Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-08-19
An Outing in the Bitter Roots.


Musselshell two days to allow our horses
TO have good rest before hitting" the
Lo-Lo trail During that time we had
some excellent fishing along the creek,
and caught IS many fish as we could eat,
that is all of lie except Charlie. or the
'pill-miXer' as we have named him,
and he is kept SO busy cooking that he
don't have time for much else Then we
hSve decided that it is best to keep him
pretty close to camp until we get beyond
the confines OF civilization, as he has al
ready got us in several scrapes with the
ranChers alOng the road 1t is stra2 ge,
and vet have noticed that it is always
q fact that these quiet fellows that are
so straight at home are sue holy terrors
when they get out. Well Charlie is no
exception to the rule, but will only
mention one example OF his recklessness
as some OF his scrapes wouldn't look
well in print. We were camped one
night near a rancher's barn and after
supper Charles took the shot gun and
said he wRs going out to see what he
could find, and about an hour after
wards he came back with eleven ducks.
We looked them over carefully, and then
told him he ought to be ashamed of him
self, bee use they were not wild. "Oh,
that's all right" said Charles, "the
rancher that owns them will be when
he misses them" And sure enough
next morning the old fellow came tear
ing around our camp and wanted to
know what blankety BANKED descendant
OF dspraved ancestor had swiped his
ducks. Charles had just finished pick
ing the ducks and cleaning them, but
had slowed them away out of sight and
burned the feathers, so he walked out
and gently expostulated with our irate
visitor for using such language, talked to
him with tears in his eyes about the
eternal welfare of his soul, ETC., until
that rancher almost got down on his
knees and begged our pardon for even
US OF STOPPING to swipe ducks.
Friday afternoon we packed our
cayuses, bid farewell to t glades of the
Musselshell and started up the long
Lo-Lo mountain. As we wound in and
out, climbing higher and higher, we grad
lally left the open hills behind us, and
entered a rough and rocky country that
vas wearing alike on horses and men. /
5allen logs and tangled windfalls entire
y obliterated the old trail, and it was
With feeling of relief we reached Snow
summit about six p. m. and made camp
n little grassy fiat, beside sparkling
mountain stream whose equal for purity ,
nd beauty can only be found in the Bit
er Roots. Next day at noon we reached /
Ye-tass, and as it was 20 miles to the .
lext camping place, we decided to lay /
,ver till morning and all hands go out T
lunting. Doc and went one way, Geo.
md Chas. the other. For our part it
vas all hunting and no shooting, al
hough We travelled some five or six
niles down tn creek and back. On the
way Doc said it reminded him OF q piece
II Dutch philosophy George Smith got
IF once when they were out on fruit
ess chase after chickens. Said George
'Aind it wonderful, Doctor, how birds
If a fedder viii not flock togedder ven a
man he ID ouid cunning" When We
reached camp we found Charles cooking
some tender venison outlets while George
was SHINING the fine young buck he had
killed within mile OF camp. Accord /
ing to George they were walking along T
little trail when Charles propped his gun
and hastily climbed a tree, saying, "look /.
out George, there comes wild animal,
and she has got horns.' George looked
ont ahead, threw Up his 5000, and at
the crack OF the rifle down came lat
young spike buck, shot through the
heart. Soon as Charles saw the danger
was over he climbed down and helped
George carry the meat 10 camp. Wehsd
considerable fun guying Charles, and
asked him if he WAS afraid the deer
weuld bite. ''No, of course not, amt
such q chump as that, buthe had horns
and how did l know he wouldn't hook?',
Next day we reached Bald Mountain.
and last night just at dark we made the
"Postofices. !"
During our rest at noon to-day at How
ards Camp, where we stopped to make
some tea to keep off the headache" we
all had good laugh at George who had
his first experience with fool-hen
which you know is a species OF grouse