Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-09-09

great was his adherence of the ioaH: |
but, ~ he had provided himself with |
pack-horse well-laden with food and |
grog. Mr.. Hall could not well prevent |
him from accompanying them.
As natters turned out. 1t would have |
been very much better for Mr.. Sullivan
II he had allowed himself to be dis
suaded: but the majority of sensible |
people, when talking the affair over
In after years, were decidedly OF opip-
ion that 1t was very good Job for
every one else that he had Joined the
expedition.
The commotion on the station on the
morning when the expedition started in
search OF the fugitives was tremendous.
Pack-saddles were being adjusted TO
FESTIVE brutes whose sole aim and OBJ
1ect was to kick themselves free from
their encumbrances. All sorts OF things
were forgotten and remembered Just
at the last momeIt
At last the cavalcade got under way.
and Mrs. Hall and her daughter watch
ed 1t across the plain from the yeran-
| $3.50 ~ SAAV 1OuDC unilI Lie
which lined the creek for some miles,
hid 1t from view.
| The expedition proceeded some thir-
ty miles or more without any dificuIty
lin fact, the country was familiar TO
nearly all the riders. Several small
out-stations we're passed, where boun-
dairy riders and shepherds in Mr. Hail'a
employ lived their quiet uneventful
| lives.
At one OF these they halted for the
night, much to the disgust OF the old
halter" who lived there with his
fiocks. and who nursed a wholesome
antipathy to the entire human race
Cranky Jim" he was called, and, IL
love OF absolute solitude entitled him
to the name, he was undoubtedly de-
serving OF it,
Had he seen two people pass that
way about ten weeks ago? No, he had
not seen two people pass that way
and, what was more, he did not want
to see them. One was a woman, was
1t? An, well, a woman was naught to
him; he had seen enough OF women in
his time, he had, His other remarks
were SO full of imprecations and bias
phemy that Mr.. Hall ceased to interro-
gate him.
On the second day they halted about
noon in sight Of the sand-hills This
was the great barrier which they knew
lay between the grass country on the
Barrier side and the Gray Ranges.
Mr.. Hall had wisely insisted upon all
the water-bags being fifilled up at the
last good water-hole; and he felt con-
WINGED that. with the supply they car
ried, the fifty or sixty miles of desert
ought to be safely crossed by man and
beast.
1t was within two hours OF shutdown
) when the little party entered the I'M
known region. The horses staggered
YEARLY along, occasionally sinking in
to the sand up to their knees. and
struggling through the scrub and
prickly mimosa which grew plentifully
in places upon the low hills.
Nightfall came on. and the cavalcadt
encamped: there was no sign OF water
and they had to draw upon the supply
they carried with them.
Jack Hall had more than once enter
ed these inhospitable regions in search
Of lost cattle. and he was under the be
3 lief that more fertile country lay be
e yond it-how far distant Of course h'
could not say; but, from what he hat
8 gathered from the blacks he believed
r three days would see them through thu
q worst of 1t.
4 For two long days the travellers toile'
: on through the heavy drifts Of sand
1 but towards shutdown on the third da.
0 they beheld trees ahead. at the sight o
!: which their spirits rose amazingly.
: Mr.. Hall ordered half-rations Of wa
. ter to be served out to The men an
. horses, for he was by no means conf
dent, because he beheld trees in the dir
distance, that he was going to find
!, lake or an inexhaustible we'll
= Sullivan was the best-provide
A person OF the company. for. besides tw
q huge water-bags. he had liberal SUP
ply OF spirituous liquors, which he wa
very liberal in dispensing-to himself
ITO be Continuedl