The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-08-04


would have been able to make q
landing against the high cut banks
Of the west side.
But despite the hazards put in
the way OF our progress. the voy.
age IL neither duh nor lacking In
interest. To all appearances the
dry country has been left behind
and the hills, though still bare OF
trees or shrubs, have again taken
on the soft carpet-like green Of the
upper river. Bottomlands are big
ger and older, for the cottonwood
trees seem to be getting larger
the farther south we travel, Most
OF the wild roses have been left
behind. but the sweet aroma of the
wild clover has taken their place
while the millions Of wild SUM-
flowers give 4 touch Of color to
the landscape. Islands are more
numerous and are heavily wooded
and 1t ia a rare island that does
not have ut least one fishermsn's
shack.
Magpies Plentiful
Crows and magpies far outnum-
Der the songbirds. though the
CHEEKY call Of the little. yellow-snd-
black wild canary can always be
heard. Mourning doves are plen-
tiful and are by far the fastest
Of the birds awning. Since leaving
North Dakota the magpies. their
harsh calls resembling a rasp, are
in nearly every tree along the
river. In the northern state there
Is = 15-cent bounty on these birds,
with the result that they are fast
nearing determination. But appar-
emily South Dakota offers no
bounty for we found no magpie
hunters and the birds are so wild
a. to be almost tame.
Crows seem to travel in thrces,
with one Of the three doing most
of the talking and leading the
group. Though there are great
numbers of these. their life is far
from pleasant, for the little. but
pugnacious. kingbird Is a constant
source Of irritation to them. Sew
eral tlmes a day we could see one
of those little birds. only = little
larger than . sparrow. attack and
harry = big crow and finally drive
him to cover in the trees. With
their feet on something solid they
are more than . match for the
kingbird. but in clumsy flight the
smaller bird has all the advantage.
Their running fights look amaz-
ingly like q battle between 4 tiny
pursuit plane and 4 huge bomber.
The crow. unable to maneuver nim-
bly, on the wing holds . fixed
course. while the little kinEbird
races above, diving from time to
time and making feathers fly from
the squawking crow. We have even
seen kingbirds attack magpics, but
that is rare; for the latter. while
Of the raven family. Is neither no
slow nor so unwilling to fight back.
At that. though. he usually depends
upon his speed In getting away
rather than to stay and fight.
Not On Maps
Coming out Of the Great Bend
we pulled up below \ little town
that wasn't on our charts. This
was something Of new experience.
for our charts list many towns that
aren't In existence any more. In
fact, they list over twice the num-
Der Of towns that there are now
on the river. Bob climbed the high
hank to the town level and after
one glance he knew 1t for an Indian
agency village. II was still rather
early In the afternoon. so. merely
wanting TO identity the place. he
asked an Indian what place II was.
About all he got at first was q
cold stare and some unintelligabls
mumhling. but pressing his point
with more bluntness than usual he
was told IL was the Rrule agency
Just why some Of these Indian,
are 20 reticent with strangers Ia
hard to understand. Sometimes
they win deliberately turn and wall
away rather than answer q yer,
ordinary and civil question. Al
other times they'll just shake theil
heads and walk away. A few re
fuse even to notice you. To "a,
the least 1t L. very irritating ans
absolutely out of keeping.
We were still IS miles from
Chamberlain. despite our lon,
hours Of hard work. 50 We decide,
TO 70 on to Fort Thompson. or Al
il Is better known. Crow Creel
Indian agency. II was shortl,
after six when we sighted a prett,
, little house on the next bend ant
; put in at the point we though
! just below II. Like 90 many house
sighted from the river. this on
: proved TO be good mile and
half inland, but just beyond on
landing was q compact group o
farm houses And just above OH
landing were about hundred hog
! and their young ones gazing spec
ulatively at US We approache'
these rather carefully at first, wit
paddles held at ready. for some
one had once told us that SOW
with young could be very vicious
II that is so. these were unusus
, SOW for before we had come with
Il In . hundred feet Of them the.
scattered. grunting their alarm
at the youngsters. who, thong
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