Evening star., 1937-06-04
First in Yellowstone.

III lIle Lewis ana clark eXpedl-
ton. He remained behind as a trap-
per and fur trader and made numer-
GUS long Journeys through the Rocky
Mountains. Among his achievements
was that of being the first man to step
foot in Yellowstone National Park
An immense tar spring at the forks of
the StinkingWater River still is named
Golfers He'll.
On the whole Golfer was on excel
lent terms with the Indians. He asso-
ciated however chiefly with the
Crows, who were bitter enemies of the
Blacheet, and when he was captured
by this tribe his chances were slim in
deed. Here is the story as related by
the English naturalist, John Brad
bury, who got it from Golfer himself
at st. Louis month later:
They now seized Golfer, stripped
him entirely naked and began to con-
suit on the manner in which he should
be put to death. They were first in
cllned to set him up as mark to
shoot at, but the chief interfered and
seizing him by ne shoulder, asked him
If he could run fast. Golfer was we'll
acquainted with Indian customs. He
knew he had to run for his life with
the dreadful odds of five or six hun
dred against him and those armed
Indians.
Golfer Dupes Indians.
THEREFORE, he replied that he was
very bad runner. although he
was considered, by the hunters a.
remarkably xwht. The chief now
commanded the party to remain sta
tionary. led Golfer out on the prairie
three or four hundred yards, and
released him, bidding him to save
himself II he could At that instant
the horrid war whoop sounded in the
ears of poor Golfer who, urged with
the hope Of preserving his life. ran
with speed at which he was himself
surprised
He proceeded toward the Jeffer-
son Fork, having to traverse a plain
six miles in, breadth abounding with
prickly pear on which he was every
instant treading with his naked feet
He ran nearly half way across the
plain without venturing to look over
his shoulder, when he perceived that
the Indians were very much scattered
and that he had gained considerable
distance on the main body. But one
Indian who carried a spear was much
before all the rest and not more than
hundred yards from him. A faint
gleam of hope now cheered the heart
OF Golfer. He derived confidence from
the belief that escape was now pos
slble, but that confidence was nearly
fatal to him for he exerted himself
to such degree that the blood gushed
from his nostrils and soon almost
covered the fore part of his body.
Hides Under Raft.
WHEN he had arrived within a
mile of the river he heard
again the appalling sound of footsteps
behind him and every instant ex-
pected to feel the spear of his pur-
suer. Again he turned his head and
saw the savage not 20 yards from
him. He suddenly stopped, turned
around and spread out his arms
The Indian also tried to stop but,
exhausted with running, fell when
he tried to throw his spear, which
stuck in the ground and broke in his
hand. Golfer instantly snatched up
the pointed part with which he
pinned him to earth and continued on
his flight
The foremost of the Indians, on ar
irving at the place, stopped until Others
came up to join them, when they set
up a hideous yell. Every moment OF
this time was improved by Golfer who
although fainting and exhausted, sue
ceeded in gaining the skirting of cot
tonwood trees through which he ran
and plunged into the river. For
tunately for him, little below this
place was an island against which a
raft Of drift timber had lodged. He
dived under the raft and, after several
efforts, got his head above water
among the trunks Of trees, covered over
with smaller wood to a depth OF
several feet"