Hunting at High Altitudes 



the warpath approached the camps and tried to 

 run off horses. In case of danger, the half-breeds 

 brought their carts together in a circle, placed the 

 ponies within it, tipped up the bodies of their carts, 

 and behind this fortification were absolutely safe 

 from the charge of any enemy that might attack 

 them. 



Soon after my arrival at Fort Peck the band of 

 half-breeds came in, their carts groaning under 

 their loads of pemmican. The leader was a wide- 

 awake, fairly educated and intelligent man. I 

 could have gone out with them, except for my ill- 

 ness, which would have made the trip suicide. 



I shall never forget the kindness that I received 

 from the officers of the agency during this illness. 

 The surgeon, Dr. Southworth, 16 was especially 

 kind, and I saw a great deal of him. He was much 

 interested in collecting freaks of nature, and among 

 his trophies were pieces of three separate white 

 buffalo robes. These he valued very highly. Dr. 

 Southworth told me of a white beaver skin owned 

 by a person in Fort Benton, Montana, whither I 

 was going, and said that he believed it the only 

 white beaver ever heard of this side (north) of the 

 Union Pacific Railroad. I determined that I would 

 try to obtain it for the Doctor, and when in Fort 

 Benton the following November, I hunted it up. 



