The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-08-01

: AitNS pidSSo VI iiltSiSol dliOiS
] ed in the Colorado Rockies.
Having heard much about Fol
Laramie around which old fror
: tier post clusters more romance c
a historic interest than any fort eN
er constructed on the western fror
tler-Sir George determined to Vi
i sit it and spend some time there
Setting their faces northward, hi
party reached Fort Laramie late il
the season. Sir George found S,
much to interest him at this plac
that he determined to spend tn,
i winter there. The half-wild trap
Ipers, mountain men, traders, adj
ventureres and Indians with Whom
he came in contact, made deer
impression upon him. They were {
motley crowd; Sir George was {
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 were 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
man 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 protracted stay
in the mountains. They leisurely |
assembled the north branch of the
Platte river, whence the caravan
over to the Powder and fol-
lowed down the Dry Fork finally |
arriving at the spot where in later
years, Fort Conner (later known
is 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
tone. All this was safely accom-
the party travelling slow
y and enjoying the unrivaled
eauty of the country and the splen-
id hunting and fishing. Sir !
leorge was delighted with Jim h
'ridger, and his unwavering know
,dge of the country over which
icy were travelling, and upon
the Yellowstone, he de- /
to ascend the stream as Ii
If as the mouth of the Tongue II
yer and spend the winter in that {
sction, where hunting was unriv-
led. II
Arriving at a delightful and ro- t
antic spot eight miles above the
outh of the Tongue, the Gore a
arty selected a good location and {
t about to construct fort in t
hich they would pass the winter I
comfort. This included stables
r all the animals, of which there c
ere nearly or quite $50; store g
uses in which to keep their equip G
ent and quarters for the men. b
Confident that everything was at "
st in shipshape order for the Wig II
Gus winter which would soon be S
on them Sir George was in good m
irits. Unfortunately, however, h
e of his men started a fire in the D,
nber, which spread with such Of
Didity that all the grazing was ii
and then it became nee B
AIRY to seek another location in itu
Iich to keep their animals. With w
ortion of his caravan, Sir George tn
urned to the mouth of the
ngue, leaving the remainder of of
party at the fort. Here grass he
red by nature, was plentiful. XII
de quarters we're erected at the iol
ction of the Tongue and Vel of
stone for a portion of the ami KIN
IS and men. For his own per- lul
al use, Sir George causedto be CO.
cted a small log cabin, in which DO
5 also recorded that he kept his or,
orite riding horse, thorough Sill
d Kentucky charger. list
'ridger doubtless accompanied an,