IL. The trip after that was
awful. We Just kept on a~-traveling
through the woods. toiling up m down
Jagged hills. scrambiing owe rocky
lodges and wading through ice-cold
streams for I don't know how many
days. We ran across n good many
bears and mountain lions. but they at
tended to their own affairs. and we
didn't want no bears or mountain lions
about that time. II II hadn't been for
the grub we got in the tepees and some
fish hooks Doc had. we'd ha' been In a
mighty tough FIX. and as II was. II was
n close call. We lost all track of how
time went and where we were. until
at last we run onto n party OF beaver
trappers down on a fork Of the Black
foot rfxs,w pnur WHARF the QpfflCrnnnr ~
Lincoln now is. and bv the way. the
place looks pretty much now al II did
20 years ago. except that the big tim
Der and the beaver arn't just as plenty
as they were then. We rested up IN
their camp until the trappers struck
out for Fort Benton. and thew didn't
STAY In the woods very long after they
knew the Injuns were out on the war
nath. After we reached Fort Benton.
Doc took the steamboat fer st. Louis.
and what became of him after h a I
never could find out. but I think he
must have met with some accident or
I'd ha' heard from hin sure. I'd give
my right hand TO see hin out here
again. We rot $500 for our gold
dust at Fort Fenton. and by the wav
we sent half Of that to the old folks
Of the Connolly bows back in old Ire
land. From that day to this. I've
dreamed and thought ~ finding our
placer again. There u lies. somewhere
over there in one Of these ravines. and
I'll find Il yet before I pass In my
checks"
Franks voice ceased. and rs he piled
fresh fuel on the camD fire. the flames
shot up In the night air until the giant
columns of the yellow pines doomed 40
like the pillars OF some ancient temple.
The moon was just coming into sight
over the mountain ton and a horned
owl kent calling IN his mate in the
depths OF the FOREST. All about was
solitude and the fragrance OF balsams
and pines. but before we turned in 10
rest on our couches Of spruce bouehs.
the lust OF wealth awoke In our hearts
and we vowed to search the ravtne- OF
the South Fork of tho Flathead for Doc
Albert's lost placer. We are camped
there now and feel sure we are on the
right trail. Z. y.
Cascade MINT. Dec. y.