Hunting at High Altitudes 



longer occupied, and he replied, "It is occupied," 

 and gave me the following explanation : 



"When a military post was established at this 

 point, this old adobe building, apparently unoccu- 

 pied, appeared just what was needed for a fort, and 

 the Government at once purchased it and installed 

 its garrison two companies of infantry. No 

 sooner were the soldiers settled in their new quar- 

 ters than the inhabitants, who had occupied these 

 quarters for twenty-five or 1 thirty years, sallied 

 forth in defense of their home, and in bands of 

 thousands assaulted this detachment of the United 

 States Army. The severe conflict lasted for a week 

 or more. Every device of the military art was 

 brought to bear, every pound of the druggist's art 

 was applied. All efforts were futile. After a gal- 

 lant fight this detachment of the U. S. Army was 

 driven bleeding from the fort and compelled to 

 take refuge in a frame building in the center of the 

 town, where it was quartered at the time of my 

 Christmas visit." 



Early in February the blacktail and whitetail 

 deer were both becoming poor, and as winter was 

 now at its worst, I determined to go to Helena, 

 Mont., for the rest of the winter and spring. The 

 contrast between life on a ranch engaged in hard 

 work, and living in town seemed worth trying, and 



44 



