The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-03-06

five feet deep. There is, scarcely any
current, and the river has bad clay
bottom and is full Of bullrushes. We
were forced to make sort of bed Of
bullrushes and then haul the wagons
over by means of long cable.
JULY 27--Spent the day casting
bullets and in prayer and singing.
JULY 28-z,While Burritt and were
hunting we saw Bottineau chasing
something which was running toward
the next coulee. We ran to head
it off, and did so, when it hid in some
short brush near small creek. We
sought to poke him out, when Bot
tineau, coming up, called to us, "Be-
ware. 1t is a grizzly bear, and he is
badly wounded" The bear crossed
the creek above when he again start
ed, and it took 10 or IL shots to kill
him.
| JULY 2O-Saw the train start, then
Burritt, Bond and l went hunting on
the coteau. After being out some
time we got separated. I was alone,
and in hedging for the train saw three
or four white cranes on the edge of a
pond. Had to make considerable
| SliS w SSC uCol LIlCIll.
AUG. "a little before noon we
met a body Of Assiniboines, led by
Broken Arm" the chief. Gave him
some "medicine", and some for his
young men. Some 80 or 40 of the In
dams came up for lunch. The war
chief made speech, which excited
the others, who demanded that we
turn back, as they said we scared
away the buffalo. Some of the In
dams were disposed to be saucy; they
threatened and tried to bully us, but,
finding that this did not pay, they
cooled down and at last begged Bot
tineau and the Indians went out and
killed II buffalo, while'I killed one.
AUG. 10-Wet day. Captain Fisk
and Turgiss went out toward the Mis-
souri, returning in the evening. They
went about Is miles and found Fort
Union.
AUG. 11.-Prescribed for a Mexi-
can halfbreed, at the fort, who pre-
sented me with splendid buffalo
robe, which had belonged to chief Of
the Grow (Knife) Indians, who had
been killed in fight with the Sioux
Indians 10 days previously.
AUG. 14.-Reach Fort Kipp by 2
p. m. and go into camp. A few In
dams and their squaws are around
here.
AUG. 20.-Rest here until noon to
shoe up the cattle. Visited by In
dams - Crows and Gros Ventres.
"Rottentail" is the Grow chief;
"Squaw That Sits," first chief of the
eros Ventres, with "Star Robe, sec
ond chief. Two hundred or possibly
800 of the Indians came to see US dur.
ing the course of the day.
AUG. 23-There was a great COM
motion at the rear end Of the train,
and report comes to the head that
Indians are cutting off the last wag-
ons. On going back l could not at
first find the Indians, but at last got
sight Of some six or seven red men
at one side of the trail, apparently
as much alarmed and astonished as
some of our own folks. We took
them along with US until morning.
AUG. give stop over today to let
cmlgrants get some buffao. Several
of us went out afoot and shot two
antelope. Burritt shot splendid
old buck.
AUG. 31.-Sunday-day Of rest. I
smoke my skin coat and pants. Note
signs of Indians on the river bank.
SEPT. I've see two large medi-
cine lodges across the river, which we
visit. One is about 100 feet in dame
ter and the other rs or 80 feet, and
both are from IS to 40 feet high.
Offerings or sacrifices had been left
there recently by the Indians, con-
sisting of robes, blankets, hides, guns,
etc., and these were taken possession
of by our halfbreeds. A ponyswas
caught while at lunch, which had been
Offered" by the Indians. The poor
animal had been pricked all over. We
heard at Fort Benton that the Indians
had kind of treaty meeting there
there were Blackfoot, Piegans, Blood,
! Crow, Gros Ventres-in all there were
some 10000, and they had with them
about 10000 or $4,000 ponise.
Another overland expedition was
made in 1864, and the diary which is
of special Interest to those living in
North Dakota follows.
JULY 26-Crossed the third cross
ing of the Cheyenne. During the
evening there was considerable talk
around the campfire or the golu couh-
try to the west of US, and in the
J morning we found that George North
rup, George Geire and R. D. Camp
bell had deserted us, taking with them
three good horses, mule, carbines,
revolver, etc. The captain said he be-
lieved the men had headed for the
gold country, thinking to "make a
! stake.
JULY 28-Today we-visited large
| camp of Red River hunters, their
camp being three or four miles south
of our track. Captain Fisk gave the
chief hunter full authority to arrest
the deserters from our party. The
hunters told us Of having seen about