124 TRAPPING IN NORTH DAKOTA 1871 
We reached the mouth of Heart River at sundown of 
the same day. After landing I started out rifle in hand 
for a short reconnoisance. At the edge cf the willows 
I espied a band of elxs and shot down two of the largest 
of the bucks. On returning to the boat I found the 
Trapper moralizing over the ‘‘fretful porcupine’ he hav- 
ing encountered a bevy of them near by. Meantime 
Hunter Mercer could be seen onthe opposite side of the 
Missouri riding down after a band of fleet footed antelope. 
On the same ground North Dakota’s capital now stands. 
We used considerable caution in trapping Heart River. 
General Whistler’s military expedition to the Yellowstone 
River had just returned down the Heart closely followed 
by that redoubtable and crafty Sioux warrior, Chief Gall 
and his band of Uncapapas. They had shot one officer 
and lassoed another to death. A colored cook was also 
caught and put to the torture. Allthis took place on 
this stream, the black man’s take off, happening but a 
short distance above our trap line. . 
To enable us to trap on both sides of the Missouri at 
‘the same time, we made general camp on the east bank. 
Our site was at the Otter Tail crossing. Herein July 1863, 
the remnants of the Minnesota Santees, fled across the 
river to escape destruction from Sibley’s army. Their 
wagons, carts andother property were abandonedon the 
east bank in a grove of cottonwood, where they were 
found and cut to pieces by Sibley’s soldiers. We found 
these cart remnants in a good state of preservation and 
utalized them in the economy of our camp arrangements. 
While my partners used the bull boat to cross over 
and attend the line of beaver traps on Heart River, I 
took charge of the company pony and run out a line of 
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