The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-11-18
"WESTLAND TRAILS"
(By H. C. REAGAN)
All rights reserved
CHAPTER TWELVE
(Continued)
CAMP FIRE STORIES

CAMP FIRE STORIES
The bear is a thief under necessity
and will approach the haunts of man
to forage. During early fall months
previous to alternating when the
young shoat it fat. A bear made on
some young pigs which were corralled
near the construction camp. The par
ticular night was cold with bright
moon shining. The disturbance woke
up those within hearing and the young
pigs were squealing at the top most.
1t was gruesome sight to see the
big bear grab young shoat and walk
off with it grasped by its fore legs
against the bears breast in grip that
the pig knew was death. To see this
in the moonlight and hear the shrek
that cannot be described, made one
have a feeling of hatred. Then to
have the weried sound which carried
in the stiffness of the night over the
ranges gradually die down and cease
which meant that the bear had gotten
far enough away in his judgment and
then with sudden crushing by those
strong limbs life was made exticnt
and the bear would proceed to enjoy
his meal. The maraude of the night
had taken his toll of the defenseless.
Buffalo
The American buffalo, a remanent
of the vast herds that used to roam
the great plains of the west is con-
fined within the boundaries of Vel
lowstone Park in the Lamar Valley on
the Lamar River. There the buffaloes
roam at will under the guidance eff the
government keeper who is stationed
at Rose Station. This herd is fast in
creasing and the great range allows
them to live their natural lives. The
government provides feed for them in
case of necessity or a severe winter
when the buffalo grass cannot be
reached owing to ice and snow. To
view this large herd of bulls, cows and
calves, either in motion or grazing is
novel experience. These animals
are very playful among themselves
and it is amusing to see the young
play and the yearlings butt each other
in trying their skill. Some of the old
bulls are massive with high lunches
and large heads and are a formidable
animal. When the bulls are in real
contest or battle the force with which
they strike head to head is something
tremendous and the resounding blow
and below can be heard LONG dis
lance. They are terror to horse
when charging and their principle
effort is to strike under the belly and
up with their short horns, disembowl-
ing the horse. A peculiar trait of one
of the cows in this great herd was to
stay with the domestic cattle at Rose
Sstation and owing to her large size
she looked big among the domestic
cows. When driven to the buffalo
herd she would return to the domestic
group. During the winter months anc
the snow is on the ground the buffalo
gets his food by swinging his head
from side to side acting as a snow
plow to brush the snow away feeding
as he goes and in the absence of the
animal the peculiar trails visible are
indications of buffalo having feed
previously.
The action of an angry buffalo is
similar to the domestic bull. One
large and vicious bull named Jack
Johnson was feared, and each year ar
order went out to kill him. Each wear
the report went back that he had beer
slain. Yet Jack was always around
One time the writer and others were
going over the trail along the Lamar
plateau above Roosevelt camp and met
Jack johnson who occupied the middle
of the trail defying all to pass. The
team was in fear and had to be placed
away and out of sight of the angry
buffalo. Then the party got above
Jack on the trail and began pletinp
him with rocks. Every rock hitting
caused roar and below with Jack
paving the earth, throwing the dirt
high above his back. Continued throw
ing of rocks, made Johnson swing
around and charge for the throwers
AS he came up the bank, safety first
was the slogan and each man made q
run for the horses which were reached
in time. Jack johnson made bee line
for the herd, which was on the pla.
teau and the riders down the trail. The
h,1ffal0 row Ia similar RI Tho dor.os