Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-02-16

ing allowed me no opportunity to real
lie the myriad vexing problems which
daily confronted Mr.. Weeks at that
time.
Mr.. Satley, whose initials have for
gotten, served as resident engineer at
the camp which bore his name Satley's
crew of six or eight assistants, together
with himself and charming young wife,
the only woman in the camp, humored
me so largely that I now wonder how
have ever managed to weather "the
sings and arrows of outrageous for
tune" which have since pestered me.
For patrolling the section Of line as
signed me, about 20 miles each side Of
the camp. was supplied with slender
speedy young buckskin gelding with a
uniform dark stripe from name to tail.
He was q ripping beauty. AS long as
my job lasted he was to be my very
own. Think Of that He was not mean,
but he was so full of life and so nerv-
GUS, and I was so inexperienced with
horses, that several times he nearly
killed me. However, before was
obliged regretfully to leave him at the
end of my service, Slippy and had
become the chummieSt kind OF pals.
Whenever, two or three times a week,
he and took buoyantly to the cam
yon road "on important business" all
and sundry other travellers instinctively
knew that we had right Of way. Was
ever another boy so favored?
On THE Glorious Fourth" we cele-
brated, but not with six guns, fire
works, wild dancing. or @red-eye." No
one in our camp used spurious liquor.
Had they known Of US, our camp must
have been lasting Joy to the w. @.
r. U. But alas, fear none of those
worthy workers ever heard Of us. Our
sweetness was wasted on the desert
air."
Though mediocre, our celebration was
not without its joys We went "fishin',"
be-goshl And, be it known, during
those days In that place, fishin' was
fishin'. The principal of the Missoula
public schools, whose name have for
gotten, came up to join our fishing
party He and Mr. Satley were chum-
my. While think Of it want to mem
ton a native boy of about my own age
who served the engineers as AMMAN. His
name is Charley Wands. Should he be
alive and should he accidentally or
otherwise see these pages, I am anxious
to let him know that I still think af-
fectionately of him in connection with
his kindness in helping me in many
ways partly to understand the wilder
ness.
MIR. Satley's friend from Missoula
came to camp the evening Of July Sd
to join us next day and to instruct us
in the delicate art Of fly casting. At
that time felt a secret contempt for
anyone who fiddled around with such
silly contraptions. made up my mind
that, with a newly-cut willow, a short
piece of line, q plain hook, and few
hoppers I'd show EN- how to catch
trout. And I did show EN-, but not
Just as expected nor with satisfaction
other than smiling tolerance from the
two experts.
we went up the river a few miles to-
a point opposite the mouth of Big
Rock Greek which flows northward
from what was then a vast almost un-
tracked mass Of heavily timbered
gloomy mountains bordering the main
canyon on the south. We forded the
river, made camp near the mouth Of
the creek, and each of us hurriedly
struck out individually with firm intent
to make the prize catch. Mr.. Satley
and his friend, however. stuck together
with their long rubber boots, their
cleaning baskets, landing nets, and
fancy fly casting equipment.
During that memorable day learned
several things and was left In painful
doubt regarding some other affairs
which very often largely concern hui
man beings. Getting ahead Of the less
er fry Of the party. hurried up the
creek toward the silently cleaning lit
tie side canyon from which it flows
across q half mile flat supporting scat
tered pines and isolated clumps Of
brush. Before entering the small cam
yon, which was comparatively clear Of
brush and windfalls, went eastward
short distance across the flat toward
dense clump Of willows which promis-
ed me q suitable pole.
When silently nearing the brush I /
discovered that 1t closely surround