The Bozeman courier., 1927-11-04

son of these rock-writings with others
may throw some light on the subject.
Evidently such writings were often re-
garded as the work of supernatural be-
ings, and quite likely the medicine men
encouraged this belief. 1t is to be re-
gretted that Lieutenant Bradley did not
give a description of the petroglyphs he
saw, as some of them now may be de-
Stroyed. If there are any remaining,
they should be preserved, if possible.
South of Stanford, Mont, and in the
Little Belt mountains is the rivulet Of
Dry Wolf. That is to say, like some other
streams in the state, it is rtVulet only
part of the year, but during the remain
der is a long extent of sandy bottom
To see it in late summer, it is impos-
sible for a stranger to the country
through which it winds to accept the
statement of those who know it well,
that every spring its banks are filled
with a raging torrent.
Into this region the Indians used to
go for game and the berries which grow
profusely there. In the summer quanti-
ties of raspberries and huckleberries
cover the canyon sides in that vicinity,
or did, unless destroyed by sheep graz
ing.
| A group of hills at the entrance Of
Dry Wolf canyon are known as the Black
Tail hills. Whether the black tail deer
| ever roamed there is questionable, as
some authorities say there are no black
tail deer on the upper Missouri or its
tributaries, those called black tail being
what is known as mule deer. White tail
deer were at one time plentiful here: I
have wat saSd them from my window
| in the Monarch canyon, feeding with the
cattle a short distance away on the oppo-
site side Of the Belt river, and have often
seen bands Of them racing for the shelter
Of the tree-covered slopes, when fright
ened by an approaching team. 1t was a
sight not be forgotten.
II The Belt mountains must have har-
bored much game before the white men
came, as still considerable is found there
thanks to the laws which protect it.
Otherwise it would long ago have been
driven out or slaughtered.
Il have heard it stated, with how much
truth I cannot say, that the white tail
arch canyon, and the black tail, or mule
deer, to the east of there. However that
!, may be, the Black Tail hills are not
! many miles east Of that canyon, and
may have received their name, and prob
ably did, because Of the Dumber OF this
kind of deer that roamed over them
: when the country was new.
few years ago, two boys out hunt
: ing, or seeking adventure, wandered dowI
Dry Wolf to the Black Tail hills. Here
their attention was attracted by a cave
J not far from the road and but little
above it. Curiosity led them to investi.
gate it. In size it was insignificant
5 possibly three or four persons could
l have sheltered themselves within i
? caught in a storm. It was apparently
S no different from countless other holel
T of varying size cut or worn in the rock
! to be seen on the mountain sides almos
anywhere. They always have an air o.
] mystery for boys, who, with the livell
] imagination Of their kind, picture then
? as gateways to hidden treasures, as som,
! Of them have been when. they were thi
e openings to mines.
r This cave was no artificial opening
excavated by the hand Of man, but
e slight depression in the hillside tha
i was the work Of nature. There was III
= gold or silver there; no gruesome skele
t ton to speak Of a by-gone tragedy, bu
y there was something else which did no
q escape the keen eyes Of the boys, ant
= caused them 70 wonder.