Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-10-03

ther to the east were restless is indi-
Gated in the remark made by the
Colonel, that on the occasion of a
trading expedition, his party had a
hell Of a time with the Indians on
Milk river"
Winter moved rather slowly into
the Missouri river valley that year.
1t was in the month of November that
Colonel Allen and Bob Lennon de-
parted from Fort Benton with two
yoke of oxen. They had a load of whis-
key. There was much of excitement
upon their arrival in the Milk river
country. Shooting was taking place
all over the camp. Trading was brisk.
One party had taken a barrel of liquor:
they made a demand for another. The
negotiations undertaken were not pro-
ceeding satisfactorily, with the result
that the eros Ventres took Allen and
his partner prisoners. BY dint OF a
large amount Of persuasion and further
parleys over the business of trading,
the men secured their release and re-
turned by easy stages to Fort Benton.
Employed by the fur company for a
year, and that time having expired,
Colonel Allen learned Of the big ex-
element" over in the Deer Lodge VAL
ley. Traders turned to prospectors.
He walked the distance between Fort
Benton and Deer Lodge.
Forming a sort Of partnership with
a nan by the name of Cross, while
the latter went to a dance, which in
those early days in the new mining
camp vas not limited to a single night,
Colonel Allen dug a prospect hole on
the banks OF Spring creek and panned
out some gold dust for which he was
paid five dollars.
Settled Among Crows
All thought of returning to st. Louis
was abandoned. For several years fol-
lowing the excitement" in the Deer
Lodge valley, Colonel Allen moved from
one location to another in the hill
and trader held so much OF glamor
and worth while perquisites that he
chose to remain in the wilderness.
In the fall of 1871 he came to the
Grow agency, which, he stated, was
then on Mission creek about eight
miles east of Livingston. They were a
peaceful tribe, inclined to extend their
friendship toward him and cause him
to feel a pleasurable relief from the
constant contacts with other tribes
against whose designs and machina-
tons he was able to survive only
through the exercise of cunning and
strategy. Deciding to lay an anchor
against the eXigencieS of the future
he homesteaded on some prairie LAND
lying between Bozeman and LivingS-
ton.
In the years that followed, up tc
1883, Colonel Allen was engaged in
varied and sundry activities. 1t was
during this time that he made the ac-
quaintanceships with Mitch Boyer anc
Thomas Laforge, whom he held in
high regard. 1t wa during this time
also that he was engaged by the gov
eminent to assist the military as q
guide and interpreter. One interest
ing narrative will suffice to show his
keen observation and serve to recall
an incident in the then wanderings
Of the renowned Sioux leader, Sitting
Bull.
In 1876 Colonel Allen had gone t1
the Black Hills and was returning tC
Montana by way of Bismarck. Fort
Lincoln, across the river, was all drapec
in black. The story of General Gus
ter's fate had been told. General AL
fred H. Terry was still in the west
A steamer had come up the Missouri.
with supplies for him. Conversine
with the captain, Colonel Allen told
him of having lived up on the Yellow
stone, and asked If he could get work
for his passage. He was accommo-
dated. When about 20 miles below the
mouth of the Yellowstone, the skipper
of the steamer asked if any aboarc
could talk in the sign language.
Talked With Sitting Bull
Colonel Allen came forward. He was
led into the presence of a distinguished
looking savage chieftain. 1t was Sit
ting Bull, Of the Sioux. AS the Indian
leader spoke, no n understood