Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-10-23
EARLY TRAVELLERS
FOILED BY RUMOR
FOR AN INDIAN AT
TACK ON FORT WHICH
NEVER OCCURRED

During the Civil war, along the
Oregon trail at intervals were
small military posts for the pro-
lection of immigrants. At one Of
these near the Sweetwater, an
Arapah0e girl appeared when A.
j. Dicks0n's train and others were
in camp, to announce that the sta
ton and trains would be attacked
at daybreak, the time generally
chosen for such hOstilities- by the
Indians.
At once preparations began for the
reception of the foe, the first thing
being to corral the wagons This was
done in the usual manner, by placing
them close together in a circle, with
the tongue Of each inside.
For further security, these wagons
at Sweetwater were fastened together
by four chains apiece, and breastWorks
arranged within by piling goods around
the outside. Thus fortified, they
awaited the attack, which failed to
materialize. They waited for it q
reasonable length of time, and then,
unclaimed the wagons; yoked the oxen
to them, and moved on, but not with
out apprehension that the danger was
not over.
Troop Of Soldiers Appear
As they were moving along at the
snail's pace set by the oxen, they des-
cried in the distance a body of ap-
preaching horsemen. At once there was
a furry of preparation for their recep-
ton, and indications that most of the
immigrants were badly frightened.
Those who remained calm throughout
this trying experience, were two Mis-
souri, girls Of the party, who refused
to be alarmed.
The horsemen rapidly neared the
train, when they were discovered to be
soldiers, and not the dreaded Indians
Not long after this incident, the
cattle of Dickson's train were badly
alkalied. In many places along the
route the ground was covered with
alkaH and the streams strongly inn
pregnated. It was customary then to
keep up the cattle, and not permit them
to drink or Craze. In the morning an
early start was made, that a better
camping place might be found. 1t was
because of the party taking such a
they CHANGED to gather
salt at Salt creek. The ground was
covered with a white incrllStation they
mistook for alkan. On the early morn
ing start two of the travellers, walking
ahead of the train, found out it was
salt, and not alkai, through their
curiosity which led them to taste it.
The oxen of the train with which
Mr.. Dickson travelled, drank alkah
water, and were in a bad condition
Someone suggested that they be fed
bacon. This remedy was tried and the
bacon proved to be an antidote The
cattle recovered and the train moved
on.
Dickson tells of the ice reported to !
be at South pass. The party reached |
here in August, and heard the same |
story of ice that could be obtained |
f they were willing to dig for it. 1t |
lid not sound credible, but they were /
assured of it's truth.
However, they were in too much of |
| hurry to reach the end of their
Journey to do any prospecting for ice.
Then, too it was unnecessary. The
streams ran ice cold, and the air was
DOL and bracing- almost too much as
or comfortable nights and mornings.
Finds An Tee Mine
Dickson, on the contrary, went in
earch of ice, and found it at the
'ottom of holes evacuated five or six
Get deep. There it was absolutely
old, ready to be used where the need