The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-05-31

80 ~A OAobSAAAA6 44O 4SoOo SAA ~
wagons, we started over the Whisky
trail, reaching the North Cut Bank
river the first night.
Our next days travel led rs over the
high ridge to the north of Cut Bank
and down into the Muskeg swamps of
the Milk river. From there we went to
the top of the Hudson Bay divide, fol-
lowing the ridge for 10 miles through
the open parks of wind stunted jack
pine trees, and down the half mile of
almost perpendicular west side of the
hudson Pay divide, known as the
Beaver Slide," to the St. Mary's valley
below.
BY the time we had worked with
claiming the wheels of the wagons so
that they would not push the horses
and crush them, it was almost dark,
and we went into camp near a noun
tain spring at the foot of the hill.
BY noon the next day, we reached
the Narrows camp and were pleased to
Inc he manager, assisted by his wife
and daughter, had taken down all but
one of the tents and had the bedding
wrapped in bundles, ready to load in
the wagons.
One day was used to move the tents,
bedding and eats to the cabin at st.
Mary's town and to load the wagons
for their return trip.
AS it was impossible to haul a load
up the steep Beaver Slide" hill, our re-
turn trip to Midvale had tc be made
over the old freight road that led
through Browning, which added some
80 miles to the distance.
Since the nights had to be spent in
open camp while on the road and it
was the time of the year that billiards.,
and even zero weather could be expect
ed, I was anxious that all possible
| speed should be made on the return
trip to get the two women to the rail,
road before a mountain storm should
sweep our trail.
The first night On our return trip was
| spent on the North fork of the Milk
+ river, a distance of some Is miles. All
day the team horses had pulled the
heavy loaded freight wagon, lurching
and bouncing over the boulder strewn
road or through the deep ruts that
caused the running gears some times
to drag on the high center of the grass
covered wagon trail.
wood" (dry cottonwood and willowS)
from the brush-lined banks of Milk
river, embarrassed and unsaddled our
horses, and picketed or hobbled them,
and made beds for the women under
! the big freight wagon, and hung can
vas from the wagon box to the ground,
as as to cause a windbreak, the women
cooked supper over the open fire.
BY the time supper was ready and
the harness and saddles had been hung
across the tongue of the wagons to pro-
tect them from field mice and porcu-
rines, darkness had settled, and we ate
in the Pickering light Of u camp
r The second night of the return trip
found us camped by h side OF the
freight road on Livermore creek, some
| eight miles from the agency town OF
Browning, with % miles left on our re-
turn route to Midvale.
I had decided that, should the gooo
weather hold out for more day, ]
would push our tired horses through
to the end of the trip even though we
travelled into the night. Up until now
Bob Gray, the teamster, had been driv-
ing the four-horSe team, with the big
loaded wagon and I had been driving
the spring wagon, hauling the camp
] MANAGER, with the women taking turns
lat riding my saddle horse, when they
became tired of sitting in the 1oltlne
wagon for the long hours at q stretch
But on the morning OF the last days
| giving him my wagon, which coulo
move faster and told him to take the
people into Midvale, and let me bring
the freight outfit in by myself:
When they pulled across the long
| flats and out of sight a mile or NOR
ahead of me, all four were riding IN the
light wagon, with the two horses trot-
ting along behind at a jog-trot. I SET
tied down to coaxing and driving my
team at a gait I hoped they would be
able to stand for the % miles ahead OF
them.
By noon I had passed through
Browning, and had covered half OF
the distance of my days travel. l un-
hitched my team near a small pralrle
lake and turned them loose with the
harness on to Craze on the tall bunch
grass while I settled myself out OF the
wind to eat my noon lunch.
AS I finished my lunch and rolled q
cigarette, my attention was attracted
to a lone rider silhouetted against the
s~now-capped Rockies, on the skyline OF
the foothill. where the road leads tc
Midvale. Some Blackfeet Indian on his
way from his home to the agency, or a
| cowboy crossing over to another range
looking for horses or cattle, I thought
Anyway, I sat still to offer the rider a
lunch and to visit while he ate.
AS the lone rider drew nearer, I coulo
see that it was not a man. but a very
tired girl, and the girl 1 had hoped was
nearing the end Of her tral! for a rea!
rest in a spring bed and food cooked
over a regular stove.
After I had fixed some sandwiches
for her lunch, I started to get my team
and hitch them to the wagon. Within
another half hour we were sitting up
on the high spring seat with the team
Juggling the load at a snail's pace up the
long grade.
The afternoon sun was sinking ano
the horses were becoming weaker ano
weaker. BY the time the sun had sci
behind Squaw mountain, they refused
to even tighten the tugs in spite OF
my coaxing or whipping.
I was in a situation I had found my
self in many times. Had I been alone
l should not have minded. but here ]
had a load Of bedding and food. and
17-year-old city girl, who vas as tired
as my horses. We still had six mile:
of foothills to cover, with a biting colo
wind sweeping down from the noun
tainS-