Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-04-25
BY Al h. wilkins, as told to
GRACE STONE COATES

arhANE GAO1NG AOAAAC
~ FIND it hard to memOrize all the
details Of the past 81 years, bul
the old adage is very true, thai
II Is the things that happen In
early life that are riveted in ones
memory, and shall never forget ouI
Christmas dinner Of 1874.
I was but a child then, only IL or II
years old, but it seems to me like
have always been a man, as / worked
with them from early childhood and my
greatest pal was my faithful father. We
came across the plains from Minnesota,
down the Red Lake river to old Fort
Carey by flatboat, arriving where the
modern city of Winnipeg now STANDS.
Here we bought our supplies from q
Hudson Bay trading post for our long,
perilous journey up north, through the
wilds of the Canadian territories. On
the voyage down the Red river we wit
messed many strange sights; the in
habitantS, what few there were, were
mostly Scotch halfbreedS who lived on
fish and wild life; these people seldom
saw any bread; they used a dtp-net
mostly for catching fish. We Fassed
many Of them dipping away with their
nets on a long pole, saving their catch
for future meals, and nearly everyone
we passed would ask us for flour. Many
times we noticed wild meat hanging in
trees around these natives camps;
once we saw a nice deer that looked
like 1t had Just been killed. AS usual
this camp wanted flour, the fresh meat
tempted us and we landed our boat
with the intention of trading for some
meat. When we got on land father
asked them If they wanted to trade
meat for flour. The spokesman said,
Sure, look, see we have fine deer" We
were eager for a ham Of this deer. but
one glance at close range was enough
the meat was Gy-blown and in places
the maggots were working in the meat.
Father showed them the maggots and
stated, I'VE don't eat those things" The
breeds all laughed and said, Man, dat
be good meat, dat be tender" The half
breeds were very much disappointed in
not being able to trade us meat for
flour and as we were about to push off
from shore half-breed woman came
running to us with fine catfish that
she had just caught The fish weighed
10 pounds. She begged to trade the fish
for flour We traded her 10 pounds Of
flour for the fish and she left wearing
a smile that would never wear off.
Our trail from old Fort Carey was
over a prairie country with lakes and
rivers at intervals, with now and then
a low range Of mountains to cross. We
were fortunate in striking the Canadian
NOrllWeSJ mounted ROuce on CneI
way to the northern part Of the Ca
madam Territories. This expedition
made 1t much safer for us. We had some
trouble with Indians before we struck
the Mounted Police and some after i,
we left them. When we got 20 the |
west fork Of the Milk river we crossed
it and remember that father said, |
We'll, my son, we are back on Amer |
lean soil once more" Our way so far
was crowned with success. Although we
were not travelling by railroad. auto
mobile OF airplane, we were travelling
I. o. b. covered wagon, with large team
of mules for motor power the last 500
miles of our route being through great
wild country, many times travelling
through massive herd Of buffalo from
daylight till dark, with plenty of an
telope and deer just out Of guushot
range. We were now back in the good