Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-07-23
DOG DESERTED,
THEN CAME BACK
FRONTIERSMAN Tells HOW DOG
WITH TRAVOIS OF PROVI-
SIONS DESERTED HIM

saS ~ VI ~
often mention Of the dog as the COM
panion of man in his exploration Of
the frontier. Lewis and Clark, In
their western exploration, were join
ed by q dog at st. Charles, Mo-,
which faithfully followed all the
way to the Pacific coast and back to
civilizatiOn.-John PalIiser also had
q dog for a companion but this dog
was interested In explorations Of It's
own, as Is testified by his owner in
the book, "The Solitary Hunter"
During the winter of 1847 John Pal
User purchased a dog, a mongrel brok-
en- to haul the travels at Fort Union,
to assist in making long journeys. The
animal was part wolf, shy of white
men and had to be delivered twice
before it was convinced 1t had changed
masters. Ishmah vas its name.
Palliser and Ishmah came to under
stand each other and set out from
Fort Union for Fort Mackenzie with
few provisions. depending upon the
rifle to get food. Ishmah was on friend
ly relations with wolves and frequently
played with them, chasing young
wolves and being chased in turn. This
trait of Ishmah was the cause of much
worry for Palliser for on the trip to
Fort Mackenzie he was suddenly de-
serted by the dog, which ran away with
the travels laden with everything Pal
User possessed.
In vain did Palliser run after it and
chnt,f kYrf fhn lnr xrnc ~, n frpr1, vuolf
trail and meant to follow it.
II was about 100 miles from any
known habitation and nearly $50 from
my destination, destitute of robe and
blankets, with but little powder in my
horn and only two bullets in my pouch,
In short, I was in a pretty considerable
sort OF a fix and had nothing for 1t
but to make tracks again with all speed
for the timber" he related.
Fortunately I found my way back
to the river without much difficulty. It
vas a beautiful moonlight night, which
enabled me to collect some fallen
wood and, having lighted a fire, 1 seat
ed myself beside 1t and began to con-
slider the probabilities of my ever
reaching a trading post alive in the
event of Ishmah not returning, anG
how I should economic my ammun-
ition and increase my rate of travelling
SO as to effect this object. My pros
poets were dismal enough, nor did ]
feel cheered as the cold north vino
froze the p~erspiration which had rur
down my forehead and face and form.
ed icicles in my beard and whiskers
that jingled like bells as l shook my
head in dismissing from my mind one
project after another.
Eat last, resigning myself to my fate
I took my pipe, determined to consol,
myself with a smoke, when, alas! or
feeling for tobacco I found that wa.
gone too. This was the climax to m,
misfortune. I looked at the north sta,
and calculated by the position of thu
Plough that it must have been 1910
o'clock, the time at which in England
we have our knees under the mahog
any, surrounded by friends, discussing
a bottle of the best and awaiting tn
summons to tea In the drawing room
II tried to see a faint similarity II
the steam of the tea urn In the smok'
from the snow covered wood on nj,
dreary fire and endeavored to trac
the forms of sweet familiar faces il
the embers till I almost heard the rust
ling of fresh white crepe dresses rount
me, when, bark! I did hear a rustic
it approaches nearer, nearer, and
recognize the scraping of Ishmah'
travois on the snow. Another momen
and the painting rascal was by my side
II never felt so relieved and laughed
out loud with sheer Joy as I notice,
the consciousness he showed by var
ious cringlng movements of having be
haved very badly. I vas too well pleas
ed, however, at his temperance II
beat him, particularly when I foun'
nothing Of his harness and load eithe
missing or damaged in the slightest de
gree. Even the portion of meat I mai
secured from the last deer I shot wa
untouched SO that I had nothing to d.
but to unpack the travels, make m,
bed and cook III supper"
Palliser arrived at his destination
probably vexed whether to punish tn
dog that had caused him much an
guish and discomfort OF to bestow upol
him a medal for bringing back hi
nrOpprtv.