Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-03-19
YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION
Continued from page 2.)

CohSA IuSil USiouSiuSS over III Dul
boats" and made their ponies swim
The boats were made by stretching
hides over a wicker frame work, and
it required skillful navigating to
keep them from upsetting.
On the march during this day we
noticed where large accessions to the
Indian villages had been made, by The
number of heavy trails which Joined
the main party. By evening the com.
mand was tired out. We had Eeen on
the go all day and night of the Sth
and all day of the 9th-thirty-six
hours-with very brief halts. Till
darkness set in efforts were made to
find a ford, but without success. We
hivouacked where we were, and by
the next morning were very much re.
freshed.
Next day, the 10th, at sunrise
parties were sent up and down the
river to look for a crossing. The
main force went to a small island
Some one had discovered a narrow
ford to the island capable Of holding
two or three abreast: but between the
island and the south bank the water
was deep and the current strong. Eff
forts were made to swim some of the
horses across, their riders to carry a
rope made by tying lot of picket
lines together. The efforts failed, for
the long line was too heavy to be
dragged through the water with it's
strong current Lieutenant Watson
and several Transfers succeeded in
crossing with mules
Our men and horses had never been
drilled in swimming. When the
water reached about half way be-
tween their bellies and their backs
the strong current nearly carried
them off their feet, and the animals
refused to go further, but turned
around and started for the shole The
swimmers were advised to keep on
their underclothing, but they did not
do so, and long before the day was
over the sun had blistered their
bodies, and the next morning they
were stiff and sore all over The men
who swan across explored the woods
and found many indications that the
Indians had been there but a short
time before. It was afterwards stated
that few redskins we're concealed
in the bushes and watched our efforts.
They might have killed those of our
command who crossed, for the latter
were stark naked and without any
means of defense Their danger was
very great, for a single armed Indian
could easily have killed them all
without any risk Of injury to himself
The entire command remained
huddled on the little island until
night, when it returned to the north
bank of the river and went into
bivouac. 1t was decided to move w
the river the next day and seek a
crossing, but the Indians themselves
solved the problem by coming back
after getting their village to a place
of safety.
The bivouac of L Troop was Earth.
est UP stream. It was my turn for
officer of the guard that night.
Pickets were posted on the bluffs, and
some hours after dark all except the
sentinels endeavored to obtain a lit.
tie sleep. About 2 O'Clock next morn
ing I felt sure I heard sounds that
resembled those made by horses run
ming over hard ground. I thought
that some of our animals had become
stampeded; but one of our scouts
said that the sounds we heard were
made by ponies, and that the Indians
were undoubtedly concentrating In
the woods opposite us, and would
open fire at daybreak. The scout
thought that General Custer ought tc
be notified. l followed his advice
and went to where General Custer was
asleep, woke him up, and told hin
what the scout had said. Custer re
piled that he did not believe the In
dams were coming back. His manner
Il indicated that he was annoyed at be
ing awakened. I also was annoyed al
the manner of my early reception, and
went back to the guard.
The pony sounds continued, and the
scout declared that by daylight there
p would be several hundred warriors If
the woods opposite, and that the,
would make it warm for us, as VIZ
!. had no protection whatever except {
few scattered trees, and the width o.
Z the river was less than the range o
4 their Henry rifles. 1t turned out al
the scout had predicted h.
As the mist on the river became
dissipated by the rising sun, a no
4 IRE was opened upon us. The cooks
preparing coffee, We're the only ones
astir, and, for all but the scout ana