Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-08-21

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In 1868 after prosperous career Of
more than forty years. Out in north
ern Montana there are still living a
few of.the old employees of the COM
pany-clerks, voyageurs and hunters,
all men of advanced age. Nearly all
Of them married Blackfeet women,
and are passing their remaining days
upon the reservation of that tribe in
peace and comfort, well cared for by
their children and grandchildren. One
Of these old-timers, John Monroe, is
now seventy-six years of age, and, in
spite of the many hardships he has
endured, apparently still in the prime
Of life. Every season he goes on long
hunting and trapping excursions into
the Rockies, in the region just south
Of the Great Northern Railway, the
best game country we have left. and
he always manages to load his pack
horses with furs and trophies before
he returns. Last season he trapped
q number of martens and beavers, and
shot several moose, elk, grizzlies,
bighorn and goats.
Johns father, Hugh Monroe, was
born in Montreal in 1898, entered
the service of the Hudson Bay Com
pany in 1914, and the following year
arrived at Mountain Fort, the COM
pauy's post on the upper Saskatche-
wan, under the shadow of the Rock
les. In the fall of the ensuing year,
1915, he was sent by the company to
travel with the Blackfeet and learn
their language, and they moved south
for the winter; he was undoubtedly
the first white man to traverse the i'm
mense extent of plain and mountain
land lying between the Saskatchewan
and Missouri Rivers. Hugh soon
married Blackfoot woman, who was
Johns mother. In the '40s they left
the north and entered the services of
the American Fur Company, which
they served faithfully for many years.
Hugh Monroe W as ninety-three years
Of age at the time of his death.
To his friends John is ever ready to
velate Stories of his adventures in
early days. He will not talk much
before strangers for fear they will re-
gard him as somewhat of a MUNICH
ausen; and, indeed, some of his tales
would seem incredible to persons not
versed in the early history of the
West. But those who know him know
that he is absolutely truthful.
In 1857 the company agent at Fort
Benton was notified by the factor at
Fort Union to purchase a large num-
Der of horses for him. He wanted
them to trade with the Crees, who had
many robes and furs, but who were
short of ponies, the Blackfeet having
nearly set them afoot by continued
raids. This latter tribe and the Crows
had thousands and thousands of
horses, but they valued them SO
highly that it was impossible to buy
them for any reasonable figure. The
agent therefore concluded to send
some men and goods to the Snake
Indians, who were camping south of
the Yellowstone. They, too, had
large herds of horses, and were said
to sell them very cheap. A Grow half
breed, Louis Bisette, q white en-
ploye named Wiper, and John Monroe
were sent with four pack horses
loaded with trade goods. Both the
pack and the horses they rode were
the pick OF the company's herd,
large, swift and powerful animals
most fortunate choice, as will be seen.
But will tell the story in Johns
own words:
1--WE started, and Louis took the
lead, for he had passed great deal OF
time on the Yellowstone with the
Crows and knew the way; he also
knew the trail from there to the
country of the Snakes. 1t was II
June, and the weather was SO warm
that we rested during the hottest part
of the day, continuing our journey
far intd the night. You may be sure
we kept our eyes open, for in those
days, and especially at that time Of
year, war parties from all the diff
ferent tribes in the country were
abroad to steal from one another, tc
waylay and murder whom they could
We scanned the prairie, the hills anG
valleys, and the thickets we were
obliged to pass for signs of the enemy
but, above all, we watched the herds
of buffalo and antelope to warn Us
that man was abroad. So long as we
could see them quietly feeding or ly
ing down on the green plain ahead o.
us we felt that the trail was safe
war party sneaking throus sh the coun
Try would have started them running
in all directions. OF course, we scared
some of these herds ourselves, but
[, whenever we could we went to one
side or the other, and left them tc
Craze in peace. Besides double
barreled rifle L carried q bow ant
arrows, using the latter by preference
, to kill what game we needed. I
made no noise, did not startle all the
, animals in the country, and at shor
! range, running buffalo, was power
full weapon. In the time it took t.