The Butte inter mountain., 1901-07-11
Especial to Inter Mountain.)

Especial to Inter MOuntaln.)
Helena, July 10.-The government has
begun the task of locating the exact trail
that was taken through Montana by
Chief Joseph, of the Nez Perce Indians
and his band during their famous raid
through Montana in 1877. The course
. pursued by the Indians is to be marked
with monuments.
George F. Cowan, a Boulder attorney
$ who had a thrilling experience in the Ma
ticnal park with the Indians. has been
asked by the government to go to the
park to meet Captain Chittenden and
the man who was General Howard's
chief engineer in the famous pursuit of
the Indians ana point out the trail.
Mr.. Cowans presence is desired to To-
cate certain trails and camps in the yell
- lOWstOne park because he was there that
summer, and with his party happened to
be in the path of the marauding Indians.
He and his wife and George Carpenter
and others had gone from Radersburg
to the park on a sightseeing trip, and
although they had heard of the Nez
Ferces being on the warpath in Idaho
before they left for the park, they did
not have the remotest idea that they
50 would come into Montana or into the
wild region of the park, but Chief Joseph
was a willy warrior, and was recognized
as q Strategist.
Mr.. Cowen believes that he can, after
- years, locate the trail of the Indians
and their camps in that part of the park
where he had such a terrible experience
at their hands.
The history Of the west records few
more thrilling experiences than those Of
George Cowan and party "a years ago
z when they were making tour of Won
derland and were attacked by the Nez
+ Perce Indians, who We're hurrying
through the park after the famous battle
OF the Big Hole. That any Of the men,
bers Of the party escaped with their lives
is wonder.
The late William Dingee, of Helena,
was one of the party. He always told
. vivid story Of the affair." The party
had just broken camp and was about
to proceed on the journey marked out
tor the day when the Indians, resplend-
ent in war paint, burst upon them.
The campers We're taken prisoners.
Some OF the men who showed fight We're
shot. Mr. Dingee through an old ac-
,Quaintance with Looking Glass, one of
the chiefs, was enabled to escape.
He left on foot and after several days
crawling through brush and over rocks,
the advance OF General Howards army
to whom he told of the attack and cap
ture of the party.
Mr.. Cowan was not so fortunate. He
was shot twice, once through the thigh
and once in the forehead. After he had
been shot through the thigh he became
angered at the manner in which his wife
was being treated by one OF the Indians,
who was pulling her around by the hair,
and tried to strike the fellow.
The Indian knocked him down and as
he arose to sitting posture pointed
pistol at his forehead and deliberately
hred. Luckily the bullet was of small!
1cs]iber or he would have been killed. 1t
struck him in the forehead as the scar
seen there today attests, but did not
penetrate the skull.
He was left for dead. When he re-
vived the party had left. Mr.. Cowan
could not walk, but he managed to crawl
upon his hands and body several miles.
He was very weak from the loss of blood