The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and DescriptiveChittenden, Hiram Martin
History
The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and Descriptive
Chittenden, Hiram Martin
Yellowstone National Park
Already Carpenter and his sisters had made their way down the river,
passing close to the camp of the other party of tourists near the
Falls--whom they might have saved had they chanced to see them--and
were met by a party of soldiers under Lieutenant Schofield twelve
miles from Mammoth Hot Springs. They were escorted to the springs,
whence they went to Bottler's ranch, some distance below the Park, and
a short time afterward returned to Radersburg. It was about two weeks
before Mrs. Cowan learned that her husband was still alive. After all
these miraculous escapes, it is interesting to know that Mr. Cowan and
his wife survived to make another tour of the Park a few years later
under better conditions.
It will not be necessary to follow in detail the fortunes of the rest
of the party. They all escaped, though with much suffering, in their
wanderings through the wilderness.
When the captive members of the party were being marched down the
Yellowstone slope east of Mary Lake, they heard considerable firing in
the timber to their right. This is thought to have been an attack upon
two prospectors who were known to have been in the neighborhood at the
time, and who have never since been heard of.
The party of Helena tourists in camp near the Falls of the Yellowstone
on the night of August 24th, were less fortunate than the Radersburg
party. On the morning of the 25th, they started up the river toward
the Mud Geyser. They had gone about a mile beyond Sulphur Mountain
when they discovered moving bodies of men, part of whom were fording
the river. Careful scrutiny showed them to be Indians, and the party
rightly divined that they must be the hostile Nez Percés. They hastily
retraced their steps and went into camp in the timber near the forks
of Otter Creek, about a mile and a half above the Upper Falls of the
Yellowstone. Here they remained undisturbed all day and the following
night. On the morning of the 26th, Weikert and Wilkie set out to scout
the country. They went as far as Sulphur Mountain, and finding every
thing clear, started back to camp to report. When entering the timber
just north of Alum Creek, they suddenly met a band of Indians who
promptly opened fire on them. A flight and pursuit of considerable
duration ended in the escape of both men; but not until Weikert had
been wounded. This party of Indians had just attacked and dispersed
the group in camp. They had stolen upon the camp as dinner was being
prepared, and a volley of musketry was the first warning the tourists
had of their presence. There was instant flight and most of the party
managed to get away. But Kenck was soon overtaken and killed; and
Stewart after being severely wounded, prevailed on the Indians to
spare his life.
Weikert and Wilkie, who had hastened back to camp after their own
encounter, found every thing in confusion, and all the party gone.
They soon fell in with several of them, and together they set out for
Mammoth Hot Springs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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