The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-08-29
MARO0 ON THE MISSOURI 1N 1881---RIvER
PASSENGERS SPEND ANXIOUS HOURS WHEN

| Kentucky. With these arm,
lpeople were two surgeons, and ;
lieutenant, who was taking re
cruits to Assinaboine. There wa!
also a full quota of civilians OF
board, most of them never having
lbeen in Montana, but about tc
seek their fortunes there
| 1t was a pleasant company, and
the weather being much cooler
there was promise of an enjoy
able trip. The first day, however
a fleeing rumor reached our ears
that the river was falling rapidly
and unless we made good time
doubt was expressed of our being
able to reach Fort Benton.
Breasting the current is always
more difficult than floating with it.
lat this time the current was not so
strong as earlier in the season, but
the shallow waters left more sand
bars exposed, and made the navi-
cation of the river much more
difficult.
isn't it pity" I said to the pill
OF one day, ''the Missouri has so
many twists and turns
NO" he replied, "if it hadn't
we'd never get up it."
Hour after hour while the day
light lasted, we labored up the tor
tuous channel, at less and less rate
of speed. When the sun went
down, and it was unsafe for travel,
the boat tied up to the shore.
Sometimes the more venturesome
passengers went on the land, and
frequently the soldiers seized the
opportunity to swim.
One evening several of us were
sitting on the front deck, enjoying
that greatest pleasure, of idly
watching others work as the roust-
abouts went to and fro over the
gang plank, bringing on board the
next days supply of wood. There
were no mosquitoes to annoy us,
and it was delightfully."- cool. Sol
diers were swimming near the
boat. We could see their heads
above the water, and hear them call
to one another. Suddenly there
came cry, 'Helpl Helpl" 1t
met with no response.
There's man drowning out
there" one of the civilians said to
the lieutenant.
ooh, no. was his careless an
swer, ''he is only doing that to cali
to himself"
No further cry was heard, and
next morning at roll call a recruit
lid not answer to his name. The
fatal under-tow of the river had
claimed another victim. On our
:ormer trip, it was the daughter
If Sioux chief; now it was a
private soldier. There arose a
treat lamentation over the death
# the former; I heard no mourn
ng at the loss of the latter.
One night my eldest child had a
evere attack of the Group. For
unately there was a doctor near at I
and to give advice and assistance,
which was all that was required. {
lie said he must have some hot {
yater, and at once went in search of \
:, but the fires were all out in the i
ngine room and the pantry. His f
earch did not prove entirely unsuc v
essful, as he brought back with t
i'm a tin cup partly filled with cold Il
rater. This was heated over aIv
imp, and the steam generated soon t
rought relief to the patient. 1t f
as a simple remedy that probably S
-ould not have been tried, had the O
octor brought medicines with him,
r if a drug store could have been a
V
A couple of days after this Incl .
ent we arrived at Cow Island.
he river had fallen alarmingly, Q
taking it questionable whether the il
oat would be able to make the D
own trip, if it started at once. a
here was no longer any thought d
its going farther up the river, il
e