Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-04-11

Is Mule-whAcker, during Wh1ch time
made several trips to frontier army
posts, l reported 1t DAVIS camp at
Fort Abercromoie. I soon found Out
that there would be no expedition:
that Davy had flunked: that the gang
assembled at the camp were toughe,
composed largely of exrebeh liberated
from northern prisons after the war,
and that owing to hostile Indians on
the Missouri It would be fool-hardy to
attempt passage without a large
armed force. A few of the gang start
ed, subsequently, and got as Tar as
the Missouri river when they were
quickly and scientifically scalped.
I resumed my profession" rs mv&e-.>
whacher, and put in a mighty hard
year, camping out winters as well as
summers, The life was interesting and
full Of adventure, but simply tough. !
had several close calls from being
frozen stiff. In fact I have got
comfortably warm since that awful
winter Of '68. / received $50 PEI
month and board n my average
was from .$12 to SIS. Returning 70
Sank Center from . trip to Fort
Wadsworth in April, 1858, I met DR..
John Shultz. Of Fort Garry. Among
his numerous activities was the pub
fishing 81 a twice-a-month paper
called the Nor, wester. I en-
gagged with him as q printer. and &C
compAnied him to Winnipeg by the
flatboat route from Fort A~bercrombte.
There I worked two years as com.
posltor; saw the Riel Rebellion ana
many thrilling incidents connected
herewith; was employed for a while
on the rebel paper, saw Scott shot IN
the distance, and came near getting
into the row myself. =,
! Early in the spring OF 1870 the
United States government decided to
build a fort at Pernbina, and I thought
the time suspicious to get back to
my own country. 1t had two boon
companions, Alex Stewart and James
cross the line and seek employment
with the fort contractors. to which
they agreed. 1 bought a pony, Stew
art furnished the cart, and Robb pur-
chased the grub. In due time we
landed at Pembina and established q
camp at Peter Hayden's, about one
mile from the town. The contractors
were slow in getting on the grounds.
meantime our camp had to eat, and
eat plenty. Our larder got low. and
q trip to Winnipeg seemed impera.
set out driving my, pony attached to
his a and carrying with him every
| cent the camp could muster with
which to buy food. Stewart was to be
gone five days, at the end Of which
time. Robb and I, hungry and anxious
scanned the northern horizon to see IL
our c~ommissariat vas coming. Al
last, late in the afternoon, we dis
cerned in the dim distance a pony car
and two men walking. Soon they
were distinguishable; I recognized my
~-9S~a o414~1H ~4~x, md tho toll fNrn
of Stewart. The lean, lank, but srnil'
ing guy with him vas a stranger
Who was he? Stewart introduced hin
as VIM. Bulge. late in the service o
the Hudson Bay Company in the de
partment of the Saskatchewan. Stew
art then explained that he ran acros
Bulge in Winnipeg, and arranged t.
convey him to Pen1bina in considera
ton Of a sack of flour and a slab o
pork. and arrangement readily acced
ed to by Mr.. Bulge.
We were a quartette Of happy ga
looks at the Hayden camp that night
With flour and pork, fish fresh from
the river, and an abundant supply o
milk from the Hayden house, w
Toasted most royalty. Bulge quickl,
adapted himself to our way of doinl
things. His vernacular was q nttl
strange to US but we soon interpreter
him. He was Sood-natured and a
wore a smile that invited friendship
and was, altogether a valuable acQuisi
ton to our fraternity. We MIXED il
IPembina society, attended dances
Traced horses with the natives. an
spr1nted with. the fleet-footed half
breeds. We were strictly In tn
swim" for awhile. But there is q
end to everything, land the end OF GU
supply OF food wa the serious condi
hon that confronted us. Bulge posi-
lively refused to be levied upon agar
We coached him aseidously for some
time, but he was inexorAble. "WoF
or starve' was his response to gu
enreaties, and we had to 60 to worl
I secured a job,trom A. W. Stiles, tn
post trader, who had just arrived, an
Bulge got a. job in the new brick yart
(! which was under the management {
D. l. Brawley, acting for the oontrae
tor, w. C.. Nash, who subsequent
located at East Grand ,ForkR Bot
Robb and Stewart also secured job
but Stewart did not stay long. He. RI
!, turned to Winnipeg 4 few weeks late
and ! never heard from him again.
The fort was located near the Re
River, about one mile from the villag
and in the curse of a few weel
buildings were erected and occupies
: Among the first was the post trade
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