Old-timers, over on Gonneville, or Pumpkin creek, will remember Francois Jourdain, and around Sixty-Six mountain the pioneers will remember "Tommy" Chaunavierre. (The cowboys called him "Shunover.")

In the old days, thirty or more years ago, I frequently visited "Frenchy" Jourdain's cabin, which was about three miles east of Wildcat mountain, and I enjoyed his stories. He was not a voluble man, but if you started him upon reminiscence, tradition or history, he would wax eloquent in gesticulation and expression of countenance, even if not very articulate.

On more than one occasion, I found "Old Tommy" visiting him, and at such times I could be little more than a listener. Their volatile conversation rattled on, half in French, and occasionally Tommy would refer to some ancient manuscript. Frenchy had a coverless book to which he occasionally referred, and this was printed in the French language.

The words "Mallet" (Mawley) and "De Margry" (Demarjory) soon fixed themselves in my mind, and after a time I got the story. Tommy claimed that a distant relative -- a far off ancestor -- once had the wonderful distinction of being selected by the Crown of France, as one of the party of eight, who under Mallet, was on a tour of investigation and exploration, and that about one hundred and fifty years before, they had passed through this very part

of the country. Their route, as outlined by Chaunavierre, left the Missouri river near the present site of Pierre (Pe-air), and up the little Missouri or Teton river, then across to White river, entering Nebraska at a point a little west of the present site of Chadron. They crossed the Pineridge near the Belmont station and the Running Water at Bell, where Charles H. Irion once was in the mercantile business. Then up Whistle creek and Coyote canyon, crossing the Snake creek valley, a few miles west of the present site of Curley, then near Spottedtail springs and down the west Sportedtail to the Platte river, then up Horse creek to a point some distance above the old Y- cross ranch, then turning southward, keeping close to the foot-hills, they arrived at Santa Fe in due time and completed their mission.