Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-06-01

old. about 90 miles from the camp, I
inquired whether anything had been
seen OF the mackinaw and its unfor-
tunate passengers. In reply / was told
the following particulars which had been
gathered from the Indians. probably the
murderers. who came TO the fort to trade :
Soon after passing Fort Berthold. the
mackinaw was suddenly fired upon from
both sides Of the river. One or two Of
the crew were killed n several wound
ed by the first volley, but the rest re-
turned the fire without stopping the
boat. The Indians had probably discov-
cred the mackinaw some time before they
fired into 1t, and small parties stationed
themselves at intervals for miles along
the banks, so that there was no possibili-
~ OF escape and murderous yolleys were
poured into the Inflated craft at every
few hundred yards as 1t continued down
the river.
Cannon Sinks Boat
The little cannon did good service for
awhile, but the boat was too frail for
the shocks occasioned by the discharge
OF h piece and in a short time the
mackinaw sprung a leak and sank to the
bottom OF the stream. Notwithstanding
this unfortunate accident the brave min
erS continued to fight desperately for
their lives. One OF the number. an old
man. vas the best shot in the party, and
while his companions loaded the guns he
picked of the enemy with such rapidity
and precision that none dare approach
him. Where the boat san the river was
quite shallow, and the mackinaw was
hardly covered by the stream, but as the
men had no shelter to protect them from
the deadly fire delivered by the foe from
behind the brush on both sides OF the
stream. they were shot down, one after
the other, until only five with the wom-
an and child remained. The old man
was wounded in several places and the
stream as 1t rushed by was discolored
with his blood, yet his deadly rifle con-
tinued to deal death to the enemy, and
though the eye that sighted the barrel
was growing dim and the hand that
pulled the trigger becoming weaker and
weaker. 1t never missed its aim or failed
TO respond when the brave owner raised
it to his shoulder.
"Of course. under such circumstances
the destruction Of these unfortunate peo-
pie could be only a question of time.
The brave old marksman finally fell
mortally wounded n the yelling de-
mons then rushed In and slaughtered
the survivors. Not me escaped to tell
the tale. but even their cruel murderers
acknowledge that 1t was a dear bought
victory and that for every white man
killed an Indian fell
THE Indians, not knowing the value
of the gold dust, cut open the bags and
emptied them into the river, but strange
to say the precious metal was not lost.
A large portion sank to the bottom OF
the river. and over SIS, 900 worth OF 1t
was afterwards gathered from the sane
bar"
In "vigilante Days and Ways" pub
lished by A. C. McClurg & Co., in 1918,
written by that we'll known me prom
inent pioneer Of Montana, N. p. Lang
ford, there Is on the title page a sketch
showing the skeleton OF a pioneer who's
bleaching bones lie in the open sage
brush prairie. 1t is entitled WHY
Doesn't He Writer" Here is the dedica-
ton that follows:
This book is dedicated to the
memory Of those unknown pioneers
who lost their lives In laying the
foundation Of the empire Of the new
great west"
This closes the chapter containing all
the available written history Of the tragic
end Of this party of miners in their de-
scent of the Missouri river from Fort
Benton in 1868. The story is positively
Identified as to time, place and circum-
stances but the identity Of the party IL
to this day unknown, hence, the dedica-
ton of Langford is applicable to this as
one Of the great tragedies of the time
and will prove of great interest to oul
North Dakota friends.