Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-08-29
STORY OF TRIP
TO FORT BENTON
90 YEARS BACK
GROUP MADE JOURNEY IN FLAT.
BOAT AND HAD PLENTY
OF TROUBLE

A. SHARP partner V4 tklc A4tlck4D
Fur Co, selected from their employees
Louis Letellier, a Canadian French
man to go to Fort Benton and build
boats. Letellier was a carpenter, and
worked In q shipyard. which latter
fact made him better fitted for the
required boat building than the ordi-
nary carpenter. The love Of adventure
had brought him from faraway Quebec
to this end of the world, and nov
prompted him to accept the job Of
fered him, only he stipulated that IL
was as a passenger, and not as
worker, he should make the journey
No steamboats, assembled the upper
Missouri at that time. A flat-bottomed
boat was to take them to their des-
tination. This craft was not to sail, or
be rowed but pulled against the strong
current Of the river Twenty-Five men
"harnessed," says Letellier, to rope
rs feet long served as motive power:
The master of the boat was Malcolm
Clark, who many years later was
killed by Piegans in the Prickly Pear
canyon. Baptiste Champagne acted as
pilot: Letellier as carpenter, tailor,
cook. 4 hunters, II Blackfeet squaws
and rs men on the cordelle constituted
the crew.
For provisions their dependence was
on the hunters, and as there was an
abundance Of game at first, they never
lacked for meat. The men on the
cordelle rose at in the morning ana
pulled the boat for an hour before
breakfast. This cordelling was no light
task. The river bank was lined with
trees and underbrush, through which
it was necessary to force their way.
often two men had to go in advance
of the line with axes to clear path.
Tributary rivers and creeks were
forded, and in addition to this tne
Missouri was often crossed in order
to find the channel, which at that
season was quite low. The boat was
heavily loaded with goods for the In
dian trade, and provisions Tor the IorI'
An empty boat would have been dill
cult to haul upstream, as anyone can
testify who has seen a STEAMBOAT
laboring against the current.
Two Men Drowned
While searching for the channel
two men were drowned, notwithstand-
ing the low water. The river was not
uniformly shallow, and there Is always
a strong undertow, which is often fatal
to the swimmer Except for the loss
of the two men, nothing Of moment
happened for a few days. Then tney
were hailed from the bank by party
of Blackfeet. On seeing them, CLARK
at once ordered feast to be prepared
If they came on board, and plenty OF
meat was soon boiling in the kettles.
The Indians did not wait for an
invitation, but holding their guns wei
above their heads, they swan over 10
the boat, where they conducted them
selves In an incident manner, as II
they had its crew in their power. 1t
was the policy of the fur companies
to refrain from antagontzing the In
dams with which they traded, or per-
haps Clark would have given these
unlimited and undesirable guests q
warm reception. They stalked about
in their usual lordly fashion, for the
Indian is your true aristocrat IN
bearing.
AT length the savory stew boiling
over the fire was almost ready, when
the Indians treated the crew to a
surprise. by discharging their guns at |
the side of the boat and kicking over
the kettles of boiling meat, then
dropped into the river and again
sought the shore. No one mourned
their departure, however much they
may have grieved over the wasted
meat, If it we're wasted. Hungry men
are not fastidious, and the meat, If
not kicked overheard. could have been
saved.
Before leaving the boat, Clark was
ordered by them to take on board
some young boys, from IL to is years
of age. and to feed them. They also
said there was a crippled Indian a
little farther up the river and Clark
was to take him to Fort Benton. The
Indian had been accidentally shot in
the leg while hunting.
The boys were taken on in obedi-
ence to commands, and being grow
ing boys, did not lack for appetite.
They amused themselves as they
pleased without giving thought TO the
additional labor they we're causing the
men who were Juggling on the cordele,
or the solitary cook who satisfied their
hunger.
The next day after taking on the
boys, the boat reached the spot where
the crippled Indian had been left.
The men who were looking for him,
found him lying under willows from
which hung within his reach a pack
age of dried meat. On their way TO
where the lame man was, those In
search Of him saw a large grizzly
bear, leisurely strolling in the same
direction, having probably scented the
meat. When the men came tn sight
he ran away. The coming Of the men
undoubtedly saved the Indians Life.
He was carried on board the boat,
where, with good treatment, he speed
iIy recovered the use Of his leg.
Boys Steal Horses
The boy passengers, after q day or
so, found the boat routine tiresome,
and stole away one night, taking with
them the best horses Of the hunters.
and leaving but two that were too
slow for chasing buffalo. The young
thieves had no difficulty in getting
away, as the boat always tied up at
night. The loss Of the horses sadly
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