Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-06-13


! time In these wilds, trapping
i beaver and fighting Indians. These
4 were the race Of free trappers.
Willy as were the plains Indians. the
l free trapperS were even more crafty
Many Of them used to boast that the
scalpS Of hundred reds were worn
at the belts Of the trappers for every
! trapper's scalp that used to trim the
war legg1ngs Of the Indians.
Trained in the brutal school of
plains and mountain warfare, these
white pathfinders reverted In some re-
Spects toward the status Of the savages,
although 1t would be unjust to rate
them with mere renegades and des-
peradoes. The trapper, whatever his
faults, was yet every inch q man.
Bravest OF the brave, cool and saga
cious IN the strategy of border war
capable in any emergency, faithful to
his own code Of honor, generous with
out limit to all but his foes, there
was something heroic in this fierce
and uncouth figure who dominated for
time the Rocky mountain region,
along its eastern slopes.
OF this famous race Of adventures
there have been handed down to us
q few outstanding names Of heroic |
figures Of those days, whose exploits |
and halr-raising escapes thrill the |
blood OF the Montana boy of today.
One Of these was old Bill Williams, |
whose name, with that of Kit Carson,
William Bent, the Sublettes, Joe Meek,
Killbuck, LIE Bonte and Jim Bridger,
was known from st. Louis to the Span
ish settlements Of California, and the
fame Of whose exploits ran through
out the mountains and over the plains
wherever a few white trappers or
traders gathered together.
Little has come down to us from
that almost forgotten period about the
early life Of old Bill Williams.
Most cunning of all the free trap
pers In out-generaling, fighting, or
eluding hostile Blackfeet, Sioux, Chey-
ennes, Arapahoes, Utes or Apaches, he
always was the recognized leader Of {
any party with which he happened to I
find himself in quest Of beaver pelts,
but his usual practice was to hunt
and trap alone. One of the last par {
ties he led was in 1912 from st. Louis, {
and member of this was Bill Ham
lton, famous guide and frontierSman,
Who died In northern Montana In 1908 I
1t the age Of 85-one of the last of |
he old guard Of free trappers Of the '
'orties. /
Picture of Bill williams
The best description we have of Bill S
Williams has come down to us from q
he pen OF George Frederick Ruxton, q
hat brilliant young English traveller Y
md writer, who spent some time with {
he free trappers Of the Rockies and t
Vho died at st. Louis In 1848 at the Il
Ige of %. Ruxton was formerly a lieu o
enant with the seth regiment of the s
British army, and was a writer Of
unusual genius. His brief life was k
rowded with adventures in many parts Ii
I the world. t,
In Blackstone's magazine Of 1848 4
here appeared serial by this author a
ntitled life in the Far West" which q
I the opinion of most western his 81
Orians Is the best story Of the free 10
-appers that has ever been put into ID
rtnt, but which, unfortunately, Is OF
tile known to American readers. II
Ruxton knew intimately and had X
ssociated In the mountains with the Al
lost famous of these free trappers
e pictures williams at the head of CT
band of eight trappers whose hunt In
lg ground in the early forties was :
bout the headwaters of the Yellow =
one, then the hunting ground Of the
lackfeet. In his party were four other
ell known trappers- Killbuck, lie
onte, Joe Meek and Marcelline-
hose names were almost as well
Town in the mountains as his own;
asoned Indian fighters all.
After having trapped all the streams
icy were acquainted with, it was de-
rmined to strike into the mountains,
a point where old Bill Williams af
med, from the run of the hills, there
1st be plenty of water, although not
lie of the party had before explored
e country in question, or knew any
ing Of its nature. However, they
cked their beaver peltry and put out
r the land in view-a lofty peak,
mly seen above the more regular
mmit Of the chain, being their land
ark. Later events proved that Bill
llliams' estimate Of the country was
rect.
For the first day or two their route
: between two ridges Of mountains
Illiams always rode ahead, his body
ut over his saddle horn, across which
ted a long, heavy rifle, his keen,
" eyes peering from under the
uched brim of a flexible, felt hat,
ok and shining with grease His
skslZin hunting shirt, bedaubed until
had the appearance of polished
ther, hung in folds over his bony
caSs; his legs being clothed in pam
Oons of the same material, which,
unk with rains and fording streams,
ng tightly to his long, spare sinewy
INKS. The scattered fringe along the
es of the buckskin pantaloons had
n pretty well thinned to supply
hangs" for mending moccasins or
k saddles.
Tipment of a Trapper
lis feet were thrust into a pair Of
xican stirrups made Of wood, and
big as coal scuttles; and iron spurs
incredible size, with tinkling drops
ached to the rowels, were fastened
his moccasined heels-a beaded
p, four inches broad, securing them
r the inStep. In the shoulder belt,
ch sustained his powder horn and
et pouch, were fastened the Vari-