Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-06-26

Kindly deeds bear rich fruit In
the far north as elsewhere. While
nroxDecting In Alaska, J. III. De
RIondeau. one-time Butte miner,
robbed and deserted by his partner
low in spirits and pennsieSss did q
service for the family Of . snb-
chief Of a tribe of Indians. AS q
reward he was adopted into the
tribe, taken by the Indians into .
mich In their country where no
white men had been permitted 10
prospect. and was told to stake cut
IO claims for himself. He did So
They were rich IN gold.
DeBIondeau, in the late nineties, was
prospecting with another man near
place called Camp Sunshine on the
Klahena river, a tributary TO the Chill
kat river, in Alaska. bis partner oe-
camped and left him without money
and with very few provisions. It was
winter. There seemed nothing Tor him
to do but to remain where he was Tor
the time being, and that he did.
One day he went hunting In an ef-
fort to get some meat with which 70
niece out his larder, and became lost
In the mountains during blizzard. he
wandered about for several hours, IL
nally stumbled onto an isolated indian
hut. and knocked for admittance. When
the door was opened ne 1ouno Inside
an Indian woman, six small cn1iQren,
and the husband and father near death
from blood poisoning which had set IN
from a wound in his leg. Outside tne
wolves howled a wierd requiem Wnlcn
echoed through the unchinked creVlceS
ia the smoke blackened walls or the
II log house. A few embers flickered In the
fireplace but the fuel bin was empty
and the members OF the disconsolate
[ .t.f xUffh FnfH
Beyond Help
DeBlondeau was familiar enough
with the Indian language 70 get the
Law of the land. The Indian had been
wounded several months before ana IN
the absence of proper care and atten-
tion the leg had swollen and blood pol
soning had set In. 1t was evident, even
to DeBlondeau's inexperienced eye, that
the man was beyond human AID unless
it be temporary relief from the PAIN ne
was suffering. ,...ss
So the miner got busy. He replenlsneo
the fuel supply and heated water. ne
washed the wound. he tore Inc nAl lLsss
off of his coat, and with 1t ana MS
handkerchief improviSed bancBges
which he wrapped about the injured
member. The storm abated next Gay,
and getting his bearings, DeBlondeau
went To his own cabin, several miles
distant. and returned TO the Indianss
with carbolic acid and some saives anu
liniment. -.
tion of carboIic acid, applied the salveS,
then wrapped the leg In clean bandages
which he had brought. he also brought
with him all that he could spare OF
coffee, sugar, flour and oatmeal, 70 re-
plenish the fanily's food supply.
THE wounded Indian, whose name
was utate. offered him skin Tor what
he had done, but DeBlondeau refused
il. He remained with the family Ior
some time attending utate. one Gay
sbe indian toId him that he knew he
was goIng to die, and asked DeBlon-
deau for the latter's cap and shirt, say
ing that he wanted TO wear them on
the long Journey to the happy hunting
grounds DeBlOndeau complied with MS
reouest. QUILTED himself as best ne
could with skin garments the 1nolans
had, and returned TO his own capln;
After several days he returned 70 u
tate's cabin and found the wounded
man and the family gone. At village
of the tribe eight miles distant, ne
found his patient, surrounded by medi-
cine men who were holding consulta-
zion. he pushed his way through the
throng. but before he reached 1ltates
side, was halted by q burly BUCK VINO
demanded to know his business. De-
Blondeau replied that ne mad come 70
see his sick friend ana Lnat II tne MAI ~.
who had accoSted him didn't Ike II, ne
could aet out. DeBlondaau's nerve
seemed 10 please the Indians and ne
was allowed to approach ntate.
Patient Died
When the latter's wife saw her white
friend. she flung her arms about Nun
and dragged him to her husbands sldes
waving away the medicine men De-
Biondeau remained with his patient for
three davs and then went home. When,
a few DAYS later, he returned TO the
Indian village, ntate had died ana
his body had been cremated, according
" - wee later the chief Of the tribe
called uDon him. The chief said that
Titafe had requested that he, De-
PIondeau. be adopted into the tribe, and
that his Youngest daughter, q baby OF
IL months. be formally placed IN the
white mans keeping. utate, the chief
said. had also threatened 70 haunt tine
tribesmen II they ever let DeBlondeau
want for anything. s -. g.
tribe with aII the pomp and ceremony
that goes with such affairs. He was
afterwards taken TO g1lch on Nugget
creek IN the Indians country, and told
IN stake for himself 10 mining claims
DeBlondeau really didn't make a good
indian. because he insisted on working
his claims and he found them rich Ia
placer gold. He then established u
tate's widow In q warm and comfort-
able cabin In the Indian village and
saw TO IL that every want Of the fam
Iiv was supplied. The baby Of 10 months
which utate had placed In his care,
he left with the mother, but so far as
the Indians we're concerned sne WaS
in his charge.
DeBlondeau came from Alaska TO
suend the winter In Butte after his
FIRST seasons work on the placer claims
the Indians had given him, but re-
NAMED only until spring, when he re-
turned north.
FOREIGN HARvEsTs LIGHT