Evening star., 1902-01-18

wear the blue army shirt and trousers, and
Scotch caps with ear pieces, though some
men prefer the regulation fur cap. Fur is
unsuitable for all wear except gloves, for
fuse perspiration, and fur garments do not
permit it's evaporation and escape.
Formerly the ordinary uniform was used
for this duty, but frequent frost bites and
occasional loss of life caused warmer, spe-
cial clothing to be adopted. The winters
are bitterly cold, storms are frequent and
the duty hard; every precaution and care
must be taken to avoid casualties.
Some years ago a soldier started out for
the mail from Riverside station, near the
western boundary, to go to Fountain sta
tion in Lower Geyser basin. He was alone,
but he was good traveller, and no fears
were entertained as to his ability to make
the journey. A storm arose shortly after
he started, and it is presumed that he lost
storm had subsided, he not having reported
to either station. he could not be found.
Not until two years later were his remains
accidentally discovered some distance up
the Gibbon river, when his route should
have been up the Firehole. He evidently
became confused in the storm at their juno
tion and followed up the wrong stream.
In the winter Of 1S96-97 another soldier
lost his life through disobedience of orders.
Owing to the hardships of winter travel
and the liability to accidents, orders We're
given after the accident above mentioned
that no man should under any circum-
stances travel alone.
Pushed on to Death.
Two were skiing from the lake station to
the Thumb; the snow was bad, the travel
difficult, and a few miles out one man
found that he was becoming exhausted,
and insisted on returning, requesting his
comrade to accompany him. Returning was
the shorter distance to shelter and the trail
was easier, being broken by their coming.
The man who was not fatigued refused and
pushed ahead; the other returned reports ed
at the lake station what had occurred, and
ing The night had been severe, and only
a mile or SO beyond the point where the
men had separated was found frozen dead
the man who had pushed on. He had sought
shelter under culvert, where he had lain
down and gone to sleep. Although he was
in a country where dry timber abounds,
and he had matches, there was no evidence
that he had undertaken to build fire.
ger lies for these men. Should they In
their patrols come upon poachers they
know that they have to deal with desperate
men, who hesitate at nothing. On one oc-
caSion the park superintendent learned
what led him to believe that poachers were
after the buffalo in the Pelican valley coun-
try, east Of Yellowstone river. He caused
to be sent out a civilian scout, Burgess, and
soldier, Private Troike, from the Lake Ho-
tel. They soon found the poacher's camp
with number Of buffalo heads hung up In
q nearby tree They followed up his trail
for some distance, and then heard some
rifle shots. They soon discovered Howell,
the poacher, skinning the head Of one Of the
buffaloes that had just been killed. He was
armed with rifle. the others only with re-
volvers 1t was dangerous bit Of work to
get over that stretch Of open ground and
cover Howell with his revolver. but Bur-
CESS did it. The wind favored him. and
Howell knew nothing of his approach until
he was called upon to surrender under q
cooked pistol only fifteen feet distant Even
Howell's dog did not detect the approach
ing danger to his master.
The Regulation Poacher.
Howell remarked that he would not have
been captured had he had little warning
Of the approach Of Burgess and Troike, and
those knowing him do not hesitate to as
sert that he would have killed them both
with his rifle and then have made his way
out Of the country. had he not been SO in
tent on his nefar5ousaWork as not to notice
their approach.
The streams in many portions Of the park
are fed by hot water. from geysers. boiling
springs and hot pools. and on these the ice
never forms. Often in winter trips it be-
comes necessary to cross some such stream,
and in the absence lof bridges one must
ford So off come skis, shoes and socks,
and with his equipment on his shoulders
the hardy soldier slips from the bank of
snow and ice into the water, wades Across
and makes a shtvering toilet on the other
side. The gayly colored poster designed to
attract recruits was sin the mind Of a pa
triot who had Just made such a crossing
Turning to the off1cer with him. he called
outs "Say, lieutenant, this wasn't In the
picture"