Montana oil and mining journal., 1935-06-22

y There was comfort for anyonl
that evening or that night. The firs
was so big and hot no one could gel
near enough 10 be warm.
The Indians say:
White man heap damn fool, makes
big fire, get long way off, cold; Indian
make little fire, get close. heap warm
There Is much truth in this and had
several smaller fires been used perhaps
less suffering would have resulted.
The night was little better than the
evening. Even with hot rocks in beds
no one was warm and several Of the
older ones lay awake nearly all night
and shivered.
When morning came the cold had
increased and the north wind still pre-
vailed. The teamsters deemed it too
risky TO attempt crossing the treeless
benches between Sun river and the
Teton under such conditions and in
sisted on staying where fuel was plenti-
ful until warmer weather.
Preparations were made for day
or two's stay in camp. One man went
to ranch two miles away and bought
load Of hay, which the rancher de-
livered on homemade sled. Others
added more brush TO the windbreak and
extened it farther around the fire ON
either side. Hay was spread on the
frozen snow between the windbreak
and the fire. On this the party loung-
ed in partial comfort. Tents were piled
deep with hay and beds made on it
instead Of on cold snow as the night
before. Horses stood in the lee Of the
WILLOWS, ate and rested. That night
everyone was warm and slept sound
The following day was milder. The
north wind died away and light air cur
rents drifted from the southwest The
sun sank In a roSeate glow behind the
mountain range at the head Of the
Dearborn. The cold spell was broken.
Half an hour before sunrise the next
morning the teams crossed the bridge
at Sun River crossing and turned
northwest toward the agency.
1t was wonderful winter day, with
not cloud in the sky. Across the |
western horizon lay the mountains, a |
great jagged white wall Steamboat |
mountain on the Dearborn and Cut |
Rock on Sun river loomed in silent ma |
jesty as they do today. Scapegoat, back !
farther in the main range, rose white
above its base wall of perpendicular
cliffs. At the head of the South fork
Of Sun river, at the edge Of the prairie,
squatted HayStack butte. volcanic
invader among the limestone, its lava
cone black against the white back
ground of the mountains.
AS morning advanced to noon and
The sun was in the south, the air was
30 warm occupants Of the wagons rails
I'd covers on the sides toward the sun
and enjoyed its warmth. For the first
,irne since leaving Helena they were all
'eally warm. The Siren, warm and
comfortable, slept most Of the day IN
for his usual nightly con-
,ert.
A long, winding drifted ridge In the
now marked the road over the bench
ands. Theirs were the first wagons |
lver 1t, since the storm and the drivers !
ound easier travelling beside the road
han in the heavy drift OF the road |
tself.
fven 8 long rest. A hot lunch WIS !
repared on stoves In the wagons. Most
t the party ate standing in the snow s
eside the wagons. J
With the approach Of evening. light g
loudS formed above the mountains. {
Wind driven snow could be seen whirl-
az across the distant ridges and hang
ag mist-like clouds In the lees of the s
eaks. In the sunset light, clouds turn
d to crimson; the drifting snow glow
d like smoke above many fires a deep l
JcCcSbC 14AAAb AeAtA4L0 D44E IA AC NNA GbAA
des. Then the color faded and the c
fountains lay in shadowy outline
gainst steely blue afterglow.
That night, In the cleaning before Z
loonrise, camp fires and columns Of +
noke along the Teton to the right Of 4
ne road told the travellers the lOca- c
on Of the BIackfeet lodges. Farther Z
long the square, the dark mass of the I
gency stockade lOomed in the dusk. .
S the teams approached 1t, lights ap- g
cared in the windows of the block =
ouse nearest them. Gates opened for 4
le three wagons to pass TO the shelter q
the stockade, where the new arrivals
sceived the warm welcome of friends -
no proceeded them earlier In the sea-
N
Stockades were simple but highly ef- g
cient Notifications much used by early =
~ traders In the Indian country as Z
ell as by the military. They were .
slalIy about 200 feet square, built II :,
ound and projecting IL to IA feet in !.
le air. Around the interior Of the =
alls, several feet below the top, q fir =
e platform was built. From this, in ss
Ise Of attack, the defenders might :.
re on an approaching enemy through 9
opholes cut for the purpose. =,
At two corners, diagonally opposite - !.
lch other, projecting, oNerhanging .
ockhouses were built. L,oopholes in :,
e two commanded the four sides OF =
e stockade so the entire exterior Of y
e structure could be swept by the .
lie fire of the garrison. A compar- =. ~
Ively small force could defend q stock a
e against attacks Of greatly superior y y
lmbers armed only with rifles Of -
oneer days. Against artillery or mod -
q high power rifles, they would have =
ID little value. ~
The situation at the agency was SER ~
is. When the Indians should have ~ ~
en- killing buffaloes, and drying meat y
III
~
TIRED. WORM OUT.