Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-10-26

{ dams and the buffalo until captain
Fisks expedition in 1862, and 1t vir-
tually remained in their possession
until the fall Of Custer in June, 1876
served notice on Sitting Bull and Gal
that this land must be reclaimed anc
made the home of the pioneers fol-
lowing the course Of empire. True, the
Northern Pacific railroad had been
pushed to the Missouri river in 1872
but the rails we're laid under military
escort, and here was its western ter
minus until Willard six or seven years
later renewed its construction toward
! Montana and Puget sound. Truly II
was a trackless plain which Captain
/ Fisk and party entered in mid-July
/ 1862.
/ r. c. Knox was wagon master and
! the guide was Pierre Bottineau. a Red
river hunter, who had been one OF
! Governor Stevens guides through the
country nine years before, and his
services were invaluable through the
country. where the only trails were
those Of the crow or the eagle.
The emigrants and the escort joined
the officers and soldiers Of the fort
and the settlers in the neighborhood
in a rousing celebration on the Fourth
of the nations independence. The ex-
petition moved on July z. The first
obstacle encountered was the Wild
hlCE IANEIs MAllCn AAdu " NC VI A46CA
stream about 35 feet wide and or
5 feet deep The first day they made
about 10 miles to the Cheyenne river,
where they found fine grass for the
stock and water and the peStiferous
MOSQUITO. This river, much wider and
deeper than the Wild Rice, also had
to be bridged. but there were many
Minnesota lumbermen both among the
emigrants and the escort, and 1t Is
col ff,f the CfFnoFT1
with their clothes on up to their hats
and with their pipes in their mouths
and they made short work Of the
task.
The caravan now consisted of 100
men and women, 220 head of stock
and about 80 wagons called prairie
schooners, a name which they retained
through all the pioneer period of the
west. At night the wagons were formed
into a circle or corral, where the stock
was held; the horses we're picketed
near and four men we're put on guard, !
with reliefs, as a precaution against
Indians. The wagons were numbered
and retained their regular place in |
the line and the letters "U. S." were
conspicuous on them to let the saw
ages know that they were under gov
eminent protection The commissary |
was large, but for meat they depended /
Fisk always joined, and besides the 1
buffalo they had elk. deer and ante
lope, and for variety, ducks, geese and /
other small game.
The caravan remained in camp
Sundays, when religious services were
observed, the Episcopal service being
followed, in which Langford led Sun
day in camp as a day Of rest was not
always a success. Generally for the
men the wagons had to be repaired,
tires set, the oxen's feet doctored, and
The women we're busy with bread
making, repairing clothes and the
weekly wash. On the banks Of the
Cheyenne occurred an incident which
happens and breaks the
usual monotony of the plains, a we'd
ling, according to the service of the
Episcopal church. which was read by
1ne of the party. possibly Langford,
which was followed by a dance on
he plain with music on the violin.
Many points Of interest were passed
which it is not necessary to describe.
lake Jessie, five or six miles in cir
,umference, and a lake nearby which
Captain Fisk named Lydia after his
wife. and nearby were traces Of
amp of General Stevens in 1858,
Identified by Guide Bottineau. At Lake
Jessie wood and water were taken on
or several days, under the advice OF
he guide. The night camps were
named Camp Aldrich and Wisdom,
lfter Minnesota congressman; Camp
Townsend, after the assistant adjutant
general of the United States; Camp
lincoln, after the president; Camp
Ialleck, after the general of the west
I'm army; Camp Stanton, after the
ecretary of war; Camp Hamlin, after
he vice president; Camp Wilkinson,
fter a Minnesota senator, and Camp
ramsey, after Governor Ramsey of
Minnesota
The weird but familiar howl of the :
Volt and coyote was heard at night,
n occasions the aurora borealis was
o be seen in all its brilliancy. When
wood was not to be had the never
ailing buffalo chips were always avail
BILE; the coulees which ran through
he country, occasionally deep. made
etours necessary to keep the general
Western course.
Monster Herd of Buffalo
To the north of the Missouri river
) a high plateau 300 or 400 feet above
he surrounding country and about
5 miles wide, running northwest and
and which forms a boun-
airy between the tributaries of the
FiSsouri and the Red river and streams
1hich flow north to the Hudson bay.
The hunters occasionally got lost
nd were compelled to stay out all
light, but they generally turned up
sometimes mounted rescue parties
ere sent out, who found the unfor-
Inates. Buffalo herds encountered
rere numbered by the hundreds of
and one day they estimated
he herd at 100000 head.
A band Of Sioux Indians objected
D the white men travelling through
heir country and asked by what au
lority they did so, scattering the buff
,lo HIS oriv source of rairnent shelter