Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-05-29

up Of the ~outcroppings Of stone on the
elevations, served as permanent guides
for the trailing herder.
The first inhabitants of eastern Mon
tana had no names, for the most part,
for the streams. There is a legend,
however, that the Indians hunting
mountain sheep were wont to call the
hills in southern Montana the Big
Horns because of the abundance of
these animals they found there. From
the heights they could look eastward
and see a stream of water which they
called "Lazuka," because to them it
appeared in the form of a tongue
creeping out from the south. Hence,
the Tongue river.
Settlers Name Greeks
When the white settlers began to
establish themselves in the territory
following the removal of the menace
of wandering bands of hostiles they
adopted the habit of giving anne to
streams, mostly small creeks, whatever
designation appeared to them to be
most practical. The consequence is
that many of these smaller streams
bear the insignificant names such as
Cow, Horse, Log and a miscellaneous
lot of names signifying that some set
tier had attached his own name or
had it done for him.
In a number OF instances, however,
some historical significance attaches to
the names of streams in eastern Mon
tana. During the eighties it was the
custom Of company C of the Fifth in
fantry to go to a point on the Vel
lOwStOne river near the present site
of Kinsey at the end of each month
to conduct mastering In exercises. BY
reason of the custom, the stream which
emptieS into the larger river came to
be known as Muster creek. A stream
that practically parallels Muster creek
was the scene of a deadly encounter.
A man by the name of Harris was in
volved in a quarrel with a freighter
who wa hauling hides to Miles City.
During the argument the freighter was
killed. The creek bears the name of
Harris.
Two dogs were associated with the
naming Of a stream in the vicinity of
Miles City. DR.. Burleigh, who was also
an attorney, was associated with DR..
Garland in the sheep business. They
grazed their flocks on a small creek
about fifteen miles up on the North
Sunday creek. A sheepherder was en-
ployed who was always attended by
two dogs.
Dogs Care For Sheep
The dogs afforded a pleasant diver
sion from the noise of the bleating
of the sheep and he taught them many
tricks in connection with the herding
responsibilities that he had assumed.
One day during a summer in the
eighties, Doctors Burleigh and Garland
decided to spend the time inspecting
their sheep. Upon their arrival at the
ranch they found no one near the
buildings. Assuming that the herder
would be returning in due season they
waited for him. Already the shadows
were playing hide and seek beyond the
distant hills, when the owners of the
flock saw the sheep coming in toward
the ranch buildings. No herder was
in sight. The sheep were being trailed
in by n of the dogs, which was guild
ing them in a masterful manner. They
back-trailed the band and found the
other dog standing guard Ove the
body of the herder, who had been
drowned in a small stream. That creek
is known to this day as Deadman's
creek.
Jack Hawkins, who came to Montana
in the late seventies from Texas where
he had been a ranger, was for a num-
Der of years engaged in cutting hay
for Fort Keogh. Earlier hay cutters
had appropriated the more desirable
hay bottoms in the immediate vicinity