Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-04-05

turns, Felix nad,
when / knew him. spent forty
years in the upper Missouri
. and Platte countries. Short.
~ great breadth of shoulder and
nmon strength. he was Of iron n
L. at sixty. lie was a man OF singu-
nlacid and even temper. yet of most
,.,rous spirit, cool, determined. alert,
~ IN be taken by surprise.
was my captain In q wagon march
tho Northern Pacific road to the
A uuIe when every mile Of our route
4 ala Fort Fetterman was beset by
! s,oux. Three times they attacked,
~ and Michaud ready to receive
The close order of u march and
E,rremitting vigilance exacted by u
III undoubtedly saved h band OF
Il five adventures,
a. Felix Michaud went TO Fort Brid-
rom the Missouri country in 1910 or
\ abnuts, ne was a young man, untried
H. he trapper companies. Some
after his arrival, and in the time of
AZ summer RENDEZVOUS, he had the
,rtune. unw!ttingly, TO provoke II
" ridger's fire eaters. a hot headed
lar who could not brook to be crossed
MI fghting. Felix was Immediately
enged 10 fight. the challenger nam
IN own weapons-rittes at sixty PAGES.
neaceable young Canadian. however,
only refused 4 fight, but ATTEMPTED
NV Main that he had meant no offense.
breach of frontier etiquette could not,
"a nrse. be overlooked. so Michaud was
ed "squaw' and promptly u by
M Of his new associates.
H. DAYS later the offended trapper,
.what In liquor, attacked Michaud
N a pistol, declaring he would blow
.sduaw Kanuck's brains out" il he
hot Immediately get a gun and fight,
keupon Felix promptly disarmed his
ocnt, seized the astonished trapper
II belt. bore him outside the forts de-
Y. and flung him, neck and heels.
BLACK Fork swimming hole. This
er raised such a laugh against the
her that he did not renew his attack.
81, when sober. he laughed as much
the AFFAIR as any me.
kertheless, such was the mountain
that Mlchaud's reputation was not
established. "Kanuck," as he came
called, was tolerated merely as a
man at taking beaver, and handy
the camps.
b years later he was trapping with a
band near, OIL within, territory now
bed In the national park. Among
little frequented mountains he and
pmpanions gathered 50 great a har-
Of peltries that when spring came
small outfit Of ponies was found
kQuate to pack all to the fort. Months
weather must elapse before the x
Son could return, and no cache would
rye the furs from spelling for so
1t thus became necessary to leave
p behind-one who could be trusted
Pc for the furs, and also to hold the
ID against invasion from a rival COM
choice Of a a was determined by
tut Michaud was left Out OF the draw
Some thought he would rejoice at
but the young Canadian was much
az his comrades lack OF confidence
y. When the unlucky member,
Fenton, expressed a conviction
ne should never see Fort Bridger
and made some final requests of a
Michaud promptly volunteered to
viii him. The trappers were sur
but offered no objection to his re-
kng.
Fehx and the big, raw-boned YAM
iaze, were left in a mountain wilder
70 guard some thousands OF dollars
Oh furs. AS their winter dugout
getting damp for the peltries, they
work with their axes. and built
me oank OF a small lake a pine log
with a rough wareroom overhead
forage.
4 passed into months. The trap
Ashed, hunted, picked berries, or
= aooVt In enforced idIeness. Not
sanuing there were hostile tribes at
a' Instance, they saw no man. red
ne ior four months, and were look
"sfu 70 the return of their friends,
maze came In one evening from
VIC ABOUT the lake, wearing a sober
ueA' ne said, setting down his
we've got comp'ny on this lake.
nlshty poor sort. Lope Vasquez
sang six of 'em. are camped
here a way"
said nothing. but his face must
the concern he felt at this
" unWelcome news.
.asquez, a cousin of Bridger's
eAlcan partner, had been EN-
Inc trader. William Sublette
Seeh whipped out of two camps
,s~ subsequently he had gath
ue unprincipled sort. a band
aappers' who were more than sus-
ICING treebooters as well.
~a'eneu the effect of his news.
|soun be climbin' out of these
right sudden, Kanuck," he
80 mebbe not replied Michaud,
olten non-committal fash
Il supper of jerked vension and
silence. Then Felix got some
ices overhead.
etvo good idea" admitted Haze,
ths 90 any good. They know
4. aVer. Some fellow got drunk
and let It out among their
spies They saw me as I came
Thsrs.' out l didn't let on to see
bsv. se got us under close watch,
sol TO cave or ight-which?'
lee - hght." said Michaud, cody.
LsIv one Is big ODDS" said Haze.
chanosa aa they'll Just simply watch
@Ace TO shoot ma ltLa 81. $780,.