Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-11-06


Irish nobleman applied the torch.
Doubtless it was at Fort Laramie
where Sir George came to know the
real value of Jim Bridger, his chief
guide. The name of Bridger was a
household word everywhere in the
west He was the acknowledged I'M
crowned king Of all trappers, noun
tain men, frontiersmen, scouts and
guides. Every person at Fort Laramie
paid marked difference to Bridger,
which certainly did not pass Sir
George unnoticed.
The winter passed most agreeably to
Sir George among this motley crowd
Many were the tales to which he
listened around the roaring log fires
tales of thrilling battles with the In
dian tribes; stories of hairbreadth es-
capes in encounters with wild animals
Much valuable knowledge was here
/ impaired to him by Bridger regard
ing the country over which the Irish
nobleman desired to travel. and the
springtime came all too soon.
With the coming Of the grass, the
Gore expedition left Fort Laramie,
fully equipped for protracted stay
in the mountains. They leisurely as
cended the north branch of the Platte
river, whence the caravan crossed over
to the Powder and followed down the
Dry Fork, finally arriving at the spot
where, in later years, Fort Conner
later known as Fort Reno) stood.
Finding much to add to the plea
sures of the trip, Sir George deter
mined to follow up the Powder river
as far as its confluence with the yell
lowstone. All this was safely accomp-
lished, the party travelling slowly and
enjoying the unrivaled beauty of the
country and the splendid hunting and
fishing. Sir George was delighted with
Jim Bridger, and his unwavering
knowledge of the country over which
they were travelling. and upon reach
ing the Yellowstone, he determined 10
ascend that stream as far as the
mouth of the Tongue river and spend
the winter in that section, where
hunting was unrivalled.
Arriving at delightful and ro-
mantle SPOT, eight miles above the
mouth of the Tongue, the Gore party
selected a good location and -set ABOUT
tn construct fort in which they could
mass the winter in comfort. This IN.
Guided stables for all the animals, OF
which there were nearly or quite loo;
storeho1ses in which to keep their
eo,,inment and quarters for the men.
Confident that everything was at
ct in shipshape order for the vigor-
Gus winter which would soon Dc up up.
them, Sir George was IN eooo spht 10
Unfortunately, however, one OF it'
men started fire IN the lhiipei'
which spread with such raplolty tilas
all of the grazing was destroyed, anu
it then became necessary 10 seeA az.
other location in which 10 keep liien
animals With portion OF MS caia.
van, Sir George returned TO the iliouC,,
of the Tongue, leaving the renlalioei
of his party at the fort here gla,s'
cured by nature, was plentl1ul. Huoe
quarters were erected at the junction
of the Tongue and Yellowstone loI
norton of the animals and men. foi
his own personal use, SIT deolse'
caused to be erected small log caohi'
in which it is also recorded tilaV iie
kept his favorite riding Morse
thoroughbred Kentucky charger.
Bridger doubtless accompanied on
George to the mouth OF the TONGUE
as it is related that the latter ae,
veloped the habit of lying in bed uiltI
about 10 o'clock each morning, Wheil
he would arise, breakfast win briosei'
and then start out on hunt, accom-
panied by half a dozen of his men. Sr
George was an enthusiastic hunter,
although an indifferent shot except
from a rest, which position he always
assumed, if possible, in bringing down
his game. The men who accompanied
him probably acted as gun-bearers,
as it is stated that he never reloaded
a weapon after discharging it, but
would pass it back to one of the men,
who would hand him loaded rifle IN
return. He was successful enough IN
his quest for game so that the larder
was we'll supplied with meat through
out the long winter months.
Often Sir George would not return
from these hunting trips until as late
as 10 o'clock at night, greatly to the
worry of Bridger, who feared his &c
centric employer might get lost in the
wild section But no matter how late
the hour, he would always insist upon
having a Hearty supper cooked, and
that Bridger sit down and help him
enjoy it and listen to the recital of
his adventures through the day, after
which pipes would be brought out, and
Sir George and his chief guide would
sit in front of roaring log fire for
several hours, while the 1rishman
would read aloud from Shakespeare
to his untutored and unlearned en-
ploye, as Bridger did not know one
letter from another. Occasionally Sir
George would pause in the midst of
his reading and endeavor to draw
from Bridger his ideas of the author.
Bridger, however, declared that
"that thar stuff was too ALFRED