The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-07-15

game country We nave lett. ana ne al
ways manages 70 load his pack horses
with furs and trophies before he returns.
Last season he trapped number OF
martens and beavers and shot several
moose. elk. grizzlies highorn and goats.
Johns father. Hugh Monroe. was born
m Montreal I'm 1898. entered the service
Of the Hudson Bay company IN 1874 and
the following year arrived at Mountain
Fort. the company's post on the upper
Saskatchewan. under the shadow Of the
Rockies. I'm the fall Of the ensuing year,
ISIS. he was sent by the company 20
travel with the Blackfeet and learn their
language. and they moved South for the
winter: he was undoubtedly the first
white man "a traverse the immense eN-
tent Of plain and mountain land lying be-
tween the Saskatchewan and Missouri
rivers Hugh soon married n BiackfOOt
woman. who was Johns mother. I'm tho
'40s they left the North and entered the
services Of the American Fur Company.
which they served faithfully for many
years. Hugh Monroe was ninety-three
years Of age At the time Of his death.
To his friends John IS ever ready 20
relate stories OF his adventures IN early
days lie will not talk much before
strangers for fear they will regard him
as somewhat Of Munchausen. and. i'm
deed. some Of his tales would aeem I'm
credible 10 persons not versed I'm the ear
~ history Of the West But those who
know him know that he is absolutely
truthful.
TRIP INTO A HOSTILE COUNTRY.
In 1851 the company's agent az Fort
Benton was notified by the factor az
Fort Union 10 purchase a large number
al "a
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 lat-
ter 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.
Tho agent therefore concluded 20 send
men and goods 20 the Snake Indians. who
were camping south of the Yellowstone.
They too. had large herds Of horaes. and
were said 20 sell them very cheap. A
Crow halfbreed, Louis Bisette; a white
employe 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
companys herd. large. swift. and pow
erful animals-a most fortunate choice,
as will be seen. But l Will tell the story
i'm Johns own words
1--WE started. and Louis took the lead,
for ne had passed a great deal Of time on
the Yellowstone with the Crows and
knew the trail from there 90 the country
OF the Snakes. 10 was In June, and the
weather was 50 warm that We rested
during the hottest part Of the day, con-
tinuing our Journey far into the night.
You may be sure we kept our eyes open.
for I'm those days. and especially al that
time of year. war parties from All the
different tribes I'm the country We're
abroad 10 steal from one another. 10
waylay and murder whom they could.
We scanned the prairie. the bills. and
valleys. and the thickets we were obliged
60 pass FOR signs OF the enemy, but
above all. we watched the herds or
buffalo and antelope 20 warn us that man
was abroad. So long as we could see
them quietly feeding or lying down ON the
green plain ahead of us we felt that the
train was safe. A war party sneaklng
through the country would have started
them running all directions or
course. We scared some Of these herds
ourselves. but whenever we could We
went so one side or the other, and LETT
them to Craze I'm peace
I'm those days there was a plain Indian
trail from the Missouri 10 the Yellow
stone. The Blackfeet had made II, and
the passing back and forth of the great
camp. the dragging Of thousands Of tra-
vols. OF lodge poles the sharp feet Of
their ponies had worn deep, narrow. and
parallel paths. as plain and sharp cut as
a wagon road.
"Ten days after leaving Fort Renton
We came 90 the Yellowstone. which was
bank fun from the melting snow I'm the
mountains We built "a raft and fiOated
our goods over. and then swan over with
the horses. As near as ] can recollect
il was where the town of Big Timber
now stands We left the river next
morning and pushed on 20 the southwest.
over a rolling and broken country. Late
in the afternoon. as we neared deep.
narrow valley through which small
stream made its way ! looked across IT
and beyond and felt sure / saw an Indian
suddenly jump ont OF sight behind a
patch Of brush. | didn't say anything
until we started down the steep slope IN
10 the valley and had got out Of sight Of
any one on the table land. Then I told
my companion, and as soon as we
reached the bottom Of the hill we turned
10 the right and rode up the narrow plain
as fast as We could go We went up IL
for nearly two miles and then had 10
climb out on the prairie again. In the
meantime the Indian ] had seen had
probably run of and informed his party
who must have been camped close by.
that we had ridden down into the creek
bottom and were probably making camp.
ANYHOW. Just as We rode back on 10 the
prairie we saw a large band OF mounted
Indians. several hundred OF them. riding
rapidly toward the spot where we had en-
tered the little valley. They saw Us as
soon as We rode up in sight, and, chang
ing their course came after US With all
speed.
THRILLING RACE WITH INDIANS.
I'VE flew. AS Wiper had the best
horse he took the cad. and Louis and /
pounded the pack animals after him.
They were an big. swift and powerful,
and didn't need much urging. We had
good start Of the Indians, but they had
some fast horses too. and little by little
n number Of them began TO lessen the
distance between us. Then. as mile after
mile was passed, they dropped out OF the
chase one by one, until finally not more
than a dozen kept on. OF these were TWO
vho forged steadily ahead ~ the rest
a1d soon ,.row W dis raaae o. W. Near
err and nearer trev came until the fore
most was not fiity feet away, shouting
and encourag cling each other in a LAM
sgaxe that was sitauge; perhaps Il was