The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-07-31

! ed in the Colorado Rockies.
!, Having heard much about For
Laramle-around which old fror
tier post clusters more romance o
; a historic interest than any fort ev
er constructed on the western from
; tier-Sir George determined to vi
sit it and spend some time there
Setting their faces northward, hi
party reached Fort Laramie late il
the season. Sir George found 81
much to interest him at this place
that he determined to spend the
winter there. The ha1f-wild trap.
pers, mountain men, traders, adj
%ventureres and Indians with whom
he came in contact, made a deer
impression upon him. They were a
motley crowd; Sir George was a
student of human nature and here
was a class of people the like of
whom he had never before encoun-
tered by this aristocratic globe-trot-
Ter and adVenturer.
Doubtless it was at Fort Laramie
where Sir George came to know the
real value of Jim Bridger, his chief
guide. The name of Bridger was a
household word everywhere in the
west. He was the acknowledged
uncrowned king of all trappers,
mountain men, frontiersmen, scouts
and guides. Every person at Fort
Laramie paid marked Difference to
Bridger, which certainly did not
pass Sir George unnoticed.
The winter passed most agree
ably to Sir George among this mot
ley crowd. Many yer the tales to
which he listened around the roar
ing log fires-tales of thrilling bat
ties with the Indian tribes; stories
of hairbreadth escapes in encoun-
tiers with wild animals. Much val
liable knowledge was here impart-
ed to him by Bridger regarding the
country over which the Irish noble
mar desired to travel, and the
springtime came all too soon.
With the coming of the grass, the
Gore Expedition left Fort Laramie,
fully equipped for a protracted stay
in the mountains. They leisurely
assembled the north branch of the
Platte river, whence the caravan
crossed over to the Powder and fol-
lowed down the Dry Fork finally
arriving at the spot where in later
years, Fort Conner (later known
Fort Reno) stood. Finding
much to add to the pleasure of the
rip, Sir George determined to fol-
ow up the Powder river as far as
is confluence with the Yellow
stone. All this was safely accom-
olished, the party travelling slow
y and enjoying the u%nrivaled
beauty of the country and the SPLEEN
lid hunting and fishing. Sir
George was delighted with Jim
3ridger, and his unwavering know
edge of the country yer which
hey were travelling, and upon
'eaching the Yellowstone, he de-
ermined to ascend the stream as
ar as the mouth of the Tongue
liver and spend the winter in that
e%ction, where hunting a u%nriv-
lied.
Arriving at a delightful and ro-
nantic spot eight miles above the
Mouth of the Tongue, the Gore
arty selected a good location and
ct about to construct a fort in
vhich they would pass the winter /,
l comfort. This included stables
DR. all the animals, of which there {
nearly or quite $50; store s
in which to keep their equip {
and quarters for the men. |
Confident that everything was at '
st in shipshape order for the Wig t
rous winter which would soon be s
pom them Sir George was in good n
Unfortunately, however, h
lie of his men started a fire in the D
mber, which spread with such Q
that all the grazing was Il
,stroyed, and then it became nee E
sary to seek another location in t,
.ich to keep their animals. With W
portion of his caravan, Sir George ii
turned to the mouth of the
ongue, leaving the remainder of O.
e party at the fort. Here grass h
red by nature, was plentiful. Xxi
1de quarters were erected at the 10
notion of the Tongue and Vel OF
vstone for a portion of the ami kr
lis and men. For his own per- lu
nal use, Sir George causedto be co
,cted a small log cabin, in which DC
is also recorded that he kept his or
vorite riding horse, a thorough ST
ID Kentucky charger. lis
Qridnar do1ht1ecc occomDanied -,