The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-02-22

drop them into a ragged canvas bag
slung from his shoulders. I then dis
covered that he was using a plain hook
supporting a bit of red cloth as bait.
Very thoughtfully I returned to the
pond, cut a nice smooth willow, at
tached my line and hook, baited with
hoppers caught the day before, and
o had six O. eight big trout dangling
from a forked willow. Proudly then I.
returned to camp to explain to the
fancy fishermen how best to catch
trout. But I didn't explain. The grass
about our improvised camp was LITERAL
ly strewn with big cleaning trout.
Without having gone beyond two or
three rifles near the mouth of the
creek, MI. Satley and his friend had
several times filled their baskets. It
was a glorious victory for the fly cast
ers, but a very sorrowful Fourth for the
poor trout.
Instead of trying to instruct those
two fancy fishermen in the art of trout
fishing, I told them of the old buck In
dian and his amazingly simple method.
But, wisely I believe, I said nothing
about my encounter with the unfortun-
ate young squaw.
According to Bulletin GIL, United
States Geological survey, which I as
sumo may be quoted, I find the fol-
lowing statements:
Hell Gate canyon is one of the great
natural thoroughfares of the contin-
ent. Through this canyon the Flat
heads and other tribes Of the West
journeyed to the plains annually to
hunt the buffalo, and through. its
winding trails crept the stealthy Black
feet on their numerous forays against
their more peaceful neighbors on the
west.
I'm March, 1859, Congress ap-
propriated $10O,0O0 for the construction
of the road and work was begun by
Mullan at Walla Walla on June % Of
the same year ...
1.-THE next spring Mullan began work
where it was stopped the previous aut-
! and pushed construction up
Clark's Fork to Missoula and then up
Hell Gate canyon as far as Garrison"
Thus we are informed just how and
when the first road suited to wheeled
vehicles was constructed through Hell
Gate; a road, traces of which may still
be seen, that has known comedy, trag-
edy, profits and losses, doubts, fears,
JSJo, u - c00 Ao"o A41OSO4y I'LL CCO1OGu, d
; wildly romantic road through an al
Turing wilderness equally wild and ro-
mantle. A road which persisted, In
part at least, until within the past few
years when our meteoric mechanical
devices necessitated the far better road
on which, while speeding at so or more
miles per hour, joyously we break our
p~ocketbooks if not our necks.
And now, during my childish old age,
whenever I motor through Hell Gate
or speed through it on a palatial train,
always I strain my dimming eyes for
lesser landmarks (mostly o%bliterated)
remindfu of my prideful boyish strug-
giles in little ways to help build the
Northern Pacific. railway. Thus, when
ever such opportunity comes, always my
retrospective ego is buoyantly flooded
With a thousand misty memories,
Hell Gate canyon is of Montana's
many regions of delightful mountain
scenery. Especially when viewed with
understanding Of the history of our
treasure land, is this canyon well worth
any travellers leisurely and particular
consideration. The massive tumbled
mountains through which this great
rift was formed some millions of years
ago have as yet been little explored.
They are believed to contain vast po-
tential mineral wealth in addition to
that already taken from them.
AT Gold Creek, near the eastern end
OF Hell Gate canyon, the first few
flakes Of gold known to have been
found in our state were washed from
the sands of that. little stream during
the summer of 1852 by a half breed
named Francois, better known as Ben
etsee. Opposite Bearmouth a deep
cash through the northern rampant of
Hell Gate is known as Bear gulch.
From both placer and quartz this gulch
has given up gold of great wealth. The
gravels contiguous to Gold creek at
Pioneer, New Chicago, and other neigh
boring bars have likewise produced fab
ulous fortunes in gold. Flint creek and
its enclosing mountains have supplied
vast treasures in both gold and silver
from quartz in place as well as from
the gravel beds of the stream and its
tributaries.
The localities just mentioned are only
a minor part Of the easily accessible
mineralized regions lying within or
contiguous to He'll Gate canyon, Mon
tana. At the abrupt lower end of this
imposing gap in the Rockies, easily Wis
ible from Missoula, may be seen in
disputable evidence of a large prehis-
toric intermontane glacial lake which
once covered deeply a vast area includ-
ing, no doubt, much of Hell Gate.
Truly, this canyon and surroundings
are well worthy of serious consideration
by the scientist, the philosopher, the
historian, the student il general, the
] poet, and the dreamer.