Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-07-26

though fainting n exhausted, sue
ceeded in gaining the skirting of the
cottonwood trees on the border of the
park, through which he ran n plunged
into the river. Fortunately for him. a
little below this place was an island,
against the upper point of which a raft
of drift timber had lodged. He dived
under the raft and after several efforts
got his head above water among the
trunks of the trees, covered over with
smaller wood to the depth of several
feet. Scarcely had he secured himself
when the Indians arrived on the river,
screeching and yelling, rs Golfer ex-
pressed it, like SO many devils
They were frequently on the raft dur
ing the day. and were seen through the
chinks by Golfer, who was congratulate
ing himself upon his escape until the
idea arose that they might set the raft
on fire. In horrible suspense he re-
manned until night, when, hearing no
more of the Indians, he dived from under
the raft. swan silently down the river
for a long distance when he landed and
travelled all night. Although happy in
having escaped from the Indians, his
situation was still dreadful. He was
| completely naked under a burning sun
The soles of his feet were entirely filled
with the thorns of the prickly pears
He was hungry and had no means of
killing game, although he saw abund-
ance around him."
Manuel's fort on the, Big Horn was
some three hundred miles away and 0
the race between Golfer and starvation
commenced. Above him on the river lay
the pass through the mountains, but,
fearful hat the Indians would guard the
pass and intercept him there, he decided
to scale the mountains and descend into
the plain OF the other side.
Golfer assembled the almost perpen-
dicular mountain before him, the tops
and sides Of which a great way down,
were covered with perpetual snow. He
clambered up this fearful ascent about
four miles below the gap, holding on by
the rocks, shrubs n brushes of trees
and by morning had reached the top
He lay there, concealed all that day, and
at night proceeded on in the descent OF
the mountain, which he accomplished by
dawn. He now hastened on in the oper
plain towards Manuel's fort on the Big
Horn, about three hundred miles ahead
in the northeast. He travelled day anc
night, stopping only for necessary repose
and eating roots and the bark of trees
for eleven days. He reached the fort
nearly exhausted by hunger, fatigue anc
excitement"
When Golfer reached the end of his
journey he was in such a dismal plight
that none of the company at the fort
knew him until he made himself known
He spent the remainder of the summei
at h fort recuperating. and when win
ter came on decided on another journey
Goes for His Traps
1t seems that Golfer had worried about
the loss OF his beaver traps while resting
and regaining his strength and he nov
planned to return to the Jefferson Forl
n regain them If possible. Supposint
the Indians we're all quiet in winter
quarters he set out through the deeI
snow and cold for the Three Forks, which
he reached safely in due time. PASSING
through the gap in the mountains hi
encamped on the bank of the stream
built a fire and was cooking his buffalo
meat, contemplating, no doubt, that to-
morrow he would regain his traps and b.
on his way back to Manuel's fort on thu
Big Horn. Presently he heard the crack
ing Of brush behind him, and heard tn,
cooking OF guns.
Golfer, quick as q flash, leaped owe,
the fire as the bullets whizzed abou
him n scattered the Goals of his fire
Again he fled for his life, and the sec
ond time assembled the perpendicular
AAA AN AAo0 bOkA1 ~ Ma 49,
former flight, fearing now as then, tina
rhe pass might be guarded by Indians
He reached the top before morning, and
resting for the day, descended the mex
night and then made his way with al
possible speed to the fort" He said tina
at the time he promised God Almighty
that he would never return to this re-
gion II he were only permitted to escape
once more with his life.
Makes Winter Trip
travelling six hundred miles through
the snow n cold, this must have beer
a terrible journey. Golfer seems to have
had an uncanny way of sustaining
himself and of overcoming the great
est obstacles that ever confronted him
1t seems that other men associated witt
him failed to measure up TO his stand
ard OF resistance to the many perils tina
beset them, and as a consequence gav'
up their lives.
John Golfer had one weakness-h
couio n stay away from the region o.
the Three Forks. This region at tha
time was probably the finest beave'
J grounds that the vast western countr,
could boast, N the keen perception o
Golfer, no doubt, instinctively led hin
into this virgin beaver paradise. III
wanted beaver, n the beaver h
wanted seemed to be on the Three Forks
for quite "A long time after Collie
made mis- second escape from the Black
feet on the Three Forks, he led the If
Of an active trapper. In the earl,
months OF 1910 Golfer broke faith will
I HNN nFDYrf4u 80 a. 4wL.~ About fh