Montana oil and mining journal., 1935-06-01
(Bv AFRs. N. 3. PLAssAEANN)

Several years ago, while attending
a pioneer meeting at Butte, met and
interviewed an Old-timer, who, IKE
50 many Others present there has sinee
joined the great majority. Tas pre-
gram Of the occasion afforded scant
leisure for lengthy conversation, but
ne said he would send me what de-
tails 1 requested, on his return home.
He amply redeemed his promise later.
Running across his manuscript rev
days ago. I thought modern readers
would be interested to know what IL
meant to be a prospector at a period
when the country here was unsettled,
and one in search Of gold In new local
tties ran greater risks than the prospector
Of today What follows Is mainly In
my informant's own Language.
Immediately after the worst snow
fall Montana has ever had, three other
men and myself started out on pros
peetlng tour. The streams were higher
than we had ever seen them. The first
big creek, Bear creek, We crossed on
three-foos pine tree we felled across the
creek for q bridge, to lead our horses
over. From there we followed the ridges
until we reached Slough creek divide at
the head OF Wolverine creek, so named
because Of our killing wolverine about
five miles from Lake Abundance.
'On the way we crossed the Boulder
river near Independence. had been
interested IN the gold discovery there In
1866. After looking 1t over q little. we
went on We crossed the head OF but-
falo creek, and struck what was prob
ably about all the buffalo herd Of the
national park country.
Prom our camp we moved to Lake
Abundance, from there we found the
gold prospect. The course we followed
was a hunters paradise bear. chiefly
grizzly. sheep. elk and deer, always high
on the mountains near the snow banks.
over the Buffalo tables. between He'll
Roaring and Mil creek and along the
high ridge to the Boulder. We did not
try to kill any buffalo. Going along Hen
derson mountain with q clear sky. I
looked down on a thunderstorm.
Finding no placer diggings in the
Cooke City country TO suit us, two OF US
started with packs across the mountain
eastward, where we found the Grass
hopper glacier Our pack ropes enabled
us to get down a cliff, and 50 to the
saltwater We followed It down TO
where the country was so open we had
no use for It because Of danger. On re-
turning to camp we passed through
large band OF elk 50 tame that they
only moved a little distance TO one side
to let US by.
eve. camped on the Yellowstone below
the canyon. I thought I would like to
get up the river and see the falls from
below, but concluded to return after
floundering through water, over boulders
and clinging to the rocks on the bank OF
the river for nearly seven miles. From
our camp we took the ridge between
the Lamar river and the Yellowstone TO /
the head OF the North Fork Of Shoshone
and Crandall creeks, where we had our
horses taken, not stolen, by 3 band OF
Indians. They were q part OF the In
dians who had killed q Lieutenant and
some soldiers in the South Pass region.
These Indians were In possession OF two
Springfield rifles. although these had
inst been issued to the army. (How did
they get them? The late Col. Stanford
told me traders on the Yellowstone. sold
arms and ammunition to the Sioux who
fought Custer-M E. P.) Two Of US were /
IN camp, the other two being out looking I
over the country when the Indians drove
of Cur horses
Il was 80 yards out from camp with
Indians all about me. I hurried to camp
and told my partner not to unload his
rifle, except to Kill, for sure. and fired i
as the leader turned towards camp.
am not certatn hit him. but be flat-
tened down on his horses neck. had
been in a number Of Indian figths, with
men who knew that Indians viii not at
tack where they are sure Of q man for
q man. and also that they must smoke
Our camp was made In q ciump OF
nut pine with some old heavy dead logs
In it. There dug q breastwork. Just
when we got through with our plans OF
defense, I received one certain good
hunch and went to the rim OF q marrow
deep coulee formed by the snow waters
flowing over a dyke (perpendicI1lar) 26
or so feet high, and called as though
had seen our two partners coming In. I
Four Indians got up from behind q Q
low ridge not over 20 feet from where I
stood, each with a long gun. They {
evidently intended that when they would :
force us out OF camp, we would make Z
Tor the coulee, and the four Indians be- /
hind the ridge would shoot us down like {
cattle.
1T seemed a long time waiting. Lord
How long before they came. After we
four were together once again, we were
not afraid. All we had to do was pro- :
tect ourselves from ambush. We spent
the next day destroying everything that
might have been Of value to an Indian
ana poisoning any article they might
like to use. Z
About the worst that could happen h
was the fact that we had to walk the S
400 miles to the settlements. Excepting a
the first day, when we travelled through o
dead timber that horses could not get il
through, and trying to leave no trail,
We slept in q place where the Indians I
were not likely to find us; then took i
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