Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-11-23

| Chief Washable, a friend of Williams
and afterwards a great friend Of Ham
ilton. This tribe claimed all of that
country south of the Yellowstone from
where Billings is located through the
Big Horn basin and beyond the Their
mopolis Hot Springs in Wyoming
His First Indian Fight
The party saw no Indians until the
upper valley Of the Big Horn or Wind
river was reached, when Evans and
Russell, two of the trappers, dtScov-
cred a moccasin. AS the country was
known to be infested with war parties
of Blackfeet Bloods Piegans and
Crows, who came from the territory
to the north, now included in Montana,
every precaution was taken TO guard
against a surprise attack.
Nighttime, usually in the early
morning hours, was the favorite period
for an attack by the Indians. They
wanted to fight in the dark as much
as possible, being able to hide them
selves by lying down. As q result in
the daytime they usually took to the
timber when an engagement was in
sight. These traits were shown in the
fight which took place the following
morning in which Uncle Billy landed
his first Indian scalp.
The party was awakened about 4
a.. m. u
series of wild Indian yellS that were
fierce enough to send terror into the
hearts of any but the bravest from |
tiersmen. Then the redmen commenced |
to fire into the camp, using their !
Hudson,s Bay flintlocks and bows and {
arrows. The trapperS used the flash |
Of the old-time guns used by the red |
men to show them where to fire. Two /
Indians were killed in the first fust-
lade and when later in the morning /
an effort was made by their compan-
ions to recover the bodies another was /
sent to the happy hunting grounds. /
Lifts An Indian Scalp
When daylight came the Indians.
who were Of the Blackfeet tribe, had |
disappeared, leaving the three dead I
bodies. These were scalped and then
the party set out in pursuit Of the
others. A trail of blood, showing that
some of the Indians had been wound
ed, gave the pursuers a lead and they /
came upon the Indians about five
miles away near a spring. The trap
pers divided forces, three men stay
ing behind the Indians on the brow
of a hill, with boulder breastworks
for protection, and the others circling
them and getting into grove in their
pathway. There were II Indians,
wounded, and they were thus caught
in a trap. All Of them were killed. In
their plumber were found rifles, am
munition and trinkets belonging to
a party Of trappers they had surprised.
On their way back to the camp they
came upon one Of the bodies Of the
dead Indians.
boy. this is your first opportunity.
Lift the scalp from that buck. 1t be-
longs to you" Williams said to Ham
nton.
@Of course I knew how to scalp,
having watched the trappers lift the
said Uncle Billy In recounting the
story of his first fight, land soon
had the feat accomplished Scalpingl
was easy. The method was to run the
knife around the head under the hair,
cutting through to the skull bone, then
taking hold Of the scalp lock and Civ
ing It a quick jerk. The scalp would
come off and you could dry It after
wards on hoop"
Visited Noted Hot Springs
The party then moved northwArd
passing the famous Thermopolis Hot
Springs and camped several miles
northward IN the valley Of the Big
Horn. -Four days later they encoun-
tered scouts of the Shoshones, who,
under Chief Washable, were return
ing from a hunting trip TO Elk Water,
which was the name given by them
10 the Yellowstone river
ION the morning the village arrived,
Chief Washable coming first with a
bodyguard of 20 men," said Uncle
Billy In telling about the trip. we
soon had a feast prepared and q
smoke. The plumber we had taken
from the dead Blackfeet was spread
1ut and q lively trade sprung up par
.icularly with the squaws. They would
give a pair OF fancy moccastnS for
Almost anything that belonged to the
Blacklist. The chiefs son brought
rood horse and gave II TO me. A pres