Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-08-29

beng corraled preparatory to moving
on spying a lone. dark, sinuous line
OF he slope of a distant ridge, 1 called
bolenan's attention. He quickly pro-
nounced it Indians, 125 of them, all
that they had only bows and arrows,
with q few Sawed-Off shotguns. They
trotted briskly down toward us and
stopped a hundred yards away, making
sisns of peace.
An was hustle and confusion in
camp. We had previously become
familiar with Indians along the over
laAd road, but this was such a crowd.
The stock was hustled in, the cor
RAJ ropes drawn, and everyone was out
armed 10 the teeth. Bakers wife hur-
redly loaded her husbands muzzle
loader which he had previously loaded
himself. Not seeing her act, and not
feeling sure of what he had done, he
again loaded the same gun, but dis
cogery was later made in time to avoid
a casualty.
The guides, seeing that squaws
We're IN the party. and assured that
tA!S indicated a peaceful attitude, al
loved them to approach the camp for
a parley, after which the whole crowd
squatted about a wagon sheet spread
nearby on the ground.
Our women prepared to offer a
least as an earnest sign OF friendship,
but Bozeman warned them that the In
dams would take it as a sign of fear.
No sooner were the dishes placed than
a young buck, indignant and scornful,
spurred his horse to ride over the
grub.
"Bozeman, from the center of the
corral among the oxen, having antici-
pated the possibility of such a demon
stration, drew a bead on the reckless
young savage and was just about to
pull the trigger, when an old chief
sprang to his feet and saved the day
by grabbing the bride, setting the horse
back on his launches, and, leading him
out OF the crowd with much cursing,
sent the brave flying back to his tepee
over the hills.
Another moment and the whole
pack would have been killed, and we
would have had to fight all the Sioux
and CheyenneS in Wyoming, as we
the spokesman Of the Indians made
known their errand.
The Indians Errand
That was the only extensive game
country remaining in the west" said
the Indian. THE California and
Oregon trails had driven most of the
antelope and buffalo away from the
wagon roads and the result would be
the same here; the Indians were de-
termined to prevent the opening of
the new road, Is it would mean starva-
ton to their SQuaWS and papOOSeS, II
we wished to return to the Platte, well
and good; if not, all the Sioux and
Cheyennes, already warned by nightly
| signal fires on the Big Horn noun
talns, would collect and wea us out
"Of course we could not consult each
other in their presence, yet consult
we must. They were told to retire to
their camp after which we would make
a decision and notify them.
They mounted and left with a tele-
scope and nine brides concealed under
their blankets besides a square meal
manned to act as courier, and the Sltua-
ton was reviewed by several Of our
prominent men.
John Bozeman advised going
through, as he said we were well armed
and provisioned, well on our way in a
splendid region, could travel in a
double line, keep double guard night
and day, and, having mostly oxen
which were not easy to be stampeded
or stolen, would have a great advantage.
Jacobs and the other guides con-
Cured. Captain Brady, although he
had much to risk in his four teams
and valuable outfit, urged going on
we all liked our noble captain.
"At the conclusion OF his speech the
young Indian came forward and shook
his hand confirming the tradition that
savages admire bravery even in an enc
my. Most of the men favored giving
up the expedition. The season was adj
way from the mines with the disad-
vantage of being in a hostile country
We would be constantly harrassed, and
would probably lose at least our horses
We had a number of women and
children, and the savages would be
pretty sure to keep their word.
The Indian courier was sent away
and told that re would take three
days to decide what we would do
It was decided to dispatch a messenger
back to the military posts along the
Platte and request an escort to the
Bannack mines.
Lieutenant William Coleman, a
fine looking and spirited young mar
admired by all, volunteered, with his
splendid horse, to attempt the trip
starting at nightfall to elude the
SavageS.
Wait Three Days
"It was agreed to await his return
three days and, failing that, to infer
that he had been captured by the red
skins and to start on the back track
The period of anxious waiting expired
and no horseman dotted the distant
plain.
ION the fourth morning Bozemar
offered to guide such as wished to pro-
coed on the forward trip, providing
there were no less than eight wagons
Only four, ours among the number
pulled out of the line, the other Al
with popping whips, turning back or
a croSscut to strike the Platte opposite
SCOTS Bluff, some distance upstream
from Deer creek, from whence we hac
started. Bozeman advised the foul
venturesome ones to follow, and away
we went.
ION the second or third day, to oul
great relief and Joy, here came the gal
liant Coleman galloping fast n none
the worse for wear.
Red tape among the military people
with ~vexatious delays through the ne
cessity Of telegraphing to Washington
for instruction, permission and orders
had resulted in a company OF soldiers
with q cannon and supplies Tor Sucf
as might be in need being dispatched