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morning.tlI)hciliclWhTciPOltTAUU LA PRAIRIKthen consisted of a small mission house, with a few Salteau Indians camping occasionally close by. Thu above-mentioned settler was the only one from White Horse Plains to this point, some forty-live miles. None of the now numerous cities, towns and settlements of Manitoba had an ex iatenco till more than a decade later. I ^ At Fort Ellice half a dozen Americans were met with, who started from ►St. Paul for the Pacific Coast, but found themselves eventually on the Assineboinu instead of the Yellowstone. Thus a company of eight was formed, and instead of the original programme being carried out of making for Fort Edmonton it was decided to strike west to the South ►Saseatche-wan, then follow up Bow and Bell)glt;sibhhrjscpbCirivers to the Rockies and cross by | a;what was called by an old 11. 15. Co. factor named Herriot, the Boundary Pass. Thus unexpectedly reinforced, another start was made, and in about eight days travel buffalo were sighted traveling in the same direction. From this time on for five or six weeks.wand over an area of probably GOO miles, not a clear day passed without seeing from ten or a dozen to as many thousands or more of these noblu animals.It was not then within the range of human probability that in less th in a quarter of a century later scarcely one of these teeming millions would be found either north or south of the international boundary lino.In these bullalo ranges then extending from 100 miles oast of the ►Saseatchewan Elbow to beneath the shadow of the Rockies the question «.f commissariat was never discussed. Bullalo heifer formd the staple, with now and then a calf, varied with plenty of antelope. Vegetables were only a memory, a d the little Red River llourm stock was carefully stowed away with all that was left of pommiean for mountain provender. For a few weeks both man and beast lived literally and figuratively on the fat uf the land.All had to walk from 15 to 30 miles, more or less, per day, and occasionally before bullalo were sighted the guns among the party would bring dpwn as many ducks, mud-hons and prairie chickens as would make a stew for all hands snflicieut for supper, breakfast and sometimes a snack lake » while en route next day.Vicious looking prairie wolves were close companions, and a dozen or more of them would take possession of a camp ground before the rear cart could get 100 yards away. On one occasion two buffalos were killed about half a mile from camp in the dusk of the evening and left with the intention of taking what was needed of them next morning. The dead animals, however, brought hundreds of those prairie scavengers from all points of the compass, and the pandemonium thus created can scarcely be imagined. At daylight not an oil ce of flesh was to be found, while thoroughly picked bones were scattered over an acre or two of ground. Among these bunos were the half devoured remains of several wolves that were killed in the frightful scramble for buffalo meat.watwd;wnlii)AaViInb.o]Hi81 tl81dBTotfatlcitltlO'illBCtssiliAclVintitioPciIIcloesitlPtlNO MISHAP OUCURRKDfrom attacks by the buffalo, either wounded or in defense of their calves, with one exception, when a bull charged down upon one of the men near the edge of a deep ravine, lie saved himself by a tremendous jump of ever so many feet to a ledge on the opposite side. After looking over the precipice the animal concluded not to follow and at once started after the herd. The hero of* this adventure found it no joke to get back to thecamp side of the gulch.Two or three times south of the Bow or Belly, for tho junction of these rivers was not observed, sand dunes were struck, which necessitated an immediate return to tho river for water. On one of these occasions night overtook the party after fourteen or fifteen hours travel without a drop of water. One of t he men, a stalwart Missourian, in arranging his cart took hold of the nmssle of a rifle, which accidentally exploding, carried away all tho fleshy part of the right thumb, inside. Tho ball then went through thonock, almost grazing the jugular vein and passed out near the collar bone. His companions thought he was certainly killed; bin the nock wound proved only a slight one, that of the hand being much more serious. Both were bound up as quickly as possible; but not before bleeding and thirst had rendered t he poor fellow delirious. A little rain water caught in blankets, not of tiie cleanest, partially quenched his thirst. It goes without saying that, there was little or no sloop in camp that night.Before break of day a start was made for the river with the wounded man, Btill delirious, strapped down to a cart. Mid-afternoon men and horses were in the river and maddening thirst was alleviated. In two or three days the man. got hotter, but in the meantime his sufferings wore excruciate g by having to ride in an absolutely springless cart diagonally over deep buffalo tracks. After getting on his feet again he rapidly recovered strength and before mountain travelling commenced was nearly well; but with a hand much weakened for life.By tho middle of September the party was anxiously on the lookout for aFIRST ULIMI’HK OF Y'UF. ROCK IKS.For a couple of days tho weather had been thick and foggy, with nosinIVawticcHitiCitl1)IIclt;1(tld(\Y.tlei
Newspaper Details
Victoria Daily British Colonist
Victoria, British Columbia, CA
Wed, Jan 01, 1890
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA 28 Jul 2020
Other Publications Near Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria General Conference Daily Bulletin
Victoria Evening Telegraph
Victoria New Westminster Times and Vancouver Island Guardian
Victoria New Westminster Times
Victoria Vancouver Daily Standard
