The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-23

| dams there. We Travelled on up the
| Yellowstone for a number of days, until
we came to the mountains. where, on a
little tributary of the river, we built
some cabins. got everything in shape
for the winter and then spead out over
the country, each one for himself, in
search of beaver and other furs. Bridger
was sick nearly all winter, but kept
doctoring himself with various roots he
found. and along toward spring recov-
cred his health. He was unable 10 do
any trapping himself. but his men got
big pile of fur, beaver, otter, fisher and
marten, of which he owned a share. 1t
was his intention to turn his furs over
to the American Fur company and get
drafts for them on st. Louis, so when
spring came we all packed up and
started for the nearest post, which was
Fort Cotton, situated on the Missouri,
about 40 miles below the Great falls.
Battle With the BIackfeet.
I'VE crossed the Yellowstone and
swung up into the Musselshell country,
trapping leisurely along the way, and
by the time we reached the point of
the Snowy mountains our animals, even
the saddle horses, were so heavily load
ed with furs and skins that they could
carry no more. At that time of year
beaver trapping was at it's best. and
they We're so numerous that every one
hated to quit work. So we made a big
cache OF our lurs, eacn one putting
tag with MS name on MS bundle Three
men were then sent to the tort to notify
the company TO come and maui IN the
turs, and the rest of us continued on
our course, skirting the foot of the
Snowy, the Judith and the Belt noun
tainS. l never saw beaver more pl2nti-
full, and il was not long before our
horses We're again well laden. 1t was
IN the latter part of April that We came
TO the missouri exactly where the city
or Great Fails stands to-day. All the
morning we had seen occasional In
CLANS rldlng ana lodging about anead
river and co,,iJ ,onE NV tbe We1i lo 'r off
the sun river. which puts in there. we
were not surprised to see A string of
lodges scattered along the edge of the
timber as far as the eve could see.
'Bridger.' says l. those are surely the
Blackfeet, and we've got to fight them
Don't you think we had better find a
better place to camp than this unpro-
tected fat?
mo he replied this is good enough
for US If they come at us here | reck-
on they'll get their bellyful of trouble
Il said no more, and we went into
camp beside the river. at the upper end
of the fiat on which the CITY is built.
Night came on and the horses were III
brought in. hobbled and staked close
to the river. and we made down our
beds in circle about them. each one
piling his furs saddles and whatever
he had at the head of his couch SIS a
sort of breastwork. Double guards
were put on. and betimes the rest of
us turned in, | don't think many of us
silent much at first and time seemed to
pass mighty SLOWLY. At midnight the
sentries were changed, Bridger himself
taking a turn. IT was lust daylight
when the air was filled with whoops,
wells and the high-keyed Warsony of
about 400 Indians, as they charged
down on MS from all directions.
'in' nri"ser ""he Tish''
Don't get excited, boys, and be sure
or yer aim. Take 1t easy, now, Bridger
hollered out.
We'll. twas good advice. and We did
out best, but tell you the sight of 400
yelling. painted and befeathered In
dams coming down on you just as fast
as their horses could run was mighty
trying on ones nerves. l guess they
expected to hnd us asleep and to
stampede our horses in the first round.
But when our rifles began to crack and
some of them began tumbling out of
their saddles. they were more surprised
than We, and they turned and wheeled
on. Some OF them tried to pick up
their dead, but we made 1t too hot for
them. One fellow, who had his horse
shot under him as he was trying this,
III out, running, and | guess as many
as dozen bullets struck him at once.
He tumbled all in a heap. They had
done some shooting, too, and two of
our men were dead and one wounded.
Besides that, some of our horses had
peen shot. We could count IL Indians
lying out on the plain here and there,
and some of the boys started out to
scalp them, and did get the hair off sew
eral of the nearest ones. But that
brought the others back again. and for
a minute we had another exciting time,
as some of the braves came right at us.
II the rest had followed them it would
nave been all day with us; but they
didn't have the nerve, and of those who
did attempt to close in on us, few got
away. One great tall fellow had his
horse shot from under him, and when
he struck the ground he made for
Bridger, holding wicked-looking war
club in his right hand and knife in
the other. His gun was empty and he
had thrown it away