We were now in the Bannock country. I did not hear of any
depredations being committed by the Indians, but I used all
precautions possible in order to prevent a surprise by the
redskins.
Every few days we would meet a little squad of miners, all telling
exciting stories about the richness of Alder Gulch. They were
going home to their families with the expectation of moving them
out there the following spring; most of their families being in
Denver, Colorado. This all helped to create an anxiety among the
people to push on and get through as quick as possible.
They moved somewhat faster now than before, reaching Virginia
City, Montana, about the last of September, this being the trading
point for Alder Gulch. Here we stopped and the train paid me off.
I stayed around there about three weeks. One day while I was at
Virginia City two men, Boon and Bivian, who owned the only store
of any note in Virginia City at that time, came to me and said
that they had a train of twenty-two wagons some where on the road,
but just where they did not know, and they wished to employ me to
go and pilot it in, as their men with the train were all
inexperienced in that line of business, and not acquainted with
the road, not having been over any part of it before, and they
were afraid that through carelessness they might fall into the
hands of Indians.
Pages:
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375