The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-07-06

T
leisure.
The fight had been going on for
some hours and the Ariksreos were
on the verge of defeat. when de-
tachment of white soldiers appear
ed along the river and the Sioux
gave up the attack. At the time
of the battle both tribes were well
supplied with firearms by the trad
ers. and we found many old shells
along the edge near the top. There
was a piece of old metal that might
have once been rifle barrel. but
II was so corroded with rust we
couldn't be sure.
We had hoped TO find some ar
rowheads around the butte, but
either they all had guns at that
time or the place had been care
fully gone over by other sesrchers
long ago. We didn't find a thing
that even had the semblance Of an
arrowhead. though we did pick up
some odd stones for our collection.
Unearth skeleton
Though we had been told that
both Montana and North Dakota
were fairly carpeted with old buf-
falo bones. we had been unable 10
find any that we could recognize
as such. True. one could walk
hardly a hundred feet in the buttes
without stepping on bones, but
most of these were either cattle
bones or buffalo bones so broken
up that they had no value TO US.
Our hope from the first had
been to find perfect skull and
so far we hadn't even been able
to find even piece of one. Follow
ing the advice of our host. we went
down an arroyo that har been
freshly washed by the recent rains.
Sure enough, we had gone only
hundred yards when we came on
skull that had been washed out of
the eroding bank.
But, unfortunately. II was far
from perfect, for the whole front
section was gone. For several
hours we poked around in the
banks, and finally unearthed an
almost complete skeleton of huge
beast. Only a few ribs and one
hind foot was missing.
Strike Quicksand
II is hard for us, used to domes-
tic stock, to realize the huge size
of these animals. This one must
have stood close TO five and half
feet high at the shoulder and his
body must have been proportion
ateiy enormous. His skull was bet
ter than half an inch thick and the
leg bones were much larger than
those of big bull.
We are told that only few ami
mails of the world today exceed the
size of the American bison, which
often weighed a full ton. The
Malay Saladsng is the only men,
Der of the bovine family that is
larger. and those are fast nearing
the fate of the bison, despite their
cunning.
The bones were much too big and
heavy for us TO take with US, so
we piled them on the bank and
continued down the coulee in search
of more. That coulee was faily
csrpeted with huge bones, but we
had to watch our steps closely
because OF the quicksand. This
could be walked on and felt hard
underfoot, but a momentary hesi-
tation found US sinking over our
shoe tops and extriestion was DIFF
ficult even from those few inches.
Find Trace Of Coo1
Despite the lack of trees In this
coulee, the sands were fairly alive
with tracks of coon and beaver.
In fact, since We started at Fort
Benton we have seldom been out
of sight OF the works Of the beaver
or the little animal himself. Some
ranches obtain special permission
10 trap beaver, when they can show
they are doing damage.
There are few enough trees in
this country and II the beaver be-
come too numerous they are a real
threat TO the small wooded bottom
lands with their ineessant cutting.
The coon. though perhaps nu-
merous throughout the country We
have travelled. we have not seen
signs Of before.
When We got back TO the river
around five o'clock we were thor
oughly Disguised TO find that the
wind had almost completely died
down and the water was like glass.
Prepare 20 Leave
Sheltered from the wind In the
eouIee. we had not known il had
stopped blowing. Even II we could
. ENAA.A vi Wv sAsFf -
O'Clock. il would give US a good
three and q half hours running
time. OF nearly 20 miles.
But we were several miles from
the ranch house and had 70 traverse
rough country. 30 II was nearly six
thirty when Ne finally got back
and, OF course, a start then was
out OF the question. However. in
anticipation Of the weather hold
ing. We put the canoe back in the
water and loaded II for an early
start IN the morning.
After hurried dinner-supper
in this country-our obliging hosts
drove US over a series OF back
roads and trails. known only TO the
natives. TO the sight Of old Fort
Rerfhold one Of the important