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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/12895-0.txt b/12895-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..406a530 --- /dev/null +++ b/12895-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9695 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12895 *** + +[Illustration: Captain William F. Drannan, Chief of Scouts.] + +CAPT. W.F. DRANNAN, + +CHIEF OF SCOUTS, + +As Pilot to Emigrant and Government Trains, Across the Plains of the +Wild West of Fifty Years Ago. + +AS TOLD BY HIMSELF, + +AS A SEQUEL TO HIS FAMOUS BOOK "THIRTY ONE YEARS ON THE PLAINS AND IN +THE MOUNTAINS." + +_Copiously Illustrated by E. BERT SMITH._ + +1910 + + + + + +PREFACE + +The kindly interest with which the public has received my first book, +"Thirty-one Years on the Plains and in the Mountains," has tempted me +into writing this second little volume, in which I have tried to portray +that part of my earlier life which was spent in piloting emigrant +and government trains across the Western Plains, when "Plains" meant +wilderness, with nothing to encounter but wild animals, and wilder, +hostile Indian tribes. When every step forward might have spelt +disaster, and deadly danger was likely to lurk behind each bush or +thicket that was passed. + +The tales put down here are tales of true occurrences,--not fiction. +They are tales that were lived through by throbbing hearts of men and +women, who were all bent upon the one, same purpose:--to plow onward, +onward, through danger and death, till their goal, the "land of gold," +was reached, and if the kind reader will receive them and judge them +as such, the purpose of this little book will be amply and generously +fulfilled. + +W.F.D. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER 1 + +CHAPTER 2 + +CHAPTER 3 + +CHAPTER 4 + +CHAPTER 5 + +CHAPTER 6 + +CHAPTER 7 + +CHAPTER 8 + +CHAPTER 9 + +CHAPTER 10 + +CHAPTER 11 + +CHAPTER 12 + + +[Illustration: The Attack Upon the Train.] + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +FROM DRAWINGS BY E. BERT SMITH. + + + +Captain W.F. Drannan, Chief of Scouts + +With the exception of Carson, we were all scared + +As soon as they were gone, I took the Scalp off the dead Chief's head + +The first thing we knew the whole number that we had first seen were +upon us + +Waving my hat, I dashed into the midst of the band + +Fishing with the girls + +They raced around us in a circle + +The mother bear ran up to the dead cub and pawed it with her feet + +The next morning we struck the trail for Bent's Fort + +I took the lead + +I bent over him and spoke to him, but he did not answer + + + +[Illustration: With the exception of Carson, we were all scared.] + + + + +CHAPTER 1. + +At the age of fifteen I found myself in St. Louis, Mo., probably five +hundred miles from my childhood home, with one dollar and a half in +money in my pocket. I did not know one person in that whole city, and no +one knew me. After I had wandered about the city a few days, trying to +find something to do to get a living, I chanced to meet what proved to +be the very best that could have happened to me. I met Kit Carson, the +world's most famous frontiersman, the man to whom not half the credit +has been given that was his due. + +The time I met him, Kit Carson was preparing to go west on a trading +expedition with the Indians. When I say "going west" I mean far beyond +civilization. He proposed that I join him, and I, in my eagerness for +adventures in the wild, consented readily. + +When we left St. Louis, we traveled in a straight western direction, or +as near west as possible. Fifty-eight years ago Missouri was a sparsely +settled country, and we often traveled ten and sometimes fifteen miles +without seeing a house or a single person. + +We left Springfield at the south of us and passed out of the State of +Missouri at Fort Scott, and by doing so we left civilization behind, for +from Fort Scott to the Pacific coast was but very little known, and was +inhabited entirely by hostile tribes of Indians. + +A great portion of the country between Fort Scott and the Rocky +Mountains that we traveled over on that journey was a wild, barren +waste, and we never imagined it would be inhabited by anything but wild +Indians, Buffalo, and Coyotes. + +We traveled up the Neosha river to its source, and I remember one +incident in particular. We were getting ready to camp for the night +when Carson saw a band of Indians coming directly towards us. They were +mounted on horses and were riding very slowly and had their horses +packed with Buffalo meat. + +With the exception of Carson we were all scared, thinking the Indians +were coming to take our scalps. As they came nearer our camp Carson +said, "Boys, we are going to have a feast". + +On the way out Carson had taught me to call him "Uncle Kit." So I said, +"Uncle Kit, are you going to kill an Indian and cook him for supper?" + +He laughed and answered, "No, Willie, not quite as bad as that. Besides, +I don't think we are hungry enough to eat an Indian, if we had one +cooked by a French cook; but what will be better, to my taste at least, +the Indians are bringing us some Buffalo meat for our supper," and sure +enough they proved to be friendly. + +They were a portion of the Caw tribe, which was friendly with the whites +at that time. They had been on a hunt, and had been successful in +getting all the game they wanted. When they rode up to our camp they +surrounded Carson every one of them, trying to shake his hand first. Not +being acquainted with the ways of the Indians, the rest of us did not +understand what this meant, and we got our guns with the intention of +protecting him from danger, but seeing what we were about to do, Carson +sang out to us, "Hold on, boys. These are our friends," and as soon, as +they were done shaking hands with him Carson said something to them in a +language I did not understand, and they came and offered their hands to +shake with us. The boys and myself with the rest stood and gazed at the +performance in amazement, not knowing what to do or say. These were the +first wild Indians we boys had ever seen. As soon as the hand shaking +was over, Carson asked me to give him my knife which I carried in my +belt. He had given the knife to me when we left St. Louis. I presume +Carson had a hundred just such knives as this one was in his pack, but +he could not take the time then to get one out. For my knife he traded a +yearling Buffalo, and there was meat enough to feed his whole crew three +or four days. That was the first Indian "Pow-wow" that I had ever seen +or heard of either. + +The Indians ate supper with us, and after that they danced "the Peace +Dance" after smoking the Pipe of Peace with Uncle Kit. The smoking and +dancing lasted perhaps an hour, and then the Indians mounted their +horses and sped away to their own village. + +I was with Carson off and on about twelve years, but I never saw him +appear to enjoy himself better than he did that night. After the Indians +had gone, Uncle Kit imitated each one of us as he said we looked when +the Indians first appeared in sight. He had some in the act of running +and others trying to hide behind the horse, and he said that if the +ground had been loose we would have tried to dig a hole to crawl into. +One of the party he described as sitting on his pack with his mouth wide +open, and he said he could not decide whether the man wanted to swallow +an Indian or a Buffalo. + +The next morning we pulled out from there, crossing the divide between +this stream and the Arkansas. Just before we struck the Arkansas river, +we struck the Santa-Fe trail. This trail led from St-Joe on the Missouri +river to Santa-Fe, New Mexico, by the way of Bent's Fort, as it was +called then. Bent's Fort was only a Trading Station, owned by Bent and +Robedoux. These two men at that time handled all the furs that were +trapped from the head of the North Platte to the head of the Arkansas; +the Santa-Fe trail, as it was then called, was the only route leading to +that part of the country. + +After traveling up the Arkansas river some distance, above what is known +as Big Bend, we struck the Buffalo Country, and I presume it was a week +that we were never out of the sight of Buffalos. I remember we camped on +the bank of the river just above Pawne Rock that night; the next morning +we were up early and had our breakfast, as we calculated to make a big +drive that day. Carson had been telling us how many days it would take +us to make Bent's Fort, and we wanted to get there before the Fourth of +July. Just as we had got our animals packed and every thing in readiness +to start, a herd of Buffalo commenced crossing the river about a half a +mile above our camp. The reader will understand that the Buffalo always +cross the river where it is shallow, their instinct teaching them that +where the water is shallow, there is a rock bottom, and in crossing +these places they avoid quicksand. This was the only crossing in fifteen +miles up or down the river. We did not get to move for twenty-four +hours. It seems unreasonable to tell the number of Buffalo that crossed +the river in those twenty-four hours. After crossing the river a half a +mile at the north of the ford, they struck the foot hill; and one could +see nothing but a moving, black mass, as far as the eye could see. + +I do not remember how long we were going from there to Bent's Fort, but +we got there on the second of July, 1847, and every white man that was +within three hundred miles was there, which were just sixteen. At this +present time, I presume there are two or three hundred thousand within +the same distance from Bent's Fort, and that is only fifty-eight years +ago! In view of the great change that has taken place in the last half +century, what will the next half century bring? The reader must remember +that the increase must be three to one to what it was at that time. + +After staying at Bent's Fort eight days we pulled out for "Taos," +Carson's home. He remained at Taos, which is in New Mexico, until early +in the fall, about the first of October, which is early autumn in New +Mexico; then we started for our trapping ground, which was on the head +of the Arkansas river, where Beaver was as numerous as rats are around a +wharf. + +We were very successful that winter in trapping. It was all new to me, I +had never seen a Beaver, or a Beaver trap. Deer, Elk, and Bison, which +is a species of Buffalo, was as plentiful in that country at that time +as cattle is now on the ranch. I really believe that I have seen more +deer in one day than there is in the whole State of Colorado at the +present time. + +In the autumn, just before the snow commences to fall, the deer leave +the high mountains, and seek the valleys, and also the Elk and Bison; no +game stays in the high mountains but the Mountain Sheep, and he is very +peculiar in his habits. He invariably follows the bluffs of streams. +In winter and summer, his food is mostly moss, which he picks from the +rocks; he eats but very little grass. But there is no better meat than +the mountain sheep. In the fall, the spring lambs will weigh from +seventy-five to a hundred pounds, and are very fat and as tender as +a chicken; but this species of game is almost extinct in the United +States; I have not killed one in ten years. + +We stayed in our camp at the head of the Arkansas river until sometime +in April, then we pulled out for Bent's Fort to dispose of our pelts. We +staid at the Fort three days. The day we left the Fort, we met a runner +from Col. Freemont with a letter for Carson. Freemont wanted Carson to +bring a certain amount of supplies to his camp and then to act as a +guide across the mountains to Monterey, California. The particulars of +the contract between Freemont and Carson I never knew, but I know this +much, that when we got to Freemont's camp, we found the hardest looking +set of men that I ever saw. They had been shut up in camp all winter, +and the majority of them had the scurvy, which was brought on by want +of exercise and no vegetable food. The most of the supplies we took him +were potatoes and onions, and as soon as we arrived in camp the men did +not wait to unpack the animals, but would walk up to an animal and tear +a hole in a sack and eat the stuff raw the same as if it was apples. + +In a few days the men commenced to improve in looks and health. Uncle +Kit had them to exercise some every day, and in a short time we were on +the road for the Pacific Coast. We had no trouble until we crossed +the Main Divide of the Rocky Mountains. It was on a stream called the +"Blue," one of the tributaries of the Colorado river. + +We were now in the Ute Indian country, and at this time they were +considered one of the most hostile tribes in the west. Of course there +was no one in the company that knew what the Ute Indians were but Kit +Carson. When we stopped at noon that day Carson told us as we sat eating +our luncheon that we were now in the Ute country, and every one of us +must keep a look out for himself. He said, "Now, boys, don't any one of +you get a hundred yards away from the rest of the company, for the Utes +are like flees liable to jump on you at any time or place." + +That afternoon we ran on a great deal of Indian sign, from the fact that +game was plentiful all over the country, and at this time of the year +the Indians were on their spring hunt. When we camped for the night, we +camped on a small stream where there was but very little timber and no +underbrush at all. As soon as the company was settled for the night, +Carson and I mounted our horses and took a circle of perhaps a mile or +two around the camp. This was to ascertain whether there were any Indians +in camp near us. We saw no Indians. We returned to camp thinking we would +have no trouble that night, but about sundown, while we were eating +supper, all at once their war whoop burst upon us, and fifteen or more +Utes came dashing down the hill on their horses. Every man sprang for +his gun, in order to give them as warm a reception as possible; nearly +every man tried to reach his horse before the Indians got to us, for at +that time a man without a horse would have been in a bad fix, for there +were no extra horses in the company. + +I think this must have been the first time these Utes had ever heard a +gun fired, from the fact that as soon as we commenced firing at them, +and that was before they could reach us with their arrows, they turned +and left as fast as they had come. Consequently we lost no men or +horses. We killed five Indians and captured three horses. + +When the Indians were out of sight, Carson laughed and said, "Boys, that +was the easiest won battle I have ever had with the Indians, and it was +not our good marksmanship that done it either, for if every shot we +fired had taken effect, there would not have been half Indians enough to +go around. It was the report of our guns that scared them away." + +It was figured up that night how many shots were fired, and they +amounted to two hundred. Carson said, "Boys, if we get into another +fight with the Indians, for God's sake don't throw away your powder and +lead in that shape again, for before you reach Monterey, powder and lead +will be worth something, as the Red skins are as thick as grass-hoppers +in August." + +Of course this was the first skirmish these men had ever had with the +Indians, and they were too excited to know what they were doing. + +About six years ago I met a man whose name was Labor. He was the last +survivor of that company, with the exception of myself, and he told me +how he felt when the yelling Red skins burst upon us. Said he, "I don't +think I could have hit an Indian if he had been as big as the side of a +horse, for I was shaking worse than I would if I had had the third-day +Ague. Not only shaking, but I was cold all over, and I dreamed all night +of seeing all kinds of Indians." + +The next day we were traveling on the back bone of a little ridge. There +was no timber except a few scattering Juniper trees. We were now in +Arizona, and water was very scarce. The reader will understand that +Carson invariably rode from fifty to one hundred yards ahead of the +command, and I always rode at his side. + +I presume it was between two and three o'clock in the afternoon when +Col. Freemont called out to Carson, "How far are you going tonight?" + +Carson studied a minute and answered, "I think, in seven or eight miles +we will find good water and a plenty of grass." + +A few minutes after this Freemont said, "Say, Carson, why not go to that +lake there and camp? There is plenty of grass and water," at the same +time pointing to the south. Carson raised his head and looked at the +point indicated. Then he said, "Col. there is no water or grass there." +Freemont replied, "Damn it, look. Can't you see it?" at the same time +pointing in the direction of what he supposed to be the lake. Carson +checked his horse until Freemont came up near him and then said, "Col., +spot this place by these little Juniper trees, and we will come back +here tomorrow morning, and if you can see a lake there then I will admit +that I don't know anything about this country." + +Freemont was out of humor all the evening. He had nothing to say to any +person. + +The next morning after breakfast was over and the herder had driven in +the horses Carson said, "Now Colonel, let's go and see that lake." + +Under the circumstances Freemont could not say "no." I think five of us +besides Carson and Freemont went back. When we came to the place where +the little Juniper trees were, Freemont's face showed that he was badly +whipped, for sure enough there was no lake there; he had seen what is +called a mirage. + +I have seen almost everything in mirage form, but what causes +this Atmospheric optical illusion has never been explained to my +satisfaction. Some men say it is imagination, but I do not think it is +so. + +On our way back to camp a man by name of Cummings was riding by my side. +He made the remark in an undertone, "I am sorry this thing happened." +I asked him, "Why?" In reply he said, "Colonel Freemont won't get over +this in many a day, for Carson has shown him that he can be mistaken." + +We laid over at this camp until the next day as this was good water and +exceptionally good grass. Nothing interfered with us until we struck the +Colorado river. Here we met quite a band of Umer Indians. Without any +exception they were the worst-looking human beings that I have ever seen +in my life. A large majority of them were as naked as they were when +they were born. Their hair in many instances looked as if it never had +been straightened out. They lived mostly on pine nuts. The nuts grow on +a low, scrubby tree, a species of Pine, and in gathering the nuts they +covered their hands with gum which is as sticky as tar and rubbed it on +their bodies and in their hair. The reader may imagine the effect; I am +satisfied that many of these Indians had never seen a white man before +they saw us. Very few of them had bows and arrows; they caught fish. How +they caught them I never knew, but I often saw the squaws carrying fish. + +When we reached the Colorado river we stayed two days making rafts to +cross the river on. The last day we were there, laying on the bank of +the river, I presume there came five hundred of these Indians within +fifty yards of our camp. Most of them laid down under the trees. One of +our men shot a bird that was in a tree close by, and I never heard such +shouting or saw such running as these Indians did when the gun cracked. +This convinced me that we were the first white men they had ever seen, +and this the first time they had heard the report of a gun. This +incident occurred in forty-eight, which was fifty-eight years ago. I +have seen more or less of these Indians from that time until now, and +these Indians as a tribe have made less progress than any other Indians +in the west. Even after the railroad was put through that part of the +country, they had to be forced to cover themselves with clothes. + +After crossing the Colorado river we came into the Ute country, but we +traveled several days without seeing any of this tribe. About five +days after we crossed the Colorado river, we came on to a big band of +Sighewash Indians. The tribe was just coming together, after a winter's +trapping and hunting. At this time the Sigh washes were a powerful +tribe, but not hostile to the whites. + +We camped near their village that night. After supper Carson and I went +over to this village, at the same time taking a lot of butcher knives +and cheap jewelry with us that he had brought along to trade with the +Indians. When we got into their camp, Carson inquired where the chief's +wigwam, was. The Indians could all speak Spanish; therefore we had no +trouble in finding the chief. When we went into the chief's wigwam, +after shaking hands with the old chief and his squaw, Carson pulled some +of the jewelry out of his pocket and told the chief that he wanted to +trade for furs. The old chief stepped to the entrance of the wigwam +and made a peculiar noise between a whistle and a hollo, and in a few +minutes there were hundreds of Indians there, both bucks and squaws. + +The old chief made a little talk to them that I did not understand; he +then turned to Carson and said, "Indian heap like white man." + +Carson then spoke out loud so they could all hear him, at the same time +holding up some jewelry in one hand and a butcher knife in the other, +telling them that he wanted to trade these things for their furs. + +The Indians answered, it seemed to me by the hundreds, saying, "Iyah +oyah iyah," which means "All right." Carson then told them to bring +their furs over to his camp the next morning, and he would then trade +with them. He was speaking in Spanish all this time. On our way back to +our camp Carson said to me, "Now Willie, if I trade for those furs in +the morning I want you and the other two boys to take the furs and go +back to Taos; I know that you will have a long and lonesome trip, but I +will try and get three or four of these Indians to go with you back to +the head of the Blue, and be very careful, and when you make a camp +always put out all of your fire as soon as you get your meal cooked. +Then the Indians can not see your camp." + +The next morning we were up and had an early breakfast. By that time the +squaws had commenced coming in with their furs. Uncle Kit took a pack of +jewelry and knives and got off to one side where the Indians could get +all around him. In a very short time I think there must have been a +hundred squaws there with their furs. + +They brought from one to a dozen Beaver skins each, and then the Bucks +began coming in and then the trading began. Carson would hold up a +finger ring or a knife and call out in Spanish, "I'll give this for so +many Beaver skins!" + +It really was amusing to see the Indians run over each other to see who +should get the ring or knife first. + +This trading did not last over half an hour because Carson's stock of +goods was exhausted. Carson then said to the Indians, "No more trade no +more knives, no more rings, all gone." + +Of course a great many of the Indians were disappointed, but they soon +left us. As soon as they were gone Freemont came to Carson and said, +"What in the name of common sense are you going to do with all those +furs?" + +Uncle Kit said, "Col., I'm going to send them to Taos, and later on they +will go to Bent's Fort." The Col. said, "Yes, but by whom will you send +them to Taos?" Carson replied, "By Willie, John and the Mexican boy." + +The Col. said, "Don't you think you are taking a great many chances?" +"Oh, no, not at all. Willie here is getting to be quite a mountaineer. +Besides, I am going to get some of these Indians to go with the boys +as far as the head of the Blue, and when they get there they are, +comparatively speaking, out of danger." + +He then said, "Colonel, we will lay over here today, and that will give +me a chance to pack my furs and get the boys ready to start in the +morning." + +We then went to work baling the hides; by noon we had them all baled. +After dinner Carson and I went over to the Indian camp. We went directly +to the Chief's wigwam. When the Indians saw us coming they all rushed +up to us. I presume they thought we had come to trade with them again. +Uncle Kit then told the Chief that he wanted eight Indian men to go with +us boys to the head of the Blue River. At the same time he sat down +and marked on the ground each stream and mountain that he wanted us +to travel over. He told them that he would give each one of them one +butcher knife and two rings, and said they must not camp with the Utes. + +I think there were at least twenty Indians that wanted to go. Carson +then turned to the Chief and told him in Spanish to pick out eight good +Indians to go with us, and told him just what time we wanted to start +in the morning. We then went back to our camp and commenced making +arrangements for our journey to Taos. + +Carson and I were sitting down talking that afternoon when Col. Freemont +came and sat beside us and said to Uncle Kit, "Say, Kit, ain't you +taking desperate chances with these boys?" + +This surprised me, for I had never heard him address Carson as Kit +before in all the time I had known him. + +Carson laughed and answered, "Not in the least; for they have got a good +escort to go with them." Then he explained to Freemont that he had hired +some Indians to go with us through the entire hostile country, telling +him that the boys were just as safe with those Indians as they would be +with the command, and more safe, for the Indians would protect them, +thinking they would get his trade by so doing. Uncle Kit then explained +to him that the Sighewashes were known to all the tribes on the coast +and were on good terms with them all, and therefore there was no danger +whatever in sending the boys through the Indian country. The Col. +answered, "Of course, you know best; I admit that you know the nature +of the Indian thoroughly, but I must say that I shall be uneasy until I +hear from the boys again." + +Uncle Kit said, "Wait until tomorrow morning, and I will convince you +that I am right." + +The next morning we were up early and had breakfast, and before we had +our animals half packed the old chief and hundreds of the Indians were +there. Those that the chief had selected to accompany us were on horse +back, and the others had come to bid us farewell, and that was one of +the times I was tired shaking hands. + +When we were about ready to mount our horses and had shaken hands with +Uncle Kit and the balance of the company, the Indians made a rush for +us. Both bucks and squaws shouted, "Ideose, ideose," which means, "good +bye, good bye," and every one trying to shake our hands at once, and of +all the noise I ever heard, this was the worst. After this racket had +been going on some fifteen or twenty minutes, I turned and saw Uncle Kit +and Col. Freemont standing on a big log laughing like they would split +their sides. Finally Uncle Kit motioned for me to mount my horse. I +mounted and the other boys followed suit, and when we started of all the +noise that ever was made this beat any I ever heard in all my life. At +the same time the Indians were waving their hands at us. + +As soon as we left the crowd of Indians Uncle Kit and Col. Freemont +joined us. The Col. said to me, "Willie, this is one of the times you +have had your hand well shaken, I really felt sorry for you, but I +didn't see how I could assist you, and I am in hopes you will not get +such a shaking up in a good while. Now, my boy, be very careful, and try +and get through safe and sound, and when we come along back next fall, +we will all go to St. Louis together." + +Uncle Kit told me to not let the Indians turn back until we crossed the +divide at the head of Blue river. He said, "Then you will be out of the +Ute country, and all danger to you will be over, but do not put too much +confidence in these Indians although I think they are reliable and will +do just as I have told them to do. But I want you to be on the lookout +all the time yourself. I know there will be no danger in the daytime, +and when night comes be sure and put your fire out before it gets dark, +and when you get to Taos rest up a few days, and then hunt up Jim +Bridger or Jim Beckwith, and they will advise you what to do. It may +be that I will get home myself, in which case you will not need their +advice." + +We now bid them "good bye" and started on what would be called now a +long, tedious and dangerous journey, but at that time we thought nothing +of it. + +How long a time it took us to make this trip I do not remember. The +Indians traveled in the lead the most of the time. When near the middle +of the afternoon, I would ask them in Spanish how far they were going +tonight, and they would tell me the number of hours it would take to go +but seemed not to understand the distance by miles. The Indians showed +more judgment in selecting the camping ground than I expected they +would. + +In a few days we were in the Ute country, and we saw plenty of Indian +sign every day. I think it was on one of the tributaries of the Green +river we were traveling along one afternoon, we came in sight of a band +of Ute Indians. They were in camp. We were in about a half a mile of +them when we first saw them; they were directly to the north of us, +and they discovered us at the same time we saw them. As soon as the +Sighewashes saw the Utes they stopped, and two of the Sighewashes rode +back to us and said in Spanish, "We go see Utes," and they rode over to +the Ute camp. Probably they were gone a half hour or more, when they +returned, and we surely watched every move the Utes made till the +Sighewashes came back to us. When they came back they were laughing and +said to us, "Utes heap good." Then I was satisfied that we were in no +danger. + +We traveled on some five or six miles when we came to a nice little +stream of water where there was fine grass. I said to the boys, "We'll +camp here. Now you boys unpack the animals and take them out to grass, +and I will go and kill some meat for supper." + +I picked up my gun and started; I didn't go over a quarter of a mile +till I saw four Bison cows, and they all had calves with them. I crawled +up in shooting distance and killed one of the calves. At the crack of my +gun the cows ran away. I commenced dressing the calf and here came four +of my Sighewash Indians running to me, and when they saw what I had +killed, I believe they were the happiest mortals that I ever saw. + +As soon as I got the insides out I told them to pick up the calf and we +would go to camp. Some of them picked up the carcass and others picked +up the entrails. I told them we did not want the entrails. One of the +Indians spoke up and said, "Heap good, all same good meat". I finally +persuaded them to leave the insides alone. + +When we got back to camp, the boys had a good fire, and it was not long +before we had plenty of meat around the fire, and I never saw Indians +eat as they did that night. After they had been eating about an hour, +Jonnie West said to me, "Will, you will have to go and kill more meat, +or we won't have any for breakfast." + +We soon turned in for the night and left the Indians still cooking. In +the morning we were surprised to see the amount of meat they had got +away with. What they ate that night would have been plenty for the same +number of white men three or four days. The nature of the Indian is to +eat when he has the chance and when he hasn't he goes without and never +complains. + +For the next three days we traveled through a country well supplied +with game, especially Elk, Deer, and black bear. It was now late in the +summer and all game was in a fine condition, it was no unusual thing to +see from twenty five to a hundred Elk in a band. I have never seen since +that time so many Elk with so large horns as I saw on that trip, which +convinced me that there had been no white hunters through that part of +the country before. + +In traveling along there were times we were not out of sight of deer for +hours; consequently we never killed our game for supper until we went +into camp, and as a rule, the boys always picked me to get the meat +while they took care of the horses. I remember one evening I was just +getting ready to start out on my hunt. I asked the boys what kind of +meat they wanted for supper. Jonnie West said, "Give us something new." +Well, I answered, "How will a cub bear do?" They all answered, "That is +just what we want." That moment I turned my eyes to the south, and on +a ridge not more than three hundred yards from camp, I saw three bears +eating sarvis berries. I was not long in getting into gun shot of them. +There was the old mother bear and two cubs. I had to wait several +minutes before I could get a good sight on the one I wanted, as they +were in the brush and I wanted a sure shot. I fired and broke his neck; +he had hardly done kicking before Jonnie West and some of the Indians +were there. We made quick work getting the meat to camp and around the +fire cooking, and it was as fine a piece of meat as I ever ate. + +The next morning we bid the Indians good bye, but before they left us +one of them stooped down and with a finger marked out the route we +should take, thinking we did not know the country we must pass over, and +strange to say, the route this wild Indian marked out in the sand was +accurate in every particular. He made dots for the places where we +should camp and a little mark for a stream of water, then little piles +of sand for mountains, some large and some small, according to the size +of the mountain we were to cross. After he had finished his work, I +examined the diagram and I found he had marked out every place where we +should camp. + +From there to the head of the Arkansas river, I called Jonnie West and +asked him to look at it. He examined it at every point and said, "This +beats any thing I ever saw or heard tell of; with this to guide us, we +could not get lost if we tried to." + +We were now ready to start. Jonnie said to me, "Well, I feel we owe this +Indian something. How many butcher knives have you?" + +I said, "I have two." "Alright, I will give him this finger ring and you +give him one of your knives." + +We did so, and I think he was the proudest Indian I ever saw; he jumped +up and shouted, "Hy-you-scu-scum, white man," which meant "Good white +man." + +The Indians all shook hands with us and then mounted their horses and +were gone. We now pulled out on our long and dangerous trip to Taos, New +Mexico, and strange to say, we never missed a camping ground that the +Indians had marked out for us, until we reached the head of the Arkansas +river, and the beauty of it was, we had good grass and good water at +every camping place, which was very essential for ourselves and our +horses. + +When we struck the head of the Arkansas river we considered ourselves +out of danger of all hostile Indians. Besides, we knew every foot of the +ground we had to travel over from here to Taos, New Mexico. We camped +one night on the river, down below where Leadville stands now, and I +never saw so many huckleberries at one place as I saw there. After we +had our horses unpacked and staked out to grass, I said to the boys, +"Now you go and pick berries, and I will try and find some meat for +supper." I did not go far when looking up on a high bluff I saw a band +of mountain sheep. I noticed they had not seen me yet and were coming +directly towards me. When they got in gun-shot, I fired and killed a +half-grown sheep, and he did not stop kicking until he was nearly at my +feet. This was the first mountain sheep I had ever killed, and it was as +fine a piece of meat as I ever ate, and until this day, mountain sheep +is my favorite wild meat. This was one of the nights to be remembered, +fine fresh meat, and ripe huckleberries, what luxuries, for the wilds to +produce. + +In a few days we reached Taos, and here I met my old friend Jim Bridger. +After laying around a few days and resting up, Jonnie West said to me, +"Will, what are we going to do this winter? You are like me, you can't +lay around without going wild." + +I said, "That's so, Jonnie. Let's go and hunt up Jim Bridger, and ask +him what he is going to do this winter." + +We went to the house where Jim was boarding and we found him in one of +his talkative moods. We asked him what he proposed doing this winter; he +said, "I am going out a trapping, and I want you boys to go with me." + +I asked him where he was going to trap, and he said he thought he would +trap on the head of the Cache-la-Poudre, and the quicker we went the +better it would be for us. "I have all the traps we will need this +winter," he said; "now you boys go to work and mould a lot of bullets." + +The reader will understand that in those days we used the muzzle-loading +gun, and we had to mould all of our bullets. In a few days we were ready +to pull out. I asked Jim if we could keep our horses with us through +the winter. He said, "Yes, as the snow does not get very deep in that +country, and there is plenty of Cotton Wood and Quaker Asp for them to +browse on in case the snow gets deep. Besides, it will save one of us a +long tramp in the spring, for we will have to have the horses in order +to pack our furs on." + +In a few days we were ready to pull for trapping ground. Each one of us +took a saddle horse and two pack horses. We were on the road nine days +from the day we left Taos until we reached our trapping ground. + +We traveled down Cherry Creek from its source to its mouth, and across +the Platte, where Denver City, Colorado, now stands. At that time there +was not a sign of civilization in all that country. + +After crossing the Platte a little below where Denver now stands, we met +about five hundred Kiawah Indians, led by their old chief. The Kiawas +were friendly to us, and the chief was a particular friend of Jim. He +wanted to trade for some of our beaver traps. He kept bidding until he +offered two horses for one trap. Jim refused to trade, but he made the +chief a present of a trap. After Jim refused to take the horses, a young +squaw came running out and offered to give me as fine a buffalo robe as +I ever saw; I was in the act of taking it and was congratulating myself +on what a fine bed I would have that winter when Jim said, "Will, don't +take that. There is more stock on that robe than we can feed this +winter. Open the hair and look for yourself." + +I did so, and I saw the Grey Backs all through the hair as thick as they +could crawl. I had never seen such a sight before, and the reader can +imagine my horror. I dropped it so quick that Jonnie West laughed and +asked me if it burnt me. The boys had the joke on me the balance of the +winter. Most every day they would ask me if I didn't want a present of a +Buffalo robe from a young squaw. + +A few days after this, we were on our trapping ground, and our winter's +work of toil, hardship, and pleasure had begun. We soon had our cabin +built in a little valley, which was from a half mile to a mile wide and +about eight miles long. On each side of the valley were high cliffs. In +places there was a half a mile or more where neither man or beast could +climb these cliffs, and we were surprised later on to see the quantity +of game of various kinds that came into this valley to winter, such as +Elk, Deer, and Antelope. I never, before or since, have seen so many +Wild Cats, or Bob Cats, as they were called at that time, and also some +cougars. + +I remember one little circumstance that occurred later on; it was about +the middle of the afternoon; we had all been to our traps and had +returned to the cabin with our furs. Jim said, "Will, we will stretch +your furs if you will go and shoot a deer for supper." + +This suited me, so I took my gun and went outside the door to clean it. +Just as I had got through, Jonnie West looked out and said, "Look, Will, +there is your deer now; you won't have to hunt him." + +I looked, and sure enough, there he was, in about a hundred yards of the +cabin. Jim Bridger fired at him and knocked him down, but he got up and +ran into a little bunch of brush. I ran to the spot, thinking he was +only wounded and that I should have to shoot him again. When I reached +the brush, to my surprise, I found five big wildcats, and they all +came for me at once. I fired at the leader, and then I did some lively +running myself. As soon as I got out of the brush, I called the boys, +and we got the cats, the whole of the bunch, and the deer besides, which +had not been touched by the cats. + +We skinned the cats, and Jim afterwards made a cap out of one of them, +and he wore it for several years. + +Jonnie West and I were out hunting one day for deer when we discovered +two cougars in the grass, and we could not make out what it meant. +Finally one made a spring, and it seemed to us that he jumped at least +twenty feet, and he landed on a deer, and for a minute or two there was +a tussle. While this was going on Jonnie and I were getting closer to +them, and when they had the deer killed we were within gunshot of them, +and they didn't eat much before we killed them both. We skinned the +deer, and also the cougars, and took them to camp, and when we went to +Bent's Fort the next spring we got twenty dollars apiece for them, for +they were extra large cougars, or mountain lions as they are sometimes +called, and their hides are very valuable. + +It seems wonderful to me when I think of the amount of game I saw +through the country at that time, of all descriptions, some of which in +their wild state are now extinct, especially the buffalo and the bison, +and all other game that was so plentiful at that time is very scarce all +over the west. I believe a man could have seen a thousand antelope +any day in the year within five miles of where the city of Denver now +stands. + +We had splendid success this winter in trapping beaver. It was late in +the spring when we left our trapping ground. Just before we pulled out +Jim Bridger said, "Boys, I saw a pretty sight this evening out at the +point of rocks," which was about a quarter of a mile from our cabin. +Jonnie West said, "What did you see, Jim?" + +"I saw an old Cinnamon bear and two cubs." Jonnie said, "Why didn't you +kill her?" + +"I didn't have anything to kill with," Jim replied. "I left my gun in +the cabin, but we will all go out in the morning and see if we can find +them." + +We were all up early in the morning and ready for the bear hunt. Jim +told us what route each should take. He said, "Now boys, be careful, for +she is an old whale, and if you get in to a fight with her some one will +get hurt, or there will be some running done." + +I had not gone far when I looked up on a ridge ahead of me and saw what +I took to be Mrs. Bruin; I crawled up within gun shot and fired and +broke the bear's neck. I rushed up to her expecting to see the cubs. +Imagine my surprise when I found only a small bear. In a few moments the +boys were there; Jonnie laughed and asked Jim if that bear was the whale +he set out to kill. Jim stood and looked at the bear quite a bit before +answering. Then he said, "That is a Cinnamon Bear, but where are the +cubs?" Jonnie said, "I will bet my hat you didn't see any cubs, Jim, you +dreamed it." Jim grinned and answered, "Well, boys I guess you have the +drop on me this time." + +From then on, all the spring Jim's cubs was a standing joke. In a few +days, we pulled out for Bent's Fort; we were late in getting to the Fort +with our furs this spring. Mr. Bent asked us why we were so late in +getting in. Jonnie replied that Jim kept us hunting for Cub bears all +the spring, and as we couldn't find any, it took all our time. Of course +they all wanted to know the joke, and when Jonnie told it in his droll +way, it made a laugh on Jim. "If you will only quit talking about the +cubs," Jim said, "I'll treat all around," which cost him about ten +dollars. + +After laying around the Fort a few days, Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux +hired Jonnie and me to kill meat to supply the table at the boarding +house for the summer, that being the only time of the year that the +boarding house at the Fort did any business. At this time of the year +all of the trappers and hunters were staying at the fort with nothing to +do but eat, drink and spend their money that they had earned the winter +before. It was no uncommon thing for some of these men to bring from +three to four hundred dollars worth of furs to Bent's Fort in the +spring, and when fall came and it was time to go back to the trapping +ground, they wouldn't have a dollar left, and some of them had to go in +debt for their winter outfit. + +Jonnie and I had no trouble in keeping plenty of meat on hand, from the +fact that buffalo and antelope were very plentiful eight or ten miles +from the fort. I remember one little circumstance that occurred this +summer. We were out hunting, not far from the Arkansas river, near +the city now known as Rocky Ford, Colo. We had camped there the night +before. We went out early in the morning to kill some antelope, leaving +our horses staked where we had camped. We hadn't gone more than half a +mile when we heard a Lofa wolf howl just ahead of us. The Lofa wolf was +a very large and ferocious animal and was a terror to the buffalo. When +we reached the top of a ridge just ahead of us, looking down into a +little valley two or three hundred yards away, we saw five Buffalo cows +with their calves, and one large bull, and they were entirely surrounded +by Lofa wolves. Jonnie said, "Now, Will, we will see some fun." The cows +were trying to defend their calves from the wolves, and the bull started +off with his head lowered to the ground, trying to drive the wolves away +with his horns. This he continued to do until he had driven the wolves +thirty yards away. All at once a wolf made a bark and a howl which +seemed to be a signal for a general attack, for in a moment, the wolves +were attacking the Buffalo on every side, and I don't think it was five +minutes before they had the bull dead and stretched out. Until then I +had never thought that wolves would attack a well Buffalo, but this +sight convinced me that they could and would kill any buffalo they chose +to attack. + +We went back to camp, packed up our meat, and pulled out for the fort. +When we got there I told Jim Bridger about the fight the wolves had with +the buffalos, and he said, "If you had seen as much of that as I have, +you would know that wolves signal to each other and understand each +other the same as men do." + + + +CHAPTER II. + +It was early in the spring of fifty when Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, and +myself met at Bent's Fort, which was on the head waters, of the Arkansas +river. Bridger and I had just got in from our winter's trapping ground +and had disposed of our furs to a very good advantage; Carson had just +returned from a trip back east. Carson said to Bridger, "Now Jim, I'll +tell you what I want you to do. I want you and Will (meaning me) to +go over to Fort Kerney and escort emigrants across to California this +season, for the gold excitement back in the eastern states is something +wonderful, and there will be thousands of emigrants going to the gold +fields of California, and they do not know the danger they will have to +contend with, and you two men can save thousands of lives this summer by +going to Fort Kerney and meeting the emigrants there and escorting them +through. Now boys, you must understand that this undertaking is no +child's play. In doing this apparently many times you will seem +to take your lives in your own hands, for the Indians will be worse on +the plains this year than they ever have been. At the present time there +is no protection for the emigrant from the time they get twenty-five +miles west of Fort Kerney, until they cross the Sierra Nevada mountains, +and there are to be so many renegades from justice from Illinois and +Missouri that it is going to be fearful this season, for the renegade +is really worse in some respects than the Indian. He invariably has two +objects in view. He gets the Indian to commit the murder which is a +satisfaction to him without any personal risk besides the plunder he +gets. I know, boys, you can get good wages out of this thing, and I want +you to take hold of it, and you, Jim, I know have no better friend than +Gen. Kerney, and he will assist you boys in every way he can. I almost +feel as though I ought to go myself, but I cannot leave my family at +the present time; now, Jim, will you go?" Bridger jumped up, rubbed his +hands together and said, "I'll be dog goned if I won't, if Will goes +with me." + +[Illustration: As soon as they were gone I took the scalp off the dead +Chief's head.] + +To which I replied, "I will go with you, and I think the quicker we +start the better it will be for all parties concerned." Carson said, +"You can't start too soon, for the emigrants will be arriving at Fort +Kerney by the time you get there." + +The next morning Jim and I were up and had an early breakfast and were +ready to start. Uncle Kit said to us, "Now boys, when you come back this +fall I want you to come and see me and tell me what kind of luck you +have had, and all the news." + +We now bid him good bye, and we were off. + +I will here inform the reader that Carson had taught me to call him +Uncle Kit when I was fourteen years old, and I always addressed him in +that way. Jim and I were off for Fort Kerney, which was a journey of +about three hundred miles and not a sign of civilization on the whole +trip. It was a wild Indian country the entire distance, but we +knew where the hostile Indians were and also the friendly Indians. +Consequently we reached Fort Kerney without having any trouble. + +We met Gen. Kerney, who was glad to see us. He said, "Boys, where in the +name of common sense are you going to?" + +We explained to him in a few words our business. After hearing our plans +the Gen. said, "I am certainly glad to know that someone will take hold +of this thing, for I am sure that there will be more emigrants massacred +this year than has ever been in any other. I will tell you why I think +so. All the Indians from here to the Sierra-Nevada mountains are in the +war-path; in the second place the emigrants who are coming from the +east have no idea what they have to contend with, and I dread the +consequences." + +While this conversation was taking place a soldier rode in that had been +on picket duty and said to the Gen., "I saw some covered wagons going +into camp down on Deer Creek about five miles from here. Where do you +suppose they are going, Gen?" + +To which Gen. Kerney replied, "They are going to California, and you +will see hundreds of them inside the next two weeks." + +Jim Bridger said, "Well, Willie, come on and let's see what we can do +with them." + +As we were leaving the Fort Gen. Kerney said to us, "Boys, come back and +stay all night with me, I want you to make my quarters your home while +you are waiting for the emigrants to arrive." + +Bridger answered, "Thank you, Gen. We will be glad to do so, and we may +want you to recommend us to the emigrants." + +To which the Gen. answered, "I will take pleasure in doing so." + +Bridger and I rode down to where the emigrants were in camp, and we +found the most excited people I ever saw in my life. They had passed +through one of the most terrible experiences that had ever occurred on +the frontier. There were thirty wagons in the train, and they were all +from the southeastern part of Missouri, and it seemed that there was one +man in the train by the name of Rebel who at the time they had left +home had sworn that he would kill the first Indian he came across. This +opportunity occurred this morning about five miles back of where we met +them. The train was moving along slowly when this man "Rebel" saw a +squaw sitting on a log with a papoose in her arms, nursing. He shot her +down; she was a Kiawah squaw, and it was right on the edge of their +village where he killed her in cold blood. The Kiawahs were a very +strong tribe, but up to this time they had never been hostile to the +whites; but this deed so enraged the warriors that they came out in a +body and surrounded the emigrants and demanded them to give up the man +who had shot the squaw. Of course, his comrades tried not to give him to +them, but the Indians told them if they did not give the man to them, +they would kill them all. So knowing that the whole train was at the +mercy of the Indians, they gave the man to them. The Indians dragged him +about a hundred yards and tied him to a tree, and then they skinned +him alive and then turned him loose. One of the men told us that the +butchered creature lived about an hour, suffering the most intense +agony. They had just buried him when we rode into the camp. The woman +and some of the men talked about the dreadful thing; one of the men said +it was a comfort to know that he had no family with him here or back +home to grieve at his dreadful death. + +On hearing this remark Jim said, "You are the most lucky outfit I ever +saw. Any other tribe of Indians this side of the Rocky Mountains would +not have left one of you to have told the tale, and it is just such +darned fools as that man that stir up the Indians, to do so much +deviltry." + +Until this time there had been but a few of the emigrants near us. We +were both dressed in buck-skin, and they did not know what to make of +us. The young girls and some of the young men were very shy. They had +never seen anyone dressed in buck-skin before. An elderly woman came +to us and said, "Ain't you two men what they call mountaineers?" Jim +answered, "Yes, marm, I reckon, we are." + +She replied, "Well, if you are, my old man wants you to come and eat +supper with we'ns." + +Jim turned to me and laughed. "Shall we go and eat with them, Willie?" +he asked. I answered, "Yes, let's get acquainted with everybody." + +We went with the old lady to their tent, which was but a few steps from +where we stood. When she had presented us to her old man as she called +him, she said to him, "Jim, I know these men can tell you what to do." +He shook hands with us, saying, "I don't know what in the world we are +going to do. I believe the Indians will kill us all if we try to go any +further, and I know they will if we go back." + +By this time there was quite a crowd around us. + +I said to Jim, "Why don't you tell the people, what we can do for them?" +Jim then said, "why, dog gorn it, this boy and I can take you all +through to California and not be troubled with the Indians if there is +no more durned fools among you to be a-shooting squaws. But you will +have to do just as we tell you to do." And looking over the ground he +asked, "Who is your captain? I want to see him." + +The old man said, "Want to see our Capt'n? We hain't got any capt'n, got +no use for one." Jim then asked, "Who puts out your guards around the +camp at night?" + +"Guards? Didn't know we had to have any." + +Jim looked the astonishment he felt as he said, "Why, dad-blame-it +man, you won't get a hundred miles from here before all of you will be +killed." + +At that moment one of the men said, "Who is this coming?" + +We all looked in the direction he was, and we saw it was Gen. Kerney. +When he rode up to us Bridger said, "Gen., what do you think? These +people have no captain and have no one to guard the camp at night." + +The Gen. answered, "Is that possible? How in the name of god have they +got here without being massacred?" And then, addressing the men that +stood near he said, "Gentlemen, you had better make some arrangement +with my friends here to pilot you across to California; for I assure you +that if these men go with you and you follow their directions, you will +reach your journey's end in safety." + +Just then the Gen. looked down the road, and he said, "Look there!" + +We all looked, and we saw another long train of emigrants coming towards +us. They drove up near us and prepared to go into camp. This was a mixed +train. Some came from Illinois, some from Indiana, and a few families +from the state of Ohio. + +Jim and I mounted our horses and rode with the Gen. down among the new +emigrants. They had heard all about the skinning of the white man and +were terribly excited about it. They asked the Gen. what was best for +them to do. A great many of them wanted to turn and go back. Finally +the Gen. said to them, "Here are two as good men as there are in the +mountains. They are thoroughly reliable and understand the Indians' +habits perfectly. Now, my friends, the best thing you can do is to +organize yourselves into company, select your captain and then make some +arrangement with these men to pilot you through, for I tell you now, +there will be more trouble on the plains this year than has ever been +known before with the Indians. Now gentlemen, we must leave you, but we +will come back in the morning and see what decision you have come to." + +At this time two men stepped up to Jim Bridger and me and said, "Why +can't you two stay all night with us? We've got plenty to eat, and you +both can sleep in our tent." + +Jim answered, "We don't want to sleep in any tent. We've got our +blankets, and we will sleep under that tree," pointing to a tree near +us. + +The Gen. said, "Mr. Bridger, you boys had better stay here tonight, for +you have lots of business to talk over." + +Jim and I dismounted, staked our horses out and went to supper. After +supper Jim said, "Now, you want to get together and elect a captain." + +One man said, "All right, I'll go and notify the entire camp, and we +will call a meeting at once." Which was done. As soon as the crowd +gathered, they called on Jim to tell them what to do. Jim mounted the +tongue of a wagon and said, "Now, men, the first thing to do is to elect +a Captain, and we must take the name of every able-bodied man in this +outfit, for you will have to put out camp guards and picket guards every +night. Now, pick out your men, and I'll put it to a vote." + +Some called for Mr. Davis, and some for Mr. Thomas; both men came +forward. Jim said, "now, Mr. Davis, get up on this wagon tongue and I'll +make a mark, and we'll see if the crowd wants you for their Captain." Jim +took a stick and made a mark on the ground from the wagon tongue clear +out through the crowd. He then said, "All that want Mr. Davis for +Captain will step to the right of this line, and they that favor Mr. +Thomas will keep to the left of the line." About three fourths of the men +stepped to the right of the line, which made Davis Captain. As soon as +Davis was declared Captain, he said, "Now friends, we must hire these +men to escort us to California; if there is anybody here that is not in +favor of this let him say so now." + +But everyone shouted, "Yes! yes!" + +Davis turned to us and said, "What is your price for the trip?" + +Jim said to me, "What do you say, Will?" + +I replied, "It is worth four dollars a day each." + +Jim told the Captain that we would go for four dollars a day to be paid +each of us every Saturday night, and if at the end of the first week we +had not given satisfaction, we would quit. Davis put it to a vote, and +it was carried in our favor. + +The balance of the evening was spent in making arrangements to commence +drilling the men. In the morning Jim said to me, "Now, Will, I'll take +charge of the wagons and you take charge of the scouts." + +I told the Captain that I wanted him to select seven good men that owned +their horses. I wanted to drill them to act as scouts. Jim said, "Yes, +we want to get to drilling every body tomorrow morning." + +We put in four hard days' work at this business, and then we were ready +for the trail, and we pulled out on our long and tedious journey to the +land of gold. + +There were four hundred and eighty-six men and ninety women in the +train, and they had one hundred and forty-eight wagons. Every thing +moved smoothly until we were near the head of the North Platte river. +We were now in the Sioux country, and I began to see a plenty of Indian +sign. Jim and I had arranged that a certain signal meant for him to +corral the wagons at once. As I was crossing the divide at the head +of Sweet Water, I discovered quite a band of Indians coming directly +towards the train, but I did not think they had seen it yet. I rode back +as fast as my horse could carry me. When I saw the train, I signaled +to Jim to corral, and I never saw such a number of wagons corralled so +quickly before or since, as they were. Jim told the women and children +to leave the wagon and go inside the corral, and he told the men to +stand outside with their guns, ready for action, but to hold their fire +until he gave the word, and he said, "When you shoot, shoot to kill; and +do your duty as brave men should." + +In a moment, the Indians were in sight, coming over the hill at full +speed. When they saw the wagons, they gave the war whoop. This scared +the women, and they began to cry and scream and cling to their children. +Jim jumped up on a wagon tongue and shouted at the top of his voice "For +God's sake, women, keep still, or you will all be killed." + +This had the effect that he desired, and there was not a word or sound +out of them. When the Indians were within a hundred yards from us, their +yelling was terrible to hear. + +Jim now said, "Now boys, give it to them, and let the red devils have +something to yell about," and I never saw men stand up and fight better +than these emigrants. They were fighting for their mothers' and wives' +and children's lives, and they did it bravely. In a few minutes the +fight was over, and what was left of the Indians got away in short +order. We did not lose a man, and only one was slightly wounded. There +were sixty-three dead warriors left on the field, and we captured twenty +horses. + +It was six miles from here to the nearest water, so we had to drive that +distance to find a place to camp. We reached the camping ground a little +before sunset. After attending to the teams and stationing the guards +for the night Cap't. Davis came to Jim and me and said, "The ladies want +to give you a reception tonight." + +Jim said, "What for?" Davis replied, "Saving our lives from those +horrible savages." Jim answered, "Why, durn it all, ain't that what you +are paying us for? We just done our duty and no more, as we intend to do +all the way to California." + +By this time there was a dozen women around us. With the others was a +middle-aged woman. She said, "Now, you men with the buck-skin clothes, +come and take supper with us. It is now all ready." + +Jim said, "Come, Willie, let's go and eat, for I am hungry and tired +too." + +While we were eating supper, three or four young ladies came up to us +and asked me if I didn't want to dance. + +"The boys are cleaning off the ground now, and I want you for my first +pardner," she said with a smile and a blush. Jim said, "Will can't dance +anything but the scalp dance." One of the girls said, "What kind of a +dance is that?" + +Jim replied, "If the Indians had got some of your scalps this afternoon +you would have known something about it by this time." + +Jim told them that when the Indians scalped a young girl, they took the +scalp to their wigwam and then gave a dance to show the young squaws +what a brave deed they had done, "and all you girls had better watch out +that they don't have some of your scalps to dance around before you get +to California; but if you wish us to, Will and I will dance the scalp +dance tonight, so you can see how it is done." + +When they had the ground all fixed for the dance, Jim and I took our +handkerchiefs and put them on a couple of sticks, stuck the sticks into +the ground and went through the Indian scalp dance, making all the +hideous motions with jumps and screams, loud enough to start the hair +from its roots, after which Jim explained to them this strange custom, +telling them that if any of them was unfortunate enough to fall into the +Indians' hands this was the performance that would be had around their +scalps. + +The girls said with a shudder they had seen enough of that kind of +dancing without the Indians showing them. The lady who had invited us to +supper said, "Now girls, you see what these men have done for us, they +have saved our lives, and do you realize the obligation we are under to +them? Now let us do everything we can for their comfort until we reach +California." + +And I must say I never saw more kind-hearted people than these men and +women were to us all the way, on this long and dangerous journey. + +We had no more trouble with the Indians until we had crossed Green +river. We were now in the Ute country. At this time the Utes were +considered to be one of the most hostile tribes in the West. That night +Jim asked me what route I thought best to take, by the way of Salt Lake +or Landers Cut Off. I said, "Jim, Landers Cut Off is the shortest and +safest route from the fact that the Indians are in the southern part of +the territory at this time of year, and I do not believe we shall have +much more trouble with them on this trip." Which proved to be true. We +saw no more Indians until we reached the Humbolt river. Just above the +Sink of Humbolt about the middle of the afternoon I saw quite a band of +Indians heading directly for the train. I signaled Jim to corral, which +he did at once. + +In a few moments they were upon us. As we were out on an open prairie, +we had a good sight of the Indians before they reached us; I saw by the +leader's dress that it was a chief that was leading them. His head dress +was composed of eagles' feathers, and he rode some thirty or forty yards +ahead of the other warriors. When in gun shot of me I fired at him and +brought him down. When he fell from his horse the rest of the Indians +wheeled their horses and fled, but the chief was the only one that fell. +As soon as they were gone I took the scalp off the dead chief's head. +When we went into camp that evening, Jim told the emigrants what a great +thing I had done in shooting the chief. "There is no knowing how many +lives he saved by that one shot in the right time." + +Then all the emigrants gathered around me to see the scalp of the +Indian; they had never seen such a sight before; each of the young +ladies wanted a quill from the Indian's head dress; and they asked me +what I would take for one of them; I told them the quills were not for +sale. + +At this time the lady who had invited Jim and me to eat with her so many +times came up to us, and she said, "Girls, I can tell you how you can +get these quills." They all asked at once, "How is that, aunty?" + +"Each one of you give him a kiss for a quill," she laughed, and of all +the blushing I ever saw the young girls that surrounded me beat the +record. Jim grinned and said, "I'll be dog goned if I don't buy the +scalp and the feathers and take all the kisses myself." + +This made a general laugh. I told Jim that he was too selfish, and that +I would not share the kisses with him, that I would give the scalp +to him and the feathers to the elder lady, and she could divide the +feathers among the girls. The girls clapped their hands and shouted, +"Good! good!" + +Jim said that was just his luck, he was always left out in the cold. + +In a few days we were on the top of the Sierra Nevada mountains. We told +the emigrants that they were entirely out of danger and did not need our +services any longer, so we would not put them to any more expense by +going further with them. As this was Saturday evening the emigrants +proposed going into camp until Monday morning and that Jim and I should +stay and visit with them. We accepted the invitation, and Sunday was +passed in pleasant converse with these most agreeable people, and I will +say here that of all the emigrants I ever piloted across the plains none +ever exceeded these men and women in politeness and good nature, not +only to Jim and me, but to each other, for through all that long and +trying journey there was no unkindness shown by any of them, and if we +would have accepted all the provisions they offered us it would have +taken a pack train to have carried it through. Every lady in the train +tried to get up some little extra bite for us to eat on the way back. +The reader may imagine our surprise when Monday morning came and we saw +the amount of stuff they brought to us. Jim said, "Why ladies we haven't +any wagon to haul this stuff, and we have only one pack horse and he can +just pack our blankets and a little more. Besides, we won't have time to +eat these goodies on the road. Supposing the Indians get after us? We +would have to drop them and the red skins would get it all." + +We now packed up and were ready to put out. We mounted our horses, bid +them "good bye" and were off. + +Nothing of interest occurred until we got near Green river. Here we met +Jim Beckwith and Bob Simson. Jim Bridger and I had just gone into camp +when they rode up. After they had shaken hands with us Jim Beckwith +said, "Boys, you are just the parties we are looking for." + +Bridger asked Beckwith what he had been doing and where he had been +since we parted at Bent's Fort last spring. Beckwith replied that he +had been with a train of emigrants just now who were on the way to +California, and they had camped over on Black's Fort. The cholera had +broken out among them soon after they crossed the Platte River, and from +then up to yesterday they had buried more or less every day. There had +been no new cases since yesterday, and they were laying over to let +the people rest and get their strength, and they expected to start out +tomorrow morning, and turning to me Beckwith said, "Will, I want you to +go with us for there is another train of emigrants over on the Salt Lake +route." + +At this time there were two routes between the Green river and the +Humboldt; one by the way of Salt Lake and the other by Lander's Cut off. +Beckwith said, "Those emigrants going by the Salt Lake route have no +guide, and I am afraid when they strike the Humboldt they will all be +massacred, for they will be right in the heart of the Pi-Ute country, +and you know this tribe is on the war path, and I want you to go on and +overtake them and see them safely through, or else stay with this train +and I will go myself and take care of them. We want the two trains to +meet at the mouth of Lone Canyon, and then we will go up Long Canyon to +Honey lake and then cross the Sierra Nevada." + +I turned to Jim Bridger and said, "Jim, what do you think of this +proposition?" + +Jim said he thought it a good thing for me to do; the responsibility +would give me more confidence in myself. "You know, Will, you have +always depended on Carson or me at all times, and this trip will teach +you to depend on yourself." + +I saddled my horse and went with Beckwith back to the emigrants' camp. +It was arranged that I was to take charge of the scouts and Simson to +take charge of the other train, and Beckwith would go on and overtake +the other train, and the train that reached the mouth of Long Canyon +where it empties into Truckey river first must wait for the other train. + +At this point the two trails divided, one going up the Truckey by the +Donna lake route and the other up Long Canyon by Honey lake, the latter +being considered the best route. + +The next morning we pulled out. I had good luck all the way through, +having no trouble with the Indians, arriving at Long Canyon three days +ahead of Jim Beckwith. + +In my train there was an old man with his wife and a son and daughter; +they seemed to be very peculiar dispositioned people, always wanting to +camp by themselves and having nothing to say to any one. When we reached +Long Canyon, Simson told the emigrants that we would wait until the +other train arrived, which news greatly pleased the most of them, but +the old man and his family seemed to be all upset at the idea of laying +over, and the next morning they harnessed up their horses. While they +were doing this, Simson called my attention to them and said, "Let's go +and see what they mean." + +I asked the man what he was going to do with his team. He replied that +he was going to hook them to the wagon and was going to California. I +said, "You certainly are not going to start on such a journey alone, +are you? You are liable to be all killed by the Indians before you get +twenty miles from here." + +The old man shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why, gol darn it, we +hain't seen an Injin in the last three hundred miles, and I don't +believe there is one this side of them mountains," and he pointed +towards the Sierra Nevada mountains. "And if we did meet any they +wouldn't bother us for we hain't got much grub, and our horses is too +poor for them to want." + +I told him, he must not go alone, the road was too dangerous, and +besides the other train might come at any moment, and then we could all +pull out in safety. He said, "I own that wagon and them horses, and I +own pretty much every thing in that wagon and I think I will do just as +I please with them." I insisted on his waiting until the other train +came up, he said, he would not wait any longer, that he was going to go +right now. I left him and walked back to the camp; I asked the men if +any of them had any influence with that old man out there. + +"If you have for god's sake use it and persuade him to not leave us, for +if he starts out alone he, nor any of his family will reach Honey lake +alive." + +Just then one of the men said, "I have known that man ten years and I +know that all the advice all these people could give him would be wasted +breath and the less said to him the better it will be." + +I then went back to Simson who had charge of the wagons and said to him, +"What shall we do with that old man? He is hitching up to leave us which +will be sure death to him and his family. If he goes had we not better +take his team away from him and save his life and his family's?" + +Simson said, he would consult with the other men and see what they +thought about it. After he had talked with the other men a short time, +twenty or thirty of them went out where the old man was hitching up his +team. What they said to him I do not know. When I got to him he was +about ready to pull out; he said, "I'm going now and you men can come +when you please and I don't give a D'. whether you come at all of not." + +This was the last we ever saw of the old man or his son. + +Three days later Jim Bridger arrived with his train, and then we all +pulled out together by the way of Honey lake. The first night after +leaving camp Jim Bridger, Simson and myself had a talk about the old man +who had left us. Jim said. "I don't suppose we shall ever hear of him +again," and turning to me he said, "Will, it will take us two days to go +to Honey Lake; now tomorrow morning suppose you pick out of your scout +force eight good men, take two days' rations and your blankets with you +and rush on ahead to the Lake and see if you can find them. It may be +possible that some of them are alive, but I don't think you will find +one of them. Now, Will, be careful and don't take any desperate chances; +if you find they have been taken prisoners keep track of them until we +get there." + +The next morning I and my men were off bright and early. We reached the +lake about three o'clock in the afternoon, where we struck the lake +there was scattering timber for quite a ways up and down and here we +found the old man's wagon. The wagon cover, his tent, and his team, were +gone; his cooking utensils were setting around the fire which was still +burning. Almost every thing was gone from the wagon, but there was +no sign of a fight. Neither could we see any white men's tracks; but +moccasin tracks were plenty. We sat down and ate our luncheon: as soon +as we finished eating we started to trail the Indians to find out what +had become of the whites. We had gone but a short distance when I +discovered the tracks of the two women; then we knew that they had been +captured by the Indians. I said, "I want you men to take this side of +the ridge and watch for Indians all the time, and you must watch me +also; when you see me throw up my hat come at once and be sure to not +shout, but signal to each other by whistling or holding up your hands +and be sure to have your signals understood among yourselves. And +another thing I want to say to you, if you see any Indian, signal to me, +at once. Now I am going to take the trail of these white women, and if I +need your assistance I will signal, and you must all get to me as quick +as possible." + +All being understood I started on the trail of the white women. I hadn't +followed the trail over a half a mile, when I saw one of the men running +towards me at full speed; when he reached me he said, "We have found a +dead man, and he is stuck full of arrows." + +I mounted my horse and accompanied him to where the body lay. I +recognized it at once; it was the son of the old man who had left us +three days before. His clothes were gone except his shirt and pants, +and his body was almost filled with arrows. I said, "This is one of the +party, and the other is a prisoner, or we shall find his body not +far from here. Let us scatter out and search this grove of timber +thoroughly; perhaps we may find the other body; and be careful to watch +out for the Indians, for they are liable to run upon us any time." + +We had not gone more than two hundred yards before we found the old +man's body; it was laying behind a log with every indication of a +hand-to-hand fight. One arrow was stuck in his body near the heart, and +there were several tomahawk's wounds on the head and shoulders, which +showed that he died game. + +It was getting late in the afternoon so I proposed to the men that we +take the bodies back to where we had found their camp, as we had no way +of burying the bodies in a decent manner, we had to wait until the train +came up to us. We laid the bodies side by side under a tree and then we +went into camp for the night as there was good grass for the horses. We +staked them out close to camp. We had seen no Indians all day, so we did +not think it necessary to put out guards around the camp that night, and +we all laid down and went to sleep. + +The next morning we were up and had an early breakfast; that done, I +said, "Now, men I want two of you to go back and meet Bridger and tell +him what we have found and pilot him here to this camp, and he will +attend to the burying of these bodies; I would rather you should choose +among your selves who shall go back." + +One man by the name of Boyd and another whose name was Taluck said they +would go. These men were both from Missouri; I then told them to tell +Bridger that I was a going to start on the trail of the white women at +once, and for him to camp here and that he would hear from me tonight, +whether I found them or not. + +The rest of the men and I started on the trail; three went on one side +and three on the other, and I took the trail; I cautioned the men to +keep a sharp look out for the Indians all the time, and if they saw any +Indians to signal to me at once. I had followed the trail some five or +six miles when it led me to a little stream of water in a small grove of +timber. Here I found where the Indians had camped; the fire was still +burning which convinced me that the Indians had camped there the night +before. I also saw where the two women had been tied to a tree. I +followed them a short distance and saw that the band we were following +had met a larger band, and they had all gone off together in a northerly +direction. We were now near the north end of Honey lake, and I had about +given up hopes of ever seeing the women again, but I did not tell my +thoughts to my companions. The trail was so plain that I now mounted my +horse; we followed at a pretty rapid gate two or three miles, when we +saw that a few tracks had turned directly towards the lake. I dismounted +and examined them and found the two shoe tracks went with the small +party. I was now convinced that this was a party of squaws going to the +lake to fish; and I felt more encouraged to keep up the pursuit. We were +within a mile of the lake at this time. We rode as fast as we could and +keep the trail in sight. We soon came in sight of the lake; looking to +the right I saw a small band of squaws building a fire. I called the men +to me and told them that I believed the women we were looking for were +with those squaws, and if they were, I thought we could rescue them. + +"I think our best plan will be to ride slowly until they see us and then +make a dash as fast as our horses can carry us; if the white women are +with them, we will ride right up to them, if they are tied I will jump +down and cut them loose," and pointing at two of the men I said, "You +two men will take them up behind you and take the lead back, and the +rest of us will protect you." + +We did not ride much farther before the squaws discovered us at which +they began to shout, "Hyha," which meant "They're coming they're +coming." + +In a moment we were in their midst, and sure enough the women were there +and tied fast to a small tree, a short distance from where the squaws +were building the fire. + +What happened in the next few minutes I could never describe. The +women knew me at once and with cries and laughter, touching, beyond +description greeted me. + +In an instant I was off my horse and cutting them loose from the tree, +at the same time the men were circling around us with guns cocked ready +to shoot the first squaw that interfered with us. + +To my great surprise I did not see a bow or arrow among them or a +tomahawk either; as quick as I had the women loose I helped them up +behind the men I had selected to take them away from captivity back to +meet the train. As soon as we had left them of all the noise I ever +heard those squaws made the worst. I think they did this so the bucks +might know that they had lost their captives and might come to their +assistance. Where the bucks were I never knew. After riding four or five +miles we slacked our speed, and the women began telling us how the whole +thing had occurred. It seemed they had got to the camping ground early +in the afternoon of the second day after leaving us and instead of +staking out their horses they turned them loose, and about dusk the old +man and his son went out to look for the horses, were gone a couple of +hours and came back without them. This made them all very uneasy. The +next morning just at break of day the old man and his son took their +guns and started out again to hunt for their horses, and the mother and +daughter made a fire and cooked breakfast. The sun was about an hour +high, and they were sitting near the fire waiting for the men to come +back when they heard the report of a gun; they thought the men were +coming back and were shooting some game. They had no idea there was an +Indian near them. In the course of a half an hour they heard the second +shot, and in a few minutes the Indians were upon them, and they knew +that the men were both dead, because the Indians had both of their guns +and were holding them up and yelling and dancing with fiendish glee. The +Indians grabbed them and tied their hands behind them and then they tore +down their tent, took the wagon cover off and everything out of the +wagon that they could carry off. + +"The bucks did the things up in bundles, and the squaws packed them on +their backs, and they were expecting every minute to be killed. After +the squaws had gone the bucks ate everything they could find that was +cooked, and the squaws that you found us with made us go with them to +the north end of the lake and there they camped that night. They tied us +with our backs to a little tree; we could not lay down and what little +sleep we got we took sitting up; we had not had a bit of breakfast that +morning when the Indians came upon us; it was all ready, and we were +waiting for our men folks to come back, and we have had nothing since, +but a little piece of broiled fish with no salt on it." + +Until now I had not said anything about our finding the dead bodies of +their men, I thought it better to tell them now rather than wait until +we reached camp, as I thought the shock would be less when they came to +see the condition they were in. + +Before I had finished telling the condition of the bodies when we found +them, I was afraid the young lady would faint, she seemed to take the +horrid news much harder than her mother did. + +When we got to camp we found that Bridger had been there some two hours +ahead of us and had men digging the graves and others tearing up the +wagon box to make coffins to bury the bodies in. + +We took the women to a family they were acquainted with and left them in +their care. After they had been given something to eat they went where +the bodies lay and looked at them, and with sobs of bitter grief bent +over them; which made my heart ache in sympathy for them in their +loneliness. + +The next morning we laid them away into their lonely graves in as decent +a manner as we could, and in sadness left them. + +Through the influence of Jim Bridger arrangements were made with two +families to take these two ladies with them to California. Just before +noon Jim came to me and said, "We will stay here until tomorrow morning; +I would like you to take four or five men who have good horses and go +around the north end of the lake and find out, if you can, if the Piutes +are gathering together in a large band. It is about the time of year for +the Piutes to leave this part of the country, but if they are gathering +in a large band they are bent on giving us trouble, and we will have to +make preparations to defend our selves. In three days more if we have +good luck we shall be out of the hostile Indian country." + +We had an early dinner and four others and myself set out for the head +of the lake, we rode hard all that afternoon and to our great surprise +we never saw an Indian. We passed a number of camps where they had been, +but their trails all showed that they had pulled out for the north. +Seeing this we turned back and struck the emigrant trail about ten miles +from where Jim was camped. Just as we struck the emigrants trail I +looked off to the south about a quarter of a mile and saw nine head of +horses, and they were heading in the same direction we were going. I +called the other men's attention to them and said, "Let's capture those +Indian ponies." You may imagine our surprise when we got near them to +find they were not Indian ponies but good American horses and several of +them had collar marks on them showing that they had been worked lately. +We drove them on to camp, and when we put them in the corral we found +them to be perfectly gentle. Bridger and the balance of the men came to +see them, and every man had his own view where they had come from. But +we never knew for certain whom they belonged to. The next morning we +pulled out very early. The third day we crossed the Sierra Nevada +mountains without any thing of interest happening to us. In two days +more we reached the Sacramento river. We were now about forty miles +above Sacramento City, California. We camped here about the middle of +the afternoon. It being Saturday Jim thought we would rest the balance +of the day. After we had eaten our dinner Jim called all the men of the +train together and told them that they were out of all danger now from +the Indians and would have no further use for a guide and that our +contract with them was ended, and that he and I would like to start back +for New Mexico Monday morning. In a short time they settled up with us, +paying us our due with grateful thanks for our care of them on their +dangerous journey. I now went to the men who were with me when I found +the horses. I said, "Some of those horses belong to you, how many do you +want?" + +They all looked surprised, and one said, "They are not our horses, they +are yours. You found them." + +I answered, "Now, boys, that is not fair; drive them up and let me +select three and you may have the balance to divide as you choose among +you." + +This seemed to please them; and they drove the horses up at once. I +chose the three I liked best, and I afterwards found them all to be good +saddle horses. Bridger and I now went to work making our pack saddles +and getting ready for our long and tedious journey back to New Mexico, a +journey where wild beasts and still wilder savages might lurk behind +any tree or bush, a journey where at that time all one could see for +hundreds of miles was thick forests, and trackless prairies; a journey +of danger and fatigue which the people of this later day of rapid travel +could not be made to understand. + +The next morning after breakfast was over a man came to me and said, +Mrs. Lynch and her daughter Lizzie would like to see me. These were the +two ladies I had rescued from the Indians. I had not spoken to them +since I left them with Bridger at the camp near Honey Lake. As I came +near to the elder lady she came to meet me and holding out her hand, +clasping mine she said, "Are you going to leave us tomorrow?" + +I answered, "That is what we intended to do." + +She then burst into tears, and amid her sobs said, "We can never pay you +for what you have done for us." + +At this moment the young girl appeared, and as she gave me her hand her +mother said, "He is going to leave us, and we can never pay him for what +he has done for us"; at this the girl commenced to cry too and it was +some minutes before I could talk to them. When they had quieted down I +said, "Ladies, you owe me nothing, I only done my duty, and I would +do the same thing over again for you or any one else under the +circumstances that existed." Then the elder lady said, "If it hadn't +been for you we might never have seen a white person again." + +I asked her, what state they were from. She said they came from Wright +country, Missouri, and that she had a brother there that was amply able +to come and take them back, but she would not ask him to do so for she +never wanted to cross the plains again. She said she had a few dollars +left that the Indians didn't get, and she thought Lizzie and she could +find something to do to get a living. I gave them all the encouragement +I could, bid them good bye and went back to Jim. + +By the time dinner was ready Jim and I had our pack saddles and every +thing ready to put on our horses. While we were eating dinner as many as +thirty ladies came to us to inquire what they could give us to take with +us to eat on our journey. I was amused at Bridger. After each lady had +told what she had to give us, some had cakes, some had pie, and some +had boiled meat and some had bread; Jim straightened up and said, "Why +dog-gorn it ladies, we ain't got no wagon and we couldn't take one if we +had one the route we are going which will be through the mountains all +the way with no road or trail. We are going horse back and we can only +take about a hundred pounds on our pack horses. Now, ladies, we are a +thousand times obliged to you all but all we want is some bread and a +little meat, enough to do us a couple of days, and then we will be where +we can shoot all the meat we want; it is a poor hunter that could not +get enough grub for himself in the country we are going through." + +The next morning when we were getting ready to start the women commenced +bringing in bread and meat for us and we had to take enough to last us +a week, we could not take less without hurting their feelings. When we +were all ready to start, the whole company came to bid us "good bye." +Men and women, old and young, all came, and amid hand clasps from the +men and tears and smiles from the women we mounted our horses and were +off. + +We followed the trail we had come, back as far as Truckey river, and +just below where Reno stands now, we met the remnant of an emigrant +train and according to their story they had had nothing but trouble from +the time they struck the head of Bitter Creek until the day before we +met them. They said they had lost twenty seven men and fourteen women +and a number of cattle and horses. They were very much surprised when we +told them of the train we had just piloted through to California without +losing one that staid with us. We told them of the dreadful fate of old +Mr. Lynch and his son. + +As night was coming on we camped in company with these people. Next +morning we crossed Truckey river and struck out in a south east +direction, leaving the site where Virginia city now stands a little to +our right going by the sink of the Carson River. Here we camped and laid +over one day to give our horses a rest. Before we left here we filled +our canteens with water. Bridger told me that for the next fifty miles +it was the poorest watered country in the United States. Said he: "There +is plenty of water, but it is so full of alkali it is not fit to drink; +it is dangerous for both men and beasts." + +Jim took the lead all day, and when we came to a little stream of water +he would get down and taste the water while I held the horses to keep +them from drinking. It was about four o'clock that afternoon before we +found water that was fit to drink; here we camped for the night. + +Jim said, "From this on we may look for Indians; we are now in the Ute +country and tomorrow night we will be in the Apache country. Now we must +avoid the large streams for the Apaches are almost always to be found +near the large streams at this time of year. Their hunting season is +about over now, and they go to the large streams to catch fish and for +the benefit of a milder climate. If we keep on the high ridges and +mountains away from the large streams we will have no trouble with +the Indians and what is better for us we can get all the game we want +without any exertion." + +The next day we were traveling along on a high ridge in the south east +corner of what is now the State of Nevada. We looked off to the south at +a little valley that was perhaps a half a mile from us, and there we saw +a grand sight. There must have been at least a hundred elk and amongst +them two very large old bucks fighting. Their horns were something +immense, and strange to say all the rest of the band stood still, +watching the fight. At last Jim said, "Will, I believe I will break up +that fight." + +He jumped to the ground, raised his gun and fired. At the sound of the +gun all of the band ran away except the two who were fighting. I laughed +and said, "Jim, I thought you were going to stop that fight." + +He replied, "Give me your gun, and I will stop it." + +This time I handed him my gun, and he squatted down and took a rest on +his knee and fired. At the crack of the gun one of the elks fell to his +knees, but got up and ran for all that was in him, and that was the last +we saw of the elk. I told Jim he had spoilt the fun, and we had got no +meat out of it. He grinned and said, "Oh durn it that old elk was too +old to eat any way." + +We went on and camped at the head of a little stream that emptied into +Green river. The sun was perhaps an hour high, when we went into camp. +As soon as we had staked out our horses Jim said, "Now Will, I will get +the supper, if you will go out and see if you can get some meat." + +I answered, "That suits me to a T. Jim." + +I took my gun and started for a little ridge. I had not gone over a +hundred yards when I saw five deer coming directly towards me. Among +them were two spring fawns. I dropped down at the root of a tree and +waited until they came to within fifty yards of me; I then fired and +broke one of the fawns' necks, and the rest of the flock came near +running over me, and over Jim also. I picked up my fawn and went back to +camp. Jim said, "I don't want you to go hunting anymore Will." + +I said, "Why not?" He said, "If you do I shall have to stand guard over +the camp to keep the deer from tramping every thing we have into the +ground"; and he pointed to the tracks of the deer not ten feet from the +fire. This convinced us that these deer had never heard the report of a +gun before. We were now in the extreme south east end of Nevada, and I +don't imagine a white man had ever been through that part of the country +before. On this trip we traveled some twelve or fifteen hundred miles, +and we never saw a white person the whole way, and not even the sign of +one. + +At this time when a little more than a half of a century has passed +there are portions of this same country that could not be rode over from +the fact that it is all fenced in and cultivated. If we had been told +then that we would live to see railroads crossing every part of this +country we would have thought the person insane to ever think of such a +thing at a time when there was not a foot of rail-road as far west as +Missouri. + +We had broiled venison for supper that night, the first we had eaten for +some time, and the reader may be sure we enjoyed it. + +Next morning we pulled out of here quite early and crossed Green river +just above the mouth of Blue River. We were now in the greatest game +country I had ever seen then or ever have seen since. We traveled up +this stream three days, and I do not think there was a half an hour at +any one time that we were out of sight of game of some kind. There was +the Bison which is a species of Buffalo, Elk, Deer, Black Bear, and +Antelope. We crossed the main divide of the Rocky Mountains at the head +of the Arkansas River. That night we camped within a few miles of what +since has become the far-famed camp and now city of Leadville. + +We were now out of the hostile Indian country, and so we did not have to +be so cautious in traveling days or camping at night. + +While we were traveling down the Arkansas river I saw a sight I had +never seen before and never have since. Two Buck Deer locked fast +together by their horns. I had been told of such things and have since, +but that is the only time I ever saw it myself. We were very near them +before we saw them. They were in a little open prairie. I called Jim's +attention to them as soon as I saw them. He said, "I'll be gol durned if +that ain't the second time I ever saw such a sight, and now we will have +some fun out of them bucks." + +We dismounted and walked up near them, and by the looks of the ground +which was torn and tramped for quite a distance we decided that they +had been in that condition quite a while. Jim said, "How in the plague, +Will, are we going to get these critters apart? They are too plaguey +poor to eat, so we don't want to kill them, and they will die if we +leave them in this fix; what shall we do, Will?" + +I thought a minute and said, "Can't we take our little ax and chop one +of their horns off?" + +He said, "I hadn't thought of that, but bring me the ax and I will try +it." + +I ran to the pack horse and got the ax. He said, "Now you go back to the +horses; for if I get them loose they may want to fight us." + +So I went to the horses and looked back to see what Jim was doing. He +went up to them with the ax drawn ready to strike but it was quite a bit +before they were quiet enough for him to get a good hit at them. At last +he made a strike and down went one of the deer. Instead of striking +the deer's horn he struck him right back of the horn and killed him +instantly; when Jim saw what he had done he made another hit at the dead +buck's horn and freed the live one, which ran thirty or forty yards and +stopped and turned around and shook his head at us a half a dozen times +and then he trotted away as if nothing had happened. + +Jim laughed and said, "He never stopped to thank us, did he? Well he +ain't much different from some people." I said, "Why, Jim he meant +"thank you" when he shook his head at us; that is all the way he could +say it, you know," to which he replied, "Well, I saved one of them any +way." + +Nothing occurred of interest from this time on until we reached our +journey's end at Taos, New Mexico. Here we found Uncle Kit and his wife +both enjoying good health and a warm welcome for his boy Willie, and his +old friend Jim Bridger. + +After supper that night we told Uncle Kit that we had traveled from the +Sacramento river, California to Taos, New Mexico in thirty-three days, +and that we never saw a hostile Indian on the trip, and neither had had +any trouble of any kind to detain us a half an hour on the whole trip. +He said, "That is a wonderful story to hear, when there are so many wild +Indians in that part of the country. Now boys tell me what route you +came." + +We marked out the route by different streams and mountains. He looked at +the map we had drawn and said, "I will venture to say there is not two +men in all the country that could make that trip over that route and get +through alive. I will say again, boys, it is some thing wonderful to +think of, and you must have been protected by a higher power than your +selves to get through in safety." + +We staid with Uncle Kit a couple of weeks and rested up, and then we +struck out for Bent's Fort to make up our crew to go to our trapping +ground for our winter's work. + +Uncle Kit accompanied us to Bent's Fort; and all the trappers were +anxious to get in his employ from the fact that the report had gone out +that the Sioux and the Utes were on the war path, and all the trappers +knew that these two tribes were the strongest hostile tribes in the +west, and when fifty miles from Bent's Fort we never knew that we were +safe and the trappers all had confidence in Uncle Kit's judgment that he +seldom made a mistake in locating his trapping ground, and further +more he had more influence with the Indians than any other man in the +country, so they worked rather for him than take chances with any one +else. + +The next morning after we reached Bent's Fort I heard Mr. Bent and Mr. +Roubidoux talking with Carson in regard to the trappers. Mr. Bent said, +"Carson, I wish you would take as many as you can handle, for they all +have an Indian scare on them and are afraid to go out, and every one of +them is indebted to us for board now; and we can not afford to support +them if they loaf around here all winter," to which Carson replied, "I +can handle five or six of them, and that is all I want, I can not afford +to take men out in the mountains and board them all winter for nothing." +After thinking a minute Carson asked, "How many of the men have their +own traps and blankets?" + +Mr. Roubidoux said, he thought nearly all of the trappers at the Fort +had their own trapping outfits with them. Carson said he would think +it over and see what he could do for them. That afternoon Carson and +Bridger had a talk with regard to how many men they should take with +them. Uncle Kit said, "We haven't horses enough to carry more than +three or four besides us three." Bridger said, "That will not make any +difference, if they want to go they can foot it from here to the head of +South Platte as that's where we are going to trap this winter; and when +they are through in the spring they can foot it back again. We have +nine pack horses besides our saddle horses, and we can pack out to the +trapping grounds, an outfit for five or six men besides our own all in +good shape." + +That afternoon Uncle Kit and Bridger made arrangements with six men +to go with us to the head of South Platte to trap Beaver that winter. +Carson and Bridger agreed to furnish them with flour, coffee, salt, and +tobacco for which Carson and Bridger were to have half of the furs that +each man caught, Carson and Bridger to pack the grub and every thing +else out to the trapping ground and also to pack the furs and all their +other things back to Bent's Fort in the Spring. After Carson and Bridger +had selected the six men they wanted, it seemed as though all the +trappers at the Fort wanted to go with them. Carson told them he had +engaged all he could handle. The next two days we spent in getting ready +to go to our trapping grounds. On the morning of the third day every +thing in readiness we bid farewell to all the people at the Fort and +struck out for the trapping grounds and our winter's work. The men +that had to walk did not wait for us but started as soon as they had +breakfast. + +Uncle Kit told them where we would camp the first night. They got there +before we did, and they had killed the fattest deer I ever saw and had +killed a Cub Bear. They were skinning them when we got to camp. The deer +was a spike buck and when he was skinned he was as white as a sheep +from pure fat. The reader may be sure we were not long in unpacking and +getting ready for supper; every one was tired and hungry for we had not +had any thing to eat since morning. For my supper I roasted two of the +cub's feet, and I have never enjoyed a meal since that tasted better. +While we were eating Jim Bridger looked at me and said, "Will, you have +the best of me tonight, but when we get to the Beaver grounds I'll have +a Beaver's tail roasted for my supper and then I'll be even with you." + +I never saw a band of men enjoy a meal more than those men did that +night. In this climate people have better appetites than any climate I +have ever been. I think the reason for this was the air was so pure and +invigorating and it naturally required more food to sustain the body and +keep it in good health, and at that time sickness was very rare in that +part of the country. It would seem unreasonable to tell how much meat a +man ate at one meal, especially when out on a trip like this when he was +out in the open air all the time, night as well as day. + +The third day after leaving this camp we struck the South Platte river, +and now we had another change of meat, which was mountain sheep. This is +in my opinion the best wild game that roams the forest. + +We made an early camp that night and Uncle Kit said to Jim Bridger and +me, "You two boys get the meat for supper and the rest of us will look +after the horses." We picked up our guns and started up the river; we +had not gone far when in looking up on a high bluff we saw a band of +mountain sheep. Jim said, "Now if we can reach that little canyon," and +he pointed to one just ahead of us, "without them fellows seeing us we +will sure have something good for supper." This we succeeded in doing +and then we crawled around until we were within fifty yards of our game. +We selected a couple of spring lambs and fired and brought them both +down. When the men at the camp heard the firing a couple of the men came +running to help us bring our game to camp. We soon had it dressed and +ready for cooking, and it was good and every one of the men ate as if +they enjoyed it as much as I did. While we were eating supper Jim told +us a story of his coming in contact with a panther that had just killed +a sheep, and he said it was a miracle that it did not kill him. He was +coming down a bluff on a little trail and as good luck had it he had +his gun in his hand. The panther had the sheep behind a rock and as the +panther sprang at him he fired and broke its neck. + +"It was the luckiest shot I ever fired," said he, "for if I had not had +my gun all ready to fire he would have torn me to pieces before I could +have helped myself." + +Uncle Kit said, "Well, Jim, you were in about as close a place as I got +into once. I went out from my camp fire one night perhaps forty yards to +a small tree. I didn't have any pistol or gun with me, I had nothing but +my hunting knife to protect myself with when a half-grown panther sprang +out of the tree on me and, maybe you think I didn't have a lively time +there with him for a few minutes, but I finally got the best of him by +cutting him almost to pieces. He tore my buck skin breeches and coat +pretty near off me and left this scar on my arm before I finished him," +and Carson pulled his sleeve up and showed us a scar that must have been +torn almost to the bone. + +Two days from this we reached the place where we made our headquarters +for the winter. That night the men talked it over and made their plans +how many should camp together. They agreed that there should be three in +each camp as there were nine of us in all. That made the number even in +each camp. Next morning they all put out leaving me to look out for the +horses and things in general. + +For the benefit of the reader I will explain how we arranged a camp +where a number of men were associated together in trapping beaver. We +built our camps about four miles apart which gave each camp two miles +square to work on, and this was ample room, for this was a new field and +Beaver was as thick as rats around a wharf. + +While they were gone I took my gun and started out to take a little +stroll around where the horses were feeding. I had gone but a short +distance when I looked up. On a mountain, north of me I saw a band of +elk with perhaps seventy five or a hundred in it, and they were coming +directly towards me; I was satisfied in my mind that they were going to +the river to get water. I dropped down behind a log and waited for them +to come close to me. The nearest one was twenty yards from me when I +fired. I shot at a two-year-old heifer and broke her neck. I then went +back to camp to see if any of the men had come in as it was near noon. I +thought some of them would be back and sure enough in a few minutes they +all came together; I told them what I had done, and Uncle Kit said, "Jim +and I will get dinner and the balance of you go and help Willie bring in +his cow." + +We found her in fine condition. We soon had her skinned and in camp, and +we found dinner ready when we got back. After dinner Uncle Kit said, +"Come boys let's pack up and move to our camp which is only about a half +a mile from here, and tomorrow, while Jim and me are at work on our +shanty, Willie can help you to move to your quarters, and you can be +building your shanties, so we can get to work as soon as possible." + +We gathered every thing together and moved it to the ground where we +were going to make our winter quarters, and Uncle Kit and Jim selected +the place to build our cabin, and the men all turned to and went to +chopping the logs and putting up the cabin. By night the body of the +cabin was almost up, but the reader must bear in mind that this was not +a very large house. It was ten feet one way, and twelve the other, with +a fire place built in one corner. They built the walls of the shack +seven foot high and then covered it with small poles, covered the poles +with fine bows and then there was from six to eight inches of dirt +packed on them and the cracks were stuffed with mud. The door was split +out of logs called puncheons and was fastened together with wooden pins, +driven into holes, bored with an auger. This way of building a house +to live in through the winter may seem strange to the readers who are +accustomed to all the luxuries of the modern home of civilization; but +we considered our cabin very good quarters, and we were very comfortable +that winter. + +The first morning after we were settled in our new home we commenced +setting traps for Beaver. Jim Bridger was the lucky man of the whole +outfit in catching Beaver all that winter. Each man had twelve traps +which was called a string, and a number of times that winter Bridger had +a beaver in every one of his traps in the morning. I had watched him set +his traps many times and I tried to imitate him in every particular, but +I never had the luck he had. + +Uncle Kit told me a number of times that winter that it was a good +trapper that made an average of catching five Beaver a day, during the +trapping season. We were all very successful this winter. Beaver was +very plentiful, as there had never been any trappers in this part of +the country before, and besides that was an exceptional good winter for +trapping. The winter was quite cold, but there was not much snow all +winter for that country. We stayed here and trapped until the very last +of March, and when we had the furs all baled and ready for packing we +found we did not have horses enough to take them all out at one time, so +Uncle Kit and Jim Bridger packed the seven horses and rode the other two +and struck out for Bent's Fort, telling us they would come back as soon +as they could make the trip; and to our surprise they were back on the +tenth day. + +We had everything ready for them to break up camp when they came back, +and we had all we could carry the second time. All of the nine horses +were packed, and we all had to walk to Bent's Fort. + +After we left the Platte we took up a stream called Sand Creek which +leads to the divide between the Platte and the Arkansas rivers. After +we camped that night Carson said to the boys, "Now we have had a pretty +good variety of meat this winter, but we haven't had any antelope, but +we are in the greatest country for antelope in the west now. Can't one +of you boys kill one tomorrow for supper? But I am sorry for Jim and +Will for Jim can't get a Beaver's tail off of it, and there won't be any +bear's foot for Will to eat." + +Jim answered, "You needn't worry about Will and me, for we may make you +sorry twice, for when we get at the Antelope there may not be enough for +the balance of you." + +After breakfast next morning two of the men struck ahead in order to get +the antelope. Near the trail about ten o'clock we overtook them, and +they had killed two nice young antelope. One said that if they had +had ammunition enough with them they could have loaded the train with +antelope. That day we saw a number of bands of antelope, and I venture +to say there were as many as eight hundred or a thousand in each band. + +At supper that night Jim Bridger and I convinced Uncle Kit that we had +not lost our appetite, if we didn't have Beaver's tail and Bear's foot +for supper. + +The second day after leaving this camp we landed at Bent's Fort about +the middle of the afternoon. That evening and all the next day Carson +and Bridger were counting the pelts and paying off the men for the furs +they had trapped during the winter. Each man had a mark of his own which +he put on all his hides as he took them off the animal. I noticed one +man always clipped the left ear; that was his mark. Having a private +mark for each man saved a great deal of trouble and dispute when the +time came to separate the furs and give each man his due. + +I heard Carson and Bridger talking after they had settled with the men, +and Bridger said, "We have done twice as well as I expected we would do +the past winter." + +Carson answered, "Jim, we had an extra good crew of men. Every man +worked for all that was in him and when they earned a dollar for +themselves they earned one for us. I am more than satisfied with our +winter's work and what it brought us." + +He then asked Jim and me what we intended to do that summer; Jim +answered, "We are going back to Fort Kerney to pilot emigrants across to +California, and it is time we were off now, for I believe by the first +of May there will be lots of emigrants there, and we want to get there, +and get the first train out, and if it is possible we are going to make +two trips across the plains this season." + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The next morning Carson left Bent's Fort taking his four horses with +him going to his home at Taos, New Mexico, and Jim and I, taking five +horses, pulled out for Fort Kerney. Nothing of interest happened to us +on the way; and we made the trip in eleven days. As soon as we got to +the Fort, we called on the General; he was very glad to see us, and +invited us to stay all night with him. We accepted his invitation. That +evening at supper General Kerney mentioned my rescuing the two women at +the head of Honey Lake the year before; he recounted the incident very +much as it took place. + +I said to him, "General, how in the name of common sense did you hear of +all that?" + +He said, "Why the eastern papers have been full of it; and it will be +the best thing for you two men that could have happened; for no doubt +there will be hundreds of people here on their way to California, and +when they see you two men who are the heroes of that expedition they +will all want your services to pilot them across the plains, and I +assure you if there is any thing I can do to assist either of you in any +way I am more than willing to do it. I heard yesterday that there were +several small trains on the way coming from St. Joe, and they will be +here in a few days, so you are in good time to catch the first of +them, and I want you both to stay right here with me until you make +arrangements to leave for California. We will take a trip down the road +every day, and if there are any emigrants coming we will meet them." + +[Illustration: The first thing we knew the whole number that we had +first seen was upon us.] + +After breakfast next morning an orderly brought in our horses, all +saddled, the General's as well as ours. We all mounted and started down +the road. We had made five or six miles when we saw an emigrant train +coming towards us. The General said, "Look, boys, there they come now. +Let me do the talking." + +The General had his uniform on, and Jim and I were dressed in buck-skin +from head to foot, and we were a rather conspicuous trio, as we rode up +to them. There were six or eight men on horse back, riding ahead of the +train. As we met them the General saluted them. One of the men said, "Is +this the commander at the Fort?" + +The General answered, "I am. My name is Kerney." + +One of the men said, "General, can you tell us whether the Indians are +on the war path or not between here and Salt Lake?" + +The General answered, "I surely can. Every tribe of Indians between here +and the Sierra Nevada mountains is on the war path, and the emigrants +who get through this year without losing their lives or their stock may +consider themselves lucky," and pointing to Jim and me, he continued. +"These two men took a train through last year and only lost two men and +would not have lost them if they had obeyed orders." + +One of the men asked, "Are these the men that piloted a train across and +had the trouble at Honey Lake last year?" + +The General answered, "Yes, sir, they are, and that boy sitting on that +iron gray horse is the boy that planned and led the rescue of the two +women from the Indians." + +One asked, "Are these the two men the papers said so much about last +fall? I think one was named Jim Bridger and the other's name was William +Drannan." + +General Kerney smiled and answered, "Yes, these are the very men." + +By this time the train had come up, and the other men of the company +gathered around us and being told who we were they all shook hands with +us, besides a great many of the ladies got out of the wagons and came to +us offering their hands. The people were all from Missouri and Illinois. +A man by the name of Tullock from Missouri asked us what we would charge +to pilot their train to California. Jim Bridger turned to me and said, +"Will, what do you think it would be worth?" + +I said to the man who had asked the question, "Drive on about five +miles, and you will find a little creek and plenty of grass. Go into +camp there and select five or ten men to act as a committee, and we will +be there at four o'clock to meet you. You must give your committee full +power to deal with us. The committee must know the number of wagons, +the number of men, and the number of grown women; it will be more +satisfactory to you as well as to us to deal with a few men than for the +whole train to take a part in the business." + +This plan seemed to meet with the approval of the men, so General +Kerney, Jim Bridger and I left them and rode back to the Fort. On the +way back the General asked Bridger how much he meant to charge the +emigrants to take the train across. + +Bridger said, "What do you say, Will?" + +I answered, "Jim, I look at it this way, we are held responsible for +the people's lives as well as their stock to get them to California in +safety; just think of the responsibility we are assuming; and as far as +I am concerned I will not undertake the job for less then four dollars a +day." + +Bridger answered, "That settles it, Will, that's just my price." + +The General said, "I think you are very moderate in your charges; I +should think they would jump at such a chance; for I assure you, you +will have your hands full day and night." + +After we had eaten our dinner at the Fort Gen. Kerney accompanied +us back to the emigrant's camp. On our arriving there we found the +committee waiting to receive us. Mr. Tullock introduced us to the +others, and then said, "We want you to tell us what amount of money you +will charge us to pilot us across the plains to California." + +I said, "Gentlemen, I want to ask you a few questions before I answer +yours; how many wagons have you in this train?" Mr. Tullock answered, +"Sixty four." "How many men?" "One hundred and forty-eight." "How many +women?" "Sixty four." + +I then said, "I will now answer your question as to our price. If we +take charge of this train from here to California our price will be four +dollars a day to each of us, with this understanding that Mr. Bridger +has entire charge of the wagons both day and night, and I to have the +charge of the scout force. Now, gentlemen, I don't suppose any of you +know what the duty of a scout is, and I will explain it to you. Twenty +miles from here we will strike a country where all the Indians are +hostile, and for the next twelve hundred miles they are all on the war +path; now, if we undertake this job we shall want twelve good men to +help me in scouting; each of the twelve to be mounted, and our duty will +be to protect the train; three men to ride in the rear of the train and +three on each side, each three to keep about a half a mile from the +train, and the other three in the lead, and the duty of these scouts +will be when they see Indians coming towards the train to notify Mr. +Bridger at once, so he can corral the wagons to protect the women and +children and the stock, and my duty will be to ride to the highest hills +on either side of the road to keep a lookout for Indians all through the +day, and at night to watch for their camp fires. Now, gentlemen, I have +told you our terms and if you decide to employ us, it will take four or +five days to drill the outfit so it will be safe for us to start on this +long and dangerous journey. Now, it is for you to say what you will do." + +Gen. Kerney then spoke for the first time. "Let me say a word, +gentlemen. These men know every camping ground and every watering place +and also every Indian run way from here to the Sierra Nevada mountains, +and you could not find better men for guides on the frontier, and the +price they ask for the dangerous service they will give you is the least +you can expect to give." + +The committee walked away from us a short distance, and talked among +them selves about a half an hour, and then came to us, and said they +would accept our offer. Bridger then said, "Now gentlemen I want you +to pick out twelve men that are not afraid to ride alone and have +number-one eyesight and good hearing, for no doubt there will be many +times when the fate of the whole train will depend on these twelve men. +Will will start in to train them tomorrow morning if they are ready, and +he will tell them and show them just what they have got to do; and I +want every teamster to have his team hooked to his wagon by nine o'clock +in the morning. It is not necessary for you to take down your tents or +move any of your camp equipage at all; for I will drill the teamsters +out on that little prairie yonder," and he pointed to a clear space a +little ways up the road. + +After these arrangements were made General Kerney went back to the Fort, +and Jim and I staid at the emigrants' camp that night, so we could be up +early the next morning to commence our work of drilling the men for the +coming trip. My men reported to me soon after breakfast, and they were +all fairly well mounted and well armed, each man having a pistol and +a rifle. We mounted our horses and rode about a half a mile away from +camp. We stopped and I explained to them what we had to do. After +showing them and drilling them about two hours I asked them if any of +them had ever shot from his horse's back. They said they never had; +neither had they ever seen any one shoot that way. I went a short +distance to a tree and made a cross mark with my knife. I then said to +them, "Now, my men I will show you what you must learn to do." + +I then rode a hundred yards from the tree I had marked, turned my horse, +put spurs to him and had him running at his best. When I came near the +tree, I fired my pistol and also my rifle as I passed the tree and +didn't miss the mark over a foot with either shot. When I returned the +men were examining the bullet holes I had put in the tree. One of them +said, "That is wonderful shooting. But what seems to be a mystery is how +you can use both your gun and your pistol so near together." + +I showed them how it was done, and then I said to them, "You will have +to practice this way of shooting when fighting with the Indians. They +never stand up and fight like a white man does, and if they should +attack us they will be on horse back, as that is their general mode of +fighting, and you are liable to meet them any moment, and you will be in +a country some of the time where you can not see a hundred yards ahead +of you, and you must always be prepared to give them a warm reception. +When we come out here this afternoon I want you to all try your hand at +shooting the way I have just done, from off your horse's back with him +on the run." + +I met Jim at dinner, and asked him what success he had training his +teamsters. He answered, "Why, we will get there bye and bye, for every +man tries to do his best." + +At that moment two of the committee came to where Jim and I stood +talking and said, "There is another large train of emigrants in sight. +What are you going to do with them?" + +"I don't intend to do any thing with them," Jim answered. "It is the +business of you men of the committee to look after them, but if they +join this train they will have to bear their share of the expense, the +same as you do." + +One of the men asked how much extra we would charge to take the other +train under our protection. Jim answered, "If there are forty wagons or +over that number, we will require one dollar a day extra and that will +lighten the expense on this train, and they must comply with all the +rules this train does; and if they are going to join us, I want them to +do so at once, for I want to get away from here day after tomorrow." + +The man said he would attend to the matter at once, which he did, and +all of the new train joined us with the exception of four wagons and +eleven men. These eleven men claimed they could take care of themselves +at all times and in every place, and they pulled out alone. + +The train over which Jim and I had control now numbered one hundred and +four wagons, and we had to work day and night to get them in shape to +start out on the road. We left there the third day after taking charge +of the train. That afternoon when I took my scouts out to practice +shooting, I had considerable sport at their expense. They were all +perfectly willing to try their guns and pistols, but they wanted some +one to take the lead. No one was willing to be the first one to shoot. +So I said, "I will settle the matter this way. I will call the name of a +man, and he must take his place and shoot." The first man I called rode +out saying, "I have never shot from the back of a horse." I answered, +"Well, there is always a first time for everything, and the quicker you +start in the sooner you will learn." + +He rode off a short distance, whirled his horse and started for the +tree. When he got to within a few steps of the mark he fired his pistol, +and made a very good shot, but the report of the pistol frightened his +horse, and he wheeled and ran in the opposite direction of the one he +was going, and he had run about two hundred yards before he could stop +him. When the man rode back and saw the shot he had made, he felt +encouraged, and said, "I want to try that over again." + +I answered, "All right, load your pistol and try again, and I will ride +by your side and perhaps that will quiet your horse." + +This time he did fine for a green hand at that way of shooting. The next +man I called on fired his pistol before he got near the tree, and his +horse commenced to jump, and he dropped his gun. At that moment Gen. +Kerney rode up to us and said to the man, "That is one time, young man, +when if you had been in an Indian fight you might have lost your scalp +and you surely would have lost your gun. You must do better than that. +You must all take an interest in what Mr. Drannan is trying to teach you +to do, for you will need all the knowledge you can get to protect not +only your selves but the whole train before you get to California. The +Indians are all on the war path and you are liable to have a brush with +them any day after you leave Fort Kerney, and Mr. Drannan is fully +competent to teach you how to meet them, if you will follow his +instructions." + +After talking a little longer to the men the Gen. rode away; and I was +glad to see that his advice had a good effect on the men; they all +seemed anxious to try their hand at shooting instead of being backward +as they had been before, and I heard one of them remark to another, +"Say, man, we have got to learn to shoot from our horses for that +General knows what he is talking about, and now let's get in and learn +as quick as we can." + +After they had all had a try single handed at the mark on the tree I +said, "Now men, we will take a shot all together." + +I then made a mark on the ground, about twenty steps from the tree we +had been shooting at. I then said to them, "We will go back to our +starting place," which was about two hundred yards, "then we will form +in, line, and we will make a dash as fast as our horses can carry us. +When we reach this mark I have made on the ground I will shout, "Fire!" +and every man must be ready to fire together, and be careful that you +keep in line together; for if you break your ranks in an Indian fight +you are almost sure to lose the battle; this drill will train your +horses at the same time it is training you." + +We rode back, formed in line, and made the charge, and I was very much +surprised at the way the men all acquitted them selves. When I gave the +word "fire," the report was almost as one sound, so close were their +shots together. I went up to the tree and I found that every man had the +mark. I told them that they had done exceptionally well. + +"It is getting near night, so we will go back to camp and after supper +we will practice signaling for one to use in case of danger to the +others." + +When we got back to camp Bridger had just finished corralling the whole +train, and I was surprised to see how neatly it was done considering the +short time they had been drilling; I asked Jim when he would be ready +to pull out. He answered, "I am going to order an early breakfast for +tomorrow morning; and we will pull out as soon as we can after we have +eaten it. I want to make it to the crossing of the Platte tomorrow, and +it will take us all of the next day to cross the river, and as the river +has commenced to rise, the quicker we get across it, the better it will +be for us; after we cross the Platte we will have no more trouble with +high water until we get to Green river." + +After supper I got my scouts together, and we went outside of the +corral; we all sat down on a log. I then asked them if any of them could +mimic a Coyote; they all looked at me a moment, and then one said, "I +don't think any of us ever saw a Coyote. What are they? What do they +look like?" + +I could not help laughing, for I thought everyone knew what a Coyote +was. I told them that a Coyote was a species of Wolf, not as dangerous +as the Grey Wolf but three of them could make more noise than all the +dogs around the camp could, and I said, "You will see them in droves +between here and California, being so numerous the Indians pay no +attention to them; and we scouts often use the howl of a Coyote as a +signal to each other because this noise will not attract the attention +of the Indians; I will now show you how the Coyote howls." + +I then gave two or three yelps mimicking the Coyote, and before I had +given the yelp the Coyotes answered me. They were about two hundred +yards from us in the brush. Some of the men jumped to their feet +exclaiming, "What was that?" + +When I could stop laughing I told them those were my Coyote friends, +answering me. + +The Coyotes and I kept up the howling several minutes, and quite a crowd +of men and women gathered around me, listening to the noise, and they +all wanted to know what it was that I was mimicking. Before I could +answer them Jim Bridger, who had come near unobserved by me, said, +"Will, suppose we give them the double howl?" + +I said, "All right," and we howled together just a few times when the +Coyotes in the brush turned loose and such howling I never had heard +before in all my experience among them. A number of the women rushed up +to Jim and me, frightened nearly into spasms, crying, "oh, is there any +danger, of those dreadful beasts attacking the camp?" + +Jim laughed heartily and assured them there was no danger as the Coyote +was the greatest coward in the forest and would run at the sight of a +man. I told the men that they would not have any scout duty to do until +after we crossed the Platte river, so we could all ride along the trail +together and practice the coyote signal, for they would need to know it +as soon as they crossed the Platte river. + +The next morning we were astir very early, had our breakfast and were on +the road. A little after sunrise that morning, just as we were pulling +out, Jim said to me, "When we are within five or six miles of the Platte +I want you to go on ahead of the train and select a camping ground as +near the crossing of the river as you can; for if we camp near the +crossing we can get the train over the river very much quicker than we +can if we camp a distance back." + +I left them in time to reach the river an hour before the train and had +good luck selecting a place to camp not a quarter of a mile from the +crossing. I found a little grove of timber with a beautiful little +stream of water running through it which I thought was just the place +for us to camp that night. I went back and reported to Jim. He said, +"Why, I ought to have remembered that little grove, but I clean forgot +it." + +As soon as Jim had corralled the train, we turned our horses over to the +herders and struck out down to the river to see what condition the water +was in, and to our satisfaction we found that it had just commenced to +rise. Jim said, "As soon as you have eaten breakfast in the morning, +Will, I wish you would ride down here and cross the river and see if the +ford is clear of quick sand. If there is nothing of that kind to bother +us we ought to get the whole outfit over by noon." + +When we returned to camp supper was ready. While Jim and I were eating, +about a dozen ladies came to us; among them was an old lady who said, +"Can't you men coax the wolves to howl again to night?" + +Jim answered, "Yes, but I will bet my old boots that before another week +has passed you will want us to stop their howling so you can sleep," to +which she answered, "Well, where do they live? We don't see or hear them +in the day time." + +Jim told her that the Coyotes stayed in hollow logs or caves or in thick +brush in the day time anywhere out of sight. Just at that moment a +Coyote yelped; he was up the river a short distance and for the next two +hours there was a continual howl. I asked the old lady if she thought +the wolves needed any coaxing to make them yelp. She said, no, she +guessed, Mr. Bridger was right when he said they were noisy. Early in +the morning I did not wait for breakfast but mounted my horse and went +down to the river. I crossed it at the ford to ascertain whether there +was quick sand in the ford enough to interfere with the crossing of the +emigrant train. + +I will here explain to the reader that it was very necessary to examine +the fords of the Platte river, as it was a treacherous stream in the way +of quick sand, but this time I found nothing in the way to interfere +with our crossing. When I got back to camp they were just sitting down +to breakfast. I told Jim that there would be no trouble in crossing the +river, to which he replied, "All right, when we get ready to cross I +want you to lead the train. We will cross twenty-five wagons at a time, +and I will have all the mounted men ride on each side of the wagons to +keep the teams in their places." + +We were successful in landing all the wagons in safety and were all on +the other side by eleven o'clock. I asked Jim where we should camp that +night; he asked me how far it was to Quaking Asp Grove. I told him I +thought it was about nine miles to that place. + +He said, "Well, I think we can make it there in good season and that +will be a good place to camp." + +I now instructed my scouts what their duty was, and we pulled out, I +taking the lead from one to two and a half miles ahead of the train. + +Late that afternoon I discovered considerable Indian signs where they +had crossed the main trail. I followed their trail quite a way and +decided that they had passed that way about two days before. + +After we went into camp I rode to the top of a high hill about a mile +away to look for Indian camp fires. I was soon convinced that there were +no Indians near us and started back to camp. I had got within a quarter +of a mile of the camp when I saw two men sitting on a log just ahead of +me; I rode up to them, and when I spoke to them I recognized them as two +of the eleven that left us with the four wagons at Fort Kerney. I said +to them, "Men, what are you doing here, and where are your teams and the +rest of the men who went with you?" + +They answered, "The rest of the men are all dead, killed by the Indians +night before last; we made our escape by running off in the dark, and we +haven't had a bite to eat since supper that night, and in fact we did +not have much supper then, for the savages came on us when we were +eating." + +I said, "What became of your wagons and teams?" + +They said they did not know what became of them, for they made their +escape as soon as the Indians came upon them; that they ran a little +ways and stopped and listened to the cries of the others as long as +there were any left, and then wandering around through the woods ever +since, not knowing where they were or what would become of them, and +they continued, "We sat down here because we were so weak we could go no +further." + +One then asked where the rest of the train was. I replied, pointing, "It +is about a quarter of a mile over there." + +At that, one said to the other, "Let's go and get something to eat." I +showed them the way to the train, and as they were intimately acquainted +with some of the emigrants they soon had their hunger appeased. + +While they were eating, they told us their experience. Three or four +miles before they camped for the night they saw the Indians. There were +at least seventy-five of them. They were on the north side of the road. +They would come close to the road and then disappear again. + +"We tried to get near to talk to them, but they ran away as if they were +afraid of us. When we camped that evening there were about twenty-five +of them on a hill not more than a hundred and fifty yards from us. Two +of the men started to go up to them, but they ran away, and that was the +last we saw of them, and so we made up our minds that they had gone, and +we thought no more about them. It was good and dark when we sat down to +supper, and how so many of them came upon us without making any noise is +a mystery to us. The first thing we knew, the whole number we had first +seen was upon us, and of all the noise, the yells and whoops we ever +heard, they made the worst. If they had come up out of the ground, we +would not have been more surprised, and the arrows were flying in every +direction. As it happened we two were sitting a little away from the +rest of the men eating our supper, and at their first yell we jumped up +and made for the nearest brush; our guns were all in the wagons, and +the Indians were between us and the wagons, so we had no way to defend +ourselves. We went a little ways into the brush, and then we looked back +and saw the Indians using their tomahawks on the men we had left, and in +a few minutes all the noise was over and we supposed all the nine were +killed." + +Jim Bridger then said, "You two men are the luckiest chaps I ever heard +of. You may be sure that the Indians did not see you that night, or they +would have trailed you up and had your scalps before the next morning." + +One of the committee men came to where Jim and I were sitting and said, +"What shall we do about finding and burying those bodies?" + +Jim answered, "That, sir, is your business, not ours. It is our business +to see that the people under our care do not meet with the same fate +these men have met, and I do not intend to put the lives of all this +train in danger by stopping to hunt for the remains of men who refused +with scorn to stay with us and share the protection we offered them; +they brought the trouble and their own deaths on them selves, but I will +say this, if any of you men want to hunt for these bodies and take the +time to bury them, I have no objection, but you must understand that +when you get outside of the scout force we shall not be responsible for +any thing that may happen to you." + +At that moment more than twenty men spoke together, saying, "Mr. Bridger +is right, Mr. Bridger is right; he proposes to do just what he agreed to +do, and no one can blame him." One of the men then asked if we would be +willing to stop long enough to bury the bodies if we found them; Jim +said, "We have no objections to stopping if it is a suitable place to +make our camp, but if it isn't we can't afford to lose the time, as we +must make certain places to camp every day, for we are now in a hostile +Indian country, and in order to protect our selves we must camp in +certain places, for without we take this care this train will not be in +existence a week, and Will and I feel the responsibility that rests upon +us, for the lives of your women and children as well as your own are in +our hands." + +At this moment a middle-aged lady who stood near us with the tears +running down her cheeks said, "Why don't you let Mr. Bridger and Mr. +Drannan have their way? You see what these other men came to by not +obeying their orders, and do you want to bring us all to the predicament +they are in?" At this Jim said, "I'll be dog goned if they will." + +This settled the controversy for the time being. + +That evening before we turned in for the night Jim and I talked the +matter over together; and we decided that after I put out the scouts in +the morning I would take ten men all mounted on horses and keeping about +five miles ahead of the train, and if we found the bodies I should set +the men I had with me to work digging graves, and I should turn back and +report to Jim what we had found, and the condition we found them in. + +As soon as possible the next morning the men I had selected and myself +pulled out. We had made eight or nine miles when we found the bodies we +were looking for. They were all laying near together, around what had +been their camp fire, and all of them were scalped. + +There was nothing about them to indicate that they had made any effort +to protect themselves. Every one of the heads was split, showing they +had been tomahawked, proving what the two survivors had told us about +the suddenness of the attack to be correct. We found their wagons nearly +empty. The covers had been torn off, the most of the bedding was gone +and some of their clothing. The eatables such as bacon and flour and +dried fruit was laying on the ground. I told the men I thought the best +way to bury them would be to dig one large grave and put them all into +it, and they seemed to be of the same mind. After helping to select a +spot for the grave, I left them and rode back to meet the train and +report our find. I told Jim all about the condition of things at the +dead men's camp, at which he said, "I guess we had better stop there a +couple of hours, which will give us time to bury the dead, and we can +reach our camping ground before night." + +On reaching the place Jim corralled the train, and he then went to all +the families and told them that two hours was as long as we should stop +there. I said, "I will take a stroll around through the brush and see if +I can find some of their cattle." + +I hadn't gone more than a quarter of a mile when I found twelve head of +their oxen. When I drove them back to the wagons, the two men said they +were just half of the original number. They yoked them up and hooked +them to two of the wagons and took what they wanted of the provisions +and clothes and left the rest laying on the ground. As we were about to +leave Jim said, "It is too dog goned bad to leave all that grub for the +Coyotes to eat. That meat and flour will be worth fifty cents a pound +when you get to California." + +Then several of the men and women commenced to gather up the stuff, the +men carrying the flour and the women the bacon, and they soon had it all +stowed away in their wagons. + +Having laid the dead away in the best manner we could under the +circumstances, and every thing else being in readiness, we pulled out +for Barrel Springs. I told Jim not to look for me until about dark, as +I intended to climb the tall hills that we could see in the distance to +look for Indian camp fires. This being understood, my twelve scouts and +myself left the train in Jim's care. After giving the eleven scouts +their orders, I took the other one with me and took the lead. Nothing of +interest occurred until we had nearly reached the place where we were to +camp that night. Happening to look up on a high ridge to the north of +us, I saw a large band of Buffalo coming towards us, and I thought by +the lay of the ground that they must pass through the spot where we were +going to camp. I said to my companion, "Let's hitch our horses and get +those trees," pointing to a little grove of timber, which stood near the +springs. "Those Buffalo are going to come down there, and we want to get +as many of them as possible. Now don't shoot until they are opposite us, +and then aim to break their neck every time, and load and shoot as fast +as you can after you commence." + +We only had a few minutes to wait. When we reached the timber, the +Buffalos were opposite us. They were within thirty feet of us. We both +fired and two Buffaloes fell. Now it was a race to see who could load +first. I was the quickest and got the next one. They were now on the +stampede, and it was a sight to see the number that was passing us. I +got three of them with my rifle and one with my pistol. My companion +shot three with his rifle. The one I shot with my pistol I don't think +was over ten feet from me when she fell. She was the nicest little +two-year-old heifer I had ever killed, and her meat was almost as tender +as chicken. We went to work dressing them and had them pretty well +underway when the train arrived. + +Barrel Springs was one of the prettiest places for a camping ground I +ever saw. It was in a small, open prairie, surrounded by scattering +timber, a stream of cool and pure sparkling water running through the +center, and the grass was almost to the horses' knees. + +As soon as Jim had corralled the train, he rode to where we were at work +and said, "Boys, I'll be gol durned if this ain't one of the times, you +done two good jobs at once." + +I said, "How is that, Jim?" + +He answered, "In the first place you provided meat for our supper, and +in the next, you drove the Buffalos off so we have plenty of grass for +the stock for their supper." + +By this time nearly all the women were standing around us. This was the +first Buffalo they had ever seen and they were a great curiosity to +them. With the rest was a middle-aged lady, and with her she had two +daughters nearly grown. The mother stood near me watching me work. + +She said, "Mr. Drannan, may I have a piece of that yearling's hind +quarter? I will tell you what I want to do with it; my girls and I have +picked a lot of wild onions today, and I want to make a stew, and we +want you and Mr. Bridger to come to our tent and eat supper." + +I assured her she could have all the meat she wanted from my little +heifer. One of the girls ran to their wagon to get an ax and her father +to come and chop it off for them. By this time the men had about +finished dressing the Buffalo, and every body helped themselves to what +part they wanted. There was plenty for all, and some of the rough part +left over. It did not seem long to me when one of the girls came to Jim +and me and told us that her mother had sent for us to come and take +supper with them, and I think that was one of the times we did justice +to a meal, for a stew with onions was a rare dish for us woodsmen, and +a woman to cook it was a still more rare occasion. As soon as we had +finished eating, Jim stood up and in a loud voice said, "Ladies, how +many of you can dance?" + +I think there were as many as twenty-five answered, "I can dance." + +Jim said, "All right, get ready, and after dark we will have lots of +music." + +One of the men asked, "Where are you going to get your music?" + +Jim answered, "Why dog gone it, Will and Mr. Henderson have engaged a +band to play for us to night." + +And in a few moments the band struck up in a Coyote howl, and Jim +laughed and said, "There, didn't I promise you a band? Isn't that +music?" And from then until midnight the howling never ceased. It was +something fearful to listen to. The smell of the Buffalo blood made them +wild, and they howled worse then usual that night. A great number of the +emigrants did not lay down until after midnight, and time after time +asked me if I thought there was any danger of them attacking the camp. +I told them there was no danger from them, and that if I knew there +weren't any Indians within twenty miles of us I could stop their yelling +in five minutes. They asked how that was possible. I told them that if +I was sure there were no Indians in hearing, I would fire my gun off a +time or two, and we would hear no more of the Coyotes at night. After +midnight they quieted down and every one went to sleep, except the +guards who watched the camp. + +Jim and I were up very early the next morning and called all the others +to have an early breakfast, telling them we had to make twenty miles +that day to get to water and grass so we could camp that night. As soon +as breakfast was over Jim said to the women, "Now ladies, you won't have +any more music to dance to for the next three nights, for you will see +no more Buffalo, hear no more Coyotes, or see any Indians until we cross +Green River." + +Several of the ladies said they would be glad if they never heard any +more Coyotes howl. They did not like that kind of music to dance to, or +to be kept awake all night listening to them either. + +For the next three days everything passed along smoothly; when we +reached Green River, it was rising rapidly, and we had a great deal of +trouble crossing it. We had to hitch three teams to one wagon and six +and eight men had to ride each side to keep the teams straight. + +Green River is a mountain stream and flows very rapidly, and at this +place was very narrow, and if the team should get ten feet below the +Ford they would be lost so swift is the current. We worked hard two days +getting everything across the river, but we got everything over in good +shape at last. + +That night, after supper was over, we told all the people of the train +to be ready for starting on the road by sunrise in the morning, as we +had a long drive before us and it was all gradually uphill at that. +Several of the women asked when we were going to give them some more +Buffalo meat. Jim burst out laughing and asked them if they wanted some +more music to dance to. One girl said, "Have we got to have music every +time we have Buffalo meat?" + +Jim told her that for the next two weeks we would have music every night +whether we had Buffalo meat or not, and very likely there would be times +we would hear Indian yells during the day. + +"By that time," he said, "we shall be in the Ute country, and they are +the meanest tribe of Indians in the west, and we may look for trouble +with them any moment, day or night." And addressing the men he said, +"I want you to keep your guns loaded and ready for use at a moment's +warning, and you must stay with the wagons, all but the scouts, who will +be under Will's control, for if they attack us I want to give them as +warm a reception as we possibly can, for if we whip them in the first +battle, that will settle it with that bunch. They will not trouble us +again." + +The next night we camped at Soda Springs. There were three springs close +together. Two of them were mineral, one strong with soda, and the other +was very salt, and the third one was pure cold water. As soon as the +wagons were corralled, several of the young girls took buckets and +started for the springs to get water, and as luck had it they all went +to the Soda spring. Not one of them had ever even heard of a soda spring +until they tried this one. They had not had any water to drink since +noon and were very thirsty, so drank very heartily without stopping to +taste, but as soon as the water was down, there was a cry from as many +as had drunk, and they all ran back to the wagons, screaming, "oh! oh! I +am poisoned, oh! What shall I do?" And with their hands pressed to their +breasts and the gas bursting from nose and mouth they did make a sad +sight to those who did not understand the effects of soda springs, but +to Jim and me it was very amusing, for we knew they were in no danger of +poison. + +Some of the sufferers cried as well as screamed. I could not speak for +laughing, for I remembered my own first experience in drinking from a +soda spring, but Jim told them they were not poisoned and told them what +kind of water they had drunk. In a few moments all the crowd was at the +soda spring, drinking its poison water as the girls still called it. The +older women asked what they should do for water to cook with. I pointed +to the salt spring and told them to go and get water from that if they +had fresh meat to cook, and the water would salt it and for coffee I +pointed to the spring of water farthest from us, and I told the girls +they could drink all the water they wanted from that spring and not have +to make such faces as they did after they drank the soda. One of the +girls said she reckoned I would have made a face if I had felt as she +did. Jim stood near us with a smile on his lips, which I knew meant +mischief of some sort. He said. "Will, why don't you tell the girls how +you enjoyed your first drink of soda water?" And seeing how I blushed, +for my face was burning, he said, "I guess I had better tell them +myself. I don't think you know how comical you looked." And in the most +ridiculous way he could think of he described how I looked and acted on +that to me never-to-be-forgotten occasion, "My first drink from a soda +spring." + +I have been told there is a large town at this place now, and that it is +a great resort for the sick. They use this salt water, which I forgot to +say was also hot as well as salt, for bathing, and is considered a great +cure for many diseases. + +[Illustration: Waving my hat, I dashed into the midst of the band.] + + + +CHAPTER IV + +The next morning we pulled out of this place by the way of Landers. +That afternoon about two o'clock I saw a small band of Indians coming +directly towards us. They were about a mile away when I first saw them. +I rode to the foot of a little hill which was close to me at the time I +saw them. I dismounted from my horse and tied him to a sage brush, and +then I crept to the top of the hill to see how many there were of them. +I watched them until they were within a half a mile of my hiding place; +I then counted thirty. I took them to be a hunting party by the way they +were traveling. I signaled to my scouts to come to me at once. When they +reached me, the Indians were less than a quarter of a mile from me. I +told them what was coming down the ravine and told them to see that +their guns and pistols were in order, "for, as soon as they round that +little point yonder, we will charge on them, and we will kill every one +we can. Now, don't shoot until we get within thirty yards of them. I +will say, "fire," then I want every man to get an Indian. Now don't get +rattled, but shoot to kill and shout as loud as you can. It don't make +any difference what you say, only make as big a noise as you can, and as +soon as you empty your guns, pull your pistols and go after them." + +In a moment more the time had come to act, and when I said, "Charge," +every man responded and did his duty. I had been in several Indian +fights before, but I never saw Indians so taken by surprise as this band +was. They did not draw their arrows or run, until we had fired into +them, and after they turned to run, they had gone at least two hundred +yards, before I saw them try to shoot an arrow. + +We got fourteen of them in the first charge, and inside of three hundred +yards we got six more. The remainder had reached the thick brush, so we +let them go. + +We now commenced catching the horses. We caught sixteen horses, and they +all had good hair ropes around their necks. We tied them all together, +and I left them in charge of two men, and the rest of us went to take +the scalps of the Indians, and I was surprised to find when I said, "We +will take the scalps of these Indians," that the men did not know what +I meant. I showed them how to take the scalps off, and then they asked +what I was going to do with them. I told them I was going to give them +to Jim Bridger, and he would make guards out of them. "Jim wouldn't take +the biggest hundred dollar bill you could offer him for these scalps, +when he gets his hands on them." + +One of the men said, "What will Bridger do with them horrid bloody +things?" + +I told him to just wait until night and then Jim would explain the use +they would be to him. I tied the scalps to my saddle, left two men to +care for the horses we had captured and biding the others to follow me I +struck out for the place where we were to camp that night. + +Jim told me that night how surprised the emigrants were when the train +came to the men who had charge of the horses, and seeing the bodies of +the dead Indians. + +He said, "I had to let them stop the train a few minutes so they could +all look at them." He said, "Some of the women wanted to know what +had become of the hair off the top of their heads. I told them that I +reckoned Will had taken them to give to me." + +"And what are you going to do with those horrid Indians' hair?" one +woman inquired. + +"I am going to protect you and the rest of the train with them," he +answered her. + +The place we had picked out for camping ground that night was Sage +Creek. There was no timber in sight as far as one could see; there was +nothing to see but sage brush, but there was plenty of good water and +fine grass. + +We had been riding around looking for signs of Indians, so we did not +reach the camping ground until Jim had the wagons corralled. I gave him +the scalps I had taken and I told him I was going to get some meat for +supper. He said, "What have you found? Bison or Antelope?" + +I answered, "There are four or five hundred head of Antelope over beyond +that hill yonder," and I pointed to the ridge a short distance from +camp, "and I think I can take my scouts with me, and we can get an +Antelope apiece and get back here before sundown." Jim answered, "All +right, Will. I busy myself by hanging up my scalps while you are gone." + +My men and I struck out up a ravine that led up close to where the +Antelope were feeding; we were screened from their sight by the high +banks. When we were close enough to them we dismounted and tied our +horses to some bush. I then crawled up the bank alone to see just where +the Antelope were, and to my surprise I found that there were two or +three hundred of them feeding almost on the edge of the ravine in close +gunshot to us. I slipped back down the bank and got to the boys as quick +as possible and told them that the Antelope were on the top of the bank +in close gun shot of us. We scattered along down the ravine for perhaps +a hundred yards. I took my handkerchief out of my pocket and told them I +would tie it around my ramrod. "And now don't any of you shoot until +you see this red handkerchief waving, for the color being red it will +attract their attention, and you will see more heads looking towards it +then you ever saw in your life before. Now take good aim and be sure +and hit your game, and as soon as you have emptied your guns pull your +pistols and get some more while they are running away; we ought to get +at least twenty Antelope out of this band." + +When I waved the handkerchief, it seemed as if every rifle cracked at +once, and it was a lively time for a few minutes for all of us. When we +counted the Antelope we found we had shot twenty-two. We each took an +Antelope in front of us on our horses and put out for camp. When we got +there we unloaded, and some of the men that were at the camp commenced +dressing them and cutting them up in pieces to cook, while the other +boys went back to get those we had left where we killed them. + +The women had the fires burning when the meat was ready for cooking, +and when supper was ready all the Antelope were dressed and distributed +around among the emigrants, and there was enough to last until the +second day. + +Jim had cut long sticks and had hung the scalps on the wagons so they +could be seen quite a distance away. After he had them all fixed, he and +I were standing together talking, he telling me the effect the sight of +the dead Indians had on the emigrants and especially when they saw that +their scalps had been taken off. + +Two of the women came to us and invited us to eat supper with them at +their tent. I will here explain to the reader that every family in the +train had their own separate tent and cooked at their own fire. Jim and +I accepted the invitation as we always did of the first that invited us +to each meal. + +As we finished eating it seemed as though all the women of the train +gathered around us. There was one old lady in the crowd who seemed to be +the one selected to do the talking. She said, "Mr. Bridger, I want you +to tell me truly, don't you think it was awfully wicked to cut those +scalps off those Indians' heads and then hang the dreadful, bloody +things up on the wagons for us to look at?" and the tears were in her +eyes as she finished her question. + +Jim replied, "The best thing that has been done since we started on this +trip is killing those Indians, and better still taking their scalps. I +did not hang those scalps up on your wagons for you to look at. I hung +them up for the Indians that are alive to look at, and I will tell you +this, the Indians will never attack the train as long as they see those +same bloody things hanging there, for they will think they will lose +their own scalps, if they do. I would rather have these Indian scalps +to protect you with than a hundred of the best soldiers in the United +States Army. The Indian does not fear death, but he dreads the thought +of having his scalps taken off his head, for it is the Indian's belief +that he cannot enter the happy hunting grounds after death if his scalp +has been taken off his head, and I want to impress on your minds that if +this train should be attacked, every one of you that fell into the hands +of the Indians, it would not matter whether they be men or women, would +have their scalps torn off, and the same scalps would be hanging up on +the Indians' wigwams for the squaws to dance around, and I want all you +ladies to distinctly understand that Will Drannan or myself will do +nothing while we have charge of this train but what will be of benefit +to you all, and will bear the strictest investigation." + +By this time everyone in the train had surrounded us, and turning to the +men of the train, Jim continued, "If any of you are dissatisfied with +our actions, now is the time to say so, and we will quit right here, and +I will guarantee that the Indians will have all of your scalps before +you are a hundred miles from here." + +At this moment the committee came to us and said, "We want you two men +to understand that there is no fault to be found with what you have done +since you took charge of this train. We realize that every move you have +made has been for our benefit. Mr. Bridger, you have no doubt found out +long before this time that in a large company like this, everyone can +not be satisfied. No matter how hard you may try to please them, there +will still be some growlers and, pardon me for saying, there are cranks +among the women as well as among men." + +At this the old lady who had called Bridger wicked stepped up to Jim and +said, "Mr. Bridger, I hope you will excuse me, for what I said. I will +admit that I did not know what I was talking about, and if you will +forgive me this time I will find no more fault with you." + +Jim made no reply to the lady's remarks, but turning to the rest of the +company he said, "Now get ready to have a good dance tonight, for we are +going to have lots of music, for the Coyotes will smell the blood of the +Indians on one side of us and that of the Antelope on the other side, so +there will be music from a double band." + +This was the last word of complaint that was expressed, while we +were with this train. Everyone seemed satisfied, and all things went +pleasantly from this time on. But talk about Coyotes' howling. This was +one of the nights when they did howl. They came so close to us that we +could hear them snap their teeth. Apparently there were hundreds of them +around us. + +After leaving this camp we had no more trouble for two days. The second +night we camped on a little stream which was a tributary to Snake river. +In the morning before we camped at this place, I told Jim when I left +him with my scouts that he need not expect to see me until supper time. +"You know, Jim, that we are in the heart of the Ute country, and I shall +prospect every hill or ravine where there is liable to be found signs of +Indians." + +That evening it was perhaps a couple of miles before we got to the camp +and a mile or so away from the other scouts, I ran on three wagons +standing right in the middle of the road. After examining them a few +minutes, I came to the conclusion that they had been standing where they +were all winter. I saw that there had been ox-teams attached to them +some time, but there was no sign of yokes there. The covers were still +on the wagons, so I got off my horse and climbed into one of them. I +found some flour and probably three hundred pounds of bacon in the three +wagons. There was no bedding, but some clothing for both men and women, +which was quite old and worn. On the front gate of one of the wagons I +found considerable blood, and there was blood on the tongue of the same +wagon. I now made an examination of the ground to see if there were any +signs of a fight. After I had looked around some time, I was convinced +that the owners of the wagons, whoever they had been, had been massacred +by the Indians. + +About forty steps from the wagons I found the remains of three people. +One was a large body, that of a man, and one a medium size, which I took +for the body of a woman, and the other was a small child. All there was +left of them was their bones and some hair, the Wolves having stripped +the flesh entirely from them. + +I signaled to my scouts to come to me. As soon as they came, I told them +to take all the grub out of the wagons and put it in a pile, and I would +go back and meet the train and have three men appointed to distribute +the stuff among the families. I told the boys that there were two trunks +in the wagons and to break them open and see what was in them. + +They did so and found them full of women's clothes, some of the garments +of very nice material. I rode back and met the train and told Jim what I +had found, and what I thought we had best do. + +He selected three men to divide the provisions among the families of the +train. I never inquired what they did with the clothes that was in the +trunks. + +We hunted all around in every direction, but we could find no more +bodies, so if there had been others, the Indians must have taken them +into captivity or, what was more likely, the Coyotes had dragged them +away into the brush beyond our reach. + +After the emigrants had stored the provisions in their wagons, we went +on to the place we had selected for a camping ground for that night. I +preceded the train a half a mile, and I found plenty of Indian signs, +but they were all old. All their trails were pointing south that night. +I asked Jim why all the Indians were going south this time of the year. +He told me that they were going to hunt big game such as Buffalo, Bison +and Elk, and they had to go further south to find such game, and he +said, he should not be surprised if we did not see another Indian until +we struck the Sink of Humboldt. + +"But you may look out then, for we will find them then in plenty." As +Jim finished this remark, one of my scouts came riding into camp at full +speed. Jim and I went to meet him, for we suspected that something was +up. As soon as he got in speaking distance he said to me, "There are a +thousand Indians up on that ridge yonder, and they are coming this way; +they are all on horse back, and there are women and children with them." +Jim asked how far off they were. He said he didn't believe they were +over a mile from camp at this minute; Jim mounted his horse and went to +the herders and ordered them to corral the stock at once, at the same +time telling every man to get his gun and form in line for the Indians +were coming upon us, and the reader may be sure that everybody and every +animal in that train was moving lively for a few minutes. + +As soon as the stock was corralled, Jim rode up to me with one of the +sticks that had a scalp on it in his hand. Handing it to me, he said, +"Here, Will, take this and ride out a little ways from the corral, and +when the Indians come where they can see you, wave it over your head so +they will be sure to see the scalps, and I will get another bunch and I +will stand close to you at the same time." + +In a few minutes more the Indians hove in sight. They were in less than +a quarter of a mile of us before they could see the whole train. As soon +as they got a good sight of us the whole band stopped. The leader of +the band was a war chief. We knew this by his dress. As soon as they +stopped, Jim and I rode out towards them, waving the scalps like a flag. + +The old chief looked at us a moment, then turned and seemed to be +talking with some of the other braves a few minutes. Then the whole +tribe pulled out in a westerly direction from us, and in a short time +they were out of our sight, and their pace was lively the reader may be +sure for the sight of the scalps had frightened them, as they feared +they would meet the same fate if they did not get away from us quick. + +I followed them quite a distance to make sure that they had gone. When I +got back, everything had quieted down and the company was just sitting +down to supper. + +After Jim and I had got through eating, two of the committee came to us +and as many as forty or fifty women, old and young, were with them. The +men said to us, "These women have asked us to come to you and tender +their most heartfelt thanks to you for what you have done for them +today, for we are all sure we would have fallen victims to the savages +if you had not been with us to protect us from them. It was the +easiest-won battle that I ever heard of, and all because you knew how to +fight the savages with their own weapon." + +Jim answered, "Didn't I tell you that them scalps was worth an army of +soldiers to us, and hasn't this proved my words to be true? What would +a hundred soldiers have done with that whole tribe of Indians? There +wouldn't have been a man of them left in an hour to tell the story, and +every one of their scalps would be hanging to the Indians' belts, and I +want you to all bear in mind that for the next three hundred miles we +are liable to have just such another experience any hour of the day or +night, and I want to ask you all to do as you done this time. Only keep +cool and obey our orders, and I think we will get you through in safety, +and I want to say this for the ladies, they showed great bravery today +in keeping so quiet and having good sense staying under cover, and I did +not hear a sound from any of them, and I will tell the girls that I will +recommend them to the best-looking young frontiersmen I am acquainted +with, as wifes, especially if they learn to dance to the Coyote's +music." + +This made a laugh all around and took the edge off of the danger that +had clouded the people's faces, which was the motive Jim had in view +in making the joking remarks, for no one knew better than Jim did how +necessary it is to keep a company in good spirits, and to keep them from +dwelling on the danger that might threaten them. + +There was nothing to interrupt our slumbers that night, and we arose +refreshed the next morning, ready for the day's journey and whatever was +before us. + +For the next three days nothing happened to interfere with our journey. +The third day brought us to the foot of Look Out mountain, which is a +spur of the Sierra Nevada mountains. In the eastern part of what is +now the State of Nevada, but which was at that time one of the wildest +countries in all the west, this particular portion I am speaking about +was inhabited solely by the Ute Indians, which at that time was a very +large tribe, and one of the most barbarous tribe that ever inhabited +North America. + +It is now fifty years ago since the events I am speaking of took place, +and after all that Uncle Sam has done for them, they are not civilized +yet. + +At the time I speak of, this tribe inhabited all of the country from +Snake river on the north to the Colorado river on the south and probably +four hundred miles east and west, and at that time it was one of the +greatest game countries west of the Rocky mountains. Such game as +Buffalo, Elk, Antelope and Deer ranged all through that country in +countless numbers. The Buffalo traveled much less in that particular +portion of the country than they did in the country east of the Rocky +mountains. The Buffalo that inhabited this part of the country scarcely +ever crossed Snake river on the north or strayed as far as what is now +known as the States of Oregon and Idaho, and it was no uncommon sight to +see from fifty to two hundred and fifty Elk in one band. It would seem +unreasonable at this period to tell how many Antelope one could see in +one day. + +But to return to the emigrant train and our camp at the foot of Look Out +mountain, just before I got to our intended camping place, I crossed a +trail where the Indians had just passed. I followed this trail for some +distance, and judging from the signs I decided there was quite a large +band, five hundred or more of them. + +I went back to the main trail and signaled to my scouts to come to me. +I selected one to go with me, gave the others their orders what to do, +telling them to be sure and tell Bridger to not look for us until he saw +us, for I was going to follow a trail until I found where the Indians +went into camp. + +Myself and my assistants now took the trail of the Indians, and we had +followed it about five miles when we came to a high ridge, and as we +looked down into the valley we saw the Indians in camp. + +I was now satisfied that the Indians had not seen us and would not see +us, so we turned and rode back to the place where we started from. When +we reached the camping ground, Jim had just got the train corralled. +I reported to him what I had seen and where the Indians were. After +listening to my report, Jim said, "That is good. There is no danger from +that band anyway." + +We passed a quiet night at this camp. The next morning we were up very +early and got an early start on the road, for we had a long drive before +us that day, as it was all of twenty miles before we could reach water +again. + +Before we started that morning, Jim said to me, "Keep a sharp look +out for Buffalo when you get near the next water, for if there are no +Indians there, you will be sure to find Buffalo, and tomorrow being +Sunday we will lay over a day and rest up, and if we can have some fresh +meat I think everyone will enjoy it." + +I answered that if there were any Buffalo in that part of the country, I +would surely find them, "for, besides the treat the Buffalo will be to +us, we can have another Coyote dance." + +Jim clapped his hands and, laughing, replied, "Yes, Will, I'll be dog +gorned if we won't, for the Coyotes will howl to beat any band if you +can kill a few Buffalos." + +I and my scouts pulled out at once, and to my surprise I did not see an +Indian track all that day. When I was within three or four miles of the +place where we were to camp, I commenced to see signs of Buffalo, so I +signaled all the other scouts to come to me. As soon as they came, I +showed them the tracks of the Buffalo in the sand, and then I told them +that we would scatter out and go in abreast, keeping about a hundred +yards apart, and keep a sharp look out, and if either of us see any +Buffalo, signal to the rest of us to come, "for, we are going to lay +over in this camp tomorrow, and we want some Buffalo meat to feast on." + +We saw no Buffalo until we were almost to the camping ground. Then one +of the men discovered a herd of perhaps twenty-five cows and calves in a +little valley close to the place where we were going to camp. + +As soon as he saw them, he signaled to the balance of us, and we got to +him as quickly as possible. On examination of the valley, we found that +there was only one way the Buffalos could get out, and that was the way +they went in, which led down to where our camp would be that night. +There were not more than eight or ten acres in the whole valley, and it +was almost surrounded by high bluffs, and the only outlet which was not +more than thirty paces wide led directly to the spot where we intended +to camp over Sunday. + +I told the men to dismount and tie their horses to some Sage brush that +was near and go down to a little grove of trees that stood at the mouth +of the valley. + +"I will ride in among them and try to separate the herd so we can get as +many of them as possible, and aim to kill the smallest of the band as +they pass you. If I am successful in separating the band, and you can +get two shots at them, we will get all the meat we want. I will try to +hold all the calves until the cows are out of the valley, and when the +last cow is out, all you men rush and close the opening, and then we +will have lots of sport killing the calves." + +As I rode into the valley, all the Buffalos ran to the opposite end, +and I saw then that I should have a hard time to separate them. I rode +quickly to where they were all in a bunch. As I drew near them, they all +broke for the outlet in one body. I took my hat off and, waving it +over my head and with a yell, I dashed into the midst of the band and +succeeded in separating three cows and ten calves. At one time I thought +they would run over me and my horse in spite of all I could do to +prevent it. But finally I separated the three cows and ten calves from +the rest and turned them back to the head of the valley. I now heard the +report of the guns, so I knew the men were getting some meat. I then +rode back to them as quickly as I could, and I found they had shot ten +Buffalo cows, which all lay dead within a few feet of each other. + +I said, "Now boys, we have enough cows, but we want some of the calves, +and I will go up and start them down, and you let the cows all pass out +but hold the calves inside and shoot all of them you can." + +I went back to the other end of the valley, and as luck was on my side +the cows separated themselves from the calves, and I had no trouble in +running the cows out, which I did at full speed. I then said, "Now boys, +you may kill all these calves but one, and that one I am going to have +for a pet." + +They all commenced to laugh and asked, "How are you going to catch it?" + +I answered, "You just watch me," at the same time I was loosening the +riata from my saddle. I then rode up near to where the calves were +huddled together, and as they started to run I threw my rope at the +largest one in the bunch and caught him around the neck, and there was +some lively kicking and bucking for a few minutes, but he found it was +no use to struggle. After that it took only a few minutes before the men +had all the others killed. + +The excitement being over, I looked down to the other end of the valley +and saw that Bridger had the train corralled. I sent one of the men to +tell Jim to send ten or twelve teams up the valley to drag the Buffalos +down to camp. The men reported the number of cows and calves we had +killed, and Jim sent enough teams to drag them all down to camp in one +trip. + +As soon as the teams had started with their loads, I asked the boys to +help me with my calf. I told them to all get behind him and give him a +scare, and he would go to camp in a lively gallop, for I wanted to show +the women and children how a wild Buffalo looked when alive. + +When we reached the corral, Jim Bridger was the first to meet us. The +calf had got pretty wild by this time. No one could get near him. Jim +said he had been seeing Buffalo for the last twenty-five years, and this +one was the first he had ever seen led into camp, and in a few minutes +all the women and children and the majority of the men were gathered in +a bunch looking at my calf and laughing at his antics, for he did not +submit to captivity very gracefully. After watching him a while, Jim +said, "What are you going to do with him, Will?" + +I answered that I did intend to eat him, but I thought now I had better +turn him loose. + +Jim said, "That won't do, Will, for he would kill someone before he +cleared himself of the crowd. Tie him up to a tree, and we can kill him +and take the meat with us when we leave here." + +I tied him up as Jim thought best, although I pitied the little fellow +and had rather have let him loose and seen him scamper away over the +hills to join his friends in freedom. + +The men set to work skinning and getting the meat ready to cook for +supper. We now had fresh meat enough to last the entire outfit nearly a +week. + +After we had finished supper Jim told the women to get ready to dance, +"for," he said, "we will have more music tonight than we have had for a +long time." + +One of the old ladies asked him, how he could tell when the wolves would +howl more one night than another, and she said, "every time that you +have said they would howl, they have made such a noise that none of us +could sleep." Jim answered, "this will be the worst night for them to +howl you have ever heard, and I will tell you why. You see, all those +Buffalos have been dressed here at the camp, and the Coyotes will smell +the blood for miles away from here, and they will follow the scent until +they get to us, and as they cannot get to the meat they will vent their +disappointment in howling. So you see why I say the ladies will have a +plenty of music to dance to." And sure enough, as soon as it commenced +growing dark the din commenced, and there was no sleep for anyone in +that camp until nearly daylight the next morning. A number of times +that night I went out perhaps fifty yards from the wagons and saw them +running in every direction. I could have silenced them by firing once +among them, but this I did not dare to do, for I did not know how many +Indians might be in hearing of the report of my gun, and I thought it +the better policy to hear the howling of the wolves than to have a fight +with the Indians. + +The next morning I called the scouts together and divided them into four +squads, and we started out to examine the country in all four directions +for Indians or the signs of them, our calculation being to investigate +the country for five miles in every direction. + +I told the men that if we saw no Indians or the signs of them that day +that we would have a chance to sleep that night for I would fire a few +shots among the Coyotes and stop their music, for that time at least. +I and the men that went with me took a direct western course. After +traveling perhaps five miles we struck a fresh Indian trail; the Indians +had passed along there the evening before going in a southern direction. +We followed it some distance, and I came to the conclusion that there +were four or five hundred Indians in the band, and I knew by the +direction they were traveling that they would have to go fifteen or +twenty miles before they could find water, so I knew we were perfectly +safe from this band. So after explaining this to my companions, I said, +"Let us go back to camp." + +On our arrival there we found that all the scouts had got into camp +except the squad that went east, and in a few minutes, they came riding +in as fast as their horses could bring them shouting at the top of their +voices, "The Indians are after us." + +Jim ordered the stock all corralled at once, and the men were not long +in obeying orders. While these were attending to the stock, Jim was +placing the other men in a position to protect the train, and as good +luck, or rather Jim's forethought, had it, he had stuck the scalps we +had used for the same purpose before on the wagons the night before, +saying as he did it, "We don't ever know when they will be needed." + +I with all my scout force rode out to meet the coming Indians. About two +hundred yards from the corral there was a little hill which the Indians +would have to climb before they came in view of our camp. I told the men +that we would meet them at the top of the hill and give them as warm a +welcome as we could, and then we would get back to the train as quickly +as possible, and I then told them to shoot with their rifles first and +then to pull their pistols and to let the savages have all there was in +them, and then wheel their horses and make for camp. + +We heard them coming before we reached the top of the hill. When we got +on the crest, they were not more than thirty or forty yards from us. +Every one of my men fired together, and I saw a number of Indians fall +from their horses, and after we emptied our pistols among them, we +wheeled our horses and sped back to camp. + +The Indians just rounded the top of the hill where they could barely see +the train, and then they stopped. Seeing the wagons with the scalps +on them and all in seeming waiting for them seemed to take them by +surprise. Bridger was making arrangements to make an attack on them when +they all gave the war whoop and wheeled their horses and went back the +way they had come. + +Myself and scouts went to the top of the hill to see if the Indians were +still in the neighborhood, but finding no signs of them we went back to +camp. When I told Jim that there were no Indians in sight, he sprang up +and laughed as loud as he could and clapped his hands together and said, +"Another battle won by Will's Indian scalps. Didn't I tell you all that +them scalps was worth more to us than all the soldiers we could get +around us? They have won two good strong battles for us, and we will +not have any more trouble here. Them scalps is worth a hundred dollars +apiece to this train." + +My men and I now went back over the hill to see how many Indians we had +shot in our first meeting them, and strange to say we did not find a +dead Indian, but there was plenty of blood all around where they were +when we fired on them. I knew by the blood that we had killed some of +them, but their comrades had taken their bodies on their horses and +carried them with them, which the Indian always does if he can. + +When we returned to camp the excitement was all over, and everyone was +as cheerful as if nothing had happened to disturb them. Jim and I were +talking together a short time after I got back when two young girls came +to us and said their mother wanted us to eat dinner with them, for they +were going to have pie for dinner. Jim said, "Is it calf pie? I do love +calf pie above all things." + +The girls laughed and said, "No, it is apple pie." Jim said, "All right, +I like apple pie too." + +When we sat down to dinner, which the reader will understand was not +spread on a table, but was spread on the ground, I was surprised to see +what was before us to eat. I have paid a dollar many times since then +for a meal that would not compare in any way with this dinner that was +cooked out in the wilds with no conveniences that women are supposed to +require. + +There was a stew made of the Buffalo calf, a roast of the same kind of +meat, corn bread, fried wild onions, apple pie and as good a cup of +coffee as I ever drank. + +After we had finished eating, Jim said to the lady, "Are you going to +run a boarding house when you get to California?" + +She answered, "I don't know what I shall do when we get there. Why do +you ask?" + +Jim answered, "I wanted to know because if you are, every time I come to +California, I am coming to board with you." + +Her husband then said, "It don't make any difference whether we keep a +boarding house or not. Any time you or Mr. Drannan come near our place +we shall expect you to come to us. You both will be perfectly welcome to +a seat at our table at any and all times. After what I have seen today, +I am more fully convinced that everyone in this train owes their lives +to you two men. What would have become of the whole of us this morning +if you two men had not been here to guard us? I will tell you what would +have happened. Our stock and all we possessed would have been in the +hands of the Indians, and our scalps would be hanging at their girdles +at this time, and I want to say now that the people that compose this +train can never pay you for what you have done for us on this dangerous +journey." + +Jim answered, "When we undertook to pilot this train across to +California, we knew what we would be likely to meet with and that the +undertaking was no child's play. We both understood the nature of the +Indians thoroughly, and if all you people stick together and obey our +orders, we will take you through in safety." + +The man answered, "Mr. Bridger, you need not have one uneasy thought +about anyone wanting to leave your protection on this trip, for everyone +in this company understands that their lives are in the hands of you two +men." + +By this time there was quite a crowd around us, and Jim said, "We both +appreciate the good opinion you have expressed, but after all we have +only done our duty by you as we always do, or at least we try to do to +everyone who intrust themselves and their property in our care. And now, +to change the subject, Will says he is going to stop the wolves howling +tonight so you people can get some sleep." + +When it had grown dark I took a few of the scouts with me out on the +edge of camp perhaps a hundred yards from the corral, and when the +Coyotes began their howling, we began firing, and in a few minutes there +was not a sound to be heard. We were satisfied that we would not be +disturbed that night by the savages or the Coyotes, so we all turned in, +and we had a good night's rest. + +The next morning we were up and had an early breakfast, and I had +not seen the emigrants in such a cheerful mood as they all were this +morning, since we left Fort Kerney. Every one was cracking jokes. + +As my scouts and I were about to leave the train to take our usual +position as guards, one of the young girls came to me and said, "Mr. +Drannan, I knew you were a good Indian fighter, but I did not know the +Coyotes were so afraid of you. Did you hang up some of their scalps so +that they could see them and know they would share the same fate as +their comrades if they did not keep away?" + +I told her that the report of our guns told the Coyotes what to expect +if they came where the bullets would hit them. "But if my shooting +interferes with your dancing, I will be careful and not do any thing to +spoil the music." + +She laughed and said, "Never you mind, Mr. Drannan, we are going to give +you a dance before many nights." + +I answered that I only knew how to dance one kind of a dance, and that +was the scalp dance. + +She said she had never seen a scalp dance, and said, "What is it like?" + +Jim Bridger said, "When we have the next fight with the Indians, Will +and I will show you how it is done, that is providing the Indians don't +get our scalps, and if they do they will show you." + +Jim said to me, "I don't think we will have any more trouble with the +Indians until we get to the sink of the Humboldt; it is about a hundred +miles from here. There is quite a strip of country through here that I +am afraid we will have a great deal of trouble in, for at this time of +the year all the game that is in the country seems to gather there, and +as the Indians always follow the game I am afraid there will be plenty +of them too. But we could not have a better scare crow than the scalps +we have scared the last two bands away with, and I think if we are +always successful in getting the train corralled before they come on us +we will get through in safety." + +I answered, "Jim, if it is possible for me to prevent it, you will never +be surprised, for I and my men will keep a sharp look out for any signs +of Indians at all times, and if there is any danger, you will know it +as soon as we can get the news to you, for all the men under my control +seem to be the right stuff, and they want to do what is right and for +the best interest of all the train." + +Jim answered, "I know I can trust you, Will, to do all in your power to +get this train through in safety. I have every confidence in you. If I +had not had, I should not have undertaken such a dangerous business as +we are engaged in. But it stands us both in hand to be always on the +lookout for danger, for we can never tell when the red friends may +pounce on us when we are anywhere near them." + +Monday morning we were up and ready to take to the road early, feeling +in good spirits after our rest over Sunday. I asked Jim if we could make +Sand Creek by night. He answered, "Yes, we have got to if we are to +reach the sink of the Humboldt tomorrow." + +We broke camp and pulled out. Everything worked smoothly until we had +nearly reached Sand Creek, where we were to camp that night, when the +two scouts that guarded the north side of the train discovered a large +band of Indians coming in our direction. They reported their discovery +to me at once. I put spurs to my horse and rode out where I could see +the Indians myself. After I had gone about two miles or so I came in +sight of them, and I saw that the men were right. The Indians were +making directly to the spot where I thought the train was, and I +realized that there was no time to lose in getting word to Jim. + +As soon as I got near the road I signaled all the scouts to come to me, +and in a few minutes, they were with me. I sent them all to the train to +help Jim, except two which I kept with me. We three rode out to the spot +where we could see the Indians. When we got in sight of them, they were +within a mile of the train, and I knew that the time for action had +come, and wheeling our horses we made for camp at a pace that would +surprise the readers of today. I told Jim that the Indians were upon us, +but there was no need to tell him this, as he had seen us coming and +suspected the news we were bringing and had ordered the train corralled +before we reached camp, and I do not think a train was ever got into +shape to resist the savages quicker or with less excitement than that +train was that day. And we were none too quick, for the Indians were in +sight of us as soon as we were ready for them. At this spot our trail +led down a little valley. Consequently, when the Indians hove in sight +they were not more than a hundred yards from the corral. + +I sang out, "What do you say, Jim? Let's form in line and give them a +salute." + +Jim shouted, "Every man form in a line and shoot, and be sure you hit +your mark." + +By this time there were as many as two hundred Indians in sight, and +every gun seemed to go off at once. At that moment Jim cried, "Every man +pull your pistol and shoot as loud as you can, and let us make a dash on +them." And every man in the train did as Jim told them to, and it surely +had a good effect on the savages, for they wheeled and fled as fast as +their legs could carry them in the direction they had come. We found +twenty-seven dead Indians all laying close together, and it did not take +us long to take their scalps off. When we had finished this job, Jim +made the remark that he had scalps enough now to protect the train all +the way to California. + +As it was yet about three miles to our camping ground, I told my scouts +what to do, and then I told Jim that I meant to follow the Indians alone +and see where they went to and not to expect me back until he saw me, +for I intended to see those Indians go into camp before I left them, +if it took me until midnight to do it, for if I did this I could tell +whether they meant to give us any more trouble or not. + +Jim told me where to look for the camp when I wanted to find it, and I +left them, on a mission the danger of which I do not think one of my +readers can understand, but which at that time I thought very little +about. + +I had followed the trail of the Indians but a short distance before I +was convinced that there were a great many wounded in the band, for +there was so much blood scattered all along the trail. I had followed +the trail about five miles when I came to a high ridge, and on looking +down on the other side I saw what looked to me like two or three hundred +camp fires, and from the noise I heard I thought that many that I had +thought to be wounded must be dead, for it was the same sound that I had +often heard the squaws make over their dead. I decided by the appearance +of the camp that I had discovered the main camping ground of the +Indians. On deciding this in my mind, I hurried back as quickly as I +could to tell Jim. When I reached camp, supper was just over. After I +had looked after my horse, I went into the camp, and a lady met me and +invited me to her tent, saying she had kept some supper warm for me and +had been on the lookout for me to come back, and the reader may rest +assured I was hungry enough to accept the invitation and to do ample +justice to the good things the kind lady had saved for me. + +While I was eating, Jim came to me and asked what I had discovered. I +told him of the big Indian camp I had found at the foot of the ridge, +which was probably five or six miles from where we were then in camp, +and I told him of the noise the squaws had made too. He said, "Well, I +will bet my old hat that we won't have any more trouble with them, for +when they come back to get their dead warriors in the morning and find +them without their scalps, they won't follow us any farther." + +So feeling safe to do so, everyone except the guards turned in for the +night. The night passed without anything happening to disturb us. Next +morning I got up early and mounted my horse and went to the place where +we'd had the fight to see if the dead Indians had been taken away. I +found that they had all been taken away during the night. I got back to +camp in time for breakfast. I told Jim that I had been to see about the +Indians we had killed the day before, but I found no bodies there and +supposed the squaws had taken them away in the night. + +Jim jumped up and clapped his hands together and said, "Good, good, we +will not have any more trouble with these Indians, and I don't believe +we will have any more fights with the Indians this side of the Sierra +Nevada mountains, for the news of our scalping so many of the Indians +will fly from tribe to tribe faster than we can travel, and you may be +sure they all will be on the lookout to avoid meeting us." + +Everything moved quietly for the next three days, and we made good +progress on our journey. + +The night before we reached the sink of the Humboldt, while we were at +supper about a dozen ladies came to Jim and me. One of them said with a +smile, "Mr. Drannan, we have two favors to ask of you." + +Jim looked up at them, and seeing that there was mischief in their eyes, +he said, "Say, gals, can't I have one of them?" + +The lady that had spoken to me said, "I am afraid neither of them would +suit you, Mr. Bridger." + +I then asked her what I could do for them. She answered that they would +like to have some more fresh meat, but that they did not want any more +such music as had accompanied all that they had had before, but if I +could supply the meat without the music it would be a great favor as +well as a treat. I said, "What kind of meat do you prefer, ladies?" She +answered that they were not particular, any kind that was good. + +Jim said, "Well, how will Coyote do you? That kind of meat will answer a +double purpose. I-t will satisfy your hunger, and then you can howl the +same as they do." + +She answered, "Now Mr. Bridger, you know that Coyotes are not fit to +eat. Are they not a species of a dog?" + +Jim replied, "Yes, they are, and dog is the Indians' favorite meat, and +that is the kind of meat you will have to eat when you go to live with +them, so you had better learn to eat it now." + +She said she was pretty sure that she didn't want to neighbor with the +Indians, and she didn't want any dog meat either. + +I told her that I would try and get some kind of fresh meat for them +between then and night. + +"It may be Elk or it may be Buffalo or it may be Antelope." + +She said, "What kind of an animal is an Elk?" + +I told her that an Elk was about as large as a cow and equally as good +meat, and all the ladies said, "Well, well, wouldn't we like to have +some." + +I told them that I wouldn't promise for sure, but I thought I could get +some fresh meat for supper tomorrow night. + +The next morning my scouts and I were off early. I told them before we +started that we must keep two objects in view that day. One object was +to look out for Indians, and the other was to look for camp. + +"We are in a game country, and there is plenty of Elk and Buffalo, and +the first man that sees a band of either kind must signal to the others, +and we will all get together and see if we can get enough to supply the +camp for a day or two at least." + +We had gone perhaps five or six miles when I heard a signal from the +south. I got to it as quickly as possible, and as pretty a sight awaited +me as I ever saw in the way of game. Down in a little valley just below +the man that had signaled to the rest of us were about fifty Elk cows +feeding, and there were also a few calves running and jumping around +their mothers. As soon as all the men got there, I began to plan how we +could get to them and kill some of them before they saw us. They were +feeding towards the road, and they were not more than a quarter of a +mile from it when I first saw them. A little ways from us there was +a little ravine which was covered with brush, and it led down to the +valley where the Elk were feeding. I told the men that we would hitch +our horses and then crawl down the ravine, and I thought we could get +a few of them before they could get away from us. All the men were as +anxious to get the game as I was. I took the lead, and when we got down +to the valley the Elk were only a short distance from us. I said, "Now +wait until they feed opposite us, and then they will not be over fifty +yards from us, and as I am to the right I will take the leader and each +man in rotation as they come to him. In doing this way we will be sure +to each get an Elk as not two of us will fire at the same animal, and if +they are not too far from us after we have fired our rifles, let us pull +our pistols and try to get some more." + +When the Elk had got near enough to us, I gave the word to fire, and +down came twelve Elk cows, and then we went for them with our pistols, +and we got five calves, and so we knew we had plenty of meat to supply +the camp for a day or two. + +I sent one of the men back to meet the train and to tell Jim what we had +done, and told him to send all the help he could so we could get the +meat to the train as quickly as possible, and the rest of us commenced +to skin the animals. In a short time there were forty or fifty men +there, and it did not take long to finish the job, and we had the +meat on the way to the wagons. About the time we had got the meat all +dressed, several ladies came with sacks in their hands. I asked them +what part of the animal they wanted. They said they wanted the livers +and the hearts. This was a new idea to me. I asked them what they were +going to do with them. One of the women said, "We want you and Mr. +Bridger to take supper with us tonight, and we will show you what we +have done with them then." + +In a short time we had the meat to the train and each family had their +share. Jim said he did not think he had lost over twenty-five minutes +time in waiting for that meat. + +The train proceeded on now without any more stops towards the place +where we were to camp that night at the sink of the Humboldt. We reached +the camping ground quite a little while before sundown, and we certainly +had selected an ideal place to camp. A beautiful pearling stream of +water, plenty of wood and any amount of grass met our eyes as we came to +the place to stop. In a few minutes we had the stock out to grass and +the women were busy cooking supper. Jim and I took a walk down towards +the Sink, and as we were coming back we had got near the wagons when a +couple of girls came to meet us and said, "We want you two to come and +eat supper with us. Our two families got supper together tonight." Jim +said, "Have you got something good to eat?" + +One said, "You may just bet we have; we have got Elk roasted and fried +Elk calf and fried liver. Isn't that something good?" + +Jim said it sounded good and we would go and see for ourselves. + +When we got to the tent Jim said, "These girls told us that you had +invited us to eat supper with you; that you had some stewed dog, and as +that is our favorite dish we thought we would accept the invitation." + +One of the girls cried, "Oh Mr. Bridger, we didn't tell you any such +thing." + +Jim answered, "Oh, excuse me, girls. I thought you were going to have +something good for supper, so of course all I could think of was dog." + +We had a fine supper, and as fried liver was a new dish to Jim and me, +we ate heartily of that, and we thought it was beyond the ordinary. +It seems to me now in thinking of those days that people had better +appetites then for hearty food than they have now; at least it is so in +my case. The reason may be that we lived in the open air both day and +night, and the air of that western climate was so pure and clear and +free from all the different scents that impregnate it now. The amount +of food that each person ate at that time would surprise the people of +today. + +After supper Jim told the girls that they would not get any music to +dance to tonight, so they had just as well turn in and have a good +night's sleep. + + + +CHAPTER V + +The next morning we had an early breakfast and were on our journey in +good season. Nothing of interest occurred to us until we reached where +the city of Reno now stands, which is in the western part of what is now +the state of Nevada. + +We were about to go into camp on the bank of the Truckee river when I +looked off to the north and saw a band of Indians, and they were heading +directly for the train. + +They were probably a mile away from us when I saw them. I reported to +Jim at once, and he was not long in corralling the train, and he made +the largest display of scalps that I had ever seen then or ever have +since. It looked as if every wagon had a scalp hanging on it. + +Apparently the Indians did not notice the decorations on the wagons +until they were within three or four hundred yards of them, and the +sight seemed to take them by surprise. + +[Illustration: Fishing with the girls.] + +All at once the whole band stopped, and of all the actions ever an +Indian performed that band did it. Jim said, "Will, do you think you can +reach them with your rifle?" + +I answered that I thought not at that distance, but I said, "My men and +I will get nearer to them and give them a scare anyway." + +I called my scouts to follow me out to a little bunch of timber, and we +all fired at them at once. Whether we hit any Indians or not I never +knew, for they wheeled their horses and fled, and if any of them were +killed or wounded the others did not leave them, and we saw no more of +that band, but they left three horses laying on the ground, which showed +us that our bullets had done a little execution. + +We now settled into camp for the night. Jim told the emigrants as it was +Saturday evening we would lay over here until Monday morning, and he +told them that all who liked to have a good time fishing could enjoy +themselves to their hearts' content, for this stream was full of +Mountain Trout, and he added, "They are beauties." + +Both men and women asked what kind of bait to use to catch them. We told +them that grass hoppers or crickets was good bait for Mountain Trout, +and both of these insects were numerous around the camp. + +It was very amusing to me to see the girls run to their mothers to ask +if they could go fishing the next day. They were as excited as if they +were asking to go to some great entertainment. + +It being Sunday morning and as there was no danger from the Indians, I +did not get up very early. Jim and I occupied the same tent together, +which was the blue sky above us and the ground beneath us, a bed that I +have no doubt the reader will think a not very desirable one, but rolled +in our blankets, a bed on the soft moss with the trees waving over us +was as good a bed as Jim and I cared to have, and our sleep was as sound +and restful as if we were laying on a bed of down. + +When Jim arose in the morning, he gave me a shake and said, "Wake up, +Will. We are going to have fish, for everyone in the camp is hunting +grass hoppers," and it was really an amusing sight to see, for everyone, +as Jim had said, was running, trying to catch grass hoppers. Both men +and women were racing about like children. + +Jim and I had started to go to the river to take a wash when a little +girl came running to us saying, "Papa wants you to come and eat +breakfast with us, for we have got fish for breakfast." + +Jim said, "All right, sissy, but I am afraid you haven't got enough fish +to go around." + +She said, "Oh yes we have, for papa caught fifteen this morning, and +they are all great big ones." + +So we did not go to the river but went with the little girl to her +father's tent and washed there, and sure enough, there was enough fish +for all the family and Jim and me and some left over. + +The man laughed and said to Jim, "Mr. Bridger, you made the right remark +when you said that the river was full of fish. I have been fishing all +my life, and I never saw so many fish at one time as I saw this morning. +I went down to the river about daylight, and I caught fifteen fish, and +I don't think I was over fifteen minutes in catching them, and I believe +they will average two pounds to a fish, and they are as luscious as I +ever tasted in the way of fish." + +I asked him if this was his first experience in eating Mountain Trout. +He said it was, but he hoped it would not be his last, and said, "Can +you tell me why they have such an extra flavor?" I said, "Certainly, +I can. There is no stream in the world that has purer water than the +Truckee river, and do you see that snowcapped mountain yonder?" and I +pointed to a mountain at the south west of us which was always covered +with snow at the top. "This stream is surrounded with mountains like +that, and the water is cold the year around, no matter how hot the +weather may be, and that is the secret of the fine flavor of the fish +caught in it." + +And here I must say that, although I had eaten Mountain Trout many times +before that morning, I never enjoyed a meal more than I did this one. As +I finished eating, six young girls came to the tent and asked me if I +was going fishing. I said I had thought of going. They asked if they +could go with me, I said, "Certainly, you can if you wish to, but I +shall have to go out and hunt some bait before I can go." + +One of them said, "We have enough grass hoppers to last us all day, and +we will share them with you for bait." + +I answered, "Well, we will go up the river a little ways to those rocks +yonder," and I pointed up the stream. + +When we got opposite the rocks which were in the middle of the stream, I +helped each of the girls to a place by herself and then took a place on +a rock myself, but I could not do anything for laughing at the girls. I +told them they would scare all the fish out of the river. In a moment +one of the girls caught a fish on her hook, but he struggled so hard +that she could not pull him out of the water, and she cried for me to +come and help her to land him. I got to her as quickly as I could and +took the fish out of the water, and it was the largest trout I had ever +seen, and I did not wonder the girl could not land him, for he made a +brave fight for liberty, and it was all I could do to capture him. + +By this time it was a sight to look up and down the stream and see +the people that were fishing. Men, women and children, old and young, +seeming to be perfectly happy and to be having the time of their lives. + +In about an hour they began to realize that more fish were being caught +than they could take care of, so everyone gathered their catch and went +back to camp. Some of the emigrants estimated that three thousand fish +had been caught that day by the entire crowd. I think the most of the +people had fish until they were tired of it. For the next two days we +had fish for every meal served in every way that fish could be cooked. + +Monday morning we pulled out from this camp bright and early for Honey +Lake. We made the trip in two days, which was as we considered very good +time, and we did not see an Indian on the way or a fresh sign of them. + +When we reached Honey Lake and saw that there were no signs of Indians +there Jim said to me that there would be no more trouble with the +Indians, and if we could convince the emigrants of this fact we need not +go further with them. + +I told him I did not think it would be best to mention to the emigrants +any change in the contract we had made with them when we started on +the trip, that we had better go on with the train until we crossed the +Sierra Nevada Mountains, as we had engaged to do. + +Jim thought it over a few minutes, and then he said, "I guess you are +right, Will, for they might think we wanted to shirk our duty in leaving +them here, although I am sure there will be no more danger to guard them +from." + +Everything moved on without anything to interfere with our progress +for the next four days, and by that time we had crossed the top of the +Sierra Nevada Mountains. + +After we had eaten our supper the night after crossing on the other side +of the mountains, Jim shouted that he wanted to talk to everybody for +just a few minutes, and in a few minutes all the people of the train, +men, women, and children, were around us thick. + +Jim then said to them, "I wanted to speak to you together to tell you +that all danger to this train is passed, there will be no more Indians +to molest you, and you are perfectly safe to continue on your journey +without fear of being troubled by them. Tomorrow night we will camp in +the Sacramento Valley, and being sure that we can leave you in perfect +safety, our contract with the people of this train will be closed, and +we will leave you the next morning. There is one thing I am sorry for, +though, and that is we can't furnish any more music for a farewell dance +with the ladies before we leave them." + +This joke created a laugh all around and brightened the faces of the +older people, for we had shared in and protected them from too many +dangers for the thought of separation from us not to sadden the faces of +the older members of the train. + +Mr. Tullock, one of the committee, got upon a chair and said, "I want to +ask if there is a person here in this company can realize what these two +men have done for us in the seven weeks they have been with us. I for +one know for a certainty that if we had not met them, and they had not +accompanied us on the dangerous journey we have almost finished, not one +of this large company would have been alive today. I will acknowledge +that I have no doubt that all the rest of you thought them to be +barbarians when they took the scalps off those first Indians' heads, but +the events that followed showed their knowledge of their business +and also of our ignorance in Indian warfare for that what we thought +barbarism was the means of saving some, if not all our lives. Now I will +tell you what I propose doing. I am going to write a recommendation for +each one of these men, and I want every one of you to sign it." + +It sounded as if every one in the crowd said at once, "I'll sign it." + +When Mr. Tullock stepped down, Jim took his place on the chair and +said to the people, "I want you all to distinctly understand that Will +Drannan and myself do not think we have done anything but our duty to +the people of this train, and I want to thank all the men that have +helped me to protect the train when the savages were upon us. You all +showed that you were brave men and willing to obey orders, which, I will +tell you now, is a rare thing among so many men, and Will tells me that +he had the best men as scouts to help him that he has ever had, that +everyone tried to do his duty. So it seems to me that we have all done +our best to make the journey a success. Now let us get away from here +early in the morning, for I want to reach our camping ground in good +season tomorrow evening. We have quite a long drive before us tomorrow, +but as good luck is on our side it is all downhill." + +We got an early start in the morning, and we landed at our camping place +about four o'clock in the evening, and I think there were as many as +twenty invited us to take supper with them that night. The last one was +from four young girls, who came to us together. One of them told Jim +that she wanted him and Mr. Drannan to come to their tent right away, as +supper was waiting. Jim answered that we didn't want any supper but told +her that if she would invite us to breakfast next morning and would +promise there would be enough to eat to fill us both for three or four +days, we would be glad to come and eat. + +She answered, "All right, Mr. Bridger, I will get up before day and get +to cooking, so I shall be sure and have enough for you at least." + +Jim and I now went to the tent of the people who had invited us first, +as had been our custom all through the journey. These were elderly +people who had one son and one daughter, both grown to man and +womanhood. While we were at supper the older woman asked how much bread +we could carry with us. Jim said we would like enough to last us three +or four days, and he thought three loaves like the ones on the spread +would be enough. + +She said, "Why, Mr. Bridger, everybody is making bread, and cooking meat +for you to take with you." + +Jim said, "Why, my good woman, we can kill all the meat we want as we +need it, and three loaves of bread is all we can carry on our horses +with our other stuff." + +The first thing in the morning the girls we had promised to eat +breakfast with were after us to come to their tent, and we found a fine +meal waiting for us. + +Jim said, "Now ladies, you know that in going back, Will and I have to +go over a very dangerous road, and we won't have time to cook in the +next three or four days, so we calculate to eat enough to last us till +we get to the Sink of the Humboldt, and that will take us three or four +days, so in our accepting your invitation to take our last breakfast on +this trip with you we may make you twice glad." + +The elder woman smiled and told the girls they had better be frying some +more meat. Jim looked around the spread and told the girls he guessed +they had better wait till we had eaten what was before u, before they +cooked more, and there certainly was enough food before us for as many +more as sat around it, and although it was spread on a cloth laid on the +ground, I have never partaken of a breakfast served on the finest table +that tasted as good as that one did that morning. + +We had almost finished eating when the elder lady said, "Girls, pass +that cake around." + +Jim said, "Is there cake too? I'm not used to eating cake, only on +Sunday mornings, and this is Saturday." + +I told the girls that Jim hadn't seen any cake since we left Fort +Kerney, and that if she wanted any left for themselves they had better +not pass the plate. She answered, "There is aplenty, and I have a great +big cake for you to take to eat on the road." + +Jim said, "That won't do at all, for Will will want to stay in camp all +the time and eat cake until it is all gone." + +As soon as breakfast was over, we caught our horses and began packing. +We each had two saddle horses, and we had one pack horse between us. +When we were leading up our horses, Jim said, "This is the worst job of +all, for all these women have a lot of grub cooked for us to take along, +and plagued take it, we have no room on the pack horses to put it. What +shall we do?" + +I said, "We will take what we can pack, Jim, and we can thank the ladies +for their kindness, and tell them we are sorry we can't take all they +would give us, and then we can mount and be off." + +Jim said, "That sounds easy." + +When we were packing, sure enough, every one of the elder women and some +of the girls brought something for us to take with us to eat. Jim told +them that we were a thousand times obliged to them all, but we could not +take anything but a few loaves of bread, and then, as was usual, in his +joking way he said with a glance at me, "I know, Will feels bad to leave +that cake, and he will dream of seeing cakes for a week, but I can't +indulge him this time." + +When Jim had done speaking, one of the girls, that we had taken +breakfast with handed him a small sack, and told him not to open it +until we camped that night. At this moment Mr. Tullock, came to us and +said, "Here, my friends, is a recommendation, and I think every grown +person in the train has signed their name to both of them, and all the +company have asked me to say a few words for them. If either or both of +you ever come to California, we want you to find some of us and make +your home with us as long as you wish, for you will always find a warm +welcome with any of this company." + +I had been acquainted with Jim Bridger several years and this was the +first time I had ever seen him overcome with feeling. His voice shook so +he could hardly thank the people for their kind words and when it came +to shaking hands and biding them good bye, he almost lost his speech. + +But it was over at last and we mounted our horses and left them. For +the first ten miles I don't think Jim spoke ten words. Finally he said, +"Well they were a good crowd of people, weren't they Will? If I ever go +to California and can find any of them, I mean to stay all night with +them, for it would be like visiting brother or sister." + +We now began to calculate where we should camp that night. I said, +"Let's make a dry camp tonight, we can fill our canteen, and water our +horses at a stream that crosses the trail, and then we can ride on till +dark. In doing this way we will avoid the Indians and will not have to +guard against them in the night, for the Indians invariably camp near +the water." + +We made a long ride that day and picked a nice place to camp that night. +As soon as we had unsaddled and unpacked our horses, I said, "Jim, I +will stake the horses if you will make a fire." When I came back from +attending to the horses, Jim said, "Look here, Will, see what them girls +gave me, but I guess they meant it for you." + +And he showed me the sack which the girls had given him as we were +leaving them that morning. I looked into it and saw two large cakes and +a good-sized piece of roasted Elk calf. The reader may imagine how good +this nice food looked to two hungry men, and we surely did justice to +it. When we were eating, Jim made the remark that it would be many a +long day before we met with such a company again as those we had left +that morning. He said, "In nearly all large companies there are cranks, +either men or women, and sometimes both, but all that outfit were +perfect ladies and gentlemen, and they all seemed to want to do what was +right, and the men were all brave and the women were sensible." + +The next morning we pulled out early, and we made good progress for five +days, making dry camps every night. Nothing occurred to disturb us until +we reached the Sink of the Humboldt. Here were Indian signs in every +direction. We knew we would be in the heart of the Ute country for the +next hundred miles, so we decided to do our traveling in the night and +lay over and rest in the daytime. + +We picked our camping places off the trail, where we thought the Indians +would not be likely to discover us. The second night after we left the +Sink of the Humboldt, we crossed a little stream called Sand Creek, and +just off to the right of the trail we saw what we thought must have been +five hundred Indians in camp. Most of them were laying around asleep, +but a few were sitting at the fire smoking, and we succeeded in riding +past them without their noticing us. After we had got entirely away from +their camp fires, Jim said, "Will, we are the luckiest chaps that ever +crossed the plains, for if them Indians had seen us, they would have +filled our hides full of arrows just to get our horses, and I think we +had better keep on traveling in the night until we strike Black's Fork, +then we will be pretty near out of the Utes country." + +When we got to Lone Tree on Black's Fork we lay over one day to let our +horses rest and to get rested ourselves. + +It was a little before sunrise that morning when we reached Lone Tree. I +said to Jim, "Are you hungry?" He replied that he was too hungry to tell +the truth. + +I answered, "All right, you take care of the horses, and I will get an +Antelope and we will have a fine breakfast." + +Jim said, "Well, don't disappoint me, Will, for I am in the right shape +to eat a half an Antelope." + +I took my gun and went up on a little ridge and looked over, and not a +quarter of a mile from me I saw a large band of Antelope, and I saw that +they were feeding directly towards me. I hid myself in a little bunch of +sage brush and waited until they fed up to within fifty yards of me. I +then fired and brought down a little two-year-old buck. I took him up, +threw him over my shoulder, and went back to Camp as fast as I could go. +When I reached there, Jim had a fire burning, and in a few minutes we +had the meat cooking. Jim made the remark that we had enough to do to +keep us busy all day, for when we were not eating, we must be sleeping, +for he was about as hungry as he ever was and so sleepy that he did not +dare to sit down for fear he would fall asleep without his breakfast. + +After we had enjoyed a very hearty meal of meat and bread, for we ate +the last piece of bread that the ladies had given us that morning, we +smoked our pipes a few moments, and then we spread our blankets on the +ground under the only tree in ten miles of us, and we were soon lost to +everything in a sleep that lasted until near night. I did at least. When +I awoke I found Jim cooking meat for supper. When he saw that I was +awake, he said, "Come, Will, get up. We have had our sleep. Now we will +have our supper." + +While we were eating, I asked Jim if we could make Green River tomorrow. +He said, "Yes, we must get out of here tomorrow morning by daylight. +Our horses will be well rested as we ourselves will be. We want to make +Green River tomorrow night and Rock Springs the next night. I consider +it is about eighty miles to Rock Springs from here, and we ought to make +it in two days." + +The next morning we were up bright and early and were on our journey as +soon as we could see the trail. Nothing happened to disturb us, and we +reached Green River just before sunset. We crossed the river and went +into camp just above the Ford. We had just got our horses staked out +when we heard whips snapping and people's voices shouting. + +Jim listened a moment and said, "What in thunder does that mean?" + +I answered, "I think it is an emigrant train coming." Jim said, "By +jove if that is so, we will have to move from here and stake our horses +somewhere else, for no doubt they will want to camp right here, and if +there is much of a train, they will take all the room in this little +valley." + +In a few minutes they hove in sight. Jim said, "Now, let's get to one +side and see if they have any system about their camping, and then we +will know whether it is worth while for us to apply for a job or not." + +They did not seem to know that they were near a river by the way they +acted. Some of them would leave their wagons and run down to the stream +and run back again and talk with the others. Finally they discovered Jim +and me, and about twenty of the men came to where we were sitting. We +had started a fire and were waiting for it to get hot enough to cook our +meat for our supper, and it was certainly very amusing to watch their +faces. They looked at us as if they thought us wild men. We learned +afterwards that they had never seen anyone dressed in Buck Skin before. + +After staring at us a while, one of them, an old man, said, "Where in +creation are you two men from?" + +Jim answered, "We have just come from Sacramento Valley, California." + +And did you come all the way alone? + +Jim answered, "Yes sir, we did." + +"Did you see any Indians?" he inquired. + +Jim said, "Yes, about a thousand, I think." + +"Did they try to kill you?" + +"Oh, no," Jim said. "They were asleep when we saw them." + +"Why, they told us back at Fort Kerney that the Indians never slept day +or night," the old man said. + +Jim answered that they slept a little at night sometimes, and that was +the time we took to travel. We had traveled nearly all the way from +California to this place after night, and in some places where we +traveled over, the Indians were as thick as jack rabbits. + +One of the men then inquired when we went to California. + +Jim answered, "We left Fort Kerney about eight weeks ago and piloted +the biggest train of emigrants across the plains that has ever gone to +California, and we did not lose a person or a head of stock, but we got +a good many Indian scalps on the way." + +One of the men then said, "Ain't you Jim Bridger and Will Drannan that +the commander at the Fort told us about?" + +Jim replied, "That is who we are." + +One of them then asked if we would pilot another train to California. + +Jim answered, "I don't know. The Indians are getting so dog goned thick +that there is no fun in the job, but you folks go and get your supper, +and let us eat ours. We are dog goned hungry, for we haven't had a bite +since day-break this morning. You can come back here after supper, and +we will talk to you." + +By this time there must have been a hundred men standing around us, but +when Jim told them that we wanted to eat our supper, they all scattered. +After they had left us, Jim said, "You get supper, Will, and I will go +and see whether there is any system about this outfit or not, and if +supper is ready before I get back, don't wait for me, for I may not get +back in half an hour or more." + +I had got my meat on the fire and was just making the coffee when a +number of women, I should think about a dozen of them, came near me and +stopped and gazed at me. I bid them good evening and asked them to have +supper with me. One of them answered, "No, I came to ask you to come and +eat supper with us. My father sent me to invite you." + +I thanked her and told her that as my own supper was nearly ready, I +would eat at my own camp. I had taken my Buck-skin coat off and laid it +on our pack. One of the women asked me if she could look at it. I told +her that she could if she wished to. + +While they were looking at the coat and exclaiming over its beauty (it +was heavily embroidered with beads and porcupine quills, and was an odd +looking garment to one not accustomed to seeing the clothing of the +frontiers men), a couple of girls came running to me, saying, "Father +wants you to come and eat supper with us, Mr. Bridger is eating now." So +I took the meat and coffee off the fire and put my coat on and went with +them. When I got in speaking distance of Jim, I said, "I thought you +told me to cook supper." Jim answered, "I know I did Will, but we didn't +have any fried onions, and these folks have, so I thought we would eat +here and save our supper." + +The people all laughed at Jim being so saving, and then the old man +asked what we would charge to pilot the train through to California. Jim +asked, "How many wagons have you in this outfit?" + +He answered that he was not sure, but he thought there were about a +hundred and thirty-five. + +"How many men are there in the train?" The old man said, "Oh, dog gone +it, I can't tell." + +Jim said, "Have you got no Captain?" + +The old man answered, "Why no, we haven't any use for a Captain." + +Jim then said, "Well, I don't suppose they have any use for a commander +over at the Fort then. Suppose the Indians should make an attack on them +over there, and there was no Commander there, what do you think the +soldiers would do? I will tell you what would happen. The most of the +soldiers would be scalped, and it is the same way with a train of +emigrants if the Indians attack them and they have no leader or what we +call a Captain; they will all be scalped and in a mighty short time too. +Now you call the men together and come to our camp, and we will talk +this matter over, and then we will see if we can make a bargain with the +crowd." + +In a few minutes it seemed as if all the men and women of the train were +standing around our camp. + +Jim said to them, "I want some man who is a good reader to read this +letter to the company." + +And he held up one of the letters of recommendation given us by the +people of the train we had left a few days before. A middle-aged man +came forward and said, "I reckon I can read it; I am a school teacher by +profession, and I am used to reading all kinds of handwriting." + +He took the letter, stepped up on a log and in a clear, loud voice read +it to the company. After he had finished reading it, the man handed the +letter back to Jim with the remark that it was a fine recommendation and +gave a character few men could claim. + +Jim now told the emigrants that before we took charge of a train he +always had the men of the train select a committee from their number, +and this committee had the entire charge of the business in making +arrangements with us and all other matters that might take place on the +trip. "Now if you want us to pilot this train across to California, get +together and select your committee, and they can come to us and we will +talk business." + +It was now nearly eleven o'clock at night, so Jim told the people that +we had traveled a long distance that day and were very tired, and he +thought we had better not make any bargain that night. We would go to +our rest, and in the morning they could tell us what they had decided +on. Next morning Jim and I were up very early, and so were the most of +the emigrants. We were building a fire to get our breakfast when one of +the emigrants came to us and invited us to take breakfast with him. He +said there had been a committee selected, that the men talked the matter +over after they left us the night before, and they chose five men to +make arrangements with us. "But as we did not go to bed until nearly +morning, I don't think they are all up yet," he said, smiling. + +We went with him and found breakfast waiting for us. After we had +finished, two of the men came to us and said they were two of the five +who had been appointed to do business with us, and that the other three +would meet us at our camp in a few minutes. So Jim and I went back to +our camp, and in a very short time the five men were with us. One of +them asked us how much we would charge to pilot them to California. Jim +said, "How many wagons have you?" + +He said, "We have ninety here now, and there will be twenty more here by +noon." + +Jim asked, "How many men are there in the company?" They said they did +not know for certain but thought there would be about a hundred and +ninety. Jim said that we would take them across to California for five +dollars a day, which would be two dollars and a half for each of us. +"Providing you will promise to obey our orders in all things pertaining +to the protection of the train and also give us two days to drill the +teamsters and the scouts, but we will have to move on one day from here, +as there is no ground here that is fit to drill on." + +One of the committee said, "We will give you an answer in twenty +minutes," and they went back to their camp, which was a hundred yards or +more from ours. Jim and I caught our horses and were saddling them when +the committee came back to us and told us we could consider ourselves +engaged. + +I now spoke for the first time, Jim having done all the talking before. +I said, "I want you men to select ten good men who own their horses. I +prefer young men who are good horsemen, for I want them to assist me in +doing scout work." + +This seemed to surprise the men. One of them asked, what the young men +would have to do. Jim now spoke up in his joking way and said, "They +will find enough to do before we get to California. For example I will +show you what Will and his scouts have done on our last trip across." At +the same time he was untying the sack that held the Indian scalps we had +taken on our last trip to California. When he emptied the sack it +was amusing to us to see their faces. Their first expression was of +surprise, and the next was of horror. Jim took up one of the scalps and +shook it out and said, "Taking these is one of the things you young men +may have to do," and he continued, "These scalps which seem to give you +men the horrors to look at now, will be worth more than money to all the +people of this train, for they will save the lives of all of you, and +that is more than money could do in an attack by the Indians." + +Some of the men wanted to know in what way the scalps would save them. +Jim answered, "Let us get on the road to our next camping ground, and I +will explain everything in regard to the protection of the train when we +get to drilling." + +In a short time every thing was on the move, and we reached our place +to camp about four o'clock in the afternoon. Jim commenced to put the +numbers on the wagons as soon as we landed in camp in order to get to +drilling as early as possible in the morning. We had been in camp but a +short time when one of the committee men came to me and said, "We have +selected your men, Mr. Drannan. Come out, and I will introduce them to +you, and you can see if they would suit you, and if they do, you can +tell them what you want them to do." + +We went outside the corral, and we found the ten men there with their +horses. I asked them if they all had rifles and pistols. They said they +had. I next asked them if they had ever practiced shooting off their +horses' backs, and they all said no, nor had ever heard of such a way +of shooting. I then said, "Now boys, it is too late in the evening to +commence practicing, but I want you all to meet me here after breakfast +in the morning, and have your horses and guns and pistols with you, and +you may make up your mind to do a hard day's work tomorrow." + +That evening Jim and I had a talk by ourselves in regard to how much +time we should take to drill the men. Jim said, "Will, do you think you +can drill your men in one day so they will know enough to risk starting +out day after tomorrow?" + +I answered, "I think I can, Jim." + +He thought a moment and then said, "I don't like to hurry you in +training your men, Will, but you know it is getting late in the season, +and we have a long road to travel after we get these emigrants through +to California in order to get back home to Taos before the winter sets +in, and I have no doubt Kit will be looking for us long before we get +there." + +I said, "Jim, this will be my last trip as a pilot for emigrants." + +Jim laughed and answered, "I thought this kind of business just suited +you, Will, for you are a favorite with the girls, especially when you +bring in scalps." + +I answered, "The girls are all right, Jim, but there is too much +responsibility in such an undertaking, and besides, it is impossible to +suit everybody." + +Jim answered, "There is a good deal of truth in what you say, Will. It +is not an easy job to please so many people all at once. We will hurry +this trip through as quick as possible and get them off our hands." + +The next morning I was up early and met the men who were to be trained +to make scouts. We went to a little grove of timber about a quarter of +a mile from camp. I selected a small tree, probably a foot through, +dismounted and made a crossmark with my knife. I then asked the boys, if +they thought they could hit that cross with their guns or pistols with +their horses on the dead run. One of them said, "No, I don't know as I +could hit it with my horse standing still." + +I answered, "But that is just what I must teach you to do if you are +ever to make a scout to guard against Indians or fight them. I will +mount my horse and go back to that little bunch of brush," and I pointed +to a bunch of brush that was perhaps a little more than a hundred yards +from the tree, "and all of you men follow me." + +When we reached the brush, I turned my horse's head towards the tree I +had marked, and I then said, "Now boys, I am going to put my horse down +to his best speed, and I want you all to follow me and keep as close to +me as you can, and each man look out for his own horse when I commence +to shoot. At the same time keep your eyes on me, for I want each one +of you to take his turn in doing as I do, and I want you to repeat the +thing until you can hit the mark as I shall do." + +I now started my horse at full speed, and before I had got to the tree +I had fired my second shot, and both balls struck near the cross, but I +was surprised, and I will not deny also amused, to see the way the boys +were trying to stop their horses; they were running in every direction +and appeared to be nearly frightened to death, and apparently their +riders had no control over them, but finally they checked them and rode +back to where I stood. + +I said, "Boys, you certainly have your horses trained to run from the +Indians if you can't stop to fight them." + +One of the boys said, "I never saw my horse act the fool as he has done +today." + +I said, "Now, which one of you are going to try it again first? Don't +all speak at once." + +It was some minutes before anyone answered. At last one of them said, "I +will try it. Shall we all come down together as we did with you?" + +I told him, "No, I want you to all to try it single-handed once and then +we will try it in groups of three, but if you are afraid you cannot +manage your horse, I will ride beside you." + +He answered, "No, I have got to break him in to it, and I might as well +do it at the start." + +So the others got out of his way, and he rode to the brush, wheeled his +horse, put the spurs to him and came at full speed. When within fifty +feet of the tree he fired his rifle and missed the tree but pulled +his pistol and made a good shot, and he did not have much trouble in +stopping his horse this time. + +When he rode back to us, I showed him the hole where the bullet struck +it and told him he had done exceptionally well. + +He said, "Can't I give it another trial?" + +I said, "Not now. Best let everyone have a try first." + +I saw that they were a little encouraged by the first one's success, so +I said, "Who comes next?" + +One of them said, "I reckon it is me next," and he was on his horse in +a twinkle and off for the brush. This man was in a little too much of a +hurry; he shot too soon and missed the tree, which scared his horse, and +he turned and ran in an opposite direction, and the rider had all he +could do to attend to him so he did not fire his pistol at all. When he +came back the boys had a laugh on him. + +He said, "All right, see that the balance of you does better." + +They all gave it a trial, and out of the ten men only three hit the mark +with either rifle or pistol. Before we got through practicing, there +must have been as many as a hundred men from the camp watching the +performance. After each man had tried singly, I formed them in squads of +three, and they were more successful that way than they were alone from +the fact that their horses were getting used to the report of the guns. + +The reader will understand that the drilling was done more for the +benefit of the horses than it was for the men, for many times if the +horses were unmanageable when in a fight with the Indians, the rider was +in a great deal more danger of being killed than he would have if he +could manage his horse. + +As it was getting near noon I called it off until after dinner. When we +were near the corral going back to camp, I pointed to a large log that +was laying on the ground and told the boys to meet me there on foot, +and I would put them through another kind of a drill, which was more +essential for them to know than the one we had been practicing. One of +them said, "What can it be?" + +I answered, "It is to learn to signal to each other without speaking +when you are in danger." + +After dinner I had a talk with Jim in regard to how he was succeeding in +drilling his teamsters. He said they were doing fine and would be ready +to pull out in the morning. He said, "Will, these are not such people to +handle as the last train we drilled." + +I said, "What makes you think so, Jim?" + +He answered, "There are a few in this outfit who do not believe there +will be trouble with the Indians." + +I answered, "Well, Jim, these are of the class that will not obey +orders, and they will get the worst of it, and no one can blame us." + +When I went to meet the boys, they were all standing or sitting on the +fallen tree, waiting for me. I asked if they had ever heard a Coyote +howl. They said not until they heard them on this trip. Then I explained +to them, that the Indians were so used to hearing the Coyotes howl +that they took no notice of that kind of a noise day or night, so we +frontiers-men always used the bark or howl of a Coyote as a signal to +call each other together in times of danger. I then gave a howl that the +boys said no Coyote could beat, and in a couple of hours I had them all +drilled so they could mimic the Coyotes very well. + +We went back to camp, got our horses, and put in the afternoon in +shooting at targets on horse back. Before we separated that evening, I +told the men what position I wanted each one of them to take when the +train was ready to move in the morning. I also told them they must +always meet me at the head of the train before we started the train +every morning to get their instructions for the day. Every one of the +ten seemed to be willing and ready to obey everything I asked them to +do. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +All was in readiness for the start on the road the next morning, and +we pulled out in good season. Every thing worked smoothly for the next +three days, and then we were in the Ute country, and there were also a +great many Buffalo scattered all through the country. I had seen some +signs of Indians, but up to this time I had seen only one small band of +them, and they were going in the opposite direction from the one we were +going. + +The evening of the third day, after we had eaten our supper, about +twenty men came to where Jim and I were sitting on a log having a smoke +and a private talk together. + +One of them who seemed to be the leader said, "We want some Buffalo +meat, and we propose to go out and get some tomorrow. Now what do you +think about it?" + +[Illustration: They raced around us in a circle.] + +Jim said, "Which way do you think of going?" Pointing to the south, he +said, "We think of going down into those low hills not more than eight +or ten miles from the trail." + +Jim answered, "I have no doubt you would find Buffalo and maybe kill +some, but I have grave doubt of your ever getting back alive." + +The man said, "Do you think we would get lost?" + +Jim answered, "Yes, I think you would, if the Indians shoot you full of +arrows and take your scalp off." + +He answered, "We have got to find some Indians before they have a chance +to scalp us, and I don't believe there is an Indian out there, and we +are going hunting in the morning." + +Jim answered, "All right, do just as you darned please, but I will tell +you this just here and now. When you go a half a mile from the train +without our consent, you will be out from under our protection, and we +shall not hold ourselves responsible for your lives." + +They turned away from us, saying, "We will take the chances; we want +some Buffalo meat, and we are going to get it." + +The next morning when the train pulled out twenty-three men left us, +mounted on their horses with their guns all in trim for a Buffalo hunt, +and four out of the twenty three was all we ever saw again either dead +or alive. + +We pulled out, and everything moved on nicely all day. I saw a great +deal of Indian sign at various places during the day. About the middle +of the afternoon one of the scouts reported that he saw a band of +Indians off to the south. As soon as he reported this to me, I went with +him to the top of a high ridge where we could see all over the country, +and sure enough, there was a small band of Indians some two or three +miles south of our trail. + +After watching them a few minutes, I saw that they were going from us, +so I knew that we were in no danger from that band. + +We had to make an early camp that evening on account of water. It was +one of my duties to ride ahead of the train and look the country over +for signs of Indians to select a safe camping ground for each night, +although Jim and I always talked over the best place to camp the coming +night before we struck out in the morning. + +That night I did not get in until Jim had the wagons all corralled. Jim +came to me as soon as I rode in and said, "Will, have you seen anything +of the men that went hunting this morning?" + +I answered, "I neither saw or heard anything of them since I saw them +ride away this morning, but I will call my scouts together and ask them +if they have seen them during the day." + +When I inquired of the men, I learned that they had not seen or heard of +them and had not even heard the report of a gun all day. + +We had just finished eating supper that night when one of the committee +men came to us and said, "Don't you think you had better send out some +men to look for the party that went a hunting?" + +Jim said, "I told those men not to go away from the train, that there +was danger of their losing their scalps if they left us, and I also told +them that if they went a half a mile from the train I should not be +responsible for them dead or alive. They answered that they did not +believe there was an Indian in the country, and that they would take the +chances anyway, and more than that, I would not know where to go to hunt +for them any more than you would, for the country for miles around is +like this, and I would be willing to bet anything that you will never +see them all again." + +Dusk was settling down, and as the night came on and the hunters did not +come in, the excitement grew more intense. About twenty men came to me +and inquired if I knew what kind of a country the hunters would be apt +to go into. I answered that if they kept the course which they said they +intended to go, it would lead them to the Buffalo country and also into +the heart of the Indian country. One of them then asked me if I would +be willing to try to find the absent men if I had enough men with me to +help. + +I answered, "Why, my friends, it would be like hunting for a needle in +a haystack. You certainly do not understand the ways of the Indians. If +the Indians have killed those men, they will take the bodies with them +if they have to carry them a hundred miles. They will take them to their +village and spend two or three days in having a scalp dance, so you will +see how useless it would be to try to find them, and what is more to be +thought of, if we should stay here two or three days we should in all +probability be attacked by the Utes ourselves, and there is no knowing +how many of the people would be killed, or how much other damage would +be done." + +It was getting towards bed time when four women came to me with their +faces swollen with tears. One of them said, "Mr. Drannan, do you think +our husbands have been killed by the Indians?" + +I answered, "That is a question I can not answer, but I will say that I +hope they have not; they may have lost their course and in that way have +escaped the Indians." + +While I was talking with the women, I heard the tramp of horses' feet +coming towards camp on the trail. + +I said, "Listen, perhaps they are coming now." and we went to meet +the coming horsemen. There were four of them, and one of them was the +husband of the woman I had been talking to. When they came up to us, he +jumped off his horse and, clasping his wife in his arms he said, "Oh +Mary, I never expected to see you again." + +In a few minutes everybody in camp was standing around those four men, +and they surely had a dreadful story to tell. They said, they did not +know how far they had ridden that morning when they sighted a band of +Buffalo in a little valley. They fired at them and killed four; they +dismounted and turned their horses loose and went to skinning their +Buffalo and had the hides nearly off of them when, without a sound to +warn them of danger, the Indians pounced upon them, and of all the +yelling and shouting that ever greeted any one's ears, that was the +worst they had ever heard, and the arrows flew as thick as hail. + +"One of them struck me here," and he pulled up his pants and showed us a +ragged wound in the calf of his leg. After we had looked at the wounded +leg, he continued his story. He said, "As soon as I heard the first +yell, I ran for my horse and was fortunate in catching him. I think the +reason of we four being so lucky in getting away was that we were a +little distance from the others. We were off at one side, and we four +were working on one Buffalo, and lucky for us our horses were feeding +close to us. I do not believe that one of the other men caught his horse +as their horses were quite a distance from them, and the Indians were +between the men and their horses. The last I saw of them was their +hopeless struggle against the flying Indians' arrows. + +"We had mounted and had run a hundred or two hundred yards when we saw +that four or five Indians were after us. They chased us two or three +miles. It seemed that our horses could outrun theirs, and they gave up +the chase, but in the confusion we had lost our course, and we did not +know which direction to take, and we have been all the rest of the day +trying to find the train, and we are just about worn but, and we are +hungry enough to eat anything, at least I am." + +As it happened, Jim Bridger was standing near me when the man was +talking. The man turned and said to him, "Mr. Bridger, I hope all the +people of this train will listen to your advice from this night until we +reach the end of our journey. If we four men had done as you told us to +do, we would not have suffered what we have today, and the nineteen, who +I have no doubt have been scalped by the savages, would have been alive +and well tonight. There is no one to blame but ourselves. You warned us, +but we thought we knew more than you did, and the dreadful fate that +overtook the most of the company shows how little we knew what we were +doing in putting our judgment in opposition to men whose lives have been +spent in learning the crafty nature of the Red-men." + +Jim answered, "I always know what I am saying when I give advice, and I +knew what would be liable to happen to you if you left the protection of +the train. This is the third case of this kind which has happened since +Will and I have been piloting emigrants across the plains to California, +and I hope it will be the last." + +There was but little sleep in camp that night. Out of the nineteen men +that were killed, twelve of them were the heads of families, and the +cries of the widows and orphaned children were very distressing for Jim +and me to hear, although we were blameless. The next morning just after +breakfast the committee of five men came to Jim and me and said they +wanted to have a private talk with us. + +Jim said, "All right," and we all went outside the corral. When we were +alone by ourselves, one of them said, "I want to have your opinion with +regard to hunting for the bodies of the men who are lost. Do you think +it possible to find their bodies if they were killed?" + +Jim said, "No, I do not. In the first place, we do not know where to +look. In the second place, the Indians may have carried them fifty or +seventy-five miles from where they killed them. In the third place, we +do not know where the Indian village is or in what direction to look for +it, and if we should find the Indian camp, they may be so strong that we +would not dare to attack them, so you will see at once how useless it +would be for us to attempt to do anything in regard to finding their +bodies." + +One of the committee said, "Well, so you propose to pull out and go on?" + +Jim said, "Yes, that is what I propose doing. For the next four hundred +miles we shall be in the worst Indian country in the West, and I want to +get this train through it as quickly as I possibly can." + +The man answered, "It seems cruel to do it, but I suppose we must give +orders to get ready to move." + +Jim replied, "Yes, we must be moving at once, for I cannot risk the +lives of the living to hunt for those who are dead." + +We were on the road in less than an hour, the committee having told the +friends of the lost men what the consequences would be if they resisted +the idea of moving, and also the utter uselessness of trying to find +their friends dead or alive. + +When the train was already to move, Jim rode down the whole length of +the wagons and told each man that he wanted every one of them to have +their guns and pistols loaded and ready for immediate action, for, he +told them, "We cannot tell at what minute we may be attacked by the +Indians, and if your guns were not ready for use, you would have a slim +chance of saving your own lives or the lives of those dependent on you." + +Everyone seemed to understand the situation better than they ever had +before and promised to do as we had asked them to do. Everything moved +on satisfactory until about two o'clock in the afternoon, when one of +the scouts from the north side reported that a big band of Indians was +coming directly towards us. I spurred my horse to a run, and when we +reached a little ridge about a half a mile from the trail, I could see +them myself, and I could see that they were all warriors, for there +were no squaws or children with them, and I thought they would number a +thousand strong. + +I sent my companion back to tell Jim what was in prospect for a +fight, and to be sure and have the Indian scalps hung up in the most +conspicuous places. I watched the Indians until they had got within a +half a mile of the trail, where they all stopped and huddled together +for several minutes. I decided they were planning the attack, for when +they started, they went directly for the train, which fact convinced me +that the Indians had had a scout out as well as I had, and that he had +been a little sharper than I was. + +I now signaled for all the scouts to get to the train at once, and the +reader can rest assured that not one of them including myself was long +in getting there. + +We found everything in readiness to receive the Indians. We rode inside +the corral of wagons and dismounted. I told my men to follow me. We went +to the head of the train, which was but a short distance. I placed eight +men under two wagons, four to a wagon, and took the other two with me to +the next wagon. I told them to lay flat on the ground, and when I cried +"fire" for each one to shoot and to be sure that he got his Indian. + +When the savages got in sight of the wagons, they were probably a +hundred and fifty yards from them, and to my surprise they all stopped. +I had forgotten the scalps that Jim had hung up, but of course the sight +of them hanging on the top of the wagons stopped them, but they did not +stop longer than a few minutes. Then they began circling around the +wagons. I could see that there were two war chiefs with the outfit. I +knew this by their dress, for a war Chief always wears what is called a +bonnet. It is made of feathers taken from the wings and tails of eagles +and reaches from their head almost to their heels. + +When they started to circle around the wagons, I said to the boys who +were with me under the wagon, "Now you watch that old red sinner who has +the lead. I am going to shoot at him, but I do not know as I can hit +him, he is so far away, but if I can get him we have won the battle." + +They answered, "Fire away, and if you miss we will try our hand at him." + +I drew a bead at the top of his head, and when the gun cracked I saw +that I had hit him. One of the boys cried, "You have hit him," and at +that moment he swayed and tumbled from his horse. The report of my gun +seemed to be a signal for the whole train to fire, and for the next +minute the noise of the guns was terrific. While they all did not hit an +Indian, they did fairly well for men in an Indian battle for the first +time. There were forty-two dead Indians left on the ground, and as the +report of the last gun died away, the Indians turned their horses and +fled in the opposite direction, and I ran to the old Chief to get his +scalp. + +I had just finished taking his scalp after taking his bonnet off when +Jim Bridger and quite a crowd of the other men came running up to me. +Jim said, "Did you do that, Will?" I answered, "I did," and then one of +the boys who were with me under the wagon said, "Mr. Drannan sure shot +him, for he told us to see him get him, and at the report of his gun, +Mr. big Chief went to the Indians' happy hunting grounds." + +Jim slapped me on the back and said, "That is the best shot you ever +made, Will, for that bonnet and that scalp will protect this train from +here to California without another shot being fired." I said, "You can +have this bonnet to use for a scare crow, Jim, but be sure and take good +care of it, for I want to keep it as a memento of this trip." + +I then asked Jim if he were going to take the scalps off of the other +dead Indians. He said, "No, we have scalps enough now to protect the +train, and that is all we want. Besides, we haven't time; we must go on +to our camping ground, we have fifty or sixty miles to drive before we +can camp for the night." + +As we were pulling out, I said to the scouts, "We are in the Buffalo +country, and there will be no more trouble with the Indians; let us try +to get some fresh meat for supper." I knew that we would camp near a +little stream a few miles from where we had the fight, and also that it +was a great feeding ground for Buffalo at this time of the year. When +we were within a quarter of a mile of the stream, where we were to camp +that night, we saw that the valley was covered with Buffalo. I sent all +but one of the men down a little ravine to the valley. I told them to +dismount and tie their horses just before they got to the valley and to +crawl down and each one get behind a tree at the edge of the valley, and +I and the other men would go around to the head of the valley and scare +the Buffalo, and they would run down to where they were in hiding. I +told the men to be sure and not shoot until the Buffalo started to run, +and then to shoot all they could get with their guns, and when they had +emptied them to use their pistols. + +"Let us give the women and children a surprise tonight in giving them +all the fresh Buffalo meat they can eat." + +Myself and companion rode around to the head of the valley, and when we +reached the top of the ridge, we looked down and saw hundreds of Buffalo +feeding. We spurred our horses to a run, and in a moment we were in the +midst of them, and it certainly was a grand sight to see that immense +herd on the stampede, as they all rushed down to the outlet where the +boys were waiting for them. In a few moments we heard the report of +guns, and we knew that the other boys, were getting the meat for supper. +I told my comrade to pick out his Buffalo and I would pick mine, and I +said to him, "Now don't shoot until you get near the other boys, and if +you want to kill him quick, shoot him through the kidneys." When I had +reached the mouth of the valley where the Buffalo had crowded together +in one big mass, I chose a two-year-old heifer, rode up to her side +and shot her through her kidneys, and she fell at my horse's feet with +hardly a struggle. I pulled my pistol and shot another one and broke its +neck. My comrade had picked a big cow, and she was the fattest Buffalo +I ever saw killed. The other boys had killed twelve, and we got three, +making fifteen in all, and what was best of all, the Buffalo all +lay near to where Jim had corralled the wagons. As the wagons were +corralled, I went to one of the committee and told him that my scouts +and I had killed fifteen Buffalo and asked him to send some of the +men of the train to help dress them and to divide the meat so all the +emigrants could have some fresh meat for their supper, and in a short +time I saw men and women with their arms full of meat, hurrying to their +camp fires. + +Jim and I were sitting on a wagon tongue talking as we usually did every +evening when two little girls came running to us and said their papa +wanted us to come and eat supper with them. We went with the children to +their father's tent, and we found an appetizing meal waiting for us. Jim +and I had not tasted any fresh meat since starting out with this train +of emigrants at Green river. When we sat down, Jim said, "Lady, I am +afraid you will be sorry that you invited Will and me to supper, for you +may not have meat enough to go around. We have not had any fresh meat in +a dog's age, and we are big meat eaters any time." She answered, "Oh, +don't be uneasy. I have two pans full on the fire cooking now. I know +how much it takes to fill up hungry men, and you two are not the only +hungry men around this camp, and you may be sure we appreciate the feast +you planned to surprise us with"; and she turned to me with a smile. +"You see, Mr. Drannan, the boys told me all about your suggesting the +Buffalo hunt." + +I answered that the meal she had set before us would pay for more than I +had done. Her husband said, "It has surely been a great benefit to all +the people of the train, for we were all suffering for fresh meat, and +you don't know how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness in providing +it for us." + +As I left the tent where I had supper, about a dozen middle-aged ladies +came to me and said, "We would like to see that pretty thing you took +off that Indian." + +I did not know what they meant by "A pretty thing" until Jim said, "Why, +Will, they want to see that war bonnet you took with the old chief's +scalp." + +I went to our pack and got the bonnet and gave it to them, and for the +next two hours that Indian adornment was the talk of the camp. It was +carried from tent to tent, examined by nearly everyone, old and young, +in the whole emigrant train, and it was a curiosity to any white person, +and still more so to those not used to the Indians' way of adorning +themselves. + +Jim explained to the emigrants why this piece of Indian dress in our +possession would be a protection to them in case of an attack on us +by the Indians; he said, "The Indians have no fear of being killed in +battle. Their great dread is of being scalped. They believe that if +their scalps are taken off their heads in this world, they will not be +revived in the next, or what they call the "Happy Hunting grounds of the +Indians," where they will dwell with the great spirit forever, and if +they should see this bonnet which none but a great chief can wear they +will think we must be powerful to have got it and will keep away from +us, fearing they may share the fate themselves." + +Jim told the emigrants to be ready for an early start in the morning, +and then we separated for the night, the emigrants going to their tents +and Jim and I to lay our blankets under a tree. + +Next morning after we had a hearty breakfast of cornbread and Buffalo +steak, Jim said, "Now, men and women, Will gave you all a treat in +Buffalo meat last night, but if all goes well, and we meet with nothing +to detain us, in one week from tonight I will give you a treat that will +discount his." + +An old lady answered, "You must be mistaken, Mr. Bridger, for nothing +could taste better then the chunk of meat I broiled over the fire last +night." + +Jim laughed and said, he would own up to the last night's supper being +extra good but asked how she thought Mountain Trout would taste. She +said she did not know, as she had never tasted any; Jim said, "Well, +you will know in a week from tonight, and you will say that my treat is +better than Will's, for Mountain trout is the best fish that ever swam +in the water." + +We were on the road soon after sunrise the next morning, and everything +went well for the next three days. The third day's travel brought us +to Humboldt Well. As we were going into camp, I discovered a band of +Indians coming directly for the train. I notified Jim at once, and he +soon had the train corralled, and the chief's bonnet hung high above the +Indian scalps so all the Indians could see it. The savages seemed to +discover the bonnet and the scalps as soon as they saw the train, for +they stopped and came no nearer, and after gazing at the decorations on +the wagons a few moments they wheeled their horses and galloped away in +the same direction they had come, and we saw no more of them. As soon as +the Indians disappeared Jim slapped his hands and said, "Didn't I tell +you the effect that bonnet would have on the Red Skins? And I don't +think we will have to shoot another Indian on this trip, for they will +not get close enough to us for us to get a show to hit them." + +The second day from this camp we reached Truckey river, and it happened +to be Saturday, and Jim told the emigrants that this was the place where +he proposed to outdo Will in the way of a treat and told them that +everyone who could catch a grasshopper could have a mess of fish for +supper, as the river was swarming with the speckled beauties, and it +was really amusing to see the old of both sexes as well as the children +running in every direction, catching the little hopping insects. +Everyone seemed to be of one mind, what they were going to have for the +evening meal, for they were all on the margin of the river, and Jim and +I staid with the wagons and watched the crowd which was great amusement +for us, for they were all so excited. But our fun did not last long. In +a few minutes the crowd commenced to come back with their bands full of +fish; one woman passed us with two little girls. She had about a dozen +fish, and the children had their hands full too. She said, "Come, Mr. +Bridger, I want you and Mr. Drannan to eat supper with us tonight, and +after we get through I will tell you which treat is the best, Buffalo or +Mountain Trout." + +Jim told her she hadn't got half enough fish for him, not reckoning the +members of her own family. She said, "Don't you be uneasy about not +having enough. My man will come back in a few minutes, and he will have +enough to make out the supper, I reckon." + +We went with her to her tent and helped to clean the fish, and it was +not long before the appetizing meal was ready. While Jim and I were +cleaning the fish that the woman and children had caught, the man came +back, and he had fifteen of the handsomest trout I had ever seen on a +string. He greeted us with a laugh and said this was the first stream he +had ever seen where a man could take a long-handled shovel and pitch out +all the fish he had a mind to. "It is wonderful to think of the amount +of fish that has been taken out of that stream, and they would not be +missed if we wanted more." + +Jim said, "If you could stay here and fish a week, they would be just +as thick when you got through as they are now, and will be until the +spawning season is over." + +That night Jim suggested that we get up a party and go over on Truckee +Meadows and kill some Antelope tomorrow. + +I said, "All right, Jim, that is the greatest feeding ground for +Antelope of any I have seen. I will go and speak to my scouts now, and +we may get a party so we can start early in the morning." + +I hunted my men up and told them what Jim and I thought of doing, and +they were delighted with the idea. They said that every man in the +outfit that owned a horse and gun would be glad to go with us. I told +them to see everyone that they thought would like to or could go and for +them to meet us at the head of the corral right after breakfast in the +morning. + +Next morning Jim and I went to the place agreed upon. We were mounted +and had our guns all ready for business, and in a few minutes there were +forty-three men all mounted and anxious to go with us on the hunt for +Antelope. + +Jim told them that the hunting ground was eight or ten miles away from +camp, and he said, "I will guarantee that you will see a thousand +Antelope today. Now we will all travel together until we begin to see +the Antelope." + +The place called Truckee Meadows was about twenty miles long and ten +miles wide and very level and covered with the tallest sage brush in all +the country around and with an abundance of fine grass. We crossed the +Truckee river just below where the city of Reno now stands, and then +we struck out south east, Jim and I taking the lead and the others +following us. + +When we were about five miles from camp, I discovered a band of +Antelope. They were probably a half a mile from us, and they were +feeding in a northeasterly direction. I called Jim's attention to them +at once. After he got a good look at them, he said, "I will bet my old +hat that there is a thousand Antelope in that band." + +We stopped our horses and waited for all the crowd to come up to us, and +Jim pointed to the Antelope, saying, "There is your game. Did you ever +see a prettier sight? Now my friends, I want every one of you to have an +Antelope across your saddle when we go back to camp. It don't make any +difference who kills it so we all have an Antelope." + +Jim then turned to me and said, "Will, do you see that open ridge +yonder?" and he pointed to a low ridge about a mile from us right in the +direction towards which the Antelope were feeding. I told him, yes, I +saw it. He then said, "I will take all the men but you and two others, +and I will station them all along on that little ridge at the edge of +sage brush. Now, Will, you pick out your two men and ride clear around +the south end of the band, and when they start to run towards us, crowd +them as hard as you can, but give us time to locate before you start the +band." + +My men and I rode probably a mile and a half before we got around the +herd, and it looked to us as if the whole valley was covered with +Antelope. I told the men not to shoot at first, but to give a whoop or +two to get them started and then to crowd them for all they were worth, +and when the Antelope got to the open ridge to shoot. + +In a few minutes, after we started the herd of Antelope, we heard the +guns of Jim and his men, and it sounded as if they kept up a continual +fire. When we struck the opening, I told the boys to get all the +Antelope they could, and we had a plenty to choose from, for there were +hundreds in the herd ahead of us. I fired my rifle and knocked one down, +and then I pulled my pistol and got another. Just then I heard someone +shouting at the top of his voice just ahead of me. I looked to see who +it was and saw Jim Bridger, shaking his hat at me. I held up my horse so +I could hear what he said. He cried, "For pity's sake, Will, don't kill +any more Antelope, for we have more now than we can carry to camp." + +I called my men to me, and we rode to where Jim and his men were waiting +for us. Jim said, "Will, I have been in the Antelope country twenty +years most of the time, and I never saw so many Antelope together at +one time as I saw here this morning; why, there must be fifty or +seventy-five laying around here at this minute, that we have shot, and +you would not miss them out of the herd." + +One of the men said, "It did not need any skill with the rifle, that +hunt, for a blind man could not help hitting one of them, for as far as +I could see, there was a mass of Antelope." + +Every man now went to work skinning and getting the meat ready to carry +to camp. My two companions and myself put two Antelopes on each of our +horses and started on ahead of the others, and although it was five +miles and we walked all the way, we got back to camp a few minutes +before they did. + +As soon as they saw us, the women came to meet us and wanted to see what +we had on our horses. As I threw one of the Antelopes off the horse, a +middle aged woman said, "Mr. Drannan, can I have a piece of this one? +My little girls have just picked some wild onions, and I can make some +hash, and I want you and Mr. Bridger to come and take dinner with us +today." + +I told her to help herself, that I brought the meat to camp for all of +them to eat as far as it would go. Her husband came at that moment with +a knife and skinned a portion of the Antelope and cut out what she +wanted. By this time the other hunters began coming in, and everyone was +getting fresh meat for their dinner, and by the way they acted I thought +they enjoyed the Antelope fully as well as they had the Buffalo. + +While we ate dinner, I asked Jim how many Antelope were killed by the +whole party. He answered. "Why, dog gone it, I forgot to count them, +but I know this much. Pretty near all of the men brought two across his +saddle, and I will bet that it was the biggest Antelope hunt that was +ever in this country before. Why, Will, the Antelope came along so thick +at one time that a man could have killed them with rocks." + +If the reader will stop to think a moment, I think he will be surprised +at the great change that has taken place in that country in fifty years. +At that time there was not a white family living within two hundred +miles of this place, and if there had been any one brave enough to tell +us that in a few years this would be a settled country, we would have +thought he was insane. And just think, this very spot where the wild +Antelope roamed in countless numbers fifty-five years ago is today +Nevada's most prosperous farming country and is worth from fifty to one +hundred dollars an acre, and the city of Reno, now a flourishing town of +several thousand inhabitants stands on the very spot where we camped and +had the Antelope hunt, and I have been told by reliable people that the +whole country from the city of Reno to Honey Lake is thickly settled, +and that cities and villages and thriving farms now cover the ground +where at the time I am speaking of there was nothing but wild animals, +and what was worse to contend with, wild savages lurking in the thick +sage brush which covered the ground for hundreds of miles, and I am also +told that the whole country around Honey Lake is a thriving farming +country, but at the time I am speaking of, we did not have an idea that +it would ever be settled up with Whites or used for anything but a +feeding ground for wild animals. If we had been told at that time that a +railroad would pass through the place where the city of Reno now stands, +we would have thought the one who told us such a wild, improbable story +to be a fit subject for a straight jacket. + +We pulled out of there early Monday morning; we took the trail up Long +Valley towards Honey Lake, which we reached on the evening of the third +day. Nothing occurred to disturb us during this time. As soon as we went +into camp that evening the emigrants got out their fishing tackle and +went to the lake. Some of them caught some fish, but many of them came +back disappointed. None had the luck they'd had at Truckee river. Still, +the most of us had some fish for supper that night. + +While we were at supper, Jim told the people that they were through +catching trout, that the next fish we had would be salmon. They said +they had never heard of that kind and asked what it looked like. Jim +told them that the meat of some kinds of salmon was as red as beef, +while another kind was pink, and still another kind was yellow, and +they were considered the finest fish that swim in the water, and he +continued, "I have seen them so thick in the spring in some of the +streams in California that it was difficult to ride my horse through +them without mashing them, and they ran against the horse's legs and +frightened him so that he was as eager to get away from them as they +were of him." + +An old man presently asked how large a salmon usually was, to which Jim +answered, "Well, they run in weight from ten to fifty pounds, but I have +seldom seen one as small as ten pounds, and they are very fat when they +are going upstream to spawn, but when they are coming down they are so +poor they can scarcely swim." + +We left Honey Lake in the morning, and the third day from there we +struck the Sacramento valley, and we now told the emigrants that they +had no further use for our services, that their road was perfectly safe +from this point to Sacramento city. + +Two of the committee came to us and said, "As this is Saturday we will +camp here until Monday, and we want you two men to stay with us, for the +women want to fix up something for you to eat on your way back." + +Jim answered that we would stay with them over Sunday and take a rest, +for we had a long and tiresome journey before us, but it must be +understood that we did not want the women to go to cooking for us, for +all we could take with us was a few loaves of bread, enough to last us +a few days. Our meat we could get as we wanted it, which would be our +principal food on the trip, as it always was when we were alone. + +Sunday was a very pleasant, restful day to us. All the emigrants seemed +to vie with each other in being social. Among the company was a man and +wife by the name of Dent; these two came to us and said that they were +going to make their home in Sacramento city and were going into business +there, and they wanted us if we ever came there to come to them and +make their home ours as long as we wished to stay, for, said they, "We +appreciate what you have done for us on this journey we have passed +through. Besides the protection you have given us, the Buffalo and +Antelope meat you have shown us how to get and have helped to get has +been worth more money to us than all we have paid you to pilot us to +California.". + +We thanked them for their kind offer and good opinion of us but +disclaimed having done anything but our duty by them. + +Monday morning Jim and I were about the first to be astir. We caught +our horses and had them saddled by the time breakfast was ready, and we +accepted the first invitation offered us to eat. While we were eating, +our hostess said she had baked two loaves of bread for us to take with +us, and that she had roasted the last piece of Antelope that she had and +wanted us to take that too. We took the food this lady had prepared for +us and went to our horses, but before we reached them we saw the women +coming from every direction with bread and cake. Jim said, "Will, let's +fill this sack with bread and cake if they insist on giving it to us and +then get away as soon as possible." + +As Jim made this remark, it was very amusing to see how every woman +tried to get her package in the sack first, but it would not begin to +hold half that was brought. As soon as the sack was full, Jim said, "Now +ladies, we can take no more, so be kind to us in letting us get away." + +By the time we had our pack fixed on our pack horses' backs, every man +and woman and all the children were around us to bid us farewell and +good speed on our journey back to Taos, New Mexico. + +We had shaken hands with probably a hundred or more when Jim sprang upon +his horse all at once, saying, "Now friends, we will consider we have +all shaken hands," and he took off his hat and, waving it to the +assembled crowd, gathered up his reins and galloped away, and I followed +suit. But as long as we were in hearing distance we could hear, "Good +bye, good bye," floating on the wind. As the sight of the train faded in +the distance, we waved our hats for the last time. + +For the next two days everything went smoothly with Jim and me, which +brought us to Honey Lake. The night we reached Honey Lake, we camped in +a little grove of timber near a pearling stream of cool, sparkling water +about a half a mile south of the trail. + +We had eaten our supper and were about to spread our blankets and turn +in for the night when we heard a dog bark close to our camp, but it +was too dark to see him. Jim said, "Don't that beat any thing you ever +heard?" + +We listened a moment, and then it was a howl, and then in a moment he +barked again. Jim said, "You stay in camp, Will, and I will take my gun +and see what is the matter." + +In a moment Jim called, "I see him." I waited about an hour before Jim +came back and was beginning to feel anxious about him. When I heard his +footsteps, he said, "I followed that dog nearly a mile, and then I found +the cause of his howling, and what do you think it was?" I answered, +"Jim, I have no idea," to which he said, "Well, I will tell you. I found +the body of a dead man laying on his blanket just as if he was laying +down to rest. I did not get near the dog until I had discovered the +body, and then he was very friendly with me, and came and whined, and +wagged his tail, as if he knew me. I looked all around, but I could find +nothing but the body laying on the blanket. I could not see that there +had been a fire, and I saw no signs of a horse or anything else, and the +strange part of it is that, although the dog was so friendly with me, I +could not coax him away from the body which I suppose was his master." + +I asked Jim what he thought it was best to do. He answered, "What can we +do, Will? We have no tools to dig a grave with, and the body is laying +among the rocks, and I expect that dog will stay beside it and starve to +death." + +"Wouldn't it be a good idea to go to the place in the morning and pile +rocks on the body to keep the wolves and other wild animals from +eating it up?" Jim said, "Yes, we will do that, and we will shoot some +jack-rabbits and leave them with the dog, so he can have something to +eat for a few days anyhow." + +On the way over to the place where the body lay, we killed three rabbits +and threw them to the dog, and he ate them as if he was nearly starved, +and I have always thought that his master died of starvation, as he had +no gun or pistol with which to kill anything to eat, and Jim thought +that he must have got lost from some emigrant train and wandered around +until he was too weak to go farther and lay down and died with no one +but his faithful dog to watch over him in his last moments. + +We covered him up with stones and brush the best we could and left him +and the poor dog together, although we tried every way we could to tempt +the animal away. The faithful dog would not leave his master's body. +After trying persuasion until we saw it was no use, Jim said, "Let's put +a rope around his neck and lead him off." I answered, "No, Jim, if he +will not be coaxed away, it would not be right to force him to leave his +dead master." Jim said, "It seems too bad to leave him to starve, but +you are right, Will," and so we left him, and we never saw him again. + +Saddened with the experience of the morning, we mounted our horses and +struck for the trail. We had nothing more to disturb us for the next +three days. About the middle of the afternoon of the third day we were +riding along slowly, talking about where we should camp that night, when +Jim happened to look off to the south, and he saw a band of Indians +about a mile from us, and they were coming directly towards us, but we +could not tell whether they had seen us or not. Jim said, "Let's put +spurs to our horses and see if we can get away from them Red devils +without a fight with them." + +We put our horses to a run and had kept them going this gate for five or +six miles when we came to the top of a little ridge, and in looking back +we saw the Indians about a half a mile in the rear and coming as fast as +their horses could carry them. + +Jim said, "Will, we are in for it now, and we must find a place where we +can defend ourselves." + +At that moment I saw a little bunch of timber a few hundred yards ahead +of us. I pointed to it and said to Jim, "Let's get in there and show +them our war bonnet and scalps, and maybe that will save us from having +a fight with the Red imps." + +Jim laughed and said, "Why dog gone it, Will, I forgot all about your +war bonnet. Sure, that will be the very thing to do." + +We had reached the timber while we talked. We now dismounted and tied +our horses, and in less time than one could think we had the war bonnet +and scalps dangling from the trees all around our horses. We had +scarcely got ready for them when the Red Skins were in sight. They raced +around us in a circle but did not come in gun shot of us. They went +through this performance a few times and then stopped and took a good +look at our decorations, and then they wheeled their horses and left in +the direction they had come from, and that was the last we saw of that +bunch of Indians. + +We waited a few minutes to be sure that all was clear, and then we +mounted again and rode about two miles before we found water so we could +camp for the night. When we were eating our supper that night, Jim said, +"Will, I don't think you realize what a benefit those scalps and that +bonnet is to us; if I were you, I would never part with that bonnet as +long as you are in the Indian country. This being a Ute bonnet, the +Comanches will offer you all kinds of prices for it, but if I were you I +would not sell it at any price." + +I answered, "Jim, I am going to keep that bonnet for two reasons. One +is for the protection of my own scalp and the other is to keep in +remembrance my last trip in company with you as a pilot across the +plains to California." + +Jim looked at me a moment and then said, "Will, you don't pretend to say +that you will never take any more trips with me." + +I answered, "Yes Jim, I mean what I say. This is my last trip as a pilot +for emigrants." + +Jim did not answer for a few moments, and then he said, "Who will go +with me next year Willie? I thought the pilot business just suited you." + +I answered, "In some respects I do like it, and in others I dislike it +very much. You know yourself how impossible it is to please everybody. +There are so many of the people who come from the east that don't think +there is any more danger of the Indians than there is of the Whites, and +you know Jim that is the class of people who will always get us into +trouble. See what those nineteen smart alecks did for us on this last +trip. Do you think if they had known any thing of Indian trickery they +would have left our protection to go hunting in the very heart of the +Indian country? And if we had not been firm with the rest of those +people the whole outfit would have been scalped and then we would have +had to bear the blame." + +Jim answered, "There is more truth than poetry in all you say Will, but +maybe you will change your mind when spring comes." + +We had a peaceful night's sleep and pulled out on the road bright and +early the next morning. We left the main trail and took a south east +course and crossed the extreme southern portion, of what is now the +state of Utah. We traveled hundreds of miles in this country without +seeing a human being. + +A year ago I passed through this same country in a comfortable seat in +a railroad car, and it would be difficult for me to make the people of +this day understand the feelings that I experienced when in looking from +the car window I saw the changes that fifty-five years have made in what +was a wild, rough wilderness, inhabited by Buffaloes, Antelopes, Coyotes +and savage men. + +We kept on through this section of country until we struck the Colorado +river, which we crossed just below the mouth of Green river, and a few +days' travel brought us into the northwest part of what is now New +Mexico. + +The country which is now New Mexico was at the time of which I am +writing considered perfectly worthless. It is a rolling, hilly country +with smooth, level valleys between the hills and is proving to be very +fertile and is settling as fast as any part of the west. + +There was nothing more to trouble us, and we made good progress on our +journey, and in ten days from the time we left the Colorado river we +reached Taos, New Mexico, which was the end of our journey, and tired +and worn with the long hours in the saddle and the anxiety of mind which +we had experienced in all the long months since we left there in the +spring, we were glad to get there and rest a few days and to feel that +we were free with no responsibility. + +[Illustration: The mother bear ran to the dead cub and pawed it with her +foot.] + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +We found Uncle Kit and his family all well and glad to see us. It was +late in the afternoon when we got there, and we spent the remainder of +the day and evening in recounting our summer's experience for Uncle +Kit's benefit, who was a very interested listener to all that had +befallen us since we parted from him in the spring. + +While we ate supper, Jim told Uncle Kit of the fight with the Indians +in which I killed the old chief and took his scalp and war bonnet, an +account which amused Uncle Kit very much, and later in the evening he +insisted on my undoing my pack and showing the bonnet to him. + +After he had examined it, he said, "Will, I always knew that you would +make an Indian fighter since that night when you were not fifteen years +old and showed such bravery in showing me the two scalps of the Indians +you had killed that morning all by yourself. But little did I think that +you would have the honor of killing a Ute Chief and capturing his war +bonnet. There will be many times when that bonnet will be as much +protection to you as a whole regiment of soldiers would be," and turning +to Jim, Carson said, "Bridger, don't you think my Willie must have been +an apt pupil and does me great honor for the instruction I gave him?" + +Jim answered, "Yes, Kit, I certainly do, and if you had seen him tested +as I have the past summer, you would not need to ask me that question." + +Uncle Kit patted me on the back and told Jim that he did not need to see +his boy's bravery tested, for he always took it for granted that Willie +would stand any test. + +The next morning, Uncle Kit and Bridger commenced to lay their plans for +the winter's trapping. I heard Uncle Kit say, "Bridger, we have got +to get down to Bent's Fort right away; here it is in the last days of +September, and you know that when the fall of the year comes, them +trappers are like a fish out of water, and if we don't get to the Fort +soon, Bent and Roubidoux will fit them out and send them out trapping on +their own hooks." + +Jim answered, "That is true, Kit, and the quicker we go the better it +will be for us." + +On the fifth day after we arrived at Taos from California, we were on +the road to Bent's Fort with twenty-two pack horses besides our saddle +horses. Uncle Kit, my old comrade Jonnie West and a Mexican boy by the +name of Juan accompanied us. + +We reached Bent's Fort in safety without having any trouble on the way. +The evening we got to the Fort it seemed to me that there were more +trappers than I had ever seen together at one time before, and they all +huddled around Carson and Bridger. Uncle Kit told them all that he would +talk business with them in the morning. When supper was ready that +evening, Col. Bent invited all of us to take supper with him. We +accepted the invitation, and while we were at the table, a runner came +with a note to Uncle Kit from Capt. McKee, asking Carson to send all the +men he could muster to join him at Rocky Ford to escort a government +train to Santa Fe, New Mexico. + +According to the Capt's. note Carson had only twenty-four hours to +gather his men and get to Rocky Ford. When Uncle Kit read the note so +unexpectedly brought him, it seemed to upset and confuse him. He said, +"My God, I can't go," and then he read the note aloud. When he had +finished reading. Col. Bent said, "I will go out and see how many men +will volunteer to go." After Col. Bent left the room, Uncle Kit said to +me, "Willie, will you take charge of the men if Col. Bent can raise a +company? I know you can handle them as well as I could." + +I answered, "Yes sir, I will do any thing you think is best." + +In a short time Col. Bent came back and said he had found twenty seven +men who were willing to go, and that every man had his own horse and a +gun and a pistol, "but who will take the command of the company? Do you +intend to go yourself Carson?" + +Uncle Kit said, "No, I do not, but Willie here," and he touched my +shoulder, "will take my place and do as well as I could." + +Col. Bent said, "Well, come with me, Will, and I will introduce you to +your men." + +When we went outside, all the twenty-seven men were there waiting for +us. Col. Bent said to them, "Now, gentlemen, I have brought you a leader +in Mr. William Drannan. He will have charge of you until you reach Rocky +Ford." + +I then told the men to furnish themselves with four day's ration and +also to take blankets to use at night, and to be ready to take the trail +at sun rise in the morning. They all promised to be ready at the time I +specified, and we separated for the night. + +I found Uncle Kit in the dining room writing a letter to Capt. McKee. He +gave the letter to me, saying, "Give this letter to Capt. McKee, and if +you want to go to Santa Fe with him, do so, or if you had rather be with +me, you will find Jim and me on the Cache-La-Poudre; just suit yourself, +Willie, in regard to this matter, and I shall be satisfied." + +The next morning we were up and on the road by the time the sun was up. +We rode hard until about eleven o'clock, when we dismounted, staked our +horses out to grass and ate our luncheon. We let our horses feed about +an hour, and then we mounted and were on the road again. A little before +sunset we came in sight of Rocky Ford. As soon as I saw where we were, I +pointed it out to the boys, and said, "There is Rocky Ford, and we are +ahead of time." + +We had ridden but a short distance when one of the boys remarked, "We +are not much in the lead, for there comes Capt. McKee's company just +across the river," and as we reached the Ford, Capt. McKee and his men +were crossing. So we both met on time. I had never met Capt. McKee but +knew him from the fact that he was in the lead of his men. + +I rode up to him and saluted and asked if this was Capt. McKee. He said +it was. I told my name at the same time I gave him Carson's letter. + +He read the letter and then said, "Let us go into camp. My men and +horses are tired, and we will talk business after we have had supper." + +We rode perhaps a quarter of a mile from the Ford, where we could get +plenty of sage brush to make fires, dismounted and staked our horses out +to grass, and it was not long until our meal was ready to eat. As soon +as the meal was over, the Captain came to me and inquired if I had ever +been over this country before. I told him I had a number of times. He +said, "I am a stranger in this country; will you please tell me where +the main body of the Comanches are at this time of the year?" + +I told him that the main body of the Comanche tribe was at least a +hundred miles down the river. + +"They go down there to shoot the Buffalo as they cross the river on +their winter's feeding ground. You will find the Indians very numerous +all through that part of the country. Sometimes there are from two to +three hundred wigwams in one village, and the Indians will stay there +for nearly a month yet before they go farther south." + +The Capt. then asked if I was acquainted with any of the Comanche +Chiefs. I told him that I was, and that I had traded with pretty near +all of them. + +"The Comanches are all great friends with Kit Carson, and as I have +visited them and traded with them in company with him, they extend their +friendship to me." + +The Capt. thought a moment and then said, "I am mighty afraid that we +are going to have trouble with the Comanches from the fact that that +Government train is at least two hundred miles from here, and there are +forty wagons in it, and they have no escort, only their drivers and +herders, and I am weak myself; you see, I have only twenty men with me. +Five days before I received this order, I sent all of my men, except the +twenty with me, to Fort Worth, Texas to protect the settlers in that +country as the Comanches are on the war path there, and the few men we +have with us now will not be as much as a drop in a bucket as far as +protecting the train is concerned if the Comanches attack it." + +I answered, "Captain, if we can reach the train before the Indians do, I +believe we can get the train through to Santa Fe without firing a gun." + +This seemed to surprise him, for he looked at me as though I was insane +in making such a remark and said, "What do you mean, young man?" + +I answered: "Capt. McKee, all the Comanche tribe know me, and they also +know that I have for several years been closely associated with Kit +Carson, and they think that all Kit Carson does or says is right, for +they both love him and fear him, and they have the same feeling for the +boy Carson raised, and furthermore I have in this pack," and I pointed +to my pack which was laying on the ground near me, "more protection, in +my estimation, than a hundred soldiers would be to the train." + +He said, "Explain what you mean, for I do not understand." + +I then unrolled my pack and, taking out the Indian scalps and the Ute +Chief's war bonnet, I showed them to him and told him how I had used +them to protect an emigrant train when I only had twelve men to help me +that were of any use in a fight with the Indians. + +I said, "Now, Captain, you must know that the Indians have no fear of +death, but they do dread to lose their scalps after they are killed, as +they think there will be no chance for a scalpless Indian to enter the +Happy Hunting ground. So if we reach the train before the Indians get +there and fear they will attack it when they do, all we have to do is to +hang these scalps up in a prominent place and put the Chief's war bonnet +high above them all, and there will be no need of a fight or chance for +one, for the Indians will not come near enough to be shot at, for they +will fear that they will share the same fate that befell the Indians +that these scalps belonged to." + +Capt. McKee then asked me if I were willing to go on and assist him in +this way until the train reached Santa Fe, and he said, "I am quite sure +your plan in using the scalps and bonnet for protection with the Indians +will prove a success, for I know how superstitious the Indians are about +being scalped, and I am also sure that we have not sufficient men to +save the train from the Indians without some other means is used." + +I then asked the Capt. who would pay me and my men for our time if we +went with him. His answer was "The Government pays me and will pay you +and the men with you, and if we have a chance to test your plan and it +proves a success, I will see that you have double pay." + +Everything being understood and arranged to the satisfaction of all +hands, we separated and turned in for the night. + +Next morning we were all up in good season and got an early start on the +road. + +Late that evening just before we went into camp we saw a few Buffalo +feeding near the river. I asked the Capt. where he was going to camp +that night. He pointed to a little ravine about a half a mile from us, +and answered, "We will camp on that ravine." I said, "Take my pack on +your saddle in front of you, and I will kill a calf for supper." + +He took my pack, saying, "All right, we surely will enjoy some fresh +meat," and the company moved on, and I struck out to kill the Buffalo. I +rode around the herd so if they became frightened they would run towards +the place where we were to camp. They saw me before I had got in gun +shot of them and started to run directly towards where the Capt. had +gone into camp. + +As soon as I saw the direction they were taking, I commenced to shout to +the men at the camp to look out, for the Buffalo were coming, and they +did not get the news any too quick before the Buffalos were there. The +men grabbed their guns and commenced shooting, and that was all that +saved the camp from being overrun with Buffalo. They shot down three +calves and two heifers right in camp. + +The boys had the laugh on me for several days. When anything was said +about getting fresh meat, some of them would say, "Will can go and drive +it into camp, and we will shoot it," and the Capt. would laugh and say +he reckoned that was a good way to save me from packing it. + +I do not think I ever saw men enjoy a meal more than these did that +night. We had all ridden hard that day and had only a light lunch at +midday, so we were all very hungry and young and hearty and just at the +time of life when food tastes best, and every one of us knew how to +broil Buffalo meat over sage brush fire. + +The next morning the Capt. told the men to all cut enough meat from the +Buffalos to last until the next day and to put it in their packs, for, +he said, "We may not meet with as good luck again as we did today, and +if we take the meat with us we will be provided for anyway." + +We were on the road early in the morning and traveled without stopping +until noon, and we saw numerous small bands of Buffalo all along the +way. We stopped on the bank of a little pearling stream of cold water, +where there was plenty of grass for the horses, and ate our luncheon and +rested about an hour. We were about ready to continue our journey when I +discovered a small band of Indians coming up the trail. + +I sang out to the Capt., "There come some of our neighbors." He looked +at them and said, "Boys, mount your horses and be ready, for we are +going to have fun right here." I said, "Hold on, Capt., and let me see +if I can't settle this thing without a fight." He said, "How will you do +it?" I said, "I believe I know all those Indians, but I will ride down +and meet them and see, and if I am acquainted with them we will have no +trouble with them." + +Capt. McKee said, "Won't you be taking a desperate chance, Mr. Drannan, +in going to meet those savages when you are not sure whether you know +them or not?" I said, "I am not afraid to go to meet them, but if +anything is wrong, I will signal to you by raising my hat, and if I do +so you must charge at once, but if I give no signal you may be sure +everything is all right." + +I started my horse at full speed down the narrow valley to meet the +approaching Indian band. When I was within a hundred yards of them, +they recognized me, and they all began crying, "Hi-yar-hi-yar," which +translated into English means, "How do-yo-do," and in a few minutes, +they were all swarming around me, each one trying to shake my hand +first. I shook hands with all, and I then asked them where they were +going. The Chief told me that they were going to their village, which +was on the opposite side of the river. We had passed their village a few +hours before, but owing to the timber being so thick we did not notice +it. They wanted to know when I was coming to trade for Buffalo robes +with them. I told them I would come in four months. This seemed to +please them well, and they said they would have a plenty of robes to +trade for knives and rings and beads. + +I rode back with my Indian friends to the camp. On the way I told the +chief where I was going, and that the white men he saw in the camp were +my friends and were going with me. Not knowing any of the men in the +camp, the Indians passed on without stopping, as is their custom when +they are not on the war path. + +When the last Indian had passed the camp, Capt. McKee ordered the men to +mount, and we continued our journey. + +When we were under way the Capt. rode to my side and said, "Mr. Drannan, +will you tell me how it is that you have such a control over those +Indians? Why, I would not have ridden to meet that savage band for +anything that you could have offered me, for I should have considered +doing such a thing equal to committing suicide, and I know I should not +have come out alive." + +I said, "Very true, Capt. I don't think you would. But there is this +difference between your going to meet them and my doing so. You are a +stranger to them, and a member of the white race, which they hate. They, +not knowing who you are, are suspicious of your being on their hunting +grounds, but in my case I have known them all for years and have +accompanied them many times to their village. Whom they trust, although +he be a "pale face," they have confidence in, as they have in me. So +they are all my friends, and when I told the Chief that you and all the +company were my friends and were going with me, he or any of his braves +had no wish to trouble you." + +Capt. McKee looked at me as if he thought me something hardly human +while I explained why I was not afraid of the Indians who had just +passed, and in a moment after I had ceased speaking he said, "Can you +control all of the Comanche tribe the same as you did the band which has +just passed us?" I answered, "I certainly think I can if I have my way +about it." He answered, "If that is so, the United States Government +will be under great obligation to you." "The obligation is nothing to me +Capt., but if the men will obey my instruction I think I can pilot +the train through to Santa Fe without their having to fire a shot," I +replied. The Capt. said, "I am not acquainted with the wagon master, so +I can not say what he will do, but I will give you my word that my men +will do as you instruct them, and as soon as we meet the train I will +have a talk with the wagon master and try to influence him to submit to +being directed by you." + +The third day from this place we met the train at a place called Horse +Shoe Bend. We saw a number of bands of Indians and passed several Indian +villages on the way, but we did not come into contact with any of them. +The train was just corralling for the night when we met them, and the +most discouraged-acting men I ever saw were in that train. The wagon +master told us that the Indians had attacked the train the day before +and killed five of his men, and he said, "If this had been anything +but a Government train, I should have turned around and gone back, and +Capt., you haven't half men enough to protect this train through the +Comanche country; we have just struck the edge of it, and the Comanches +are the largest and most hostile tribe in the west, and you see that +I lost five of my herders in the Kiawah country, and they are a small +tribe beside the Comanches." + +Capt. McKee then told the wagon master what he had seen me do with a +band of Comanche warriors, and also told him what I said I could do for +the train if I had the control of the men and they would obey me. + +The wagon master turned and looked at me a moment as if he was measuring +me and then said, "Young man, do you pretend to say that you know all of +the Comanche tribe?" + +I answered, "No, sir, I do not know them all, but they all know me, and +there are hundreds of them that are particular friends of mine, and if +you are acquainted with the Indian character, you know that when an +Indian professes to be a friend he is a friend indeed, and there is no +limit to what he will do for you." + +He then asked how I proposed to handle the train and the men. I +answered, "I want the men to ride beside the wagons, and in the rear of +them with a half a dozen just a little ahead of the teams, and I will +ride alone from a quarter to a half a mile ahead, and if the men in the +rear or those on the side see any Indians advancing on the train, I want +them to notify me at once, for I want to talk with the Indians before +they get to the train, no matter whether there are a few or many of +them." + +The wagon master said, "I don't see anything to find fault with +your plans," and turning to McKee he asked what he thought of the +arrangement. Capt. McKee answered, "All that I find fault with is the +desperate chances Mr. Drannan will take in going out to meet the savages +all by himself." I said, "Capt., there is where you make a mistake. My +safety lies in my going out to meet the Indians alone, and I will assure +you and the other gentlemen that there will not be a gun fired if I can +get to the Indians before they get to the train." + +At this moment the cook said supper was ready, and it did not take long +for me at least to get to eating it, for I was very hungry. + +The wagon master, the Capt. and I messed together. The Capt. asked me +what I thought about putting out picket guards that night. I told him +that I did not think it necessary tonight, but further on the road it +might be advisable. + +We had a quiet night's rest, and everybody seemed cheerful in the +morning, and we were on the road quite early. Before we started, I asked +the wagon master how many miles he traveled in a day, and if he stopped +at noon. He answered that he was four or five days behind time now and +would like to make twenty miles a day if he could, and he thought it +would not be advisable to stop at noon while we were in the Comanche +country, but when we got clear of the Indians probably he would lay over +a day or two, and let the teams have a rest. + +Everything moved on pleasantly all that day. We did not see an Indian, +but towards evening we saw large bands of Buffalo all going south. That +night when we had got settled into camp, I told the Capt. that I would +take a ride five or six miles up the valley and see if I could find any +Indians' village or see any Indians and for them not to be uneasy about +me or look for me until they saw me. + +I had ridden perhaps three miles when I saw a large band of Indians just +going into camp. They were about a half a mile from our trail right on +the bank of the Arkansas river. I knew that they were a hunting party +because their squaws and papooses were with them, which is never the +case if the warriors are on the war path. + +I rode down among them, and as soon as the squaws saw me they commenced +to cry, "Hi-yar-hi-yar," and ran to me with extended hands, and they all +asked together if I had come to trade rings and beads. When I told them +that I would come again in four months and trade with them, they laughed +and said in their own language that they would have many Buffalo robes +ready to trade with me. As I was talking with the squaws, an Indian came +to me, one that I had known for quite a while, and invited me to his +wigwam to take supper with him and stay all night. I explained to him +that I could not accept his invitation that time and told him what I was +doing, and where I was going, but that I would return in four months and +would bring a plenty of knives and rings and beads to trade for Buffalo +robes. + +This seemed to please him very much. + +I bid them all good bye and went back to camp. It was rather late and +supper was over, but the cook had saved some for me. While I was eating, +Capt. McKee and the wagon master came to see me. The Capt. asked what I +had seen while I was gone. I said, "Capt., I saw enough Indian squaws to +keep me shaking hands for twenty minutes, and besides the squaws I saw +four or five hundred warriors and shook hands with a good many of them +and was invited to eat supper and pass the night with one of the Chiefs, +but I declined to do either, although I would have been more than +welcome." + +The Capt. asked where the Indians were, and I told him. He asked how far +from our trail their village was. I told him between half and a quarter +of a mile. He said, "Have we got to pass in full view of that Indian +village?" I answered, "Yes, sir, that is the only road that leads from +here to Santa Fe." "And do you believe that we can pass them in the +morning without being attacked by them?" he asked. I said, "Capt., if +the men will obey my instructions, there will be no danger when we +strike out in the morning. We will all travel in the same order as we +did today, except that I shall not ride so far in advance of the train, +and if the Indians start to come towards the train, I will ride out and +meet them, and the train must keep right on, as if nothing had occurred, +and I will hold the Indians until the train is out of sight, and then I +will leave them and overtake you." + +The Capt. said, "All right, Mr. Drannan, we will do as you have +directed, and if you succeed in this venture, I shall know that you have +the control over the Indians that you thought you had." + +The wagon master said that he would not feel very easy until we had +passed and were out of sight of the Indians and their village, and I +believe he spoke the truth, for he was up and had everything ready. We +were on the road by sunrise. When we were nearly opposite the Indian +village, the squaws discovered us and came running towards us in droves. +I rode out and met them and had a general hand-shaking with them, and +they wanted me to assure them that I was coming in four months to trade +with them and wanted me to go and look at some of the robes they had +dressed, which I did, and in doing so, I saw something that I had never +seen before nor have I since. It was a white Buffalo skin, and the +animal must have been a half-grown cow judging from the size of the +skin. It was the prettiest thing of the kind that I had ever seen, or +ever have since. When I was looking at the beautiful thing, I asked the +Indian that I thought it belonged to how much he would take for it. He +said it was not his, that it was his squaw's. I asked her what her price +would be, and she answered, "One string of beads." I told her to save it +for me and in four months I would come back and bring the beads to her +and take the robe. I was so interested in looking at the robes and +talking with the Indians that time passed without notice, and the first +thing I thought about it, in looking at my watch I found it was nearly +noon. I now bid the Indians good bye, mounted my horse and started to +overtake the train. When I caught up with them, I found that the Capt. +was feeling very uneasy about me, and the wagon master thought the +Indians had taken me captive. + +When I rode to the Capt's. side, he said, "This settles it. I have been +fighting the Indians for several years, and I must admit now that I +don't know anything about them, and I will confess that I was like "the +Missouri"; I had to be shown before I believed. But having seen like +them, I am satisfied that you knew what you were talking about. After +the experience of this morning, I cannot doubt that through your +friendship with the Red skins we shall get through to Santa Fe in safety +without having any trouble with them." + +That evening when we went into camp, the Capt. and the wagon master came +to me. The Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, you are so well acquainted with the +Comanche Indians, perhaps you can tell us where we shall pass their main +village and where the Indians are likely to be the most numerous." I +answered, "This is an unusually late fall, and the Buffalo are as a +consequence unusually late in going south and are more scattered than +they would be earlier in the season, and I do not think we will pass the +Comanches' main village under forty miles from here. You must understand +that the Comanches' main village is always near where the largest herd +of Buffalo cross the river, and from this on we will travel as we have +been doing; I will take the lead five or six miles in advance of the +train so that if we come on to a band of Indians or a small village I +can meet them and have a talk with them before the train gets up to +them, and Capt., I want you and the other men to keep a close look out, +and if any of you see any Indians coming towards the train from any +direction, send a runner after me at once, for I want to meet the +Indians before they get to the train." + +The next morning we pulled out early, and we traveled without +interruption all day, and we did not see an Indian and but very few +Buffalo. + +That night we camped on a little stream called Cotton Wood Creek. There +was fine water and the best of grass for the stock. That evening I told +the Capt. and the wagon boss that the three main Buffalo crossings were +within thirty miles of us, and we would probably have more trouble with +the Buffalos than we would with the Indians. "At this time of the year +it is no uncommon thing to see a herd of Buffalo from eight to ten miles +long, and from a half to a mile wide, and if we meet with such a herd, +all we can do is to stop and wait until they pass, for we could no more +get through them than we could fly over them, and, Capt., we now have +two dangers to avoid. The Indians and Buffalos. If you see a band of +Buffalo coming and I am not with you, have the wagon master corral the +train as quickly as possible, and as close as he can get them together. +I have considerable influence with the Indians, but I have none with the +Buffalos, so we must give the latter their own way and a plenty of room, +or they will tramp the train under their feet and us with it." + +We were on the road in good season the next morning, and every thing +went smoothly until about eleven o'clock in the morning, when I saw a +large band of Buffalo coming from the north and heading directly for the +river. I rode back and met the train and told the wagon master that +he must corral the train at once, and he did not have time to get it +corralled too soon before the herd was near us, and I will say I had +seen a great many large herds of Buffalo before and have since that time +but never saw anything that equaled this herd. We waited until three +o'clock in the afternoon before we could move on our journey, and after +they had all passed us, one could see nothing but a black moving mass as +far as the eyes could see. + +I asked the Capt. how many Buffalos he thought there were in that band. +He answered, "I think the number would run into millions. How many +Buffalos would it take to cover a half a mile square?" + +I thought a moment and answered, "That is a difficult question to +answer, Capt. The way they were crowded together here I believe there +would be a hundred thousand on every half a mile square." + +Capt. McKee said, "Yes, and on some of the half a mile square there +would be more than that number. I was in Texas nine years, and I saw a +great many bands of Buffalo in that time, but I had no idea that they +ever traveled in such immense bodies as the one that passed us today." + +We proceeded but a short distance that afternoon but made an early camp +on account of water. While we were at supper, I was amused at some of +the remarks made by the teamsters. One of them said, "Boys, if I live +to get home, you will never catch me any farther west than the state of +Missouri again. Who would live in such a country as this is? Good for +nothing but Indians, Buffalos, and Coyotes, and any of the three is +liable to kill you if you get out among them." And another said, "How in +creation are we going to get home? If this train don't go back, we are +sure in for it." + +The wagon boss said, "Boys, I should not think you would want to go back +over this country again." One of them said, "How would we live?" He +answered, "Why, you could go and live with the Indians, and then you +could have Buffalo meat to eat and hear the Coyotes howl all the time." + +This remark made a laugh, but I noticed one of the teamsters wiped his +eyes on his coat sleeve and got up and left the crowd, and I saw the +tears running down his cheeks. After he had gone, one of the other +drivers said, "I pity John, for he thinks he will never see his +sweetheart again. It was to get money to settle down with that brought +him out here, and now he is afraid that he will never get back, and +I believe he will go crazy if he don't get to see his girl in a few +months." + +The boss said, "It is too bad, and I will go and see if I can console +him." + +When we were ready to strike the trail the next morning, I told the +Capt. that I thought we would pass the Comanches' main village that day. +Said I, "If it is late in the afternoon when we pass the Indian camp, +it will be best to drive on four or five miles before you stop for the +night, and do not pay any attention to me, for very likely I shall be in +the middle of the camp, talking with the Chief." + +I struck out, and I had not ridden more than eight miles when in looking +off to the south I saw the Indian village. It was about a mile from the +trail on the bank of the Arkansas river. I turned my horse and went for +the village. When I was about halfway there, I met a number of young +bucks, and they all knew me. After I had shaken hands with them, I asked +where the old Chief's wigwam was, and they all went with me and showed +me where it was. As soon as I struck the edge of the village, every buck +and squaw commenced to shout and shake their hands at me. When I got to +the Chief's wigwam I dismounted, and as he came out to meet me I offered +my hand, which is always customary when one visits an Indian, be he +Chief or warrior. + +After we had talked a few minutes, he told me in his own language that I +had come too soon. He supposed I had come to trade with the Indians for +Buffalo robes. I told him that I had not come to trade this time but +would come all prepared to trade in four months. + +Then I told him what I was doing and where I was going, and I told him +that if he would tell all his Warriors to let us pass without disturbing +or molesting us in any way, I would make him a present of two butcher +knives when I came in four months to trade with them. + +This promise seemed to please him, for he said I and the pale faces with +me could go through his country and none of his Warriors would disturb +us. I told him I would want to come back with the same wagons in about +one month, and he answered, "It is well," which meant "It is all right." + +By this time there were hundreds of bucks and squaws and papooses around +the Chief's wigwam. They all thought I had come with knives and rings +and beads to trade with them. When the Chief told them that I was only +making him a visit, and that I would return in four months to trade, +they all wanted to shake hands with me, and while I was shaking their +hands, I saw the train pass along the trail, and by the time I had +shaken hands with them all it was out of sight. + +I was now about to mount my horse to follow the train when the Chief +said, "No go now, stay eat dinner." + +I knew that it would be considered an insult to refuse, so I said, "Wa +to," which means "All right." + +I staked my horse out by tying him to a sage brush and accompanied the +Chief to his wigwam, and it was not long before the squaws had a plenty +of juicy Buffalo steak broiled and ready to eat, and I have no doubt the +reader will think me a very strange person when I say that I enjoyed +that meal, which was of broiled Buffalo meat alone without even bread, +more than I would now the most sumptuous dinner that could be cooked and +spread on the finest mahogany table, and that meal was spread on the +ground in an Indian wigwam with wild Indians for companions. + +After a while, which seemed short to me, I looked at my watch and was +surprised to find that it was two o'clock in the afternoon. I bid the +Chief and his squaws good by and mounted my horse and was off in pursuit +of the train. + +I overtook them just as they were corralling for the night. As I rode +into camp, Capt. McKee met me and said, "Mr. Drannan, you must bear a +charmed life. I never expected to see you again, either alive or dead." + +I laughed and answered, "Did you think I was going to marry a squaw and +settle down in the Indian village, Capt? I thought you had a better +opinion of me than that. I will confess that I like the Indians pretty +well, but not well enough to be a squaw man." + +This answer made a general laugh and upset the gravity that was settling +on all their faces. Capt McKee then said, "Where have you been all day, +Mr. Drannan?" + +I told him I went to the Indian village which he passed and was invited +to eat dinner with the head Chief, and they made such a spread that I +like to not got away today. He said, "What could you have had for dinner +that it took all day to eat it?" I answered, "Buffalo steak straight +cooked in the most approved style." + +This answer made such a laugh that the Capt. did not ask any more +questions until he and I were alone that evening. The wagon master and +Capt. McKee asked me to take a walk with them. After we had strolled +along a while, the Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, how is it that you can go +into those Indian villages be they large or small? It seems to make +no difference to you, and the Indians do not molest you. Have you no +hesitation at all in going among the Indians?" + +I answered, "Yes sir, I would hesitate a long time before I went into +the village of some tribes of Indians, but I have no fear of the +Comanches in small bands or when they are all together, for they are all +friendly to me, and instead of hurting me they would protect me from +harm, and there is something else I can guarantee, and that is that this +train will not be molested by the Comanche Indians, either going or +coming on this trip." + +Capt. McKee said, "Where in the world could you get that guarantee, Mr. +Drannan?" + +I replied, "Capt. McKee, I got it from the head Chief of the Comanche +tribe, and his word is law with all his warriors." + +Then the wagon master spoke for the first time since we started on our +walk. He said, "In that case there is no need of all these men as an +escort, is there?" + +I answered, "That is none of my business; it is nothing to me how many +men the Government employs to escort the trains. All I have to do with +it is to do my duty." + +The Capt. inquired how I came to make such an arrangement with the +Chief. I told him that I had the idea in my mind from the beginning, and +that was the reason I wanted to go to the main village in advance of the +train, so I could arrange everything to suit myself before the train +came in sight. + +The Capt. inquired how much it cost me to get the guarantee. I said, +"The cost was considerable, but I think the teamsters will be willing +to make it up to me, considering the trouble and perhaps loss of life I +have saved them." + +The wagon boss said, "I reckon we all will want to take a hand in that +payment. Tell me what it costs, and be it ever so much, you shall not be +out a cent. I will go and see the boys right away and see if we can make +it up. How much shall I tell them?" + +I answered, "I promised the Chief two butcher knives for the safety of +this train's passage through the Comanche country, both going to Santa +Fe and coming back." + +They both stared at me as if they were amazed, and finally the Capt. +said, "What are you giving us? Are you joking or in earnest, Mr. +Drannan?" + +I answered, "I have told just what I promised to give the Chief. We did +not call it 'paying,' and I have over three months to pay it in." + +Capt. McKee said, "Two butcher knives for the safety of all our lives +and all the property in our care? How in the name of common sense could +you make such a bargain as that?" + +I answered, "There is nothing very wonderful about the transaction, +Capt. I told the Chief that I would give him two butcher knives if he +would tell his warriors not to molest the train either going or coming +back, and he accepted my offer and seemed to think himself well paid. I +told him that I would come to trade with his tribe in four months and +that I would give the knives to him then." + +Capt. McKee asked how many more villages we would have to pass through. +I told him that there were two more small villages. One was about ten +miles, and the other one about fifteen or twenty miles above us. + +He inquired if I intended to visit each of those in advance of the train +as I had the ones we had passed; I replied, "I certainly do, for they +would think themselves greatly insulted if I should visit the other +villages and pass them by without paying them a visit too. The Indians +are very much like children. If you notice one, you must pay the same +attention to the others or there will be jealousy, and that is very +much to be avoided in this case. Besides, I expect to trade with those +Indians next spring, and I want to keep on the good side of all of them. +If one gets the ill will of one Indian, the whole tribe is against one, +and if you have the Chief on your side there is no danger from the +others." + +When we returned to camp from our walk, the wagon master said, "Boys, +Mr. Drannan has hired the Chief of the Comanches to forbid his warriors +interfering with this train going to Santa Fe or when it is coming back. +Now I want to know how much money each one of you are willing to chip +in towards helping him out. You must remember that the contract he made +with the Indian Chief has not only saved the destruction of the train, +but more than likely some of us would have lost our lives if the Indians +had resented our passing through their country." + +Three drivers, all from Missouri, came forward at once and said, "Mr. +Drannan, we haven't any money now, but as soon as we draw our pay, we +will give you twenty dollars apiece as our share." + +Another man cried out, "I will give twenty-five." + +Capt. McKee frowned and said, "Don't you think your lives worth more +than twenty-five dollars, men?" + +This remark seemed to stir them up, and in less than ten minutes they +had subscribed four hundred and forty dollars. + +The Capt. clapped his hands and said, "Mr. Drannan, you are safe," and +then told the men what the real expense would be to me. The Missouri +men answered, "Don't make any difference to us what he is to pay. The +bargain he made to save our lives is what we want to pay for as far as +we can." + +I said, "Now boys, I believe that I have been instrumental in saving +some of your lives and probably the whole train, but you don't owe me a +cent of money for what I have done, and I want to say to you all that +if there should be any Indians come near the train while we are passing +through the Comanche country do not interfere with them in any way, and +you may rest assured they will not with you." + +The Capt. now turned to the wagon master and said, "How much further do +you want me and my men to accompany you?" He answered, "I will leave +that for you and Mr. Drannan to decide." + +I said, "Capt. McKee, I think you had better stay with the train until +we cross the river at Rocky Ford, which will take the train nearly out +of the Comanche country at this season of the year, and we ought to +reach Rocky Ford day after to morrow night, and as far as having an +escort is concerned, I do not think there will be any more need of one +after we cross Rocky Ford. I think the train will be perfectly safe to +go on alone under the present circumstances." + +To this neither the Capt. or the wagon master would agree, for Capt. +McKee said, "You, Mr. Drannan, have been really the only protection the +train has had, and it is no more than right that you should accompany it +through to Santa Fe. I with my men will go on to Santa Fe, and I will +report that all is well with the train, and I will also report what you +have done in protecting the lives of the men as well as the Government +property on this trip." + +The next morning we broke camp early and hit the trail in good season. +Everything went along smoothly until about two o'clock, when we came in +sight of a little Indian village. It was on the opposite side of the +Arkansas river. + +I rode to the bank of the river where I saw a number of squaws on the +other side. I waved my hand at them, and they recognized me at once and +began crying, "Hy-ar-hy-ar," and they came to the brink of the river and +waved their hands at me. I called to them that in four months I would +come with a plenty of beads and rings and knives to trade with them. +They clapped their hands and answered, "Good-good," and I turned my +horse and rode back to meet the train. + +I will here explain that all this conversation had been carried on in +the Comanches' language, as the Indians, neither bucks or squaws, could +understand a word of the English language at that time, and if I could +not have talked with them in their language, I would not have had the +influence over them that I had now. + +That night when we went into camp, Capt. McKee got off a good joke on +me. + +While we were eating supper, he said, "Mr. Drannan, I have caught on to +your tricks with the Indians. First you make love to the squaws, and +then you get the good will of the bucks by giving them knives to scalp +the white men with. I saw how you made love to the squaws today when you +were flirting with them across the river, and I saw them throwing kisses +at you too." + +I answered, "Capt., you ought to be with me when I come down here to +trade with them. You would then see the real thing. I will acknowledge +that I get all the hand-shaking that I can stand up to, but as far as +kissing and hugging is concerned, that the squaws save for their own if +they give them to anyone." + +The Capt. laughed and answered, "Well putting joking aside, Mr. Drannan, +I think the Indians of the Comanche tribe are all your friends, and no +mistake, and I see that you have a wonderful influence over them." + +I answered, "Capt. McKee, I have been trading with those Indians four +years, and I have always done just as I agreed to do with them, which +is the secret of what you call my wonderful influence over them, and I +certainly have never had any trouble with one of the Comanche Indians +yet, and I will tell you furthermore, Capt., that I intend, if I go +back with this train, to carry the knives with me and stop at the main +village and give them to the old Chief, for I do not know how soon I may +have occasion to ask another favor of him, and I feel confident that as +long as I keep his good will he will never refuse to do me a favor." + +We left this camp quite early in the morning, and all things worked +satisfactory throughout the day. We did not see an Indian and but very +few Buffalos. We reached Rocky Ford and crossed the river just before +night and went into camp, and Capt. McKee began to make preparations to +leave the train, as with his twenty men and also the twenty-seven men +who went with me from Bent's Fort he intended to strike out in the +morning for Santa Fe, where he could make his report, and the men could +receive their pay from the Government for their services on this trip. + +Before he left us in the morning, I said, "Now Capt., there is a part of +the route between here and Santa Fe which I am not familiar with, and as +the country is strange to the wagon master also, can you tell me about +the water and also tell me how many days it will take the train to reach +Santa Fe from this place?" The Capt. answered, "As for water and grass, +you will find a plenty all along the way; there is not more than four or +five miles from one stream to another, and for the time it will take to +reach Santa Fe, I figure that it will take fourteen days if everything +moves as smoothly in the future as it has done the last few days, and +now, Mr. Drannan, have you any word you would like to send to Bent's +Fort to Mr. Bent or Roubidoux? I intend to go back that way, and I will +take any message to anyone there that you would like to send." + +I said, "Tell Mr. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux that I will be at Bent's Fort +as soon as I finish this job and can get there, and that if they want me +to go and trade with the Comanches, I have everything cut and dried for +business, for I have visited all the main villages on this trip, and the +Indians are expecting to see me back in four months to trade with them." + +The men all mounted now, and we shook hands and bid each other good bye, +and the Capt. and forty-seven others struck out back across the Arkansas +river for Santa Fe by the way of Bent's Fort, while the train kept on up +the old Santa Fe trail by the picket-wire route. + +From this place I had a jolly time all the way to Santa Fe; we were in a +wild country where game was plentiful, such as Deer, Antelope, and black +Bear, and after the first day's travel there was never a night on the +trip but I had fresh meat for supper. + +I traveled along with the train until the middle of the afternoon. Then +I always asked the wagon boss what kind of meat he wanted for supper. +Sometimes he would say Antelope, and at other times he said he would +like a piece of black tail Deer, and I invariably got what he mentioned. + +We got up into the foot hills where Trinidad, Colorado now stands. The +wagon boss and I were riding along together one afternoon. I looked at +my watch and saw that it was about time to be looking for some meat for +supper. I asked him in a joking way what he would like best for supper +if he could get it. He replied that he would like a Cub Bear for a roast +tonight. Up to this time I had not seen a bear, although I had seen some +signs of them, and I had no more idea of killing a bear that evening +than I had of flying when I started out to get something for supper. + +I struck out on a low ridge that ran almost parallel with the trail. I +had gone but a short distance when I came on a patch of huckleberries, +and they certainly looked as if they might be delicious. They were the +first I had seen that year. I jumped off my horse and went to picking +and eating as fast as I could. In a few minutes my horse gave a little +snort. When I turned to see what was the matter, I saw that something +had frightened him. I went to him at once, and not over fifty yards from +him was an old she bear, and she had two cubs with her, and I thought +they, like myself, were so taken with eating berries that they had not +noticed the horse or me either. + +I took my rifle, dropped down on one knee, fired and broke one of the +cubs' necks. The mother bear ran to the dead cub and pawed it with her +foot. While she was thus engaged, I mounted my horse drew my pistol, +rode up to where the mother bear and her two cubs were in a bunch and +shot the other cub and broke this one's back, and it looked for a few +minutes as if I must run from the mother, as I did not want to kill her +for the reason that I had no use for so much meat. So I rode away a +short distance and watched her a few minutes. She pawed them over a few +times and seemed to think that they were no more good and with a few low +growls she trotted off into the brush, and I saw no more of her. + +I then rode to the dead cubs and dismounted from my horse. I picked them +up and strapped them both on the back of my saddle and struck out to +overtake the train, which I did just as they were going into camp. + +When the wagon master saw me coming, he came to meet me, and when he saw +the load on my horse's back, he exclaimed, "Mr. Drannan, I would like to +know if there is anything that you can't do that you take a notion to +do. I had no idea that you would bring in a bear this evening than I had +of doing so myself. I was only joking when I suggested bear meat for +supper." + +I answered, "Well, you had your joke, and you and the rest of us can +have Bear's Foot roasted for supper, and as I have wanted some bear meat +for several days, I can please you and myself at the same time." + +The whole outfit was amazed when I spoke about roasting the bears' feet. +They had never heard of such a thing before. When I got all the feet +roasted, I took one from the coals and told the men to help themselves. +They all gathered around me to see how I fixed it so I could eat it. +When I had it ready to eat, the wagon boss said, "Well, who ever thought +of eating Bears' Feet? But it does look nice." + +He watched me eat a few minutes and then made the remark that, as I +seemed to like it so well, he guessed he would try one, and it was not +long before the boys all had a taste of Bear's Foot. + +After he had demolished a whole foot, the wagon boss said, "I have +tasted almost all kinds of meat, but I must say that I never ate any +meat as good as Bear's Foot." + +Some of the boys asked me if I could get some more Bears' Feet for +supper the next night, and one said he would give me a dollar if I would +get a big foot for him. + +We got an early start on the road the next morning, and we traveled +along all day without anything of interest taking place. + +Along in the middle of the afternoon I told the boss that I guessed I +would go and hunt some more huckleberries. He said, "I would not exert +myself to get any more meat today if I were you. We have enough for +supper that was left over from last night." + +"Yes, but I want some huckleberries, and I will pick enough for your and +my supper if I can find them." + +I struck out and rode a mile or more, but I was not at any time more +than a half a mile from the train. I came to a little ridge. When I had +ridden to the top of it, I saw something in the way of game that was +a great surprise to me, as I had not seen any of that kind in several +years. It was a large flock of wild turkeys. I saw that they had not +discovered me as yet. I looked all around and could see no place where +they could roost except a little bunch of timber about a quarter of a +mile from where they were feeding. I got back out of sight and rode back +to the train as quickly as I could. When I overtook the train, the boss +was looking for a place to corral, and it was not long before all was in +shape for the night. + +I asked the boss if he would like to go turkey hunting that night. His +answer was that he always went turkey hunting in the daytime, when he +could see to shoot them. I asked him if he had never hunted them at +night, and he said no, and had never heard of any one else doing such a +thing. + +I said, "All right, I will go to the boys from Missouri and ask them, +for I have found a flock of wild turkeys, and I know where they roost." + +When I told the Missouri boys of my find, they were wild for the hunt. +One said, "Do I know how to hunt turkeys by night? You bet I do, and I +have a shotgun that will fetch one every pop." + +I said, "All right, you can have a chance to try your gun tonight, for +the moon will be bright tonight, and we will start right after supper, +and I think we will have some fun and all the turkeys we want besides, +for the flock was a large one that I saw this afternoon." + +When I was ready, I found eight of the boys had their guns all ready +and were waiting for me. It was not over a half a mile from camp to the +grove where I felt sure we should find the turkeys. When we reached the +edge of the timber, I said, "Now, boys, I think we had better split up +and two go together, and when any of you see a turkey, shoot him." + +In a few minutes all I could hear was "bang, bang" all around me, and +once in a while the cry "I've got one" as the hunter captured one he had +wounded. + +I spent most of my time laying at the foot of a tree, laughing and +watching the other fellows shoot and chase the turkeys, but the fun +did not last long. In a few minutes it was all over, and when the boys +gathered up their game, there were eleven turkeys, and I had not killed +a one, but I had my share of the sport in watching the others. + +We struck back for camp, all the hunters feeling proud of what they +had done. When we reached camp, we found the cook waiting for us with +everything that would hold water and stand the fire that he could get +hold of full of steaming hot water, ready to scald the turkeys, and all +the men pitched in and helped to dress them. + +When we were picking the turkeys, the boss said to the cook, "Say, John, +can't you preserve one of these birds, so it will keep until we get to +Santa Fe, and we will present it to Capt. McKee?" + +John answered, "I am afraid it would not keep, Boss. There are too many +of us in this crowd that like turkey fried in bear's grease, and after +you have had breakfast in the morning, you won't say anything more about +preserving turkeys for somebody else to eat." + +But notwithstanding this remark John kept two turkeys until we got to +Santa Fe the third day after the turkey hunt. We made the trip from +Rocky Ford to Santa Fe in thirteen days. We met Capt. McKee coming to +meet us about two miles before we reached our journey's end, and with +him was Col. Chivington, the commander of the Government Post at Santa +Fe. I was riding alone just a little ahead of the train. When I met +them, I saluted the Capt. and after we had shaken hands he introduced me +to the Col. whom I had never met before, although I had heard of him, +and he had heard of me also. + +The Col. said, "Mr. Drannan, I have been acquainted with Capt. McKee for +several years, and have known him to have been a great Indian fighter, +but he tells me that you can do more with the Comanches alone than he +could do if he had five hundred soldiers to help him. Now, there must +be some secret about this, and I would like to be initiated into it. The +Capt. tells me that you went into the Comanches' main village alone, and +I presume there were several thousand warriors there at that time, and +what seems more wonderful to me," he said, "that you staid and ate +dinner with the head Chief. Now my friend, there must be something in +this unusual transaction. Will you tell me the secret of your influence +with the red men?" + +I answered, "Col., if you were a member of a secret organization, would +you think it right to give away the secret to outsiders?" + +At this answer the Capt. laughed and slapped the Col. on the back, and +said, "Col., I reckon, you have got your match in Mr. Drannan, for I +have never asked him a question that he did not find a way to answer me +without giving me the information that I was seeking." + +Col. Chivington smiled but made no answer to the Capt. or me. + +We rode in silence a few minutes, and then turning to me the Col. said, +"Mr. Drannan, I want you to come to my quarters tonight. I have a little +business that I would like to talk with you." + +We soon got to headquarters, and as soon as the train was corralled, I +saw cook John coming to where the Col. the Capt. and I were standing, +and he had a turkey in each of his hands. + +As soon as he reached us, he handed Capt. McKee one of the turkeys, with +the remark, "Here is your supper, Capt., and yours also, Col." and he +gave the other turkey to that Col. + +They both looked at John in amazement, and the Col. said, "Thank you +very much, but where in creation did you get them?" + +John answered, "I did not get them. You must give that honor to Mr. +Drannan, and I will say that he has provided every thing good to eat, +from turkey to bear feet, since we left Rocky Ford." + +I went to Col. Chivington's quarters that evening, and as soon as we +were seated, he asked me if I intended to return with the train to +Bent's Fort. + +I answered. "I have sent word to Mr. Bent that I was coming back to the +Fort as soon as I finished my business with the train here, but I have +not asked Capt. McKee whether Col. Bent wants my services or not." + +At this moment Capt. McKee came in. I said, "Capt., what answer did Col. +Bent give to the message that I sent by you?" + +He answered, "He said he wanted you to get back to the Fort as quickly +as you can, that they want you to go to the Comanche village on a +trading trip for them." + +I turned to the Col. and said, "You see the position I am in, Col. You +must bear in mind that the train does not need an escort back to Bent's +Fort, for there are no Comanches between here and there, and I do not +see where there is anything to hinder the train in going back in perfect +safety." + +The Col. then said, "Now Mr. Drannan, what do you expect for your +trouble in piloting the train here?" + +I answered, "Col., I will leave that matter with you and Capt. McKee. He +knows what my services have been and what they were worth." + +The Capt. said, "Col., it will be impossible to ever pay Mr. Drannan +the worth of what he has done to protect the train through the Comanche +country, in not only protecting the Government property, but the lives +of the men that were with the train. So Col., you will readily understand +what a difficult matter it is to put an estimate on what his services +calls for in money." + +Col. Chivington sat in thought a few minutes and then said to me, "Mr. +Drannan, will two hundred and fifty dollars be a sufficient amount to +offer you?" + +"That will be owing to circumstances, Col. If I drop the train here it +will, but if I am required to pilot the train back through the Comanche +country, I would not think of accepting so small an amount." + +He then said, "Mr. Drannan, providing we employ you to take the train +back through the Comanche country, will there be need of any other +escort but yourself?" + +I answered, "No sir, I would much prefer to handle the Indians by myself +than to have a crowd with me." I then said, "Col., you have the control +of this train. Why don't you make a contract with Col. Bent and Mr. +Roubidoux to load the train with Buffalo robes to freight back to the +Missouri river? I believe that if you could do so, it would nearly if +not quite pay the expense of the whole trip." + +He answered, "That is something I had not thought of, but it looks as +if it might be a good scheme," and turning to the Capt. he said, "Capt. +McKee, will you return with Mr. Drannan to Bent's Fort and see if such +an arrangement can be made with Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux and report +to me as quickly as possible?" + +The Capt. answered, "Yes, if you think it best, and we want to be on the +road early in the morning if I am to make such an arrangement." + +Col. Chivington said, "Very well, I will hold the train here until I get +your report, and, Mr. Drannan, come to me in the morning, and I will +settle with you." + +The Capt. and I now left the Col's, quarters, and on the way to our own +quarters the Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, I think you were very unwise in +accepting so small an amount as two hundred and fifty dollars for your +efforts to save the lives, and more than that, think of what an expense +it would have been to the Government to fit out another train to take +the place of the one destroyed if the Indians had attacked it, which I +have no doubt they would if you had not been there to control them. A +thousand dollars is the least you ought to have accepted." + +I answered, "Capt., I thank you for your interest in me, and I will +profit by it. I have another chance with the Col. if he employs me to +take the train back through the Comanche country, which I feel confident +he will." + +The next morning we were up very early and ready to leave Santa Fe. I +went and bid the wagon boss and the other men of the train good bye and +told them of the arrangement now pending between the Col. and the +people at Bent's Fort. This news seemed to please the boys very much, +especially if I were to be their escort through the Indian country. The +wagon boss was anxious to know how soon we would know what we were +going to do. I told him we would know in eighteen or twenty days at the +outside. + +Capt. McKee and I now went to the Col's. quarters, and he paid me the +two hundred and fifty dollars I had agreed to take. As we were leaving, +the Col. said, "Mr. Drannan, if the Capt. makes the arrangement in +regard to the freighting of the Buffalo robes, where can I find you?" + +I answered, "I shall make Bent's Fort my headquarters from now on until +next spring." + +Capt. McKee and I now pulled out for Bent's Fort. He being well +acquainted with the country, we did not take any road or trail, but took +our way across the country by the most direct route, and we made good +time all the way. As well as I can remember, it was called in the +neighborhood of three hundred miles from Santa Fe to Bent's Fort, and we +covered it in seven days on this trip. + +When we landed at the Fort, Col. Bent and Mr. Roubedoux were both there. +Capt. McKee informed them what he had come for at once, and they were +more than anxious to close the deal with him, but they did not have +robes enough on hand to load the train. They then inquired how long it +would take the train to get there. The Capt. said he thought it would +take about twenty-five days; Col. Bent then turned to me and said, "Mr. +Drannan, will you take a pack train and go among the Indians and trade +for robes for us?" + +I said, "Yes, I will." He asked how many days it would take to go to +the Indian village and get back. I answered, "To go to the main Indian +village and do the trading and get back here will take fourteen or +fifteen days." + +Col. Bent asked me if I thought I could take twenty pack horses and go +to the Indian village and trade for and load them up with the help of +two men and get back to the Fort in fifteen days. I told him I thought I +could and was willing to try it anyway. "But, Col., I want you to send +the quickest and best packers in your employ to help me." He answered, +"I have two men that are number one packers, and you can rely on them in +every particular." I said, "All right, we will be off tomorrow morning." + +We commenced to pack the goods that I was to trade for the Buffalo robes +which consisted of knives, rings and beads. We put each kind in boxes by +themselves. When I thought we had enough packed to trade for what robes +the horses could carry, Col. Bent said, "Here, Will, take some more," +and he threw several knives and some rings, and a bunch of beads into +one of the boxes. "Maybe you will want a few to give some of the squaws +that are such friends to you down there. Such little gifts are never +lost among the Indians, you know, Will." + +Col. Bent then sent some of his men out to gather up the pack horses so +he could pick out enough for a train. + +The next morning Capt. McKee said he wanted to have a talk with me when +I was at leisure. I said, "Now is your time, Capt." So we started out +for a walk. We walked in silence. The Capt. seemed to be thinking. At +last he said, "Mr. Drannan, have you made any definite arrangements +with Col. Chivington regarding taking the train through the Comanche +country?" I answered, "No sir, I have not." + +"What will you charge him if you take the job?" + +I said, "Capt., I am not anxious to take the job, but if I take it, I +shall charge five hundred dollars for my services this time, and I would +like you to tell the Col. so when you go back to Santa Fe. I think this +amount will be very reasonable from the fact that there will be no +more expense. If he had to feed forty or fifty men and pay them wages +besides, he would find quite a difference, and after all, they would +be no protection to the train, and they and the drivers also would be +scalped before they had passed one Indian village. So taking all things +into consideration I think that Col. Chivington acted rather close with +me, more close than I shall allow him to do again." Capt. McKee said +that he thought my charges were very modest, and he continued, "There +is another thing I want to talk to you about, provided you go with this +train. What do you propose doing when you come back?" + +I answered, "I am open for anything that is honorable and has enough +money in it to pay me." + +He said, "I intended to make up a company soon to go down on the Pan +Handle country in Texas, and I expect to go down as far as Fort Worth. I +would like you to join me. What do you think of the idea, Mr. Drannan?" + +"What is your object in going down there, Capt.?" I asked. He said, +"Western Texas is settling up very fast, and the Apache Indians are very +bad there. They are murdering the white people every day, and something +must be done to protect them from the Red fiends. I have seen enough of +your methods with the Indians to satisfy me that you understand them and +how to manage them better than anyone I have ever met with, and I am +sure you would suit me better than anyone that I know. If you will join +me in this undertaking, the state of Texas will pay us well for what we +do towards protecting the settlers. I believe the Apache Indians are the +most vicious as well as the most treacherous of any tribe of Indians +that ever infested the frontier from the fact that they are so mixed +with the Mexicans and never have been conquered." + +I said, "Capt. McKee, if I take the train back and you are not gone when +I come back here, I will join you in this trip to Texas, or if you will +leave word where I can find you, if it is within two or three hundred +miles of here, I will come to you." + +We turned back to the Fort with the understanding that, in case he left +the Fort without me, he would leave word where I could come to him. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +The next morning my packers and myself were up early and ready to be off +for the Indian village. I told the boys to be sure and take a plenty of +rope as all the hides would have to be baled before they could be packed +on the horses. One man said, "I have four sacks full of rope, and I +reckon that will be enough." + +Col. Bent asked me how many hides I thought I could pack on the horses. +I told him I could put twenty hides on each horse, and that would make +four hundred and forty hides in all. He said, "That would be a big load, +and I am afraid you cannot do it. Besides, it is early in the season for +the Indians to have so many robes. But do the best you can, and I shall +be satisfied." I bid the Col. and Capt. McKee good bye, and we were off. + +The second night out we camped near a little village. I told the boys to +get supper, and I would go over to the village, and have a talk with the +Indians. As soon as the Indians saw me, they thought I had come to trade +with them. I told them that I was on the way to the main village and for +them to come there tomorrow, and I would be ready to trade with them. + +[Illustration: The next morning we struck the trail for Bent's Fort.] + +We landed at the main village about noon the next day, making the trip +in a half a day less than I had planned to do. We camped near the old +Chief's lodge. The boys commenced to get dinner, and I took the two +knives that I had promised the Chief and went to his wigwam. I greeted +him with a handshake and handed him the knives wrapped in a paper. He +opened the package, and I never saw such a smile on a face before as the +one that beamed on that Indian's. He examined the knives carefully, and +then he told me how proud he was of them and said in his own language he +would always be white brother's friend. + +I told him that I would be ready to trade with his people the next +morning and asked him to inform them of the fact. + +The boys had dinner ready when I went back to our camp. I told the boys +when I would commence to trade with the Indians, and that I wanted them +to be in readiness to begin packing the robes as soon as the Indians +gave them to me. + +That afternoon I went around among the wigwams and visited the Indians, +and they seemed as pleased to see me as children are with a new toy. I +showed the squaws the rings and beads I had with me, and I showed the +knives to the braves also, and they could hardly wait until morning to +trade their Buffalo robes for them. + +The squaws showed me the robes they had dressed since I was there the +last time, and I saw that they were in a fine condition. + +The next morning they commenced coming very early, hardly giving me time +to eat my breakfast, and I fixed my price when I bought the first robe, +which was one string of beads for one robe, or two rings or one butcher +knife, and the reader can rest assured that the Indians kept me busy +handing out my goods and taking the robes in payment for them. + +About noon one of the packers came to me and said, "Will, I think you +have all the robes the horses can carry." I told him to count them, and +then we would know, and in a short time he came back with the report +that we had bought four hundred and eighty-nine robes. I said, "That is +a few more than we can find a place for, isn't it?" + +He said, "I reckon we can get them all on, and we will finish baling as +soon as we can, but don't trade for any more," and the boys certainly +did prove themselves to be expert balers as well as packers. + +The next morning as they finished packing a horse, I had to hold him, +and so on until the horses were all packed. It was my job to take care +of them, and when the horses were all ready for the trail, they surely +were a sight to look at. Each horse was completely covered. All there +was to be seen of him was his head and his tail. + +The next morning amidst the lamentations of the Indians because we could +not exchange more of our goods for robes, we struck the trail for Bent's +Fort, and we had the extraordinary good luck to cover the distance in +three days, and Col. Bent, and Mr. Roubidoux were very much surprised to +see us, as well as pleased. + +They did not expect to see us in four days more, and when I told them +how many hides we had brought, they were more than pleased. Col. Bent +said, "Did you have any goods left over?" + +I answered, "Yes sir, almost enough to have loaded another pack train." + +He said, "Well, well, Will, you can have all our trading to do whenever +you want it." + +I asked the Col. when he expected the train from Santa Fe. "I don't +think it will be here under four or five days," he answered, "and I want +you to make yourself at home and be easy until the train comes. You have +done enough to lay over awhile, and the rest won't hurt you." + +The fourth morning after this I was saddling my horse to ride out on the +trail and see if I could see anything of the Government train when Col. +Bent asked me where I was going. I told him I was going to see if the +train was in sight, "and what is more important to me, I want to find +out whether I am going to escort the train through the Comanche country +or not." + +Col. Bent said, "I thought that was understood. If I thought you were +not going to be the escort, I certainly would not trust my freight with +the train." + +I said, "Col. Bent, I have not made any positive bargain with Col. +Chivington, and after Capt. McKee tells him what I said about the price +I intend to charge him for my services this trip, he may decide not to +employ me." + +Col. Bent said, "Would you be offended if I asked you how much money +Col. Chivington paid you for that work, Will?" + +I said I would not, and I then told Col. Bent the whole transaction, and +I also told him what I would charge to escort the train back through the +Comanche country, and that I would take the whole responsibility myself +without any helpers. Col. Bent said, "Col. Chivington was not fair to +you in offering you so small a sum for what you done to protect the +Government property, not speaking of the lives you probably saved +from the savages' arrows or tomahawks, and I think you charge a very +reasonable price if you undertake the job over again and you don't want +any one to help you, for they might upset all of your plans by doing +something to anger the Indians." + +I answered, "Well, Col. I will soon settle the matter if I meet the +train." + +I then struck out and had ridden perhaps ten miles when I met Capt. +McKee and the wagon master coming just ahead of the train. + +Capt. McKee said, "Why, Mr. Drannan, I thought you were at the Indian +villages trading for Buffalo robes." + +I told him that I had been to the Indian village and bought all the +robes we could pack back to Bent's Fort and had been waiting for the +train to come four days. + +Capt. McKee said, "And I expected to have to wait for you four days." I +said, "Now tell me what Col. Chivington had to say about my escorting +the train." + +The Capt. laughed and said, "After the Col. had studied the matter over +for about twenty-four hours, he came to the conclusion that he could do +no better than employ you. So the job is yours, and Mr. Drannan, can you +tell me just about how long you will be gone so I can lay my plans to +meet you here at Bent's Fort?" + +I said, "Capt., I want about twenty-five days to complete the trip, and +as soon as I return, Capt, I will be ready to join you in the expedition +to Texas, and Capt., I would like for you to bring my pay here so +I shall not have to go to Santa Fe after it when I come back from +escorting the train." + +He answered, "I will arrange the matter so Col. Bent will settle with +you here." + +The next morning Col. Bent had his men commenced to load the train, and +they put the entire day in this business. That evening the Col. said to +me, "Will, if you had a half a dozen more hides, we could not have put +them on the wagons." + +When we were all ready to pull out, Col. Bent said, "Now Will, I want to +give you some presents to give to the squaws." + +We went into the store room, and he gave me a dozen butcher knives, +saying, "The bucks will be jealous if they don't have something too," +and he gave me a dozen rings, and a hand full of strings of beads and +said, "Now, Will, you can give these trinkets where you think best and +the knives too. I know the Comanche Indians are all friendly to you, but +these little trifles will cement their friendship." + +I bid everybody at the Fort good bye, and we were off on the journey +east. + +Everything passed along smoothly for the next two days. We did not see +an Indian, and nothing happened to interfere with our progress. The +third evening we went into camp near a small Indian village. I rode +over to see the Indians and took a couple of knives and a few rings and +strings of beads with me. When I entered the village, I inquired where +the Chief's wigwam was. A couple of young bucks showed me where it was. + +As soon as I saw the Chief, I knew him at once. He was "White Bird," and +he had not met me in a year, but he recognized me as quickly as I did +him. He invited me into his wigwam and asked me to eat supper with him, +which was ready in a short time. As we sat eating, two young squaws came +into the wigwam, and White Bird said they were his sisters. I took out +a butcher knife and gave it to him, and I gave a string of beads to his +squaw and one to each of his sisters. They all jumped up and commenced +to dance, and I think they kept it up for half an hour. Then White Bird +said in the language of his race, "White Bird and all the Indians of the +Comanche tribe always be pale face brother friend." + +His sisters said they had some skins of the young dog which they would +tan and give to me so I could make some new clothes for myself. + +The train pulled out from there, and the third day we came to the main +village. Before the train went into camp for the night, I told the wagon +boss that I was going to the Indian village and that he need not expect +to see me before midnight as I was going to have a good time with the +Indians. + +I gave my horse into the herders' care and struck out on foot for the +Indian village, which was about a half a mile from our camp. Before I +reached the Chief's wigwam, I met several Indians, and they accompanied +me to the Chief's lodge. Chief Light Foot saw me before I did him and +commenced to shout at the top of his voice, and as I reached his wigwam +the Indians were coming from every quarter. + +As soon as Light Foot and I had shaken hands, he said, "Stay to supper, +and we have a peace smoke and peace dance tonight." + +By the time we had finished that meal there was a dozen or more of his +uncle Chiefs at the wigwam, and we took our places for the peace smoke. + +I will explain to the reader what the peace smoke is. We all took seats +in a circle around the head Chief. He lighted the peace pipe, which is +a special pipe kept to use on these occasions alone. He took the first +whiff himself, blowing it up into the air, and the second whiff he blew +into my face. I being his guest of honor, I sat at the right of him. The +third whiff he blew into the face of the Chief who sat on his left, and +then he passed the pipe to me. I went through the same performance and +passed the pipe to the next, and so the pipe went around the circle +until all had smoked, and in all the time this smoking was going on +there was not a smile or a grunt or a word spoken. Every motion was in +the most solemn way throughout the whole performance. As the last one +finished smoking, he passed the pipe to the head Chief, and all of the +Chiefs sprang to their feet and shook hands with me, from the head Chief +down, and the peace smoke was over. + +I will say here for the instruction of the reader that the Indians never +held a peace smoke with others than the members of their own tribe, +without they had perfect confidence in the outsider, who always occupied +the seat of honor at the right side of the head Chief of the tribe. + +After the peace smoke was over, everybody left the wigwam and everyone, +Chief, warriors, and squaws, all joined in the peace dance, I of course +taking a part with the rest. I never knew how many took a part in the +dance that night, which is always danced in a circle, and every Indian +has his or her own way of dancing, and all, old and young, male and +female, that take a part are singing. + +It would be impossible to explain to the people of this age so they +would understand just what a peace dance is and how the people who took +part in it looked with the camp fires throwing their lurid light through +the darkness of the forest, lighting up the savage faces of the red men, +and the not-much-less wild faces of the squaws. It was a strange sight +then. How much more strange it would look to the people of this later +civilization. + +The dance lasted half an hour or more, and all the Indians of both sexes +then shook hands with me. I shook the Chief's hand last of all, and as +I did so, I gave him the other knife I had brought with me. He took it +and, brandishing it over his head, he shouted as loud as he could yell, +which was a signal for all the others to yell too and shake their hands +towards me. By my giving these knives to the head Chief of the tribe, I +cemented the friendship of him and through him of the whole tribe more +than I should if I had presented each one of his warriors with a knife. + +Amidst the yells of the warriors and their squaws, I left them and +walked back to camp, well satisfied with what I had done towards +protecting the train as it passed through the Comanche country, for I +knew we would not have any trouble with the Indians of that tribe. + +The wagon boss and several of the drivers were sitting at the fire +waiting for me. As I came up to the fire, the wagon boss said, "What in +the name of common sense was the racket about? Why, some of the time +this evening there was such a noise over there that we could not hear +ourselves think, much less talk." + +I answered, "Why, I was just having a good dance with the squaws, and as +they all wanted to dance with me first, they made a little noise over +it." + +He asked, "How many squaws were there in the dance?" and I told him I +reckoned there were about a thousand in the crowd. + +"And did you dance with a thousand squaws?" he inquired. + +I answered, "Why, I certainly could not show any partiality there, could +I?" + +He said, "Well, if you have danced with that many squaws, I guess you +are tired enough to sleep sound." + +So we bid each other good night and turned in, and in a few moments +silence reigned over the camp. + +We pulled out of this camp the next morning and did not see an Indian +for the next three days. On the third evening, as we were getting ready +to camp for the night, I discovered a small band of Indians coming +directly towards us. I told the wagon master where to corral the train, +and I then left him and rode on to meet the Indians. As I drew near +them, I saw that I knew them all. They were a small band of Comanches, +and when I met them they told me that they had been on a visit to the +Kiawah tribe and were hurrying to get back to the main Comanche village. +I told them of the peace dance I had taken a part in at the main village +a few nights before, and they expressed much regret that they had missed +the fun. + +I asked them if there were many more of their tribe down the country +they had come from. They answered, "No more Comanches that way, all +gone to village," which proved to be a fact, for we did not see another +Comanche Indian on this trip. + +I remained with the train four days after this, and, seeing that my +services were no longer needed, I told the wagon master that the train +was out of danger, as we had passed through the Comanche country, and +there would be nothing to interfere with their progress, so I would +leave them the next morning. + +In the morning, when the wagon boss told the men that I was going to +leave them, a number of them came to me and insisted on my taking at +least ten dollars from each of them in payment for the bargain I had +made with the Comanche Chief regarding the passage of the train on its +way to Santa Fe. + +Of course, I did not accept their hard-earned money. I told them that +I was glad of the privilege of saving their lives. And besides, the +Government would pay me for my services. + +Cook John had a nice sack of bread ready for me, and I accepted his gift +gladly. I bid them all good bye and struck out for Bent's Fort, and it +was about as lonesome a journey as I ever made in my life. I avoided the +Indian villages when I could, for I knew that the Indians would take +more of my time than I could spare if I stopped at all. + +I made a rule with myself when I first left the train to ride eight +hours and then stop and let my horse rest and feed four hours. This rule +I followed day and night, except a few times I overslept, but I gave my +horse his feed and rest just the same, and I was back at Bent's Fort on +the twenty-third day after leaving there with the train. + +The next morning after I got there, Capt. McKee arrived, and he was very +much surprised to find me there before him. He had made arrangements for +Col. Bent to pay me for piloting the train through the Comanche country, +and Col. Bent settled with me that day. The next morning Capt. McKee and +I began our preparations for our journey to Texas. He had thirty-two +men with him when he came to the fort, and eight more joined us there, +making forty in all. Each man had two saddle horses, and there was one +pack horse to every four men. Everything being ready, we left Bent's +Fort on what would be considered in these days of rapid transit a long +and tiresome journey on horse back, over trackless mountains and plains, +through valleys, across rivers, in danger of attacks from wild animals +and still wilder red men. + +I think we traveled between four and five hundred miles without seeing +a white person. We camped and lay over one day to give our horses rest +where the thriving little city of Amarillo now stands. At that time we +had no idea that vast prairie would ever be inhabited by the white race. +That part of Texas was the greatest country for Antelope at the time I +am speaking of that I had ever seen. Some days we saw a thousand or more +Antelope in one drove. + +We now began to see plenty of Indian signs all along where we traveled. +There were no roads or trails to guide us. We had traveled down what +is now called the Pan Handle country, to where the city of Bowie now +stands, before we saw a white person after we left Bent's Fort. We met +three men there. They were going around through the country hunting for +men to assist them to look after a settlement that had been attacked by +the Indians the night before. They did not know what tribe had made the +attack. Capt. McKee said, "We will go with you and assist you if you +will lead us to the place." + +We all struck out with the men, and after riding perhaps five miles, we +came to the settlement and found that one man had been killed and all +the horses and cattle belonging to the people had been driven off. + +Capt. McKee asked if they knew what tribe of Indians had made the +attack. They answered that they did not know, as it was very dark when +the Indians first came, and they could not see them, but they had a +skirmish with them, and one man was killed, and the Indians drove the +horses and cattle off in a southerly direction. The Capt. asked me if +I thought it would be best to follow the savages and try to take the +horses and cattle away from them. + +I said, "Capt., these people have lost everything they had to depend on +to get a living, and what will they do if someone does not do something +to help them? And all the way to do that is to get their horses and +cattle and return them to the owners." + +He answered, "Well, if you will take the lead and do the scout work, we +will strike the trail of the Red devils at once." + +I said, "All right, Capt., you pick out two good men to assist me, and +we will be off at once, for the sooner we are after them the quicker we +may overhaul the Red murdering thieves." + +In a few minutes the Capt. came to me, and with him were two men. He +said, "These men say they are willing to do all they can to help." I +said, "I will take the lead, and don't you pay any attention to my +movements. You take the trail and follow it as long as you can see +it, and when it is too dark to see, go into camp, and if I locate the +Indians, whether they are in camp or on the move, I will inform you at +once." + +It was in the middle of the afternoon when we pulled out on the trail of +the Indians. After following them eight or ten miles, I decided in my +mind that there were not more than forty Indians in the band we were +after. + +I said, "Now boys, if we catch these Indians in camp, we can wipe them +out and not leave one of them to tell the tale. We have a bright moon +tonight, and their trail is so fresh and plain there will be no trouble +in following it." + +One man asked if I thought we could overtake the Indians in their first +camp. I answered, "I think we can, for the Indians will have no fear of +being followed and will not be in a hurry and will be off their guard." + +We pushed on until about eleven o'clock in the night when we rode up +on a little ridge, and, on looking down in the valley beyond, we saw +several camp fires, but they were burning very dimly. + +I said, "Boys, there are your Indians, and I want one of you to stay +here and hold the horses, and the other to go with me, and we will +investigate the matter," and said to the man that we left with the +horses, "If you hear the report of a gun, mount your horse and lead ours +to us at once, for the gun shot will be a signal that we are in trouble +and want you to assist us." + +My companion and I crawled down near the camp fires, and we saw that all +the Indians were lying around the fires asleep, but they were scattered +about so that I could not count them. + +I whispered to my companion, "Now let us find the stock." + +We crept down a little further and found the horses and cattle all +feeding quietly, and they were all bunched up together. We went back to +the man who had the horses. I told him to mount his horse and take the +trail back until he met Capt. McKee and to tell him what we had found, +and if it was possible for him to get here by daybreak to do so, "for if +we can all be together before daylight, I think we can capture the whole +outfit without losing a man." + +He mounted his horse and was off at once. He had been gone perhaps an +hour, and my comrade and I were sitting talking, when he raised his hand +and said, "Hush, I hear something." + +"What did it sound like?" I said. + +"Like a horse snorting," and he pointed up the trail the way the Capt. +should come. We sprang to our feet and listened, and in a minute more we +heard the tramp of the horses' feet. We quickly mounted our horses and +went to meet them. I told the Capt. what we had found and what position +the Indians were in. + +He said, "Mr. Drannan, what do you think is the best way to attack +them?" I answered, "It is the easiest thing to do imaginable Capt., if +we only work the thing right. Dismount all but ten of the men, and we +will crawl down and surround the Indians and not fire a shot until +daybreak or till they commence getting up, and when we that are on foot +commence firing, the ten on horseback must charge down the hill, and if +any of the Indians escape our bullets, the mounted men must follow them +and shoot them down. When the Indians find that the Whites are after +them, they will make a rush for their horses, and that is the time for +the mounted men to get their work in." + +The Capt. thought a few minutes and then said, "I believe your plan is a +grand idea, and we will follow it." + +He selected the ten men and then asked me where he should place them. I +showed him where I thought was the best place for them to stand. I then +pointed to the place where the stock was still feeding and said, "Now +boys, when you make your charge on the Indians, charge down between the +stock and the fires, and by doing so you will catch the Indians as they +run for their horses, and be sure and get every one of them. Don't let +one get away." + +Everything being understood, we that were on foot commenced to crawl +down towards the sleeping Indians' camp. The day was just beginning to +break when we got fixed in our positions around them, and it was nearly +sunrise before any of the savages crawled out of their blankets. As soon +as the first one got out, we shot him down, and we continued to shoot as +long as an Indian remained alive. The men on horseback gave a yell and +made the charge. When they reached Capt. McKee, one of the horsemen +said, "Where is our part of the fight? We didn't get any chance to fire +a shot." + +The Capt. answered, "It is all over, boys. You will have to wait for the +next time for your shot, for I do not think one of this band is alive +for you to shoot at. It was one of the quickest-won battles I was ever +engaged in," and turning to me the Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, you ought +to join the army, for you would make a first-class General, and I am +sure would always lead your men to victory in Indian warfare any way." + +We now led our horses down to the Indian camp and staked them out to +get their breakfast from the juicy grass that was very abundant in the +valley, and then we began to think that we were very hungry ourselves. +We had not had a bite to eat since the morning before, and the hard +day's ride and no supper and the all-night vigil had about used us up. + +Capt. McKee said, "Come, boys let's get some breakfast, for I for one am +nearly starved, and we will lay over here until tomorrow morning and let +our horses rest and get a little rest ourselves." + +After we had satisfied our hunger with a slice of Antelope broiled over +the fire and some bread and a cup of coffee, Capt. McKee said to me, +"Let us look around and see how many dead Indians we can find." + +We struck out together, and we counted thirty-eight, and not one of them +had got ten feet from where he had slept, and all their blankets lay +just as they had crawled out of them. + +I said at the time, and I think now, that that was the most accurate +shooting and with the least excitement of any Indian fight I was ever +in. It seemed as if every man was as cool as if he was shooting at +prairie dogs, and every shot hit the mark. We did not touch the dead +Indians but left them as a warning to others who might come that way. We +next looked after the stock. By examining the horses, we found that they +tallied with the number of Indians, for every horse that belonged to the +Indians had a hair rope around his neck, which was a custom followed by +all the Western Indians at that time, as by marking a half hitch around +the horse's nose he made a bridle of it. + +We found twenty-two horses and thirty-two head of cattle that the +Indians had stolen from the white settlers. Capt. McKee looked the +horses over that had belonged to the Indians and said, "Those are the +most valuable horses that I ever saw in the possession of the Indians. +They are all good stock, and we will get a good price for them if we +take them to Fort Worth, for good horses bring good money there." + +When we returned to camp, we saw that two of the young men had their +horses saddled. The Capt. asked them where they were going. One of them +answered that, as they did not earn any of the honor that morning in +killing Indians, they would try to kill some deer for supper, as they +knew they would enjoy a piece of good, fat venison and thought the +others would, and they believed there was plenty of deer all around +there. + +Capt. McKee and I spread our blankets and laid down to try and make up +for some of the sleep we had lost while in pursuit of the Indians. + +About three o'clock one of the boys came and woke us up, saying they had +some fine venison all cooked and ready for supper, and that was one of +the times that I enjoyed a venison roast. It was as fat and tender as a +young chicken. + +The next morning we pulled out of there bright and early, and it took us +two days to make it back to the settlement that the Indians had robbed +and in whose behalf Capt. McKee and I had gone out to punish the +thieves, with what success the reader already knows. + +As soon as we landed, we sent word to all that had been robbed to come +and get their stock. Each owner came and claimed what belonged to him, +and when all had taken what they said belonged to them, there were still +four horses left unclaimed. These horses we never found an owner for, so +we kept them ourselves. The settlers whose property we had returned to +them now met and came to find out how much we intended to charge them +for what we had done for them. We knew that these people were all poor, +and we told them that they might give us what they could afford to pay +without distressing themselves. They made up one hundred and forty-four +dollars and gave it to us, which was a much larger sum than we expected +to receive. After thanking them for their generous payment and refusing +their invitation to stay with them longer, we bid them all good bye and +continued on our journey to Fort Worth, which had been interrupted by +the Indian raid on the settlement. + +We had ridden to within ten miles or so of Fort Worth when we met an old +acquaintance of Capt. McKee. His name was Reese. There were two other +men with him, and they all three wanted to purchase horses. They +examined all the horses we had, and then they asked Capt. McKee what we +would take for the entire lot. The Capt. asked me what I thought would +be a fair price. I answered, "Let the men make an offer before we set a +price." + +When the Capt asked them what they would give for them, they said they +would give a hundred dollars apiece for them if we would help them drive +the horses to Dallas. + +I told the men that we would let them have the whole bunch and help +drive them to Dallas for a hundred and ten dollars apiece. The three men +rode off a few yards and consulted together a few minutes. When they +came back, they said they would take the horses on my terms. + +Capt McKee then told his men to go on to Fort Worth and go into camp, +and he told them where to camp and to wait for us and we would come to +them as soon as we could. The Capt. then told Mr. Reese to lead on and +we would follow. + +We drove the horses to Dallas without any trouble and delivered them at +Mr. Reese's stable. He paid us the money for them, and we lost no time +in pulling out for Fort Worth. It was thirty-two miles from Dallas to +Fort Worth, and we passed two houses on the way from there to Fort Worth +at the time of which I am writing. I think there were about fifty houses +in Fort Worth. I do not know the number there were at Dallas. The place +was somewhat larger, but it was a small town. + +[Illustration: I took the lead.] + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +When we reached Fort Worth, the news met us that the Indians were on the +war path in western Texas and were raiding all the white settlements, +killing the people and driving off their stock throughout all that part +of the state. + +We laid in a supply of provisions and tobacco, enough to last three +months, and struck the trail for western Texas. The fourth day after +we left Fort Worth, we came to a settlement, and all the people were +natives of Tennessee, and as that was my native state, I soon made many +friends. + +The people of the settlement had met together that morning to try to +plan some way to stop the depredations of the Indians, but they did not +know what to do or where to commence, and they were glad to see the +Capt., he being well known as an Indian fighter all over Texas. + +When they asked him what he thought best to be done, he said that he +could not advise them what to do, but he had come to that part of the +State to protect the settlements from the outrages of the savages for +the next six months. + +We rode to the edge of the settlement and went into camp, thinking we +would stay there until towards evening. We had just eaten our dinner +when two of the settlers came to our camp and in a very excited manner +told us that a small band of Indians had just gone into camp a few miles +from the settlement. + +We asked them how they got the news. They said that two of the men had +been out hunting and saw the Indians when they went into camp. + +We told these men to go and bring the men who'd seen the Indians' camp +so we could get all the particulars from them. In a few moments the +hunters were with us. I asked them how far the Indians' camp was from +the settlement. + +"Not over five miles," one of them said. I asked which way the Indians +had come from and if there were any squaws with them. The answer was +that the Indians had come from an eastern direction and there were no +squaws with them, and they were driving quite a large band of horses. + +Capt. McKee said to me, "What do you think of it?" + +I said, "Capt., I am afraid they will move again before night, but I +want one of these men to go and show me where the Indians are, and I +will locate their camp tonight, and we can get every one of them and the +horses too." + +Capt. McKee said, "That is a good idea. How many men do you want to go +with you?" + +I said, "Give me the two men that went with me on the other Indian +hunt." + +In a little while my men and I were off. I told the Capt. to stay in +that camp until he heard from me, which would be before dark. + +We had ridden between four and five miles when we came to a little +ridge, and, stopping and pointing to a little bunch of timber, my guard +said, "The Indians' camp is there." + +We dismounted, and, taking one man with me, I crawled to the top of the +hill and looked over, and sure enough, there was a small band of Indians +squatted around their camp fire, smoking and talking and apparently not +fearing any danger. + +I told my companion to count them, and I would count too, and we might +find out how many there were. I crawled around in the brush keeping out +of sight, and I counted forty-eight, and my men made out fifty-one. We +crept along on the ridge to see if we could find out how many horses +the Indians had with them, but we could not count them, although I was +satisfied that there were at least a hundred horses feeding in the +valley. Some few of them were staked out, but the most of them were +feeding where they chose. + +We went back to our horses, and I told the boys to take the horses to +a little ravine which was a short distance from us and to find a place +where they could not be seen and to stay with them until they heard from +me, for I intended to watch the Indians, and if they did not move before +sundown I would send one of them to the Capt. + +I went back to the edge of the ridge where I could see the savages and +watch their movements. They sat and lay around on the grass until nearly +sunset when a few of them went to the horses that were staked out and +commenced to move them to fresh places to feed, which convinced me that +they intended to stay where they were that night. I crept down the ridge +to the ravine where the boys were with our horses and told one of them +to go back to Capt. McKee and tell him we had found the Indian camp, and +that the Indians intended to stay the night where they were, and that I +wanted him and the rest of the men to come to me, but not before ten or +eleven o'clock that night. + +The other man and I led our horses further up the ridge and hitched +them, and we then crawled to the top, where we could watch the Indians +and not be seen by them. It was not nine o'clock before all the savages +had turned in for the night. Seeing that we could now leave the Indians +to their slumbers in safety, my companion and I now mounted our horses +and struck out to meet the Capt. and his men. We had ridden perhaps a +mile when we met the company. I told Capt. McKee how many Indians there +were in the band and how many horses they had with them. He said, "Can +we take as good advantage of this outfit as we did of the other one?" + +I said, "I think we can, only there are more of them to fight in this +band, but as far as the ground is concerned we have all the advantage, +and we had better station ourselves around them just as we did before +and wait for daybreak, or until the Indians begin getting up." + +"Shall we have a reserve on horseback as we did before?" he asked. + +I told him I did not think it would be necessary in this case. We could +get between the Indians and their horses, and if they started to run for +their horses as they surely would, they would put themselves into our +clutches. And besides, this way would be more pleasing to the men, as +they all would have the same chance to shoot Indians alike and could +find no grounds to murmur, as they had the last fight. + +We rode to within a quarter of a mile of the Indian camp, dismounted and +hitched our horses, and we all got near together, and I explained to all +the boys the position that all the Indians were in, and also where the +horses were. + +I took the lead, and we crawled down and took our stations around the +sleeping Indians' camp. When every man was stationed and ready for the +Capt's. word to proceed to business, Capt. McKee crawled to the place +where I was waiting and whispered, "Why not make the charge at once? +I will go around and tell the boys, and we will begin the attack with +knives. I could kill a half a dozen Indians before the others are +aroused, and when the others begin getting up, pull our pistols and +finish them before they are fairly awake, and don't let any of them get +away. When you see me in among them it will be your time to begin." + +He left me as silently as he had come, and I waited, hardly breathing, +till I saw his form outlined among the shadows, as the full moon +flickered through the branches of the trees. + +As soon as the Capt. reached the Indians, every man sprang for the +nearest one, and it was a lively little fight for me at least. The first +two Indians I struck never gave a grunt, for I nearly severed their head +from their bodies. The third one, as I made for him, shouted, "Woughe," +and sprang to his feet. I hit him on the back of the neck, but I gave +him the third blow before he went down. Just as he doubled up, I saw +another coming directly for me, running at full speed. I jerked my +pistol, and when he was in a few feet of me I fired, and he fell, and +now I could hear the pistols firing thick, and fast, but no more Indians +came near me, and the fight lasted but a few minutes longer. One of +our men had a hand-to-hand fight with an Indian. They both fought with +knives. I did not see the fight, although they must have been near me, +and he was the only man that was wounded in the fight, and he was only +slightly wounded. He told me that the first he saw of the Indian he was +right before him brandishing his long knife, and he said, "I had to work +lively for a little bit, you may rest assured, but I finally got a lick +at his short ribs, and then I gave him another on the back of the neck +and that got him." + +As soon as the pistols ceased firing, Capt. McKee came to me and said, +"I think we have got them all." + +I said, "Now Capt., call the boys together and see if any are wounded." + +He stepped out a little ways and called to the men. "If anyone is hurt, +report to me at once, so we can attend to you." + +No one came to us but the one I have spoken about. He was cut on one +arm and had a slight cut on one shoulder. The Capt. said, "Now boys, go +around to every dead Indian and take every knife and anything else that +you can find that is of any value and bring them here and lay them in a +pile," and then he gave me a title when he said, "The scout and I will +go and see about the horses." + +Capt. McKee gave me this title in fun that night, but he little thought +that years after that night I would win the right to not only be called +a scout but would have the honor conferred on me of "Capt., Chief of +scouts." + +We went to where the horses were feeding, but they were so mixed that we +could not count them. After we had looked at some of them, the Capt., +said, "I wonder where the Indians stole them. Such fine horses are not +found every where. Perhaps after daylight we may discover some brand +that will show whom they belong to." + +We went back to the Indians' camp and saw that the boys had gathered up +all that belonged to them. Each one of them had had a nice blanket and +nearly all of them had butcher knives. The Capt., said, "Now we will get +our horses and stake them out so they can feed, and we will get to our +blankets and try to get a few hours rest, for I am dead tired, and I +reckon the rest of you boys don't feel any better." + +It was nearly sunrise when I opened my eyes in the morning, and there +were only a few others stirring, and I was not long in getting something +to eat, for I had not broken my fast since noon the day before. In a +short time all the men were cooking their breakfast and as soon as the +meal was over Capt. McKee asked me what we should do with those horses. +I told him, we could not fight Indians and care for a band of horses at +the same time. We must drive the horses some where and sell them, and I +think we had better go back to Fort Worth, and if we can not dispose of +them there we can take them to Dallas. + +The Capt. then called four of the men to us and told them to go out +where the horses were and count them and to be sure and get the right +number. They were gone about an hour, and when they came back they said +there were one hundred and twenty horses out there, and one of the men +said, "Some of those horses are of the finest breed that I ever saw, and +nearly all of them have been broke to the harness, for I could see the +marks where the collars have rubbed the hair off their shoulders, and +I bet those Indians drove those horses hundreds of miles, maybe from +Kansas or Arkansas, and they and the horses being so tired was the +reason that the Indians stopped here to rest." + +Capt. McKee and I went back and took another look at the horses, and we +found them to be much better horses than we had thought them to be, but +we could find no brand on them or any thing that would show whom they +belonged to. This convinced us that they had been stolen from farmers. +As the horses showed that they had been driven hard and we thought +a long distance, we decided to stay over one day as the grass was +plentiful and a stream of pure, cool water ran a few feet from where +they were feeding. + +Three of the other men and myself went hunting, and we killed six +Antelope and were back in time to cook some for dinner. Capt. McKee +and I cooked dinner together that day, and while we ate he told me the +conditions he had hired the men to work under. He said he had guaranteed +them twenty-five dollars a month, and each man was to pay his portion +of the grub bill. "So you can see that the men have no share in these +horses, and what we can make out of the sale Of them belongs to you +and me alone. And I think we had better pull out for Fort Worth in the +morning, and try to dispose of them there." + +So the next morning we pulled out, the Capt. and I taking the lead, and +the men driving the horses after us. + +The evening of the fourth day we reached Fort Worth. + +That night we camped a little south of where the Union depot now stands. + +The next morning Capt. McKee and I rode into the town to see if we could +find a purchaser for our horses. We found a number of men who wanted +horses, but each man only wanted a few. Of course, the first question +was what price we asked for them. The Capt. and I had set the price at +one hundred and twenty-five dollars apiece, which we considered very +cheap for such fine stock. + +We talked with a number of men, and a few of them said they would come +to our camp and look at the horses. So we rode back, and by noon we had +sold half of our horses. I heard one man say as he rode off leading four +horses that he had paid one hundred and twenty-five dollars apiece for, +that he had made a bargain, as he would not take two hundred dollars for +the worst-looking one. + +After dinner that day a man came and looked at the horses we had left +and said, "You are selling your horses too cheap. If you can stay here a +few days and let your horses rest, and the people have time to find out +what good stock you have for sale, it would pay you well, and you will +have no trouble in selling your horses for a much higher price than you +have been asking." + +The Capt. answered that we had other business to look after, and it was +very necessary for us to get rid of the horses as quickly as possible, +even if we had to sell them at a disadvantage. The man said, "Well, I +will send some men to you this afternoon, and perhaps you can make a +bargain with them." + +Before the next night we had sold all of our horses at our own price. +Capt McKee said, "I think I will settle up with the boys, and then we +will see how we stand." + +I said, "I think you had better lay in enough provisions to last three +months, Capt., for we do not know where we shall be or whether we can +get any as good as we can here. And besides, we may not always have such +good luck as we have been having the last few weeks." + +Capt. McKee bought the grub and then settled with the boys, and then he +came to me and said, "Now we will settle between ourselves." + +We walked a few yards away from camp and sat down under a large tree, +and he showed me a little book where he had everything set down in black +and white, and when all was reckoned up there were twenty two hundred +and eighty dollars to divide between us two. + +As soon as we had divided the money, he said, "Now, are you willing to +do the scout work and take the lead of this company? You are the only +one in the outfit who understands the duties of a scout. I know this +work will very often place you in positions that will be anything but +pleasant, but someone must take the chances, and your knowledge of the +Indians and his ways of fighting makes you more suitable than any one +else in the company." + +I said, "I will accept the position, Capt., if I can have the two men +that have been with me in the last two hunts, and one more man. And +another thing I want understood is that we four men will be exempt from +all camp duty and have the privilege of going and coming any time we +please without being interfered with." + +He said, "All that suits me, and I will see that you are also exempt +from cooking. Your meals will be prepared for you from this on." + +Capt. McKee now called the men I had selected, and one of the others to +come to him, and when they came, he told them of the arrangements we had +made and told them they must look to me for their instructions in the +future if they were willing to accept the positions as assistants. They +all said they were willing to undertake the job if I was willing to +teach them what I wanted them to do. One of them said, "Mr. Drannan, +when I make a mistake, I want you to tell me of it at once, for I want +to do right in everything as much as you will want me to." + +I answered that we would commence by learning the private signals to +be used when in the Indian country, which I would teach them tomorrow +night. + +After we went into camp the next morning, just as we were getting ready +to pull out, two men came and told us that the Indians were doing +a great deal of damage about seventy-five miles in a southwestern +direction from Fort Worth. He said they had been making raids on the +settlements every few days for several weeks and had killed several +people, and the settlers were kept in a constant fear day and night. + +As the Capt. was well acquainted all over the country, he knew just +where to direct our course, and we pulled out in that direction making +as good time on the way as possible. + +The second night after we left Fort Worth, we camped on the edge of one +of the settlements where the Indians had been making so much trouble. As +soon as we were settled in camp, I rode to a house that was perhaps a +half a mile from us to get some information regarding the Indians. The +man of the house said that the Indians had come every ten days and +sometimes oftener, and, said he, "The Indians do not try to kill the +people as much as they did to steal the stock or anything else that they +could get their hands on." + +I asked him what direction the Indians came from, and he answered that +they invariably came from the west. I asked whether they were in large +or small bands. He said there were seldom more than thirty in a band, +and they always came up that river, and he pointed to a small stream not +far from us. + +I rode back to camp and told Capt. McKee what I had learned. He said, +"The Indians must be very sure that no one will be after them now. What +do you think is the best plan to adopt?" + +I told him that I thought we had better travel down the stream that the +Indians seemed to make a pathway of, for one day at least, and go into +camp at night, and I would scout around the country and find their main +trails, for I was satisfied that only a part of the band came to this +settlement. "And what we want to do, Capt., is to cripple them so they +would let this settlement alone, and we can do it if we can catch the +main band." + +We pulled down this little stream and traveled in that direction. + +All day we saw lots of Indian sign all the way, but none of them was +fresh. As we were going into camp that evening, I told Capt. McKee that +my scouts and I would take a circle around the camp and see if there +were any Indian camp fires to be seen. + +We rode about three miles on top of a high ridge, and looking off to the +west we saw a large Indian camp. I knew this by the number of fires they +had burning. I pointed to the fires and said to the boys, "There they +are. We have found the main camp. But now the difficulty will be to get +to them without being discovered by them." + +As the darkness was coming on, I could not see well enough to tell how +far the Indian camp was from where we stood, but we struck out towards +the fires. I told the boys to ride carefully and keep close together, +and for each man to keep a close watch in every direction. + +We rode about two miles, and almost before we were aware of it, we were +close to the Indian camp. I tried my best to count them, but I could not +make out the number of Indians there were in the camp. Their horses were +staked all around them, and I could not count them either. + +I said, "Now boys, we will go back and report to Capt. McKee and see +what he thinks is best to do." + +It was late when we got back to camp, and they were awaiting our return. +Before turning in for the night, I told the Capt. what we had found, and +the position of the Indian camp, and that I thought they were about five +miles from us. + +He sat in thought a few minutes and, turning to me, said, "What plan +have you in your mind about making an attack on that camp, Mr. Drannan?" + +I said, "They are so scattered that in my opinion it would be impossible +to get them all, and I think the best way to make an attack on them +would be at daybreak, and for us all to be mounted on our horses. You +and your men make the attack, and me and my scouts make a dash for their +horses and cut them loose and run them off out of the Indians' reach. +Now Capt., I am satisfied that this fight will be no child's play, +but will be a nasty little fight, but if we can get the Indians on a +stampede and keep them from getting to their horses, I think we can run +them down and get the most of them." + +The Capt. told the men that they had better not go to sleep that night. + +"If we sit around the fire here until three or four o'clock in the +morning, you will all get over your scare and feel more like fighting." + +One of the boys laughed and said, "It don't affect me in that way, Capt. +The more I study about a bad scrape that I expect to get into, the more +nervous it makes me." + +Capt. McKee answered, "Perhaps you will fight better when you are +nervous than you would if you were cool. Anyway, we will take the +chances." + +We sat around the fire and told stories and smoked until about one +o'clock in the morning, and then we saddled our horses and pulled out +for the Indian camp and arrived there in good time to look around and +see if we could take any advantage of the Indians in the coming fight. + +The Capt. selected the place to make the attack and told his men that he +and they would sit on their horses and watch for the first Indian to get +up, and as soon as the first Indian attempted to get up, they must make +the charge, and every man must do all the shouting he could, "for," said +the Capt. "if we can get the Indians stampeded once, we will have as +good a thing as we want." + +I told my scouts, that we would cut the horses loose and turn them in +the opposite direction from the one the Capt. was making the charge, and +I told the men to cut the horses loose as fast as they came to them, and +to pay no attention to the Indians unless they saw them coming towards +the horses, but if the Indians, one or many, seemed likely to get to the +horses, to pull their pistols and shoot them down before they caught +the horses, "for," I said, "every horse we drive away will be equal to +killing an Indian, for it will be putting him in the way of the other +boy's bullets." + +We did not have to wait long before the sound of the guns and the yells +of the men as they made the attack on the half-awake Indians reached us, +and the din that the two noises made was something dreadful to listen to +as it broke on the stillness of the early morning, but my men and I had +too much to attend to to pay much attention to what the others were +doing. + +After the fight had been going on a little while, one of my scouts came +to me and said, "I think we have got all the horses loose." + +I answered, "Well, we will drive them all to the top of the hill, and +then they will be safe from their Indian masters." + +We were not long in driving them there. I told one of the boys to stay +and look out for the horses, and I and the other two would go back and +see if any of the horses had been overlooked in our hurry. + +When we reached the village again, we could only hear a shot once in a +while, and the yelling had ceased altogether. + +We sat on our horses and waited for the pursuers to come back, and in a +half an hour the Capt. and all his men were back to the Indian camp. + +I asked the Capt. if he got them all. He answered, "I think we did, and +I saw the bravest Indian that I ever saw before. After he had been shot +three times, he still fought and wounded two of my men." + +While the Capt. was speaking, one of the men came near us and raising +his right arm said, "Look at that," and I saw where he had been shot +through the fleshy part of his arm with an arrow, and calling one of the +other men by name, he said, "And the same Indian shot him through the +leg, after he had shot the Indian twice, and then I got a hit at him, +and as he fell he gave me this wound in the arm. Either one of the three +shots we hit him with would have killed any ordinary man." + +Capt. McKee now said, "Come, boys, we will scatter all over this little +valley and look carefully into every bunch of brush and see if there are +any of the Red skins left." + +After they had searched a half an hour, all the men returned without +finding an Indian. The Capt. said to me, "Where shall we make our camp? +For we are very tired and need some sleep." + +I answered, "Why not camp here? There is plenty of grass for the horses, +and that stream of water that we can hear gurgling through the stones is +as cool as I ever drank, and my men and I can go and drive the horses +down the hill again and relieve the man that is watching them." + +Capt. McKee said, "All right, and the men can get breakfast while you +and I go and count the horses." + +We counted them three times and made sixty-six each time. + +The Capt. said, "I don't believe there were that many Indians in the +band. If there were that number and only two men wounded, and all the +Indians killed, it will be a wonderful story to tell. + +"After we have had our breakfast, we will look around and find and count +all the dead Indians and see if the number tallies with the number of +horses they had." + +In a few minutes the boys that were cooking called out that breakfast +was ready, and I was one of the crowd that was ready to eat it. + +While we were eating I was amused at one of the boys who was telling of +the shines an Indian cut up after he had shot him. + +He said he thought he had given the Indian a dead shot, but after he was +hit, the Indian rolled over just like a dog that had been whipped, and +that he did not think the Indian stopped rolling as long as the breath +was in him. + +As soon as we had eaten our breakfast the Capt. and I and four others +started out to search for and count the dead Indians. We looked around +about an hour and a half, and we found forty-two Indian bodies, and they +were nearly all armed with bows and arrows, only a few having knives. + +Capt. McKee said he thought that we were the luckiest men that ever +hunted Indians. + +"Just think," said he, "what we have done in the last month, and we have +not lost a man. If we keep this kind of warfare up all summer, there +will be no Apache Indians left to bother the settlers. Besides, when +these warriors do not return, the rest of the tribe will think that +something is wrong, and they will take the hint, and we will be rid of +them in two or three months." + +We now went back to camp, and we all turned in for a day's sleep. As we +were laying down, Capt. McKee said, "The first of you that is awake go +out and kill some deer, for we want some fresh meat to eat." + +When I awoke it was near night, and the boys were cooking venison around +the fire. I inquired who had been hunting. They said no one, that the +deer came and hunted them, that when they awoke they saw a band of deer +out feeding near the horses, and they got four deer out of the band. + +I went and found the Capt. fast asleep. I woke him, and we had supper. + +I asked him what course we would take next. He said, "There are some +settlements up on the Colorado river that we have not heard from in +quite a while, and we will go and look after them." + +I asked, "On what part of the Colorado river?" and he said, "At Austin." + +We had a good night's sleep, and we were astir very early in the morning +and pulled out in the direction of Austin, Capt. McKee and I taking the +lead, and the boys following driving the horses we had captured from the +Indians. + +Late that afternoon we struck the trail of a small band of Indians. I +did not go far before I saw that it was quite fresh. I told the Capt. +that he had better camp there, for there was plenty of grass and a nice +stream of water, and let my scouts and me follow the trail and see if we +could find them, to which he consented. My men and I left the main party +and started on the trail of the Indians. After trailing them four or +five miles in an almost eastern direction, the trail turned to the +southwest. We kept on for four or five miles more, and then we came to +where the Indians were in camp. I had kept the lay of the country and +the direction of our camp in my mind, and when I saw the Indians, I knew +that their camp was near ours. + +They had a fire and were cooking meat around it. We counted them and +found that there were thirteen Indians in the band. + +I said, "Now boys, we will go back to our own camp and report to the +Capt. at once," and I was really surprised to find it was so short a +distance between the Indians' camp and ours. It was not more than a mile +from one to the other. + +When we reached camp, we found the Capt. and the men waiting for us and +very anxious to hear what we had found. I reported to the Capt., and he +asked when I thought it best to go after the Red wretches. I told him +there was so small a bunch of them I did not think it mattered, but as +his favorite time for an attack seemed to be at break of day, I supposed +we could wait until then for this one. + +He laughed and said, "The break of day has been your time, not mine, Mr. +Drannan. You have done all the planning and led all the fights in this +campaign, but I am glad to admit that it has been a grand success, and +so far you have come out with flying colors." + +I said, "Well, Capt., I think in this case we can take a little nap and +be up in time to take that outfit before they have time to wake up, for +it is no more than a mile from here to their camp." + +Capt. McKee answered, "I reckon you are right. There are so few of them +that we shall not have to delay breakfast to get them." + +We all turned in, and, although we knew that Indians were so near us, we +were not afraid to sleep without placing a guard over the camp. + +When I awoke, I looked at my watch and saw it was two o'clock. I called +the Capt. and told him that it was time we were moving. He asked whether +we should go on horseback or on foot. I said, "We can walk there while +we would be saddling the horses, it is so short a distance." He said, +"All right, we will take twelve men with us," and in a few minutes we +were on the road. When we came in sight of the dimly burning campfires +of the Indians, I pointed to them and told the Capt. that was the place, +and I said, "We will be very careful and not make any noise, and I think +we can send them to the Happy hunting grounds while they sleep." But the +reader may imagine our surprise when we crept to the Indian camp to find +that there was not an Indian there. We looked around the camp where the +Indians had cooked their supper, and then we looked for their horses, +but they too had disappeared with their masters. Capt. McKee said, +"Doesn't this beat you? What do you suppose caused those Indians to +leave?" + +I said, "This is one of the times that the Indians were smarter than we +and have out-generaled us. Probably they too had a scout out, and he saw +us before we discovered their trail and reported the fact to the others, +and they made themselves scarce, which was a very wise proceeding on +their part." + +We turned and walked back to our own camp and found the boys we had left +there still asleep. I said, "Capt., I think you had better stay here +with your men and my scouts, and I will find the trail of those Indians +and see where they have gone. It may be that they are a part of a large +band and have gone to inform the main tribe of our being here. If this +is the case, we will be sure to have some trouble with them." + +The Capt. woke the men, and they cooked breakfast from some of the deer +that was left over the night before, and in a short time my men and I +were off on the trail of the Indians. I told my men they had better take +something for a lunch, as it was no telling when we should come back. + +We went to where the Indians had camped and soon found their trail +leading from it. It led us in a southwestern direction, and we followed +it until about twelve o'clock when all at once we came on the Indians +laying around a camp fire sound asleep. + +I said, "Now boys, there are only two ways to choose from. We have +either got to tackle this outfit ourselves alone, or we must give up the +idea of getting them at all. Now I will leave it to you to choose which +to do." + +They were all more than anxious to make the attack. I said, "Now boys, +ride slowly and easy until you get in the midst of them, and then don't +wait for each other, but turn loose, and each do our best, and let us +get every one of them if we possibly can," and it was surprising to me +to see how cool the whole three men were in attempting to kill these +Indians while they slept. There was not a sound until we were in the +midst of the sleeping Indians, and then it seemed as if every man shot +at once and aimed to kill, and there were only five Indians out of the +thirteen that had time to spring to their feet, and these did not try +to defend themselves, but made for their horses with the attempt to +get away. Only one of them reached his horse, and as he sprang on his +horse's back, I gave him a cut with my knife across the small of his +back and almost cut him in two. He tumbled to the ground without a word, +and as he did so, one of the boys shouted, "We have got them all. That +was the last one, and that was the easiest little fight that I was ever +in." + +I asked if either of them was hurt. One man said, "Hurt? No, why durn +their shadows, they were not awake enough to hurt a fly if it had been +in their mouths." + +I could not help laughing at his droll way of expressing his contempt +for the easily won battle if such it could be called when all the +fighting had been on our side. + +We staked our horses out to let them eat the sweet grass that was so +abundant there, and we sat down and ate our own luncheon beneath a large +tree, and after we had satisfied our hunger, we laid around and rested +a while, and then we mounted our horses, I taking the lead and the boys +driving the Indians' horses after me. + +We struck out for camp and reached the place where Capt. McKee and his +men were in camp a little after dark. + +The Capt. was surprised indeed when we rode into camp with the band of +strange horses, and the men commenced to cheer us as soon as they saw +what we had with us. + +One of my scouts said, "We don't want to go with you any more, Capt. +McKee, for you do your work at night and our boss does his work in the +daytime." + +We dismounted and gave our horses to the man who had the care of the +horses and sat down to a supper of fried fish, and we surely did justice +to that meal, as we were very hungry. + +After we had finished the meal, I told the Capt. all about our day's +work in trailing the Indians and surprising them as they slept, and how +we wiped the whole band out before they were awake. + +The Capt. said, "Tomorrow morning we will keep on down toward the +southwestern settlements." + +I asked him how far it was to the first settlement, and he answered, "We +will make it by tomorrow night." + + + +CHAPTER X. + +The next morning we were on the road very early, and we traveled nearly +all day before we reached the first settlement. + +There was a little cluster of houses there, perhaps fifty all together, +and they were as prosperous farmers as I had seen in Texas. + +They were all acquainted with the Capt. and were glad to see us. + +We staid at this place a couple of days to let our horses rest, and we +sold twelve of the horses that we'd captured from the Indians to the +farmers. + +The people there told us that it was three months since the Indians had +made a raid on them, and there had not been any Indians through that +neighborhood since the raid, but they had been told that the Indians +were doing a great deal of damage to the settlement forty or fifty miles +west of there. + +Capt. McKee said, "Well, we will go down and investigate." + +As we were leaving the village, an old acquaintance of the Capt. said, +"Let us know when you are coming back, and we will have a banquet and a +dance while you and your men are here." + +Capt. McKee answered, "We will not come back until you have another +visit from the Indians, and I don't believe you will want to dance +then." + +We pulled out for the settlements where the Indians had been making the +trouble. + +In the middle of the afternoon of that day we struck the trail of what +appeared to be quite a large band of Indians, and after following it a +short distance I concluded it was a fresh trail. Capt. McKee said, "What +do you think is best to do? The whole company to follow their trail, or +my men and I stop here and you and your scouts keep on after them and +locate them if you can?" + +I answered, "Judging from the appearance of the trail, I think we would +be running a great risk for the whole company to keep on, and I think it +would be the safest plan for you to stop here and let my scouts and me +trail the Indians until they camp for the night, and, Capt., as you are +acquainted with the country, can you tell me how far they will be likely +to travel until they strike good water and grass again?" + +He said, "I don't believe they will find a good place to camp in five +miles from here and maybe further." + +I said, "Well, Capt., go into camp here, and if you do not hear from me +by dark, have everything in readiness for an immediate start." + +My men and I now took the trail of the Indians. We traveled with great +caution for several miles, and as it was just beginning to grow dark we +came in sight of the Indian camp fire. I left two of my men with the +horses, and taking one man with me I crawled near enough to count the +Indians, and I was surprised when I saw how few there were sitting +around the fires. I could only make twenty-five, and I counted them +over several times, and they had made a trail big enough for a hundred +Indians. I was satisfied that they must have a large number of horses +with them. So we crawled down where they had left the horses to feed, +and I saw that I was right. There was a large band of horses, feeding. I +could not count them they were so scattered, and the darkness hid them, +but I thought there were from a hundred to a hundred and twenty-five +horses in the bunch. + +We went back to our comrades and mounted and took the back trail to +where the Capt. was waiting for our return. As soon as we arrived, I +reported to Capt. McKee what we had found. After I had told him the +number of Indians in the band, and the number of horses I thought there +were, he asked me when I thought was the best time to make the attack. + +I answered that any time between that moment and daylight would do, for +we had a soft snap before us. He said, "Well, you boys get something +to eat, and we will saddle the horses and go for them and have it over +with." + +In a very short time we were all ready and off for the Indian camp. + +When we could see the fires, the Capt. asked, "Which way we shall make +the attack, on our horses or on foot?" + +I told him that was for him to decide, but that there were so few of +them that I thought it would be to his advantage to make the attack on +foot. + +"It will be impossible for them to get away, for my scouts and I will be +between them and their horses, and if any of them should get away from +you, we will attend to them before they can get to their horses." + +The whole company dismounted, and without making the least noise +they crept down to the Indian camp, and in a few moments the firing +commenced. But it was only a short time before we knew that it was over, +as we heard the boys shouting, and in a moment more we were with them at +the Indian camp. I asked them what they made such a racket about, and +they said that they were shouting for more Indians to come, that there +were not enough of them to go around. + +One of the boys said that every time he drew a bead on an Indian, +someone else had got in before him, and that he did not get a chance to +shoot one Indian in the whole fight. + +The Capt. and his men now went and got their horses and unsaddled them +and staked them out, and we all turned in for the night. + +The next morning the Capt. was up before I was awake, and he and his men +had counted the horses that the Indians had. He came back as I was just +getting up and said, "Guess how many horses there are in the bunch we +have taken?" + +"I counted a hundred and twenty-five last night," I answered. + +He said, "You are a pretty close guesser. There are just one hundred and +thirty-two in the band, and some of them are as fine work horses as I +ever saw in Texas. It is a mystery to me where the Indians get such nice +horses. Do you think it possible that these wretches have been into +Kansas and robbed the people there?" + +I said, "It would be hard to tell, Capt., where they got them, for they +go anywhere that they think there is anything to steal." + +After we had eaten breakfast, Capt. McKee proposed that he and I go to +the settlement alone and leave the men in camp until we came back. He +said that the settlement was no more than five or six miles from where +we then were in camp, and perhaps we could get some information in +regard to where the Indians had been stealing stock and doing other +depradations to the settlers. + +When the Capt. told the men what we proposed doing, one of them said, +"That just suits me for one, for we are out of meat, and while you are +gone we can go hunting and have a new supply when you get back." + +The Capt. said, "All right, but take care of the horses and not let any +of them get away, and don't look for us until we come back." + +We mounted our horses and struck out for the settlement. A two-hours +ride brought us there, and we found that Capt. McKee was acquainted with +most of the settlers, and they welcomed us gladly, for at that time +when everyone had to travel on horseback or walk. There was not so much +visiting, and the sight of a friendly face was very pleasing to the +people who lived at those isolated settlements. + +When we inquired if the Indians troubled them, they said the Indians +had not raided that place in three months, but about three weeks before +someone saw a band of about twenty-five Indians going towards the east, +and they were the last Indians that had been seen in that neighborhood, +but they had heard that the Apache Indians had been doing considerable +mischief fifty miles or so further south, but they did not know whether +the report was true or not, and they of this settlement had been careful +to have their stock cared for by herders through the day, and at night +they were put in the corral. + +The Captain asked if we could make arrangements with them to take charge +of over a hundred head of horses for a month or so, and if so to care +for the same as their own by day and at night. The man we were talking +to said that his son had charge of the stock in the daytime and would +be at the house for dinner, and that we had better stay and have a talk +with him. + +It was not long before the young man came in, and the Captain asked him +what he would charge to herd a few more than a hundred horses for +a month, or longer. The young man said that he would take them at +twenty-five dollars a hundred, and we could leave them with him as long +as we pleased at that price, and that they should have the best of care +while he had the charge of them. + +At this moment the lady of the house came on the porch where we were +sitting and invited us in to eat dinner, and she told the Captain she +had prepared a special dinner for him. + +The Captain laughed and said: "Well, my good woman, here is my comrade, +Mr. Drannan; what shall we do with him? I expect he is hungry, too." + +She said: "Well, Captain, you may invite him in. Maybe you can spare +enough for him to have a taste. I have only got a gallon of green peas +and a ham of venison roasted and four squash pies and a pan of corn +bread cooked for you, so I reckon you can spare Mr. Drannan a little +bite." + +As we went into the house the man said, "My wife must think you are a +pretty good eater Capt." to which the lady replied, "I tried him a year +ago, and I have not forgotten how much it took to fill him up then." + +We sat down to the table amidst the laughter that followed this remark, +and I can safely say that I never ate a meal that I enjoyed more than I +did that dinner, and I thought that the Capt. had not lost the appetite +the lady gave him credit for having the year before. And what made the +meal more enjoyable was the Texas style of cracking jokes from the time +we sat down until we left the table, and I will say this for Texas that +of all the states I have ever visited from that time until this day +Texas was then and is now the most hospitable. + +It is fifty years ago that I ate that meal in the little settlement that +was miles away from the busy cities, and I can with safety say that I +have found in the state of Texas more large hearted people than I have +found in all the other states put together that I have visited. + +When we were leaving the house we told the young man that we would come +back the next day and bring the horses for him, to take care of. + +We left the settlement and struck the trail for our camp, and we found +that the boys had good success in hunting. They had four deer all +dressed and hanging to the limbs of trees. + +That evening I asked the Capt. what course he intended to pursue now. He +said, "We have the horses off our hands for a time at least, and we will +pull south for a month or six weeks, and then if all is well we will +come back and get our horses and pull for Dallas. By that time the +farmers will have disposed of their crops and will have money more +plenty, and I think we can do better in selling our horses than we ever +have done. I think we have crippled the Apache tribe so much that some +of the settlements will not be troubled with them again, and if we are +as successful in our fights with them the balance of the season, they +will be pretty well down, and what a great blessing it will be to the +people of this country that we came to their relief." + +The next morning Capt. McKee and I and the whole company broke camp and +struck the trail for the settlement, driving the captured horses before +us. We met the herder coming to meet us. He assisted us to drive them to +his corral and helped us to count them, and there were one hundred and +thirty-eight horses in the band. Nearly everyone in the settlement was +at the corral when we got there. The people had heard that we were +coming, and everybody wanted to see the horses we had fallen heir to +when we killed the Indians. + +When we told them what we would sell the horses for, some of the men +said that they wanted horses and would have the money to pay for them +when they disposed of their crops in the fall. + +The horses being off our mind, we started for the south, and as we were +passing the house where we dined the day before, the lady came to the +door and called to Capt. McKee, saying, "Captain, when you get ready to +come back this fall, send a runner on ahead, and I will have a square +meal all cooked for you." + +All the boys heard this, and thinking it must be a joke on the Captain, +they all cheered and clapped their hands. The Captain took off his hat +and made a bow and thanked the lady, and we all rode on, but the Captain +did not hear the last of this joke all summer. Whenever he complained of +being hungry, some of us would remind him of the square meal that was +waiting for him at the settlement. + +We traveled four days, passing through several settlements before we +heard of any Indians. As we were going into camp on the evening of +the fourth day, two men rode in and said that they had seen a band of +Indians a couple of hours before, and there were as many as twenty or +more in the band, and that four of the Indians had chased them several +miles, and that the Indians seemed to be traveling in an easterly +direction. + +I said to the Captain, "Let's have the men take supper with us and then +go back and show us where they saw the Indians." + +He asked them if they were willing to go and show us, and they said they +would. + +We struck out as quickly as we could, and I think it was all of ten +miles before we struck the Indian trail. As soon as we found the trail +the Indians had left, Captain McKee thanked the men and told them he +would not trouble them to go any further. They inquired if he intended +to follow the Indians up and make an attack on them. He told them that +was what he expected to do if we found them. They said, "Why, can't +we go with you and help to fight the wretches? We both have guns and +pistols too, and we would like to get even with them for the run they +made us take against our will." + +The Capt. said, "I am willing for you to accompany us, but you must +watch my men and do as they do, if you are sure you want to put +yourselves in the same danger of being killed that we do." + +They both said together, "That is just what we want to do, Capt. We want +to learn how to fight the Red devils, and this will be a grand chance +for us to learn to do it in style." + +Myself and my scouts took the lead on the Indian trail. I told the Capt. +to ride on slowly, and as soon as I came up with the Indians I would +inform him of it. + +We three followed the Indian trail until the day was breaking, and when +we first saw their camp fires, we were only a short distance from them, +as they were down in a little narrow valley, and we were almost over +them before we saw them. + +We dismounted, and I sent one man back to tell the Capt., and one I left +to care for the horses, and the other I took with me, and we crawled +down the hill through the thick brush to try to see what position the +Indians were in and find out what the best way would be to attack them. + +When we had got to within a hundred yards of their camp, I saw an Indian +crawl out of his blanket and go to one of the fires and put more wood on +it. I whispered to my comrade to stop, and I told him we could not go +any nearer now, and in another moment two more Indians got up. + +I said, "Now let us get back to our horses as quickly as we can." + +As we reached the edge of the brush, I looked around to see where their +horses were, but there was not a horse in sight. We kept on until we +reached our horses. + +I said, "Now boys, you both stay here, and I will ride down the ridge a +little way and maybe I can see their horses, and be sure to keep a close +watch on the Indians' movements, and if they appear to be excited, +signal to me at once." + +I discovered their horses feeding quietly about a quarter of a mile +below their camp. This seemed very strange to me, and that the horses +were not staked out but allowed to run loose seemed still more strange. + +I turned and rode back to my two scouts, and after I had told them what +I had seen, I said, "Boys, I am tempted to make a proposition." + +They asked what it was. I said, "It may not work, but I have a mind for +us to go down where the Indians' horses are and get around them and +stampede them and drive them to meet the Capt. and the men with him." + +Just as I finished speaking, one of the men said, "Hark, it is too late. +The Capt. and his men are here now," and sure enough there they were in +sight. + +When I told the Capt. about the Indians and their horses being so far +from them and running loose, he said, "There is something up you may +be sure, for it is a very unusual thing for an Indian to do to leave +himself so unprotected by letting his horses run at large." + +He then asked if I had any idea how many there were in the camp below +us. I told him that I had not counted them and could not do so the way +the camp was situated and the fires so dim. + +He then asked if I wanted any more help to run the horses off. I +answered, "No sir, if you and your men will attend to the Indians, I and +my scouts will attend to the horses, and you need have no concern but we +will get them away all right. We will run them up on this open ridge and +hold them until you finish the Indians, and you will know where to find +the horses and us." + +The Capt. and his men struck out for the Indian camp, and my men and I +to get the Indians' horses. We had not reached the horses when we heard +the sound of the guns. We had just succeeded in getting the horses on a +lope when we heard someone shouting behind us, and turning in my saddle +I saw two Indians coming on a run, and they were running for all they +were worth. + +I said, "Boys, let us wheel our horses and get those Indians," and I had +hardly turned my horse when the report of their guns rang out, and both +of the Indians dropped in their tracks. + +In a moment more a cry came from one of the others, and looking in +another direction I saw one of the Capt's. men in full pursuit of two +Indians, and he was shouting at the top of his voice, "Lookout, boys, we +are coming." + +I said, "Now boys, let us get these horses away from here quick, for the +Indians are coming in every direction, and in a few minutes they will +be upon us, and we will have to fight them and perhaps lose half of the +horses, and some of us may get hurt besides." + +We spurred our horses and soon had the Indian horses on the dead run up +the hill, and on the prairie where we had told the Capt. to come and +look for us. + +When we had got control of the frightened horses and had time to listen, +we could hear the cracking of the guns in every direction, and we knew +that it was a desperate fight that was being fought. + +I said, "Boys, let us count the horses, and we can then have some idea +how many Indians the other men have to contend with." + +We found that there were fifty-eight in the band, and we knew that they +had all been ridden by the Indians, for each one had a hair rope around +his neck, so we decided that there must have been fifty Indians in the +camp when the Capt. and his men made the attack on them. + +It must have been an hour or more before the Capt. and his men began +coming back. When Capt. McKee came back to the hill, he said, "This has +been the hardest fight that I have had with the Indians in years. They +were nearly all up when I struck their camp, and they were all on the +fight. Five of my men are badly wounded, and I don't believe we got near +all of the Indians. We must attend to the wounded men first, and then +we must take a scout around and see if we can find any more of the Red +fiends." + +He asked where I thought was the best place to make our camp. I answered +that there was a level spot a little below where I'd found the Indians' +horses that would make a good camping ground. + +He said. "I will go and find the place, and you and your men drive the +horses down where you found them." + +We had got about half way down to the valley with the horses when one of +my men said, "Look out. See what is coming." + +I looked where he pointed and saw an Indian running from the brush and +making for the horses as fast as he could run. I said, "Let's go for +him, boys, and don't get too close to him before you shoot, for he has +his bow and arrow ready to shoot you if you don't get him first." + +I raised my gun as we went for him and fired and broke his leg, and one +of the other boys got close to him and shot him with his pistol and +finished him. + +We now rushed the horses down to the village in a hurry. When we had got +them there, I told the boys that we must watch the horses all the time +and change herders every two hours. I went to where the Capt. had +established his camp, and I found that five of the men were badly +wounded. One was wounded in the hip, and it was the worst arrow wound I +ever saw. + +I asked the Capt. what he was going to do with those wounded men. "I +don't see how you are going to get them to a doctor, and I don't believe +they will get well without one. So what are you going to do?" + +He said if we could get them back to the settlement where we had left +the horses, they could have a doctor's care. + +I said, "Well, but let's get them something to eat as well as ourselves, +for they must be faint for the lack of food and losing so much blood, +and if they are no better by evening, I think you had better send +for the doctor to come here and not try to send the men to him for +treatment." The Capt. agreed to this, and as soon as we had something +to eat, I went to where the wounded men were laying and examined their +wounds myself and was surprised to find the men so cheerful. They were +laughing and talking just as if they were well. + +I asked the one that was so badly wounded if he thought we had better +send for a doctor to dress the wound. He said, "No, I don't want any +doctor. If you will get me a plenty of the balsam of fir to put on it, +it will be well in a week." I answered, "If that is all you want, my +friend, I will see that you get all you want of that, for there is +plenty of it all around us." + +I will say for the instruction of the reader that this birch taken from +the fir trees as it saps out of cracks in the bark was the only liniment +that the frontiersman had to heal his wounds at that time, and it was +one of the best liniments that I have ever seen applied to a sore of any +kind. + +I now hunted up the Capt. to have a talk with him. I asked him what he +proposed doing until those men were able to travel, as they didn't want +any doctor and said they could cure their wounds themselves with balsam +of fir. + +The Capt. said, "Well, we will leave enough men to guard the wounded men +and the horses, and we will take the others with us and go and search +for more Indians." + +Capt. McKee left ten men to guard the camp, and the balance of us struck +out on a hunt for stray Indians. + +We were gone from camp two or three hours, and we only found one Indian, +and he was wounded, but we found a number of dead Indians scattered all +through the timber where the men had shot them down as they ran, or as +they met them in hand-to-hand combat. + +After we got back to camp, I asked the Capt. what he was going to do +with those horses. + +He said he thought it would be the best plan to stay where we were until +the men were able to travel and then to go back to the settlement and +get our other horses and then pull for Dallas. "For," said he, "I do not +believe that the Indians will make any more raids through this part of +the country until next spring, and they may never come back, for we have +crippled them so that they will shun a place where they have met such +disaster. There has never been a company through here that has had the +success in killing Indians and capturing their horses as we have had +this spring. Just think what we have done, and not one of our men has +been killed." + +We remained in this camp two weeks, and everyone had a good time with +the exception of the wounded men, and even they were more cheerful than +one in health could have thought possible. + +Game was plentiful and easy to get, and we had all the fresh meat we +wanted, and it was an ideal place to lay around and rest when we were +tired hunting, and there was a plenty of grass for the horses and a cool +spring of water to quench the thirst of man and beast. + +After the first week, the wounded men took more or less exercise every +day, and so kept their strength, and it was surprising how fast their +wounds healed. + +The day before the one set to start for the settlement, I asked the man +that had the wounded hip if he thought he could ride on horseback. He +answered, "Yes, if I had a gentle horse so I could ride sideways, I +could stand it to ride a half a day without stopping to rest." + +I told him that I had a horse that was very gentle and would just suit +his case. + +That evening the Capt. and I talked the matter over together. He said he +thought we had better pull out in the morning and travel slowly so as +not to tire the wounded men too much, for the farmers would have sold +their crops by the time we got to Dallas, and we could do as well with +our horses as we could at any time of the year. + +In the morning we left the camp that we had grown to almost love, the +Capt. and I taking the lead with the wounded men at our side, and the +other men brought up the rear, driving the horses who had grown fat and +glossy in the weeks of rest. + +When we were mounted, the Capt. said to the wounded men, "Now boys, when +you begin to feel tired, say so, and we will stop and camp at once." + +I never heard a word of complaint from one of them, and we had ridden +ten miles or so, when we came to a cool stream of water and a plenty of +grass, and the Capt. said, "This is a good place to stop and give our +sick boys a rest." + +So we dismounted and went into camp. After we had our dinner, several of +the men came and asked the Capt. if he was going any further that night, +and he replied that he was not. The boys said, "All right, we will catch +some fish then." + +In about two hours they came from the stream, and each man had a string +of good-sized catfish, and the reader may be sure that we all enjoyed +that fish supper. + +From the time we left the camp in the valley until we reached the +settlement, we only traveled ten miles a day. + +We traveled this way for the benefit of the wounded men, and they +reached the settlement not worse for the journey, but they were much +stronger than when we started. + +The morning before we reached the settlement, as we were about to mount +our horses, one of the men said to the Capt., "Say, Cap, haven't you +forgotten to do something?" + +The Capt. looked around in a surprised way and said, "I do not remember +anything that I could have forgotten to do. What is it?" + +The man said, "Didn't you agree to send a runner on ahead to notify that +lady that you were coming so she could have the grub cooked for your +dinner?" + +But the Capt. never answered the question, for before he could speak, +there was such a clapping of hands and laughter from all the men that it +would have been impossible to have heard him if he had tried. + +After the boys had stopped cheering, the Capt. said, "You have the laugh +on me now boys, but you wait, and I will get even with you, and he that +laughs last laughs best." + +We reached the settlement about the middle of the afternoon and we found +our horses in much better condition than we expected to. + +We staid here all the next day as we were told that several of the +farmers near there wanted to purchase horses from us and would come as +soon as they heard that we were there. + +Before night we had sold thirty-one horses at a fair price. About noon +of that day the Capt. and I were sitting under a tree having a smoke +when a little girl came to us and said, "Capt., mama says you and Mr. +Drannan come and take dinner with us." + +As neither of us knew her, the Capt. asked where she lived and who her +mama was. + +She said, "Come on, and I'll show you," and when we went with her, it +proved to be the same place where we had dined the last time we were at +the settlement. + +Their name was "Jones." The man and his wife met us on the porch and +shook hands with us, and the lady said, "Capt., you have been very lucky +in killing Indians and pretty lucky in getting something to eat with us. +You had some of our first picking of peas last spring, and you will have +some of our first turnips today." + +The Capt. told her that of all vegetables, he liked young turnips best. +She said that she had enough for dinner and supper too, and that we +might consider ourselves invited to supper too. + +We ate dinner with this hospitable family, and then we went back to the +corral and the selling of our horses, which commenced soon after we got +there, as the farmers came early in the day. + +That night we paid the herder for his care of the horses, and then we +pulled out for Dallas. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +I do not remember how many days it took us to reach Dallas, but it was +in the middle of October when we rode into that city. + +This was in the fall of fifty-eight, and the news had just reached +Dallas that gold had been discovered on Cherry creek in the territory +of Colorado, and the excitement was intense. All over the city people +talked of nothing else but gold, and of all the exaggeration stories +about gold mines that I had ever heard, the ones told there were the +most incredible. The parties who brought the news to Dallas had not been +to the mines themselves, but had been told these wonderful stories at +Bent's Fort. + +Capt. McKee caught the gold fever right away, and he said to me, "I am +going to get up a company in the spring and go to those new gold mines. +Don't you want to go with me?" + +I answered, "No, Capt. I do not, for I know that Cherry creek country, +and I do not believe that there is a pound of gold in all that country. +It is nothing but a desert." + +He said, "Have you been to Cherry creek?" + +I answered, "Yes sir, a number of times." + +"Where is Cherry creek?" he asked. I told him that Cherry creek headed +in the divide between the Arkansas river and the South Platte river, and +emptied into the South Platte river about twenty miles below where the +Platte leaves the Rocky mountains and near the center of the territory +of Colorado. Capt. McKee said, "Well, I am going anyhow. I did not go to +California when I ought to have gone, and maybe this will prove as rich +a country for getting gold as that did." + +I laughed and answered, "There may be lots of gold in Colorado, Capt., +but you or anyone else will never find enough gold in Cherry creek to +make you rich." + +He said, "Well, the way to find it is to go there and look for it. We +surely never will if we stay away." + +From the way the people talked, one would have thought that everybody in +Dallas was going to the gold fields. + +After it was known that I had been through the country where the gold +mines were reported to be, a great many men came to me to make inquiries +about the country, and some of them seemed surprised because I took the +news so coolly and did not seem anxious to go there. + +The excitement did not last more than a week before it commenced to die +away. + +By this time we had about disposed of our horses, and the wounded men +were able to go to their homes. + +The Capt. settled up with the men, and he and I divided the remainder of +the money. + +After we were square, the Capt. asked what I was going to do. I told him +that I was going back to Bent's Fort. He said, "Well, won't you wait a +few days until I can organize a company to go with me to Colorado, and +we will go with you as far as Bent's Fort?" + +I said I certainly would, for the journey would be very lonely for me +to go alone, and I liked company, and besides I was in no hurry to get +there. + +The Capt. worked steadily to get recruits for his company for two weeks, +and he succeeded in getting ten men in all that time. + +He said, "This beats anything I ever undertook. When we first came to +Dallas, the whole town talked as if they were crazy to go, and now I +can't get anybody to join me, but I will make the effort with the ten +men that will go, and if this is a success and we make fortunes, we will +come back and surprise the city." + +I said, "Alright, Capt., but if the people of Dallas are ever surprised, +it will not be from hearing of the great amount of gold you and your +companions took from Cherry creek." + +The Capt. now commenced to get ready for the journey to Colorado, the +land of reported gold. Each of his men had to have two saddle horses, +and one pack horse for every two men, and each man had three months +provisions, consisting of flour, coffee, salt and tobacco. + +The question of getting meat was never thought of as one could get a +plenty of that anywhere on the journey, and the streams were teaming +with the most delicious fish. + +The evening before we were to set out in the morning the Capt said, +"Which way shall we go?" + +I said, "Although it is getting late, and we may have some cold weather +to contend with I think our best and most direct route will be by what +is called the Panhandle route. There will be no rivers to cross, and +there is a plenty of grass for the horses, and also there is nice +drinking water in abundance all the way for ourselves as well as the +hordes, and there will be days when we will be in sight of Deer and +Antelope from morning until night." + +There were a few scattering settlements along the trail. The place +which is now the city of Childress being the largest, and also the last +settlement we passed through, and the last sign of civilization we saw +until we struck Bent's Fort which was on the Arkansas river below what +is now the city of Pueblo in the state of Colorado which was at that +time a territory just a little north of what is now the city of +Amarillo. + +We killed our first Buffalo on that trip. + +It is surprising to the people who saw that country at that early day +when they travel through it now and see what civilization has done. +There is Amarillo, which has several thousand inhabitants today, and +at the time I am speaking of there was not a house or sign of a living +person there, and a number of other places I could mention that are +thriving cities now were at that time inhabited by wild animals alone. + +In the year of forty-eight when Kit Carson and I went across the Rocky +mountains with Col. Freemont, we camped three days where the city of +Pueblo, Colorado, now stands. + +Our camp was under a very large pine tree, one of the largest in that +country. + +Five years ago I visited the city of Pueblo again, the first time I had +been there since that time. + +I imagined I could go right to the spot where our camp was located, and +the morning after I arrived there I took a walk on the main business +street, which I thought was about where our camp had stood. But search +as long as I might, there was nothing to show me a sign of the old +landmarks. + +I went to the river, thinking that must look the same, but no, even the +channel of that had been changed. + +Amazed at the change civilization had wrought in obliterating everything +that I had thought would be a guide to the old places I sought, I spoke +to a police officer and asked him if be could tell me whether a very +large tree had stood in that neighborhood or not before that street was +laid out. + +He answered, "Yes, that tree stood right under that brick building," and +he pointed to a large building near where we stood, and he continued. +"As long as the tree stood there, it was called 'Freemont's camping +ground.'" + +That particular spot is no exception, for every place I have visited in +late years all through the western country has met with the same change, +and the places that I was familiar with in my youth are strange to me +now. + +The place that is now called the city of Denver I will take for an +example. At the time I am speaking of, the year of forty-eight, and for +several years later, it was one of the greatest Antelope countries in +all the west, and I think I am safe in saying that there were not fifty +white men in all what is now called the state of Colorado. + +I visited several cities in that state a year ago, and it would be +difficult for the people of this time to understand the feeling of +surprise that I experienced when I saw what civilization had done to +every place I visited. + +On the Platte river in the eastern part of the city of Denver where the +large machine shops now stand is the spot where the largest bands of +Antelope were to be found, and it was there that we used to go to get +them every morning as they came down to the river to drink. + +From the site where Amarillo is now we had all the Buffalo meat we +wanted, and when we struck what is now the city of Trinidad, Colorado, +we followed the stream known as and called the "Picket Wire," down to +the Arkansas river, and as we were in the heart of the Buffalo country, +we were not out of the sight of herds of Buffalo all the way down to +that river. + +It would be an impossibility to make this generation understand the +numbers of herds that roamed the western country. While the Buffalo was +the most numerous game of the plains, they were the most strange in +their habits. They made the round trip from Texas to the head of the +Missouri river in Dakota and back again every year. As soon as they +reached one end of their journey, they invariably turned around and +began their journey back. Another peculiarity of this animal was that +the calves never followed their mother, but always preceded her, and in +case of fright, or when she thought them in danger when the herd started +on the run, if the calves could not keep up with the others the mother +would push her calf forward with her nose. + +I think I have seen a mother Buffalo throw her calf at least ten feet in +one push, and it would always alight on its feet and not break its run. + +When we reached Bent's Fort, Capt. McKee asked Col. Bent how the gold +mines were on Cherry creek. The Col. laughed and said, he had not heard +from them in about three months, and the last news he had from there +were that Cherry creek was deserted, so by that he thought the amount of +gold there must be rather limited, and then Capt. McKee told him that he +had fitted up a company and had come all the way from Texas to dig gold +from Cherry creek. + +Col. Bent said, "Well, Capt., there has been another discovery made on +what is called Russel's gulch which is a tributary of Clear creek, and I +have no doubt but there is gold to be found there." + +Capt. McKee asked where Clear creek was. + +Col. Bent said, "Ask Will. He can tell you better than I can, for he has +trapped all over that country." + +I told the Capt. that Clear creek was about ten miles north of Cherry +creek on the north side of Platte river and I said, "Capt., if Russel's +gulch is up on the head of Clear creek, you could not get there this +winter with horses, for at this time in the year the snow is from two to +ten feet deep, and it is the coldest country you ever struck, and your +Texas boys and yourself too would freeze to death before you got half +way to the mines." + +The Capt. asked Col. Bent if he had any idea how many miners there were +up in the Russel's gulch mines. + +He answered, "Yes, I saw them when they started on their prospecting +trip, and there are six of them. There were seven, but one came back and +went back to his home in Georgia. + +"Green Russel was the leader, and the mine was given his name. I expect +there will be a great stampede from the east especially from Georgia +next spring, for the gold excitement always spreads like fire in dry +grass." + +Capt. McKee said, "Well, I believe I will go there anyway and see what +there is in it. I can live there as cheaply as I can anywhere. There is +plenty of game there, is there not?" he said, turning to me. + +I said, "Yes, there is plenty of game all around the Platte river and +Cherry creek, but if you go there, I advise you not to go further than +the mouth of Cherry creek this winter. There is a grove of timber there +that you can make your camp in, and you could put up a shack to protect +you from the weather." + +The Capt. and his company pulled out the second day after this talk, but +it was very plain to be seen that the whole company was much discouraged +in regard to the gold mines. + +As they were leaving the Fort, I said to Capt. McKee, "When you come +back in the spring, Capt., I hope I shall hear you tell about the grand +success you have had in panning gold on Cherry creek this winter." + +He said, "If there is any gold to be found in that country, I shall find +it. That is what I came out here to do." + +As soon as the mining company had gone, Col. Bent said to me, "Will, do +you want to go and trade with the Indians for me now, or have you caught +the gold fever too?" + +I answered, "Col. I have not had the gold fever as yet, and I do not +think there is any danger of my catching it, so I am ready to go to work +for you trading with the Indians." + +Col. Bent laughed and said, "If you haven't got the fever now, Will, I +will bet your best hors, that you will catch it bad when the rush for +the mines comes in the spring." + +At that time I had no idea there would be any rush for the gold mines, +for I thought the excitement would die out before spring, because so +many had been disappointed in the fall, but in this I was mistaken, for +by the first of May they commenced to come to the Fort on their way to +the mines, and by the first of June one could see the trains stringing +along for miles, and what was very amusing to me, when I asked them +where they were going, they invariably answered, "Pike's Peak." + +I remember one train that I met that spring down on the Arkansas river, +below Bent's Fort. One of the men asked me, if I could tell them how far +it was from there to Pike's Peak. I said, "No sir, I can't tell you how +far it is, but I can show it to you. There is Pike's Peak right before +you," and I pointed to the snowcapped mountain that could be seen for +hundreds of miles. + +He said, "Oh, I don't mean that. I want to find out where the Pike's +Peak gold mine is." + +I told him that I had never heard of such a mine. This seemed to +surprise him, and in a few minutes the whole outfit was crowding around +me, inquiring about Pike's Peak mine. + +Then I told them what the report had been about the discovery of gold at +Cherry creek and Russel's gulch. + +One man asked if I could tell them where Denver was, and that was a +question I could not answer, for I had never heard of a place called +Denver before. + +I asked him what Denver was. A new mining camp that had just been named, +or what. + +"Why" he said, "Denver is a city close to Pike's Peak." + +I answered, "Strange, you must have made a mistake in the locality of +the city you are seeking. I have traveled all over this country for +years, and I never saw or heard of a place called Denver in my life." + +Then they told me that Dr. Russel, one of the discoverers of the gold +mine, had staid all night at the town where they came from in Missouri. + +When he, the Dr., was on his way home to Georgia, last fall he had told +them what wonderful gold mines had been discovered up in the mountains, +and there was a large city building in the valley that was going to be +the queen city of the west, and they had named the city "Denver." + +I was young then, and of course my experience was limited, so I believed +the story that the man told, not stopping to think that it might be +exaggerated, as an older person might have done. + +I was going down the Arkansas river on my last trading trip with the +Indians for that season, and the story of the wonderful gold mines made +me anxious to get back to Bent's Fort. I had very good success in this +trade, and in two weeks I was back to the fort with my pack horses +loaded down with Buffalo robes. + +After I had settled with the Col., I said, "I reckon you would have won +the wager if we had made the bet last fall, Col., for I am afraid I have +a touch of the gold fever." + +Col. Bent laughed and said, "I thought you would not escape, Will, but +you are not the only one affected. I have news for you. Kit Carson and +Jim Bridger will be here in a few days from Taos, on their way to the +gold mines, and so you are just in time to go with them." + +I then told Col. Bent the story the gold seekers had told me when I was +on my way to trade with the Indians this last time. + +He said, "You must not believe all the stories that are floating about, +Will. If you do, you will only be disappointed, for in a time when +people are excited, as they are now over the finding of gold, there will +be all kinds of exaggerated stories told. Some of them will be told in +good faith, and some will be to merely mislead too credulous people. So +take my advice, Will, and keep cool and don't get rattled." + +The next day, after I had the talk with Col. Bent, Uncle Kit and Jim +Bridger stopped at the Fort on their way to the new gold field. Of +course, Uncle Kit was as glad to see me as I was to see him, and was +rather surprised when I told him that I was all ready to go with him to +the mines. + +Jim Bridger said, "What are you going there for, Will?" + +I said, "I am going to help you pick up gold. I haven't any use for it +myself, but I just want to help you, Jim." + +Uncle Kit said, "I guess, what gold we pick up won't hurt any of us." + +The morning after this we three pulled out, and on the fourth day out we +landed on the ground where the city of Denver now stands. + +It was the first of June in the year of fifty-nine, and as near as I can +remember, there were six little log shacks scattered around the west +side of Cherry creek, which at that time was called "Arora," and the +east side of the creek was called "Denver," and this was the Queen city +of the west that I had been told about and had come to see, and it was +amazing to see the number of people that were coming in there every day. +They came in all shapes. They came in wagons, in hand carts and on horse +back. + +The hand carts had from four to six men to pull them, and I saw a few +that had eight men pulling one cart. + +Uncle Kit, Bridger and I remained there four days, just to see the +crowds that were coming in. We found out the way to Russel's gulch, and +we decided to go up there. + +We went by the way that is called "Golden" now, but of course there was +no such place then, that being the general camping place before going up +into the mountains. + +When we made our camp on the bank of Clear creek, where the city of +Golden now stands, I think we could have counted two hundred wagons in +sight of our camp. Close to us there were four men in camp, and they had +one wagon and two yoke of cattle between them. + +The next morning they were up earlier than we were and were eating their +breakfast when we crawled out of our blankets. + +As soon as they finished eating, they hooked up their ox teams and drove +down to the creek and stopped at the bank and commenced to throw their +provisions into the water. As soon as Uncle Kit saw the men doing this, +he said, "What do they mean? Are they crazy? I will go and see what is +the matter." + +As soon as he got in speaking distance, he asked them what they were +throwing their provisions to the creek for. + +One of the men stopped and answered, "We are going back to Missouri, and +our oxen's feet are so tender that they can hardly walk, let alone pull +this load." + +Uncle Kit said, "Why don't you throw the stuff on the ground? If you +don't want it yourselves, do not waste it by throwing it in the creek. +Someone else may want it." + +One of them said, "I had not thought of that," and they threw the flour +and bacon and coffee and other small packages of food on the ground. + +There must have been as much as twelve hundred pounds of provisions +laying on the ground when they got through, and I saw the contents of +two other wagons share the same fate that same day. How long that stuff +lay there I do not know. We left there the next morning, and I noticed +that it had not been touched. + +I never saw so many discouraged-looking people at one time as I saw in +those wagons that were camped around Clear creek. I visited a number +of camps where six or eight men would be sitting around a little fire +talking about their disappointment in not finding gold to take home to +their families, and some of them were crying like children as they said +the expense of fitting out their teams and themselves had ruined them +financially. + +This spot on Clear creek seemed to be the turntable for the +gold-seekers. They either went up the mountain to the mines or became +discouraged and turned around and went home, and I do not believe that +one out of ten ever left the creek to go up the mountain. + +The way from Clear creek to the mines at Russel's gulch was through +the mountains, with nothing but a trail to travel on and the roughest +country to try to take wagons over I ever saw. + +I do not know how many miles it was, but I do remember that we had a +hard day's ride from Clear creek to Russel's gulch, and we did not ride +a half a mile without seeing more or less wagons that had been left +beside the trail, and in many of the broken wagons the outfit that the +owner had started with was in the wagon. + +[Illustration: I bent over him and spoke to him, but he did not answer.] + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +The night we struck the mines, we camped near the head of Russel's +gulch. The next morning, after we had eaten our breakfast, we started +out to take a look around, and Bridger said, "Where in the name of +common sense do these people come from?" For look in any direction we +would, there was a bunch of men with pick and shovel slung over their +backs, and every little while we came on a bunch of men digging a hold +in the ground. + +Later in the forenoon we went to Green Russel's cabin, he being the man +who had discovered the gold in that country. He had never met Uncle Kit +before but had heard a great deal about him. When Carson told him his +name, he invited us into his cabin. After we had talked with him awhile, +he said, "I suppose you all think that I am to blame for all of this +excitement, but if you think so, you are mistaken, so I will clear your +mind and vindicate myself. A year ago last spring my brother, myself, +and five other men came out here to prospect for gold. After we had +prospected all over the country, we discovered this gulch, and we struck +good pay dirt in the first hole we sank. We fixed up a couple of rockers +and went to work, and the first week we took out a hundred dollars to a +rocker. I told the boys that this was good enough for me, so each one of +us staked off a claim, and to prove that each of us had a good claim, we +sank a prospect hole on every claim, and we found that one claim was as +good as another. There was only one of the party who had a family, that +was my brother, the doctor, and as we all thought that we had a good +thing, my brother concluded that he would go home and fix up his affairs +this winter and bring his family out here in the spring, and he agreed +to keep our finding a secret from everyone but his own family, but it +seems that he did not keep his word but spread the news of our luck +broadcast as soon as he struck the first white settlement, and the waste +and destruction which you saw all along the trail from Clear creek to +the gulch are the effects of his folly, although I believe that there +are other mines as good as this in other parts of this country, but +mining for gold is like other kinds of business. Only one man out of a +hundred makes a success out of it." + +The next day we were looking around, and we came upon two young men who +said they were brothers, and they were so excited when we came near them +that they could scarcely talk. They had been sinking a prospect hole and +had just struck pay dirt. + +We watched them pan out a couple of pans, and they certainly had struck +it rich. After they had staked off their claims, Bridger asked them what +name they would give their new discovery. They said, "There is a +spring at the head of this ravine where we have often drunk and cooled +ourselves, so we shall call our mine 'Spring gulch,'" and I was told by +miners afterwards that these brothers had surely found a rich mine, for +it extended the whole length of the ravine. + +I met one of the brothers a number of years after the time I saw them +panning out the gold, and he told me that he and his brother took twenty +thousand dollars apiece out of that mine. + +The next day we were knocking around the mining camp, and we ran across +a man whose name was Gregory. He was from Georgia, and he had just +discovered a quartz lead which proved to be very rich in gold. + +He showed us some of the quartz that he had taken from it, and we could +see the gold all through the rock. He said that when he sank down a +hundred feet, it would be twice as rich in gold as it was at the top. + +There was a town built at this place, and it was called Gregory, and in +two years there were a half a dozen quartz mills built in that vicinity +and quite a number more quartz ledges had been discovered, and they all +paid well. + +We had been in this region about two weeks, when I met one of the men +that came with Capt. McKee. We were both surprised to see each other. +I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was mining. He said the +whole company was mining together on a claim they had taken up on south +Clear creek about twelve miles from Russel's gulch, and they had fifty +feet of sluice boxes and were taking out from five to seven dollars a +day to a man, and had ground enough to last them two years. + +He insisted on my going back with him to see the mine and said that I +could have an equal interest with the others of the company if I would +join them, and I have always regretted that I did not go and make them a +visit at least for I never saw Capt. McKee again. + +I was told afterwards that he made quite a good stake, and then went +back to Texas and married and bought a home and lived and died on it +about seven miles northeast of where Mineral wells is now, and I will +say here that Capt. McKee was like many of his noble statesmen. He was +brave, kindly, honest and true. One of nature's noblemen. He did not +interfere with any man's business and allowed no one to meddle with his +business, and if he professed to be a friend, he was a friend indeed, +one that could be trusted in foul weather as well as fair. + +Carson, Bridger, and I remained at Russel's gulch about three weeks, and +we visited many claims and heard the shouts of the successful and the +groans of those who failed, and we all three decided that we had got +enough of mining by looking on without trying our hand at it, so we left +the mining camp and pulled out for Denver, and from Russel's gulch to +the foot of the mountain. + +We were never out of sight of teams of every description, and nearly +every person we met asked us how far it was to Russel's gulch. + +We were about ten miles on the trail towards Denver when a man asked us +this question, and Jim Bridger answered that if we were anywhere else in +the United States it would be ten miles to Russel's gulch, but by that +trail he reckoned it was about fifty. + +The man said, "Doesn't the road get any better?" + +Jim said, "I don't call this path a road, but if you do I will tell you +that it gets worse all the way up." + +When we reached the foot of the mountains at the crossing at Clear +creek, we found more campers there than when we had left three weeks +before. As we were riding along, Bridger said, "Where, do you suppose +all these people came from?" Kit Carson answered, "Oh, they have come +from all over the east. This excitement has spread like wild fire all +over the country." + +Up to this time we had seen but very few families in the crowds of gold +seekers, but when we got to Denver on our return from the mines, we saw +that a great many of the emigrants had their whole families with them, +and it was surprising to see the number of cabins that had been built in +so short a time, and we saw a number of teams hauling logs from the foot +of the mountains to build more cabins, and there had been several little +buildings built and furnished with groceries and dry goods since we had +left there. + +The evening we got to Denver we went a little ways up the Platte river +to find a place to camp, and whom should we meet but our old friend Jim +Beckwith. As Carson shook his hand, he said, "Why, Beckwith, I thought +you had more sense than to be caught in a scrape like this." + +Beckwith laughed and answered, "Well, Kit, I see I am not the only +durned fool in the country. You seem to be caught in the same scrape +with me," and for the next half hour it was amusing to hear the jokes +these three old friends tossed at each other, for, of course, Bridger +joined in. + +After they had their fun with each other, Carson asked Beckwith what he +was doing there. Beckwith answered, "I have staked off a claim here, +Kit. It is not a claim either. It is a farm," and he pointed to a little +bunch of timber a short distance from our camp. "I intended to build a +cabin in that grove of timber," which he afterwards did, and he lived +there about thirty years and died there about fourteen years ago as I +was informed a year ago, when I was in Denver for the first time since +Carson, Bridger and I camped on his claim. + +When Jim Beckwith told us that he had taken up land and was going to +build on it and make himself a home there, I wondered what he would do +to make a living. The land seemed to be fertile enough, but I did not +see any chance to sell what he might raise if he tried farming, but I +was told that he cultivated the land for awhile and then it was too +valuable. So he cut it up into lots and sold it, and now it is covered +with business houses and residences, and all this change has taken place +in forty-nine years. + +As I stood and looked at the streets and blocks of houses, I found +myself almost doubting that that was the spot where we had camped +forty-nine years ago. When memory called back to my mind what a barren, +desolate country it was at that time, it almost seemed incredible that +such a large city could be built and such a vast change be made in less +than fifty years, and not only in this particular spot but for miles and +miles all through the surrounding country. + +While we were in camp, I was down on the banks of Cherry Creek one day, +and there were fifteen or twenty Indians sitting on the bank, and among +them was a squaw who had a pistol in her hand. She seemed to be +playing with it when several white men came along, and one of them was +intoxicated. This one went up to the squaw and, taking hold of the +pistol, tried to wrench it from her hand, and in the struggle the +pistol was discharged and the man dropped dead. Some of his companions +threatened to take vengeance on the Indians, but there were so many +other white men standing around that had witnessed the whole affair and +knew the Indians had done nothing to be molested for, they would not +allow the Indians to be troubled. So the men took the body away, and +that was the end of the affair. + +That evening a band of Kiawah Indians came into the town and camped +where the statehouse now stands. I happened to meet some of them, and +being acquainted with them I stopped and talked with them, and they told +me that they were going to have a peace smoke and a dance next day, and +they wanted me to join them, which, knowing it would not be wise to +decline, I promised to do. + +When I went back to camp, I told Uncle Kit and the others of the +invitation I had received and accepted. Uncle Kit said, "I guess we are +too old to take a part in the dance, but we can go and look on and watch +the fun." We did not go to the Indian camp until near noon the next +day; and I think there were two or three hundred white men, women and +children standing around the camp when we got there, and the majority of +them had never seen an Indian before. + +As Uncle Kit and Bridger and Beckwith did not wish to take a part in the +performance, they kept out of sight of the Indians, and I went into the +camp, and as soon as I arrived the Indians commenced to form the circle +for the peace smoke. + +We had all just taken our seats, and the head chief was in the act of +lighting the pipe when he sang out, "O Wah," at the top of his voice, +and in an instant every Indian sprang to his feet and started to run. I +could not think what was the matter until I looked around and saw a man +a short distance from us with a camera in the act of taking a photo of +us, but he never got the picture, for not an Indian stopped running +until his wigwam hid him from view. + +The man with the camera looked the disappointment he felt as he came to +me and asked if I were acquainted with those Indians. + +He said, "What in creation was the matter with them? What made them get +up and run? I would rather have given fifty dollars than miss taking +that picture." + +I could scarcely answer him I was so choked with laughter. But I managed +to tell him that I reckoned the Indians thought that he had some +infernal machine pointed at them that would blow them all to the happy +hunting grounds. + +He asked me if I would go and tell the chief that the camera would not +hurt them and try to make them understand what he was doing with it. He +said, "If you can persuade them to let me take a photo of them, I will +pay you well for your trouble." + +I told him I would try, but I was doubtful of his getting the picture. + +So I went to the chief's wigwam and tried to explain to him and to +persuade him to have him and all the band sit for their pictures to be +taken. + +The chief shook his head and said, "Hae-Lo-Hae-Lo white man heap devil," +which meant "I will not that the white man would do them some evil," and +then he said he was afraid that the white man with the big gun wanted +to kill all his warriors, and all that I could say would not change his +mind. + +Carson, Bridger and I staid at Denver three weeks, and then we went back +to Bent's Fort, and when we left Denver, the town and the country in +every direction was covered with wagons belonging to emigrants that +the excitement about gold having been discovered in the mountains had +brought to Denver and the surrounding country. + +We reached Bent's Fort late in the afternoon and had not been there over +an hour when three men and a boy came in on foot and brought the news +that the Indians had attacked a train of emigrants and killed them all. +The emigrants were on their way back east, from Cherry Creek, where they +had been led to believe that gold had been discovered. + +The men that brought the news of the massacre were so excited that they +could not tell how many people had been killed or how many wagons were +in the train. They said that the train had just broke camp and started +on their way when they heard the report of guns at the head of the +train, and in a moment more the Indians came pouring down upon them, +shooting everyone they met with their bows and arrows. "And," continued +they, "when we saw them shooting and yelling, we broke and run before +they got to us, and we did not stop until we got here." They said all +this in a frightened, breathless way, that showed how excited they were. + +Col. Bent sent the men and boy into the dining room to get something +to eat, and Uncle Kit followed them, to try to get some more definite +information regarding the massacre. After awhile Uncle Kit came back, +and Col. Bent asked him what he thought of the news the men had brought. +Carson answered that the men in the dining room did not know anything, +and that he thought they were a party of emigrants who were disappointed +and angry at their luck, and they had tried to vent their spite on some +Indians they had met by firing on them, and had got the worst of the +fight. + +"You know, Colonel, that the Comanches have not troubled any white +people in a number of years without they were aggravated to do so." + +Col. Bent said, "Well, Kit, are you going down there to investigate the +matter?" + +Carson answered, "Yes, and won't you send three men along to bury the +dead?" + +Col. Bent said, "Certainly, Kit, and anything else you want. When do you +want to start?" + +Carson said, "We will start now." + +Carson, Bridger, myself and three other men left the fort for the scene +of the massacre, which we reached at the break of day the next +morning, and the sight that met our eyes was a horrible one. We found +twenty-three dead bodies close together, apparently where the attack had +commenced, and down near the river, in the brush, we found five more, +and also four living men who were not hurt, but frightened nearly to +death. + +After Carson had talked with these men a while and they had recovered a +little sense, they told how the dreadful thing occurred. + +They had just pulled out from camp that morning when they met the +Indians. There were several men on horseback riding on ahead of the +wagons. When they met the Indians, they commenced to shout "How-How," +and the horsemen began to fire on the Indians without the Indians doing +a thing to provoke them, and then the Indians had turned on them and +killed every white person they could find, but that they had not been +seen by the Indians, as they ran down the river and hid in the brush. + +We searched thoroughly the brush all around for quite a distance, but we +could find no more living or dead. + +We could not find out by these men how many there were in the train any +more than we could of the men that came with the news to the fort. + +We began to bury the dead, and the four men commenced to look after the +teams and wagons. + +In a little while they came back driving three teams, and said they had +found them hooked together, feeding along quietly, and they found that +nothing had been touched or carried away from the wagons. + +After Uncle Kit had learned the cause of the massacre, I think he was +the most out of humor that I ever saw him. He said, "Such men as the +ones who fired on those Indians deserve to be shot, for they are not fit +to live in any country," and turning to Bridger he said, "Jim, it has +always been such men as they that has made bad Indians and caused most +all the trouble the whites have had with them, and still the Indians are +blamed for it all, and have to suffer for it all. I hope I shall live to +see the day when these things will be changed in this respect, and the +Indians will have more justice shown them." + +But I am very sorry to say that Uncle Kit did not live to see this +accomplished. It was fifty years ago that Kit Carson expressed that wish +in regard to the Indians, but it has never been gratified, for in all +that time the Indians have been driven from one place to another and not +allowed to rest anywhere long at a time, and in my opinion certainly +have not had justice done them by the white race, and I will say this +from my own experience, that when an Indian professes to be a friend he +is a friend indeed, in storm as well as sunshine. + +I will tell an instance that occurred four years ago when I was in +Indian Territory. I was sitting on the street in one of the towns when +an old Kiawah Indian came along, and looked at me quite sharply and +walked on a few steps, then turned and looked at me again, and then he +came back to me and slapped me on the shoulder and said, "A-Po-Lilly," +which meant "Long time ago me know you." I looked at him and said, "No, +you are mistaken, I do not know you," and then he told me where he +had met me and what I had done for him, and as he recounted what had +happened I remembered the incident. + +The time I had first met him I was out hunting and met him in the +forest. It was in the Territory of Wyoming, and he had had a fight with +the Sioux, and they had shot his horse, and he was hungry and tired and +footsore. I took him to my camp and fed him and kept him all night, and +the next morning I gave him a horse so he could ride back to his tribe +in more comfort, and I had not seen him since that morning, and this +happened forty years before I saw him again, and he remembered me. He +shook hands with me, which is a custom the Indians have not outgrown, +and left me, but in a few minutes he returned with at least forty of his +tribe with him, and I had to shake hands with every one of them. Some of +them could speak good English, and they told me the story he had told +them about my being kind to him, and they all called me their friend. +This incident shows that the Indian appreciates kindness. + +After we had buried the emigrants, which took nearly two days to do, +Carson asked the men who had escaped being massacred where they were +going and what they intended to do. + +One of them answered, "If you men will stay with us all night, we will +talk it over and decide what we had better do." + +Carson said we had better stay with them that night, so we made a fire +and prepared supper, and while we were eating we saw several more wagons +coming down the trail near the river. + +Uncle Kit said to the men that were with us, "Now is your chance, boys. +You can join this train and go home with them." + +When the teams drove up, the three men and the boy we had left at the +fort were with them. + +They all camped there with us, and after talking with the men, we found +out that none of them claimed the teams and wagons that had been found. +The owners of them had all been killed. The survivors did not know what +to do with the wagons and their contents, and they appealed to Uncle Kit +for advice in the matter. + +Carson said, "I do not see that you can do better than take them along +with you. If you leave them here, somebody will come along and take +them, and they belong as much to you as to anyone." + +So the next morning they rigged up five wagons with three yoke of cattle +to a wagon, leaving eight wagons with their contents standing where +their owners had left them when the Indians had killed them. + +As they were ready to pull out, Uncle Kit went to them and asked them to +give him their names and where they lived, "for," he said, "if I ever +hear where any of the people lived who owned the property you have +taken with you, I want to write to you so you can give them to their +families." + +We then bid them all good bye, and they started on their journey home, +Carson having advised them not to molest the Indians no matter how many +or how few they might meet on their way, and then the Indians would not +molest them, as they were a friendly tribe, and that was the last we +ever saw or heard of that party. + +We now turned back to Bent's Fort and reached there just before night. +Col. Bent's herder took care of our horses. + +That night Carson, Bridger and I consulted together, and Bridger and I +decided to go with Uncle Kit to his home at Taos, Mexico, and stay a +month with him, but fate seemed to step in and change my plans. + +The next morning when the herder went out to get our horses he found a +man crawling along, trying to get to the Fort, who was nearly starved +and so weak that he could hardly speak. + +The herder put him on his horse and brought him to the Fort, and we gave +him some food. He said this was the first time he had broken his fast in +four days, and then he went on to tell that he and his comrades, which +were four altogether, had been among the first to come out to Cherry +Creek in search of gold the spring before, and after they got there, +they were so disappointed to find that there was not enough gold there +to pay them to stay that they concluded to go and prospect on their own +hooks. Each of them had taken as much provisions as he could carry, with +his gun and blanket, pick and shovel, and they had struck out into the +mountains. They had kept on at the foot of the mountain until they +passed the Arkansaw river, and here they went up into the mountains and +soon lost their way. + +"How long we were traveling or where we went, I do not know," continued +the unfortunate man, "and finally we forgot the day of the week. As long +as our ammunition lasted, we did not lack for something to eat, and +foolishly we sometimes shot game we did not need, and after a while our +ammunition gave out, and when that happened it was not long until all +the other stuff was gone, and we could not tell where we were until we +got out of the mountains and saw Pike's Peak, as we knew what direction +Pike's Peak was from Cherry Creek. + +"We knew then what direction to take to get back. The second night after +we left the mountains, one of the boys was taken very sick, and as we +could not think of leaving him to die alone, and we had nothing to eat +for him or for ourselves, and I being the strongest, they picked me to +go and try to get relief. It has been four days and nights since I left +them, and I do not believe I have slept over two hours at a time since I +started, I was so anxious to find help to go to them. And besides, I was +so hungry I could not rest. Many a time I have walked as long as I could +keep my eyes open, and I would drop down beside a log and fall asleep +before I struck the ground and slept an hour or two, and then awoke with +that dreadful gnawing in my stomach. Then I got up again and struggled +on, but I could not have gone much farther when the herder got up to me, +for my strength was nearly gone, and I should have given up and died +very soon. Nobody knows what I have suffered on this trip, except they +that have gone through the same ordeal. We have about one hundred +dollars between us, and we are willing to give it to anyone who will go +and carry something to eat and help my comrades to come here." + +The looks of the man and the pleading way he talked and the faithfulness +to his friends in trying to get help to them was more pathetic than any +romance could describe it, and could not help but appeal to the heart of +any man. + +With the light of deep sympathy in his eyes, Uncle Kit stepped forward +and, stretching out his hand toward the unfortunate, exclaimed, "Do not +worry another moment; your comrades shall have assistance at once, or as +soon as I can reach them," and turning to me, Uncle Kit said, "Willie, +come outside with me a moment," and when I looked at him after I had +followed him, I saw the tears on his cheeks. I had known Kit Carson +several years, but this was the first time I had seen him moved to +tears. He said, "Willie, my boy, can't you find these men as well as +anyone?" + +I answered, "Yes, sir; if this man can give me any clue to follow, I +will find them in short order, for I have been all over those mountains +and through the valley several times, and know the country well." + +He said, "Well, I thought you could fill the bill if any one could, +Willie; and now go and have three horses saddled, and I will have some +grub fixed up, and by that time the man will have finished eating and +will be more fit to talk to you." + +My horses were soon ready, and I went in to see the man. When I went +into the room where he was, I found him lying on a cot, and after I had +talked with him a few moments, I decided in my mind he had left his +comrades not far from where the city of Trinidad now stands. He gave me +the description of nearly all the mountains and streams he had crossed +on his way to the Fort after he had left his friends, and I thought if +he had been correct in his description of his route I could find the +suffering men without much difficulty. When I went out to where the +horses were waiting for me, I found Uncle Kit had packed about forty +pounds of grub on one of the horses. Col. Bent handed me a pint flask of +whiskey, saying, "Now, if these men are alive when you find them, give +them a small quantity of this, but be very careful not to give them too +much at a time, and the same care must be taken in giving them food." + +As I was starting, Uncle Kit said, "Now, Willie, if you are successful +in finding the men, I hope to hear from you in two or three weeks. Jim +and I will leave here today for Taos, and you will find us there when +you come home," and he gave me his hand, and with a lingering pressure +said, "Goodbye, and God speed you on your errand of mercy, my boy." + +And I mounted my horse and left the Fort, and was off on my long, lonely +journey over trackless prairies and through mountain passes that had +perhaps never been trodden by a white man beforehand. No one can realize +how lonely this journey was. I did not think much about it myself until +I made my camp the first night. After I had staked out my horses and +built a fire, I began to realize what a dreadful state the lost men must +be in, for if I was so hungry, who had eaten a good meal at noon, what +must they be suffering who had had nothing to eat in five days? The +thoughts of the suffering men whom I hoped to rescue from death kept me +awake most of the night, and I fully decided that this was the last time +I would try to sleep until I knew whether they were living or dead. I +was up with the dawn the next morning, and on the way, and I thought if +I did not meet with any bad luck to detain me I would be in the vicinity +of the men I sought by night. + +From this time out I knew I must be very careful to look for signs of +the lost men, as hunger might drive them to leave the place where their +comrade had directed me to look for them. When I was a little west +of where the city of Waltzingburge now stands, and the darkness was +beginning to close down, I saw the glimmer of a little fire off to the +right, at what looked about a half mile from me. I thought it might be +an Indian camp and directed my course that way, but when I was within +sight of it and was within a hundred yards or so of the fire, I could +not see a soul stirring around it, but I kept on up to the fire, and +suddenly my horse came near stepping on a man who lay on the ground with +bare feet and nothing under or over him. I sprang from my horse and bent +over him and spoke to him, but he did not answer or move. I then took +hold of his shoulder and shook him gently, and he seemed to rouse up a +little. I said, "What are you laying here for?" and he murmured in a +voice so weak I had to bend my ear close to him to hear, "I have laid +down to die."' + +I pulled the flask of whiskey from my pocket and raised him on my arm +and wet his lips with a few drops of the whiskey. I repeated this +several times, as he seemed to have relapsed into unconsciousness, and +I was afraid I was too late to save him or bring him back to +consciousness. + +I laid him down and built the fire anew and unpacked my horse and got my +blankets and made a pallet and lifted him on it. Lifting him seemed to +revive him, and the firelight showed me that he had opened his eyes, and +he put his hand on his stomach and whispered, "Oh, how hungry I am." + +I gave him a small sup of whiskey, and, taking a piece of buffalo meat +from my pack, I soon had it broiled, and with some bread I began to feed +him in small morsels. I continued to do this for perhaps half an hour, +as he was too weak to swallow much at a time, and I had to wait some +moments before giving him another morsel, and between times I gave him +a taste of the whiskey. Up to now I had no idea he was one of the men I +was hunting for. + +It was perhaps an hour from the time that I commenced to feed him when +he seemed to come to himself, and I thought that he was strong enough +to answer me, so I asked him how he came to be here in the weak, almost +dying condition that I had found him in, and then he told me who he was +and how he came to be there, and I knew he was the only survivor left +alive of the three whom I had started out to find. + +He said that he had not had a bite to eat in seven days, only what +nourishment he could get by chewing his moccasins. + +He had soaked them in water until they were soft and then broiled them +on the coals and eaten them. + +I told him how his comrade had been picked up near Bent's Fort in an +exhausted condition, and how he had begged someone to go to the relief +of those he had left starving, and that I had started out to find them +if I could. + +He said the one who first fell sick died the same night their comrade +left them to get help, and that the other one and himself were not +strong enough to dig a grave to bury him in, so they left him just as he +had died and crawled away, and they kept on together until near the next +night, when the one that was with him took sick and could go no further. + +"And," said he, "I built a fire and we lay down, and I was so weak that +I fell asleep and slept until morning, and when I awoke my companion was +dead and cold. So I was all alone. I could do nothing for him any more +than he and I could for the other one. I left him also and started on +alone, but I could not go far, for I grew so weak. Then the thought came +to me that I could eat my moccasins if I soaked them soft and broiled +them over the coals. After I had eaten them, I was a little stronger and +kept on until I reached this place, when my strength gave out again, and +I built a fire, as I thought for the last time, for I did not expect to +ever leave here. When you came, I heard your voice, but I thought I was +dreaming." + +After I had listened to his sad story, I gave him some more to eat and +more whiskey, which seemed to revive him, and he gained strength very +fast, and when the morning came he could sit up and seemed quite +composed, although he was no more than the shadow of a man. But by noon +he could walk around and seemed very anxious to be moving. Late that +afternoon I saddled the horses and assisted him to mount one of them, +and we left the place. He said he had thought that place would be his +last resting place. + +We had ridden slowly for about five miles when we came to a stream of +cool water, and where we could have a shady place to lie down and +rest, and I made a camp there and spread a blanket for my sick man and +prepared some supper for us both. I had to remind him many times to be +careful and not eat too much in his weak state, for he was so hungry and +the food tasted so good that he found it difficult to restrain himself +from eating more than was good for him. + +For two days it seemed almost impossible for him to get enough to eat, +and although I pitied him, I knew I must not give him all he would have +eaten. + +The morning of the third day after I found him, he seemed more rational +than he had since I had been with him. That morning he asked where we +were going, and when I told him we were going to Bent's Fort, where his +comrade was waiting for us, he seemed surprised. He did not remember +that I had told him how the herder at the Fort had found him, and that +it was through his faithful struggle to get help for his starving +friends that I had started out to find them. When I told it all to him +again, he sat and cried like a child. + +He said: "How can I ever pay this friend for suffering so much for +me, and you, a stranger, for seeking to find me in the trackless +wilderness?" + +And then he told me what each of his comrades said before they died. + +He said they were all raised together in one town in Missouri and were +as dear to each other as though they had been brothers, and all their +parents were in Denver, Colorado, where the four sons had left them when +they started out prospecting for gold, and he said with tears in his +eyes, "How can I ever tell their mothers what we all suffered, and how +the two died and their bodies left laying unburied?" + +After we had talked as long as I thought was best for him to dwell on +the sad events, I cheered him up as well as I could. I assisted him to +mount the horse I had selected for him to ride, and we pulled out on the +trail for the Fort. + +He was so weak that we could not ride over ten miles a day, and we were +seven days going back the same distance that I had traveled in two when +I struck out to find them. + +The day before we reached Bent's Fort, I shot a young deer just as we +were going into camp, and as he was eating some of it, he said it was +the sweetest meat he'd ever eaten. + +We landed at Bent's Fort on the evening of the seventh day after I +started back with him. His comrade was sitting outside of the Fort when +we came in sight, and when he saw us he hurried to meet us, and when we +were in speaking distance of each other he said: + +"Bill, I had given up all hope of ever seeing you again," and he did not +wait for his friend to dismount, but reached up and took him off in his +arms, and men who were used to all kinds of sights turned away with +tears in their eyes at the sight of that meeting. + +After they were seated together in the Fort and were more composed, they +began talking about how they should tell the parents of the comrades who +had died in the mountains. + +One said, "I can never tell them," and the other said, "We must, for +they will have to be told, and who else will do it?" + +They now turned to me and asked if I would take them to Denver, and what +I would charge them for doing it. I said, "Boys, I will take you to +Denver, and when we get there you can pay me whatever you can afford to +pay, be it much or little." + +So it was decided that we should leave the Fort in the morning, and, as +we were nearly ready to start, the man who had brought the news and had +remained at the Fort while I went to find his comrades asked Col. Bent +how much his bill would be for the time he had staid there. Col. Bent +said, "You do not owe me a cent," and taking a twenty-dollar gold piece +from his pocket, the Colonel handed it to one of the men, saying as he +did so, "But you can give this to Mr. Drannan, for he is the one that +deserves this and more for what he has done." We mounted our horses and +left the Fort and struck the trail for Denver. + +Nothing occurred to impede our journey, and we arrived at Denver on the +third day after we left Fort Bent. + +We camped on Cherry Creek on the edge of town. + +I said: "Now, boys, I will take care of the horses and cook supper, and +you two can strike out and see if you can find your folks, and if you +have not found them by dark, come back here and get your supper and stay +with me tonight." + +They had not been gone more than half an hour when I saw them coming +back, and an elderly man and woman and a young lady were with them. + +When they came to me, the man whom I had found unconscious in the +mountains said: + +"Father and mother, this is the man who sought and found me and saved my +life." + +The father took my hand, and, in a voice that trembled with emotion, +said, "I can never thank you enough for what you have done for my boy +and his mother and me, for he is our only son, and I think our hearts +would have broken if he had shared the sad fate of his two comrades." + +The mother gave me her hand without speaking, but her tear-stained face +and smiling lips thanked me more than words could have done. The young +girl, whom the elder man presented as his daughter, thanked me in a +sweet voice for bringing her brother back to them, and when all got +through, I felt almost overpowered with their gratitude. + +They insisted on my going home with them to stay all night, which I did, +and the next morning I had the pleasure of meeting the father and mother +and two brothers of the other man. + +After I had talked with them all a while, one of the young men asked me +what they should pay me for all the trouble I had taken upon myself in +their cause. + +I told them that I would take the twenty dollars that Col. Bent had +given him for me, and as the morning was wearing away, I bid them good +bye and left them and started on my journey to Taos, New Mexico, and my +much-looked-forward-to visit to Uncle Kit, and that was the last time +I ever saw any of these people. But a year ago I was at Denver and had +occasion to call at the office of _The Rocky Mountain News_, which, by +the way, is the oldest newspaper published in the state of Colorado, and +while I was talking with the editor, he alluded to the incident I have +just spoken about and said that the man whom I had found unconscious at +the camp fire in the mountains lived and died at Denver, and that he was +always called "Moccasin Bill," from the fact that he ate his moccasins +while trying to find his way out of the mountains, and that for several +months before he died he seemed to dwell upon that event and always +mentioned how I'd rescued him from certain death on that to him +never-to-be-forgotten occasion. + +When I arrived at Taos, I found Uncle Kit and his family all in good +health, and I found Jim Bridger there having what he called a grand good +rest. + +As soon as I had been greeted by Uncle Kit and the others of the family, +he asked me how I had succeeded in my quest of the lost, and when I told +him all the particulars, he said: + +"Willie, my boy, that was one of the best things you have ever done, and +it is something for you to be proud of doing, and I am proud of having a +share in directing you what to do, and I am very proud of my boy." + +I answered, "Uncle Kit, you have always taught me to do my duty on every +occasion, as I have noticed you always do yourself, and it has been the +example you have set before me as well as the instruction you have given +me from my boyhood until now that has made me what I am, and I should be +very sorry to do anything to make you ashamed of or cause you to regret +that you took the little homeless, wandering orphan and gave him a +father's care and protection, and I shall always try to make you love me +whether I can do what will make you proud of me or not." + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chief of Scouts, by W.F. Drannan + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12895 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..faba091 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #12895 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12895) diff --git a/old/12895.txt b/old/12895.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e2705b3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12895.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10079 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chief of Scouts, by W.F. Drannan + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Chief of Scouts + +Author: W.F. Drannan + +Release Date: July 12, 2004 [EBook #12895] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHIEF OF SCOUTS *** + + + + +Produced by William Boerst and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +[Illustration: Captain William F. Drannan, Chief of Scouts.] + +CAPT. W.F. DRANNAN, + +CHIEF OF SCOUTS, + +As Pilot to Emigrant and Government Trains, Across the Plains of the +Wild West of Fifty Years Ago. + +AS TOLD BY HIMSELF, + +AS A SEQUEL TO HIS FAMOUS BOOK "THIRTY ONE YEARS ON THE PLAINS AND IN +THE MOUNTAINS." + +_Copiously Illustrated by E. BERT SMITH._ + +1910 + + + + + +PREFACE + +The kindly interest with which the public has received my first book, +"Thirty-one Years on the Plains and in the Mountains," has tempted me +into writing this second little volume, in which I have tried to portray +that part of my earlier life which was spent in piloting emigrant +and government trains across the Western Plains, when "Plains" meant +wilderness, with nothing to encounter but wild animals, and wilder, +hostile Indian tribes. When every step forward might have spelt +disaster, and deadly danger was likely to lurk behind each bush or +thicket that was passed. + +The tales put down here are tales of true occurrences,--not fiction. +They are tales that were lived through by throbbing hearts of men and +women, who were all bent upon the one, same purpose:--to plow onward, +onward, through danger and death, till their goal, the "land of gold," +was reached, and if the kind reader will receive them and judge them +as such, the purpose of this little book will be amply and generously +fulfilled. + +W.F.D. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER 1 + +CHAPTER 2 + +CHAPTER 3 + +CHAPTER 4 + +CHAPTER 5 + +CHAPTER 6 + +CHAPTER 7 + +CHAPTER 8 + +CHAPTER 9 + +CHAPTER 10 + +CHAPTER 11 + +CHAPTER 12 + + +[Illustration: The Attack Upon the Train.] + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +FROM DRAWINGS BY E. BERT SMITH. + + + +Captain W.F. Drannan, Chief of Scouts + +With the exception of Carson, we were all scared + +As soon as they were gone, I took the Scalp off the dead Chief's head + +The first thing we knew the whole number that we had first seen were +upon us + +Waving my hat, I dashed into the midst of the band + +Fishing with the girls + +They raced around us in a circle + +The mother bear ran up to the dead cub and pawed it with her feet + +The next morning we struck the trail for Bent's Fort + +I took the lead + +I bent over him and spoke to him, but he did not answer + + + +[Illustration: With the exception of Carson, we were all scared.] + + + + +CHAPTER 1. + +At the age of fifteen I found myself in St. Louis, Mo., probably five +hundred miles from my childhood home, with one dollar and a half in +money in my pocket. I did not know one person in that whole city, and no +one knew me. After I had wandered about the city a few days, trying to +find something to do to get a living, I chanced to meet what proved to +be the very best that could have happened to me. I met Kit Carson, the +world's most famous frontiersman, the man to whom not half the credit +has been given that was his due. + +The time I met him, Kit Carson was preparing to go west on a trading +expedition with the Indians. When I say "going west" I mean far beyond +civilization. He proposed that I join him, and I, in my eagerness for +adventures in the wild, consented readily. + +When we left St. Louis, we traveled in a straight western direction, or +as near west as possible. Fifty-eight years ago Missouri was a sparsely +settled country, and we often traveled ten and sometimes fifteen miles +without seeing a house or a single person. + +We left Springfield at the south of us and passed out of the State of +Missouri at Fort Scott, and by doing so we left civilization behind, for +from Fort Scott to the Pacific coast was but very little known, and was +inhabited entirely by hostile tribes of Indians. + +A great portion of the country between Fort Scott and the Rocky +Mountains that we traveled over on that journey was a wild, barren +waste, and we never imagined it would be inhabited by anything but wild +Indians, Buffalo, and Coyotes. + +We traveled up the Neosha river to its source, and I remember one +incident in particular. We were getting ready to camp for the night +when Carson saw a band of Indians coming directly towards us. They were +mounted on horses and were riding very slowly and had their horses +packed with Buffalo meat. + +With the exception of Carson we were all scared, thinking the Indians +were coming to take our scalps. As they came nearer our camp Carson +said, "Boys, we are going to have a feast". + +On the way out Carson had taught me to call him "Uncle Kit." So I said, +"Uncle Kit, are you going to kill an Indian and cook him for supper?" + +He laughed and answered, "No, Willie, not quite as bad as that. Besides, +I don't think we are hungry enough to eat an Indian, if we had one +cooked by a French cook; but what will be better, to my taste at least, +the Indians are bringing us some Buffalo meat for our supper," and sure +enough they proved to be friendly. + +They were a portion of the Caw tribe, which was friendly with the whites +at that time. They had been on a hunt, and had been successful in +getting all the game they wanted. When they rode up to our camp they +surrounded Carson every one of them, trying to shake his hand first. Not +being acquainted with the ways of the Indians, the rest of us did not +understand what this meant, and we got our guns with the intention of +protecting him from danger, but seeing what we were about to do, Carson +sang out to us, "Hold on, boys. These are our friends," and as soon, as +they were done shaking hands with him Carson said something to them in a +language I did not understand, and they came and offered their hands to +shake with us. The boys and myself with the rest stood and gazed at the +performance in amazement, not knowing what to do or say. These were the +first wild Indians we boys had ever seen. As soon as the hand shaking +was over, Carson asked me to give him my knife which I carried in my +belt. He had given the knife to me when we left St. Louis. I presume +Carson had a hundred just such knives as this one was in his pack, but +he could not take the time then to get one out. For my knife he traded a +yearling Buffalo, and there was meat enough to feed his whole crew three +or four days. That was the first Indian "Pow-wow" that I had ever seen +or heard of either. + +The Indians ate supper with us, and after that they danced "the Peace +Dance" after smoking the Pipe of Peace with Uncle Kit. The smoking and +dancing lasted perhaps an hour, and then the Indians mounted their +horses and sped away to their own village. + +I was with Carson off and on about twelve years, but I never saw him +appear to enjoy himself better than he did that night. After the Indians +had gone, Uncle Kit imitated each one of us as he said we looked when +the Indians first appeared in sight. He had some in the act of running +and others trying to hide behind the horse, and he said that if the +ground had been loose we would have tried to dig a hole to crawl into. +One of the party he described as sitting on his pack with his mouth wide +open, and he said he could not decide whether the man wanted to swallow +an Indian or a Buffalo. + +The next morning we pulled out from there, crossing the divide between +this stream and the Arkansas. Just before we struck the Arkansas river, +we struck the Santa-Fe trail. This trail led from St-Joe on the Missouri +river to Santa-Fe, New Mexico, by the way of Bent's Fort, as it was +called then. Bent's Fort was only a Trading Station, owned by Bent and +Robedoux. These two men at that time handled all the furs that were +trapped from the head of the North Platte to the head of the Arkansas; +the Santa-Fe trail, as it was then called, was the only route leading to +that part of the country. + +After traveling up the Arkansas river some distance, above what is known +as Big Bend, we struck the Buffalo Country, and I presume it was a week +that we were never out of the sight of Buffalos. I remember we camped on +the bank of the river just above Pawne Rock that night; the next morning +we were up early and had our breakfast, as we calculated to make a big +drive that day. Carson had been telling us how many days it would take +us to make Bent's Fort, and we wanted to get there before the Fourth of +July. Just as we had got our animals packed and every thing in readiness +to start, a herd of Buffalo commenced crossing the river about a half a +mile above our camp. The reader will understand that the Buffalo always +cross the river where it is shallow, their instinct teaching them that +where the water is shallow, there is a rock bottom, and in crossing +these places they avoid quicksand. This was the only crossing in fifteen +miles up or down the river. We did not get to move for twenty-four +hours. It seems unreasonable to tell the number of Buffalo that crossed +the river in those twenty-four hours. After crossing the river a half a +mile at the north of the ford, they struck the foot hill; and one could +see nothing but a moving, black mass, as far as the eye could see. + +I do not remember how long we were going from there to Bent's Fort, but +we got there on the second of July, 1847, and every white man that was +within three hundred miles was there, which were just sixteen. At this +present time, I presume there are two or three hundred thousand within +the same distance from Bent's Fort, and that is only fifty-eight years +ago! In view of the great change that has taken place in the last half +century, what will the next half century bring? The reader must remember +that the increase must be three to one to what it was at that time. + +After staying at Bent's Fort eight days we pulled out for "Taos," +Carson's home. He remained at Taos, which is in New Mexico, until early +in the fall, about the first of October, which is early autumn in New +Mexico; then we started for our trapping ground, which was on the head +of the Arkansas river, where Beaver was as numerous as rats are around a +wharf. + +We were very successful that winter in trapping. It was all new to me, I +had never seen a Beaver, or a Beaver trap. Deer, Elk, and Bison, which +is a species of Buffalo, was as plentiful in that country at that time +as cattle is now on the ranch. I really believe that I have seen more +deer in one day than there is in the whole State of Colorado at the +present time. + +In the autumn, just before the snow commences to fall, the deer leave +the high mountains, and seek the valleys, and also the Elk and Bison; no +game stays in the high mountains but the Mountain Sheep, and he is very +peculiar in his habits. He invariably follows the bluffs of streams. +In winter and summer, his food is mostly moss, which he picks from the +rocks; he eats but very little grass. But there is no better meat than +the mountain sheep. In the fall, the spring lambs will weigh from +seventy-five to a hundred pounds, and are very fat and as tender as +a chicken; but this species of game is almost extinct in the United +States; I have not killed one in ten years. + +We stayed in our camp at the head of the Arkansas river until sometime +in April, then we pulled out for Bent's Fort to dispose of our pelts. We +staid at the Fort three days. The day we left the Fort, we met a runner +from Col. Freemont with a letter for Carson. Freemont wanted Carson to +bring a certain amount of supplies to his camp and then to act as a +guide across the mountains to Monterey, California. The particulars of +the contract between Freemont and Carson I never knew, but I know this +much, that when we got to Freemont's camp, we found the hardest looking +set of men that I ever saw. They had been shut up in camp all winter, +and the majority of them had the scurvy, which was brought on by want +of exercise and no vegetable food. The most of the supplies we took him +were potatoes and onions, and as soon as we arrived in camp the men did +not wait to unpack the animals, but would walk up to an animal and tear +a hole in a sack and eat the stuff raw the same as if it was apples. + +In a few days the men commenced to improve in looks and health. Uncle +Kit had them to exercise some every day, and in a short time we were on +the road for the Pacific Coast. We had no trouble until we crossed +the Main Divide of the Rocky Mountains. It was on a stream called the +"Blue," one of the tributaries of the Colorado river. + +We were now in the Ute Indian country, and at this time they were +considered one of the most hostile tribes in the west. Of course there +was no one in the company that knew what the Ute Indians were but Kit +Carson. When we stopped at noon that day Carson told us as we sat eating +our luncheon that we were now in the Ute country, and every one of us +must keep a look out for himself. He said, "Now, boys, don't any one of +you get a hundred yards away from the rest of the company, for the Utes +are like flees liable to jump on you at any time or place." + +That afternoon we ran on a great deal of Indian sign, from the fact that +game was plentiful all over the country, and at this time of the year +the Indians were on their spring hunt. When we camped for the night, we +camped on a small stream where there was but very little timber and no +underbrush at all. As soon as the company was settled for the night, +Carson and I mounted our horses and took a circle of perhaps a mile or +two around the camp. This was to ascertain whether there were any Indians +in camp near us. We saw no Indians. We returned to camp thinking we would +have no trouble that night, but about sundown, while we were eating +supper, all at once their war whoop burst upon us, and fifteen or more +Utes came dashing down the hill on their horses. Every man sprang for +his gun, in order to give them as warm a reception as possible; nearly +every man tried to reach his horse before the Indians got to us, for at +that time a man without a horse would have been in a bad fix, for there +were no extra horses in the company. + +I think this must have been the first time these Utes had ever heard a +gun fired, from the fact that as soon as we commenced firing at them, +and that was before they could reach us with their arrows, they turned +and left as fast as they had come. Consequently we lost no men or +horses. We killed five Indians and captured three horses. + +When the Indians were out of sight, Carson laughed and said, "Boys, that +was the easiest won battle I have ever had with the Indians, and it was +not our good marksmanship that done it either, for if every shot we +fired had taken effect, there would not have been half Indians enough to +go around. It was the report of our guns that scared them away." + +It was figured up that night how many shots were fired, and they +amounted to two hundred. Carson said, "Boys, if we get into another +fight with the Indians, for God's sake don't throw away your powder and +lead in that shape again, for before you reach Monterey, powder and lead +will be worth something, as the Red skins are as thick as grass-hoppers +in August." + +Of course this was the first skirmish these men had ever had with the +Indians, and they were too excited to know what they were doing. + +About six years ago I met a man whose name was Labor. He was the last +survivor of that company, with the exception of myself, and he told me +how he felt when the yelling Red skins burst upon us. Said he, "I don't +think I could have hit an Indian if he had been as big as the side of a +horse, for I was shaking worse than I would if I had had the third-day +Ague. Not only shaking, but I was cold all over, and I dreamed all night +of seeing all kinds of Indians." + +The next day we were traveling on the back bone of a little ridge. There +was no timber except a few scattering Juniper trees. We were now in +Arizona, and water was very scarce. The reader will understand that +Carson invariably rode from fifty to one hundred yards ahead of the +command, and I always rode at his side. + +I presume it was between two and three o'clock in the afternoon when +Col. Freemont called out to Carson, "How far are you going tonight?" + +Carson studied a minute and answered, "I think, in seven or eight miles +we will find good water and a plenty of grass." + +A few minutes after this Freemont said, "Say, Carson, why not go to that +lake there and camp? There is plenty of grass and water," at the same +time pointing to the south. Carson raised his head and looked at the +point indicated. Then he said, "Col. there is no water or grass there." +Freemont replied, "Damn it, look. Can't you see it?" at the same time +pointing in the direction of what he supposed to be the lake. Carson +checked his horse until Freemont came up near him and then said, "Col., +spot this place by these little Juniper trees, and we will come back +here tomorrow morning, and if you can see a lake there then I will admit +that I don't know anything about this country." + +Freemont was out of humor all the evening. He had nothing to say to any +person. + +The next morning after breakfast was over and the herder had driven in +the horses Carson said, "Now Colonel, let's go and see that lake." + +Under the circumstances Freemont could not say "no." I think five of us +besides Carson and Freemont went back. When we came to the place where +the little Juniper trees were, Freemont's face showed that he was badly +whipped, for sure enough there was no lake there; he had seen what is +called a mirage. + +I have seen almost everything in mirage form, but what causes +this Atmospheric optical illusion has never been explained to my +satisfaction. Some men say it is imagination, but I do not think it is +so. + +On our way back to camp a man by name of Cummings was riding by my side. +He made the remark in an undertone, "I am sorry this thing happened." +I asked him, "Why?" In reply he said, "Colonel Freemont won't get over +this in many a day, for Carson has shown him that he can be mistaken." + +We laid over at this camp until the next day as this was good water and +exceptionally good grass. Nothing interfered with us until we struck the +Colorado river. Here we met quite a band of Umer Indians. Without any +exception they were the worst-looking human beings that I have ever seen +in my life. A large majority of them were as naked as they were when +they were born. Their hair in many instances looked as if it never had +been straightened out. They lived mostly on pine nuts. The nuts grow on +a low, scrubby tree, a species of Pine, and in gathering the nuts they +covered their hands with gum which is as sticky as tar and rubbed it on +their bodies and in their hair. The reader may imagine the effect; I am +satisfied that many of these Indians had never seen a white man before +they saw us. Very few of them had bows and arrows; they caught fish. How +they caught them I never knew, but I often saw the squaws carrying fish. + +When we reached the Colorado river we stayed two days making rafts to +cross the river on. The last day we were there, laying on the bank of +the river, I presume there came five hundred of these Indians within +fifty yards of our camp. Most of them laid down under the trees. One of +our men shot a bird that was in a tree close by, and I never heard such +shouting or saw such running as these Indians did when the gun cracked. +This convinced me that we were the first white men they had ever seen, +and this the first time they had heard the report of a gun. This +incident occurred in forty-eight, which was fifty-eight years ago. I +have seen more or less of these Indians from that time until now, and +these Indians as a tribe have made less progress than any other Indians +in the west. Even after the railroad was put through that part of the +country, they had to be forced to cover themselves with clothes. + +After crossing the Colorado river we came into the Ute country, but we +traveled several days without seeing any of this tribe. About five +days after we crossed the Colorado river, we came on to a big band of +Sighewash Indians. The tribe was just coming together, after a winter's +trapping and hunting. At this time the Sigh washes were a powerful +tribe, but not hostile to the whites. + +We camped near their village that night. After supper Carson and I went +over to this village, at the same time taking a lot of butcher knives +and cheap jewelry with us that he had brought along to trade with the +Indians. When we got into their camp, Carson inquired where the chief's +wigwam, was. The Indians could all speak Spanish; therefore we had no +trouble in finding the chief. When we went into the chief's wigwam, +after shaking hands with the old chief and his squaw, Carson pulled some +of the jewelry out of his pocket and told the chief that he wanted to +trade for furs. The old chief stepped to the entrance of the wigwam +and made a peculiar noise between a whistle and a hollo, and in a few +minutes there were hundreds of Indians there, both bucks and squaws. + +The old chief made a little talk to them that I did not understand; he +then turned to Carson and said, "Indian heap like white man." + +Carson then spoke out loud so they could all hear him, at the same time +holding up some jewelry in one hand and a butcher knife in the other, +telling them that he wanted to trade these things for their furs. + +The Indians answered, it seemed to me by the hundreds, saying, "Iyah +oyah iyah," which means "All right." Carson then told them to bring +their furs over to his camp the next morning, and he would then trade +with them. He was speaking in Spanish all this time. On our way back to +our camp Carson said to me, "Now Willie, if I trade for those furs in +the morning I want you and the other two boys to take the furs and go +back to Taos; I know that you will have a long and lonesome trip, but I +will try and get three or four of these Indians to go with you back to +the head of the Blue, and be very careful, and when you make a camp +always put out all of your fire as soon as you get your meal cooked. +Then the Indians can not see your camp." + +The next morning we were up and had an early breakfast. By that time the +squaws had commenced coming in with their furs. Uncle Kit took a pack of +jewelry and knives and got off to one side where the Indians could get +all around him. In a very short time I think there must have been a +hundred squaws there with their furs. + +They brought from one to a dozen Beaver skins each, and then the Bucks +began coming in and then the trading began. Carson would hold up a +finger ring or a knife and call out in Spanish, "I'll give this for so +many Beaver skins!" + +It really was amusing to see the Indians run over each other to see who +should get the ring or knife first. + +This trading did not last over half an hour because Carson's stock of +goods was exhausted. Carson then said to the Indians, "No more trade no +more knives, no more rings, all gone." + +Of course a great many of the Indians were disappointed, but they soon +left us. As soon as they were gone Freemont came to Carson and said, +"What in the name of common sense are you going to do with all those +furs?" + +Uncle Kit said, "Col., I'm going to send them to Taos, and later on they +will go to Bent's Fort." The Col. said, "Yes, but by whom will you send +them to Taos?" Carson replied, "By Willie, John and the Mexican boy." + +The Col. said, "Don't you think you are taking a great many chances?" +"Oh, no, not at all. Willie here is getting to be quite a mountaineer. +Besides, I am going to get some of these Indians to go with the boys +as far as the head of the Blue, and when they get there they are, +comparatively speaking, out of danger." + +He then said, "Colonel, we will lay over here today, and that will give +me a chance to pack my furs and get the boys ready to start in the +morning." + +We then went to work baling the hides; by noon we had them all baled. +After dinner Carson and I went over to the Indian camp. We went directly +to the Chief's wigwam. When the Indians saw us coming they all rushed +up to us. I presume they thought we had come to trade with them again. +Uncle Kit then told the Chief that he wanted eight Indian men to go with +us boys to the head of the Blue River. At the same time he sat down +and marked on the ground each stream and mountain that he wanted us +to travel over. He told them that he would give each one of them one +butcher knife and two rings, and said they must not camp with the Utes. + +I think there were at least twenty Indians that wanted to go. Carson +then turned to the Chief and told him in Spanish to pick out eight good +Indians to go with us, and told him just what time we wanted to start +in the morning. We then went back to our camp and commenced making +arrangements for our journey to Taos. + +Carson and I were sitting down talking that afternoon when Col. Freemont +came and sat beside us and said to Uncle Kit, "Say, Kit, ain't you +taking desperate chances with these boys?" + +This surprised me, for I had never heard him address Carson as Kit +before in all the time I had known him. + +Carson laughed and answered, "Not in the least; for they have got a good +escort to go with them." Then he explained to Freemont that he had hired +some Indians to go with us through the entire hostile country, telling +him that the boys were just as safe with those Indians as they would be +with the command, and more safe, for the Indians would protect them, +thinking they would get his trade by so doing. Uncle Kit then explained +to him that the Sighewashes were known to all the tribes on the coast +and were on good terms with them all, and therefore there was no danger +whatever in sending the boys through the Indian country. The Col. +answered, "Of course, you know best; I admit that you know the nature +of the Indian thoroughly, but I must say that I shall be uneasy until I +hear from the boys again." + +Uncle Kit said, "Wait until tomorrow morning, and I will convince you +that I am right." + +The next morning we were up early and had breakfast, and before we had +our animals half packed the old chief and hundreds of the Indians were +there. Those that the chief had selected to accompany us were on horse +back, and the others had come to bid us farewell, and that was one of +the times I was tired shaking hands. + +When we were about ready to mount our horses and had shaken hands with +Uncle Kit and the balance of the company, the Indians made a rush for +us. Both bucks and squaws shouted, "Ideose, ideose," which means, "good +bye, good bye," and every one trying to shake our hands at once, and of +all the noise I ever heard, this was the worst. After this racket had +been going on some fifteen or twenty minutes, I turned and saw Uncle Kit +and Col. Freemont standing on a big log laughing like they would split +their sides. Finally Uncle Kit motioned for me to mount my horse. I +mounted and the other boys followed suit, and when we started of all the +noise that ever was made this beat any I ever heard in all my life. At +the same time the Indians were waving their hands at us. + +As soon as we left the crowd of Indians Uncle Kit and Col. Freemont +joined us. The Col. said to me, "Willie, this is one of the times you +have had your hand well shaken, I really felt sorry for you, but I +didn't see how I could assist you, and I am in hopes you will not get +such a shaking up in a good while. Now, my boy, be very careful, and try +and get through safe and sound, and when we come along back next fall, +we will all go to St. Louis together." + +Uncle Kit told me to not let the Indians turn back until we crossed the +divide at the head of Blue river. He said, "Then you will be out of the +Ute country, and all danger to you will be over, but do not put too much +confidence in these Indians although I think they are reliable and will +do just as I have told them to do. But I want you to be on the lookout +all the time yourself. I know there will be no danger in the daytime, +and when night comes be sure and put your fire out before it gets dark, +and when you get to Taos rest up a few days, and then hunt up Jim +Bridger or Jim Beckwith, and they will advise you what to do. It may +be that I will get home myself, in which case you will not need their +advice." + +We now bid them "good bye" and started on what would be called now a +long, tedious and dangerous journey, but at that time we thought nothing +of it. + +How long a time it took us to make this trip I do not remember. The +Indians traveled in the lead the most of the time. When near the middle +of the afternoon, I would ask them in Spanish how far they were going +tonight, and they would tell me the number of hours it would take to go +but seemed not to understand the distance by miles. The Indians showed +more judgment in selecting the camping ground than I expected they +would. + +In a few days we were in the Ute country, and we saw plenty of Indian +sign every day. I think it was on one of the tributaries of the Green +river we were traveling along one afternoon, we came in sight of a band +of Ute Indians. They were in camp. We were in about a half a mile of +them when we first saw them; they were directly to the north of us, +and they discovered us at the same time we saw them. As soon as the +Sighewashes saw the Utes they stopped, and two of the Sighewashes rode +back to us and said in Spanish, "We go see Utes," and they rode over to +the Ute camp. Probably they were gone a half hour or more, when they +returned, and we surely watched every move the Utes made till the +Sighewashes came back to us. When they came back they were laughing and +said to us, "Utes heap good." Then I was satisfied that we were in no +danger. + +We traveled on some five or six miles when we came to a nice little +stream of water where there was fine grass. I said to the boys, "We'll +camp here. Now you boys unpack the animals and take them out to grass, +and I will go and kill some meat for supper." + +I picked up my gun and started; I didn't go over a quarter of a mile +till I saw four Bison cows, and they all had calves with them. I crawled +up in shooting distance and killed one of the calves. At the crack of my +gun the cows ran away. I commenced dressing the calf and here came four +of my Sighewash Indians running to me, and when they saw what I had +killed, I believe they were the happiest mortals that I ever saw. + +As soon as I got the insides out I told them to pick up the calf and we +would go to camp. Some of them picked up the carcass and others picked +up the entrails. I told them we did not want the entrails. One of the +Indians spoke up and said, "Heap good, all same good meat". I finally +persuaded them to leave the insides alone. + +When we got back to camp, the boys had a good fire, and it was not long +before we had plenty of meat around the fire, and I never saw Indians +eat as they did that night. After they had been eating about an hour, +Jonnie West said to me, "Will, you will have to go and kill more meat, +or we won't have any for breakfast." + +We soon turned in for the night and left the Indians still cooking. In +the morning we were surprised to see the amount of meat they had got +away with. What they ate that night would have been plenty for the same +number of white men three or four days. The nature of the Indian is to +eat when he has the chance and when he hasn't he goes without and never +complains. + +For the next three days we traveled through a country well supplied +with game, especially Elk, Deer, and black bear. It was now late in the +summer and all game was in a fine condition, it was no unusual thing to +see from twenty five to a hundred Elk in a band. I have never seen since +that time so many Elk with so large horns as I saw on that trip, which +convinced me that there had been no white hunters through that part of +the country before. + +In traveling along there were times we were not out of sight of deer for +hours; consequently we never killed our game for supper until we went +into camp, and as a rule, the boys always picked me to get the meat +while they took care of the horses. I remember one evening I was just +getting ready to start out on my hunt. I asked the boys what kind of +meat they wanted for supper. Jonnie West said, "Give us something new." +Well, I answered, "How will a cub bear do?" They all answered, "That is +just what we want." That moment I turned my eyes to the south, and on +a ridge not more than three hundred yards from camp, I saw three bears +eating sarvis berries. I was not long in getting into gun shot of them. +There was the old mother bear and two cubs. I had to wait several +minutes before I could get a good sight on the one I wanted, as they +were in the brush and I wanted a sure shot. I fired and broke his neck; +he had hardly done kicking before Jonnie West and some of the Indians +were there. We made quick work getting the meat to camp and around the +fire cooking, and it was as fine a piece of meat as I ever ate. + +The next morning we bid the Indians good bye, but before they left us +one of them stooped down and with a finger marked out the route we +should take, thinking we did not know the country we must pass over, and +strange to say, the route this wild Indian marked out in the sand was +accurate in every particular. He made dots for the places where we +should camp and a little mark for a stream of water, then little piles +of sand for mountains, some large and some small, according to the size +of the mountain we were to cross. After he had finished his work, I +examined the diagram and I found he had marked out every place where we +should camp. + +From there to the head of the Arkansas river, I called Jonnie West and +asked him to look at it. He examined it at every point and said, "This +beats any thing I ever saw or heard tell of; with this to guide us, we +could not get lost if we tried to." + +We were now ready to start. Jonnie said to me, "Well, I feel we owe this +Indian something. How many butcher knives have you?" + +I said, "I have two." "Alright, I will give him this finger ring and you +give him one of your knives." + +We did so, and I think he was the proudest Indian I ever saw; he jumped +up and shouted, "Hy-you-scu-scum, white man," which meant "Good white +man." + +The Indians all shook hands with us and then mounted their horses and +were gone. We now pulled out on our long and dangerous trip to Taos, New +Mexico, and strange to say, we never missed a camping ground that the +Indians had marked out for us, until we reached the head of the Arkansas +river, and the beauty of it was, we had good grass and good water at +every camping place, which was very essential for ourselves and our +horses. + +When we struck the head of the Arkansas river we considered ourselves +out of danger of all hostile Indians. Besides, we knew every foot of the +ground we had to travel over from here to Taos, New Mexico. We camped +one night on the river, down below where Leadville stands now, and I +never saw so many huckleberries at one place as I saw there. After we +had our horses unpacked and staked out to grass, I said to the boys, +"Now you go and pick berries, and I will try and find some meat for +supper." I did not go far when looking up on a high bluff I saw a band +of mountain sheep. I noticed they had not seen me yet and were coming +directly towards me. When they got in gun-shot, I fired and killed a +half-grown sheep, and he did not stop kicking until he was nearly at my +feet. This was the first mountain sheep I had ever killed, and it was as +fine a piece of meat as I ever ate, and until this day, mountain sheep +is my favorite wild meat. This was one of the nights to be remembered, +fine fresh meat, and ripe huckleberries, what luxuries, for the wilds to +produce. + +In a few days we reached Taos, and here I met my old friend Jim Bridger. +After laying around a few days and resting up, Jonnie West said to me, +"Will, what are we going to do this winter? You are like me, you can't +lay around without going wild." + +I said, "That's so, Jonnie. Let's go and hunt up Jim Bridger, and ask +him what he is going to do this winter." + +We went to the house where Jim was boarding and we found him in one of +his talkative moods. We asked him what he proposed doing this winter; he +said, "I am going out a trapping, and I want you boys to go with me." + +I asked him where he was going to trap, and he said he thought he would +trap on the head of the Cache-la-Poudre, and the quicker we went the +better it would be for us. "I have all the traps we will need this +winter," he said; "now you boys go to work and mould a lot of bullets." + +The reader will understand that in those days we used the muzzle-loading +gun, and we had to mould all of our bullets. In a few days we were ready +to pull out. I asked Jim if we could keep our horses with us through +the winter. He said, "Yes, as the snow does not get very deep in that +country, and there is plenty of Cotton Wood and Quaker Asp for them to +browse on in case the snow gets deep. Besides, it will save one of us a +long tramp in the spring, for we will have to have the horses in order +to pack our furs on." + +In a few days we were ready to pull for trapping ground. Each one of us +took a saddle horse and two pack horses. We were on the road nine days +from the day we left Taos until we reached our trapping ground. + +We traveled down Cherry Creek from its source to its mouth, and across +the Platte, where Denver City, Colorado, now stands. At that time there +was not a sign of civilization in all that country. + +After crossing the Platte a little below where Denver now stands, we met +about five hundred Kiawah Indians, led by their old chief. The Kiawas +were friendly to us, and the chief was a particular friend of Jim. He +wanted to trade for some of our beaver traps. He kept bidding until he +offered two horses for one trap. Jim refused to trade, but he made the +chief a present of a trap. After Jim refused to take the horses, a young +squaw came running out and offered to give me as fine a buffalo robe as +I ever saw; I was in the act of taking it and was congratulating myself +on what a fine bed I would have that winter when Jim said, "Will, don't +take that. There is more stock on that robe than we can feed this +winter. Open the hair and look for yourself." + +I did so, and I saw the Grey Backs all through the hair as thick as they +could crawl. I had never seen such a sight before, and the reader can +imagine my horror. I dropped it so quick that Jonnie West laughed and +asked me if it burnt me. The boys had the joke on me the balance of the +winter. Most every day they would ask me if I didn't want a present of a +Buffalo robe from a young squaw. + +A few days after this, we were on our trapping ground, and our winter's +work of toil, hardship, and pleasure had begun. We soon had our cabin +built in a little valley, which was from a half mile to a mile wide and +about eight miles long. On each side of the valley were high cliffs. In +places there was a half a mile or more where neither man or beast could +climb these cliffs, and we were surprised later on to see the quantity +of game of various kinds that came into this valley to winter, such as +Elk, Deer, and Antelope. I never, before or since, have seen so many +Wild Cats, or Bob Cats, as they were called at that time, and also some +cougars. + +I remember one little circumstance that occurred later on; it was about +the middle of the afternoon; we had all been to our traps and had +returned to the cabin with our furs. Jim said, "Will, we will stretch +your furs if you will go and shoot a deer for supper." + +This suited me, so I took my gun and went outside the door to clean it. +Just as I had got through, Jonnie West looked out and said, "Look, Will, +there is your deer now; you won't have to hunt him." + +I looked, and sure enough, there he was, in about a hundred yards of the +cabin. Jim Bridger fired at him and knocked him down, but he got up and +ran into a little bunch of brush. I ran to the spot, thinking he was +only wounded and that I should have to shoot him again. When I reached +the brush, to my surprise, I found five big wildcats, and they all +came for me at once. I fired at the leader, and then I did some lively +running myself. As soon as I got out of the brush, I called the boys, +and we got the cats, the whole of the bunch, and the deer besides, which +had not been touched by the cats. + +We skinned the cats, and Jim afterwards made a cap out of one of them, +and he wore it for several years. + +Jonnie West and I were out hunting one day for deer when we discovered +two cougars in the grass, and we could not make out what it meant. +Finally one made a spring, and it seemed to us that he jumped at least +twenty feet, and he landed on a deer, and for a minute or two there was +a tussle. While this was going on Jonnie and I were getting closer to +them, and when they had the deer killed we were within gunshot of them, +and they didn't eat much before we killed them both. We skinned the +deer, and also the cougars, and took them to camp, and when we went to +Bent's Fort the next spring we got twenty dollars apiece for them, for +they were extra large cougars, or mountain lions as they are sometimes +called, and their hides are very valuable. + +It seems wonderful to me when I think of the amount of game I saw +through the country at that time, of all descriptions, some of which in +their wild state are now extinct, especially the buffalo and the bison, +and all other game that was so plentiful at that time is very scarce all +over the west. I believe a man could have seen a thousand antelope +any day in the year within five miles of where the city of Denver now +stands. + +We had splendid success this winter in trapping beaver. It was late in +the spring when we left our trapping ground. Just before we pulled out +Jim Bridger said, "Boys, I saw a pretty sight this evening out at the +point of rocks," which was about a quarter of a mile from our cabin. +Jonnie West said, "What did you see, Jim?" + +"I saw an old Cinnamon bear and two cubs." Jonnie said, "Why didn't you +kill her?" + +"I didn't have anything to kill with," Jim replied. "I left my gun in +the cabin, but we will all go out in the morning and see if we can find +them." + +We were all up early in the morning and ready for the bear hunt. Jim +told us what route each should take. He said, "Now boys, be careful, for +she is an old whale, and if you get in to a fight with her some one will +get hurt, or there will be some running done." + +I had not gone far when I looked up on a ridge ahead of me and saw what +I took to be Mrs. Bruin; I crawled up within gun shot and fired and +broke the bear's neck. I rushed up to her expecting to see the cubs. +Imagine my surprise when I found only a small bear. In a few moments the +boys were there; Jonnie laughed and asked Jim if that bear was the whale +he set out to kill. Jim stood and looked at the bear quite a bit before +answering. Then he said, "That is a Cinnamon Bear, but where are the +cubs?" Jonnie said, "I will bet my hat you didn't see any cubs, Jim, you +dreamed it." Jim grinned and answered, "Well, boys I guess you have the +drop on me this time." + +From then on, all the spring Jim's cubs was a standing joke. In a few +days, we pulled out for Bent's Fort; we were late in getting to the Fort +with our furs this spring. Mr. Bent asked us why we were so late in +getting in. Jonnie replied that Jim kept us hunting for Cub bears all +the spring, and as we couldn't find any, it took all our time. Of course +they all wanted to know the joke, and when Jonnie told it in his droll +way, it made a laugh on Jim. "If you will only quit talking about the +cubs," Jim said, "I'll treat all around," which cost him about ten +dollars. + +After laying around the Fort a few days, Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux +hired Jonnie and me to kill meat to supply the table at the boarding +house for the summer, that being the only time of the year that the +boarding house at the Fort did any business. At this time of the year +all of the trappers and hunters were staying at the fort with nothing to +do but eat, drink and spend their money that they had earned the winter +before. It was no uncommon thing for some of these men to bring from +three to four hundred dollars worth of furs to Bent's Fort in the +spring, and when fall came and it was time to go back to the trapping +ground, they wouldn't have a dollar left, and some of them had to go in +debt for their winter outfit. + +Jonnie and I had no trouble in keeping plenty of meat on hand, from the +fact that buffalo and antelope were very plentiful eight or ten miles +from the fort. I remember one little circumstance that occurred this +summer. We were out hunting, not far from the Arkansas river, near +the city now known as Rocky Ford, Colo. We had camped there the night +before. We went out early in the morning to kill some antelope, leaving +our horses staked where we had camped. We hadn't gone more than half a +mile when we heard a Lofa wolf howl just ahead of us. The Lofa wolf was +a very large and ferocious animal and was a terror to the buffalo. When +we reached the top of a ridge just ahead of us, looking down into a +little valley two or three hundred yards away, we saw five Buffalo cows +with their calves, and one large bull, and they were entirely surrounded +by Lofa wolves. Jonnie said, "Now, Will, we will see some fun." The cows +were trying to defend their calves from the wolves, and the bull started +off with his head lowered to the ground, trying to drive the wolves away +with his horns. This he continued to do until he had driven the wolves +thirty yards away. All at once a wolf made a bark and a howl which +seemed to be a signal for a general attack, for in a moment, the wolves +were attacking the Buffalo on every side, and I don't think it was five +minutes before they had the bull dead and stretched out. Until then I +had never thought that wolves would attack a well Buffalo, but this +sight convinced me that they could and would kill any buffalo they chose +to attack. + +We went back to camp, packed up our meat, and pulled out for the fort. +When we got there I told Jim Bridger about the fight the wolves had with +the buffalos, and he said, "If you had seen as much of that as I have, +you would know that wolves signal to each other and understand each +other the same as men do." + + + +CHAPTER II. + +It was early in the spring of fifty when Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, and +myself met at Bent's Fort, which was on the head waters, of the Arkansas +river. Bridger and I had just got in from our winter's trapping ground +and had disposed of our furs to a very good advantage; Carson had just +returned from a trip back east. Carson said to Bridger, "Now Jim, I'll +tell you what I want you to do. I want you and Will (meaning me) to +go over to Fort Kerney and escort emigrants across to California this +season, for the gold excitement back in the eastern states is something +wonderful, and there will be thousands of emigrants going to the gold +fields of California, and they do not know the danger they will have to +contend with, and you two men can save thousands of lives this summer by +going to Fort Kerney and meeting the emigrants there and escorting them +through. Now boys, you must understand that this undertaking is no +child's play. In doing this apparently many times you will seem +to take your lives in your own hands, for the Indians will be worse on +the plains this year than they ever have been. At the present time there +is no protection for the emigrant from the time they get twenty-five +miles west of Fort Kerney, until they cross the Sierra Nevada mountains, +and there are to be so many renegades from justice from Illinois and +Missouri that it is going to be fearful this season, for the renegade +is really worse in some respects than the Indian. He invariably has two +objects in view. He gets the Indian to commit the murder which is a +satisfaction to him without any personal risk besides the plunder he +gets. I know, boys, you can get good wages out of this thing, and I want +you to take hold of it, and you, Jim, I know have no better friend than +Gen. Kerney, and he will assist you boys in every way he can. I almost +feel as though I ought to go myself, but I cannot leave my family at +the present time; now, Jim, will you go?" Bridger jumped up, rubbed his +hands together and said, "I'll be dog goned if I won't, if Will goes +with me." + +[Illustration: As soon as they were gone I took the scalp off the dead +Chief's head.] + +To which I replied, "I will go with you, and I think the quicker we +start the better it will be for all parties concerned." Carson said, +"You can't start too soon, for the emigrants will be arriving at Fort +Kerney by the time you get there." + +The next morning Jim and I were up and had an early breakfast and were +ready to start. Uncle Kit said to us, "Now boys, when you come back this +fall I want you to come and see me and tell me what kind of luck you +have had, and all the news." + +We now bid him good bye, and we were off. + +I will here inform the reader that Carson had taught me to call him +Uncle Kit when I was fourteen years old, and I always addressed him in +that way. Jim and I were off for Fort Kerney, which was a journey of +about three hundred miles and not a sign of civilization on the whole +trip. It was a wild Indian country the entire distance, but we +knew where the hostile Indians were and also the friendly Indians. +Consequently we reached Fort Kerney without having any trouble. + +We met Gen. Kerney, who was glad to see us. He said, "Boys, where in the +name of common sense are you going to?" + +We explained to him in a few words our business. After hearing our plans +the Gen. said, "I am certainly glad to know that someone will take hold +of this thing, for I am sure that there will be more emigrants massacred +this year than has ever been in any other. I will tell you why I think +so. All the Indians from here to the Sierra-Nevada mountains are in the +war-path; in the second place the emigrants who are coming from the +east have no idea what they have to contend with, and I dread the +consequences." + +While this conversation was taking place a soldier rode in that had been +on picket duty and said to the Gen., "I saw some covered wagons going +into camp down on Deer Creek about five miles from here. Where do you +suppose they are going, Gen?" + +To which Gen. Kerney replied, "They are going to California, and you +will see hundreds of them inside the next two weeks." + +Jim Bridger said, "Well, Willie, come on and let's see what we can do +with them." + +As we were leaving the Fort Gen. Kerney said to us, "Boys, come back and +stay all night with me, I want you to make my quarters your home while +you are waiting for the emigrants to arrive." + +Bridger answered, "Thank you, Gen. We will be glad to do so, and we may +want you to recommend us to the emigrants." + +To which the Gen. answered, "I will take pleasure in doing so." + +Bridger and I rode down to where the emigrants were in camp, and we +found the most excited people I ever saw in my life. They had passed +through one of the most terrible experiences that had ever occurred on +the frontier. There were thirty wagons in the train, and they were all +from the southeastern part of Missouri, and it seemed that there was one +man in the train by the name of Rebel who at the time they had left +home had sworn that he would kill the first Indian he came across. This +opportunity occurred this morning about five miles back of where we met +them. The train was moving along slowly when this man "Rebel" saw a +squaw sitting on a log with a papoose in her arms, nursing. He shot her +down; she was a Kiawah squaw, and it was right on the edge of their +village where he killed her in cold blood. The Kiawahs were a very +strong tribe, but up to this time they had never been hostile to the +whites; but this deed so enraged the warriors that they came out in a +body and surrounded the emigrants and demanded them to give up the man +who had shot the squaw. Of course, his comrades tried not to give him to +them, but the Indians told them if they did not give the man to them, +they would kill them all. So knowing that the whole train was at the +mercy of the Indians, they gave the man to them. The Indians dragged him +about a hundred yards and tied him to a tree, and then they skinned +him alive and then turned him loose. One of the men told us that the +butchered creature lived about an hour, suffering the most intense +agony. They had just buried him when we rode into the camp. The woman +and some of the men talked about the dreadful thing; one of the men said +it was a comfort to know that he had no family with him here or back +home to grieve at his dreadful death. + +On hearing this remark Jim said, "You are the most lucky outfit I ever +saw. Any other tribe of Indians this side of the Rocky Mountains would +not have left one of you to have told the tale, and it is just such +darned fools as that man that stir up the Indians, to do so much +deviltry." + +Until this time there had been but a few of the emigrants near us. We +were both dressed in buck-skin, and they did not know what to make of +us. The young girls and some of the young men were very shy. They had +never seen anyone dressed in buck-skin before. An elderly woman came +to us and said, "Ain't you two men what they call mountaineers?" Jim +answered, "Yes, marm, I reckon, we are." + +She replied, "Well, if you are, my old man wants you to come and eat +supper with we'ns." + +Jim turned to me and laughed. "Shall we go and eat with them, Willie?" +he asked. I answered, "Yes, let's get acquainted with everybody." + +We went with the old lady to their tent, which was but a few steps from +where we stood. When she had presented us to her old man as she called +him, she said to him, "Jim, I know these men can tell you what to do." +He shook hands with us, saying, "I don't know what in the world we are +going to do. I believe the Indians will kill us all if we try to go any +further, and I know they will if we go back." + +By this time there was quite a crowd around us. + +I said to Jim, "Why don't you tell the people, what we can do for them?" +Jim then said, "why, dog gorn it, this boy and I can take you all +through to California and not be troubled with the Indians if there is +no more durned fools among you to be a-shooting squaws. But you will +have to do just as we tell you to do." And looking over the ground he +asked, "Who is your captain? I want to see him." + +The old man said, "Want to see our Capt'n? We hain't got any capt'n, got +no use for one." Jim then asked, "Who puts out your guards around the +camp at night?" + +"Guards? Didn't know we had to have any." + +Jim looked the astonishment he felt as he said, "Why, dad-blame-it +man, you won't get a hundred miles from here before all of you will be +killed." + +At that moment one of the men said, "Who is this coming?" + +We all looked in the direction he was, and we saw it was Gen. Kerney. +When he rode up to us Bridger said, "Gen., what do you think? These +people have no captain and have no one to guard the camp at night." + +The Gen. answered, "Is that possible? How in the name of god have they +got here without being massacred?" And then, addressing the men that +stood near he said, "Gentlemen, you had better make some arrangement +with my friends here to pilot you across to California; for I assure you +that if these men go with you and you follow their directions, you will +reach your journey's end in safety." + +Just then the Gen. looked down the road, and he said, "Look there!" + +We all looked, and we saw another long train of emigrants coming towards +us. They drove up near us and prepared to go into camp. This was a mixed +train. Some came from Illinois, some from Indiana, and a few families +from the state of Ohio. + +Jim and I mounted our horses and rode with the Gen. down among the new +emigrants. They had heard all about the skinning of the white man and +were terribly excited about it. They asked the Gen. what was best for +them to do. A great many of them wanted to turn and go back. Finally +the Gen. said to them, "Here are two as good men as there are in the +mountains. They are thoroughly reliable and understand the Indians' +habits perfectly. Now, my friends, the best thing you can do is to +organize yourselves into company, select your captain and then make some +arrangement with these men to pilot you through, for I tell you now, +there will be more trouble on the plains this year than has ever been +known before with the Indians. Now gentlemen, we must leave you, but we +will come back in the morning and see what decision you have come to." + +At this time two men stepped up to Jim Bridger and me and said, "Why +can't you two stay all night with us? We've got plenty to eat, and you +both can sleep in our tent." + +Jim answered, "We don't want to sleep in any tent. We've got our +blankets, and we will sleep under that tree," pointing to a tree near +us. + +The Gen. said, "Mr. Bridger, you boys had better stay here tonight, for +you have lots of business to talk over." + +Jim and I dismounted, staked our horses out and went to supper. After +supper Jim said, "Now, you want to get together and elect a captain." + +One man said, "All right, I'll go and notify the entire camp, and we +will call a meeting at once." Which was done. As soon as the crowd +gathered, they called on Jim to tell them what to do. Jim mounted the +tongue of a wagon and said, "Now, men, the first thing to do is to elect +a Captain, and we must take the name of every able-bodied man in this +outfit, for you will have to put out camp guards and picket guards every +night. Now, pick out your men, and I'll put it to a vote." + +Some called for Mr. Davis, and some for Mr. Thomas; both men came +forward. Jim said, "now, Mr. Davis, get up on this wagon tongue and I'll +make a mark, and we'll see if the crowd wants you for their Captain." Jim +took a stick and made a mark on the ground from the wagon tongue clear +out through the crowd. He then said, "All that want Mr. Davis for +Captain will step to the right of this line, and they that favor Mr. +Thomas will keep to the left of the line." About three fourths of the men +stepped to the right of the line, which made Davis Captain. As soon as +Davis was declared Captain, he said, "Now friends, we must hire these +men to escort us to California; if there is anybody here that is not in +favor of this let him say so now." + +But everyone shouted, "Yes! yes!" + +Davis turned to us and said, "What is your price for the trip?" + +Jim said to me, "What do you say, Will?" + +I replied, "It is worth four dollars a day each." + +Jim told the Captain that we would go for four dollars a day to be paid +each of us every Saturday night, and if at the end of the first week we +had not given satisfaction, we would quit. Davis put it to a vote, and +it was carried in our favor. + +The balance of the evening was spent in making arrangements to commence +drilling the men. In the morning Jim said to me, "Now, Will, I'll take +charge of the wagons and you take charge of the scouts." + +I told the Captain that I wanted him to select seven good men that owned +their horses. I wanted to drill them to act as scouts. Jim said, "Yes, +we want to get to drilling every body tomorrow morning." + +We put in four hard days' work at this business, and then we were ready +for the trail, and we pulled out on our long and tedious journey to the +land of gold. + +There were four hundred and eighty-six men and ninety women in the +train, and they had one hundred and forty-eight wagons. Every thing +moved smoothly until we were near the head of the North Platte river. +We were now in the Sioux country, and I began to see a plenty of Indian +sign. Jim and I had arranged that a certain signal meant for him to +corral the wagons at once. As I was crossing the divide at the head +of Sweet Water, I discovered quite a band of Indians coming directly +towards the train, but I did not think they had seen it yet. I rode back +as fast as my horse could carry me. When I saw the train, I signaled +to Jim to corral, and I never saw such a number of wagons corralled so +quickly before or since, as they were. Jim told the women and children +to leave the wagon and go inside the corral, and he told the men to +stand outside with their guns, ready for action, but to hold their fire +until he gave the word, and he said, "When you shoot, shoot to kill; and +do your duty as brave men should." + +In a moment, the Indians were in sight, coming over the hill at full +speed. When they saw the wagons, they gave the war whoop. This scared +the women, and they began to cry and scream and cling to their children. +Jim jumped up on a wagon tongue and shouted at the top of his voice "For +God's sake, women, keep still, or you will all be killed." + +This had the effect that he desired, and there was not a word or sound +out of them. When the Indians were within a hundred yards from us, their +yelling was terrible to hear. + +Jim now said, "Now boys, give it to them, and let the red devils have +something to yell about," and I never saw men stand up and fight better +than these emigrants. They were fighting for their mothers' and wives' +and children's lives, and they did it bravely. In a few minutes the +fight was over, and what was left of the Indians got away in short +order. We did not lose a man, and only one was slightly wounded. There +were sixty-three dead warriors left on the field, and we captured twenty +horses. + +It was six miles from here to the nearest water, so we had to drive that +distance to find a place to camp. We reached the camping ground a little +before sunset. After attending to the teams and stationing the guards +for the night Cap't. Davis came to Jim and me and said, "The ladies want +to give you a reception tonight." + +Jim said, "What for?" Davis replied, "Saving our lives from those +horrible savages." Jim answered, "Why, durn it all, ain't that what you +are paying us for? We just done our duty and no more, as we intend to do +all the way to California." + +By this time there was a dozen women around us. With the others was a +middle-aged woman. She said, "Now, you men with the buck-skin clothes, +come and take supper with us. It is now all ready." + +Jim said, "Come, Willie, let's go and eat, for I am hungry and tired +too." + +While we were eating supper, three or four young ladies came up to us +and asked me if I didn't want to dance. + +"The boys are cleaning off the ground now, and I want you for my first +pardner," she said with a smile and a blush. Jim said, "Will can't dance +anything but the scalp dance." One of the girls said, "What kind of a +dance is that?" + +Jim replied, "If the Indians had got some of your scalps this afternoon +you would have known something about it by this time." + +Jim told them that when the Indians scalped a young girl, they took the +scalp to their wigwam and then gave a dance to show the young squaws +what a brave deed they had done, "and all you girls had better watch out +that they don't have some of your scalps to dance around before you get +to California; but if you wish us to, Will and I will dance the scalp +dance tonight, so you can see how it is done." + +When they had the ground all fixed for the dance, Jim and I took our +handkerchiefs and put them on a couple of sticks, stuck the sticks into +the ground and went through the Indian scalp dance, making all the +hideous motions with jumps and screams, loud enough to start the hair +from its roots, after which Jim explained to them this strange custom, +telling them that if any of them was unfortunate enough to fall into the +Indians' hands this was the performance that would be had around their +scalps. + +The girls said with a shudder they had seen enough of that kind of +dancing without the Indians showing them. The lady who had invited us to +supper said, "Now girls, you see what these men have done for us, they +have saved our lives, and do you realize the obligation we are under to +them? Now let us do everything we can for their comfort until we reach +California." + +And I must say I never saw more kind-hearted people than these men and +women were to us all the way, on this long and dangerous journey. + +We had no more trouble with the Indians until we had crossed Green +river. We were now in the Ute country. At this time the Utes were +considered to be one of the most hostile tribes in the West. That night +Jim asked me what route I thought best to take, by the way of Salt Lake +or Landers Cut Off. I said, "Jim, Landers Cut Off is the shortest and +safest route from the fact that the Indians are in the southern part of +the territory at this time of year, and I do not believe we shall have +much more trouble with them on this trip." Which proved to be true. We +saw no more Indians until we reached the Humbolt river. Just above the +Sink of Humbolt about the middle of the afternoon I saw quite a band of +Indians heading directly for the train. I signaled Jim to corral, which +he did at once. + +In a few moments they were upon us. As we were out on an open prairie, +we had a good sight of the Indians before they reached us; I saw by the +leader's dress that it was a chief that was leading them. His head dress +was composed of eagles' feathers, and he rode some thirty or forty yards +ahead of the other warriors. When in gun shot of me I fired at him and +brought him down. When he fell from his horse the rest of the Indians +wheeled their horses and fled, but the chief was the only one that fell. +As soon as they were gone I took the scalp off the dead chief's head. +When we went into camp that evening, Jim told the emigrants what a great +thing I had done in shooting the chief. "There is no knowing how many +lives he saved by that one shot in the right time." + +Then all the emigrants gathered around me to see the scalp of the +Indian; they had never seen such a sight before; each of the young +ladies wanted a quill from the Indian's head dress; and they asked me +what I would take for one of them; I told them the quills were not for +sale. + +At this time the lady who had invited Jim and me to eat with her so many +times came up to us, and she said, "Girls, I can tell you how you can +get these quills." They all asked at once, "How is that, aunty?" + +"Each one of you give him a kiss for a quill," she laughed, and of all +the blushing I ever saw the young girls that surrounded me beat the +record. Jim grinned and said, "I'll be dog goned if I don't buy the +scalp and the feathers and take all the kisses myself." + +This made a general laugh. I told Jim that he was too selfish, and that +I would not share the kisses with him, that I would give the scalp +to him and the feathers to the elder lady, and she could divide the +feathers among the girls. The girls clapped their hands and shouted, +"Good! good!" + +Jim said that was just his luck, he was always left out in the cold. + +In a few days we were on the top of the Sierra Nevada mountains. We told +the emigrants that they were entirely out of danger and did not need our +services any longer, so we would not put them to any more expense by +going further with them. As this was Saturday evening the emigrants +proposed going into camp until Monday morning and that Jim and I should +stay and visit with them. We accepted the invitation, and Sunday was +passed in pleasant converse with these most agreeable people, and I will +say here that of all the emigrants I ever piloted across the plains none +ever exceeded these men and women in politeness and good nature, not +only to Jim and me, but to each other, for through all that long and +trying journey there was no unkindness shown by any of them, and if we +would have accepted all the provisions they offered us it would have +taken a pack train to have carried it through. Every lady in the train +tried to get up some little extra bite for us to eat on the way back. +The reader may imagine our surprise when Monday morning came and we saw +the amount of stuff they brought to us. Jim said, "Why ladies we haven't +any wagon to haul this stuff, and we have only one pack horse and he can +just pack our blankets and a little more. Besides, we won't have time to +eat these goodies on the road. Supposing the Indians get after us? We +would have to drop them and the red skins would get it all." + +We now packed up and were ready to put out. We mounted our horses, bid +them "good bye" and were off. + +Nothing of interest occurred until we got near Green river. Here we met +Jim Beckwith and Bob Simson. Jim Bridger and I had just gone into camp +when they rode up. After they had shaken hands with us Jim Beckwith +said, "Boys, you are just the parties we are looking for." + +Bridger asked Beckwith what he had been doing and where he had been +since we parted at Bent's Fort last spring. Beckwith replied that he +had been with a train of emigrants just now who were on the way to +California, and they had camped over on Black's Fort. The cholera had +broken out among them soon after they crossed the Platte River, and from +then up to yesterday they had buried more or less every day. There had +been no new cases since yesterday, and they were laying over to let +the people rest and get their strength, and they expected to start out +tomorrow morning, and turning to me Beckwith said, "Will, I want you to +go with us for there is another train of emigrants over on the Salt Lake +route." + +At this time there were two routes between the Green river and the +Humboldt; one by the way of Salt Lake and the other by Lander's Cut off. +Beckwith said, "Those emigrants going by the Salt Lake route have no +guide, and I am afraid when they strike the Humboldt they will all be +massacred, for they will be right in the heart of the Pi-Ute country, +and you know this tribe is on the war path, and I want you to go on and +overtake them and see them safely through, or else stay with this train +and I will go myself and take care of them. We want the two trains to +meet at the mouth of Lone Canyon, and then we will go up Long Canyon to +Honey lake and then cross the Sierra Nevada." + +I turned to Jim Bridger and said, "Jim, what do you think of this +proposition?" + +Jim said he thought it a good thing for me to do; the responsibility +would give me more confidence in myself. "You know, Will, you have +always depended on Carson or me at all times, and this trip will teach +you to depend on yourself." + +I saddled my horse and went with Beckwith back to the emigrants' camp. +It was arranged that I was to take charge of the scouts and Simson to +take charge of the other train, and Beckwith would go on and overtake +the other train, and the train that reached the mouth of Long Canyon +where it empties into Truckey river first must wait for the other train. + +At this point the two trails divided, one going up the Truckey by the +Donna lake route and the other up Long Canyon by Honey lake, the latter +being considered the best route. + +The next morning we pulled out. I had good luck all the way through, +having no trouble with the Indians, arriving at Long Canyon three days +ahead of Jim Beckwith. + +In my train there was an old man with his wife and a son and daughter; +they seemed to be very peculiar dispositioned people, always wanting to +camp by themselves and having nothing to say to any one. When we reached +Long Canyon, Simson told the emigrants that we would wait until the +other train arrived, which news greatly pleased the most of them, but +the old man and his family seemed to be all upset at the idea of laying +over, and the next morning they harnessed up their horses. While they +were doing this, Simson called my attention to them and said, "Let's go +and see what they mean." + +I asked the man what he was going to do with his team. He replied that +he was going to hook them to the wagon and was going to California. I +said, "You certainly are not going to start on such a journey alone, +are you? You are liable to be all killed by the Indians before you get +twenty miles from here." + +The old man shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why, gol darn it, we +hain't seen an Injin in the last three hundred miles, and I don't +believe there is one this side of them mountains," and he pointed +towards the Sierra Nevada mountains. "And if we did meet any they +wouldn't bother us for we hain't got much grub, and our horses is too +poor for them to want." + +I told him, he must not go alone, the road was too dangerous, and +besides the other train might come at any moment, and then we could all +pull out in safety. He said, "I own that wagon and them horses, and I +own pretty much every thing in that wagon and I think I will do just as +I please with them." I insisted on his waiting until the other train +came up, he said, he would not wait any longer, that he was going to go +right now. I left him and walked back to the camp; I asked the men if +any of them had any influence with that old man out there. + +"If you have for god's sake use it and persuade him to not leave us, for +if he starts out alone he, nor any of his family will reach Honey lake +alive." + +Just then one of the men said, "I have known that man ten years and I +know that all the advice all these people could give him would be wasted +breath and the less said to him the better it will be." + +I then went back to Simson who had charge of the wagons and said to him, +"What shall we do with that old man? He is hitching up to leave us which +will be sure death to him and his family. If he goes had we not better +take his team away from him and save his life and his family's?" + +Simson said, he would consult with the other men and see what they +thought about it. After he had talked with the other men a short time, +twenty or thirty of them went out where the old man was hitching up his +team. What they said to him I do not know. When I got to him he was +about ready to pull out; he said, "I'm going now and you men can come +when you please and I don't give a D'. whether you come at all of not." + +This was the last we ever saw of the old man or his son. + +Three days later Jim Bridger arrived with his train, and then we all +pulled out together by the way of Honey lake. The first night after +leaving camp Jim Bridger, Simson and myself had a talk about the old man +who had left us. Jim said. "I don't suppose we shall ever hear of him +again," and turning to me he said, "Will, it will take us two days to go +to Honey Lake; now tomorrow morning suppose you pick out of your scout +force eight good men, take two days' rations and your blankets with you +and rush on ahead to the Lake and see if you can find them. It may be +possible that some of them are alive, but I don't think you will find +one of them. Now, Will, be careful and don't take any desperate chances; +if you find they have been taken prisoners keep track of them until we +get there." + +The next morning I and my men were off bright and early. We reached the +lake about three o'clock in the afternoon, where we struck the lake +there was scattering timber for quite a ways up and down and here we +found the old man's wagon. The wagon cover, his tent, and his team, were +gone; his cooking utensils were setting around the fire which was still +burning. Almost every thing was gone from the wagon, but there was +no sign of a fight. Neither could we see any white men's tracks; but +moccasin tracks were plenty. We sat down and ate our luncheon: as soon +as we finished eating we started to trail the Indians to find out what +had become of the whites. We had gone but a short distance when I +discovered the tracks of the two women; then we knew that they had been +captured by the Indians. I said, "I want you men to take this side of +the ridge and watch for Indians all the time, and you must watch me +also; when you see me throw up my hat come at once and be sure to not +shout, but signal to each other by whistling or holding up your hands +and be sure to have your signals understood among yourselves. And +another thing I want to say to you, if you see any Indian, signal to me, +at once. Now I am going to take the trail of these white women, and if I +need your assistance I will signal, and you must all get to me as quick +as possible." + +All being understood I started on the trail of the white women. I hadn't +followed the trail over a half a mile, when I saw one of the men running +towards me at full speed; when he reached me he said, "We have found a +dead man, and he is stuck full of arrows." + +I mounted my horse and accompanied him to where the body lay. I +recognized it at once; it was the son of the old man who had left us +three days before. His clothes were gone except his shirt and pants, +and his body was almost filled with arrows. I said, "This is one of the +party, and the other is a prisoner, or we shall find his body not +far from here. Let us scatter out and search this grove of timber +thoroughly; perhaps we may find the other body; and be careful to watch +out for the Indians, for they are liable to run upon us any time." + +We had not gone more than two hundred yards before we found the old +man's body; it was laying behind a log with every indication of a +hand-to-hand fight. One arrow was stuck in his body near the heart, and +there were several tomahawk's wounds on the head and shoulders, which +showed that he died game. + +It was getting late in the afternoon so I proposed to the men that we +take the bodies back to where we had found their camp, as we had no way +of burying the bodies in a decent manner, we had to wait until the train +came up to us. We laid the bodies side by side under a tree and then we +went into camp for the night as there was good grass for the horses. We +staked them out close to camp. We had seen no Indians all day, so we did +not think it necessary to put out guards around the camp that night, and +we all laid down and went to sleep. + +The next morning we were up and had an early breakfast; that done, I +said, "Now, men I want two of you to go back and meet Bridger and tell +him what we have found and pilot him here to this camp, and he will +attend to the burying of these bodies; I would rather you should choose +among your selves who shall go back." + +One man by the name of Boyd and another whose name was Taluck said they +would go. These men were both from Missouri; I then told them to tell +Bridger that I was a going to start on the trail of the white women at +once, and for him to camp here and that he would hear from me tonight, +whether I found them or not. + +The rest of the men and I started on the trail; three went on one side +and three on the other, and I took the trail; I cautioned the men to +keep a sharp look out for the Indians all the time, and if they saw any +Indians to signal to me at once. I had followed the trail some five or +six miles when it led me to a little stream of water in a small grove of +timber. Here I found where the Indians had camped; the fire was still +burning which convinced me that the Indians had camped there the night +before. I also saw where the two women had been tied to a tree. I +followed them a short distance and saw that the band we were following +had met a larger band, and they had all gone off together in a northerly +direction. We were now near the north end of Honey lake, and I had about +given up hopes of ever seeing the women again, but I did not tell my +thoughts to my companions. The trail was so plain that I now mounted my +horse; we followed at a pretty rapid gate two or three miles, when we +saw that a few tracks had turned directly towards the lake. I dismounted +and examined them and found the two shoe tracks went with the small +party. I was now convinced that this was a party of squaws going to the +lake to fish; and I felt more encouraged to keep up the pursuit. We were +within a mile of the lake at this time. We rode as fast as we could and +keep the trail in sight. We soon came in sight of the lake; looking to +the right I saw a small band of squaws building a fire. I called the men +to me and told them that I believed the women we were looking for were +with those squaws, and if they were, I thought we could rescue them. + +"I think our best plan will be to ride slowly until they see us and then +make a dash as fast as our horses can carry us; if the white women are +with them, we will ride right up to them, if they are tied I will jump +down and cut them loose," and pointing at two of the men I said, "You +two men will take them up behind you and take the lead back, and the +rest of us will protect you." + +We did not ride much farther before the squaws discovered us at which +they began to shout, "Hyha," which meant "They're coming they're +coming." + +In a moment we were in their midst, and sure enough the women were there +and tied fast to a small tree, a short distance from where the squaws +were building the fire. + +What happened in the next few minutes I could never describe. The +women knew me at once and with cries and laughter, touching, beyond +description greeted me. + +In an instant I was off my horse and cutting them loose from the tree, +at the same time the men were circling around us with guns cocked ready +to shoot the first squaw that interfered with us. + +To my great surprise I did not see a bow or arrow among them or a +tomahawk either; as quick as I had the women loose I helped them up +behind the men I had selected to take them away from captivity back to +meet the train. As soon as we had left them of all the noise I ever +heard those squaws made the worst. I think they did this so the bucks +might know that they had lost their captives and might come to their +assistance. Where the bucks were I never knew. After riding four or five +miles we slacked our speed, and the women began telling us how the whole +thing had occurred. It seemed they had got to the camping ground early +in the afternoon of the second day after leaving us and instead of +staking out their horses they turned them loose, and about dusk the old +man and his son went out to look for the horses, were gone a couple of +hours and came back without them. This made them all very uneasy. The +next morning just at break of day the old man and his son took their +guns and started out again to hunt for their horses, and the mother and +daughter made a fire and cooked breakfast. The sun was about an hour +high, and they were sitting near the fire waiting for the men to come +back when they heard the report of a gun; they thought the men were +coming back and were shooting some game. They had no idea there was an +Indian near them. In the course of a half an hour they heard the second +shot, and in a few minutes the Indians were upon them, and they knew +that the men were both dead, because the Indians had both of their guns +and were holding them up and yelling and dancing with fiendish glee. The +Indians grabbed them and tied their hands behind them and then they tore +down their tent, took the wagon cover off and everything out of the +wagon that they could carry off. + +"The bucks did the things up in bundles, and the squaws packed them on +their backs, and they were expecting every minute to be killed. After +the squaws had gone the bucks ate everything they could find that was +cooked, and the squaws that you found us with made us go with them to +the north end of the lake and there they camped that night. They tied us +with our backs to a little tree; we could not lay down and what little +sleep we got we took sitting up; we had not had a bit of breakfast that +morning when the Indians came upon us; it was all ready, and we were +waiting for our men folks to come back, and we have had nothing since, +but a little piece of broiled fish with no salt on it." + +Until now I had not said anything about our finding the dead bodies of +their men, I thought it better to tell them now rather than wait until +we reached camp, as I thought the shock would be less when they came to +see the condition they were in. + +Before I had finished telling the condition of the bodies when we found +them, I was afraid the young lady would faint, she seemed to take the +horrid news much harder than her mother did. + +When we got to camp we found that Bridger had been there some two hours +ahead of us and had men digging the graves and others tearing up the +wagon box to make coffins to bury the bodies in. + +We took the women to a family they were acquainted with and left them in +their care. After they had been given something to eat they went where +the bodies lay and looked at them, and with sobs of bitter grief bent +over them; which made my heart ache in sympathy for them in their +loneliness. + +The next morning we laid them away into their lonely graves in as decent +a manner as we could, and in sadness left them. + +Through the influence of Jim Bridger arrangements were made with two +families to take these two ladies with them to California. Just before +noon Jim came to me and said, "We will stay here until tomorrow morning; +I would like you to take four or five men who have good horses and go +around the north end of the lake and find out, if you can, if the Piutes +are gathering together in a large band. It is about the time of year for +the Piutes to leave this part of the country, but if they are gathering +in a large band they are bent on giving us trouble, and we will have to +make preparations to defend our selves. In three days more if we have +good luck we shall be out of the hostile Indian country." + +We had an early dinner and four others and myself set out for the head +of the lake, we rode hard all that afternoon and to our great surprise +we never saw an Indian. We passed a number of camps where they had been, +but their trails all showed that they had pulled out for the north. +Seeing this we turned back and struck the emigrant trail about ten miles +from where Jim was camped. Just as we struck the emigrants trail I +looked off to the south about a quarter of a mile and saw nine head of +horses, and they were heading in the same direction we were going. I +called the other men's attention to them and said, "Let's capture those +Indian ponies." You may imagine our surprise when we got near them to +find they were not Indian ponies but good American horses and several of +them had collar marks on them showing that they had been worked lately. +We drove them on to camp, and when we put them in the corral we found +them to be perfectly gentle. Bridger and the balance of the men came to +see them, and every man had his own view where they had come from. But +we never knew for certain whom they belonged to. The next morning we +pulled out very early. The third day we crossed the Sierra Nevada +mountains without any thing of interest happening to us. In two days +more we reached the Sacramento river. We were now about forty miles +above Sacramento City, California. We camped here about the middle of +the afternoon. It being Saturday Jim thought we would rest the balance +of the day. After we had eaten our dinner Jim called all the men of the +train together and told them that they were out of all danger now from +the Indians and would have no further use for a guide and that our +contract with them was ended, and that he and I would like to start back +for New Mexico Monday morning. In a short time they settled up with us, +paying us our due with grateful thanks for our care of them on their +dangerous journey. I now went to the men who were with me when I found +the horses. I said, "Some of those horses belong to you, how many do you +want?" + +They all looked surprised, and one said, "They are not our horses, they +are yours. You found them." + +I answered, "Now, boys, that is not fair; drive them up and let me +select three and you may have the balance to divide as you choose among +you." + +This seemed to please them; and they drove the horses up at once. I +chose the three I liked best, and I afterwards found them all to be good +saddle horses. Bridger and I now went to work making our pack saddles +and getting ready for our long and tedious journey back to New Mexico, a +journey where wild beasts and still wilder savages might lurk behind +any tree or bush, a journey where at that time all one could see for +hundreds of miles was thick forests, and trackless prairies; a journey +of danger and fatigue which the people of this later day of rapid travel +could not be made to understand. + +The next morning after breakfast was over a man came to me and said, +Mrs. Lynch and her daughter Lizzie would like to see me. These were the +two ladies I had rescued from the Indians. I had not spoken to them +since I left them with Bridger at the camp near Honey Lake. As I came +near to the elder lady she came to meet me and holding out her hand, +clasping mine she said, "Are you going to leave us tomorrow?" + +I answered, "That is what we intended to do." + +She then burst into tears, and amid her sobs said, "We can never pay you +for what you have done for us." + +At this moment the young girl appeared, and as she gave me her hand her +mother said, "He is going to leave us, and we can never pay him for what +he has done for us"; at this the girl commenced to cry too and it was +some minutes before I could talk to them. When they had quieted down I +said, "Ladies, you owe me nothing, I only done my duty, and I would +do the same thing over again for you or any one else under the +circumstances that existed." Then the elder lady said, "If it hadn't +been for you we might never have seen a white person again." + +I asked her, what state they were from. She said they came from Wright +country, Missouri, and that she had a brother there that was amply able +to come and take them back, but she would not ask him to do so for she +never wanted to cross the plains again. She said she had a few dollars +left that the Indians didn't get, and she thought Lizzie and she could +find something to do to get a living. I gave them all the encouragement +I could, bid them good bye and went back to Jim. + +By the time dinner was ready Jim and I had our pack saddles and every +thing ready to put on our horses. While we were eating dinner as many as +thirty ladies came to us to inquire what they could give us to take with +us to eat on our journey. I was amused at Bridger. After each lady had +told what she had to give us, some had cakes, some had pie, and some +had boiled meat and some had bread; Jim straightened up and said, "Why +dog-gorn it ladies, we ain't got no wagon and we couldn't take one if we +had one the route we are going which will be through the mountains all +the way with no road or trail. We are going horse back and we can only +take about a hundred pounds on our pack horses. Now, ladies, we are a +thousand times obliged to you all but all we want is some bread and a +little meat, enough to do us a couple of days, and then we will be where +we can shoot all the meat we want; it is a poor hunter that could not +get enough grub for himself in the country we are going through." + +The next morning when we were getting ready to start the women commenced +bringing in bread and meat for us and we had to take enough to last us +a week, we could not take less without hurting their feelings. When we +were all ready to start, the whole company came to bid us "good bye." +Men and women, old and young, all came, and amid hand clasps from the +men and tears and smiles from the women we mounted our horses and were +off. + +We followed the trail we had come, back as far as Truckey river, and +just below where Reno stands now, we met the remnant of an emigrant +train and according to their story they had had nothing but trouble from +the time they struck the head of Bitter Creek until the day before we +met them. They said they had lost twenty seven men and fourteen women +and a number of cattle and horses. They were very much surprised when we +told them of the train we had just piloted through to California without +losing one that staid with us. We told them of the dreadful fate of old +Mr. Lynch and his son. + +As night was coming on we camped in company with these people. Next +morning we crossed Truckey river and struck out in a south east +direction, leaving the site where Virginia city now stands a little to +our right going by the sink of the Carson River. Here we camped and laid +over one day to give our horses a rest. Before we left here we filled +our canteens with water. Bridger told me that for the next fifty miles +it was the poorest watered country in the United States. Said he: "There +is plenty of water, but it is so full of alkali it is not fit to drink; +it is dangerous for both men and beasts." + +Jim took the lead all day, and when we came to a little stream of water +he would get down and taste the water while I held the horses to keep +them from drinking. It was about four o'clock that afternoon before we +found water that was fit to drink; here we camped for the night. + +Jim said, "From this on we may look for Indians; we are now in the Ute +country and tomorrow night we will be in the Apache country. Now we must +avoid the large streams for the Apaches are almost always to be found +near the large streams at this time of year. Their hunting season is +about over now, and they go to the large streams to catch fish and for +the benefit of a milder climate. If we keep on the high ridges and +mountains away from the large streams we will have no trouble with +the Indians and what is better for us we can get all the game we want +without any exertion." + +The next day we were traveling along on a high ridge in the south east +corner of what is now the State of Nevada. We looked off to the south at +a little valley that was perhaps a half a mile from us, and there we saw +a grand sight. There must have been at least a hundred elk and amongst +them two very large old bucks fighting. Their horns were something +immense, and strange to say all the rest of the band stood still, +watching the fight. At last Jim said, "Will, I believe I will break up +that fight." + +He jumped to the ground, raised his gun and fired. At the sound of the +gun all of the band ran away except the two who were fighting. I laughed +and said, "Jim, I thought you were going to stop that fight." + +He replied, "Give me your gun, and I will stop it." + +This time I handed him my gun, and he squatted down and took a rest on +his knee and fired. At the crack of the gun one of the elks fell to his +knees, but got up and ran for all that was in him, and that was the last +we saw of the elk. I told Jim he had spoilt the fun, and we had got no +meat out of it. He grinned and said, "Oh durn it that old elk was too +old to eat any way." + +We went on and camped at the head of a little stream that emptied into +Green river. The sun was perhaps an hour high, when we went into camp. +As soon as we had staked out our horses Jim said, "Now Will, I will get +the supper, if you will go out and see if you can get some meat." + +I answered, "That suits me to a T. Jim." + +I took my gun and started for a little ridge. I had not gone over a +hundred yards when I saw five deer coming directly towards me. Among +them were two spring fawns. I dropped down at the root of a tree and +waited until they came to within fifty yards of me; I then fired and +broke one of the fawns' necks, and the rest of the flock came near +running over me, and over Jim also. I picked up my fawn and went back to +camp. Jim said, "I don't want you to go hunting anymore Will." + +I said, "Why not?" He said, "If you do I shall have to stand guard over +the camp to keep the deer from tramping every thing we have into the +ground"; and he pointed to the tracks of the deer not ten feet from the +fire. This convinced us that these deer had never heard the report of a +gun before. We were now in the extreme south east end of Nevada, and I +don't imagine a white man had ever been through that part of the country +before. On this trip we traveled some twelve or fifteen hundred miles, +and we never saw a white person the whole way, and not even the sign of +one. + +At this time when a little more than a half of a century has passed +there are portions of this same country that could not be rode over from +the fact that it is all fenced in and cultivated. If we had been told +then that we would live to see railroads crossing every part of this +country we would have thought the person insane to ever think of such a +thing at a time when there was not a foot of rail-road as far west as +Missouri. + +We had broiled venison for supper that night, the first we had eaten for +some time, and the reader may be sure we enjoyed it. + +Next morning we pulled out of here quite early and crossed Green river +just above the mouth of Blue River. We were now in the greatest game +country I had ever seen then or ever have seen since. We traveled up +this stream three days, and I do not think there was a half an hour at +any one time that we were out of sight of game of some kind. There was +the Bison which is a species of Buffalo, Elk, Deer, Black Bear, and +Antelope. We crossed the main divide of the Rocky Mountains at the head +of the Arkansas River. That night we camped within a few miles of what +since has become the far-famed camp and now city of Leadville. + +We were now out of the hostile Indian country, and so we did not have to +be so cautious in traveling days or camping at night. + +While we were traveling down the Arkansas river I saw a sight I had +never seen before and never have since. Two Buck Deer locked fast +together by their horns. I had been told of such things and have since, +but that is the only time I ever saw it myself. We were very near them +before we saw them. They were in a little open prairie. I called Jim's +attention to them as soon as I saw them. He said, "I'll be gol durned if +that ain't the second time I ever saw such a sight, and now we will have +some fun out of them bucks." + +We dismounted and walked up near them, and by the looks of the ground +which was torn and tramped for quite a distance we decided that they +had been in that condition quite a while. Jim said, "How in the plague, +Will, are we going to get these critters apart? They are too plaguey +poor to eat, so we don't want to kill them, and they will die if we +leave them in this fix; what shall we do, Will?" + +I thought a minute and said, "Can't we take our little ax and chop one +of their horns off?" + +He said, "I hadn't thought of that, but bring me the ax and I will try +it." + +I ran to the pack horse and got the ax. He said, "Now you go back to the +horses; for if I get them loose they may want to fight us." + +So I went to the horses and looked back to see what Jim was doing. He +went up to them with the ax drawn ready to strike but it was quite a bit +before they were quiet enough for him to get a good hit at them. At last +he made a strike and down went one of the deer. Instead of striking +the deer's horn he struck him right back of the horn and killed him +instantly; when Jim saw what he had done he made another hit at the dead +buck's horn and freed the live one, which ran thirty or forty yards and +stopped and turned around and shook his head at us a half a dozen times +and then he trotted away as if nothing had happened. + +Jim laughed and said, "He never stopped to thank us, did he? Well he +ain't much different from some people." I said, "Why, Jim he meant +"thank you" when he shook his head at us; that is all the way he could +say it, you know," to which he replied, "Well, I saved one of them any +way." + +Nothing occurred of interest from this time on until we reached our +journey's end at Taos, New Mexico. Here we found Uncle Kit and his wife +both enjoying good health and a warm welcome for his boy Willie, and his +old friend Jim Bridger. + +After supper that night we told Uncle Kit that we had traveled from the +Sacramento river, California to Taos, New Mexico in thirty-three days, +and that we never saw a hostile Indian on the trip, and neither had had +any trouble of any kind to detain us a half an hour on the whole trip. +He said, "That is a wonderful story to hear, when there are so many wild +Indians in that part of the country. Now boys tell me what route you +came." + +We marked out the route by different streams and mountains. He looked at +the map we had drawn and said, "I will venture to say there is not two +men in all the country that could make that trip over that route and get +through alive. I will say again, boys, it is some thing wonderful to +think of, and you must have been protected by a higher power than your +selves to get through in safety." + +We staid with Uncle Kit a couple of weeks and rested up, and then we +struck out for Bent's Fort to make up our crew to go to our trapping +ground for our winter's work. + +Uncle Kit accompanied us to Bent's Fort; and all the trappers were +anxious to get in his employ from the fact that the report had gone out +that the Sioux and the Utes were on the war path, and all the trappers +knew that these two tribes were the strongest hostile tribes in the +west, and when fifty miles from Bent's Fort we never knew that we were +safe and the trappers all had confidence in Uncle Kit's judgment that he +seldom made a mistake in locating his trapping ground, and further +more he had more influence with the Indians than any other man in the +country, so they worked rather for him than take chances with any one +else. + +The next morning after we reached Bent's Fort I heard Mr. Bent and Mr. +Roubidoux talking with Carson in regard to the trappers. Mr. Bent said, +"Carson, I wish you would take as many as you can handle, for they all +have an Indian scare on them and are afraid to go out, and every one of +them is indebted to us for board now; and we can not afford to support +them if they loaf around here all winter," to which Carson replied, "I +can handle five or six of them, and that is all I want, I can not afford +to take men out in the mountains and board them all winter for nothing." +After thinking a minute Carson asked, "How many of the men have their +own traps and blankets?" + +Mr. Roubidoux said, he thought nearly all of the trappers at the Fort +had their own trapping outfits with them. Carson said he would think +it over and see what he could do for them. That afternoon Carson and +Bridger had a talk with regard to how many men they should take with +them. Uncle Kit said, "We haven't horses enough to carry more than +three or four besides us three." Bridger said, "That will not make any +difference, if they want to go they can foot it from here to the head of +South Platte as that's where we are going to trap this winter; and when +they are through in the spring they can foot it back again. We have +nine pack horses besides our saddle horses, and we can pack out to the +trapping grounds, an outfit for five or six men besides our own all in +good shape." + +That afternoon Uncle Kit and Bridger made arrangements with six men +to go with us to the head of South Platte to trap Beaver that winter. +Carson and Bridger agreed to furnish them with flour, coffee, salt, and +tobacco for which Carson and Bridger were to have half of the furs that +each man caught, Carson and Bridger to pack the grub and every thing +else out to the trapping ground and also to pack the furs and all their +other things back to Bent's Fort in the Spring. After Carson and Bridger +had selected the six men they wanted, it seemed as though all the +trappers at the Fort wanted to go with them. Carson told them he had +engaged all he could handle. The next two days we spent in getting ready +to go to our trapping grounds. On the morning of the third day every +thing in readiness we bid farewell to all the people at the Fort and +struck out for the trapping grounds and our winter's work. The men +that had to walk did not wait for us but started as soon as they had +breakfast. + +Uncle Kit told them where we would camp the first night. They got there +before we did, and they had killed the fattest deer I ever saw and had +killed a Cub Bear. They were skinning them when we got to camp. The deer +was a spike buck and when he was skinned he was as white as a sheep +from pure fat. The reader may be sure we were not long in unpacking and +getting ready for supper; every one was tired and hungry for we had not +had any thing to eat since morning. For my supper I roasted two of the +cub's feet, and I have never enjoyed a meal since that tasted better. +While we were eating Jim Bridger looked at me and said, "Will, you have +the best of me tonight, but when we get to the Beaver grounds I'll have +a Beaver's tail roasted for my supper and then I'll be even with you." + +I never saw a band of men enjoy a meal more than those men did that +night. In this climate people have better appetites than any climate I +have ever been. I think the reason for this was the air was so pure and +invigorating and it naturally required more food to sustain the body and +keep it in good health, and at that time sickness was very rare in that +part of the country. It would seem unreasonable to tell how much meat a +man ate at one meal, especially when out on a trip like this when he was +out in the open air all the time, night as well as day. + +The third day after leaving this camp we struck the South Platte river, +and now we had another change of meat, which was mountain sheep. This is +in my opinion the best wild game that roams the forest. + +We made an early camp that night and Uncle Kit said to Jim Bridger and +me, "You two boys get the meat for supper and the rest of us will look +after the horses." We picked up our guns and started up the river; we +had not gone far when in looking up on a high bluff we saw a band of +mountain sheep. Jim said, "Now if we can reach that little canyon," and +he pointed to one just ahead of us, "without them fellows seeing us we +will sure have something good for supper." This we succeeded in doing +and then we crawled around until we were within fifty yards of our game. +We selected a couple of spring lambs and fired and brought them both +down. When the men at the camp heard the firing a couple of the men came +running to help us bring our game to camp. We soon had it dressed and +ready for cooking, and it was good and every one of the men ate as if +they enjoyed it as much as I did. While we were eating supper Jim told +us a story of his coming in contact with a panther that had just killed +a sheep, and he said it was a miracle that it did not kill him. He was +coming down a bluff on a little trail and as good luck had it he had +his gun in his hand. The panther had the sheep behind a rock and as the +panther sprang at him he fired and broke its neck. + +"It was the luckiest shot I ever fired," said he, "for if I had not had +my gun all ready to fire he would have torn me to pieces before I could +have helped myself." + +Uncle Kit said, "Well, Jim, you were in about as close a place as I got +into once. I went out from my camp fire one night perhaps forty yards to +a small tree. I didn't have any pistol or gun with me, I had nothing but +my hunting knife to protect myself with when a half-grown panther sprang +out of the tree on me and, maybe you think I didn't have a lively time +there with him for a few minutes, but I finally got the best of him by +cutting him almost to pieces. He tore my buck skin breeches and coat +pretty near off me and left this scar on my arm before I finished him," +and Carson pulled his sleeve up and showed us a scar that must have been +torn almost to the bone. + +Two days from this we reached the place where we made our headquarters +for the winter. That night the men talked it over and made their plans +how many should camp together. They agreed that there should be three in +each camp as there were nine of us in all. That made the number even in +each camp. Next morning they all put out leaving me to look out for the +horses and things in general. + +For the benefit of the reader I will explain how we arranged a camp +where a number of men were associated together in trapping beaver. We +built our camps about four miles apart which gave each camp two miles +square to work on, and this was ample room, for this was a new field and +Beaver was as thick as rats around a wharf. + +While they were gone I took my gun and started out to take a little +stroll around where the horses were feeding. I had gone but a short +distance when I looked up. On a mountain, north of me I saw a band of +elk with perhaps seventy five or a hundred in it, and they were coming +directly towards me; I was satisfied in my mind that they were going to +the river to get water. I dropped down behind a log and waited for them +to come close to me. The nearest one was twenty yards from me when I +fired. I shot at a two-year-old heifer and broke her neck. I then went +back to camp to see if any of the men had come in as it was near noon. I +thought some of them would be back and sure enough in a few minutes they +all came together; I told them what I had done, and Uncle Kit said, "Jim +and I will get dinner and the balance of you go and help Willie bring in +his cow." + +We found her in fine condition. We soon had her skinned and in camp, and +we found dinner ready when we got back. After dinner Uncle Kit said, +"Come boys let's pack up and move to our camp which is only about a half +a mile from here, and tomorrow, while Jim and me are at work on our +shanty, Willie can help you to move to your quarters, and you can be +building your shanties, so we can get to work as soon as possible." + +We gathered every thing together and moved it to the ground where we +were going to make our winter quarters, and Uncle Kit and Jim selected +the place to build our cabin, and the men all turned to and went to +chopping the logs and putting up the cabin. By night the body of the +cabin was almost up, but the reader must bear in mind that this was not +a very large house. It was ten feet one way, and twelve the other, with +a fire place built in one corner. They built the walls of the shack +seven foot high and then covered it with small poles, covered the poles +with fine bows and then there was from six to eight inches of dirt +packed on them and the cracks were stuffed with mud. The door was split +out of logs called puncheons and was fastened together with wooden pins, +driven into holes, bored with an auger. This way of building a house +to live in through the winter may seem strange to the readers who are +accustomed to all the luxuries of the modern home of civilization; but +we considered our cabin very good quarters, and we were very comfortable +that winter. + +The first morning after we were settled in our new home we commenced +setting traps for Beaver. Jim Bridger was the lucky man of the whole +outfit in catching Beaver all that winter. Each man had twelve traps +which was called a string, and a number of times that winter Bridger had +a beaver in every one of his traps in the morning. I had watched him set +his traps many times and I tried to imitate him in every particular, but +I never had the luck he had. + +Uncle Kit told me a number of times that winter that it was a good +trapper that made an average of catching five Beaver a day, during the +trapping season. We were all very successful this winter. Beaver was +very plentiful, as there had never been any trappers in this part of +the country before, and besides that was an exceptional good winter for +trapping. The winter was quite cold, but there was not much snow all +winter for that country. We stayed here and trapped until the very last +of March, and when we had the furs all baled and ready for packing we +found we did not have horses enough to take them all out at one time, so +Uncle Kit and Jim Bridger packed the seven horses and rode the other two +and struck out for Bent's Fort, telling us they would come back as soon +as they could make the trip; and to our surprise they were back on the +tenth day. + +We had everything ready for them to break up camp when they came back, +and we had all we could carry the second time. All of the nine horses +were packed, and we all had to walk to Bent's Fort. + +After we left the Platte we took up a stream called Sand Creek which +leads to the divide between the Platte and the Arkansas rivers. After +we camped that night Carson said to the boys, "Now we have had a pretty +good variety of meat this winter, but we haven't had any antelope, but +we are in the greatest country for antelope in the west now. Can't one +of you boys kill one tomorrow for supper? But I am sorry for Jim and +Will for Jim can't get a Beaver's tail off of it, and there won't be any +bear's foot for Will to eat." + +Jim answered, "You needn't worry about Will and me, for we may make you +sorry twice, for when we get at the Antelope there may not be enough for +the balance of you." + +After breakfast next morning two of the men struck ahead in order to get +the antelope. Near the trail about ten o'clock we overtook them, and +they had killed two nice young antelope. One said that if they had +had ammunition enough with them they could have loaded the train with +antelope. That day we saw a number of bands of antelope, and I venture +to say there were as many as eight hundred or a thousand in each band. + +At supper that night Jim Bridger and I convinced Uncle Kit that we had +not lost our appetite, if we didn't have Beaver's tail and Bear's foot +for supper. + +The second day after leaving this camp we landed at Bent's Fort about +the middle of the afternoon. That evening and all the next day Carson +and Bridger were counting the pelts and paying off the men for the furs +they had trapped during the winter. Each man had a mark of his own which +he put on all his hides as he took them off the animal. I noticed one +man always clipped the left ear; that was his mark. Having a private +mark for each man saved a great deal of trouble and dispute when the +time came to separate the furs and give each man his due. + +I heard Carson and Bridger talking after they had settled with the men, +and Bridger said, "We have done twice as well as I expected we would do +the past winter." + +Carson answered, "Jim, we had an extra good crew of men. Every man +worked for all that was in him and when they earned a dollar for +themselves they earned one for us. I am more than satisfied with our +winter's work and what it brought us." + +He then asked Jim and me what we intended to do that summer; Jim +answered, "We are going back to Fort Kerney to pilot emigrants across to +California, and it is time we were off now, for I believe by the first +of May there will be lots of emigrants there, and we want to get there, +and get the first train out, and if it is possible we are going to make +two trips across the plains this season." + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The next morning Carson left Bent's Fort taking his four horses with +him going to his home at Taos, New Mexico, and Jim and I, taking five +horses, pulled out for Fort Kerney. Nothing of interest happened to us +on the way; and we made the trip in eleven days. As soon as we got to +the Fort, we called on the General; he was very glad to see us, and +invited us to stay all night with him. We accepted his invitation. That +evening at supper General Kerney mentioned my rescuing the two women at +the head of Honey Lake the year before; he recounted the incident very +much as it took place. + +I said to him, "General, how in the name of common sense did you hear of +all that?" + +He said, "Why the eastern papers have been full of it; and it will be +the best thing for you two men that could have happened; for no doubt +there will be hundreds of people here on their way to California, and +when they see you two men who are the heroes of that expedition they +will all want your services to pilot them across the plains, and I +assure you if there is any thing I can do to assist either of you in any +way I am more than willing to do it. I heard yesterday that there were +several small trains on the way coming from St. Joe, and they will be +here in a few days, so you are in good time to catch the first of +them, and I want you both to stay right here with me until you make +arrangements to leave for California. We will take a trip down the road +every day, and if there are any emigrants coming we will meet them." + +[Illustration: The first thing we knew the whole number that we had +first seen was upon us.] + +After breakfast next morning an orderly brought in our horses, all +saddled, the General's as well as ours. We all mounted and started down +the road. We had made five or six miles when we saw an emigrant train +coming towards us. The General said, "Look, boys, there they come now. +Let me do the talking." + +The General had his uniform on, and Jim and I were dressed in buck-skin +from head to foot, and we were a rather conspicuous trio, as we rode up +to them. There were six or eight men on horse back, riding ahead of the +train. As we met them the General saluted them. One of the men said, "Is +this the commander at the Fort?" + +The General answered, "I am. My name is Kerney." + +One of the men said, "General, can you tell us whether the Indians are +on the war path or not between here and Salt Lake?" + +The General answered, "I surely can. Every tribe of Indians between here +and the Sierra Nevada mountains is on the war path, and the emigrants +who get through this year without losing their lives or their stock may +consider themselves lucky," and pointing to Jim and me, he continued. +"These two men took a train through last year and only lost two men and +would not have lost them if they had obeyed orders." + +One of the men asked, "Are these the men that piloted a train across and +had the trouble at Honey Lake last year?" + +The General answered, "Yes, sir, they are, and that boy sitting on that +iron gray horse is the boy that planned and led the rescue of the two +women from the Indians." + +One asked, "Are these the two men the papers said so much about last +fall? I think one was named Jim Bridger and the other's name was William +Drannan." + +General Kerney smiled and answered, "Yes, these are the very men." + +By this time the train had come up, and the other men of the company +gathered around us and being told who we were they all shook hands with +us, besides a great many of the ladies got out of the wagons and came to +us offering their hands. The people were all from Missouri and Illinois. +A man by the name of Tullock from Missouri asked us what we would charge +to pilot their train to California. Jim Bridger turned to me and said, +"Will, what do you think it would be worth?" + +I said to the man who had asked the question, "Drive on about five +miles, and you will find a little creek and plenty of grass. Go into +camp there and select five or ten men to act as a committee, and we will +be there at four o'clock to meet you. You must give your committee full +power to deal with us. The committee must know the number of wagons, +the number of men, and the number of grown women; it will be more +satisfactory to you as well as to us to deal with a few men than for the +whole train to take a part in the business." + +This plan seemed to meet with the approval of the men, so General +Kerney, Jim Bridger and I left them and rode back to the Fort. On the +way back the General asked Bridger how much he meant to charge the +emigrants to take the train across. + +Bridger said, "What do you say, Will?" + +I answered, "Jim, I look at it this way, we are held responsible for +the people's lives as well as their stock to get them to California in +safety; just think of the responsibility we are assuming; and as far as +I am concerned I will not undertake the job for less then four dollars a +day." + +Bridger answered, "That settles it, Will, that's just my price." + +The General said, "I think you are very moderate in your charges; I +should think they would jump at such a chance; for I assure you, you +will have your hands full day and night." + +After we had eaten our dinner at the Fort Gen. Kerney accompanied +us back to the emigrant's camp. On our arriving there we found the +committee waiting to receive us. Mr. Tullock introduced us to the +others, and then said, "We want you to tell us what amount of money you +will charge us to pilot us across the plains to California." + +I said, "Gentlemen, I want to ask you a few questions before I answer +yours; how many wagons have you in this train?" Mr. Tullock answered, +"Sixty four." "How many men?" "One hundred and forty-eight." "How many +women?" "Sixty four." + +I then said, "I will now answer your question as to our price. If we +take charge of this train from here to California our price will be four +dollars a day to each of us, with this understanding that Mr. Bridger +has entire charge of the wagons both day and night, and I to have the +charge of the scout force. Now, gentlemen, I don't suppose any of you +know what the duty of a scout is, and I will explain it to you. Twenty +miles from here we will strike a country where all the Indians are +hostile, and for the next twelve hundred miles they are all on the war +path; now, if we undertake this job we shall want twelve good men to +help me in scouting; each of the twelve to be mounted, and our duty will +be to protect the train; three men to ride in the rear of the train and +three on each side, each three to keep about a half a mile from the +train, and the other three in the lead, and the duty of these scouts +will be when they see Indians coming towards the train to notify Mr. +Bridger at once, so he can corral the wagons to protect the women and +children and the stock, and my duty will be to ride to the highest hills +on either side of the road to keep a lookout for Indians all through the +day, and at night to watch for their camp fires. Now, gentlemen, I have +told you our terms and if you decide to employ us, it will take four or +five days to drill the outfit so it will be safe for us to start on this +long and dangerous journey. Now, it is for you to say what you will do." + +Gen. Kerney then spoke for the first time. "Let me say a word, +gentlemen. These men know every camping ground and every watering place +and also every Indian run way from here to the Sierra Nevada mountains, +and you could not find better men for guides on the frontier, and the +price they ask for the dangerous service they will give you is the least +you can expect to give." + +The committee walked away from us a short distance, and talked among +them selves about a half an hour, and then came to us, and said they +would accept our offer. Bridger then said, "Now gentlemen I want you +to pick out twelve men that are not afraid to ride alone and have +number-one eyesight and good hearing, for no doubt there will be many +times when the fate of the whole train will depend on these twelve men. +Will will start in to train them tomorrow morning if they are ready, and +he will tell them and show them just what they have got to do; and I +want every teamster to have his team hooked to his wagon by nine o'clock +in the morning. It is not necessary for you to take down your tents or +move any of your camp equipage at all; for I will drill the teamsters +out on that little prairie yonder," and he pointed to a clear space a +little ways up the road. + +After these arrangements were made General Kerney went back to the Fort, +and Jim and I staid at the emigrants' camp that night, so we could be up +early the next morning to commence our work of drilling the men for the +coming trip. My men reported to me soon after breakfast, and they were +all fairly well mounted and well armed, each man having a pistol and +a rifle. We mounted our horses and rode about a half a mile away from +camp. We stopped and I explained to them what we had to do. After +showing them and drilling them about two hours I asked them if any of +them had ever shot from his horse's back. They said they never had; +neither had they ever seen any one shoot that way. I went a short +distance to a tree and made a cross mark with my knife. I then said to +them, "Now, my men I will show you what you must learn to do." + +I then rode a hundred yards from the tree I had marked, turned my horse, +put spurs to him and had him running at his best. When I came near the +tree, I fired my pistol and also my rifle as I passed the tree and +didn't miss the mark over a foot with either shot. When I returned the +men were examining the bullet holes I had put in the tree. One of them +said, "That is wonderful shooting. But what seems to be a mystery is how +you can use both your gun and your pistol so near together." + +I showed them how it was done, and then I said to them, "You will have +to practice this way of shooting when fighting with the Indians. They +never stand up and fight like a white man does, and if they should +attack us they will be on horse back, as that is their general mode of +fighting, and you are liable to meet them any moment, and you will be in +a country some of the time where you can not see a hundred yards ahead +of you, and you must always be prepared to give them a warm reception. +When we come out here this afternoon I want you to all try your hand at +shooting the way I have just done, from off your horse's back with him +on the run." + +I met Jim at dinner, and asked him what success he had training his +teamsters. He answered, "Why, we will get there bye and bye, for every +man tries to do his best." + +At that moment two of the committee came to where Jim and I stood +talking and said, "There is another large train of emigrants in sight. +What are you going to do with them?" + +"I don't intend to do any thing with them," Jim answered. "It is the +business of you men of the committee to look after them, but if they +join this train they will have to bear their share of the expense, the +same as you do." + +One of the men asked how much extra we would charge to take the other +train under our protection. Jim answered, "If there are forty wagons or +over that number, we will require one dollar a day extra and that will +lighten the expense on this train, and they must comply with all the +rules this train does; and if they are going to join us, I want them to +do so at once, for I want to get away from here day after tomorrow." + +The man said he would attend to the matter at once, which he did, and +all of the new train joined us with the exception of four wagons and +eleven men. These eleven men claimed they could take care of themselves +at all times and in every place, and they pulled out alone. + +The train over which Jim and I had control now numbered one hundred and +four wagons, and we had to work day and night to get them in shape to +start out on the road. We left there the third day after taking charge +of the train. That afternoon when I took my scouts out to practice +shooting, I had considerable sport at their expense. They were all +perfectly willing to try their guns and pistols, but they wanted some +one to take the lead. No one was willing to be the first one to shoot. +So I said, "I will settle the matter this way. I will call the name of a +man, and he must take his place and shoot." The first man I called rode +out saying, "I have never shot from the back of a horse." I answered, +"Well, there is always a first time for everything, and the quicker you +start in the sooner you will learn." + +He rode off a short distance, whirled his horse and started for the +tree. When he got to within a few steps of the mark he fired his pistol, +and made a very good shot, but the report of the pistol frightened his +horse, and he wheeled and ran in the opposite direction of the one he +was going, and he had run about two hundred yards before he could stop +him. When the man rode back and saw the shot he had made, he felt +encouraged, and said, "I want to try that over again." + +I answered, "All right, load your pistol and try again, and I will ride +by your side and perhaps that will quiet your horse." + +This time he did fine for a green hand at that way of shooting. The next +man I called on fired his pistol before he got near the tree, and his +horse commenced to jump, and he dropped his gun. At that moment Gen. +Kerney rode up to us and said to the man, "That is one time, young man, +when if you had been in an Indian fight you might have lost your scalp +and you surely would have lost your gun. You must do better than that. +You must all take an interest in what Mr. Drannan is trying to teach you +to do, for you will need all the knowledge you can get to protect not +only your selves but the whole train before you get to California. The +Indians are all on the war path and you are liable to have a brush with +them any day after you leave Fort Kerney, and Mr. Drannan is fully +competent to teach you how to meet them, if you will follow his +instructions." + +After talking a little longer to the men the Gen. rode away; and I was +glad to see that his advice had a good effect on the men; they all +seemed anxious to try their hand at shooting instead of being backward +as they had been before, and I heard one of them remark to another, +"Say, man, we have got to learn to shoot from our horses for that +General knows what he is talking about, and now let's get in and learn +as quick as we can." + +After they had all had a try single handed at the mark on the tree I +said, "Now men, we will take a shot all together." + +I then made a mark on the ground, about twenty steps from the tree we +had been shooting at. I then said to them, "We will go back to our +starting place," which was about two hundred yards, "then we will form +in, line, and we will make a dash as fast as our horses can carry us. +When we reach this mark I have made on the ground I will shout, "Fire!" +and every man must be ready to fire together, and be careful that you +keep in line together; for if you break your ranks in an Indian fight +you are almost sure to lose the battle; this drill will train your +horses at the same time it is training you." + +We rode back, formed in line, and made the charge, and I was very much +surprised at the way the men all acquitted them selves. When I gave the +word "fire," the report was almost as one sound, so close were their +shots together. I went up to the tree and I found that every man had the +mark. I told them that they had done exceptionally well. + +"It is getting near night, so we will go back to camp and after supper +we will practice signaling for one to use in case of danger to the +others." + +When we got back to camp Bridger had just finished corralling the whole +train, and I was surprised to see how neatly it was done considering the +short time they had been drilling; I asked Jim when he would be ready +to pull out. He answered, "I am going to order an early breakfast for +tomorrow morning; and we will pull out as soon as we can after we have +eaten it. I want to make it to the crossing of the Platte tomorrow, and +it will take us all of the next day to cross the river, and as the river +has commenced to rise, the quicker we get across it, the better it will +be for us; after we cross the Platte we will have no more trouble with +high water until we get to Green river." + +After supper I got my scouts together, and we went outside of the +corral; we all sat down on a log. I then asked them if any of them could +mimic a Coyote; they all looked at me a moment, and then one said, "I +don't think any of us ever saw a Coyote. What are they? What do they +look like?" + +I could not help laughing, for I thought everyone knew what a Coyote +was. I told them that a Coyote was a species of Wolf, not as dangerous +as the Grey Wolf but three of them could make more noise than all the +dogs around the camp could, and I said, "You will see them in droves +between here and California, being so numerous the Indians pay no +attention to them; and we scouts often use the howl of a Coyote as a +signal to each other because this noise will not attract the attention +of the Indians; I will now show you how the Coyote howls." + +I then gave two or three yelps mimicking the Coyote, and before I had +given the yelp the Coyotes answered me. They were about two hundred +yards from us in the brush. Some of the men jumped to their feet +exclaiming, "What was that?" + +When I could stop laughing I told them those were my Coyote friends, +answering me. + +The Coyotes and I kept up the howling several minutes, and quite a crowd +of men and women gathered around me, listening to the noise, and they +all wanted to know what it was that I was mimicking. Before I could +answer them Jim Bridger, who had come near unobserved by me, said, +"Will, suppose we give them the double howl?" + +I said, "All right," and we howled together just a few times when the +Coyotes in the brush turned loose and such howling I never had heard +before in all my experience among them. A number of the women rushed up +to Jim and me, frightened nearly into spasms, crying, "oh, is there any +danger, of those dreadful beasts attacking the camp?" + +Jim laughed heartily and assured them there was no danger as the Coyote +was the greatest coward in the forest and would run at the sight of a +man. I told the men that they would not have any scout duty to do until +after we crossed the Platte river, so we could all ride along the trail +together and practice the coyote signal, for they would need to know it +as soon as they crossed the Platte river. + +The next morning we were astir very early, had our breakfast and were on +the road. A little after sunrise that morning, just as we were pulling +out, Jim said to me, "When we are within five or six miles of the Platte +I want you to go on ahead of the train and select a camping ground as +near the crossing of the river as you can; for if we camp near the +crossing we can get the train over the river very much quicker than we +can if we camp a distance back." + +I left them in time to reach the river an hour before the train and had +good luck selecting a place to camp not a quarter of a mile from the +crossing. I found a little grove of timber with a beautiful little +stream of water running through it which I thought was just the place +for us to camp that night. I went back and reported to Jim. He said, +"Why, I ought to have remembered that little grove, but I clean forgot +it." + +As soon as Jim had corralled the train, we turned our horses over to the +herders and struck out down to the river to see what condition the water +was in, and to our satisfaction we found that it had just commenced to +rise. Jim said, "As soon as you have eaten breakfast in the morning, +Will, I wish you would ride down here and cross the river and see if the +ford is clear of quick sand. If there is nothing of that kind to bother +us we ought to get the whole outfit over by noon." + +When we returned to camp supper was ready. While Jim and I were eating, +about a dozen ladies came to us; among them was an old lady who said, +"Can't you men coax the wolves to howl again to night?" + +Jim answered, "Yes, but I will bet my old boots that before another week +has passed you will want us to stop their howling so you can sleep," to +which she answered, "Well, where do they live? We don't see or hear them +in the day time." + +Jim told her that the Coyotes stayed in hollow logs or caves or in thick +brush in the day time anywhere out of sight. Just at that moment a +Coyote yelped; he was up the river a short distance and for the next two +hours there was a continual howl. I asked the old lady if she thought +the wolves needed any coaxing to make them yelp. She said, no, she +guessed, Mr. Bridger was right when he said they were noisy. Early in +the morning I did not wait for breakfast but mounted my horse and went +down to the river. I crossed it at the ford to ascertain whether there +was quick sand in the ford enough to interfere with the crossing of the +emigrant train. + +I will here explain to the reader that it was very necessary to examine +the fords of the Platte river, as it was a treacherous stream in the way +of quick sand, but this time I found nothing in the way to interfere +with our crossing. When I got back to camp they were just sitting down +to breakfast. I told Jim that there would be no trouble in crossing the +river, to which he replied, "All right, when we get ready to cross I +want you to lead the train. We will cross twenty-five wagons at a time, +and I will have all the mounted men ride on each side of the wagons to +keep the teams in their places." + +We were successful in landing all the wagons in safety and were all on +the other side by eleven o'clock. I asked Jim where we should camp that +night; he asked me how far it was to Quaking Asp Grove. I told him I +thought it was about nine miles to that place. + +He said, "Well, I think we can make it there in good season and that +will be a good place to camp." + +I now instructed my scouts what their duty was, and we pulled out, I +taking the lead from one to two and a half miles ahead of the train. + +Late that afternoon I discovered considerable Indian signs where they +had crossed the main trail. I followed their trail quite a way and +decided that they had passed that way about two days before. + +After we went into camp I rode to the top of a high hill about a mile +away to look for Indian camp fires. I was soon convinced that there were +no Indians near us and started back to camp. I had got within a quarter +of a mile of the camp when I saw two men sitting on a log just ahead of +me; I rode up to them, and when I spoke to them I recognized them as two +of the eleven that left us with the four wagons at Fort Kerney. I said +to them, "Men, what are you doing here, and where are your teams and the +rest of the men who went with you?" + +They answered, "The rest of the men are all dead, killed by the Indians +night before last; we made our escape by running off in the dark, and we +haven't had a bite to eat since supper that night, and in fact we did +not have much supper then, for the savages came on us when we were +eating." + +I said, "What became of your wagons and teams?" + +They said they did not know what became of them, for they made their +escape as soon as the Indians came upon them; that they ran a little +ways and stopped and listened to the cries of the others as long as +there were any left, and then wandering around through the woods ever +since, not knowing where they were or what would become of them, and +they continued, "We sat down here because we were so weak we could go no +further." + +One then asked where the rest of the train was. I replied, pointing, "It +is about a quarter of a mile over there." + +At that, one said to the other, "Let's go and get something to eat." I +showed them the way to the train, and as they were intimately acquainted +with some of the emigrants they soon had their hunger appeased. + +While they were eating, they told us their experience. Three or four +miles before they camped for the night they saw the Indians. There were +at least seventy-five of them. They were on the north side of the road. +They would come close to the road and then disappear again. + +"We tried to get near to talk to them, but they ran away as if they were +afraid of us. When we camped that evening there were about twenty-five +of them on a hill not more than a hundred and fifty yards from us. Two +of the men started to go up to them, but they ran away, and that was the +last we saw of them, and so we made up our minds that they had gone, and +we thought no more about them. It was good and dark when we sat down to +supper, and how so many of them came upon us without making any noise is +a mystery to us. The first thing we knew, the whole number we had first +seen was upon us, and of all the noise, the yells and whoops we ever +heard, they made the worst. If they had come up out of the ground, we +would not have been more surprised, and the arrows were flying in every +direction. As it happened we two were sitting a little away from the +rest of the men eating our supper, and at their first yell we jumped up +and made for the nearest brush; our guns were all in the wagons, and +the Indians were between us and the wagons, so we had no way to defend +ourselves. We went a little ways into the brush, and then we looked back +and saw the Indians using their tomahawks on the men we had left, and in +a few minutes all the noise was over and we supposed all the nine were +killed." + +Jim Bridger then said, "You two men are the luckiest chaps I ever heard +of. You may be sure that the Indians did not see you that night, or they +would have trailed you up and had your scalps before the next morning." + +One of the committee men came to where Jim and I were sitting and said, +"What shall we do about finding and burying those bodies?" + +Jim answered, "That, sir, is your business, not ours. It is our business +to see that the people under our care do not meet with the same fate +these men have met, and I do not intend to put the lives of all this +train in danger by stopping to hunt for the remains of men who refused +with scorn to stay with us and share the protection we offered them; +they brought the trouble and their own deaths on them selves, but I will +say this, if any of you men want to hunt for these bodies and take the +time to bury them, I have no objection, but you must understand that +when you get outside of the scout force we shall not be responsible for +any thing that may happen to you." + +At that moment more than twenty men spoke together, saying, "Mr. Bridger +is right, Mr. Bridger is right; he proposes to do just what he agreed to +do, and no one can blame him." One of the men then asked if we would be +willing to stop long enough to bury the bodies if we found them; Jim +said, "We have no objections to stopping if it is a suitable place to +make our camp, but if it isn't we can't afford to lose the time, as we +must make certain places to camp every day, for we are now in a hostile +Indian country, and in order to protect our selves we must camp in +certain places, for without we take this care this train will not be in +existence a week, and Will and I feel the responsibility that rests upon +us, for the lives of your women and children as well as your own are in +our hands." + +At this moment a middle-aged lady who stood near us with the tears +running down her cheeks said, "Why don't you let Mr. Bridger and Mr. +Drannan have their way? You see what these other men came to by not +obeying their orders, and do you want to bring us all to the predicament +they are in?" At this Jim said, "I'll be dog goned if they will." + +This settled the controversy for the time being. + +That evening before we turned in for the night Jim and I talked the +matter over together; and we decided that after I put out the scouts in +the morning I would take ten men all mounted on horses and keeping about +five miles ahead of the train, and if we found the bodies I should set +the men I had with me to work digging graves, and I should turn back and +report to Jim what we had found, and the condition we found them in. + +As soon as possible the next morning the men I had selected and myself +pulled out. We had made eight or nine miles when we found the bodies we +were looking for. They were all laying near together, around what had +been their camp fire, and all of them were scalped. + +There was nothing about them to indicate that they had made any effort +to protect themselves. Every one of the heads was split, showing they +had been tomahawked, proving what the two survivors had told us about +the suddenness of the attack to be correct. We found their wagons nearly +empty. The covers had been torn off, the most of the bedding was gone +and some of their clothing. The eatables such as bacon and flour and +dried fruit was laying on the ground. I told the men I thought the best +way to bury them would be to dig one large grave and put them all into +it, and they seemed to be of the same mind. After helping to select a +spot for the grave, I left them and rode back to meet the train and +report our find. I told Jim all about the condition of things at the +dead men's camp, at which he said, "I guess we had better stop there a +couple of hours, which will give us time to bury the dead, and we can +reach our camping ground before night." + +On reaching the place Jim corralled the train, and he then went to all +the families and told them that two hours was as long as we should stop +there. I said, "I will take a stroll around through the brush and see if +I can find some of their cattle." + +I hadn't gone more than a quarter of a mile when I found twelve head of +their oxen. When I drove them back to the wagons, the two men said they +were just half of the original number. They yoked them up and hooked +them to two of the wagons and took what they wanted of the provisions +and clothes and left the rest laying on the ground. As we were about to +leave Jim said, "It is too dog goned bad to leave all that grub for the +Coyotes to eat. That meat and flour will be worth fifty cents a pound +when you get to California." + +Then several of the men and women commenced to gather up the stuff, the +men carrying the flour and the women the bacon, and they soon had it all +stowed away in their wagons. + +Having laid the dead away in the best manner we could under the +circumstances, and every thing else being in readiness, we pulled out +for Barrel Springs. I told Jim not to look for me until about dark, as +I intended to climb the tall hills that we could see in the distance to +look for Indian camp fires. This being understood, my twelve scouts and +myself left the train in Jim's care. After giving the eleven scouts +their orders, I took the other one with me and took the lead. Nothing of +interest occurred until we had nearly reached the place where we were to +camp that night. Happening to look up on a high ridge to the north of +us, I saw a large band of Buffalo coming towards us, and I thought by +the lay of the ground that they must pass through the spot where we were +going to camp. I said to my companion, "Let's hitch our horses and get +those trees," pointing to a little grove of timber, which stood near the +springs. "Those Buffalo are going to come down there, and we want to get +as many of them as possible. Now don't shoot until they are opposite us, +and then aim to break their neck every time, and load and shoot as fast +as you can after you commence." + +We only had a few minutes to wait. When we reached the timber, the +Buffalos were opposite us. They were within thirty feet of us. We both +fired and two Buffaloes fell. Now it was a race to see who could load +first. I was the quickest and got the next one. They were now on the +stampede, and it was a sight to see the number that was passing us. I +got three of them with my rifle and one with my pistol. My companion +shot three with his rifle. The one I shot with my pistol I don't think +was over ten feet from me when she fell. She was the nicest little +two-year-old heifer I had ever killed, and her meat was almost as tender +as chicken. We went to work dressing them and had them pretty well +underway when the train arrived. + +Barrel Springs was one of the prettiest places for a camping ground I +ever saw. It was in a small, open prairie, surrounded by scattering +timber, a stream of cool and pure sparkling water running through the +center, and the grass was almost to the horses' knees. + +As soon as Jim had corralled the train, he rode to where we were at work +and said, "Boys, I'll be gol durned if this ain't one of the times, you +done two good jobs at once." + +I said, "How is that, Jim?" + +He answered, "In the first place you provided meat for our supper, and +in the next, you drove the Buffalos off so we have plenty of grass for +the stock for their supper." + +By this time nearly all the women were standing around us. This was the +first Buffalo they had ever seen and they were a great curiosity to +them. With the rest was a middle-aged lady, and with her she had two +daughters nearly grown. The mother stood near me watching me work. + +She said, "Mr. Drannan, may I have a piece of that yearling's hind +quarter? I will tell you what I want to do with it; my girls and I have +picked a lot of wild onions today, and I want to make a stew, and we +want you and Mr. Bridger to come to our tent and eat supper." + +I assured her she could have all the meat she wanted from my little +heifer. One of the girls ran to their wagon to get an ax and her father +to come and chop it off for them. By this time the men had about +finished dressing the Buffalo, and every body helped themselves to what +part they wanted. There was plenty for all, and some of the rough part +left over. It did not seem long to me when one of the girls came to Jim +and me and told us that her mother had sent for us to come and take +supper with them, and I think that was one of the times we did justice +to a meal, for a stew with onions was a rare dish for us woodsmen, and +a woman to cook it was a still more rare occasion. As soon as we had +finished eating, Jim stood up and in a loud voice said, "Ladies, how +many of you can dance?" + +I think there were as many as twenty-five answered, "I can dance." + +Jim said, "All right, get ready, and after dark we will have lots of +music." + +One of the men asked, "Where are you going to get your music?" + +Jim answered, "Why dog gone it, Will and Mr. Henderson have engaged a +band to play for us to night." + +And in a few moments the band struck up in a Coyote howl, and Jim +laughed and said, "There, didn't I promise you a band? Isn't that +music?" And from then until midnight the howling never ceased. It was +something fearful to listen to. The smell of the Buffalo blood made them +wild, and they howled worse then usual that night. A great number of the +emigrants did not lay down until after midnight, and time after time +asked me if I thought there was any danger of them attacking the camp. +I told them there was no danger from them, and that if I knew there +weren't any Indians within twenty miles of us I could stop their yelling +in five minutes. They asked how that was possible. I told them that if +I was sure there were no Indians in hearing, I would fire my gun off a +time or two, and we would hear no more of the Coyotes at night. After +midnight they quieted down and every one went to sleep, except the +guards who watched the camp. + +Jim and I were up very early the next morning and called all the others +to have an early breakfast, telling them we had to make twenty miles +that day to get to water and grass so we could camp that night. As soon +as breakfast was over Jim said to the women, "Now ladies, you won't have +any more music to dance to for the next three nights, for you will see +no more Buffalo, hear no more Coyotes, or see any Indians until we cross +Green River." + +Several of the ladies said they would be glad if they never heard any +more Coyotes howl. They did not like that kind of music to dance to, or +to be kept awake all night listening to them either. + +For the next three days everything passed along smoothly; when we +reached Green River, it was rising rapidly, and we had a great deal of +trouble crossing it. We had to hitch three teams to one wagon and six +and eight men had to ride each side to keep the teams straight. + +Green River is a mountain stream and flows very rapidly, and at this +place was very narrow, and if the team should get ten feet below the +Ford they would be lost so swift is the current. We worked hard two days +getting everything across the river, but we got everything over in good +shape at last. + +That night, after supper was over, we told all the people of the train +to be ready for starting on the road by sunrise in the morning, as we +had a long drive before us and it was all gradually uphill at that. +Several of the women asked when we were going to give them some more +Buffalo meat. Jim burst out laughing and asked them if they wanted some +more music to dance to. One girl said, "Have we got to have music every +time we have Buffalo meat?" + +Jim told her that for the next two weeks we would have music every night +whether we had Buffalo meat or not, and very likely there would be times +we would hear Indian yells during the day. + +"By that time," he said, "we shall be in the Ute country, and they are +the meanest tribe of Indians in the west, and we may look for trouble +with them any moment, day or night." And addressing the men he said, +"I want you to keep your guns loaded and ready for use at a moment's +warning, and you must stay with the wagons, all but the scouts, who will +be under Will's control, for if they attack us I want to give them as +warm a reception as we possibly can, for if we whip them in the first +battle, that will settle it with that bunch. They will not trouble us +again." + +The next night we camped at Soda Springs. There were three springs close +together. Two of them were mineral, one strong with soda, and the other +was very salt, and the third one was pure cold water. As soon as the +wagons were corralled, several of the young girls took buckets and +started for the springs to get water, and as luck had it they all went +to the Soda spring. Not one of them had ever even heard of a soda spring +until they tried this one. They had not had any water to drink since +noon and were very thirsty, so drank very heartily without stopping to +taste, but as soon as the water was down, there was a cry from as many +as had drunk, and they all ran back to the wagons, screaming, "oh! oh! I +am poisoned, oh! What shall I do?" And with their hands pressed to their +breasts and the gas bursting from nose and mouth they did make a sad +sight to those who did not understand the effects of soda springs, but +to Jim and me it was very amusing, for we knew they were in no danger of +poison. + +Some of the sufferers cried as well as screamed. I could not speak for +laughing, for I remembered my own first experience in drinking from a +soda spring, but Jim told them they were not poisoned and told them what +kind of water they had drunk. In a few moments all the crowd was at the +soda spring, drinking its poison water as the girls still called it. The +older women asked what they should do for water to cook with. I pointed +to the salt spring and told them to go and get water from that if they +had fresh meat to cook, and the water would salt it and for coffee I +pointed to the spring of water farthest from us, and I told the girls +they could drink all the water they wanted from that spring and not have +to make such faces as they did after they drank the soda. One of the +girls said she reckoned I would have made a face if I had felt as she +did. Jim stood near us with a smile on his lips, which I knew meant +mischief of some sort. He said. "Will, why don't you tell the girls how +you enjoyed your first drink of soda water?" And seeing how I blushed, +for my face was burning, he said, "I guess I had better tell them +myself. I don't think you know how comical you looked." And in the most +ridiculous way he could think of he described how I looked and acted on +that to me never-to-be-forgotten occasion, "My first drink from a soda +spring." + +I have been told there is a large town at this place now, and that it is +a great resort for the sick. They use this salt water, which I forgot to +say was also hot as well as salt, for bathing, and is considered a great +cure for many diseases. + +[Illustration: Waving my hat, I dashed into the midst of the band.] + + + +CHAPTER IV + +The next morning we pulled out of this place by the way of Landers. +That afternoon about two o'clock I saw a small band of Indians coming +directly towards us. They were about a mile away when I first saw them. +I rode to the foot of a little hill which was close to me at the time I +saw them. I dismounted from my horse and tied him to a sage brush, and +then I crept to the top of the hill to see how many there were of them. +I watched them until they were within a half a mile of my hiding place; +I then counted thirty. I took them to be a hunting party by the way they +were traveling. I signaled to my scouts to come to me at once. When they +reached me, the Indians were less than a quarter of a mile from me. I +told them what was coming down the ravine and told them to see that +their guns and pistols were in order, "for, as soon as they round that +little point yonder, we will charge on them, and we will kill every one +we can. Now, don't shoot until we get within thirty yards of them. I +will say, "fire," then I want every man to get an Indian. Now don't get +rattled, but shoot to kill and shout as loud as you can. It don't make +any difference what you say, only make as big a noise as you can, and as +soon as you empty your guns, pull your pistols and go after them." + +In a moment more the time had come to act, and when I said, "Charge," +every man responded and did his duty. I had been in several Indian +fights before, but I never saw Indians so taken by surprise as this band +was. They did not draw their arrows or run, until we had fired into +them, and after they turned to run, they had gone at least two hundred +yards, before I saw them try to shoot an arrow. + +We got fourteen of them in the first charge, and inside of three hundred +yards we got six more. The remainder had reached the thick brush, so we +let them go. + +We now commenced catching the horses. We caught sixteen horses, and they +all had good hair ropes around their necks. We tied them all together, +and I left them in charge of two men, and the rest of us went to take +the scalps of the Indians, and I was surprised to find when I said, "We +will take the scalps of these Indians," that the men did not know what +I meant. I showed them how to take the scalps off, and then they asked +what I was going to do with them. I told them I was going to give them +to Jim Bridger, and he would make guards out of them. "Jim wouldn't take +the biggest hundred dollar bill you could offer him for these scalps, +when he gets his hands on them." + +One of the men said, "What will Bridger do with them horrid bloody +things?" + +I told him to just wait until night and then Jim would explain the use +they would be to him. I tied the scalps to my saddle, left two men to +care for the horses we had captured and biding the others to follow me I +struck out for the place where we were to camp that night. + +Jim told me that night how surprised the emigrants were when the train +came to the men who had charge of the horses, and seeing the bodies of +the dead Indians. + +He said, "I had to let them stop the train a few minutes so they could +all look at them." He said, "Some of the women wanted to know what +had become of the hair off the top of their heads. I told them that I +reckoned Will had taken them to give to me." + +"And what are you going to do with those horrid Indians' hair?" one +woman inquired. + +"I am going to protect you and the rest of the train with them," he +answered her. + +The place we had picked out for camping ground that night was Sage +Creek. There was no timber in sight as far as one could see; there was +nothing to see but sage brush, but there was plenty of good water and +fine grass. + +We had been riding around looking for signs of Indians, so we did not +reach the camping ground until Jim had the wagons corralled. I gave him +the scalps I had taken and I told him I was going to get some meat for +supper. He said, "What have you found? Bison or Antelope?" + +I answered, "There are four or five hundred head of Antelope over beyond +that hill yonder," and I pointed to the ridge a short distance from +camp, "and I think I can take my scouts with me, and we can get an +Antelope apiece and get back here before sundown." Jim answered, "All +right, Will. I busy myself by hanging up my scalps while you are gone." + +My men and I struck out up a ravine that led up close to where the +Antelope were feeding; we were screened from their sight by the high +banks. When we were close enough to them we dismounted and tied our +horses to some bush. I then crawled up the bank alone to see just where +the Antelope were, and to my surprise I found that there were two or +three hundred of them feeding almost on the edge of the ravine in close +gunshot to us. I slipped back down the bank and got to the boys as quick +as possible and told them that the Antelope were on the top of the bank +in close gun shot of us. We scattered along down the ravine for perhaps +a hundred yards. I took my handkerchief out of my pocket and told them I +would tie it around my ramrod. "And now don't any of you shoot until +you see this red handkerchief waving, for the color being red it will +attract their attention, and you will see more heads looking towards it +then you ever saw in your life before. Now take good aim and be sure +and hit your game, and as soon as you have emptied your guns pull your +pistols and get some more while they are running away; we ought to get +at least twenty Antelope out of this band." + +When I waved the handkerchief, it seemed as if every rifle cracked at +once, and it was a lively time for a few minutes for all of us. When we +counted the Antelope we found we had shot twenty-two. We each took an +Antelope in front of us on our horses and put out for camp. When we got +there we unloaded, and some of the men that were at the camp commenced +dressing them and cutting them up in pieces to cook, while the other +boys went back to get those we had left where we killed them. + +The women had the fires burning when the meat was ready for cooking, +and when supper was ready all the Antelope were dressed and distributed +around among the emigrants, and there was enough to last until the +second day. + +Jim had cut long sticks and had hung the scalps on the wagons so they +could be seen quite a distance away. After he had them all fixed, he and +I were standing together talking, he telling me the effect the sight of +the dead Indians had on the emigrants and especially when they saw that +their scalps had been taken off. + +Two of the women came to us and invited us to eat supper with them at +their tent. I will here explain to the reader that every family in the +train had their own separate tent and cooked at their own fire. Jim and +I accepted the invitation as we always did of the first that invited us +to each meal. + +As we finished eating it seemed as though all the women of the train +gathered around us. There was one old lady in the crowd who seemed to be +the one selected to do the talking. She said, "Mr. Bridger, I want you +to tell me truly, don't you think it was awfully wicked to cut those +scalps off those Indians' heads and then hang the dreadful, bloody +things up on the wagons for us to look at?" and the tears were in her +eyes as she finished her question. + +Jim replied, "The best thing that has been done since we started on this +trip is killing those Indians, and better still taking their scalps. I +did not hang those scalps up on your wagons for you to look at. I hung +them up for the Indians that are alive to look at, and I will tell you +this, the Indians will never attack the train as long as they see those +same bloody things hanging there, for they will think they will lose +their own scalps, if they do. I would rather have these Indian scalps +to protect you with than a hundred of the best soldiers in the United +States Army. The Indian does not fear death, but he dreads the thought +of having his scalps taken off his head, for it is the Indian's belief +that he cannot enter the happy hunting grounds after death if his scalp +has been taken off his head, and I want to impress on your minds that if +this train should be attacked, every one of you that fell into the hands +of the Indians, it would not matter whether they be men or women, would +have their scalps torn off, and the same scalps would be hanging up on +the Indians' wigwams for the squaws to dance around, and I want all you +ladies to distinctly understand that Will Drannan or myself will do +nothing while we have charge of this train but what will be of benefit +to you all, and will bear the strictest investigation." + +By this time everyone in the train had surrounded us, and turning to the +men of the train, Jim continued, "If any of you are dissatisfied with +our actions, now is the time to say so, and we will quit right here, and +I will guarantee that the Indians will have all of your scalps before +you are a hundred miles from here." + +At this moment the committee came to us and said, "We want you two men +to understand that there is no fault to be found with what you have done +since you took charge of this train. We realize that every move you have +made has been for our benefit. Mr. Bridger, you have no doubt found out +long before this time that in a large company like this, everyone can +not be satisfied. No matter how hard you may try to please them, there +will still be some growlers and, pardon me for saying, there are cranks +among the women as well as among men." + +At this the old lady who had called Bridger wicked stepped up to Jim and +said, "Mr. Bridger, I hope you will excuse me, for what I said. I will +admit that I did not know what I was talking about, and if you will +forgive me this time I will find no more fault with you." + +Jim made no reply to the lady's remarks, but turning to the rest of the +company he said, "Now get ready to have a good dance tonight, for we are +going to have lots of music, for the Coyotes will smell the blood of the +Indians on one side of us and that of the Antelope on the other side, so +there will be music from a double band." + +This was the last word of complaint that was expressed, while we +were with this train. Everyone seemed satisfied, and all things went +pleasantly from this time on. But talk about Coyotes' howling. This was +one of the nights when they did howl. They came so close to us that we +could hear them snap their teeth. Apparently there were hundreds of them +around us. + +After leaving this camp we had no more trouble for two days. The second +night we camped on a little stream which was a tributary to Snake river. +In the morning before we camped at this place, I told Jim when I left +him with my scouts that he need not expect to see me until supper time. +"You know, Jim, that we are in the heart of the Ute country, and I shall +prospect every hill or ravine where there is liable to be found signs of +Indians." + +That evening it was perhaps a couple of miles before we got to the camp +and a mile or so away from the other scouts, I ran on three wagons +standing right in the middle of the road. After examining them a few +minutes, I came to the conclusion that they had been standing where they +were all winter. I saw that there had been ox-teams attached to them +some time, but there was no sign of yokes there. The covers were still +on the wagons, so I got off my horse and climbed into one of them. I +found some flour and probably three hundred pounds of bacon in the three +wagons. There was no bedding, but some clothing for both men and women, +which was quite old and worn. On the front gate of one of the wagons I +found considerable blood, and there was blood on the tongue of the same +wagon. I now made an examination of the ground to see if there were any +signs of a fight. After I had looked around some time, I was convinced +that the owners of the wagons, whoever they had been, had been massacred +by the Indians. + +About forty steps from the wagons I found the remains of three people. +One was a large body, that of a man, and one a medium size, which I took +for the body of a woman, and the other was a small child. All there was +left of them was their bones and some hair, the Wolves having stripped +the flesh entirely from them. + +I signaled to my scouts to come to me. As soon as they came, I told them +to take all the grub out of the wagons and put it in a pile, and I would +go back and meet the train and have three men appointed to distribute +the stuff among the families. I told the boys that there were two trunks +in the wagons and to break them open and see what was in them. + +They did so and found them full of women's clothes, some of the garments +of very nice material. I rode back and met the train and told Jim what I +had found, and what I thought we had best do. + +He selected three men to divide the provisions among the families of the +train. I never inquired what they did with the clothes that was in the +trunks. + +We hunted all around in every direction, but we could find no more +bodies, so if there had been others, the Indians must have taken them +into captivity or, what was more likely, the Coyotes had dragged them +away into the brush beyond our reach. + +After the emigrants had stored the provisions in their wagons, we went +on to the place we had selected for a camping ground for that night. I +preceded the train a half a mile, and I found plenty of Indian signs, +but they were all old. All their trails were pointing south that night. +I asked Jim why all the Indians were going south this time of the year. +He told me that they were going to hunt big game such as Buffalo, Bison +and Elk, and they had to go further south to find such game, and he +said, he should not be surprised if we did not see another Indian until +we struck the Sink of Humboldt. + +"But you may look out then, for we will find them then in plenty." As +Jim finished this remark, one of my scouts came riding into camp at full +speed. Jim and I went to meet him, for we suspected that something was +up. As soon as he got in speaking distance he said to me, "There are a +thousand Indians up on that ridge yonder, and they are coming this way; +they are all on horse back, and there are women and children with them." +Jim asked how far off they were. He said he didn't believe they were +over a mile from camp at this minute; Jim mounted his horse and went to +the herders and ordered them to corral the stock at once, at the same +time telling every man to get his gun and form in line for the Indians +were coming upon us, and the reader may be sure that everybody and every +animal in that train was moving lively for a few minutes. + +As soon as the stock was corralled, Jim rode up to me with one of the +sticks that had a scalp on it in his hand. Handing it to me, he said, +"Here, Will, take this and ride out a little ways from the corral, and +when the Indians come where they can see you, wave it over your head so +they will be sure to see the scalps, and I will get another bunch and I +will stand close to you at the same time." + +In a few minutes more the Indians hove in sight. They were in less than +a quarter of a mile of us before they could see the whole train. As soon +as they got a good sight of us the whole band stopped. The leader of +the band was a war chief. We knew this by his dress. As soon as they +stopped, Jim and I rode out towards them, waving the scalps like a flag. + +The old chief looked at us a moment, then turned and seemed to be +talking with some of the other braves a few minutes. Then the whole +tribe pulled out in a westerly direction from us, and in a short time +they were out of our sight, and their pace was lively the reader may be +sure for the sight of the scalps had frightened them, as they feared +they would meet the same fate if they did not get away from us quick. + +I followed them quite a distance to make sure that they had gone. When I +got back, everything had quieted down and the company was just sitting +down to supper. + +After Jim and I had got through eating, two of the committee came to us +and as many as forty or fifty women, old and young, were with them. The +men said to us, "These women have asked us to come to you and tender +their most heartfelt thanks to you for what you have done for them +today, for we are all sure we would have fallen victims to the savages +if you had not been with us to protect us from them. It was the +easiest-won battle that I ever heard of, and all because you knew how to +fight the savages with their own weapon." + +Jim answered, "Didn't I tell you that them scalps was worth an army of +soldiers to us, and hasn't this proved my words to be true? What would +a hundred soldiers have done with that whole tribe of Indians? There +wouldn't have been a man of them left in an hour to tell the story, and +every one of their scalps would be hanging to the Indians' belts, and I +want you to all bear in mind that for the next three hundred miles we +are liable to have just such another experience any hour of the day or +night, and I want to ask you all to do as you done this time. Only keep +cool and obey our orders, and I think we will get you through in safety, +and I want to say this for the ladies, they showed great bravery today +in keeping so quiet and having good sense staying under cover, and I did +not hear a sound from any of them, and I will tell the girls that I will +recommend them to the best-looking young frontiersmen I am acquainted +with, as wifes, especially if they learn to dance to the Coyote's +music." + +This made a laugh all around and took the edge off of the danger that +had clouded the people's faces, which was the motive Jim had in view +in making the joking remarks, for no one knew better than Jim did how +necessary it is to keep a company in good spirits, and to keep them from +dwelling on the danger that might threaten them. + +There was nothing to interrupt our slumbers that night, and we arose +refreshed the next morning, ready for the day's journey and whatever was +before us. + +For the next three days nothing happened to interfere with our journey. +The third day brought us to the foot of Look Out mountain, which is a +spur of the Sierra Nevada mountains. In the eastern part of what is +now the State of Nevada, but which was at that time one of the wildest +countries in all the west, this particular portion I am speaking about +was inhabited solely by the Ute Indians, which at that time was a very +large tribe, and one of the most barbarous tribe that ever inhabited +North America. + +It is now fifty years ago since the events I am speaking of took place, +and after all that Uncle Sam has done for them, they are not civilized +yet. + +At the time I speak of, this tribe inhabited all of the country from +Snake river on the north to the Colorado river on the south and probably +four hundred miles east and west, and at that time it was one of the +greatest game countries west of the Rocky mountains. Such game as +Buffalo, Elk, Antelope and Deer ranged all through that country in +countless numbers. The Buffalo traveled much less in that particular +portion of the country than they did in the country east of the Rocky +mountains. The Buffalo that inhabited this part of the country scarcely +ever crossed Snake river on the north or strayed as far as what is now +known as the States of Oregon and Idaho, and it was no uncommon sight to +see from fifty to two hundred and fifty Elk in one band. It would seem +unreasonable at this period to tell how many Antelope one could see in +one day. + +But to return to the emigrant train and our camp at the foot of Look Out +mountain, just before I got to our intended camping place, I crossed a +trail where the Indians had just passed. I followed this trail for some +distance, and judging from the signs I decided there was quite a large +band, five hundred or more of them. + +I went back to the main trail and signaled to my scouts to come to me. +I selected one to go with me, gave the others their orders what to do, +telling them to be sure and tell Bridger to not look for us until he saw +us, for I was going to follow a trail until I found where the Indians +went into camp. + +Myself and my assistants now took the trail of the Indians, and we had +followed it about five miles when we came to a high ridge, and as we +looked down into the valley we saw the Indians in camp. + +I was now satisfied that the Indians had not seen us and would not see +us, so we turned and rode back to the place where we started from. When +we reached the camping ground, Jim had just got the train corralled. +I reported to him what I had seen and where the Indians were. After +listening to my report, Jim said, "That is good. There is no danger from +that band anyway." + +We passed a quiet night at this camp. The next morning we were up very +early and got an early start on the road, for we had a long drive before +us that day, as it was all of twenty miles before we could reach water +again. + +Before we started that morning, Jim said to me, "Keep a sharp look +out for Buffalo when you get near the next water, for if there are no +Indians there, you will be sure to find Buffalo, and tomorrow being +Sunday we will lay over a day and rest up, and if we can have some fresh +meat I think everyone will enjoy it." + +I answered that if there were any Buffalo in that part of the country, I +would surely find them, "for, besides the treat the Buffalo will be to +us, we can have another Coyote dance." + +Jim clapped his hands and, laughing, replied, "Yes, Will, I'll be dog +gorned if we won't, for the Coyotes will howl to beat any band if you +can kill a few Buffalos." + +I and my scouts pulled out at once, and to my surprise I did not see an +Indian track all that day. When I was within three or four miles of the +place where we were to camp, I commenced to see signs of Buffalo, so I +signaled all the other scouts to come to me. As soon as they came, I +showed them the tracks of the Buffalo in the sand, and then I told them +that we would scatter out and go in abreast, keeping about a hundred +yards apart, and keep a sharp look out, and if either of us see any +Buffalo, signal to the rest of us to come, "for, we are going to lay +over in this camp tomorrow, and we want some Buffalo meat to feast on." + +We saw no Buffalo until we were almost to the camping ground. Then one +of the men discovered a herd of perhaps twenty-five cows and calves in a +little valley close to the place where we were going to camp. + +As soon as he saw them, he signaled to the balance of us, and we got to +him as quickly as possible. On examination of the valley, we found that +there was only one way the Buffalos could get out, and that was the way +they went in, which led down to where our camp would be that night. +There were not more than eight or ten acres in the whole valley, and it +was almost surrounded by high bluffs, and the only outlet which was not +more than thirty paces wide led directly to the spot where we intended +to camp over Sunday. + +I told the men to dismount and tie their horses to some Sage brush that +was near and go down to a little grove of trees that stood at the mouth +of the valley. + +"I will ride in among them and try to separate the herd so we can get as +many of them as possible, and aim to kill the smallest of the band as +they pass you. If I am successful in separating the band, and you can +get two shots at them, we will get all the meat we want. I will try to +hold all the calves until the cows are out of the valley, and when the +last cow is out, all you men rush and close the opening, and then we +will have lots of sport killing the calves." + +As I rode into the valley, all the Buffalos ran to the opposite end, +and I saw then that I should have a hard time to separate them. I rode +quickly to where they were all in a bunch. As I drew near them, they all +broke for the outlet in one body. I took my hat off and, waving it +over my head and with a yell, I dashed into the midst of the band and +succeeded in separating three cows and ten calves. At one time I thought +they would run over me and my horse in spite of all I could do to +prevent it. But finally I separated the three cows and ten calves from +the rest and turned them back to the head of the valley. I now heard the +report of the guns, so I knew the men were getting some meat. I then +rode back to them as quickly as I could, and I found they had shot ten +Buffalo cows, which all lay dead within a few feet of each other. + +I said, "Now boys, we have enough cows, but we want some of the calves, +and I will go up and start them down, and you let the cows all pass out +but hold the calves inside and shoot all of them you can." + +I went back to the other end of the valley, and as luck was on my side +the cows separated themselves from the calves, and I had no trouble in +running the cows out, which I did at full speed. I then said, "Now boys, +you may kill all these calves but one, and that one I am going to have +for a pet." + +They all commenced to laugh and asked, "How are you going to catch it?" + +I answered, "You just watch me," at the same time I was loosening the +riata from my saddle. I then rode up near to where the calves were +huddled together, and as they started to run I threw my rope at the +largest one in the bunch and caught him around the neck, and there was +some lively kicking and bucking for a few minutes, but he found it was +no use to struggle. After that it took only a few minutes before the men +had all the others killed. + +The excitement being over, I looked down to the other end of the valley +and saw that Bridger had the train corralled. I sent one of the men to +tell Jim to send ten or twelve teams up the valley to drag the Buffalos +down to camp. The men reported the number of cows and calves we had +killed, and Jim sent enough teams to drag them all down to camp in one +trip. + +As soon as the teams had started with their loads, I asked the boys to +help me with my calf. I told them to all get behind him and give him a +scare, and he would go to camp in a lively gallop, for I wanted to show +the women and children how a wild Buffalo looked when alive. + +When we reached the corral, Jim Bridger was the first to meet us. The +calf had got pretty wild by this time. No one could get near him. Jim +said he had been seeing Buffalo for the last twenty-five years, and this +one was the first he had ever seen led into camp, and in a few minutes +all the women and children and the majority of the men were gathered in +a bunch looking at my calf and laughing at his antics, for he did not +submit to captivity very gracefully. After watching him a while, Jim +said, "What are you going to do with him, Will?" + +I answered that I did intend to eat him, but I thought now I had better +turn him loose. + +Jim said, "That won't do, Will, for he would kill someone before he +cleared himself of the crowd. Tie him up to a tree, and we can kill him +and take the meat with us when we leave here." + +I tied him up as Jim thought best, although I pitied the little fellow +and had rather have let him loose and seen him scamper away over the +hills to join his friends in freedom. + +The men set to work skinning and getting the meat ready to cook for +supper. We now had fresh meat enough to last the entire outfit nearly a +week. + +After we had finished supper Jim told the women to get ready to dance, +"for," he said, "we will have more music tonight than we have had for a +long time." + +One of the old ladies asked him, how he could tell when the wolves would +howl more one night than another, and she said, "every time that you +have said they would howl, they have made such a noise that none of us +could sleep." Jim answered, "this will be the worst night for them to +howl you have ever heard, and I will tell you why. You see, all those +Buffalos have been dressed here at the camp, and the Coyotes will smell +the blood for miles away from here, and they will follow the scent until +they get to us, and as they cannot get to the meat they will vent their +disappointment in howling. So you see why I say the ladies will have a +plenty of music to dance to." And sure enough, as soon as it commenced +growing dark the din commenced, and there was no sleep for anyone in +that camp until nearly daylight the next morning. A number of times +that night I went out perhaps fifty yards from the wagons and saw them +running in every direction. I could have silenced them by firing once +among them, but this I did not dare to do, for I did not know how many +Indians might be in hearing of the report of my gun, and I thought it +the better policy to hear the howling of the wolves than to have a fight +with the Indians. + +The next morning I called the scouts together and divided them into four +squads, and we started out to examine the country in all four directions +for Indians or the signs of them, our calculation being to investigate +the country for five miles in every direction. + +I told the men that if we saw no Indians or the signs of them that day +that we would have a chance to sleep that night for I would fire a few +shots among the Coyotes and stop their music, for that time at least. +I and the men that went with me took a direct western course. After +traveling perhaps five miles we struck a fresh Indian trail; the Indians +had passed along there the evening before going in a southern direction. +We followed it some distance, and I came to the conclusion that there +were four or five hundred Indians in the band, and I knew by the +direction they were traveling that they would have to go fifteen or +twenty miles before they could find water, so I knew we were perfectly +safe from this band. So after explaining this to my companions, I said, +"Let us go back to camp." + +On our arrival there we found that all the scouts had got into camp +except the squad that went east, and in a few minutes, they came riding +in as fast as their horses could bring them shouting at the top of their +voices, "The Indians are after us." + +Jim ordered the stock all corralled at once, and the men were not long +in obeying orders. While these were attending to the stock, Jim was +placing the other men in a position to protect the train, and as good +luck, or rather Jim's forethought, had it, he had stuck the scalps we +had used for the same purpose before on the wagons the night before, +saying as he did it, "We don't ever know when they will be needed." + +I with all my scout force rode out to meet the coming Indians. About two +hundred yards from the corral there was a little hill which the Indians +would have to climb before they came in view of our camp. I told the men +that we would meet them at the top of the hill and give them as warm a +welcome as we could, and then we would get back to the train as quickly +as possible, and I then told them to shoot with their rifles first and +then to pull their pistols and to let the savages have all there was in +them, and then wheel their horses and make for camp. + +We heard them coming before we reached the top of the hill. When we got +on the crest, they were not more than thirty or forty yards from us. +Every one of my men fired together, and I saw a number of Indians fall +from their horses, and after we emptied our pistols among them, we +wheeled our horses and sped back to camp. + +The Indians just rounded the top of the hill where they could barely see +the train, and then they stopped. Seeing the wagons with the scalps +on them and all in seeming waiting for them seemed to take them by +surprise. Bridger was making arrangements to make an attack on them when +they all gave the war whoop and wheeled their horses and went back the +way they had come. + +Myself and scouts went to the top of the hill to see if the Indians were +still in the neighborhood, but finding no signs of them we went back to +camp. When I told Jim that there were no Indians in sight, he sprang up +and laughed as loud as he could and clapped his hands together and said, +"Another battle won by Will's Indian scalps. Didn't I tell you all that +them scalps was worth more to us than all the soldiers we could get +around us? They have won two good strong battles for us, and we will +not have any more trouble here. Them scalps is worth a hundred dollars +apiece to this train." + +My men and I now went back over the hill to see how many Indians we had +shot in our first meeting them, and strange to say we did not find a +dead Indian, but there was plenty of blood all around where they were +when we fired on them. I knew by the blood that we had killed some of +them, but their comrades had taken their bodies on their horses and +carried them with them, which the Indian always does if he can. + +When we returned to camp the excitement was all over, and everyone was +as cheerful as if nothing had happened to disturb them. Jim and I were +talking together a short time after I got back when two young girls came +to us and said their mother wanted us to eat dinner with them, for they +were going to have pie for dinner. Jim said, "Is it calf pie? I do love +calf pie above all things." + +The girls laughed and said, "No, it is apple pie." Jim said, "All right, +I like apple pie too." + +When we sat down to dinner, which the reader will understand was not +spread on a table, but was spread on the ground, I was surprised to see +what was before us to eat. I have paid a dollar many times since then +for a meal that would not compare in any way with this dinner that was +cooked out in the wilds with no conveniences that women are supposed to +require. + +There was a stew made of the Buffalo calf, a roast of the same kind of +meat, corn bread, fried wild onions, apple pie and as good a cup of +coffee as I ever drank. + +After we had finished eating, Jim said to the lady, "Are you going to +run a boarding house when you get to California?" + +She answered, "I don't know what I shall do when we get there. Why do +you ask?" + +Jim answered, "I wanted to know because if you are, every time I come to +California, I am coming to board with you." + +Her husband then said, "It don't make any difference whether we keep a +boarding house or not. Any time you or Mr. Drannan come near our place +we shall expect you to come to us. You both will be perfectly welcome to +a seat at our table at any and all times. After what I have seen today, +I am more fully convinced that everyone in this train owes their lives +to you two men. What would have become of the whole of us this morning +if you two men had not been here to guard us? I will tell you what would +have happened. Our stock and all we possessed would have been in the +hands of the Indians, and our scalps would be hanging at their girdles +at this time, and I want to say now that the people that compose this +train can never pay you for what you have done for us on this dangerous +journey." + +Jim answered, "When we undertook to pilot this train across to +California, we knew what we would be likely to meet with and that the +undertaking was no child's play. We both understood the nature of the +Indians thoroughly, and if all you people stick together and obey our +orders, we will take you through in safety." + +The man answered, "Mr. Bridger, you need not have one uneasy thought +about anyone wanting to leave your protection on this trip, for everyone +in this company understands that their lives are in the hands of you two +men." + +By this time there was quite a crowd around us, and Jim said, "We both +appreciate the good opinion you have expressed, but after all we have +only done our duty by you as we always do, or at least we try to do to +everyone who intrust themselves and their property in our care. And now, +to change the subject, Will says he is going to stop the wolves howling +tonight so you people can get some sleep." + +When it had grown dark I took a few of the scouts with me out on the +edge of camp perhaps a hundred yards from the corral, and when the +Coyotes began their howling, we began firing, and in a few minutes there +was not a sound to be heard. We were satisfied that we would not be +disturbed that night by the savages or the Coyotes, so we all turned in, +and we had a good night's rest. + +The next morning we were up and had an early breakfast, and I had +not seen the emigrants in such a cheerful mood as they all were this +morning, since we left Fort Kerney. Every one was cracking jokes. + +As my scouts and I were about to leave the train to take our usual +position as guards, one of the young girls came to me and said, "Mr. +Drannan, I knew you were a good Indian fighter, but I did not know the +Coyotes were so afraid of you. Did you hang up some of their scalps so +that they could see them and know they would share the same fate as +their comrades if they did not keep away?" + +I told her that the report of our guns told the Coyotes what to expect +if they came where the bullets would hit them. "But if my shooting +interferes with your dancing, I will be careful and not do any thing to +spoil the music." + +She laughed and said, "Never you mind, Mr. Drannan, we are going to give +you a dance before many nights." + +I answered that I only knew how to dance one kind of a dance, and that +was the scalp dance. + +She said she had never seen a scalp dance, and said, "What is it like?" + +Jim Bridger said, "When we have the next fight with the Indians, Will +and I will show you how it is done, that is providing the Indians don't +get our scalps, and if they do they will show you." + +Jim said to me, "I don't think we will have any more trouble with the +Indians until we get to the sink of the Humboldt; it is about a hundred +miles from here. There is quite a strip of country through here that I +am afraid we will have a great deal of trouble in, for at this time of +the year all the game that is in the country seems to gather there, and +as the Indians always follow the game I am afraid there will be plenty +of them too. But we could not have a better scare crow than the scalps +we have scared the last two bands away with, and I think if we are +always successful in getting the train corralled before they come on us +we will get through in safety." + +I answered, "Jim, if it is possible for me to prevent it, you will never +be surprised, for I and my men will keep a sharp look out for any signs +of Indians at all times, and if there is any danger, you will know it +as soon as we can get the news to you, for all the men under my control +seem to be the right stuff, and they want to do what is right and for +the best interest of all the train." + +Jim answered, "I know I can trust you, Will, to do all in your power to +get this train through in safety. I have every confidence in you. If I +had not had, I should not have undertaken such a dangerous business as +we are engaged in. But it stands us both in hand to be always on the +lookout for danger, for we can never tell when the red friends may +pounce on us when we are anywhere near them." + +Monday morning we were up and ready to take to the road early, feeling +in good spirits after our rest over Sunday. I asked Jim if we could make +Sand Creek by night. He answered, "Yes, we have got to if we are to +reach the sink of the Humboldt tomorrow." + +We broke camp and pulled out. Everything worked smoothly until we had +nearly reached Sand Creek, where we were to camp that night, when the +two scouts that guarded the north side of the train discovered a large +band of Indians coming in our direction. They reported their discovery +to me at once. I put spurs to my horse and rode out where I could see +the Indians myself. After I had gone about two miles or so I came in +sight of them, and I saw that the men were right. The Indians were +making directly to the spot where I thought the train was, and I +realized that there was no time to lose in getting word to Jim. + +As soon as I got near the road I signaled all the scouts to come to me, +and in a few minutes, they were with me. I sent them all to the train to +help Jim, except two which I kept with me. We three rode out to the spot +where we could see the Indians. When we got in sight of them, they were +within a mile of the train, and I knew that the time for action had +come, and wheeling our horses we made for camp at a pace that would +surprise the readers of today. I told Jim that the Indians were upon us, +but there was no need to tell him this, as he had seen us coming and +suspected the news we were bringing and had ordered the train corralled +before we reached camp, and I do not think a train was ever got into +shape to resist the savages quicker or with less excitement than that +train was that day. And we were none too quick, for the Indians were in +sight of us as soon as we were ready for them. At this spot our trail +led down a little valley. Consequently, when the Indians hove in sight +they were not more than a hundred yards from the corral. + +I sang out, "What do you say, Jim? Let's form in line and give them a +salute." + +Jim shouted, "Every man form in a line and shoot, and be sure you hit +your mark." + +By this time there were as many as two hundred Indians in sight, and +every gun seemed to go off at once. At that moment Jim cried, "Every man +pull your pistol and shoot as loud as you can, and let us make a dash on +them." And every man in the train did as Jim told them to, and it surely +had a good effect on the savages, for they wheeled and fled as fast as +their legs could carry them in the direction they had come. We found +twenty-seven dead Indians all laying close together, and it did not take +us long to take their scalps off. When we had finished this job, Jim +made the remark that he had scalps enough now to protect the train all +the way to California. + +As it was yet about three miles to our camping ground, I told my scouts +what to do, and then I told Jim that I meant to follow the Indians alone +and see where they went to and not to expect me back until he saw me, +for I intended to see those Indians go into camp before I left them, +if it took me until midnight to do it, for if I did this I could tell +whether they meant to give us any more trouble or not. + +Jim told me where to look for the camp when I wanted to find it, and I +left them, on a mission the danger of which I do not think one of my +readers can understand, but which at that time I thought very little +about. + +I had followed the trail of the Indians but a short distance before I +was convinced that there were a great many wounded in the band, for +there was so much blood scattered all along the trail. I had followed +the trail about five miles when I came to a high ridge, and on looking +down on the other side I saw what looked to me like two or three hundred +camp fires, and from the noise I heard I thought that many that I had +thought to be wounded must be dead, for it was the same sound that I had +often heard the squaws make over their dead. I decided by the appearance +of the camp that I had discovered the main camping ground of the +Indians. On deciding this in my mind, I hurried back as quickly as I +could to tell Jim. When I reached camp, supper was just over. After I +had looked after my horse, I went into the camp, and a lady met me and +invited me to her tent, saying she had kept some supper warm for me and +had been on the lookout for me to come back, and the reader may rest +assured I was hungry enough to accept the invitation and to do ample +justice to the good things the kind lady had saved for me. + +While I was eating, Jim came to me and asked what I had discovered. I +told him of the big Indian camp I had found at the foot of the ridge, +which was probably five or six miles from where we were then in camp, +and I told him of the noise the squaws had made too. He said, "Well, I +will bet my old hat that we won't have any more trouble with them, for +when they come back to get their dead warriors in the morning and find +them without their scalps, they won't follow us any farther." + +So feeling safe to do so, everyone except the guards turned in for the +night. The night passed without anything happening to disturb us. Next +morning I got up early and mounted my horse and went to the place where +we'd had the fight to see if the dead Indians had been taken away. I +found that they had all been taken away during the night. I got back to +camp in time for breakfast. I told Jim that I had been to see about the +Indians we had killed the day before, but I found no bodies there and +supposed the squaws had taken them away in the night. + +Jim jumped up and clapped his hands together and said, "Good, good, we +will not have any more trouble with these Indians, and I don't believe +we will have any more fights with the Indians this side of the Sierra +Nevada mountains, for the news of our scalping so many of the Indians +will fly from tribe to tribe faster than we can travel, and you may be +sure they all will be on the lookout to avoid meeting us." + +Everything moved quietly for the next three days, and we made good +progress on our journey. + +The night before we reached the sink of the Humboldt, while we were at +supper about a dozen ladies came to Jim and me. One of them said with a +smile, "Mr. Drannan, we have two favors to ask of you." + +Jim looked up at them, and seeing that there was mischief in their eyes, +he said, "Say, gals, can't I have one of them?" + +The lady that had spoken to me said, "I am afraid neither of them would +suit you, Mr. Bridger." + +I then asked her what I could do for them. She answered that they would +like to have some more fresh meat, but that they did not want any more +such music as had accompanied all that they had had before, but if I +could supply the meat without the music it would be a great favor as +well as a treat. I said, "What kind of meat do you prefer, ladies?" She +answered that they were not particular, any kind that was good. + +Jim said, "Well, how will Coyote do you? That kind of meat will answer a +double purpose. I-t will satisfy your hunger, and then you can howl the +same as they do." + +She answered, "Now Mr. Bridger, you know that Coyotes are not fit to +eat. Are they not a species of a dog?" + +Jim replied, "Yes, they are, and dog is the Indians' favorite meat, and +that is the kind of meat you will have to eat when you go to live with +them, so you had better learn to eat it now." + +She said she was pretty sure that she didn't want to neighbor with the +Indians, and she didn't want any dog meat either. + +I told her that I would try and get some kind of fresh meat for them +between then and night. + +"It may be Elk or it may be Buffalo or it may be Antelope." + +She said, "What kind of an animal is an Elk?" + +I told her that an Elk was about as large as a cow and equally as good +meat, and all the ladies said, "Well, well, wouldn't we like to have +some." + +I told them that I wouldn't promise for sure, but I thought I could get +some fresh meat for supper tomorrow night. + +The next morning my scouts and I were off early. I told them before we +started that we must keep two objects in view that day. One object was +to look out for Indians, and the other was to look for camp. + +"We are in a game country, and there is plenty of Elk and Buffalo, and +the first man that sees a band of either kind must signal to the others, +and we will all get together and see if we can get enough to supply the +camp for a day or two at least." + +We had gone perhaps five or six miles when I heard a signal from the +south. I got to it as quickly as possible, and as pretty a sight awaited +me as I ever saw in the way of game. Down in a little valley just below +the man that had signaled to the rest of us were about fifty Elk cows +feeding, and there were also a few calves running and jumping around +their mothers. As soon as all the men got there, I began to plan how we +could get to them and kill some of them before they saw us. They were +feeding towards the road, and they were not more than a quarter of a +mile from it when I first saw them. A little ways from us there was +a little ravine which was covered with brush, and it led down to the +valley where the Elk were feeding. I told the men that we would hitch +our horses and then crawl down the ravine, and I thought we could get +a few of them before they could get away from us. All the men were as +anxious to get the game as I was. I took the lead, and when we got down +to the valley the Elk were only a short distance from us. I said, "Now +wait until they feed opposite us, and then they will not be over fifty +yards from us, and as I am to the right I will take the leader and each +man in rotation as they come to him. In doing this way we will be sure +to each get an Elk as not two of us will fire at the same animal, and if +they are not too far from us after we have fired our rifles, let us pull +our pistols and try to get some more." + +When the Elk had got near enough to us, I gave the word to fire, and +down came twelve Elk cows, and then we went for them with our pistols, +and we got five calves, and so we knew we had plenty of meat to supply +the camp for a day or two. + +I sent one of the men back to meet the train and to tell Jim what we had +done, and told him to send all the help he could so we could get the +meat to the train as quickly as possible, and the rest of us commenced +to skin the animals. In a short time there were forty or fifty men +there, and it did not take long to finish the job, and we had the +meat on the way to the wagons. About the time we had got the meat all +dressed, several ladies came with sacks in their hands. I asked them +what part of the animal they wanted. They said they wanted the livers +and the hearts. This was a new idea to me. I asked them what they were +going to do with them. One of the women said, "We want you and Mr. +Bridger to take supper with us tonight, and we will show you what we +have done with them then." + +In a short time we had the meat to the train and each family had their +share. Jim said he did not think he had lost over twenty-five minutes +time in waiting for that meat. + +The train proceeded on now without any more stops towards the place +where we were to camp that night at the sink of the Humboldt. We reached +the camping ground quite a little while before sundown, and we certainly +had selected an ideal place to camp. A beautiful pearling stream of +water, plenty of wood and any amount of grass met our eyes as we came to +the place to stop. In a few minutes we had the stock out to grass and +the women were busy cooking supper. Jim and I took a walk down towards +the Sink, and as we were coming back we had got near the wagons when a +couple of girls came to meet us and said, "We want you two to come and +eat supper with us. Our two families got supper together tonight." Jim +said, "Have you got something good to eat?" + +One said, "You may just bet we have; we have got Elk roasted and fried +Elk calf and fried liver. Isn't that something good?" + +Jim said it sounded good and we would go and see for ourselves. + +When we got to the tent Jim said, "These girls told us that you had +invited us to eat supper with you; that you had some stewed dog, and as +that is our favorite dish we thought we would accept the invitation." + +One of the girls cried, "Oh Mr. Bridger, we didn't tell you any such +thing." + +Jim answered, "Oh, excuse me, girls. I thought you were going to have +something good for supper, so of course all I could think of was dog." + +We had a fine supper, and as fried liver was a new dish to Jim and me, +we ate heartily of that, and we thought it was beyond the ordinary. +It seems to me now in thinking of those days that people had better +appetites then for hearty food than they have now; at least it is so in +my case. The reason may be that we lived in the open air both day and +night, and the air of that western climate was so pure and clear and +free from all the different scents that impregnate it now. The amount +of food that each person ate at that time would surprise the people of +today. + +After supper Jim told the girls that they would not get any music to +dance to tonight, so they had just as well turn in and have a good +night's sleep. + + + +CHAPTER V + +The next morning we had an early breakfast and were on our journey in +good season. Nothing of interest occurred to us until we reached where +the city of Reno now stands, which is in the western part of what is now +the state of Nevada. + +We were about to go into camp on the bank of the Truckee river when I +looked off to the north and saw a band of Indians, and they were heading +directly for the train. + +They were probably a mile away from us when I saw them. I reported to +Jim at once, and he was not long in corralling the train, and he made +the largest display of scalps that I had ever seen then or ever have +since. It looked as if every wagon had a scalp hanging on it. + +Apparently the Indians did not notice the decorations on the wagons +until they were within three or four hundred yards of them, and the +sight seemed to take them by surprise. + +[Illustration: Fishing with the girls.] + +All at once the whole band stopped, and of all the actions ever an +Indian performed that band did it. Jim said, "Will, do you think you can +reach them with your rifle?" + +I answered that I thought not at that distance, but I said, "My men and +I will get nearer to them and give them a scare anyway." + +I called my scouts to follow me out to a little bunch of timber, and we +all fired at them at once. Whether we hit any Indians or not I never +knew, for they wheeled their horses and fled, and if any of them were +killed or wounded the others did not leave them, and we saw no more of +that band, but they left three horses laying on the ground, which showed +us that our bullets had done a little execution. + +We now settled into camp for the night. Jim told the emigrants as it was +Saturday evening we would lay over here until Monday morning, and he +told them that all who liked to have a good time fishing could enjoy +themselves to their hearts' content, for this stream was full of +Mountain Trout, and he added, "They are beauties." + +Both men and women asked what kind of bait to use to catch them. We told +them that grass hoppers or crickets was good bait for Mountain Trout, +and both of these insects were numerous around the camp. + +It was very amusing to me to see the girls run to their mothers to ask +if they could go fishing the next day. They were as excited as if they +were asking to go to some great entertainment. + +It being Sunday morning and as there was no danger from the Indians, I +did not get up very early. Jim and I occupied the same tent together, +which was the blue sky above us and the ground beneath us, a bed that I +have no doubt the reader will think a not very desirable one, but rolled +in our blankets, a bed on the soft moss with the trees waving over us +was as good a bed as Jim and I cared to have, and our sleep was as sound +and restful as if we were laying on a bed of down. + +When Jim arose in the morning, he gave me a shake and said, "Wake up, +Will. We are going to have fish, for everyone in the camp is hunting +grass hoppers," and it was really an amusing sight to see, for everyone, +as Jim had said, was running, trying to catch grass hoppers. Both men +and women were racing about like children. + +Jim and I had started to go to the river to take a wash when a little +girl came running to us saying, "Papa wants you to come and eat +breakfast with us, for we have got fish for breakfast." + +Jim said, "All right, sissy, but I am afraid you haven't got enough fish +to go around." + +She said, "Oh yes we have, for papa caught fifteen this morning, and +they are all great big ones." + +So we did not go to the river but went with the little girl to her +father's tent and washed there, and sure enough, there was enough fish +for all the family and Jim and me and some left over. + +The man laughed and said to Jim, "Mr. Bridger, you made the right remark +when you said that the river was full of fish. I have been fishing all +my life, and I never saw so many fish at one time as I saw this morning. +I went down to the river about daylight, and I caught fifteen fish, and +I don't think I was over fifteen minutes in catching them, and I believe +they will average two pounds to a fish, and they are as luscious as I +ever tasted in the way of fish." + +I asked him if this was his first experience in eating Mountain Trout. +He said it was, but he hoped it would not be his last, and said, "Can +you tell me why they have such an extra flavor?" I said, "Certainly, +I can. There is no stream in the world that has purer water than the +Truckee river, and do you see that snowcapped mountain yonder?" and I +pointed to a mountain at the south west of us which was always covered +with snow at the top. "This stream is surrounded with mountains like +that, and the water is cold the year around, no matter how hot the +weather may be, and that is the secret of the fine flavor of the fish +caught in it." + +And here I must say that, although I had eaten Mountain Trout many times +before that morning, I never enjoyed a meal more than I did this one. As +I finished eating, six young girls came to the tent and asked me if I +was going fishing. I said I had thought of going. They asked if they +could go with me, I said, "Certainly, you can if you wish to, but I +shall have to go out and hunt some bait before I can go." + +One of them said, "We have enough grass hoppers to last us all day, and +we will share them with you for bait." + +I answered, "Well, we will go up the river a little ways to those rocks +yonder," and I pointed up the stream. + +When we got opposite the rocks which were in the middle of the stream, I +helped each of the girls to a place by herself and then took a place on +a rock myself, but I could not do anything for laughing at the girls. I +told them they would scare all the fish out of the river. In a moment +one of the girls caught a fish on her hook, but he struggled so hard +that she could not pull him out of the water, and she cried for me to +come and help her to land him. I got to her as quickly as I could and +took the fish out of the water, and it was the largest trout I had ever +seen, and I did not wonder the girl could not land him, for he made a +brave fight for liberty, and it was all I could do to capture him. + +By this time it was a sight to look up and down the stream and see +the people that were fishing. Men, women and children, old and young, +seeming to be perfectly happy and to be having the time of their lives. + +In about an hour they began to realize that more fish were being caught +than they could take care of, so everyone gathered their catch and went +back to camp. Some of the emigrants estimated that three thousand fish +had been caught that day by the entire crowd. I think the most of the +people had fish until they were tired of it. For the next two days we +had fish for every meal served in every way that fish could be cooked. + +Monday morning we pulled out from this camp bright and early for Honey +Lake. We made the trip in two days, which was as we considered very good +time, and we did not see an Indian on the way or a fresh sign of them. + +When we reached Honey Lake and saw that there were no signs of Indians +there Jim said to me that there would be no more trouble with the +Indians, and if we could convince the emigrants of this fact we need not +go further with them. + +I told him I did not think it would be best to mention to the emigrants +any change in the contract we had made with them when we started on +the trip, that we had better go on with the train until we crossed the +Sierra Nevada Mountains, as we had engaged to do. + +Jim thought it over a few minutes, and then he said, "I guess you are +right, Will, for they might think we wanted to shirk our duty in leaving +them here, although I am sure there will be no more danger to guard them +from." + +Everything moved on without anything to interfere with our progress +for the next four days, and by that time we had crossed the top of the +Sierra Nevada Mountains. + +After we had eaten our supper the night after crossing on the other side +of the mountains, Jim shouted that he wanted to talk to everybody for +just a few minutes, and in a few minutes all the people of the train, +men, women, and children, were around us thick. + +Jim then said to them, "I wanted to speak to you together to tell you +that all danger to this train is passed, there will be no more Indians +to molest you, and you are perfectly safe to continue on your journey +without fear of being troubled by them. Tomorrow night we will camp in +the Sacramento Valley, and being sure that we can leave you in perfect +safety, our contract with the people of this train will be closed, and +we will leave you the next morning. There is one thing I am sorry for, +though, and that is we can't furnish any more music for a farewell dance +with the ladies before we leave them." + +This joke created a laugh all around and brightened the faces of the +older people, for we had shared in and protected them from too many +dangers for the thought of separation from us not to sadden the faces of +the older members of the train. + +Mr. Tullock, one of the committee, got upon a chair and said, "I want to +ask if there is a person here in this company can realize what these two +men have done for us in the seven weeks they have been with us. I for +one know for a certainty that if we had not met them, and they had not +accompanied us on the dangerous journey we have almost finished, not one +of this large company would have been alive today. I will acknowledge +that I have no doubt that all the rest of you thought them to be +barbarians when they took the scalps off those first Indians' heads, but +the events that followed showed their knowledge of their business +and also of our ignorance in Indian warfare for that what we thought +barbarism was the means of saving some, if not all our lives. Now I will +tell you what I propose doing. I am going to write a recommendation for +each one of these men, and I want every one of you to sign it." + +It sounded as if every one in the crowd said at once, "I'll sign it." + +When Mr. Tullock stepped down, Jim took his place on the chair and +said to the people, "I want you all to distinctly understand that Will +Drannan and myself do not think we have done anything but our duty to +the people of this train, and I want to thank all the men that have +helped me to protect the train when the savages were upon us. You all +showed that you were brave men and willing to obey orders, which, I will +tell you now, is a rare thing among so many men, and Will tells me that +he had the best men as scouts to help him that he has ever had, that +everyone tried to do his duty. So it seems to me that we have all done +our best to make the journey a success. Now let us get away from here +early in the morning, for I want to reach our camping ground in good +season tomorrow evening. We have quite a long drive before us tomorrow, +but as good luck is on our side it is all downhill." + +We got an early start in the morning, and we landed at our camping place +about four o'clock in the evening, and I think there were as many as +twenty invited us to take supper with them that night. The last one was +from four young girls, who came to us together. One of them told Jim +that she wanted him and Mr. Drannan to come to their tent right away, as +supper was waiting. Jim answered that we didn't want any supper but told +her that if she would invite us to breakfast next morning and would +promise there would be enough to eat to fill us both for three or four +days, we would be glad to come and eat. + +She answered, "All right, Mr. Bridger, I will get up before day and get +to cooking, so I shall be sure and have enough for you at least." + +Jim and I now went to the tent of the people who had invited us first, +as had been our custom all through the journey. These were elderly +people who had one son and one daughter, both grown to man and +womanhood. While we were at supper the older woman asked how much bread +we could carry with us. Jim said we would like enough to last us three +or four days, and he thought three loaves like the ones on the spread +would be enough. + +She said, "Why, Mr. Bridger, everybody is making bread, and cooking meat +for you to take with you." + +Jim said, "Why, my good woman, we can kill all the meat we want as we +need it, and three loaves of bread is all we can carry on our horses +with our other stuff." + +The first thing in the morning the girls we had promised to eat +breakfast with were after us to come to their tent, and we found a fine +meal waiting for us. + +Jim said, "Now ladies, you know that in going back, Will and I have to +go over a very dangerous road, and we won't have time to cook in the +next three or four days, so we calculate to eat enough to last us till +we get to the Sink of the Humboldt, and that will take us three or four +days, so in our accepting your invitation to take our last breakfast on +this trip with you we may make you twice glad." + +The elder woman smiled and told the girls they had better be frying some +more meat. Jim looked around the spread and told the girls he guessed +they had better wait till we had eaten what was before u, before they +cooked more, and there certainly was enough food before us for as many +more as sat around it, and although it was spread on a cloth laid on the +ground, I have never partaken of a breakfast served on the finest table +that tasted as good as that one did that morning. + +We had almost finished eating when the elder lady said, "Girls, pass +that cake around." + +Jim said, "Is there cake too? I'm not used to eating cake, only on +Sunday mornings, and this is Saturday." + +I told the girls that Jim hadn't seen any cake since we left Fort +Kerney, and that if she wanted any left for themselves they had better +not pass the plate. She answered, "There is aplenty, and I have a great +big cake for you to take to eat on the road." + +Jim said, "That won't do at all, for Will will want to stay in camp all +the time and eat cake until it is all gone." + +As soon as breakfast was over, we caught our horses and began packing. +We each had two saddle horses, and we had one pack horse between us. +When we were leading up our horses, Jim said, "This is the worst job of +all, for all these women have a lot of grub cooked for us to take along, +and plagued take it, we have no room on the pack horses to put it. What +shall we do?" + +I said, "We will take what we can pack, Jim, and we can thank the ladies +for their kindness, and tell them we are sorry we can't take all they +would give us, and then we can mount and be off." + +Jim said, "That sounds easy." + +When we were packing, sure enough, every one of the elder women and some +of the girls brought something for us to take with us to eat. Jim told +them that we were a thousand times obliged to them all, but we could not +take anything but a few loaves of bread, and then, as was usual, in his +joking way he said with a glance at me, "I know, Will feels bad to leave +that cake, and he will dream of seeing cakes for a week, but I can't +indulge him this time." + +When Jim had done speaking, one of the girls, that we had taken +breakfast with handed him a small sack, and told him not to open it +until we camped that night. At this moment Mr. Tullock, came to us and +said, "Here, my friends, is a recommendation, and I think every grown +person in the train has signed their name to both of them, and all the +company have asked me to say a few words for them. If either or both of +you ever come to California, we want you to find some of us and make +your home with us as long as you wish, for you will always find a warm +welcome with any of this company." + +I had been acquainted with Jim Bridger several years and this was the +first time I had ever seen him overcome with feeling. His voice shook so +he could hardly thank the people for their kind words and when it came +to shaking hands and biding them good bye, he almost lost his speech. + +But it was over at last and we mounted our horses and left them. For +the first ten miles I don't think Jim spoke ten words. Finally he said, +"Well they were a good crowd of people, weren't they Will? If I ever go +to California and can find any of them, I mean to stay all night with +them, for it would be like visiting brother or sister." + +We now began to calculate where we should camp that night. I said, +"Let's make a dry camp tonight, we can fill our canteen, and water our +horses at a stream that crosses the trail, and then we can ride on till +dark. In doing this way we will avoid the Indians and will not have to +guard against them in the night, for the Indians invariably camp near +the water." + +We made a long ride that day and picked a nice place to camp that night. +As soon as we had unsaddled and unpacked our horses, I said, "Jim, I +will stake the horses if you will make a fire." When I came back from +attending to the horses, Jim said, "Look here, Will, see what them girls +gave me, but I guess they meant it for you." + +And he showed me the sack which the girls had given him as we were +leaving them that morning. I looked into it and saw two large cakes and +a good-sized piece of roasted Elk calf. The reader may imagine how good +this nice food looked to two hungry men, and we surely did justice to +it. When we were eating, Jim made the remark that it would be many a +long day before we met with such a company again as those we had left +that morning. He said, "In nearly all large companies there are cranks, +either men or women, and sometimes both, but all that outfit were +perfect ladies and gentlemen, and they all seemed to want to do what was +right, and the men were all brave and the women were sensible." + +The next morning we pulled out early, and we made good progress for five +days, making dry camps every night. Nothing occurred to disturb us until +we reached the Sink of the Humboldt. Here were Indian signs in every +direction. We knew we would be in the heart of the Ute country for the +next hundred miles, so we decided to do our traveling in the night and +lay over and rest in the daytime. + +We picked our camping places off the trail, where we thought the Indians +would not be likely to discover us. The second night after we left the +Sink of the Humboldt, we crossed a little stream called Sand Creek, and +just off to the right of the trail we saw what we thought must have been +five hundred Indians in camp. Most of them were laying around asleep, +but a few were sitting at the fire smoking, and we succeeded in riding +past them without their noticing us. After we had got entirely away from +their camp fires, Jim said, "Will, we are the luckiest chaps that ever +crossed the plains, for if them Indians had seen us, they would have +filled our hides full of arrows just to get our horses, and I think we +had better keep on traveling in the night until we strike Black's Fork, +then we will be pretty near out of the Utes country." + +When we got to Lone Tree on Black's Fork we lay over one day to let our +horses rest and to get rested ourselves. + +It was a little before sunrise that morning when we reached Lone Tree. I +said to Jim, "Are you hungry?" He replied that he was too hungry to tell +the truth. + +I answered, "All right, you take care of the horses, and I will get an +Antelope and we will have a fine breakfast." + +Jim said, "Well, don't disappoint me, Will, for I am in the right shape +to eat a half an Antelope." + +I took my gun and went up on a little ridge and looked over, and not a +quarter of a mile from me I saw a large band of Antelope, and I saw that +they were feeding directly towards me. I hid myself in a little bunch of +sage brush and waited until they fed up to within fifty yards of me. I +then fired and brought down a little two-year-old buck. I took him up, +threw him over my shoulder, and went back to Camp as fast as I could go. +When I reached there, Jim had a fire burning, and in a few minutes we +had the meat cooking. Jim made the remark that we had enough to do to +keep us busy all day, for when we were not eating, we must be sleeping, +for he was about as hungry as he ever was and so sleepy that he did not +dare to sit down for fear he would fall asleep without his breakfast. + +After we had enjoyed a very hearty meal of meat and bread, for we ate +the last piece of bread that the ladies had given us that morning, we +smoked our pipes a few moments, and then we spread our blankets on the +ground under the only tree in ten miles of us, and we were soon lost to +everything in a sleep that lasted until near night. I did at least. When +I awoke I found Jim cooking meat for supper. When he saw that I was +awake, he said, "Come, Will, get up. We have had our sleep. Now we will +have our supper." + +While we were eating, I asked Jim if we could make Green River tomorrow. +He said, "Yes, we must get out of here tomorrow morning by daylight. +Our horses will be well rested as we ourselves will be. We want to make +Green River tomorrow night and Rock Springs the next night. I consider +it is about eighty miles to Rock Springs from here, and we ought to make +it in two days." + +The next morning we were up bright and early and were on our journey as +soon as we could see the trail. Nothing happened to disturb us, and we +reached Green River just before sunset. We crossed the river and went +into camp just above the Ford. We had just got our horses staked out +when we heard whips snapping and people's voices shouting. + +Jim listened a moment and said, "What in thunder does that mean?" + +I answered, "I think it is an emigrant train coming." Jim said, "By +jove if that is so, we will have to move from here and stake our horses +somewhere else, for no doubt they will want to camp right here, and if +there is much of a train, they will take all the room in this little +valley." + +In a few minutes they hove in sight. Jim said, "Now, let's get to one +side and see if they have any system about their camping, and then we +will know whether it is worth while for us to apply for a job or not." + +They did not seem to know that they were near a river by the way they +acted. Some of them would leave their wagons and run down to the stream +and run back again and talk with the others. Finally they discovered Jim +and me, and about twenty of the men came to where we were sitting. We +had started a fire and were waiting for it to get hot enough to cook our +meat for our supper, and it was certainly very amusing to watch their +faces. They looked at us as if they thought us wild men. We learned +afterwards that they had never seen anyone dressed in Buck Skin before. + +After staring at us a while, one of them, an old man, said, "Where in +creation are you two men from?" + +Jim answered, "We have just come from Sacramento Valley, California." + +And did you come all the way alone? + +Jim answered, "Yes sir, we did." + +"Did you see any Indians?" he inquired. + +Jim said, "Yes, about a thousand, I think." + +"Did they try to kill you?" + +"Oh, no," Jim said. "They were asleep when we saw them." + +"Why, they told us back at Fort Kerney that the Indians never slept day +or night," the old man said. + +Jim answered that they slept a little at night sometimes, and that was +the time we took to travel. We had traveled nearly all the way from +California to this place after night, and in some places where we +traveled over, the Indians were as thick as jack rabbits. + +One of the men then inquired when we went to California. + +Jim answered, "We left Fort Kerney about eight weeks ago and piloted +the biggest train of emigrants across the plains that has ever gone to +California, and we did not lose a person or a head of stock, but we got +a good many Indian scalps on the way." + +One of the men then said, "Ain't you Jim Bridger and Will Drannan that +the commander at the Fort told us about?" + +Jim replied, "That is who we are." + +One of them then asked if we would pilot another train to California. + +Jim answered, "I don't know. The Indians are getting so dog goned thick +that there is no fun in the job, but you folks go and get your supper, +and let us eat ours. We are dog goned hungry, for we haven't had a bite +since day-break this morning. You can come back here after supper, and +we will talk to you." + +By this time there must have been a hundred men standing around us, but +when Jim told them that we wanted to eat our supper, they all scattered. +After they had left us, Jim said, "You get supper, Will, and I will go +and see whether there is any system about this outfit or not, and if +supper is ready before I get back, don't wait for me, for I may not get +back in half an hour or more." + +I had got my meat on the fire and was just making the coffee when a +number of women, I should think about a dozen of them, came near me and +stopped and gazed at me. I bid them good evening and asked them to have +supper with me. One of them answered, "No, I came to ask you to come and +eat supper with us. My father sent me to invite you." + +I thanked her and told her that as my own supper was nearly ready, I +would eat at my own camp. I had taken my Buck-skin coat off and laid it +on our pack. One of the women asked me if she could look at it. I told +her that she could if she wished to. + +While they were looking at the coat and exclaiming over its beauty (it +was heavily embroidered with beads and porcupine quills, and was an odd +looking garment to one not accustomed to seeing the clothing of the +frontiers men), a couple of girls came running to me, saying, "Father +wants you to come and eat supper with us, Mr. Bridger is eating now." So +I took the meat and coffee off the fire and put my coat on and went with +them. When I got in speaking distance of Jim, I said, "I thought you +told me to cook supper." Jim answered, "I know I did Will, but we didn't +have any fried onions, and these folks have, so I thought we would eat +here and save our supper." + +The people all laughed at Jim being so saving, and then the old man +asked what we would charge to pilot the train through to California. Jim +asked, "How many wagons have you in this outfit?" + +He answered that he was not sure, but he thought there were about a +hundred and thirty-five. + +"How many men are there in the train?" The old man said, "Oh, dog gone +it, I can't tell." + +Jim said, "Have you got no Captain?" + +The old man answered, "Why no, we haven't any use for a Captain." + +Jim then said, "Well, I don't suppose they have any use for a commander +over at the Fort then. Suppose the Indians should make an attack on them +over there, and there was no Commander there, what do you think the +soldiers would do? I will tell you what would happen. The most of the +soldiers would be scalped, and it is the same way with a train of +emigrants if the Indians attack them and they have no leader or what we +call a Captain; they will all be scalped and in a mighty short time too. +Now you call the men together and come to our camp, and we will talk +this matter over, and then we will see if we can make a bargain with the +crowd." + +In a few minutes it seemed as if all the men and women of the train were +standing around our camp. + +Jim said to them, "I want some man who is a good reader to read this +letter to the company." + +And he held up one of the letters of recommendation given us by the +people of the train we had left a few days before. A middle-aged man +came forward and said, "I reckon I can read it; I am a school teacher by +profession, and I am used to reading all kinds of handwriting." + +He took the letter, stepped up on a log and in a clear, loud voice read +it to the company. After he had finished reading it, the man handed the +letter back to Jim with the remark that it was a fine recommendation and +gave a character few men could claim. + +Jim now told the emigrants that before we took charge of a train he +always had the men of the train select a committee from their number, +and this committee had the entire charge of the business in making +arrangements with us and all other matters that might take place on the +trip. "Now if you want us to pilot this train across to California, get +together and select your committee, and they can come to us and we will +talk business." + +It was now nearly eleven o'clock at night, so Jim told the people that +we had traveled a long distance that day and were very tired, and he +thought we had better not make any bargain that night. We would go to +our rest, and in the morning they could tell us what they had decided +on. Next morning Jim and I were up very early, and so were the most of +the emigrants. We were building a fire to get our breakfast when one of +the emigrants came to us and invited us to take breakfast with him. He +said there had been a committee selected, that the men talked the matter +over after they left us the night before, and they chose five men to +make arrangements with us. "But as we did not go to bed until nearly +morning, I don't think they are all up yet," he said, smiling. + +We went with him and found breakfast waiting for us. After we had +finished, two of the men came to us and said they were two of the five +who had been appointed to do business with us, and that the other three +would meet us at our camp in a few minutes. So Jim and I went back to +our camp, and in a very short time the five men were with us. One of +them asked us how much we would charge to pilot them to California. Jim +said, "How many wagons have you?" + +He said, "We have ninety here now, and there will be twenty more here by +noon." + +Jim asked, "How many men are there in the company?" They said they did +not know for certain but thought there would be about a hundred and +ninety. Jim said that we would take them across to California for five +dollars a day, which would be two dollars and a half for each of us. +"Providing you will promise to obey our orders in all things pertaining +to the protection of the train and also give us two days to drill the +teamsters and the scouts, but we will have to move on one day from here, +as there is no ground here that is fit to drill on." + +One of the committee said, "We will give you an answer in twenty +minutes," and they went back to their camp, which was a hundred yards or +more from ours. Jim and I caught our horses and were saddling them when +the committee came back to us and told us we could consider ourselves +engaged. + +I now spoke for the first time, Jim having done all the talking before. +I said, "I want you men to select ten good men who own their horses. I +prefer young men who are good horsemen, for I want them to assist me in +doing scout work." + +This seemed to surprise the men. One of them asked, what the young men +would have to do. Jim now spoke up in his joking way and said, "They +will find enough to do before we get to California. For example I will +show you what Will and his scouts have done on our last trip across." At +the same time he was untying the sack that held the Indian scalps we had +taken on our last trip to California. When he emptied the sack it +was amusing to us to see their faces. Their first expression was of +surprise, and the next was of horror. Jim took up one of the scalps and +shook it out and said, "Taking these is one of the things you young men +may have to do," and he continued, "These scalps which seem to give you +men the horrors to look at now, will be worth more than money to all the +people of this train, for they will save the lives of all of you, and +that is more than money could do in an attack by the Indians." + +Some of the men wanted to know in what way the scalps would save them. +Jim answered, "Let us get on the road to our next camping ground, and I +will explain everything in regard to the protection of the train when we +get to drilling." + +In a short time every thing was on the move, and we reached our place +to camp about four o'clock in the afternoon. Jim commenced to put the +numbers on the wagons as soon as we landed in camp in order to get to +drilling as early as possible in the morning. We had been in camp but a +short time when one of the committee men came to me and said, "We have +selected your men, Mr. Drannan. Come out, and I will introduce them to +you, and you can see if they would suit you, and if they do, you can +tell them what you want them to do." + +We went outside the corral, and we found the ten men there with their +horses. I asked them if they all had rifles and pistols. They said they +had. I next asked them if they had ever practiced shooting off their +horses' backs, and they all said no, nor had ever heard of such a way +of shooting. I then said, "Now boys, it is too late in the evening to +commence practicing, but I want you all to meet me here after breakfast +in the morning, and have your horses and guns and pistols with you, and +you may make up your mind to do a hard day's work tomorrow." + +That evening Jim and I had a talk by ourselves in regard to how much +time we should take to drill the men. Jim said, "Will, do you think you +can drill your men in one day so they will know enough to risk starting +out day after tomorrow?" + +I answered, "I think I can, Jim." + +He thought a moment and then said, "I don't like to hurry you in +training your men, Will, but you know it is getting late in the season, +and we have a long road to travel after we get these emigrants through +to California in order to get back home to Taos before the winter sets +in, and I have no doubt Kit will be looking for us long before we get +there." + +I said, "Jim, this will be my last trip as a pilot for emigrants." + +Jim laughed and answered, "I thought this kind of business just suited +you, Will, for you are a favorite with the girls, especially when you +bring in scalps." + +I answered, "The girls are all right, Jim, but there is too much +responsibility in such an undertaking, and besides, it is impossible to +suit everybody." + +Jim answered, "There is a good deal of truth in what you say, Will. It +is not an easy job to please so many people all at once. We will hurry +this trip through as quick as possible and get them off our hands." + +The next morning I was up early and met the men who were to be trained +to make scouts. We went to a little grove of timber about a quarter of +a mile from camp. I selected a small tree, probably a foot through, +dismounted and made a crossmark with my knife. I then asked the boys, if +they thought they could hit that cross with their guns or pistols with +their horses on the dead run. One of them said, "No, I don't know as I +could hit it with my horse standing still." + +I answered, "But that is just what I must teach you to do if you are +ever to make a scout to guard against Indians or fight them. I will +mount my horse and go back to that little bunch of brush," and I pointed +to a bunch of brush that was perhaps a little more than a hundred yards +from the tree, "and all of you men follow me." + +When we reached the brush, I turned my horse's head towards the tree I +had marked, and I then said, "Now boys, I am going to put my horse down +to his best speed, and I want you all to follow me and keep as close to +me as you can, and each man look out for his own horse when I commence +to shoot. At the same time keep your eyes on me, for I want each one +of you to take his turn in doing as I do, and I want you to repeat the +thing until you can hit the mark as I shall do." + +I now started my horse at full speed, and before I had got to the tree +I had fired my second shot, and both balls struck near the cross, but I +was surprised, and I will not deny also amused, to see the way the boys +were trying to stop their horses; they were running in every direction +and appeared to be nearly frightened to death, and apparently their +riders had no control over them, but finally they checked them and rode +back to where I stood. + +I said, "Boys, you certainly have your horses trained to run from the +Indians if you can't stop to fight them." + +One of the boys said, "I never saw my horse act the fool as he has done +today." + +I said, "Now, which one of you are going to try it again first? Don't +all speak at once." + +It was some minutes before anyone answered. At last one of them said, "I +will try it. Shall we all come down together as we did with you?" + +I told him, "No, I want you to all to try it single-handed once and then +we will try it in groups of three, but if you are afraid you cannot +manage your horse, I will ride beside you." + +He answered, "No, I have got to break him in to it, and I might as well +do it at the start." + +So the others got out of his way, and he rode to the brush, wheeled his +horse, put the spurs to him and came at full speed. When within fifty +feet of the tree he fired his rifle and missed the tree but pulled +his pistol and made a good shot, and he did not have much trouble in +stopping his horse this time. + +When he rode back to us, I showed him the hole where the bullet struck +it and told him he had done exceptionally well. + +He said, "Can't I give it another trial?" + +I said, "Not now. Best let everyone have a try first." + +I saw that they were a little encouraged by the first one's success, so +I said, "Who comes next?" + +One of them said, "I reckon it is me next," and he was on his horse in +a twinkle and off for the brush. This man was in a little too much of a +hurry; he shot too soon and missed the tree, which scared his horse, and +he turned and ran in an opposite direction, and the rider had all he +could do to attend to him so he did not fire his pistol at all. When he +came back the boys had a laugh on him. + +He said, "All right, see that the balance of you does better." + +They all gave it a trial, and out of the ten men only three hit the mark +with either rifle or pistol. Before we got through practicing, there +must have been as many as a hundred men from the camp watching the +performance. After each man had tried singly, I formed them in squads of +three, and they were more successful that way than they were alone from +the fact that their horses were getting used to the report of the guns. + +The reader will understand that the drilling was done more for the +benefit of the horses than it was for the men, for many times if the +horses were unmanageable when in a fight with the Indians, the rider was +in a great deal more danger of being killed than he would have if he +could manage his horse. + +As it was getting near noon I called it off until after dinner. When we +were near the corral going back to camp, I pointed to a large log that +was laying on the ground and told the boys to meet me there on foot, +and I would put them through another kind of a drill, which was more +essential for them to know than the one we had been practicing. One of +them said, "What can it be?" + +I answered, "It is to learn to signal to each other without speaking +when you are in danger." + +After dinner I had a talk with Jim in regard to how he was succeeding in +drilling his teamsters. He said they were doing fine and would be ready +to pull out in the morning. He said, "Will, these are not such people to +handle as the last train we drilled." + +I said, "What makes you think so, Jim?" + +He answered, "There are a few in this outfit who do not believe there +will be trouble with the Indians." + +I answered, "Well, Jim, these are of the class that will not obey +orders, and they will get the worst of it, and no one can blame us." + +When I went to meet the boys, they were all standing or sitting on the +fallen tree, waiting for me. I asked if they had ever heard a Coyote +howl. They said not until they heard them on this trip. Then I explained +to them, that the Indians were so used to hearing the Coyotes howl +that they took no notice of that kind of a noise day or night, so we +frontiers-men always used the bark or howl of a Coyote as a signal to +call each other together in times of danger. I then gave a howl that the +boys said no Coyote could beat, and in a couple of hours I had them all +drilled so they could mimic the Coyotes very well. + +We went back to camp, got our horses, and put in the afternoon in +shooting at targets on horse back. Before we separated that evening, I +told the men what position I wanted each one of them to take when the +train was ready to move in the morning. I also told them they must +always meet me at the head of the train before we started the train +every morning to get their instructions for the day. Every one of the +ten seemed to be willing and ready to obey everything I asked them to +do. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +All was in readiness for the start on the road the next morning, and +we pulled out in good season. Every thing worked smoothly for the next +three days, and then we were in the Ute country, and there were also a +great many Buffalo scattered all through the country. I had seen some +signs of Indians, but up to this time I had seen only one small band of +them, and they were going in the opposite direction from the one we were +going. + +The evening of the third day, after we had eaten our supper, about +twenty men came to where Jim and I were sitting on a log having a smoke +and a private talk together. + +One of them who seemed to be the leader said, "We want some Buffalo +meat, and we propose to go out and get some tomorrow. Now what do you +think about it?" + +[Illustration: They raced around us in a circle.] + +Jim said, "Which way do you think of going?" Pointing to the south, he +said, "We think of going down into those low hills not more than eight +or ten miles from the trail." + +Jim answered, "I have no doubt you would find Buffalo and maybe kill +some, but I have grave doubt of your ever getting back alive." + +The man said, "Do you think we would get lost?" + +Jim answered, "Yes, I think you would, if the Indians shoot you full of +arrows and take your scalp off." + +He answered, "We have got to find some Indians before they have a chance +to scalp us, and I don't believe there is an Indian out there, and we +are going hunting in the morning." + +Jim answered, "All right, do just as you darned please, but I will tell +you this just here and now. When you go a half a mile from the train +without our consent, you will be out from under our protection, and we +shall not hold ourselves responsible for your lives." + +They turned away from us, saying, "We will take the chances; we want +some Buffalo meat, and we are going to get it." + +The next morning when the train pulled out twenty-three men left us, +mounted on their horses with their guns all in trim for a Buffalo hunt, +and four out of the twenty three was all we ever saw again either dead +or alive. + +We pulled out, and everything moved on nicely all day. I saw a great +deal of Indian sign at various places during the day. About the middle +of the afternoon one of the scouts reported that he saw a band of +Indians off to the south. As soon as he reported this to me, I went with +him to the top of a high ridge where we could see all over the country, +and sure enough, there was a small band of Indians some two or three +miles south of our trail. + +After watching them a few minutes, I saw that they were going from us, +so I knew that we were in no danger from that band. + +We had to make an early camp that evening on account of water. It was +one of my duties to ride ahead of the train and look the country over +for signs of Indians to select a safe camping ground for each night, +although Jim and I always talked over the best place to camp the coming +night before we struck out in the morning. + +That night I did not get in until Jim had the wagons all corralled. Jim +came to me as soon as I rode in and said, "Will, have you seen anything +of the men that went hunting this morning?" + +I answered, "I neither saw or heard anything of them since I saw them +ride away this morning, but I will call my scouts together and ask them +if they have seen them during the day." + +When I inquired of the men, I learned that they had not seen or heard of +them and had not even heard the report of a gun all day. + +We had just finished eating supper that night when one of the committee +men came to us and said, "Don't you think you had better send out some +men to look for the party that went a hunting?" + +Jim said, "I told those men not to go away from the train, that there +was danger of their losing their scalps if they left us, and I also told +them that if they went a half a mile from the train I should not be +responsible for them dead or alive. They answered that they did not +believe there was an Indian in the country, and that they would take the +chances anyway, and more than that, I would not know where to go to hunt +for them any more than you would, for the country for miles around is +like this, and I would be willing to bet anything that you will never +see them all again." + +Dusk was settling down, and as the night came on and the hunters did not +come in, the excitement grew more intense. About twenty men came to me +and inquired if I knew what kind of a country the hunters would be apt +to go into. I answered that if they kept the course which they said they +intended to go, it would lead them to the Buffalo country and also into +the heart of the Indian country. One of them then asked me if I would +be willing to try to find the absent men if I had enough men with me to +help. + +I answered, "Why, my friends, it would be like hunting for a needle in +a haystack. You certainly do not understand the ways of the Indians. If +the Indians have killed those men, they will take the bodies with them +if they have to carry them a hundred miles. They will take them to their +village and spend two or three days in having a scalp dance, so you will +see how useless it would be to try to find them, and what is more to be +thought of, if we should stay here two or three days we should in all +probability be attacked by the Utes ourselves, and there is no knowing +how many of the people would be killed, or how much other damage would +be done." + +It was getting towards bed time when four women came to me with their +faces swollen with tears. One of them said, "Mr. Drannan, do you think +our husbands have been killed by the Indians?" + +I answered, "That is a question I can not answer, but I will say that I +hope they have not; they may have lost their course and in that way have +escaped the Indians." + +While I was talking with the women, I heard the tramp of horses' feet +coming towards camp on the trail. + +I said, "Listen, perhaps they are coming now." and we went to meet +the coming horsemen. There were four of them, and one of them was the +husband of the woman I had been talking to. When they came up to us, he +jumped off his horse and, clasping his wife in his arms he said, "Oh +Mary, I never expected to see you again." + +In a few minutes everybody in camp was standing around those four men, +and they surely had a dreadful story to tell. They said, they did not +know how far they had ridden that morning when they sighted a band of +Buffalo in a little valley. They fired at them and killed four; they +dismounted and turned their horses loose and went to skinning their +Buffalo and had the hides nearly off of them when, without a sound to +warn them of danger, the Indians pounced upon them, and of all the +yelling and shouting that ever greeted any one's ears, that was the +worst they had ever heard, and the arrows flew as thick as hail. + +"One of them struck me here," and he pulled up his pants and showed us a +ragged wound in the calf of his leg. After we had looked at the wounded +leg, he continued his story. He said, "As soon as I heard the first +yell, I ran for my horse and was fortunate in catching him. I think the +reason of we four being so lucky in getting away was that we were a +little distance from the others. We were off at one side, and we four +were working on one Buffalo, and lucky for us our horses were feeding +close to us. I do not believe that one of the other men caught his horse +as their horses were quite a distance from them, and the Indians were +between the men and their horses. The last I saw of them was their +hopeless struggle against the flying Indians' arrows. + +"We had mounted and had run a hundred or two hundred yards when we saw +that four or five Indians were after us. They chased us two or three +miles. It seemed that our horses could outrun theirs, and they gave up +the chase, but in the confusion we had lost our course, and we did not +know which direction to take, and we have been all the rest of the day +trying to find the train, and we are just about worn but, and we are +hungry enough to eat anything, at least I am." + +As it happened, Jim Bridger was standing near me when the man was +talking. The man turned and said to him, "Mr. Bridger, I hope all the +people of this train will listen to your advice from this night until we +reach the end of our journey. If we four men had done as you told us to +do, we would not have suffered what we have today, and the nineteen, who +I have no doubt have been scalped by the savages, would have been alive +and well tonight. There is no one to blame but ourselves. You warned us, +but we thought we knew more than you did, and the dreadful fate that +overtook the most of the company shows how little we knew what we were +doing in putting our judgment in opposition to men whose lives have been +spent in learning the crafty nature of the Red-men." + +Jim answered, "I always know what I am saying when I give advice, and I +knew what would be liable to happen to you if you left the protection of +the train. This is the third case of this kind which has happened since +Will and I have been piloting emigrants across the plains to California, +and I hope it will be the last." + +There was but little sleep in camp that night. Out of the nineteen men +that were killed, twelve of them were the heads of families, and the +cries of the widows and orphaned children were very distressing for Jim +and me to hear, although we were blameless. The next morning just after +breakfast the committee of five men came to Jim and me and said they +wanted to have a private talk with us. + +Jim said, "All right," and we all went outside the corral. When we were +alone by ourselves, one of them said, "I want to have your opinion with +regard to hunting for the bodies of the men who are lost. Do you think +it possible to find their bodies if they were killed?" + +Jim said, "No, I do not. In the first place, we do not know where to +look. In the second place, the Indians may have carried them fifty or +seventy-five miles from where they killed them. In the third place, we +do not know where the Indian village is or in what direction to look for +it, and if we should find the Indian camp, they may be so strong that we +would not dare to attack them, so you will see at once how useless it +would be for us to attempt to do anything in regard to finding their +bodies." + +One of the committee said, "Well, so you propose to pull out and go on?" + +Jim said, "Yes, that is what I propose doing. For the next four hundred +miles we shall be in the worst Indian country in the West, and I want to +get this train through it as quickly as I possibly can." + +The man answered, "It seems cruel to do it, but I suppose we must give +orders to get ready to move." + +Jim replied, "Yes, we must be moving at once, for I cannot risk the +lives of the living to hunt for those who are dead." + +We were on the road in less than an hour, the committee having told the +friends of the lost men what the consequences would be if they resisted +the idea of moving, and also the utter uselessness of trying to find +their friends dead or alive. + +When the train was already to move, Jim rode down the whole length of +the wagons and told each man that he wanted every one of them to have +their guns and pistols loaded and ready for immediate action, for, he +told them, "We cannot tell at what minute we may be attacked by the +Indians, and if your guns were not ready for use, you would have a slim +chance of saving your own lives or the lives of those dependent on you." + +Everyone seemed to understand the situation better than they ever had +before and promised to do as we had asked them to do. Everything moved +on satisfactory until about two o'clock in the afternoon, when one of +the scouts from the north side reported that a big band of Indians was +coming directly towards us. I spurred my horse to a run, and when we +reached a little ridge about a half a mile from the trail, I could see +them myself, and I could see that they were all warriors, for there +were no squaws or children with them, and I thought they would number a +thousand strong. + +I sent my companion back to tell Jim what was in prospect for a +fight, and to be sure and have the Indian scalps hung up in the most +conspicuous places. I watched the Indians until they had got within a +half a mile of the trail, where they all stopped and huddled together +for several minutes. I decided they were planning the attack, for when +they started, they went directly for the train, which fact convinced me +that the Indians had had a scout out as well as I had, and that he had +been a little sharper than I was. + +I now signaled for all the scouts to get to the train at once, and the +reader can rest assured that not one of them including myself was long +in getting there. + +We found everything in readiness to receive the Indians. We rode inside +the corral of wagons and dismounted. I told my men to follow me. We went +to the head of the train, which was but a short distance. I placed eight +men under two wagons, four to a wagon, and took the other two with me to +the next wagon. I told them to lay flat on the ground, and when I cried +"fire" for each one to shoot and to be sure that he got his Indian. + +When the savages got in sight of the wagons, they were probably a +hundred and fifty yards from them, and to my surprise they all stopped. +I had forgotten the scalps that Jim had hung up, but of course the sight +of them hanging on the top of the wagons stopped them, but they did not +stop longer than a few minutes. Then they began circling around the +wagons. I could see that there were two war chiefs with the outfit. I +knew this by their dress, for a war Chief always wears what is called a +bonnet. It is made of feathers taken from the wings and tails of eagles +and reaches from their head almost to their heels. + +When they started to circle around the wagons, I said to the boys who +were with me under the wagon, "Now you watch that old red sinner who has +the lead. I am going to shoot at him, but I do not know as I can hit +him, he is so far away, but if I can get him we have won the battle." + +They answered, "Fire away, and if you miss we will try our hand at him." + +I drew a bead at the top of his head, and when the gun cracked I saw +that I had hit him. One of the boys cried, "You have hit him," and at +that moment he swayed and tumbled from his horse. The report of my gun +seemed to be a signal for the whole train to fire, and for the next +minute the noise of the guns was terrific. While they all did not hit an +Indian, they did fairly well for men in an Indian battle for the first +time. There were forty-two dead Indians left on the ground, and as the +report of the last gun died away, the Indians turned their horses and +fled in the opposite direction, and I ran to the old Chief to get his +scalp. + +I had just finished taking his scalp after taking his bonnet off when +Jim Bridger and quite a crowd of the other men came running up to me. +Jim said, "Did you do that, Will?" I answered, "I did," and then one of +the boys who were with me under the wagon said, "Mr. Drannan sure shot +him, for he told us to see him get him, and at the report of his gun, +Mr. big Chief went to the Indians' happy hunting grounds." + +Jim slapped me on the back and said, "That is the best shot you ever +made, Will, for that bonnet and that scalp will protect this train from +here to California without another shot being fired." I said, "You can +have this bonnet to use for a scare crow, Jim, but be sure and take good +care of it, for I want to keep it as a memento of this trip." + +I then asked Jim if he were going to take the scalps off of the other +dead Indians. He said, "No, we have scalps enough now to protect the +train, and that is all we want. Besides, we haven't time; we must go on +to our camping ground, we have fifty or sixty miles to drive before we +can camp for the night." + +As we were pulling out, I said to the scouts, "We are in the Buffalo +country, and there will be no more trouble with the Indians; let us try +to get some fresh meat for supper." I knew that we would camp near a +little stream a few miles from where we had the fight, and also that it +was a great feeding ground for Buffalo at this time of the year. When +we were within a quarter of a mile of the stream, where we were to camp +that night, we saw that the valley was covered with Buffalo. I sent all +but one of the men down a little ravine to the valley. I told them to +dismount and tie their horses just before they got to the valley and to +crawl down and each one get behind a tree at the edge of the valley, and +I and the other men would go around to the head of the valley and scare +the Buffalo, and they would run down to where they were in hiding. I +told the men to be sure and not shoot until the Buffalo started to run, +and then to shoot all they could get with their guns, and when they had +emptied them to use their pistols. + +"Let us give the women and children a surprise tonight in giving them +all the fresh Buffalo meat they can eat." + +Myself and companion rode around to the head of the valley, and when we +reached the top of the ridge, we looked down and saw hundreds of Buffalo +feeding. We spurred our horses to a run, and in a moment we were in the +midst of them, and it certainly was a grand sight to see that immense +herd on the stampede, as they all rushed down to the outlet where the +boys were waiting for them. In a few moments we heard the report of +guns, and we knew that the other boys, were getting the meat for supper. +I told my comrade to pick out his Buffalo and I would pick mine, and I +said to him, "Now don't shoot until you get near the other boys, and if +you want to kill him quick, shoot him through the kidneys." When I had +reached the mouth of the valley where the Buffalo had crowded together +in one big mass, I chose a two-year-old heifer, rode up to her side +and shot her through her kidneys, and she fell at my horse's feet with +hardly a struggle. I pulled my pistol and shot another one and broke its +neck. My comrade had picked a big cow, and she was the fattest Buffalo +I ever saw killed. The other boys had killed twelve, and we got three, +making fifteen in all, and what was best of all, the Buffalo all +lay near to where Jim had corralled the wagons. As the wagons were +corralled, I went to one of the committee and told him that my scouts +and I had killed fifteen Buffalo and asked him to send some of the +men of the train to help dress them and to divide the meat so all the +emigrants could have some fresh meat for their supper, and in a short +time I saw men and women with their arms full of meat, hurrying to their +camp fires. + +Jim and I were sitting on a wagon tongue talking as we usually did every +evening when two little girls came running to us and said their papa +wanted us to come and eat supper with them. We went with the children to +their father's tent, and we found an appetizing meal waiting for us. Jim +and I had not tasted any fresh meat since starting out with this train +of emigrants at Green river. When we sat down, Jim said, "Lady, I am +afraid you will be sorry that you invited Will and me to supper, for you +may not have meat enough to go around. We have not had any fresh meat in +a dog's age, and we are big meat eaters any time." She answered, "Oh, +don't be uneasy. I have two pans full on the fire cooking now. I know +how much it takes to fill up hungry men, and you two are not the only +hungry men around this camp, and you may be sure we appreciate the feast +you planned to surprise us with"; and she turned to me with a smile. +"You see, Mr. Drannan, the boys told me all about your suggesting the +Buffalo hunt." + +I answered that the meal she had set before us would pay for more than I +had done. Her husband said, "It has surely been a great benefit to all +the people of the train, for we were all suffering for fresh meat, and +you don't know how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness in providing +it for us." + +As I left the tent where I had supper, about a dozen middle-aged ladies +came to me and said, "We would like to see that pretty thing you took +off that Indian." + +I did not know what they meant by "A pretty thing" until Jim said, "Why, +Will, they want to see that war bonnet you took with the old chief's +scalp." + +I went to our pack and got the bonnet and gave it to them, and for the +next two hours that Indian adornment was the talk of the camp. It was +carried from tent to tent, examined by nearly everyone, old and young, +in the whole emigrant train, and it was a curiosity to any white person, +and still more so to those not used to the Indians' way of adorning +themselves. + +Jim explained to the emigrants why this piece of Indian dress in our +possession would be a protection to them in case of an attack on us +by the Indians; he said, "The Indians have no fear of being killed in +battle. Their great dread is of being scalped. They believe that if +their scalps are taken off their heads in this world, they will not be +revived in the next, or what they call the "Happy Hunting grounds of the +Indians," where they will dwell with the great spirit forever, and if +they should see this bonnet which none but a great chief can wear they +will think we must be powerful to have got it and will keep away from +us, fearing they may share the fate themselves." + +Jim told the emigrants to be ready for an early start in the morning, +and then we separated for the night, the emigrants going to their tents +and Jim and I to lay our blankets under a tree. + +Next morning after we had a hearty breakfast of cornbread and Buffalo +steak, Jim said, "Now, men and women, Will gave you all a treat in +Buffalo meat last night, but if all goes well, and we meet with nothing +to detain us, in one week from tonight I will give you a treat that will +discount his." + +An old lady answered, "You must be mistaken, Mr. Bridger, for nothing +could taste better then the chunk of meat I broiled over the fire last +night." + +Jim laughed and said, he would own up to the last night's supper being +extra good but asked how she thought Mountain Trout would taste. She +said she did not know, as she had never tasted any; Jim said, "Well, +you will know in a week from tonight, and you will say that my treat is +better than Will's, for Mountain trout is the best fish that ever swam +in the water." + +We were on the road soon after sunrise the next morning, and everything +went well for the next three days. The third day's travel brought us +to Humboldt Well. As we were going into camp, I discovered a band of +Indians coming directly for the train. I notified Jim at once, and he +soon had the train corralled, and the chief's bonnet hung high above the +Indian scalps so all the Indians could see it. The savages seemed to +discover the bonnet and the scalps as soon as they saw the train, for +they stopped and came no nearer, and after gazing at the decorations on +the wagons a few moments they wheeled their horses and galloped away in +the same direction they had come, and we saw no more of them. As soon as +the Indians disappeared Jim slapped his hands and said, "Didn't I tell +you the effect that bonnet would have on the Red Skins? And I don't +think we will have to shoot another Indian on this trip, for they will +not get close enough to us for us to get a show to hit them." + +The second day from this camp we reached Truckey river, and it happened +to be Saturday, and Jim told the emigrants that this was the place where +he proposed to outdo Will in the way of a treat and told them that +everyone who could catch a grasshopper could have a mess of fish for +supper, as the river was swarming with the speckled beauties, and it +was really amusing to see the old of both sexes as well as the children +running in every direction, catching the little hopping insects. +Everyone seemed to be of one mind, what they were going to have for the +evening meal, for they were all on the margin of the river, and Jim and +I staid with the wagons and watched the crowd which was great amusement +for us, for they were all so excited. But our fun did not last long. In +a few minutes the crowd commenced to come back with their bands full of +fish; one woman passed us with two little girls. She had about a dozen +fish, and the children had their hands full too. She said, "Come, Mr. +Bridger, I want you and Mr. Drannan to eat supper with us tonight, and +after we get through I will tell you which treat is the best, Buffalo or +Mountain Trout." + +Jim told her she hadn't got half enough fish for him, not reckoning the +members of her own family. She said, "Don't you be uneasy about not +having enough. My man will come back in a few minutes, and he will have +enough to make out the supper, I reckon." + +We went with her to her tent and helped to clean the fish, and it was +not long before the appetizing meal was ready. While Jim and I were +cleaning the fish that the woman and children had caught, the man came +back, and he had fifteen of the handsomest trout I had ever seen on a +string. He greeted us with a laugh and said this was the first stream he +had ever seen where a man could take a long-handled shovel and pitch out +all the fish he had a mind to. "It is wonderful to think of the amount +of fish that has been taken out of that stream, and they would not be +missed if we wanted more." + +Jim said, "If you could stay here and fish a week, they would be just +as thick when you got through as they are now, and will be until the +spawning season is over." + +That night Jim suggested that we get up a party and go over on Truckee +Meadows and kill some Antelope tomorrow. + +I said, "All right, Jim, that is the greatest feeding ground for +Antelope of any I have seen. I will go and speak to my scouts now, and +we may get a party so we can start early in the morning." + +I hunted my men up and told them what Jim and I thought of doing, and +they were delighted with the idea. They said that every man in the +outfit that owned a horse and gun would be glad to go with us. I told +them to see everyone that they thought would like to or could go and for +them to meet us at the head of the corral right after breakfast in the +morning. + +Next morning Jim and I went to the place agreed upon. We were mounted +and had our guns all ready for business, and in a few minutes there were +forty-three men all mounted and anxious to go with us on the hunt for +Antelope. + +Jim told them that the hunting ground was eight or ten miles away from +camp, and he said, "I will guarantee that you will see a thousand +Antelope today. Now we will all travel together until we begin to see +the Antelope." + +The place called Truckee Meadows was about twenty miles long and ten +miles wide and very level and covered with the tallest sage brush in all +the country around and with an abundance of fine grass. We crossed the +Truckee river just below where the city of Reno now stands, and then +we struck out south east, Jim and I taking the lead and the others +following us. + +When we were about five miles from camp, I discovered a band of +Antelope. They were probably a half a mile from us, and they were +feeding in a northeasterly direction. I called Jim's attention to them +at once. After he got a good look at them, he said, "I will bet my old +hat that there is a thousand Antelope in that band." + +We stopped our horses and waited for all the crowd to come up to us, and +Jim pointed to the Antelope, saying, "There is your game. Did you ever +see a prettier sight? Now my friends, I want every one of you to have an +Antelope across your saddle when we go back to camp. It don't make any +difference who kills it so we all have an Antelope." + +Jim then turned to me and said, "Will, do you see that open ridge +yonder?" and he pointed to a low ridge about a mile from us right in the +direction towards which the Antelope were feeding. I told him, yes, I +saw it. He then said, "I will take all the men but you and two others, +and I will station them all along on that little ridge at the edge of +sage brush. Now, Will, you pick out your two men and ride clear around +the south end of the band, and when they start to run towards us, crowd +them as hard as you can, but give us time to locate before you start the +band." + +My men and I rode probably a mile and a half before we got around the +herd, and it looked to us as if the whole valley was covered with +Antelope. I told the men not to shoot at first, but to give a whoop or +two to get them started and then to crowd them for all they were worth, +and when the Antelope got to the open ridge to shoot. + +In a few minutes, after we started the herd of Antelope, we heard the +guns of Jim and his men, and it sounded as if they kept up a continual +fire. When we struck the opening, I told the boys to get all the +Antelope they could, and we had a plenty to choose from, for there were +hundreds in the herd ahead of us. I fired my rifle and knocked one down, +and then I pulled my pistol and got another. Just then I heard someone +shouting at the top of his voice just ahead of me. I looked to see who +it was and saw Jim Bridger, shaking his hat at me. I held up my horse so +I could hear what he said. He cried, "For pity's sake, Will, don't kill +any more Antelope, for we have more now than we can carry to camp." + +I called my men to me, and we rode to where Jim and his men were waiting +for us. Jim said, "Will, I have been in the Antelope country twenty +years most of the time, and I never saw so many Antelope together at +one time as I saw here this morning; why, there must be fifty or +seventy-five laying around here at this minute, that we have shot, and +you would not miss them out of the herd." + +One of the men said, "It did not need any skill with the rifle, that +hunt, for a blind man could not help hitting one of them, for as far as +I could see, there was a mass of Antelope." + +Every man now went to work skinning and getting the meat ready to carry +to camp. My two companions and myself put two Antelopes on each of our +horses and started on ahead of the others, and although it was five +miles and we walked all the way, we got back to camp a few minutes +before they did. + +As soon as they saw us, the women came to meet us and wanted to see what +we had on our horses. As I threw one of the Antelopes off the horse, a +middle aged woman said, "Mr. Drannan, can I have a piece of this one? +My little girls have just picked some wild onions, and I can make some +hash, and I want you and Mr. Bridger to come and take dinner with us +today." + +I told her to help herself, that I brought the meat to camp for all of +them to eat as far as it would go. Her husband came at that moment with +a knife and skinned a portion of the Antelope and cut out what she +wanted. By this time the other hunters began coming in, and everyone was +getting fresh meat for their dinner, and by the way they acted I thought +they enjoyed the Antelope fully as well as they had the Buffalo. + +While we ate dinner, I asked Jim how many Antelope were killed by the +whole party. He answered. "Why, dog gone it, I forgot to count them, +but I know this much. Pretty near all of the men brought two across his +saddle, and I will bet that it was the biggest Antelope hunt that was +ever in this country before. Why, Will, the Antelope came along so thick +at one time that a man could have killed them with rocks." + +If the reader will stop to think a moment, I think he will be surprised +at the great change that has taken place in that country in fifty years. +At that time there was not a white family living within two hundred +miles of this place, and if there had been any one brave enough to tell +us that in a few years this would be a settled country, we would have +thought he was insane. And just think, this very spot where the wild +Antelope roamed in countless numbers fifty-five years ago is today +Nevada's most prosperous farming country and is worth from fifty to one +hundred dollars an acre, and the city of Reno, now a flourishing town of +several thousand inhabitants stands on the very spot where we camped and +had the Antelope hunt, and I have been told by reliable people that the +whole country from the city of Reno to Honey Lake is thickly settled, +and that cities and villages and thriving farms now cover the ground +where at the time I am speaking of there was nothing but wild animals, +and what was worse to contend with, wild savages lurking in the thick +sage brush which covered the ground for hundreds of miles, and I am also +told that the whole country around Honey Lake is a thriving farming +country, but at the time I am speaking of, we did not have an idea that +it would ever be settled up with Whites or used for anything but a +feeding ground for wild animals. If we had been told at that time that a +railroad would pass through the place where the city of Reno now stands, +we would have thought the one who told us such a wild, improbable story +to be a fit subject for a straight jacket. + +We pulled out of there early Monday morning; we took the trail up Long +Valley towards Honey Lake, which we reached on the evening of the third +day. Nothing occurred to disturb us during this time. As soon as we went +into camp that evening the emigrants got out their fishing tackle and +went to the lake. Some of them caught some fish, but many of them came +back disappointed. None had the luck they'd had at Truckee river. Still, +the most of us had some fish for supper that night. + +While we were at supper, Jim told the people that they were through +catching trout, that the next fish we had would be salmon. They said +they had never heard of that kind and asked what it looked like. Jim +told them that the meat of some kinds of salmon was as red as beef, +while another kind was pink, and still another kind was yellow, and +they were considered the finest fish that swim in the water, and he +continued, "I have seen them so thick in the spring in some of the +streams in California that it was difficult to ride my horse through +them without mashing them, and they ran against the horse's legs and +frightened him so that he was as eager to get away from them as they +were of him." + +An old man presently asked how large a salmon usually was, to which Jim +answered, "Well, they run in weight from ten to fifty pounds, but I have +seldom seen one as small as ten pounds, and they are very fat when they +are going upstream to spawn, but when they are coming down they are so +poor they can scarcely swim." + +We left Honey Lake in the morning, and the third day from there we +struck the Sacramento valley, and we now told the emigrants that they +had no further use for our services, that their road was perfectly safe +from this point to Sacramento city. + +Two of the committee came to us and said, "As this is Saturday we will +camp here until Monday, and we want you two men to stay with us, for the +women want to fix up something for you to eat on your way back." + +Jim answered that we would stay with them over Sunday and take a rest, +for we had a long and tiresome journey before us, but it must be +understood that we did not want the women to go to cooking for us, for +all we could take with us was a few loaves of bread, enough to last us +a few days. Our meat we could get as we wanted it, which would be our +principal food on the trip, as it always was when we were alone. + +Sunday was a very pleasant, restful day to us. All the emigrants seemed +to vie with each other in being social. Among the company was a man and +wife by the name of Dent; these two came to us and said that they were +going to make their home in Sacramento city and were going into business +there, and they wanted us if we ever came there to come to them and +make their home ours as long as we wished to stay, for, said they, "We +appreciate what you have done for us on this journey we have passed +through. Besides the protection you have given us, the Buffalo and +Antelope meat you have shown us how to get and have helped to get has +been worth more money to us than all we have paid you to pilot us to +California.". + +We thanked them for their kind offer and good opinion of us but +disclaimed having done anything but our duty by them. + +Monday morning Jim and I were about the first to be astir. We caught +our horses and had them saddled by the time breakfast was ready, and we +accepted the first invitation offered us to eat. While we were eating, +our hostess said she had baked two loaves of bread for us to take with +us, and that she had roasted the last piece of Antelope that she had and +wanted us to take that too. We took the food this lady had prepared for +us and went to our horses, but before we reached them we saw the women +coming from every direction with bread and cake. Jim said, "Will, let's +fill this sack with bread and cake if they insist on giving it to us and +then get away as soon as possible." + +As Jim made this remark, it was very amusing to see how every woman +tried to get her package in the sack first, but it would not begin to +hold half that was brought. As soon as the sack was full, Jim said, "Now +ladies, we can take no more, so be kind to us in letting us get away." + +By the time we had our pack fixed on our pack horses' backs, every man +and woman and all the children were around us to bid us farewell and +good speed on our journey back to Taos, New Mexico. + +We had shaken hands with probably a hundred or more when Jim sprang upon +his horse all at once, saying, "Now friends, we will consider we have +all shaken hands," and he took off his hat and, waving it to the +assembled crowd, gathered up his reins and galloped away, and I followed +suit. But as long as we were in hearing distance we could hear, "Good +bye, good bye," floating on the wind. As the sight of the train faded in +the distance, we waved our hats for the last time. + +For the next two days everything went smoothly with Jim and me, which +brought us to Honey Lake. The night we reached Honey Lake, we camped in +a little grove of timber near a pearling stream of cool, sparkling water +about a half a mile south of the trail. + +We had eaten our supper and were about to spread our blankets and turn +in for the night when we heard a dog bark close to our camp, but it +was too dark to see him. Jim said, "Don't that beat any thing you ever +heard?" + +We listened a moment, and then it was a howl, and then in a moment he +barked again. Jim said, "You stay in camp, Will, and I will take my gun +and see what is the matter." + +In a moment Jim called, "I see him." I waited about an hour before Jim +came back and was beginning to feel anxious about him. When I heard his +footsteps, he said, "I followed that dog nearly a mile, and then I found +the cause of his howling, and what do you think it was?" I answered, +"Jim, I have no idea," to which he said, "Well, I will tell you. I found +the body of a dead man laying on his blanket just as if he was laying +down to rest. I did not get near the dog until I had discovered the +body, and then he was very friendly with me, and came and whined, and +wagged his tail, as if he knew me. I looked all around, but I could find +nothing but the body laying on the blanket. I could not see that there +had been a fire, and I saw no signs of a horse or anything else, and the +strange part of it is that, although the dog was so friendly with me, I +could not coax him away from the body which I suppose was his master." + +I asked Jim what he thought it was best to do. He answered, "What can we +do, Will? We have no tools to dig a grave with, and the body is laying +among the rocks, and I expect that dog will stay beside it and starve to +death." + +"Wouldn't it be a good idea to go to the place in the morning and pile +rocks on the body to keep the wolves and other wild animals from +eating it up?" Jim said, "Yes, we will do that, and we will shoot some +jack-rabbits and leave them with the dog, so he can have something to +eat for a few days anyhow." + +On the way over to the place where the body lay, we killed three rabbits +and threw them to the dog, and he ate them as if he was nearly starved, +and I have always thought that his master died of starvation, as he had +no gun or pistol with which to kill anything to eat, and Jim thought +that he must have got lost from some emigrant train and wandered around +until he was too weak to go farther and lay down and died with no one +but his faithful dog to watch over him in his last moments. + +We covered him up with stones and brush the best we could and left him +and the poor dog together, although we tried every way we could to tempt +the animal away. The faithful dog would not leave his master's body. +After trying persuasion until we saw it was no use, Jim said, "Let's put +a rope around his neck and lead him off." I answered, "No, Jim, if he +will not be coaxed away, it would not be right to force him to leave his +dead master." Jim said, "It seems too bad to leave him to starve, but +you are right, Will," and so we left him, and we never saw him again. + +Saddened with the experience of the morning, we mounted our horses and +struck for the trail. We had nothing more to disturb us for the next +three days. About the middle of the afternoon of the third day we were +riding along slowly, talking about where we should camp that night, when +Jim happened to look off to the south, and he saw a band of Indians +about a mile from us, and they were coming directly towards us, but we +could not tell whether they had seen us or not. Jim said, "Let's put +spurs to our horses and see if we can get away from them Red devils +without a fight with them." + +We put our horses to a run and had kept them going this gate for five or +six miles when we came to the top of a little ridge, and in looking back +we saw the Indians about a half a mile in the rear and coming as fast as +their horses could carry them. + +Jim said, "Will, we are in for it now, and we must find a place where we +can defend ourselves." + +At that moment I saw a little bunch of timber a few hundred yards ahead +of us. I pointed to it and said to Jim, "Let's get in there and show +them our war bonnet and scalps, and maybe that will save us from having +a fight with the Red imps." + +Jim laughed and said, "Why dog gone it, Will, I forgot all about your +war bonnet. Sure, that will be the very thing to do." + +We had reached the timber while we talked. We now dismounted and tied +our horses, and in less time than one could think we had the war bonnet +and scalps dangling from the trees all around our horses. We had +scarcely got ready for them when the Red Skins were in sight. They raced +around us in a circle but did not come in gun shot of us. They went +through this performance a few times and then stopped and took a good +look at our decorations, and then they wheeled their horses and left in +the direction they had come from, and that was the last we saw of that +bunch of Indians. + +We waited a few minutes to be sure that all was clear, and then we +mounted again and rode about two miles before we found water so we could +camp for the night. When we were eating our supper that night, Jim said, +"Will, I don't think you realize what a benefit those scalps and that +bonnet is to us; if I were you, I would never part with that bonnet as +long as you are in the Indian country. This being a Ute bonnet, the +Comanches will offer you all kinds of prices for it, but if I were you I +would not sell it at any price." + +I answered, "Jim, I am going to keep that bonnet for two reasons. One +is for the protection of my own scalp and the other is to keep in +remembrance my last trip in company with you as a pilot across the +plains to California." + +Jim looked at me a moment and then said, "Will, you don't pretend to say +that you will never take any more trips with me." + +I answered, "Yes Jim, I mean what I say. This is my last trip as a pilot +for emigrants." + +Jim did not answer for a few moments, and then he said, "Who will go +with me next year Willie? I thought the pilot business just suited you." + +I answered, "In some respects I do like it, and in others I dislike it +very much. You know yourself how impossible it is to please everybody. +There are so many of the people who come from the east that don't think +there is any more danger of the Indians than there is of the Whites, and +you know Jim that is the class of people who will always get us into +trouble. See what those nineteen smart alecks did for us on this last +trip. Do you think if they had known any thing of Indian trickery they +would have left our protection to go hunting in the very heart of the +Indian country? And if we had not been firm with the rest of those +people the whole outfit would have been scalped and then we would have +had to bear the blame." + +Jim answered, "There is more truth than poetry in all you say Will, but +maybe you will change your mind when spring comes." + +We had a peaceful night's sleep and pulled out on the road bright and +early the next morning. We left the main trail and took a south east +course and crossed the extreme southern portion, of what is now the +state of Utah. We traveled hundreds of miles in this country without +seeing a human being. + +A year ago I passed through this same country in a comfortable seat in +a railroad car, and it would be difficult for me to make the people of +this day understand the feelings that I experienced when in looking from +the car window I saw the changes that fifty-five years have made in what +was a wild, rough wilderness, inhabited by Buffaloes, Antelopes, Coyotes +and savage men. + +We kept on through this section of country until we struck the Colorado +river, which we crossed just below the mouth of Green river, and a few +days' travel brought us into the northwest part of what is now New +Mexico. + +The country which is now New Mexico was at the time of which I am +writing considered perfectly worthless. It is a rolling, hilly country +with smooth, level valleys between the hills and is proving to be very +fertile and is settling as fast as any part of the west. + +There was nothing more to trouble us, and we made good progress on our +journey, and in ten days from the time we left the Colorado river we +reached Taos, New Mexico, which was the end of our journey, and tired +and worn with the long hours in the saddle and the anxiety of mind which +we had experienced in all the long months since we left there in the +spring, we were glad to get there and rest a few days and to feel that +we were free with no responsibility. + +[Illustration: The mother bear ran to the dead cub and pawed it with her +foot.] + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +We found Uncle Kit and his family all well and glad to see us. It was +late in the afternoon when we got there, and we spent the remainder of +the day and evening in recounting our summer's experience for Uncle +Kit's benefit, who was a very interested listener to all that had +befallen us since we parted from him in the spring. + +While we ate supper, Jim told Uncle Kit of the fight with the Indians +in which I killed the old chief and took his scalp and war bonnet, an +account which amused Uncle Kit very much, and later in the evening he +insisted on my undoing my pack and showing the bonnet to him. + +After he had examined it, he said, "Will, I always knew that you would +make an Indian fighter since that night when you were not fifteen years +old and showed such bravery in showing me the two scalps of the Indians +you had killed that morning all by yourself. But little did I think that +you would have the honor of killing a Ute Chief and capturing his war +bonnet. There will be many times when that bonnet will be as much +protection to you as a whole regiment of soldiers would be," and turning +to Jim, Carson said, "Bridger, don't you think my Willie must have been +an apt pupil and does me great honor for the instruction I gave him?" + +Jim answered, "Yes, Kit, I certainly do, and if you had seen him tested +as I have the past summer, you would not need to ask me that question." + +Uncle Kit patted me on the back and told Jim that he did not need to see +his boy's bravery tested, for he always took it for granted that Willie +would stand any test. + +The next morning, Uncle Kit and Bridger commenced to lay their plans for +the winter's trapping. I heard Uncle Kit say, "Bridger, we have got +to get down to Bent's Fort right away; here it is in the last days of +September, and you know that when the fall of the year comes, them +trappers are like a fish out of water, and if we don't get to the Fort +soon, Bent and Roubidoux will fit them out and send them out trapping on +their own hooks." + +Jim answered, "That is true, Kit, and the quicker we go the better it +will be for us." + +On the fifth day after we arrived at Taos from California, we were on +the road to Bent's Fort with twenty-two pack horses besides our saddle +horses. Uncle Kit, my old comrade Jonnie West and a Mexican boy by the +name of Juan accompanied us. + +We reached Bent's Fort in safety without having any trouble on the way. +The evening we got to the Fort it seemed to me that there were more +trappers than I had ever seen together at one time before, and they all +huddled around Carson and Bridger. Uncle Kit told them all that he would +talk business with them in the morning. When supper was ready that +evening, Col. Bent invited all of us to take supper with him. We +accepted the invitation, and while we were at the table, a runner came +with a note to Uncle Kit from Capt. McKee, asking Carson to send all the +men he could muster to join him at Rocky Ford to escort a government +train to Santa Fe, New Mexico. + +According to the Capt's. note Carson had only twenty-four hours to +gather his men and get to Rocky Ford. When Uncle Kit read the note so +unexpectedly brought him, it seemed to upset and confuse him. He said, +"My God, I can't go," and then he read the note aloud. When he had +finished reading. Col. Bent said, "I will go out and see how many men +will volunteer to go." After Col. Bent left the room, Uncle Kit said to +me, "Willie, will you take charge of the men if Col. Bent can raise a +company? I know you can handle them as well as I could." + +I answered, "Yes sir, I will do any thing you think is best." + +In a short time Col. Bent came back and said he had found twenty seven +men who were willing to go, and that every man had his own horse and a +gun and a pistol, "but who will take the command of the company? Do you +intend to go yourself Carson?" + +Uncle Kit said, "No, I do not, but Willie here," and he touched my +shoulder, "will take my place and do as well as I could." + +Col. Bent said, "Well, come with me, Will, and I will introduce you to +your men." + +When we went outside, all the twenty-seven men were there waiting for +us. Col. Bent said to them, "Now, gentlemen, I have brought you a leader +in Mr. William Drannan. He will have charge of you until you reach Rocky +Ford." + +I then told the men to furnish themselves with four day's ration and +also to take blankets to use at night, and to be ready to take the trail +at sun rise in the morning. They all promised to be ready at the time I +specified, and we separated for the night. + +I found Uncle Kit in the dining room writing a letter to Capt. McKee. He +gave the letter to me, saying, "Give this letter to Capt. McKee, and if +you want to go to Santa Fe with him, do so, or if you had rather be with +me, you will find Jim and me on the Cache-La-Poudre; just suit yourself, +Willie, in regard to this matter, and I shall be satisfied." + +The next morning we were up and on the road by the time the sun was up. +We rode hard until about eleven o'clock, when we dismounted, staked our +horses out to grass and ate our luncheon. We let our horses feed about +an hour, and then we mounted and were on the road again. A little before +sunset we came in sight of Rocky Ford. As soon as I saw where we were, I +pointed it out to the boys, and said, "There is Rocky Ford, and we are +ahead of time." + +We had ridden but a short distance when one of the boys remarked, "We +are not much in the lead, for there comes Capt. McKee's company just +across the river," and as we reached the Ford, Capt. McKee and his men +were crossing. So we both met on time. I had never met Capt. McKee but +knew him from the fact that he was in the lead of his men. + +I rode up to him and saluted and asked if this was Capt. McKee. He said +it was. I told my name at the same time I gave him Carson's letter. + +He read the letter and then said, "Let us go into camp. My men and +horses are tired, and we will talk business after we have had supper." + +We rode perhaps a quarter of a mile from the Ford, where we could get +plenty of sage brush to make fires, dismounted and staked our horses out +to grass, and it was not long until our meal was ready to eat. As soon +as the meal was over, the Captain came to me and inquired if I had ever +been over this country before. I told him I had a number of times. He +said, "I am a stranger in this country; will you please tell me where +the main body of the Comanches are at this time of the year?" + +I told him that the main body of the Comanche tribe was at least a +hundred miles down the river. + +"They go down there to shoot the Buffalo as they cross the river on +their winter's feeding ground. You will find the Indians very numerous +all through that part of the country. Sometimes there are from two to +three hundred wigwams in one village, and the Indians will stay there +for nearly a month yet before they go farther south." + +The Capt. then asked if I was acquainted with any of the Comanche +Chiefs. I told him that I was, and that I had traded with pretty near +all of them. + +"The Comanches are all great friends with Kit Carson, and as I have +visited them and traded with them in company with him, they extend their +friendship to me." + +The Capt. thought a moment and then said, "I am mighty afraid that we +are going to have trouble with the Comanches from the fact that that +Government train is at least two hundred miles from here, and there are +forty wagons in it, and they have no escort, only their drivers and +herders, and I am weak myself; you see, I have only twenty men with me. +Five days before I received this order, I sent all of my men, except the +twenty with me, to Fort Worth, Texas to protect the settlers in that +country as the Comanches are on the war path there, and the few men we +have with us now will not be as much as a drop in a bucket as far as +protecting the train is concerned if the Comanches attack it." + +I answered, "Captain, if we can reach the train before the Indians do, I +believe we can get the train through to Santa Fe without firing a gun." + +This seemed to surprise him, for he looked at me as though I was insane +in making such a remark and said, "What do you mean, young man?" + +I answered: "Capt. McKee, all the Comanche tribe know me, and they also +know that I have for several years been closely associated with Kit +Carson, and they think that all Kit Carson does or says is right, for +they both love him and fear him, and they have the same feeling for the +boy Carson raised, and furthermore I have in this pack," and I pointed +to my pack which was laying on the ground near me, "more protection, in +my estimation, than a hundred soldiers would be to the train." + +He said, "Explain what you mean, for I do not understand." + +I then unrolled my pack and, taking out the Indian scalps and the Ute +Chief's war bonnet, I showed them to him and told him how I had used +them to protect an emigrant train when I only had twelve men to help me +that were of any use in a fight with the Indians. + +I said, "Now, Captain, you must know that the Indians have no fear of +death, but they do dread to lose their scalps after they are killed, as +they think there will be no chance for a scalpless Indian to enter the +Happy Hunting ground. So if we reach the train before the Indians get +there and fear they will attack it when they do, all we have to do is to +hang these scalps up in a prominent place and put the Chief's war bonnet +high above them all, and there will be no need of a fight or chance for +one, for the Indians will not come near enough to be shot at, for they +will fear that they will share the same fate that befell the Indians +that these scalps belonged to." + +Capt. McKee then asked me if I were willing to go on and assist him in +this way until the train reached Santa Fe, and he said, "I am quite sure +your plan in using the scalps and bonnet for protection with the Indians +will prove a success, for I know how superstitious the Indians are about +being scalped, and I am also sure that we have not sufficient men to +save the train from the Indians without some other means is used." + +I then asked the Capt. who would pay me and my men for our time if we +went with him. His answer was "The Government pays me and will pay you +and the men with you, and if we have a chance to test your plan and it +proves a success, I will see that you have double pay." + +Everything being understood and arranged to the satisfaction of all +hands, we separated and turned in for the night. + +Next morning we were all up in good season and got an early start on the +road. + +Late that evening just before we went into camp we saw a few Buffalo +feeding near the river. I asked the Capt. where he was going to camp +that night. He pointed to a little ravine about a half a mile from us, +and answered, "We will camp on that ravine." I said, "Take my pack on +your saddle in front of you, and I will kill a calf for supper." + +He took my pack, saying, "All right, we surely will enjoy some fresh +meat," and the company moved on, and I struck out to kill the Buffalo. I +rode around the herd so if they became frightened they would run towards +the place where we were to camp. They saw me before I had got in gun +shot of them and started to run directly towards where the Capt. had +gone into camp. + +As soon as I saw the direction they were taking, I commenced to shout to +the men at the camp to look out, for the Buffalo were coming, and they +did not get the news any too quick before the Buffalos were there. The +men grabbed their guns and commenced shooting, and that was all that +saved the camp from being overrun with Buffalo. They shot down three +calves and two heifers right in camp. + +The boys had the laugh on me for several days. When anything was said +about getting fresh meat, some of them would say, "Will can go and drive +it into camp, and we will shoot it," and the Capt. would laugh and say +he reckoned that was a good way to save me from packing it. + +I do not think I ever saw men enjoy a meal more than these did that +night. We had all ridden hard that day and had only a light lunch at +midday, so we were all very hungry and young and hearty and just at the +time of life when food tastes best, and every one of us knew how to +broil Buffalo meat over sage brush fire. + +The next morning the Capt. told the men to all cut enough meat from the +Buffalos to last until the next day and to put it in their packs, for, +he said, "We may not meet with as good luck again as we did today, and +if we take the meat with us we will be provided for anyway." + +We were on the road early in the morning and traveled without stopping +until noon, and we saw numerous small bands of Buffalo all along the +way. We stopped on the bank of a little pearling stream of cold water, +where there was plenty of grass for the horses, and ate our luncheon and +rested about an hour. We were about ready to continue our journey when I +discovered a small band of Indians coming up the trail. + +I sang out to the Capt., "There come some of our neighbors." He looked +at them and said, "Boys, mount your horses and be ready, for we are +going to have fun right here." I said, "Hold on, Capt., and let me see +if I can't settle this thing without a fight." He said, "How will you do +it?" I said, "I believe I know all those Indians, but I will ride down +and meet them and see, and if I am acquainted with them we will have no +trouble with them." + +Capt. McKee said, "Won't you be taking a desperate chance, Mr. Drannan, +in going to meet those savages when you are not sure whether you know +them or not?" I said, "I am not afraid to go to meet them, but if +anything is wrong, I will signal to you by raising my hat, and if I do +so you must charge at once, but if I give no signal you may be sure +everything is all right." + +I started my horse at full speed down the narrow valley to meet the +approaching Indian band. When I was within a hundred yards of them, +they recognized me, and they all began crying, "Hi-yar-hi-yar," which +translated into English means, "How do-yo-do," and in a few minutes, +they were all swarming around me, each one trying to shake my hand +first. I shook hands with all, and I then asked them where they were +going. The Chief told me that they were going to their village, which +was on the opposite side of the river. We had passed their village a few +hours before, but owing to the timber being so thick we did not notice +it. They wanted to know when I was coming to trade for Buffalo robes +with them. I told them I would come in four months. This seemed to +please them well, and they said they would have a plenty of robes to +trade for knives and rings and beads. + +I rode back with my Indian friends to the camp. On the way I told the +chief where I was going, and that the white men he saw in the camp were +my friends and were going with me. Not knowing any of the men in the +camp, the Indians passed on without stopping, as is their custom when +they are not on the war path. + +When the last Indian had passed the camp, Capt. McKee ordered the men to +mount, and we continued our journey. + +When we were under way the Capt. rode to my side and said, "Mr. Drannan, +will you tell me how it is that you have such a control over those +Indians? Why, I would not have ridden to meet that savage band for +anything that you could have offered me, for I should have considered +doing such a thing equal to committing suicide, and I know I should not +have come out alive." + +I said, "Very true, Capt. I don't think you would. But there is this +difference between your going to meet them and my doing so. You are a +stranger to them, and a member of the white race, which they hate. They, +not knowing who you are, are suspicious of your being on their hunting +grounds, but in my case I have known them all for years and have +accompanied them many times to their village. Whom they trust, although +he be a "pale face," they have confidence in, as they have in me. So +they are all my friends, and when I told the Chief that you and all the +company were my friends and were going with me, he or any of his braves +had no wish to trouble you." + +Capt. McKee looked at me as if he thought me something hardly human +while I explained why I was not afraid of the Indians who had just +passed, and in a moment after I had ceased speaking he said, "Can you +control all of the Comanche tribe the same as you did the band which has +just passed us?" I answered, "I certainly think I can if I have my way +about it." He answered, "If that is so, the United States Government +will be under great obligation to you." "The obligation is nothing to me +Capt., but if the men will obey my instruction I think I can pilot +the train through to Santa Fe without their having to fire a shot," I +replied. The Capt. said, "I am not acquainted with the wagon master, so +I can not say what he will do, but I will give you my word that my men +will do as you instruct them, and as soon as we meet the train I will +have a talk with the wagon master and try to influence him to submit to +being directed by you." + +The third day from this place we met the train at a place called Horse +Shoe Bend. We saw a number of bands of Indians and passed several Indian +villages on the way, but we did not come into contact with any of them. +The train was just corralling for the night when we met them, and the +most discouraged-acting men I ever saw were in that train. The wagon +master told us that the Indians had attacked the train the day before +and killed five of his men, and he said, "If this had been anything +but a Government train, I should have turned around and gone back, and +Capt., you haven't half men enough to protect this train through the +Comanche country; we have just struck the edge of it, and the Comanches +are the largest and most hostile tribe in the west, and you see that +I lost five of my herders in the Kiawah country, and they are a small +tribe beside the Comanches." + +Capt. McKee then told the wagon master what he had seen me do with a +band of Comanche warriors, and also told him what I said I could do for +the train if I had the control of the men and they would obey me. + +The wagon master turned and looked at me a moment as if he was measuring +me and then said, "Young man, do you pretend to say that you know all of +the Comanche tribe?" + +I answered, "No, sir, I do not know them all, but they all know me, and +there are hundreds of them that are particular friends of mine, and if +you are acquainted with the Indian character, you know that when an +Indian professes to be a friend he is a friend indeed, and there is no +limit to what he will do for you." + +He then asked how I proposed to handle the train and the men. I +answered, "I want the men to ride beside the wagons, and in the rear of +them with a half a dozen just a little ahead of the teams, and I will +ride alone from a quarter to a half a mile ahead, and if the men in the +rear or those on the side see any Indians advancing on the train, I want +them to notify me at once, for I want to talk with the Indians before +they get to the train, no matter whether there are a few or many of +them." + +The wagon master said, "I don't see anything to find fault with +your plans," and turning to McKee he asked what he thought of the +arrangement. Capt. McKee answered, "All that I find fault with is the +desperate chances Mr. Drannan will take in going out to meet the savages +all by himself." I said, "Capt., there is where you make a mistake. My +safety lies in my going out to meet the Indians alone, and I will assure +you and the other gentlemen that there will not be a gun fired if I can +get to the Indians before they get to the train." + +At this moment the cook said supper was ready, and it did not take long +for me at least to get to eating it, for I was very hungry. + +The wagon master, the Capt. and I messed together. The Capt. asked me +what I thought about putting out picket guards that night. I told him +that I did not think it necessary tonight, but further on the road it +might be advisable. + +We had a quiet night's rest, and everybody seemed cheerful in the +morning, and we were on the road quite early. Before we started, I asked +the wagon master how many miles he traveled in a day, and if he stopped +at noon. He answered that he was four or five days behind time now and +would like to make twenty miles a day if he could, and he thought it +would not be advisable to stop at noon while we were in the Comanche +country, but when we got clear of the Indians probably he would lay over +a day or two, and let the teams have a rest. + +Everything moved on pleasantly all that day. We did not see an Indian, +but towards evening we saw large bands of Buffalo all going south. That +night when we had got settled into camp, I told the Capt. that I would +take a ride five or six miles up the valley and see if I could find any +Indians' village or see any Indians and for them not to be uneasy about +me or look for me until they saw me. + +I had ridden perhaps three miles when I saw a large band of Indians just +going into camp. They were about a half a mile from our trail right on +the bank of the Arkansas river. I knew that they were a hunting party +because their squaws and papooses were with them, which is never the +case if the warriors are on the war path. + +I rode down among them, and as soon as the squaws saw me they commenced +to cry, "Hi-yar-hi-yar," and ran to me with extended hands, and they all +asked together if I had come to trade rings and beads. When I told them +that I would come again in four months and trade with them, they laughed +and said in their own language that they would have many Buffalo robes +ready to trade with me. As I was talking with the squaws, an Indian came +to me, one that I had known for quite a while, and invited me to his +wigwam to take supper with him and stay all night. I explained to him +that I could not accept his invitation that time and told him what I was +doing, and where I was going, but that I would return in four months and +would bring a plenty of knives and rings and beads to trade for Buffalo +robes. + +This seemed to please him very much. + +I bid them all good bye and went back to camp. It was rather late and +supper was over, but the cook had saved some for me. While I was eating, +Capt. McKee and the wagon master came to see me. The Capt. asked what I +had seen while I was gone. I said, "Capt., I saw enough Indian squaws to +keep me shaking hands for twenty minutes, and besides the squaws I saw +four or five hundred warriors and shook hands with a good many of them +and was invited to eat supper and pass the night with one of the Chiefs, +but I declined to do either, although I would have been more than +welcome." + +The Capt. asked where the Indians were, and I told him. He asked how far +from our trail their village was. I told him between half and a quarter +of a mile. He said, "Have we got to pass in full view of that Indian +village?" I answered, "Yes, sir, that is the only road that leads from +here to Santa Fe." "And do you believe that we can pass them in the +morning without being attacked by them?" he asked. I said, "Capt., if +the men will obey my instructions, there will be no danger when we +strike out in the morning. We will all travel in the same order as we +did today, except that I shall not ride so far in advance of the train, +and if the Indians start to come towards the train, I will ride out and +meet them, and the train must keep right on, as if nothing had occurred, +and I will hold the Indians until the train is out of sight, and then I +will leave them and overtake you." + +The Capt. said, "All right, Mr. Drannan, we will do as you have +directed, and if you succeed in this venture, I shall know that you have +the control over the Indians that you thought you had." + +The wagon master said that he would not feel very easy until we had +passed and were out of sight of the Indians and their village, and I +believe he spoke the truth, for he was up and had everything ready. We +were on the road by sunrise. When we were nearly opposite the Indian +village, the squaws discovered us and came running towards us in droves. +I rode out and met them and had a general hand-shaking with them, and +they wanted me to assure them that I was coming in four months to trade +with them and wanted me to go and look at some of the robes they had +dressed, which I did, and in doing so, I saw something that I had never +seen before nor have I since. It was a white Buffalo skin, and the +animal must have been a half-grown cow judging from the size of the +skin. It was the prettiest thing of the kind that I had ever seen, or +ever have since. When I was looking at the beautiful thing, I asked the +Indian that I thought it belonged to how much he would take for it. He +said it was not his, that it was his squaw's. I asked her what her price +would be, and she answered, "One string of beads." I told her to save it +for me and in four months I would come back and bring the beads to her +and take the robe. I was so interested in looking at the robes and +talking with the Indians that time passed without notice, and the first +thing I thought about it, in looking at my watch I found it was nearly +noon. I now bid the Indians good bye, mounted my horse and started to +overtake the train. When I caught up with them, I found that the Capt. +was feeling very uneasy about me, and the wagon master thought the +Indians had taken me captive. + +When I rode to the Capt's. side, he said, "This settles it. I have been +fighting the Indians for several years, and I must admit now that I +don't know anything about them, and I will confess that I was like "the +Missouri"; I had to be shown before I believed. But having seen like +them, I am satisfied that you knew what you were talking about. After +the experience of this morning, I cannot doubt that through your +friendship with the Red skins we shall get through to Santa Fe in safety +without having any trouble with them." + +That evening when we went into camp, the Capt. and the wagon master came +to me. The Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, you are so well acquainted with the +Comanche Indians, perhaps you can tell us where we shall pass their main +village and where the Indians are likely to be the most numerous." I +answered, "This is an unusually late fall, and the Buffalo are as a +consequence unusually late in going south and are more scattered than +they would be earlier in the season, and I do not think we will pass the +Comanches' main village under forty miles from here. You must understand +that the Comanches' main village is always near where the largest herd +of Buffalo cross the river, and from this on we will travel as we have +been doing; I will take the lead five or six miles in advance of the +train so that if we come on to a band of Indians or a small village I +can meet them and have a talk with them before the train gets up to +them, and Capt., I want you and the other men to keep a close look out, +and if any of you see any Indians coming towards the train from any +direction, send a runner after me at once, for I want to meet the +Indians before they get to the train." + +The next morning we pulled out early, and we traveled without +interruption all day, and we did not see an Indian and but very few +Buffalo. + +That night we camped on a little stream called Cotton Wood Creek. There +was fine water and the best of grass for the stock. That evening I told +the Capt. and the wagon boss that the three main Buffalo crossings were +within thirty miles of us, and we would probably have more trouble with +the Buffalos than we would with the Indians. "At this time of the year +it is no uncommon thing to see a herd of Buffalo from eight to ten miles +long, and from a half to a mile wide, and if we meet with such a herd, +all we can do is to stop and wait until they pass, for we could no more +get through them than we could fly over them, and, Capt., we now have +two dangers to avoid. The Indians and Buffalos. If you see a band of +Buffalo coming and I am not with you, have the wagon master corral the +train as quickly as possible, and as close as he can get them together. +I have considerable influence with the Indians, but I have none with the +Buffalos, so we must give the latter their own way and a plenty of room, +or they will tramp the train under their feet and us with it." + +We were on the road in good season the next morning, and every thing +went smoothly until about eleven o'clock in the morning, when I saw a +large band of Buffalo coming from the north and heading directly for the +river. I rode back and met the train and told the wagon master that +he must corral the train at once, and he did not have time to get it +corralled too soon before the herd was near us, and I will say I had +seen a great many large herds of Buffalo before and have since that time +but never saw anything that equaled this herd. We waited until three +o'clock in the afternoon before we could move on our journey, and after +they had all passed us, one could see nothing but a black moving mass as +far as the eyes could see. + +I asked the Capt. how many Buffalos he thought there were in that band. +He answered, "I think the number would run into millions. How many +Buffalos would it take to cover a half a mile square?" + +I thought a moment and answered, "That is a difficult question to +answer, Capt. The way they were crowded together here I believe there +would be a hundred thousand on every half a mile square." + +Capt. McKee said, "Yes, and on some of the half a mile square there +would be more than that number. I was in Texas nine years, and I saw a +great many bands of Buffalo in that time, but I had no idea that they +ever traveled in such immense bodies as the one that passed us today." + +We proceeded but a short distance that afternoon but made an early camp +on account of water. While we were at supper, I was amused at some of +the remarks made by the teamsters. One of them said, "Boys, if I live +to get home, you will never catch me any farther west than the state of +Missouri again. Who would live in such a country as this is? Good for +nothing but Indians, Buffalos, and Coyotes, and any of the three is +liable to kill you if you get out among them." And another said, "How in +creation are we going to get home? If this train don't go back, we are +sure in for it." + +The wagon boss said, "Boys, I should not think you would want to go back +over this country again." One of them said, "How would we live?" He +answered, "Why, you could go and live with the Indians, and then you +could have Buffalo meat to eat and hear the Coyotes howl all the time." + +This remark made a laugh, but I noticed one of the teamsters wiped his +eyes on his coat sleeve and got up and left the crowd, and I saw the +tears running down his cheeks. After he had gone, one of the other +drivers said, "I pity John, for he thinks he will never see his +sweetheart again. It was to get money to settle down with that brought +him out here, and now he is afraid that he will never get back, and +I believe he will go crazy if he don't get to see his girl in a few +months." + +The boss said, "It is too bad, and I will go and see if I can console +him." + +When we were ready to strike the trail the next morning, I told the +Capt. that I thought we would pass the Comanches' main village that day. +Said I, "If it is late in the afternoon when we pass the Indian camp, +it will be best to drive on four or five miles before you stop for the +night, and do not pay any attention to me, for very likely I shall be in +the middle of the camp, talking with the Chief." + +I struck out, and I had not ridden more than eight miles when in looking +off to the south I saw the Indian village. It was about a mile from the +trail on the bank of the Arkansas river. I turned my horse and went for +the village. When I was about halfway there, I met a number of young +bucks, and they all knew me. After I had shaken hands with them, I asked +where the old Chief's wigwam was, and they all went with me and showed +me where it was. As soon as I struck the edge of the village, every buck +and squaw commenced to shout and shake their hands at me. When I got to +the Chief's wigwam I dismounted, and as he came out to meet me I offered +my hand, which is always customary when one visits an Indian, be he +Chief or warrior. + +After we had talked a few minutes, he told me in his own language that I +had come too soon. He supposed I had come to trade with the Indians for +Buffalo robes. I told him that I had not come to trade this time but +would come all prepared to trade in four months. + +Then I told him what I was doing and where I was going, and I told him +that if he would tell all his Warriors to let us pass without disturbing +or molesting us in any way, I would make him a present of two butcher +knives when I came in four months to trade with them. + +This promise seemed to please him, for he said I and the pale faces with +me could go through his country and none of his Warriors would disturb +us. I told him I would want to come back with the same wagons in about +one month, and he answered, "It is well," which meant "It is all right." + +By this time there were hundreds of bucks and squaws and papooses around +the Chief's wigwam. They all thought I had come with knives and rings +and beads to trade with them. When the Chief told them that I was only +making him a visit, and that I would return in four months to trade, +they all wanted to shake hands with me, and while I was shaking their +hands, I saw the train pass along the trail, and by the time I had +shaken hands with them all it was out of sight. + +I was now about to mount my horse to follow the train when the Chief +said, "No go now, stay eat dinner." + +I knew that it would be considered an insult to refuse, so I said, "Wa +to," which means "All right." + +I staked my horse out by tying him to a sage brush and accompanied the +Chief to his wigwam, and it was not long before the squaws had a plenty +of juicy Buffalo steak broiled and ready to eat, and I have no doubt the +reader will think me a very strange person when I say that I enjoyed +that meal, which was of broiled Buffalo meat alone without even bread, +more than I would now the most sumptuous dinner that could be cooked and +spread on the finest mahogany table, and that meal was spread on the +ground in an Indian wigwam with wild Indians for companions. + +After a while, which seemed short to me, I looked at my watch and was +surprised to find that it was two o'clock in the afternoon. I bid the +Chief and his squaws good by and mounted my horse and was off in pursuit +of the train. + +I overtook them just as they were corralling for the night. As I rode +into camp, Capt. McKee met me and said, "Mr. Drannan, you must bear a +charmed life. I never expected to see you again, either alive or dead." + +I laughed and answered, "Did you think I was going to marry a squaw and +settle down in the Indian village, Capt? I thought you had a better +opinion of me than that. I will confess that I like the Indians pretty +well, but not well enough to be a squaw man." + +This answer made a general laugh and upset the gravity that was settling +on all their faces. Capt McKee then said, "Where have you been all day, +Mr. Drannan?" + +I told him I went to the Indian village which he passed and was invited +to eat dinner with the head Chief, and they made such a spread that I +like to not got away today. He said, "What could you have had for dinner +that it took all day to eat it?" I answered, "Buffalo steak straight +cooked in the most approved style." + +This answer made such a laugh that the Capt. did not ask any more +questions until he and I were alone that evening. The wagon master and +Capt. McKee asked me to take a walk with them. After we had strolled +along a while, the Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, how is it that you can go +into those Indian villages be they large or small? It seems to make +no difference to you, and the Indians do not molest you. Have you no +hesitation at all in going among the Indians?" + +I answered, "Yes sir, I would hesitate a long time before I went into +the village of some tribes of Indians, but I have no fear of the +Comanches in small bands or when they are all together, for they are all +friendly to me, and instead of hurting me they would protect me from +harm, and there is something else I can guarantee, and that is that this +train will not be molested by the Comanche Indians, either going or +coming on this trip." + +Capt. McKee said, "Where in the world could you get that guarantee, Mr. +Drannan?" + +I replied, "Capt. McKee, I got it from the head Chief of the Comanche +tribe, and his word is law with all his warriors." + +Then the wagon master spoke for the first time since we started on our +walk. He said, "In that case there is no need of all these men as an +escort, is there?" + +I answered, "That is none of my business; it is nothing to me how many +men the Government employs to escort the trains. All I have to do with +it is to do my duty." + +The Capt. inquired how I came to make such an arrangement with the +Chief. I told him that I had the idea in my mind from the beginning, and +that was the reason I wanted to go to the main village in advance of the +train, so I could arrange everything to suit myself before the train +came in sight. + +The Capt. inquired how much it cost me to get the guarantee. I said, +"The cost was considerable, but I think the teamsters will be willing +to make it up to me, considering the trouble and perhaps loss of life I +have saved them." + +The wagon boss said, "I reckon we all will want to take a hand in that +payment. Tell me what it costs, and be it ever so much, you shall not be +out a cent. I will go and see the boys right away and see if we can make +it up. How much shall I tell them?" + +I answered, "I promised the Chief two butcher knives for the safety of +this train's passage through the Comanche country, both going to Santa +Fe and coming back." + +They both stared at me as if they were amazed, and finally the Capt. +said, "What are you giving us? Are you joking or in earnest, Mr. +Drannan?" + +I answered, "I have told just what I promised to give the Chief. We did +not call it 'paying,' and I have over three months to pay it in." + +Capt. McKee said, "Two butcher knives for the safety of all our lives +and all the property in our care? How in the name of common sense could +you make such a bargain as that?" + +I answered, "There is nothing very wonderful about the transaction, +Capt. I told the Chief that I would give him two butcher knives if he +would tell his warriors not to molest the train either going or coming +back, and he accepted my offer and seemed to think himself well paid. I +told him that I would come to trade with his tribe in four months and +that I would give the knives to him then." + +Capt. McKee asked how many more villages we would have to pass through. +I told him that there were two more small villages. One was about ten +miles, and the other one about fifteen or twenty miles above us. + +He inquired if I intended to visit each of those in advance of the train +as I had the ones we had passed; I replied, "I certainly do, for they +would think themselves greatly insulted if I should visit the other +villages and pass them by without paying them a visit too. The Indians +are very much like children. If you notice one, you must pay the same +attention to the others or there will be jealousy, and that is very +much to be avoided in this case. Besides, I expect to trade with those +Indians next spring, and I want to keep on the good side of all of them. +If one gets the ill will of one Indian, the whole tribe is against one, +and if you have the Chief on your side there is no danger from the +others." + +When we returned to camp from our walk, the wagon master said, "Boys, +Mr. Drannan has hired the Chief of the Comanches to forbid his warriors +interfering with this train going to Santa Fe or when it is coming back. +Now I want to know how much money each one of you are willing to chip +in towards helping him out. You must remember that the contract he made +with the Indian Chief has not only saved the destruction of the train, +but more than likely some of us would have lost our lives if the Indians +had resented our passing through their country." + +Three drivers, all from Missouri, came forward at once and said, "Mr. +Drannan, we haven't any money now, but as soon as we draw our pay, we +will give you twenty dollars apiece as our share." + +Another man cried out, "I will give twenty-five." + +Capt. McKee frowned and said, "Don't you think your lives worth more +than twenty-five dollars, men?" + +This remark seemed to stir them up, and in less than ten minutes they +had subscribed four hundred and forty dollars. + +The Capt. clapped his hands and said, "Mr. Drannan, you are safe," and +then told the men what the real expense would be to me. The Missouri +men answered, "Don't make any difference to us what he is to pay. The +bargain he made to save our lives is what we want to pay for as far as +we can." + +I said, "Now boys, I believe that I have been instrumental in saving +some of your lives and probably the whole train, but you don't owe me a +cent of money for what I have done, and I want to say to you all that +if there should be any Indians come near the train while we are passing +through the Comanche country do not interfere with them in any way, and +you may rest assured they will not with you." + +The Capt. now turned to the wagon master and said, "How much further do +you want me and my men to accompany you?" He answered, "I will leave +that for you and Mr. Drannan to decide." + +I said, "Capt. McKee, I think you had better stay with the train until +we cross the river at Rocky Ford, which will take the train nearly out +of the Comanche country at this season of the year, and we ought to +reach Rocky Ford day after to morrow night, and as far as having an +escort is concerned, I do not think there will be any more need of one +after we cross Rocky Ford. I think the train will be perfectly safe to +go on alone under the present circumstances." + +To this neither the Capt. or the wagon master would agree, for Capt. +McKee said, "You, Mr. Drannan, have been really the only protection the +train has had, and it is no more than right that you should accompany it +through to Santa Fe. I with my men will go on to Santa Fe, and I will +report that all is well with the train, and I will also report what you +have done in protecting the lives of the men as well as the Government +property on this trip." + +The next morning we broke camp early and hit the trail in good season. +Everything went along smoothly until about two o'clock, when we came in +sight of a little Indian village. It was on the opposite side of the +Arkansas river. + +I rode to the bank of the river where I saw a number of squaws on the +other side. I waved my hand at them, and they recognized me at once and +began crying, "Hy-ar-hy-ar," and they came to the brink of the river and +waved their hands at me. I called to them that in four months I would +come with a plenty of beads and rings and knives to trade with them. +They clapped their hands and answered, "Good-good," and I turned my +horse and rode back to meet the train. + +I will here explain that all this conversation had been carried on in +the Comanches' language, as the Indians, neither bucks or squaws, could +understand a word of the English language at that time, and if I could +not have talked with them in their language, I would not have had the +influence over them that I had now. + +That night when we went into camp, Capt. McKee got off a good joke on +me. + +While we were eating supper, he said, "Mr. Drannan, I have caught on to +your tricks with the Indians. First you make love to the squaws, and +then you get the good will of the bucks by giving them knives to scalp +the white men with. I saw how you made love to the squaws today when you +were flirting with them across the river, and I saw them throwing kisses +at you too." + +I answered, "Capt., you ought to be with me when I come down here to +trade with them. You would then see the real thing. I will acknowledge +that I get all the hand-shaking that I can stand up to, but as far as +kissing and hugging is concerned, that the squaws save for their own if +they give them to anyone." + +The Capt. laughed and answered, "Well putting joking aside, Mr. Drannan, +I think the Indians of the Comanche tribe are all your friends, and no +mistake, and I see that you have a wonderful influence over them." + +I answered, "Capt. McKee, I have been trading with those Indians four +years, and I have always done just as I agreed to do with them, which +is the secret of what you call my wonderful influence over them, and I +certainly have never had any trouble with one of the Comanche Indians +yet, and I will tell you furthermore, Capt., that I intend, if I go +back with this train, to carry the knives with me and stop at the main +village and give them to the old Chief, for I do not know how soon I may +have occasion to ask another favor of him, and I feel confident that as +long as I keep his good will he will never refuse to do me a favor." + +We left this camp quite early in the morning, and all things worked +satisfactory throughout the day. We did not see an Indian and but very +few Buffalos. We reached Rocky Ford and crossed the river just before +night and went into camp, and Capt. McKee began to make preparations to +leave the train, as with his twenty men and also the twenty-seven men +who went with me from Bent's Fort he intended to strike out in the +morning for Santa Fe, where he could make his report, and the men could +receive their pay from the Government for their services on this trip. + +Before he left us in the morning, I said, "Now Capt., there is a part of +the route between here and Santa Fe which I am not familiar with, and as +the country is strange to the wagon master also, can you tell me about +the water and also tell me how many days it will take the train to reach +Santa Fe from this place?" The Capt. answered, "As for water and grass, +you will find a plenty all along the way; there is not more than four or +five miles from one stream to another, and for the time it will take to +reach Santa Fe, I figure that it will take fourteen days if everything +moves as smoothly in the future as it has done the last few days, and +now, Mr. Drannan, have you any word you would like to send to Bent's +Fort to Mr. Bent or Roubidoux? I intend to go back that way, and I will +take any message to anyone there that you would like to send." + +I said, "Tell Mr. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux that I will be at Bent's Fort +as soon as I finish this job and can get there, and that if they want me +to go and trade with the Comanches, I have everything cut and dried for +business, for I have visited all the main villages on this trip, and the +Indians are expecting to see me back in four months to trade with them." + +The men all mounted now, and we shook hands and bid each other good bye, +and the Capt. and forty-seven others struck out back across the Arkansas +river for Santa Fe by the way of Bent's Fort, while the train kept on up +the old Santa Fe trail by the picket-wire route. + +From this place I had a jolly time all the way to Santa Fe; we were in a +wild country where game was plentiful, such as Deer, Antelope, and black +Bear, and after the first day's travel there was never a night on the +trip but I had fresh meat for supper. + +I traveled along with the train until the middle of the afternoon. Then +I always asked the wagon boss what kind of meat he wanted for supper. +Sometimes he would say Antelope, and at other times he said he would +like a piece of black tail Deer, and I invariably got what he mentioned. + +We got up into the foot hills where Trinidad, Colorado now stands. The +wagon boss and I were riding along together one afternoon. I looked at +my watch and saw that it was about time to be looking for some meat for +supper. I asked him in a joking way what he would like best for supper +if he could get it. He replied that he would like a Cub Bear for a roast +tonight. Up to this time I had not seen a bear, although I had seen some +signs of them, and I had no more idea of killing a bear that evening +than I had of flying when I started out to get something for supper. + +I struck out on a low ridge that ran almost parallel with the trail. I +had gone but a short distance when I came on a patch of huckleberries, +and they certainly looked as if they might be delicious. They were the +first I had seen that year. I jumped off my horse and went to picking +and eating as fast as I could. In a few minutes my horse gave a little +snort. When I turned to see what was the matter, I saw that something +had frightened him. I went to him at once, and not over fifty yards from +him was an old she bear, and she had two cubs with her, and I thought +they, like myself, were so taken with eating berries that they had not +noticed the horse or me either. + +I took my rifle, dropped down on one knee, fired and broke one of the +cubs' necks. The mother bear ran to the dead cub and pawed it with her +foot. While she was thus engaged, I mounted my horse drew my pistol, +rode up to where the mother bear and her two cubs were in a bunch and +shot the other cub and broke this one's back, and it looked for a few +minutes as if I must run from the mother, as I did not want to kill her +for the reason that I had no use for so much meat. So I rode away a +short distance and watched her a few minutes. She pawed them over a few +times and seemed to think that they were no more good and with a few low +growls she trotted off into the brush, and I saw no more of her. + +I then rode to the dead cubs and dismounted from my horse. I picked them +up and strapped them both on the back of my saddle and struck out to +overtake the train, which I did just as they were going into camp. + +When the wagon master saw me coming, he came to meet me, and when he saw +the load on my horse's back, he exclaimed, "Mr. Drannan, I would like to +know if there is anything that you can't do that you take a notion to +do. I had no idea that you would bring in a bear this evening than I had +of doing so myself. I was only joking when I suggested bear meat for +supper." + +I answered, "Well, you had your joke, and you and the rest of us can +have Bear's Foot roasted for supper, and as I have wanted some bear meat +for several days, I can please you and myself at the same time." + +The whole outfit was amazed when I spoke about roasting the bears' feet. +They had never heard of such a thing before. When I got all the feet +roasted, I took one from the coals and told the men to help themselves. +They all gathered around me to see how I fixed it so I could eat it. +When I had it ready to eat, the wagon boss said, "Well, who ever thought +of eating Bears' Feet? But it does look nice." + +He watched me eat a few minutes and then made the remark that, as I +seemed to like it so well, he guessed he would try one, and it was not +long before the boys all had a taste of Bear's Foot. + +After he had demolished a whole foot, the wagon boss said, "I have +tasted almost all kinds of meat, but I must say that I never ate any +meat as good as Bear's Foot." + +Some of the boys asked me if I could get some more Bears' Feet for +supper the next night, and one said he would give me a dollar if I would +get a big foot for him. + +We got an early start on the road the next morning, and we traveled +along all day without anything of interest taking place. + +Along in the middle of the afternoon I told the boss that I guessed I +would go and hunt some more huckleberries. He said, "I would not exert +myself to get any more meat today if I were you. We have enough for +supper that was left over from last night." + +"Yes, but I want some huckleberries, and I will pick enough for your and +my supper if I can find them." + +I struck out and rode a mile or more, but I was not at any time more +than a half a mile from the train. I came to a little ridge. When I had +ridden to the top of it, I saw something in the way of game that was +a great surprise to me, as I had not seen any of that kind in several +years. It was a large flock of wild turkeys. I saw that they had not +discovered me as yet. I looked all around and could see no place where +they could roost except a little bunch of timber about a quarter of a +mile from where they were feeding. I got back out of sight and rode back +to the train as quickly as I could. When I overtook the train, the boss +was looking for a place to corral, and it was not long before all was in +shape for the night. + +I asked the boss if he would like to go turkey hunting that night. His +answer was that he always went turkey hunting in the daytime, when he +could see to shoot them. I asked him if he had never hunted them at +night, and he said no, and had never heard of any one else doing such a +thing. + +I said, "All right, I will go to the boys from Missouri and ask them, +for I have found a flock of wild turkeys, and I know where they roost." + +When I told the Missouri boys of my find, they were wild for the hunt. +One said, "Do I know how to hunt turkeys by night? You bet I do, and I +have a shotgun that will fetch one every pop." + +I said, "All right, you can have a chance to try your gun tonight, for +the moon will be bright tonight, and we will start right after supper, +and I think we will have some fun and all the turkeys we want besides, +for the flock was a large one that I saw this afternoon." + +When I was ready, I found eight of the boys had their guns all ready +and were waiting for me. It was not over a half a mile from camp to the +grove where I felt sure we should find the turkeys. When we reached the +edge of the timber, I said, "Now, boys, I think we had better split up +and two go together, and when any of you see a turkey, shoot him." + +In a few minutes all I could hear was "bang, bang" all around me, and +once in a while the cry "I've got one" as the hunter captured one he had +wounded. + +I spent most of my time laying at the foot of a tree, laughing and +watching the other fellows shoot and chase the turkeys, but the fun +did not last long. In a few minutes it was all over, and when the boys +gathered up their game, there were eleven turkeys, and I had not killed +a one, but I had my share of the sport in watching the others. + +We struck back for camp, all the hunters feeling proud of what they +had done. When we reached camp, we found the cook waiting for us with +everything that would hold water and stand the fire that he could get +hold of full of steaming hot water, ready to scald the turkeys, and all +the men pitched in and helped to dress them. + +When we were picking the turkeys, the boss said to the cook, "Say, John, +can't you preserve one of these birds, so it will keep until we get to +Santa Fe, and we will present it to Capt. McKee?" + +John answered, "I am afraid it would not keep, Boss. There are too many +of us in this crowd that like turkey fried in bear's grease, and after +you have had breakfast in the morning, you won't say anything more about +preserving turkeys for somebody else to eat." + +But notwithstanding this remark John kept two turkeys until we got to +Santa Fe the third day after the turkey hunt. We made the trip from +Rocky Ford to Santa Fe in thirteen days. We met Capt. McKee coming to +meet us about two miles before we reached our journey's end, and with +him was Col. Chivington, the commander of the Government Post at Santa +Fe. I was riding alone just a little ahead of the train. When I met +them, I saluted the Capt. and after we had shaken hands he introduced me +to the Col. whom I had never met before, although I had heard of him, +and he had heard of me also. + +The Col. said, "Mr. Drannan, I have been acquainted with Capt. McKee for +several years, and have known him to have been a great Indian fighter, +but he tells me that you can do more with the Comanches alone than he +could do if he had five hundred soldiers to help him. Now, there must +be some secret about this, and I would like to be initiated into it. The +Capt. tells me that you went into the Comanches' main village alone, and +I presume there were several thousand warriors there at that time, and +what seems more wonderful to me," he said, "that you staid and ate +dinner with the head Chief. Now my friend, there must be something in +this unusual transaction. Will you tell me the secret of your influence +with the red men?" + +I answered, "Col., if you were a member of a secret organization, would +you think it right to give away the secret to outsiders?" + +At this answer the Capt. laughed and slapped the Col. on the back, and +said, "Col., I reckon, you have got your match in Mr. Drannan, for I +have never asked him a question that he did not find a way to answer me +without giving me the information that I was seeking." + +Col. Chivington smiled but made no answer to the Capt. or me. + +We rode in silence a few minutes, and then turning to me the Col. said, +"Mr. Drannan, I want you to come to my quarters tonight. I have a little +business that I would like to talk with you." + +We soon got to headquarters, and as soon as the train was corralled, I +saw cook John coming to where the Col. the Capt. and I were standing, +and he had a turkey in each of his hands. + +As soon as he reached us, he handed Capt. McKee one of the turkeys, with +the remark, "Here is your supper, Capt., and yours also, Col." and he +gave the other turkey to that Col. + +They both looked at John in amazement, and the Col. said, "Thank you +very much, but where in creation did you get them?" + +John answered, "I did not get them. You must give that honor to Mr. +Drannan, and I will say that he has provided every thing good to eat, +from turkey to bear feet, since we left Rocky Ford." + +I went to Col. Chivington's quarters that evening, and as soon as we +were seated, he asked me if I intended to return with the train to +Bent's Fort. + +I answered. "I have sent word to Mr. Bent that I was coming back to the +Fort as soon as I finished my business with the train here, but I have +not asked Capt. McKee whether Col. Bent wants my services or not." + +At this moment Capt. McKee came in. I said, "Capt., what answer did Col. +Bent give to the message that I sent by you?" + +He answered, "He said he wanted you to get back to the Fort as quickly +as you can, that they want you to go to the Comanche village on a +trading trip for them." + +I turned to the Col. and said, "You see the position I am in, Col. You +must bear in mind that the train does not need an escort back to Bent's +Fort, for there are no Comanches between here and there, and I do not +see where there is anything to hinder the train in going back in perfect +safety." + +The Col. then said, "Now Mr. Drannan, what do you expect for your +trouble in piloting the train here?" + +I answered, "Col., I will leave that matter with you and Capt. McKee. He +knows what my services have been and what they were worth." + +The Capt. said, "Col., it will be impossible to ever pay Mr. Drannan +the worth of what he has done to protect the train through the Comanche +country, in not only protecting the Government property, but the lives +of the men that were with the train. So Col., you will readily understand +what a difficult matter it is to put an estimate on what his services +calls for in money." + +Col. Chivington sat in thought a few minutes and then said to me, "Mr. +Drannan, will two hundred and fifty dollars be a sufficient amount to +offer you?" + +"That will be owing to circumstances, Col. If I drop the train here it +will, but if I am required to pilot the train back through the Comanche +country, I would not think of accepting so small an amount." + +He then said, "Mr. Drannan, providing we employ you to take the train +back through the Comanche country, will there be need of any other +escort but yourself?" + +I answered, "No sir, I would much prefer to handle the Indians by myself +than to have a crowd with me." I then said, "Col., you have the control +of this train. Why don't you make a contract with Col. Bent and Mr. +Roubidoux to load the train with Buffalo robes to freight back to the +Missouri river? I believe that if you could do so, it would nearly if +not quite pay the expense of the whole trip." + +He answered, "That is something I had not thought of, but it looks as +if it might be a good scheme," and turning to the Capt. he said, "Capt. +McKee, will you return with Mr. Drannan to Bent's Fort and see if such +an arrangement can be made with Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux and report +to me as quickly as possible?" + +The Capt. answered, "Yes, if you think it best, and we want to be on the +road early in the morning if I am to make such an arrangement." + +Col. Chivington said, "Very well, I will hold the train here until I get +your report, and, Mr. Drannan, come to me in the morning, and I will +settle with you." + +The Capt. and I now left the Col's, quarters, and on the way to our own +quarters the Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, I think you were very unwise in +accepting so small an amount as two hundred and fifty dollars for your +efforts to save the lives, and more than that, think of what an expense +it would have been to the Government to fit out another train to take +the place of the one destroyed if the Indians had attacked it, which I +have no doubt they would if you had not been there to control them. A +thousand dollars is the least you ought to have accepted." + +I answered, "Capt., I thank you for your interest in me, and I will +profit by it. I have another chance with the Col. if he employs me to +take the train back through the Comanche country, which I feel confident +he will." + +The next morning we were up very early and ready to leave Santa Fe. I +went and bid the wagon boss and the other men of the train good bye and +told them of the arrangement now pending between the Col. and the +people at Bent's Fort. This news seemed to please the boys very much, +especially if I were to be their escort through the Indian country. The +wagon boss was anxious to know how soon we would know what we were +going to do. I told him we would know in eighteen or twenty days at the +outside. + +Capt. McKee and I now went to the Col's. quarters, and he paid me the +two hundred and fifty dollars I had agreed to take. As we were leaving, +the Col. said, "Mr. Drannan, if the Capt. makes the arrangement in +regard to the freighting of the Buffalo robes, where can I find you?" + +I answered, "I shall make Bent's Fort my headquarters from now on until +next spring." + +Capt. McKee and I now pulled out for Bent's Fort. He being well +acquainted with the country, we did not take any road or trail, but took +our way across the country by the most direct route, and we made good +time all the way. As well as I can remember, it was called in the +neighborhood of three hundred miles from Santa Fe to Bent's Fort, and we +covered it in seven days on this trip. + +When we landed at the Fort, Col. Bent and Mr. Roubedoux were both there. +Capt. McKee informed them what he had come for at once, and they were +more than anxious to close the deal with him, but they did not have +robes enough on hand to load the train. They then inquired how long it +would take the train to get there. The Capt. said he thought it would +take about twenty-five days; Col. Bent then turned to me and said, "Mr. +Drannan, will you take a pack train and go among the Indians and trade +for robes for us?" + +I said, "Yes, I will." He asked how many days it would take to go to +the Indian village and get back. I answered, "To go to the main Indian +village and do the trading and get back here will take fourteen or +fifteen days." + +Col. Bent asked me if I thought I could take twenty pack horses and go +to the Indian village and trade for and load them up with the help of +two men and get back to the Fort in fifteen days. I told him I thought I +could and was willing to try it anyway. "But, Col., I want you to send +the quickest and best packers in your employ to help me." He answered, +"I have two men that are number one packers, and you can rely on them in +every particular." I said, "All right, we will be off tomorrow morning." + +We commenced to pack the goods that I was to trade for the Buffalo robes +which consisted of knives, rings and beads. We put each kind in boxes by +themselves. When I thought we had enough packed to trade for what robes +the horses could carry, Col. Bent said, "Here, Will, take some more," +and he threw several knives and some rings, and a bunch of beads into +one of the boxes. "Maybe you will want a few to give some of the squaws +that are such friends to you down there. Such little gifts are never +lost among the Indians, you know, Will." + +Col. Bent then sent some of his men out to gather up the pack horses so +he could pick out enough for a train. + +The next morning Capt. McKee said he wanted to have a talk with me when +I was at leisure. I said, "Now is your time, Capt." So we started out +for a walk. We walked in silence. The Capt. seemed to be thinking. At +last he said, "Mr. Drannan, have you made any definite arrangements +with Col. Chivington regarding taking the train through the Comanche +country?" I answered, "No sir, I have not." + +"What will you charge him if you take the job?" + +I said, "Capt., I am not anxious to take the job, but if I take it, I +shall charge five hundred dollars for my services this time, and I would +like you to tell the Col. so when you go back to Santa Fe. I think this +amount will be very reasonable from the fact that there will be no +more expense. If he had to feed forty or fifty men and pay them wages +besides, he would find quite a difference, and after all, they would +be no protection to the train, and they and the drivers also would be +scalped before they had passed one Indian village. So taking all things +into consideration I think that Col. Chivington acted rather close with +me, more close than I shall allow him to do again." Capt. McKee said +that he thought my charges were very modest, and he continued, "There +is another thing I want to talk to you about, provided you go with this +train. What do you propose doing when you come back?" + +I answered, "I am open for anything that is honorable and has enough +money in it to pay me." + +He said, "I intended to make up a company soon to go down on the Pan +Handle country in Texas, and I expect to go down as far as Fort Worth. I +would like you to join me. What do you think of the idea, Mr. Drannan?" + +"What is your object in going down there, Capt.?" I asked. He said, +"Western Texas is settling up very fast, and the Apache Indians are very +bad there. They are murdering the white people every day, and something +must be done to protect them from the Red fiends. I have seen enough of +your methods with the Indians to satisfy me that you understand them and +how to manage them better than anyone I have ever met with, and I am +sure you would suit me better than anyone that I know. If you will join +me in this undertaking, the state of Texas will pay us well for what we +do towards protecting the settlers. I believe the Apache Indians are the +most vicious as well as the most treacherous of any tribe of Indians +that ever infested the frontier from the fact that they are so mixed +with the Mexicans and never have been conquered." + +I said, "Capt. McKee, if I take the train back and you are not gone when +I come back here, I will join you in this trip to Texas, or if you will +leave word where I can find you, if it is within two or three hundred +miles of here, I will come to you." + +We turned back to the Fort with the understanding that, in case he left +the Fort without me, he would leave word where I could come to him. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +The next morning my packers and myself were up early and ready to be off +for the Indian village. I told the boys to be sure and take a plenty of +rope as all the hides would have to be baled before they could be packed +on the horses. One man said, "I have four sacks full of rope, and I +reckon that will be enough." + +Col. Bent asked me how many hides I thought I could pack on the horses. +I told him I could put twenty hides on each horse, and that would make +four hundred and forty hides in all. He said, "That would be a big load, +and I am afraid you cannot do it. Besides, it is early in the season for +the Indians to have so many robes. But do the best you can, and I shall +be satisfied." I bid the Col. and Capt. McKee good bye, and we were off. + +The second night out we camped near a little village. I told the boys to +get supper, and I would go over to the village, and have a talk with the +Indians. As soon as the Indians saw me, they thought I had come to trade +with them. I told them that I was on the way to the main village and for +them to come there tomorrow, and I would be ready to trade with them. + +[Illustration: The next morning we struck the trail for Bent's Fort.] + +We landed at the main village about noon the next day, making the trip +in a half a day less than I had planned to do. We camped near the old +Chief's lodge. The boys commenced to get dinner, and I took the two +knives that I had promised the Chief and went to his wigwam. I greeted +him with a handshake and handed him the knives wrapped in a paper. He +opened the package, and I never saw such a smile on a face before as the +one that beamed on that Indian's. He examined the knives carefully, and +then he told me how proud he was of them and said in his own language he +would always be white brother's friend. + +I told him that I would be ready to trade with his people the next +morning and asked him to inform them of the fact. + +The boys had dinner ready when I went back to our camp. I told the boys +when I would commence to trade with the Indians, and that I wanted them +to be in readiness to begin packing the robes as soon as the Indians +gave them to me. + +That afternoon I went around among the wigwams and visited the Indians, +and they seemed as pleased to see me as children are with a new toy. I +showed the squaws the rings and beads I had with me, and I showed the +knives to the braves also, and they could hardly wait until morning to +trade their Buffalo robes for them. + +The squaws showed me the robes they had dressed since I was there the +last time, and I saw that they were in a fine condition. + +The next morning they commenced coming very early, hardly giving me time +to eat my breakfast, and I fixed my price when I bought the first robe, +which was one string of beads for one robe, or two rings or one butcher +knife, and the reader can rest assured that the Indians kept me busy +handing out my goods and taking the robes in payment for them. + +About noon one of the packers came to me and said, "Will, I think you +have all the robes the horses can carry." I told him to count them, and +then we would know, and in a short time he came back with the report +that we had bought four hundred and eighty-nine robes. I said, "That is +a few more than we can find a place for, isn't it?" + +He said, "I reckon we can get them all on, and we will finish baling as +soon as we can, but don't trade for any more," and the boys certainly +did prove themselves to be expert balers as well as packers. + +The next morning as they finished packing a horse, I had to hold him, +and so on until the horses were all packed. It was my job to take care +of them, and when the horses were all ready for the trail, they surely +were a sight to look at. Each horse was completely covered. All there +was to be seen of him was his head and his tail. + +The next morning amidst the lamentations of the Indians because we could +not exchange more of our goods for robes, we struck the trail for Bent's +Fort, and we had the extraordinary good luck to cover the distance in +three days, and Col. Bent, and Mr. Roubidoux were very much surprised to +see us, as well as pleased. + +They did not expect to see us in four days more, and when I told them +how many hides we had brought, they were more than pleased. Col. Bent +said, "Did you have any goods left over?" + +I answered, "Yes sir, almost enough to have loaded another pack train." + +He said, "Well, well, Will, you can have all our trading to do whenever +you want it." + +I asked the Col. when he expected the train from Santa Fe. "I don't +think it will be here under four or five days," he answered, "and I want +you to make yourself at home and be easy until the train comes. You have +done enough to lay over awhile, and the rest won't hurt you." + +The fourth morning after this I was saddling my horse to ride out on the +trail and see if I could see anything of the Government train when Col. +Bent asked me where I was going. I told him I was going to see if the +train was in sight, "and what is more important to me, I want to find +out whether I am going to escort the train through the Comanche country +or not." + +Col. Bent said, "I thought that was understood. If I thought you were +not going to be the escort, I certainly would not trust my freight with +the train." + +I said, "Col. Bent, I have not made any positive bargain with Col. +Chivington, and after Capt. McKee tells him what I said about the price +I intend to charge him for my services this trip, he may decide not to +employ me." + +Col. Bent said, "Would you be offended if I asked you how much money +Col. Chivington paid you for that work, Will?" + +I said I would not, and I then told Col. Bent the whole transaction, and +I also told him what I would charge to escort the train back through the +Comanche country, and that I would take the whole responsibility myself +without any helpers. Col. Bent said, "Col. Chivington was not fair to +you in offering you so small a sum for what you done to protect the +Government property, not speaking of the lives you probably saved +from the savages' arrows or tomahawks, and I think you charge a very +reasonable price if you undertake the job over again and you don't want +any one to help you, for they might upset all of your plans by doing +something to anger the Indians." + +I answered, "Well, Col. I will soon settle the matter if I meet the +train." + +I then struck out and had ridden perhaps ten miles when I met Capt. +McKee and the wagon master coming just ahead of the train. + +Capt. McKee said, "Why, Mr. Drannan, I thought you were at the Indian +villages trading for Buffalo robes." + +I told him that I had been to the Indian village and bought all the +robes we could pack back to Bent's Fort and had been waiting for the +train to come four days. + +Capt. McKee said, "And I expected to have to wait for you four days." I +said, "Now tell me what Col. Chivington had to say about my escorting +the train." + +The Capt. laughed and said, "After the Col. had studied the matter over +for about twenty-four hours, he came to the conclusion that he could do +no better than employ you. So the job is yours, and Mr. Drannan, can you +tell me just about how long you will be gone so I can lay my plans to +meet you here at Bent's Fort?" + +I said, "Capt., I want about twenty-five days to complete the trip, and +as soon as I return, Capt, I will be ready to join you in the expedition +to Texas, and Capt., I would like for you to bring my pay here so +I shall not have to go to Santa Fe after it when I come back from +escorting the train." + +He answered, "I will arrange the matter so Col. Bent will settle with +you here." + +The next morning Col. Bent had his men commenced to load the train, and +they put the entire day in this business. That evening the Col. said to +me, "Will, if you had a half a dozen more hides, we could not have put +them on the wagons." + +When we were all ready to pull out, Col. Bent said, "Now Will, I want to +give you some presents to give to the squaws." + +We went into the store room, and he gave me a dozen butcher knives, +saying, "The bucks will be jealous if they don't have something too," +and he gave me a dozen rings, and a hand full of strings of beads and +said, "Now, Will, you can give these trinkets where you think best and +the knives too. I know the Comanche Indians are all friendly to you, but +these little trifles will cement their friendship." + +I bid everybody at the Fort good bye, and we were off on the journey +east. + +Everything passed along smoothly for the next two days. We did not see +an Indian, and nothing happened to interfere with our progress. The +third evening we went into camp near a small Indian village. I rode +over to see the Indians and took a couple of knives and a few rings and +strings of beads with me. When I entered the village, I inquired where +the Chief's wigwam was. A couple of young bucks showed me where it was. + +As soon as I saw the Chief, I knew him at once. He was "White Bird," and +he had not met me in a year, but he recognized me as quickly as I did +him. He invited me into his wigwam and asked me to eat supper with him, +which was ready in a short time. As we sat eating, two young squaws came +into the wigwam, and White Bird said they were his sisters. I took out +a butcher knife and gave it to him, and I gave a string of beads to his +squaw and one to each of his sisters. They all jumped up and commenced +to dance, and I think they kept it up for half an hour. Then White Bird +said in the language of his race, "White Bird and all the Indians of the +Comanche tribe always be pale face brother friend." + +His sisters said they had some skins of the young dog which they would +tan and give to me so I could make some new clothes for myself. + +The train pulled out from there, and the third day we came to the main +village. Before the train went into camp for the night, I told the wagon +boss that I was going to the Indian village and that he need not expect +to see me before midnight as I was going to have a good time with the +Indians. + +I gave my horse into the herders' care and struck out on foot for the +Indian village, which was about a half a mile from our camp. Before I +reached the Chief's wigwam, I met several Indians, and they accompanied +me to the Chief's lodge. Chief Light Foot saw me before I did him and +commenced to shout at the top of his voice, and as I reached his wigwam +the Indians were coming from every quarter. + +As soon as Light Foot and I had shaken hands, he said, "Stay to supper, +and we have a peace smoke and peace dance tonight." + +By the time we had finished that meal there was a dozen or more of his +uncle Chiefs at the wigwam, and we took our places for the peace smoke. + +I will explain to the reader what the peace smoke is. We all took seats +in a circle around the head Chief. He lighted the peace pipe, which is +a special pipe kept to use on these occasions alone. He took the first +whiff himself, blowing it up into the air, and the second whiff he blew +into my face. I being his guest of honor, I sat at the right of him. The +third whiff he blew into the face of the Chief who sat on his left, and +then he passed the pipe to me. I went through the same performance and +passed the pipe to the next, and so the pipe went around the circle +until all had smoked, and in all the time this smoking was going on +there was not a smile or a grunt or a word spoken. Every motion was in +the most solemn way throughout the whole performance. As the last one +finished smoking, he passed the pipe to the head Chief, and all of the +Chiefs sprang to their feet and shook hands with me, from the head Chief +down, and the peace smoke was over. + +I will say here for the instruction of the reader that the Indians never +held a peace smoke with others than the members of their own tribe, +without they had perfect confidence in the outsider, who always occupied +the seat of honor at the right side of the head Chief of the tribe. + +After the peace smoke was over, everybody left the wigwam and everyone, +Chief, warriors, and squaws, all joined in the peace dance, I of course +taking a part with the rest. I never knew how many took a part in the +dance that night, which is always danced in a circle, and every Indian +has his or her own way of dancing, and all, old and young, male and +female, that take a part are singing. + +It would be impossible to explain to the people of this age so they +would understand just what a peace dance is and how the people who took +part in it looked with the camp fires throwing their lurid light through +the darkness of the forest, lighting up the savage faces of the red men, +and the not-much-less wild faces of the squaws. It was a strange sight +then. How much more strange it would look to the people of this later +civilization. + +The dance lasted half an hour or more, and all the Indians of both sexes +then shook hands with me. I shook the Chief's hand last of all, and as +I did so, I gave him the other knife I had brought with me. He took it +and, brandishing it over his head, he shouted as loud as he could yell, +which was a signal for all the others to yell too and shake their hands +towards me. By my giving these knives to the head Chief of the tribe, I +cemented the friendship of him and through him of the whole tribe more +than I should if I had presented each one of his warriors with a knife. + +Amidst the yells of the warriors and their squaws, I left them and +walked back to camp, well satisfied with what I had done towards +protecting the train as it passed through the Comanche country, for I +knew we would not have any trouble with the Indians of that tribe. + +The wagon boss and several of the drivers were sitting at the fire +waiting for me. As I came up to the fire, the wagon boss said, "What in +the name of common sense was the racket about? Why, some of the time +this evening there was such a noise over there that we could not hear +ourselves think, much less talk." + +I answered, "Why, I was just having a good dance with the squaws, and as +they all wanted to dance with me first, they made a little noise over +it." + +He asked, "How many squaws were there in the dance?" and I told him I +reckoned there were about a thousand in the crowd. + +"And did you dance with a thousand squaws?" he inquired. + +I answered, "Why, I certainly could not show any partiality there, could +I?" + +He said, "Well, if you have danced with that many squaws, I guess you +are tired enough to sleep sound." + +So we bid each other good night and turned in, and in a few moments +silence reigned over the camp. + +We pulled out of this camp the next morning and did not see an Indian +for the next three days. On the third evening, as we were getting ready +to camp for the night, I discovered a small band of Indians coming +directly towards us. I told the wagon master where to corral the train, +and I then left him and rode on to meet the Indians. As I drew near +them, I saw that I knew them all. They were a small band of Comanches, +and when I met them they told me that they had been on a visit to the +Kiawah tribe and were hurrying to get back to the main Comanche village. +I told them of the peace dance I had taken a part in at the main village +a few nights before, and they expressed much regret that they had missed +the fun. + +I asked them if there were many more of their tribe down the country +they had come from. They answered, "No more Comanches that way, all +gone to village," which proved to be a fact, for we did not see another +Comanche Indian on this trip. + +I remained with the train four days after this, and, seeing that my +services were no longer needed, I told the wagon master that the train +was out of danger, as we had passed through the Comanche country, and +there would be nothing to interfere with their progress, so I would +leave them the next morning. + +In the morning, when the wagon boss told the men that I was going to +leave them, a number of them came to me and insisted on my taking at +least ten dollars from each of them in payment for the bargain I had +made with the Comanche Chief regarding the passage of the train on its +way to Santa Fe. + +Of course, I did not accept their hard-earned money. I told them that +I was glad of the privilege of saving their lives. And besides, the +Government would pay me for my services. + +Cook John had a nice sack of bread ready for me, and I accepted his gift +gladly. I bid them all good bye and struck out for Bent's Fort, and it +was about as lonesome a journey as I ever made in my life. I avoided the +Indian villages when I could, for I knew that the Indians would take +more of my time than I could spare if I stopped at all. + +I made a rule with myself when I first left the train to ride eight +hours and then stop and let my horse rest and feed four hours. This rule +I followed day and night, except a few times I overslept, but I gave my +horse his feed and rest just the same, and I was back at Bent's Fort on +the twenty-third day after leaving there with the train. + +The next morning after I got there, Capt. McKee arrived, and he was very +much surprised to find me there before him. He had made arrangements for +Col. Bent to pay me for piloting the train through the Comanche country, +and Col. Bent settled with me that day. The next morning Capt. McKee and +I began our preparations for our journey to Texas. He had thirty-two +men with him when he came to the fort, and eight more joined us there, +making forty in all. Each man had two saddle horses, and there was one +pack horse to every four men. Everything being ready, we left Bent's +Fort on what would be considered in these days of rapid transit a long +and tiresome journey on horse back, over trackless mountains and plains, +through valleys, across rivers, in danger of attacks from wild animals +and still wilder red men. + +I think we traveled between four and five hundred miles without seeing +a white person. We camped and lay over one day to give our horses rest +where the thriving little city of Amarillo now stands. At that time we +had no idea that vast prairie would ever be inhabited by the white race. +That part of Texas was the greatest country for Antelope at the time I +am speaking of that I had ever seen. Some days we saw a thousand or more +Antelope in one drove. + +We now began to see plenty of Indian signs all along where we traveled. +There were no roads or trails to guide us. We had traveled down what +is now called the Pan Handle country, to where the city of Bowie now +stands, before we saw a white person after we left Bent's Fort. We met +three men there. They were going around through the country hunting for +men to assist them to look after a settlement that had been attacked by +the Indians the night before. They did not know what tribe had made the +attack. Capt. McKee said, "We will go with you and assist you if you +will lead us to the place." + +We all struck out with the men, and after riding perhaps five miles, we +came to the settlement and found that one man had been killed and all +the horses and cattle belonging to the people had been driven off. + +Capt. McKee asked if they knew what tribe of Indians had made the +attack. They answered that they did not know, as it was very dark when +the Indians first came, and they could not see them, but they had a +skirmish with them, and one man was killed, and the Indians drove the +horses and cattle off in a southerly direction. The Capt. asked me if +I thought it would be best to follow the savages and try to take the +horses and cattle away from them. + +I said, "Capt., these people have lost everything they had to depend on +to get a living, and what will they do if someone does not do something +to help them? And all the way to do that is to get their horses and +cattle and return them to the owners." + +He answered, "Well, if you will take the lead and do the scout work, we +will strike the trail of the Red devils at once." + +I said, "All right, Capt., you pick out two good men to assist me, and +we will be off at once, for the sooner we are after them the quicker we +may overhaul the Red murdering thieves." + +In a few minutes the Capt. came to me, and with him were two men. He +said, "These men say they are willing to do all they can to help." I +said, "I will take the lead, and don't you pay any attention to my +movements. You take the trail and follow it as long as you can see +it, and when it is too dark to see, go into camp, and if I locate the +Indians, whether they are in camp or on the move, I will inform you at +once." + +It was in the middle of the afternoon when we pulled out on the trail of +the Indians. After following them eight or ten miles, I decided in my +mind that there were not more than forty Indians in the band we were +after. + +I said, "Now boys, if we catch these Indians in camp, we can wipe them +out and not leave one of them to tell the tale. We have a bright moon +tonight, and their trail is so fresh and plain there will be no trouble +in following it." + +One man asked if I thought we could overtake the Indians in their first +camp. I answered, "I think we can, for the Indians will have no fear of +being followed and will not be in a hurry and will be off their guard." + +We pushed on until about eleven o'clock in the night when we rode up +on a little ridge, and, on looking down in the valley beyond, we saw +several camp fires, but they were burning very dimly. + +I said, "Boys, there are your Indians, and I want one of you to stay +here and hold the horses, and the other to go with me, and we will +investigate the matter," and said to the man that we left with the +horses, "If you hear the report of a gun, mount your horse and lead ours +to us at once, for the gun shot will be a signal that we are in trouble +and want you to assist us." + +My companion and I crawled down near the camp fires, and we saw that all +the Indians were lying around the fires asleep, but they were scattered +about so that I could not count them. + +I whispered to my companion, "Now let us find the stock." + +We crept down a little further and found the horses and cattle all +feeding quietly, and they were all bunched up together. We went back to +the man who had the horses. I told him to mount his horse and take the +trail back until he met Capt. McKee and to tell him what we had found, +and if it was possible for him to get here by daybreak to do so, "for if +we can all be together before daylight, I think we can capture the whole +outfit without losing a man." + +He mounted his horse and was off at once. He had been gone perhaps an +hour, and my comrade and I were sitting talking, when he raised his hand +and said, "Hush, I hear something." + +"What did it sound like?" I said. + +"Like a horse snorting," and he pointed up the trail the way the Capt. +should come. We sprang to our feet and listened, and in a minute more we +heard the tramp of the horses' feet. We quickly mounted our horses and +went to meet them. I told the Capt. what we had found and what position +the Indians were in. + +He said, "Mr. Drannan, what do you think is the best way to attack +them?" I answered, "It is the easiest thing to do imaginable Capt., if +we only work the thing right. Dismount all but ten of the men, and we +will crawl down and surround the Indians and not fire a shot until +daybreak or till they commence getting up, and when we that are on foot +commence firing, the ten on horseback must charge down the hill, and if +any of the Indians escape our bullets, the mounted men must follow them +and shoot them down. When the Indians find that the Whites are after +them, they will make a rush for their horses, and that is the time for +the mounted men to get their work in." + +The Capt. thought a few minutes and then said, "I believe your plan is a +grand idea, and we will follow it." + +He selected the ten men and then asked me where he should place them. I +showed him where I thought was the best place for them to stand. I then +pointed to the place where the stock was still feeding and said, "Now +boys, when you make your charge on the Indians, charge down between the +stock and the fires, and by doing so you will catch the Indians as they +run for their horses, and be sure and get every one of them. Don't let +one get away." + +Everything being understood, we that were on foot commenced to crawl +down towards the sleeping Indians' camp. The day was just beginning to +break when we got fixed in our positions around them, and it was nearly +sunrise before any of the savages crawled out of their blankets. As soon +as the first one got out, we shot him down, and we continued to shoot as +long as an Indian remained alive. The men on horseback gave a yell and +made the charge. When they reached Capt. McKee, one of the horsemen +said, "Where is our part of the fight? We didn't get any chance to fire +a shot." + +The Capt. answered, "It is all over, boys. You will have to wait for the +next time for your shot, for I do not think one of this band is alive +for you to shoot at. It was one of the quickest-won battles I was ever +engaged in," and turning to me the Capt. said, "Mr. Drannan, you ought +to join the army, for you would make a first-class General, and I am +sure would always lead your men to victory in Indian warfare any way." + +We now led our horses down to the Indian camp and staked them out to +get their breakfast from the juicy grass that was very abundant in the +valley, and then we began to think that we were very hungry ourselves. +We had not had a bite to eat since the morning before, and the hard +day's ride and no supper and the all-night vigil had about used us up. + +Capt. McKee said, "Come, boys let's get some breakfast, for I for one am +nearly starved, and we will lay over here until tomorrow morning and let +our horses rest and get a little rest ourselves." + +After we had satisfied our hunger with a slice of Antelope broiled over +the fire and some bread and a cup of coffee, Capt. McKee said to me, +"Let us look around and see how many dead Indians we can find." + +We struck out together, and we counted thirty-eight, and not one of them +had got ten feet from where he had slept, and all their blankets lay +just as they had crawled out of them. + +I said at the time, and I think now, that that was the most accurate +shooting and with the least excitement of any Indian fight I was ever +in. It seemed as if every man was as cool as if he was shooting at +prairie dogs, and every shot hit the mark. We did not touch the dead +Indians but left them as a warning to others who might come that way. We +next looked after the stock. By examining the horses, we found that they +tallied with the number of Indians, for every horse that belonged to the +Indians had a hair rope around his neck, which was a custom followed by +all the Western Indians at that time, as by marking a half hitch around +the horse's nose he made a bridle of it. + +We found twenty-two horses and thirty-two head of cattle that the +Indians had stolen from the white settlers. Capt. McKee looked the +horses over that had belonged to the Indians and said, "Those are the +most valuable horses that I ever saw in the possession of the Indians. +They are all good stock, and we will get a good price for them if we +take them to Fort Worth, for good horses bring good money there." + +When we returned to camp, we saw that two of the young men had their +horses saddled. The Capt. asked them where they were going. One of them +answered that, as they did not earn any of the honor that morning in +killing Indians, they would try to kill some deer for supper, as they +knew they would enjoy a piece of good, fat venison and thought the +others would, and they believed there was plenty of deer all around +there. + +Capt. McKee and I spread our blankets and laid down to try and make up +for some of the sleep we had lost while in pursuit of the Indians. + +About three o'clock one of the boys came and woke us up, saying they had +some fine venison all cooked and ready for supper, and that was one of +the times that I enjoyed a venison roast. It was as fat and tender as a +young chicken. + +The next morning we pulled out of there bright and early, and it took us +two days to make it back to the settlement that the Indians had robbed +and in whose behalf Capt. McKee and I had gone out to punish the +thieves, with what success the reader already knows. + +As soon as we landed, we sent word to all that had been robbed to come +and get their stock. Each owner came and claimed what belonged to him, +and when all had taken what they said belonged to them, there were still +four horses left unclaimed. These horses we never found an owner for, so +we kept them ourselves. The settlers whose property we had returned to +them now met and came to find out how much we intended to charge them +for what we had done for them. We knew that these people were all poor, +and we told them that they might give us what they could afford to pay +without distressing themselves. They made up one hundred and forty-four +dollars and gave it to us, which was a much larger sum than we expected +to receive. After thanking them for their generous payment and refusing +their invitation to stay with them longer, we bid them all good bye and +continued on our journey to Fort Worth, which had been interrupted by +the Indian raid on the settlement. + +We had ridden to within ten miles or so of Fort Worth when we met an old +acquaintance of Capt. McKee. His name was Reese. There were two other +men with him, and they all three wanted to purchase horses. They +examined all the horses we had, and then they asked Capt. McKee what we +would take for the entire lot. The Capt. asked me what I thought would +be a fair price. I answered, "Let the men make an offer before we set a +price." + +When the Capt asked them what they would give for them, they said they +would give a hundred dollars apiece for them if we would help them drive +the horses to Dallas. + +I told the men that we would let them have the whole bunch and help +drive them to Dallas for a hundred and ten dollars apiece. The three men +rode off a few yards and consulted together a few minutes. When they +came back, they said they would take the horses on my terms. + +Capt McKee then told his men to go on to Fort Worth and go into camp, +and he told them where to camp and to wait for us and we would come to +them as soon as we could. The Capt. then told Mr. Reese to lead on and +we would follow. + +We drove the horses to Dallas without any trouble and delivered them at +Mr. Reese's stable. He paid us the money for them, and we lost no time +in pulling out for Fort Worth. It was thirty-two miles from Dallas to +Fort Worth, and we passed two houses on the way from there to Fort Worth +at the time of which I am writing. I think there were about fifty houses +in Fort Worth. I do not know the number there were at Dallas. The place +was somewhat larger, but it was a small town. + +[Illustration: I took the lead.] + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +When we reached Fort Worth, the news met us that the Indians were on the +war path in western Texas and were raiding all the white settlements, +killing the people and driving off their stock throughout all that part +of the state. + +We laid in a supply of provisions and tobacco, enough to last three +months, and struck the trail for western Texas. The fourth day after +we left Fort Worth, we came to a settlement, and all the people were +natives of Tennessee, and as that was my native state, I soon made many +friends. + +The people of the settlement had met together that morning to try to +plan some way to stop the depredations of the Indians, but they did not +know what to do or where to commence, and they were glad to see the +Capt., he being well known as an Indian fighter all over Texas. + +When they asked him what he thought best to be done, he said that he +could not advise them what to do, but he had come to that part of the +State to protect the settlements from the outrages of the savages for +the next six months. + +We rode to the edge of the settlement and went into camp, thinking we +would stay there until towards evening. We had just eaten our dinner +when two of the settlers came to our camp and in a very excited manner +told us that a small band of Indians had just gone into camp a few miles +from the settlement. + +We asked them how they got the news. They said that two of the men had +been out hunting and saw the Indians when they went into camp. + +We told these men to go and bring the men who'd seen the Indians' camp +so we could get all the particulars from them. In a few moments the +hunters were with us. I asked them how far the Indians' camp was from +the settlement. + +"Not over five miles," one of them said. I asked which way the Indians +had come from and if there were any squaws with them. The answer was +that the Indians had come from an eastern direction and there were no +squaws with them, and they were driving quite a large band of horses. + +Capt. McKee said to me, "What do you think of it?" + +I said, "Capt., I am afraid they will move again before night, but I +want one of these men to go and show me where the Indians are, and I +will locate their camp tonight, and we can get every one of them and the +horses too." + +Capt. McKee said, "That is a good idea. How many men do you want to go +with you?" + +I said, "Give me the two men that went with me on the other Indian +hunt." + +In a little while my men and I were off. I told the Capt. to stay in +that camp until he heard from me, which would be before dark. + +We had ridden between four and five miles when we came to a little +ridge, and, stopping and pointing to a little bunch of timber, my guard +said, "The Indians' camp is there." + +We dismounted, and, taking one man with me, I crawled to the top of the +hill and looked over, and sure enough, there was a small band of Indians +squatted around their camp fire, smoking and talking and apparently not +fearing any danger. + +I told my companion to count them, and I would count too, and we might +find out how many there were. I crawled around in the brush keeping out +of sight, and I counted forty-eight, and my men made out fifty-one. We +crept along on the ridge to see if we could find out how many horses +the Indians had with them, but we could not count them, although I was +satisfied that there were at least a hundred horses feeding in the +valley. Some few of them were staked out, but the most of them were +feeding where they chose. + +We went back to our horses, and I told the boys to take the horses to +a little ravine which was a short distance from us and to find a place +where they could not be seen and to stay with them until they heard from +me, for I intended to watch the Indians, and if they did not move before +sundown I would send one of them to the Capt. + +I went back to the edge of the ridge where I could see the savages and +watch their movements. They sat and lay around on the grass until nearly +sunset when a few of them went to the horses that were staked out and +commenced to move them to fresh places to feed, which convinced me that +they intended to stay where they were that night. I crept down the ridge +to the ravine where the boys were with our horses and told one of them +to go back to Capt. McKee and tell him we had found the Indian camp, and +that the Indians intended to stay the night where they were, and that I +wanted him and the rest of the men to come to me, but not before ten or +eleven o'clock that night. + +The other man and I led our horses further up the ridge and hitched +them, and we then crawled to the top, where we could watch the Indians +and not be seen by them. It was not nine o'clock before all the savages +had turned in for the night. Seeing that we could now leave the Indians +to their slumbers in safety, my companion and I now mounted our horses +and struck out to meet the Capt. and his men. We had ridden perhaps a +mile when we met the company. I told Capt. McKee how many Indians there +were in the band and how many horses they had with them. He said, "Can +we take as good advantage of this outfit as we did of the other one?" + +I said, "I think we can, only there are more of them to fight in this +band, but as far as the ground is concerned we have all the advantage, +and we had better station ourselves around them just as we did before +and wait for daybreak, or until the Indians begin getting up." + +"Shall we have a reserve on horseback as we did before?" he asked. + +I told him I did not think it would be necessary in this case. We could +get between the Indians and their horses, and if they started to run for +their horses as they surely would, they would put themselves into our +clutches. And besides, this way would be more pleasing to the men, as +they all would have the same chance to shoot Indians alike and could +find no grounds to murmur, as they had the last fight. + +We rode to within a quarter of a mile of the Indian camp, dismounted and +hitched our horses, and we all got near together, and I explained to all +the boys the position that all the Indians were in, and also where the +horses were. + +I took the lead, and we crawled down and took our stations around the +sleeping Indians' camp. When every man was stationed and ready for the +Capt's. word to proceed to business, Capt. McKee crawled to the place +where I was waiting and whispered, "Why not make the charge at once? +I will go around and tell the boys, and we will begin the attack with +knives. I could kill a half a dozen Indians before the others are +aroused, and when the others begin getting up, pull our pistols and +finish them before they are fairly awake, and don't let any of them get +away. When you see me in among them it will be your time to begin." + +He left me as silently as he had come, and I waited, hardly breathing, +till I saw his form outlined among the shadows, as the full moon +flickered through the branches of the trees. + +As soon as the Capt. reached the Indians, every man sprang for the +nearest one, and it was a lively little fight for me at least. The first +two Indians I struck never gave a grunt, for I nearly severed their head +from their bodies. The third one, as I made for him, shouted, "Woughe," +and sprang to his feet. I hit him on the back of the neck, but I gave +him the third blow before he went down. Just as he doubled up, I saw +another coming directly for me, running at full speed. I jerked my +pistol, and when he was in a few feet of me I fired, and he fell, and +now I could hear the pistols firing thick, and fast, but no more Indians +came near me, and the fight lasted but a few minutes longer. One of +our men had a hand-to-hand fight with an Indian. They both fought with +knives. I did not see the fight, although they must have been near me, +and he was the only man that was wounded in the fight, and he was only +slightly wounded. He told me that the first he saw of the Indian he was +right before him brandishing his long knife, and he said, "I had to work +lively for a little bit, you may rest assured, but I finally got a lick +at his short ribs, and then I gave him another on the back of the neck +and that got him." + +As soon as the pistols ceased firing, Capt. McKee came to me and said, +"I think we have got them all." + +I said, "Now Capt., call the boys together and see if any are wounded." + +He stepped out a little ways and called to the men. "If anyone is hurt, +report to me at once, so we can attend to you." + +No one came to us but the one I have spoken about. He was cut on one +arm and had a slight cut on one shoulder. The Capt. said, "Now boys, go +around to every dead Indian and take every knife and anything else that +you can find that is of any value and bring them here and lay them in a +pile," and then he gave me a title when he said, "The scout and I will +go and see about the horses." + +Capt. McKee gave me this title in fun that night, but he little thought +that years after that night I would win the right to not only be called +a scout but would have the honor conferred on me of "Capt., Chief of +scouts." + +We went to where the horses were feeding, but they were so mixed that we +could not count them. After we had looked at some of them, the Capt., +said, "I wonder where the Indians stole them. Such fine horses are not +found every where. Perhaps after daylight we may discover some brand +that will show whom they belong to." + +We went back to the Indians' camp and saw that the boys had gathered up +all that belonged to them. Each one of them had had a nice blanket and +nearly all of them had butcher knives. The Capt., said, "Now we will get +our horses and stake them out so they can feed, and we will get to our +blankets and try to get a few hours rest, for I am dead tired, and I +reckon the rest of you boys don't feel any better." + +It was nearly sunrise when I opened my eyes in the morning, and there +were only a few others stirring, and I was not long in getting something +to eat, for I had not broken my fast since noon the day before. In a +short time all the men were cooking their breakfast and as soon as the +meal was over Capt. McKee asked me what we should do with those horses. +I told him, we could not fight Indians and care for a band of horses at +the same time. We must drive the horses some where and sell them, and I +think we had better go back to Fort Worth, and if we can not dispose of +them there we can take them to Dallas. + +The Capt. then called four of the men to us and told them to go out +where the horses were and count them and to be sure and get the right +number. They were gone about an hour, and when they came back they said +there were one hundred and twenty horses out there, and one of the men +said, "Some of those horses are of the finest breed that I ever saw, and +nearly all of them have been broke to the harness, for I could see the +marks where the collars have rubbed the hair off their shoulders, and +I bet those Indians drove those horses hundreds of miles, maybe from +Kansas or Arkansas, and they and the horses being so tired was the +reason that the Indians stopped here to rest." + +Capt. McKee and I went back and took another look at the horses, and we +found them to be much better horses than we had thought them to be, but +we could find no brand on them or any thing that would show whom they +belonged to. This convinced us that they had been stolen from farmers. +As the horses showed that they had been driven hard and we thought +a long distance, we decided to stay over one day as the grass was +plentiful and a stream of pure, cool water ran a few feet from where +they were feeding. + +Three of the other men and myself went hunting, and we killed six +Antelope and were back in time to cook some for dinner. Capt. McKee +and I cooked dinner together that day, and while we ate he told me the +conditions he had hired the men to work under. He said he had guaranteed +them twenty-five dollars a month, and each man was to pay his portion +of the grub bill. "So you can see that the men have no share in these +horses, and what we can make out of the sale Of them belongs to you +and me alone. And I think we had better pull out for Fort Worth in the +morning, and try to dispose of them there." + +So the next morning we pulled out, the Capt. and I taking the lead, and +the men driving the horses after us. + +The evening of the fourth day we reached Fort Worth. + +That night we camped a little south of where the Union depot now stands. + +The next morning Capt. McKee and I rode into the town to see if we could +find a purchaser for our horses. We found a number of men who wanted +horses, but each man only wanted a few. Of course, the first question +was what price we asked for them. The Capt. and I had set the price at +one hundred and twenty-five dollars apiece, which we considered very +cheap for such fine stock. + +We talked with a number of men, and a few of them said they would come +to our camp and look at the horses. So we rode back, and by noon we had +sold half of our horses. I heard one man say as he rode off leading four +horses that he had paid one hundred and twenty-five dollars apiece for, +that he had made a bargain, as he would not take two hundred dollars for +the worst-looking one. + +After dinner that day a man came and looked at the horses we had left +and said, "You are selling your horses too cheap. If you can stay here a +few days and let your horses rest, and the people have time to find out +what good stock you have for sale, it would pay you well, and you will +have no trouble in selling your horses for a much higher price than you +have been asking." + +The Capt. answered that we had other business to look after, and it was +very necessary for us to get rid of the horses as quickly as possible, +even if we had to sell them at a disadvantage. The man said, "Well, I +will send some men to you this afternoon, and perhaps you can make a +bargain with them." + +Before the next night we had sold all of our horses at our own price. +Capt McKee said, "I think I will settle up with the boys, and then we +will see how we stand." + +I said, "I think you had better lay in enough provisions to last three +months, Capt., for we do not know where we shall be or whether we can +get any as good as we can here. And besides, we may not always have such +good luck as we have been having the last few weeks." + +Capt. McKee bought the grub and then settled with the boys, and then he +came to me and said, "Now we will settle between ourselves." + +We walked a few yards away from camp and sat down under a large tree, +and he showed me a little book where he had everything set down in black +and white, and when all was reckoned up there were twenty two hundred +and eighty dollars to divide between us two. + +As soon as we had divided the money, he said, "Now, are you willing to +do the scout work and take the lead of this company? You are the only +one in the outfit who understands the duties of a scout. I know this +work will very often place you in positions that will be anything but +pleasant, but someone must take the chances, and your knowledge of the +Indians and his ways of fighting makes you more suitable than any one +else in the company." + +I said, "I will accept the position, Capt., if I can have the two men +that have been with me in the last two hunts, and one more man. And +another thing I want understood is that we four men will be exempt from +all camp duty and have the privilege of going and coming any time we +please without being interfered with." + +He said, "All that suits me, and I will see that you are also exempt +from cooking. Your meals will be prepared for you from this on." + +Capt. McKee now called the men I had selected, and one of the others to +come to him, and when they came, he told them of the arrangements we had +made and told them they must look to me for their instructions in the +future if they were willing to accept the positions as assistants. They +all said they were willing to undertake the job if I was willing to +teach them what I wanted them to do. One of them said, "Mr. Drannan, +when I make a mistake, I want you to tell me of it at once, for I want +to do right in everything as much as you will want me to." + +I answered that we would commence by learning the private signals to +be used when in the Indian country, which I would teach them tomorrow +night. + +After we went into camp the next morning, just as we were getting ready +to pull out, two men came and told us that the Indians were doing +a great deal of damage about seventy-five miles in a southwestern +direction from Fort Worth. He said they had been making raids on the +settlements every few days for several weeks and had killed several +people, and the settlers were kept in a constant fear day and night. + +As the Capt. was well acquainted all over the country, he knew just +where to direct our course, and we pulled out in that direction making +as good time on the way as possible. + +The second night after we left Fort Worth, we camped on the edge of one +of the settlements where the Indians had been making so much trouble. As +soon as we were settled in camp, I rode to a house that was perhaps a +half a mile from us to get some information regarding the Indians. The +man of the house said that the Indians had come every ten days and +sometimes oftener, and, said he, "The Indians do not try to kill the +people as much as they did to steal the stock or anything else that they +could get their hands on." + +I asked him what direction the Indians came from, and he answered that +they invariably came from the west. I asked whether they were in large +or small bands. He said there were seldom more than thirty in a band, +and they always came up that river, and he pointed to a small stream not +far from us. + +I rode back to camp and told Capt. McKee what I had learned. He said, +"The Indians must be very sure that no one will be after them now. What +do you think is the best plan to adopt?" + +I told him that I thought we had better travel down the stream that the +Indians seemed to make a pathway of, for one day at least, and go into +camp at night, and I would scout around the country and find their main +trails, for I was satisfied that only a part of the band came to this +settlement. "And what we want to do, Capt., is to cripple them so they +would let this settlement alone, and we can do it if we can catch the +main band." + +We pulled down this little stream and traveled in that direction. + +All day we saw lots of Indian sign all the way, but none of them was +fresh. As we were going into camp that evening, I told Capt. McKee that +my scouts and I would take a circle around the camp and see if there +were any Indian camp fires to be seen. + +We rode about three miles on top of a high ridge, and looking off to the +west we saw a large Indian camp. I knew this by the number of fires they +had burning. I pointed to the fires and said to the boys, "There they +are. We have found the main camp. But now the difficulty will be to get +to them without being discovered by them." + +As the darkness was coming on, I could not see well enough to tell how +far the Indian camp was from where we stood, but we struck out towards +the fires. I told the boys to ride carefully and keep close together, +and for each man to keep a close watch in every direction. + +We rode about two miles, and almost before we were aware of it, we were +close to the Indian camp. I tried my best to count them, but I could not +make out the number of Indians there were in the camp. Their horses were +staked all around them, and I could not count them either. + +I said, "Now boys, we will go back and report to Capt. McKee and see +what he thinks is best to do." + +It was late when we got back to camp, and they were awaiting our return. +Before turning in for the night, I told the Capt. what we had found, and +the position of the Indian camp, and that I thought they were about five +miles from us. + +He sat in thought a few minutes and, turning to me, said, "What plan +have you in your mind about making an attack on that camp, Mr. Drannan?" + +I said, "They are so scattered that in my opinion it would be impossible +to get them all, and I think the best way to make an attack on them +would be at daybreak, and for us all to be mounted on our horses. You +and your men make the attack, and me and my scouts make a dash for their +horses and cut them loose and run them off out of the Indians' reach. +Now Capt., I am satisfied that this fight will be no child's play, +but will be a nasty little fight, but if we can get the Indians on a +stampede and keep them from getting to their horses, I think we can run +them down and get the most of them." + +The Capt. told the men that they had better not go to sleep that night. + +"If we sit around the fire here until three or four o'clock in the +morning, you will all get over your scare and feel more like fighting." + +One of the boys laughed and said, "It don't affect me in that way, Capt. +The more I study about a bad scrape that I expect to get into, the more +nervous it makes me." + +Capt. McKee answered, "Perhaps you will fight better when you are +nervous than you would if you were cool. Anyway, we will take the +chances." + +We sat around the fire and told stories and smoked until about one +o'clock in the morning, and then we saddled our horses and pulled out +for the Indian camp and arrived there in good time to look around and +see if we could take any advantage of the Indians in the coming fight. + +The Capt. selected the place to make the attack and told his men that he +and they would sit on their horses and watch for the first Indian to get +up, and as soon as the first Indian attempted to get up, they must make +the charge, and every man must do all the shouting he could, "for," said +the Capt. "if we can get the Indians stampeded once, we will have as +good a thing as we want." + +I told my scouts, that we would cut the horses loose and turn them in +the opposite direction from the one the Capt. was making the charge, and +I told the men to cut the horses loose as fast as they came to them, and +to pay no attention to the Indians unless they saw them coming towards +the horses, but if the Indians, one or many, seemed likely to get to the +horses, to pull their pistols and shoot them down before they caught +the horses, "for," I said, "every horse we drive away will be equal to +killing an Indian, for it will be putting him in the way of the other +boy's bullets." + +We did not have to wait long before the sound of the guns and the yells +of the men as they made the attack on the half-awake Indians reached us, +and the din that the two noises made was something dreadful to listen to +as it broke on the stillness of the early morning, but my men and I had +too much to attend to to pay much attention to what the others were +doing. + +After the fight had been going on a little while, one of my scouts came +to me and said, "I think we have got all the horses loose." + +I answered, "Well, we will drive them all to the top of the hill, and +then they will be safe from their Indian masters." + +We were not long in driving them there. I told one of the boys to stay +and look out for the horses, and I and the other two would go back and +see if any of the horses had been overlooked in our hurry. + +When we reached the village again, we could only hear a shot once in a +while, and the yelling had ceased altogether. + +We sat on our horses and waited for the pursuers to come back, and in a +half an hour the Capt. and all his men were back to the Indian camp. + +I asked the Capt. if he got them all. He answered, "I think we did, and +I saw the bravest Indian that I ever saw before. After he had been shot +three times, he still fought and wounded two of my men." + +While the Capt. was speaking, one of the men came near us and raising +his right arm said, "Look at that," and I saw where he had been shot +through the fleshy part of his arm with an arrow, and calling one of the +other men by name, he said, "And the same Indian shot him through the +leg, after he had shot the Indian twice, and then I got a hit at him, +and as he fell he gave me this wound in the arm. Either one of the three +shots we hit him with would have killed any ordinary man." + +Capt. McKee now said, "Come, boys, we will scatter all over this little +valley and look carefully into every bunch of brush and see if there are +any of the Red skins left." + +After they had searched a half an hour, all the men returned without +finding an Indian. The Capt. said to me, "Where shall we make our camp? +For we are very tired and need some sleep." + +I answered, "Why not camp here? There is plenty of grass for the horses, +and that stream of water that we can hear gurgling through the stones is +as cool as I ever drank, and my men and I can go and drive the horses +down the hill again and relieve the man that is watching them." + +Capt. McKee said, "All right, and the men can get breakfast while you +and I go and count the horses." + +We counted them three times and made sixty-six each time. + +The Capt. said, "I don't believe there were that many Indians in the +band. If there were that number and only two men wounded, and all the +Indians killed, it will be a wonderful story to tell. + +"After we have had our breakfast, we will look around and find and count +all the dead Indians and see if the number tallies with the number of +horses they had." + +In a few minutes the boys that were cooking called out that breakfast +was ready, and I was one of the crowd that was ready to eat it. + +While we were eating I was amused at one of the boys who was telling of +the shines an Indian cut up after he had shot him. + +He said he thought he had given the Indian a dead shot, but after he was +hit, the Indian rolled over just like a dog that had been whipped, and +that he did not think the Indian stopped rolling as long as the breath +was in him. + +As soon as we had eaten our breakfast the Capt. and I and four others +started out to search for and count the dead Indians. We looked around +about an hour and a half, and we found forty-two Indian bodies, and they +were nearly all armed with bows and arrows, only a few having knives. + +Capt. McKee said he thought that we were the luckiest men that ever +hunted Indians. + +"Just think," said he, "what we have done in the last month, and we have +not lost a man. If we keep this kind of warfare up all summer, there +will be no Apache Indians left to bother the settlers. Besides, when +these warriors do not return, the rest of the tribe will think that +something is wrong, and they will take the hint, and we will be rid of +them in two or three months." + +We now went back to camp, and we all turned in for a day's sleep. As we +were laying down, Capt. McKee said, "The first of you that is awake go +out and kill some deer, for we want some fresh meat to eat." + +When I awoke it was near night, and the boys were cooking venison around +the fire. I inquired who had been hunting. They said no one, that the +deer came and hunted them, that when they awoke they saw a band of deer +out feeding near the horses, and they got four deer out of the band. + +I went and found the Capt. fast asleep. I woke him, and we had supper. + +I asked him what course we would take next. He said, "There are some +settlements up on the Colorado river that we have not heard from in +quite a while, and we will go and look after them." + +I asked, "On what part of the Colorado river?" and he said, "At Austin." + +We had a good night's sleep, and we were astir very early in the morning +and pulled out in the direction of Austin, Capt. McKee and I taking the +lead, and the boys following driving the horses we had captured from the +Indians. + +Late that afternoon we struck the trail of a small band of Indians. I +did not go far before I saw that it was quite fresh. I told the Capt. +that he had better camp there, for there was plenty of grass and a nice +stream of water, and let my scouts and me follow the trail and see if we +could find them, to which he consented. My men and I left the main party +and started on the trail of the Indians. After trailing them four or +five miles in an almost eastern direction, the trail turned to the +southwest. We kept on for four or five miles more, and then we came to +where the Indians were in camp. I had kept the lay of the country and +the direction of our camp in my mind, and when I saw the Indians, I knew +that their camp was near ours. + +They had a fire and were cooking meat around it. We counted them and +found that there were thirteen Indians in the band. + +I said, "Now boys, we will go back to our own camp and report to the +Capt. at once," and I was really surprised to find it was so short a +distance between the Indians' camp and ours. It was not more than a mile +from one to the other. + +When we reached camp, we found the Capt. and the men waiting for us and +very anxious to hear what we had found. I reported to the Capt., and he +asked when I thought it best to go after the Red wretches. I told him +there was so small a bunch of them I did not think it mattered, but as +his favorite time for an attack seemed to be at break of day, I supposed +we could wait until then for this one. + +He laughed and said, "The break of day has been your time, not mine, Mr. +Drannan. You have done all the planning and led all the fights in this +campaign, but I am glad to admit that it has been a grand success, and +so far you have come out with flying colors." + +I said, "Well, Capt., I think in this case we can take a little nap and +be up in time to take that outfit before they have time to wake up, for +it is no more than a mile from here to their camp." + +Capt. McKee answered, "I reckon you are right. There are so few of them +that we shall not have to delay breakfast to get them." + +We all turned in, and, although we knew that Indians were so near us, we +were not afraid to sleep without placing a guard over the camp. + +When I awoke, I looked at my watch and saw it was two o'clock. I called +the Capt. and told him that it was time we were moving. He asked whether +we should go on horseback or on foot. I said, "We can walk there while +we would be saddling the horses, it is so short a distance." He said, +"All right, we will take twelve men with us," and in a few minutes we +were on the road. When we came in sight of the dimly burning campfires +of the Indians, I pointed to them and told the Capt. that was the place, +and I said, "We will be very careful and not make any noise, and I think +we can send them to the Happy hunting grounds while they sleep." But the +reader may imagine our surprise when we crept to the Indian camp to find +that there was not an Indian there. We looked around the camp where the +Indians had cooked their supper, and then we looked for their horses, +but they too had disappeared with their masters. Capt. McKee said, +"Doesn't this beat you? What do you suppose caused those Indians to +leave?" + +I said, "This is one of the times that the Indians were smarter than we +and have out-generaled us. Probably they too had a scout out, and he saw +us before we discovered their trail and reported the fact to the others, +and they made themselves scarce, which was a very wise proceeding on +their part." + +We turned and walked back to our own camp and found the boys we had left +there still asleep. I said, "Capt., I think you had better stay here +with your men and my scouts, and I will find the trail of those Indians +and see where they have gone. It may be that they are a part of a large +band and have gone to inform the main tribe of our being here. If this +is the case, we will be sure to have some trouble with them." + +The Capt. woke the men, and they cooked breakfast from some of the deer +that was left over the night before, and in a short time my men and I +were off on the trail of the Indians. I told my men they had better take +something for a lunch, as it was no telling when we should come back. + +We went to where the Indians had camped and soon found their trail +leading from it. It led us in a southwestern direction, and we followed +it until about twelve o'clock when all at once we came on the Indians +laying around a camp fire sound asleep. + +I said, "Now boys, there are only two ways to choose from. We have +either got to tackle this outfit ourselves alone, or we must give up the +idea of getting them at all. Now I will leave it to you to choose which +to do." + +They were all more than anxious to make the attack. I said, "Now boys, +ride slowly and easy until you get in the midst of them, and then don't +wait for each other, but turn loose, and each do our best, and let us +get every one of them if we possibly can," and it was surprising to me +to see how cool the whole three men were in attempting to kill these +Indians while they slept. There was not a sound until we were in the +midst of the sleeping Indians, and then it seemed as if every man shot +at once and aimed to kill, and there were only five Indians out of the +thirteen that had time to spring to their feet, and these did not try +to defend themselves, but made for their horses with the attempt to +get away. Only one of them reached his horse, and as he sprang on his +horse's back, I gave him a cut with my knife across the small of his +back and almost cut him in two. He tumbled to the ground without a word, +and as he did so, one of the boys shouted, "We have got them all. That +was the last one, and that was the easiest little fight that I was ever +in." + +I asked if either of them was hurt. One man said, "Hurt? No, why durn +their shadows, they were not awake enough to hurt a fly if it had been +in their mouths." + +I could not help laughing at his droll way of expressing his contempt +for the easily won battle if such it could be called when all the +fighting had been on our side. + +We staked our horses out to let them eat the sweet grass that was so +abundant there, and we sat down and ate our own luncheon beneath a large +tree, and after we had satisfied our hunger, we laid around and rested +a while, and then we mounted our horses, I taking the lead and the boys +driving the Indians' horses after me. + +We struck out for camp and reached the place where Capt. McKee and his +men were in camp a little after dark. + +The Capt. was surprised indeed when we rode into camp with the band of +strange horses, and the men commenced to cheer us as soon as they saw +what we had with us. + +One of my scouts said, "We don't want to go with you any more, Capt. +McKee, for you do your work at night and our boss does his work in the +daytime." + +We dismounted and gave our horses to the man who had the care of the +horses and sat down to a supper of fried fish, and we surely did justice +to that meal, as we were very hungry. + +After we had finished the meal, I told the Capt. all about our day's +work in trailing the Indians and surprising them as they slept, and how +we wiped the whole band out before they were awake. + +The Capt. said, "Tomorrow morning we will keep on down toward the +southwestern settlements." + +I asked him how far it was to the first settlement, and he answered, "We +will make it by tomorrow night." + + + +CHAPTER X. + +The next morning we were on the road very early, and we traveled nearly +all day before we reached the first settlement. + +There was a little cluster of houses there, perhaps fifty all together, +and they were as prosperous farmers as I had seen in Texas. + +They were all acquainted with the Capt. and were glad to see us. + +We staid at this place a couple of days to let our horses rest, and we +sold twelve of the horses that we'd captured from the Indians to the +farmers. + +The people there told us that it was three months since the Indians had +made a raid on them, and there had not been any Indians through that +neighborhood since the raid, but they had been told that the Indians +were doing a great deal of damage to the settlement forty or fifty miles +west of there. + +Capt. McKee said, "Well, we will go down and investigate." + +As we were leaving the village, an old acquaintance of the Capt. said, +"Let us know when you are coming back, and we will have a banquet and a +dance while you and your men are here." + +Capt. McKee answered, "We will not come back until you have another +visit from the Indians, and I don't believe you will want to dance +then." + +We pulled out for the settlements where the Indians had been making the +trouble. + +In the middle of the afternoon of that day we struck the trail of what +appeared to be quite a large band of Indians, and after following it a +short distance I concluded it was a fresh trail. Capt. McKee said, "What +do you think is best to do? The whole company to follow their trail, or +my men and I stop here and you and your scouts keep on after them and +locate them if you can?" + +I answered, "Judging from the appearance of the trail, I think we would +be running a great risk for the whole company to keep on, and I think it +would be the safest plan for you to stop here and let my scouts and me +trail the Indians until they camp for the night, and, Capt., as you are +acquainted with the country, can you tell me how far they will be likely +to travel until they strike good water and grass again?" + +He said, "I don't believe they will find a good place to camp in five +miles from here and maybe further." + +I said, "Well, Capt., go into camp here, and if you do not hear from me +by dark, have everything in readiness for an immediate start." + +My men and I now took the trail of the Indians. We traveled with great +caution for several miles, and as it was just beginning to grow dark we +came in sight of the Indian camp fire. I left two of my men with the +horses, and taking one man with me I crawled near enough to count the +Indians, and I was surprised when I saw how few there were sitting +around the fires. I could only make twenty-five, and I counted them +over several times, and they had made a trail big enough for a hundred +Indians. I was satisfied that they must have a large number of horses +with them. So we crawled down where they had left the horses to feed, +and I saw that I was right. There was a large band of horses, feeding. I +could not count them they were so scattered, and the darkness hid them, +but I thought there were from a hundred to a hundred and twenty-five +horses in the bunch. + +We went back to our comrades and mounted and took the back trail to +where the Capt. was waiting for our return. As soon as we arrived, I +reported to Capt. McKee what we had found. After I had told him the +number of Indians in the band, and the number of horses I thought there +were, he asked me when I thought was the best time to make the attack. + +I answered that any time between that moment and daylight would do, for +we had a soft snap before us. He said, "Well, you boys get something +to eat, and we will saddle the horses and go for them and have it over +with." + +In a very short time we were all ready and off for the Indian camp. + +When we could see the fires, the Capt. asked, "Which way we shall make +the attack, on our horses or on foot?" + +I told him that was for him to decide, but that there were so few of +them that I thought it would be to his advantage to make the attack on +foot. + +"It will be impossible for them to get away, for my scouts and I will be +between them and their horses, and if any of them should get away from +you, we will attend to them before they can get to their horses." + +The whole company dismounted, and without making the least noise +they crept down to the Indian camp, and in a few moments the firing +commenced. But it was only a short time before we knew that it was over, +as we heard the boys shouting, and in a moment more we were with them at +the Indian camp. I asked them what they made such a racket about, and +they said that they were shouting for more Indians to come, that there +were not enough of them to go around. + +One of the boys said that every time he drew a bead on an Indian, +someone else had got in before him, and that he did not get a chance to +shoot one Indian in the whole fight. + +The Capt. and his men now went and got their horses and unsaddled them +and staked them out, and we all turned in for the night. + +The next morning the Capt. was up before I was awake, and he and his men +had counted the horses that the Indians had. He came back as I was just +getting up and said, "Guess how many horses there are in the bunch we +have taken?" + +"I counted a hundred and twenty-five last night," I answered. + +He said, "You are a pretty close guesser. There are just one hundred and +thirty-two in the band, and some of them are as fine work horses as I +ever saw in Texas. It is a mystery to me where the Indians get such nice +horses. Do you think it possible that these wretches have been into +Kansas and robbed the people there?" + +I said, "It would be hard to tell, Capt., where they got them, for they +go anywhere that they think there is anything to steal." + +After we had eaten breakfast, Capt. McKee proposed that he and I go to +the settlement alone and leave the men in camp until we came back. He +said that the settlement was no more than five or six miles from where +we then were in camp, and perhaps we could get some information in +regard to where the Indians had been stealing stock and doing other +depradations to the settlers. + +When the Capt. told the men what we proposed doing, one of them said, +"That just suits me for one, for we are out of meat, and while you are +gone we can go hunting and have a new supply when you get back." + +The Capt. said, "All right, but take care of the horses and not let any +of them get away, and don't look for us until we come back." + +We mounted our horses and struck out for the settlement. A two-hours +ride brought us there, and we found that Capt. McKee was acquainted with +most of the settlers, and they welcomed us gladly, for at that time +when everyone had to travel on horseback or walk. There was not so much +visiting, and the sight of a friendly face was very pleasing to the +people who lived at those isolated settlements. + +When we inquired if the Indians troubled them, they said the Indians +had not raided that place in three months, but about three weeks before +someone saw a band of about twenty-five Indians going towards the east, +and they were the last Indians that had been seen in that neighborhood, +but they had heard that the Apache Indians had been doing considerable +mischief fifty miles or so further south, but they did not know whether +the report was true or not, and they of this settlement had been careful +to have their stock cared for by herders through the day, and at night +they were put in the corral. + +The Captain asked if we could make arrangements with them to take charge +of over a hundred head of horses for a month or so, and if so to care +for the same as their own by day and at night. The man we were talking +to said that his son had charge of the stock in the daytime and would +be at the house for dinner, and that we had better stay and have a talk +with him. + +It was not long before the young man came in, and the Captain asked him +what he would charge to herd a few more than a hundred horses for +a month, or longer. The young man said that he would take them at +twenty-five dollars a hundred, and we could leave them with him as long +as we pleased at that price, and that they should have the best of care +while he had the charge of them. + +At this moment the lady of the house came on the porch where we were +sitting and invited us in to eat dinner, and she told the Captain she +had prepared a special dinner for him. + +The Captain laughed and said: "Well, my good woman, here is my comrade, +Mr. Drannan; what shall we do with him? I expect he is hungry, too." + +She said: "Well, Captain, you may invite him in. Maybe you can spare +enough for him to have a taste. I have only got a gallon of green peas +and a ham of venison roasted and four squash pies and a pan of corn +bread cooked for you, so I reckon you can spare Mr. Drannan a little +bite." + +As we went into the house the man said, "My wife must think you are a +pretty good eater Capt." to which the lady replied, "I tried him a year +ago, and I have not forgotten how much it took to fill him up then." + +We sat down to the table amidst the laughter that followed this remark, +and I can safely say that I never ate a meal that I enjoyed more than I +did that dinner, and I thought that the Capt. had not lost the appetite +the lady gave him credit for having the year before. And what made the +meal more enjoyable was the Texas style of cracking jokes from the time +we sat down until we left the table, and I will say this for Texas that +of all the states I have ever visited from that time until this day +Texas was then and is now the most hospitable. + +It is fifty years ago that I ate that meal in the little settlement that +was miles away from the busy cities, and I can with safety say that I +have found in the state of Texas more large hearted people than I have +found in all the other states put together that I have visited. + +When we were leaving the house we told the young man that we would come +back the next day and bring the horses for him, to take care of. + +We left the settlement and struck the trail for our camp, and we found +that the boys had good success in hunting. They had four deer all +dressed and hanging to the limbs of trees. + +That evening I asked the Capt. what course he intended to pursue now. He +said, "We have the horses off our hands for a time at least, and we will +pull south for a month or six weeks, and then if all is well we will +come back and get our horses and pull for Dallas. By that time the +farmers will have disposed of their crops and will have money more +plenty, and I think we can do better in selling our horses than we ever +have done. I think we have crippled the Apache tribe so much that some +of the settlements will not be troubled with them again, and if we are +as successful in our fights with them the balance of the season, they +will be pretty well down, and what a great blessing it will be to the +people of this country that we came to their relief." + +The next morning Capt. McKee and I and the whole company broke camp and +struck the trail for the settlement, driving the captured horses before +us. We met the herder coming to meet us. He assisted us to drive them to +his corral and helped us to count them, and there were one hundred and +thirty-eight horses in the band. Nearly everyone in the settlement was +at the corral when we got there. The people had heard that we were +coming, and everybody wanted to see the horses we had fallen heir to +when we killed the Indians. + +When we told them what we would sell the horses for, some of the men +said that they wanted horses and would have the money to pay for them +when they disposed of their crops in the fall. + +The horses being off our mind, we started for the south, and as we were +passing the house where we dined the day before, the lady came to the +door and called to Capt. McKee, saying, "Captain, when you get ready to +come back this fall, send a runner on ahead, and I will have a square +meal all cooked for you." + +All the boys heard this, and thinking it must be a joke on the Captain, +they all cheered and clapped their hands. The Captain took off his hat +and made a bow and thanked the lady, and we all rode on, but the Captain +did not hear the last of this joke all summer. Whenever he complained of +being hungry, some of us would remind him of the square meal that was +waiting for him at the settlement. + +We traveled four days, passing through several settlements before we +heard of any Indians. As we were going into camp on the evening of +the fourth day, two men rode in and said that they had seen a band of +Indians a couple of hours before, and there were as many as twenty or +more in the band, and that four of the Indians had chased them several +miles, and that the Indians seemed to be traveling in an easterly +direction. + +I said to the Captain, "Let's have the men take supper with us and then +go back and show us where they saw the Indians." + +He asked them if they were willing to go and show us, and they said they +would. + +We struck out as quickly as we could, and I think it was all of ten +miles before we struck the Indian trail. As soon as we found the trail +the Indians had left, Captain McKee thanked the men and told them he +would not trouble them to go any further. They inquired if he intended +to follow the Indians up and make an attack on them. He told them that +was what he expected to do if we found them. They said, "Why, can't +we go with you and help to fight the wretches? We both have guns and +pistols too, and we would like to get even with them for the run they +made us take against our will." + +The Capt. said, "I am willing for you to accompany us, but you must +watch my men and do as they do, if you are sure you want to put +yourselves in the same danger of being killed that we do." + +They both said together, "That is just what we want to do, Capt. We want +to learn how to fight the Red devils, and this will be a grand chance +for us to learn to do it in style." + +Myself and my scouts took the lead on the Indian trail. I told the Capt. +to ride on slowly, and as soon as I came up with the Indians I would +inform him of it. + +We three followed the Indian trail until the day was breaking, and when +we first saw their camp fires, we were only a short distance from them, +as they were down in a little narrow valley, and we were almost over +them before we saw them. + +We dismounted, and I sent one man back to tell the Capt., and one I left +to care for the horses, and the other I took with me, and we crawled +down the hill through the thick brush to try to see what position the +Indians were in and find out what the best way would be to attack them. + +When we had got to within a hundred yards of their camp, I saw an Indian +crawl out of his blanket and go to one of the fires and put more wood on +it. I whispered to my comrade to stop, and I told him we could not go +any nearer now, and in another moment two more Indians got up. + +I said, "Now let us get back to our horses as quickly as we can." + +As we reached the edge of the brush, I looked around to see where their +horses were, but there was not a horse in sight. We kept on until we +reached our horses. + +I said, "Now boys, you both stay here, and I will ride down the ridge a +little way and maybe I can see their horses, and be sure to keep a close +watch on the Indians' movements, and if they appear to be excited, +signal to me at once." + +I discovered their horses feeding quietly about a quarter of a mile +below their camp. This seemed very strange to me, and that the horses +were not staked out but allowed to run loose seemed still more strange. + +I turned and rode back to my two scouts, and after I had told them what +I had seen, I said, "Boys, I am tempted to make a proposition." + +They asked what it was. I said, "It may not work, but I have a mind for +us to go down where the Indians' horses are and get around them and +stampede them and drive them to meet the Capt. and the men with him." + +Just as I finished speaking, one of the men said, "Hark, it is too late. +The Capt. and his men are here now," and sure enough there they were in +sight. + +When I told the Capt. about the Indians and their horses being so far +from them and running loose, he said, "There is something up you may +be sure, for it is a very unusual thing for an Indian to do to leave +himself so unprotected by letting his horses run at large." + +He then asked if I had any idea how many there were in the camp below +us. I told him that I had not counted them and could not do so the way +the camp was situated and the fires so dim. + +He then asked if I wanted any more help to run the horses off. I +answered, "No sir, if you and your men will attend to the Indians, I and +my scouts will attend to the horses, and you need have no concern but we +will get them away all right. We will run them up on this open ridge and +hold them until you finish the Indians, and you will know where to find +the horses and us." + +The Capt. and his men struck out for the Indian camp, and my men and I +to get the Indians' horses. We had not reached the horses when we heard +the sound of the guns. We had just succeeded in getting the horses on a +lope when we heard someone shouting behind us, and turning in my saddle +I saw two Indians coming on a run, and they were running for all they +were worth. + +I said, "Boys, let us wheel our horses and get those Indians," and I had +hardly turned my horse when the report of their guns rang out, and both +of the Indians dropped in their tracks. + +In a moment more a cry came from one of the others, and looking in +another direction I saw one of the Capt's. men in full pursuit of two +Indians, and he was shouting at the top of his voice, "Lookout, boys, we +are coming." + +I said, "Now boys, let us get these horses away from here quick, for the +Indians are coming in every direction, and in a few minutes they will +be upon us, and we will have to fight them and perhaps lose half of the +horses, and some of us may get hurt besides." + +We spurred our horses and soon had the Indian horses on the dead run up +the hill, and on the prairie where we had told the Capt. to come and +look for us. + +When we had got control of the frightened horses and had time to listen, +we could hear the cracking of the guns in every direction, and we knew +that it was a desperate fight that was being fought. + +I said, "Boys, let us count the horses, and we can then have some idea +how many Indians the other men have to contend with." + +We found that there were fifty-eight in the band, and we knew that they +had all been ridden by the Indians, for each one had a hair rope around +his neck, so we decided that there must have been fifty Indians in the +camp when the Capt. and his men made the attack on them. + +It must have been an hour or more before the Capt. and his men began +coming back. When Capt. McKee came back to the hill, he said, "This has +been the hardest fight that I have had with the Indians in years. They +were nearly all up when I struck their camp, and they were all on the +fight. Five of my men are badly wounded, and I don't believe we got near +all of the Indians. We must attend to the wounded men first, and then +we must take a scout around and see if we can find any more of the Red +fiends." + +He asked where I thought was the best place to make our camp. I answered +that there was a level spot a little below where I'd found the Indians' +horses that would make a good camping ground. + +He said. "I will go and find the place, and you and your men drive the +horses down where you found them." + +We had got about half way down to the valley with the horses when one of +my men said, "Look out. See what is coming." + +I looked where he pointed and saw an Indian running from the brush and +making for the horses as fast as he could run. I said, "Let's go for +him, boys, and don't get too close to him before you shoot, for he has +his bow and arrow ready to shoot you if you don't get him first." + +I raised my gun as we went for him and fired and broke his leg, and one +of the other boys got close to him and shot him with his pistol and +finished him. + +We now rushed the horses down to the village in a hurry. When we had got +them there, I told the boys that we must watch the horses all the time +and change herders every two hours. I went to where the Capt. had +established his camp, and I found that five of the men were badly +wounded. One was wounded in the hip, and it was the worst arrow wound I +ever saw. + +I asked the Capt. what he was going to do with those wounded men. "I +don't see how you are going to get them to a doctor, and I don't believe +they will get well without one. So what are you going to do?" + +He said if we could get them back to the settlement where we had left +the horses, they could have a doctor's care. + +I said, "Well, but let's get them something to eat as well as ourselves, +for they must be faint for the lack of food and losing so much blood, +and if they are no better by evening, I think you had better send +for the doctor to come here and not try to send the men to him for +treatment." The Capt. agreed to this, and as soon as we had something +to eat, I went to where the wounded men were laying and examined their +wounds myself and was surprised to find the men so cheerful. They were +laughing and talking just as if they were well. + +I asked the one that was so badly wounded if he thought we had better +send for a doctor to dress the wound. He said, "No, I don't want any +doctor. If you will get me a plenty of the balsam of fir to put on it, +it will be well in a week." I answered, "If that is all you want, my +friend, I will see that you get all you want of that, for there is +plenty of it all around us." + +I will say for the instruction of the reader that this birch taken from +the fir trees as it saps out of cracks in the bark was the only liniment +that the frontiersman had to heal his wounds at that time, and it was +one of the best liniments that I have ever seen applied to a sore of any +kind. + +I now hunted up the Capt. to have a talk with him. I asked him what he +proposed doing until those men were able to travel, as they didn't want +any doctor and said they could cure their wounds themselves with balsam +of fir. + +The Capt. said, "Well, we will leave enough men to guard the wounded men +and the horses, and we will take the others with us and go and search +for more Indians." + +Capt. McKee left ten men to guard the camp, and the balance of us struck +out on a hunt for stray Indians. + +We were gone from camp two or three hours, and we only found one Indian, +and he was wounded, but we found a number of dead Indians scattered all +through the timber where the men had shot them down as they ran, or as +they met them in hand-to-hand combat. + +After we got back to camp, I asked the Capt. what he was going to do +with those horses. + +He said he thought it would be the best plan to stay where we were until +the men were able to travel and then to go back to the settlement and +get our other horses and then pull for Dallas. "For," said he, "I do not +believe that the Indians will make any more raids through this part of +the country until next spring, and they may never come back, for we have +crippled them so that they will shun a place where they have met such +disaster. There has never been a company through here that has had the +success in killing Indians and capturing their horses as we have had +this spring. Just think what we have done, and not one of our men has +been killed." + +We remained in this camp two weeks, and everyone had a good time with +the exception of the wounded men, and even they were more cheerful than +one in health could have thought possible. + +Game was plentiful and easy to get, and we had all the fresh meat we +wanted, and it was an ideal place to lay around and rest when we were +tired hunting, and there was a plenty of grass for the horses and a cool +spring of water to quench the thirst of man and beast. + +After the first week, the wounded men took more or less exercise every +day, and so kept their strength, and it was surprising how fast their +wounds healed. + +The day before the one set to start for the settlement, I asked the man +that had the wounded hip if he thought he could ride on horseback. He +answered, "Yes, if I had a gentle horse so I could ride sideways, I +could stand it to ride a half a day without stopping to rest." + +I told him that I had a horse that was very gentle and would just suit +his case. + +That evening the Capt. and I talked the matter over together. He said he +thought we had better pull out in the morning and travel slowly so as +not to tire the wounded men too much, for the farmers would have sold +their crops by the time we got to Dallas, and we could do as well with +our horses as we could at any time of the year. + +In the morning we left the camp that we had grown to almost love, the +Capt. and I taking the lead with the wounded men at our side, and the +other men brought up the rear, driving the horses who had grown fat and +glossy in the weeks of rest. + +When we were mounted, the Capt. said to the wounded men, "Now boys, when +you begin to feel tired, say so, and we will stop and camp at once." + +I never heard a word of complaint from one of them, and we had ridden +ten miles or so, when we came to a cool stream of water and a plenty of +grass, and the Capt. said, "This is a good place to stop and give our +sick boys a rest." + +So we dismounted and went into camp. After we had our dinner, several of +the men came and asked the Capt. if he was going any further that night, +and he replied that he was not. The boys said, "All right, we will catch +some fish then." + +In about two hours they came from the stream, and each man had a string +of good-sized catfish, and the reader may be sure that we all enjoyed +that fish supper. + +From the time we left the camp in the valley until we reached the +settlement, we only traveled ten miles a day. + +We traveled this way for the benefit of the wounded men, and they +reached the settlement not worse for the journey, but they were much +stronger than when we started. + +The morning before we reached the settlement, as we were about to mount +our horses, one of the men said to the Capt., "Say, Cap, haven't you +forgotten to do something?" + +The Capt. looked around in a surprised way and said, "I do not remember +anything that I could have forgotten to do. What is it?" + +The man said, "Didn't you agree to send a runner on ahead to notify that +lady that you were coming so she could have the grub cooked for your +dinner?" + +But the Capt. never answered the question, for before he could speak, +there was such a clapping of hands and laughter from all the men that it +would have been impossible to have heard him if he had tried. + +After the boys had stopped cheering, the Capt. said, "You have the laugh +on me now boys, but you wait, and I will get even with you, and he that +laughs last laughs best." + +We reached the settlement about the middle of the afternoon and we found +our horses in much better condition than we expected to. + +We staid here all the next day as we were told that several of the +farmers near there wanted to purchase horses from us and would come as +soon as they heard that we were there. + +Before night we had sold thirty-one horses at a fair price. About noon +of that day the Capt. and I were sitting under a tree having a smoke +when a little girl came to us and said, "Capt., mama says you and Mr. +Drannan come and take dinner with us." + +As neither of us knew her, the Capt. asked where she lived and who her +mama was. + +She said, "Come on, and I'll show you," and when we went with her, it +proved to be the same place where we had dined the last time we were at +the settlement. + +Their name was "Jones." The man and his wife met us on the porch and +shook hands with us, and the lady said, "Capt., you have been very lucky +in killing Indians and pretty lucky in getting something to eat with us. +You had some of our first picking of peas last spring, and you will have +some of our first turnips today." + +The Capt. told her that of all vegetables, he liked young turnips best. +She said that she had enough for dinner and supper too, and that we +might consider ourselves invited to supper too. + +We ate dinner with this hospitable family, and then we went back to the +corral and the selling of our horses, which commenced soon after we got +there, as the farmers came early in the day. + +That night we paid the herder for his care of the horses, and then we +pulled out for Dallas. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +I do not remember how many days it took us to reach Dallas, but it was +in the middle of October when we rode into that city. + +This was in the fall of fifty-eight, and the news had just reached +Dallas that gold had been discovered on Cherry creek in the territory +of Colorado, and the excitement was intense. All over the city people +talked of nothing else but gold, and of all the exaggeration stories +about gold mines that I had ever heard, the ones told there were the +most incredible. The parties who brought the news to Dallas had not been +to the mines themselves, but had been told these wonderful stories at +Bent's Fort. + +Capt. McKee caught the gold fever right away, and he said to me, "I am +going to get up a company in the spring and go to those new gold mines. +Don't you want to go with me?" + +I answered, "No, Capt. I do not, for I know that Cherry creek country, +and I do not believe that there is a pound of gold in all that country. +It is nothing but a desert." + +He said, "Have you been to Cherry creek?" + +I answered, "Yes sir, a number of times." + +"Where is Cherry creek?" he asked. I told him that Cherry creek headed +in the divide between the Arkansas river and the South Platte river, and +emptied into the South Platte river about twenty miles below where the +Platte leaves the Rocky mountains and near the center of the territory +of Colorado. Capt. McKee said, "Well, I am going anyhow. I did not go to +California when I ought to have gone, and maybe this will prove as rich +a country for getting gold as that did." + +I laughed and answered, "There may be lots of gold in Colorado, Capt., +but you or anyone else will never find enough gold in Cherry creek to +make you rich." + +He said, "Well, the way to find it is to go there and look for it. We +surely never will if we stay away." + +From the way the people talked, one would have thought that everybody in +Dallas was going to the gold fields. + +After it was known that I had been through the country where the gold +mines were reported to be, a great many men came to me to make inquiries +about the country, and some of them seemed surprised because I took the +news so coolly and did not seem anxious to go there. + +The excitement did not last more than a week before it commenced to die +away. + +By this time we had about disposed of our horses, and the wounded men +were able to go to their homes. + +The Capt. settled up with the men, and he and I divided the remainder of +the money. + +After we were square, the Capt. asked what I was going to do. I told him +that I was going back to Bent's Fort. He said, "Well, won't you wait a +few days until I can organize a company to go with me to Colorado, and +we will go with you as far as Bent's Fort?" + +I said I certainly would, for the journey would be very lonely for me +to go alone, and I liked company, and besides I was in no hurry to get +there. + +The Capt. worked steadily to get recruits for his company for two weeks, +and he succeeded in getting ten men in all that time. + +He said, "This beats anything I ever undertook. When we first came to +Dallas, the whole town talked as if they were crazy to go, and now I +can't get anybody to join me, but I will make the effort with the ten +men that will go, and if this is a success and we make fortunes, we will +come back and surprise the city." + +I said, "Alright, Capt., but if the people of Dallas are ever surprised, +it will not be from hearing of the great amount of gold you and your +companions took from Cherry creek." + +The Capt. now commenced to get ready for the journey to Colorado, the +land of reported gold. Each of his men had to have two saddle horses, +and one pack horse for every two men, and each man had three months +provisions, consisting of flour, coffee, salt and tobacco. + +The question of getting meat was never thought of as one could get a +plenty of that anywhere on the journey, and the streams were teaming +with the most delicious fish. + +The evening before we were to set out in the morning the Capt said, +"Which way shall we go?" + +I said, "Although it is getting late, and we may have some cold weather +to contend with I think our best and most direct route will be by what +is called the Panhandle route. There will be no rivers to cross, and +there is a plenty of grass for the horses, and also there is nice +drinking water in abundance all the way for ourselves as well as the +hordes, and there will be days when we will be in sight of Deer and +Antelope from morning until night." + +There were a few scattering settlements along the trail. The place +which is now the city of Childress being the largest, and also the last +settlement we passed through, and the last sign of civilization we saw +until we struck Bent's Fort which was on the Arkansas river below what +is now the city of Pueblo in the state of Colorado which was at that +time a territory just a little north of what is now the city of +Amarillo. + +We killed our first Buffalo on that trip. + +It is surprising to the people who saw that country at that early day +when they travel through it now and see what civilization has done. +There is Amarillo, which has several thousand inhabitants today, and +at the time I am speaking of there was not a house or sign of a living +person there, and a number of other places I could mention that are +thriving cities now were at that time inhabited by wild animals alone. + +In the year of forty-eight when Kit Carson and I went across the Rocky +mountains with Col. Freemont, we camped three days where the city of +Pueblo, Colorado, now stands. + +Our camp was under a very large pine tree, one of the largest in that +country. + +Five years ago I visited the city of Pueblo again, the first time I had +been there since that time. + +I imagined I could go right to the spot where our camp was located, and +the morning after I arrived there I took a walk on the main business +street, which I thought was about where our camp had stood. But search +as long as I might, there was nothing to show me a sign of the old +landmarks. + +I went to the river, thinking that must look the same, but no, even the +channel of that had been changed. + +Amazed at the change civilization had wrought in obliterating everything +that I had thought would be a guide to the old places I sought, I spoke +to a police officer and asked him if be could tell me whether a very +large tree had stood in that neighborhood or not before that street was +laid out. + +He answered, "Yes, that tree stood right under that brick building," and +he pointed to a large building near where we stood, and he continued. +"As long as the tree stood there, it was called 'Freemont's camping +ground.'" + +That particular spot is no exception, for every place I have visited in +late years all through the western country has met with the same change, +and the places that I was familiar with in my youth are strange to me +now. + +The place that is now called the city of Denver I will take for an +example. At the time I am speaking of, the year of forty-eight, and for +several years later, it was one of the greatest Antelope countries in +all the west, and I think I am safe in saying that there were not fifty +white men in all what is now called the state of Colorado. + +I visited several cities in that state a year ago, and it would be +difficult for the people of this time to understand the feeling of +surprise that I experienced when I saw what civilization had done to +every place I visited. + +On the Platte river in the eastern part of the city of Denver where the +large machine shops now stand is the spot where the largest bands of +Antelope were to be found, and it was there that we used to go to get +them every morning as they came down to the river to drink. + +From the site where Amarillo is now we had all the Buffalo meat we +wanted, and when we struck what is now the city of Trinidad, Colorado, +we followed the stream known as and called the "Picket Wire," down to +the Arkansas river, and as we were in the heart of the Buffalo country, +we were not out of the sight of herds of Buffalo all the way down to +that river. + +It would be an impossibility to make this generation understand the +numbers of herds that roamed the western country. While the Buffalo was +the most numerous game of the plains, they were the most strange in +their habits. They made the round trip from Texas to the head of the +Missouri river in Dakota and back again every year. As soon as they +reached one end of their journey, they invariably turned around and +began their journey back. Another peculiarity of this animal was that +the calves never followed their mother, but always preceded her, and in +case of fright, or when she thought them in danger when the herd started +on the run, if the calves could not keep up with the others the mother +would push her calf forward with her nose. + +I think I have seen a mother Buffalo throw her calf at least ten feet in +one push, and it would always alight on its feet and not break its run. + +When we reached Bent's Fort, Capt. McKee asked Col. Bent how the gold +mines were on Cherry creek. The Col. laughed and said, he had not heard +from them in about three months, and the last news he had from there +were that Cherry creek was deserted, so by that he thought the amount of +gold there must be rather limited, and then Capt. McKee told him that he +had fitted up a company and had come all the way from Texas to dig gold +from Cherry creek. + +Col. Bent said, "Well, Capt., there has been another discovery made on +what is called Russel's gulch which is a tributary of Clear creek, and I +have no doubt but there is gold to be found there." + +Capt. McKee asked where Clear creek was. + +Col. Bent said, "Ask Will. He can tell you better than I can, for he has +trapped all over that country." + +I told the Capt. that Clear creek was about ten miles north of Cherry +creek on the north side of Platte river and I said, "Capt., if Russel's +gulch is up on the head of Clear creek, you could not get there this +winter with horses, for at this time in the year the snow is from two to +ten feet deep, and it is the coldest country you ever struck, and your +Texas boys and yourself too would freeze to death before you got half +way to the mines." + +The Capt. asked Col. Bent if he had any idea how many miners there were +up in the Russel's gulch mines. + +He answered, "Yes, I saw them when they started on their prospecting +trip, and there are six of them. There were seven, but one came back and +went back to his home in Georgia. + +"Green Russel was the leader, and the mine was given his name. I expect +there will be a great stampede from the east especially from Georgia +next spring, for the gold excitement always spreads like fire in dry +grass." + +Capt. McKee said, "Well, I believe I will go there anyway and see what +there is in it. I can live there as cheaply as I can anywhere. There is +plenty of game there, is there not?" he said, turning to me. + +I said, "Yes, there is plenty of game all around the Platte river and +Cherry creek, but if you go there, I advise you not to go further than +the mouth of Cherry creek this winter. There is a grove of timber there +that you can make your camp in, and you could put up a shack to protect +you from the weather." + +The Capt. and his company pulled out the second day after this talk, but +it was very plain to be seen that the whole company was much discouraged +in regard to the gold mines. + +As they were leaving the Fort, I said to Capt. McKee, "When you come +back in the spring, Capt., I hope I shall hear you tell about the grand +success you have had in panning gold on Cherry creek this winter." + +He said, "If there is any gold to be found in that country, I shall find +it. That is what I came out here to do." + +As soon as the mining company had gone, Col. Bent said to me, "Will, do +you want to go and trade with the Indians for me now, or have you caught +the gold fever too?" + +I answered, "Col. I have not had the gold fever as yet, and I do not +think there is any danger of my catching it, so I am ready to go to work +for you trading with the Indians." + +Col. Bent laughed and said, "If you haven't got the fever now, Will, I +will bet your best hors, that you will catch it bad when the rush for +the mines comes in the spring." + +At that time I had no idea there would be any rush for the gold mines, +for I thought the excitement would die out before spring, because so +many had been disappointed in the fall, but in this I was mistaken, for +by the first of May they commenced to come to the Fort on their way to +the mines, and by the first of June one could see the trains stringing +along for miles, and what was very amusing to me, when I asked them +where they were going, they invariably answered, "Pike's Peak." + +I remember one train that I met that spring down on the Arkansas river, +below Bent's Fort. One of the men asked me, if I could tell them how far +it was from there to Pike's Peak. I said, "No sir, I can't tell you how +far it is, but I can show it to you. There is Pike's Peak right before +you," and I pointed to the snowcapped mountain that could be seen for +hundreds of miles. + +He said, "Oh, I don't mean that. I want to find out where the Pike's +Peak gold mine is." + +I told him that I had never heard of such a mine. This seemed to +surprise him, and in a few minutes the whole outfit was crowding around +me, inquiring about Pike's Peak mine. + +Then I told them what the report had been about the discovery of gold at +Cherry creek and Russel's gulch. + +One man asked if I could tell them where Denver was, and that was a +question I could not answer, for I had never heard of a place called +Denver before. + +I asked him what Denver was. A new mining camp that had just been named, +or what. + +"Why" he said, "Denver is a city close to Pike's Peak." + +I answered, "Strange, you must have made a mistake in the locality of +the city you are seeking. I have traveled all over this country for +years, and I never saw or heard of a place called Denver in my life." + +Then they told me that Dr. Russel, one of the discoverers of the gold +mine, had staid all night at the town where they came from in Missouri. + +When he, the Dr., was on his way home to Georgia, last fall he had told +them what wonderful gold mines had been discovered up in the mountains, +and there was a large city building in the valley that was going to be +the queen city of the west, and they had named the city "Denver." + +I was young then, and of course my experience was limited, so I believed +the story that the man told, not stopping to think that it might be +exaggerated, as an older person might have done. + +I was going down the Arkansas river on my last trading trip with the +Indians for that season, and the story of the wonderful gold mines made +me anxious to get back to Bent's Fort. I had very good success in this +trade, and in two weeks I was back to the fort with my pack horses +loaded down with Buffalo robes. + +After I had settled with the Col., I said, "I reckon you would have won +the wager if we had made the bet last fall, Col., for I am afraid I have +a touch of the gold fever." + +Col. Bent laughed and said, "I thought you would not escape, Will, but +you are not the only one affected. I have news for you. Kit Carson and +Jim Bridger will be here in a few days from Taos, on their way to the +gold mines, and so you are just in time to go with them." + +I then told Col. Bent the story the gold seekers had told me when I was +on my way to trade with the Indians this last time. + +He said, "You must not believe all the stories that are floating about, +Will. If you do, you will only be disappointed, for in a time when +people are excited, as they are now over the finding of gold, there will +be all kinds of exaggerated stories told. Some of them will be told in +good faith, and some will be to merely mislead too credulous people. So +take my advice, Will, and keep cool and don't get rattled." + +The next day, after I had the talk with Col. Bent, Uncle Kit and Jim +Bridger stopped at the Fort on their way to the new gold field. Of +course, Uncle Kit was as glad to see me as I was to see him, and was +rather surprised when I told him that I was all ready to go with him to +the mines. + +Jim Bridger said, "What are you going there for, Will?" + +I said, "I am going to help you pick up gold. I haven't any use for it +myself, but I just want to help you, Jim." + +Uncle Kit said, "I guess, what gold we pick up won't hurt any of us." + +The morning after this we three pulled out, and on the fourth day out we +landed on the ground where the city of Denver now stands. + +It was the first of June in the year of fifty-nine, and as near as I can +remember, there were six little log shacks scattered around the west +side of Cherry creek, which at that time was called "Arora," and the +east side of the creek was called "Denver," and this was the Queen city +of the west that I had been told about and had come to see, and it was +amazing to see the number of people that were coming in there every day. +They came in all shapes. They came in wagons, in hand carts and on horse +back. + +The hand carts had from four to six men to pull them, and I saw a few +that had eight men pulling one cart. + +Uncle Kit, Bridger and I remained there four days, just to see the +crowds that were coming in. We found out the way to Russel's gulch, and +we decided to go up there. + +We went by the way that is called "Golden" now, but of course there was +no such place then, that being the general camping place before going up +into the mountains. + +When we made our camp on the bank of Clear creek, where the city of +Golden now stands, I think we could have counted two hundred wagons in +sight of our camp. Close to us there were four men in camp, and they had +one wagon and two yoke of cattle between them. + +The next morning they were up earlier than we were and were eating their +breakfast when we crawled out of our blankets. + +As soon as they finished eating, they hooked up their ox teams and drove +down to the creek and stopped at the bank and commenced to throw their +provisions into the water. As soon as Uncle Kit saw the men doing this, +he said, "What do they mean? Are they crazy? I will go and see what is +the matter." + +As soon as he got in speaking distance, he asked them what they were +throwing their provisions to the creek for. + +One of the men stopped and answered, "We are going back to Missouri, and +our oxen's feet are so tender that they can hardly walk, let alone pull +this load." + +Uncle Kit said, "Why don't you throw the stuff on the ground? If you +don't want it yourselves, do not waste it by throwing it in the creek. +Someone else may want it." + +One of them said, "I had not thought of that," and they threw the flour +and bacon and coffee and other small packages of food on the ground. + +There must have been as much as twelve hundred pounds of provisions +laying on the ground when they got through, and I saw the contents of +two other wagons share the same fate that same day. How long that stuff +lay there I do not know. We left there the next morning, and I noticed +that it had not been touched. + +I never saw so many discouraged-looking people at one time as I saw in +those wagons that were camped around Clear creek. I visited a number +of camps where six or eight men would be sitting around a little fire +talking about their disappointment in not finding gold to take home to +their families, and some of them were crying like children as they said +the expense of fitting out their teams and themselves had ruined them +financially. + +This spot on Clear creek seemed to be the turntable for the +gold-seekers. They either went up the mountain to the mines or became +discouraged and turned around and went home, and I do not believe that +one out of ten ever left the creek to go up the mountain. + +The way from Clear creek to the mines at Russel's gulch was through +the mountains, with nothing but a trail to travel on and the roughest +country to try to take wagons over I ever saw. + +I do not know how many miles it was, but I do remember that we had a +hard day's ride from Clear creek to Russel's gulch, and we did not ride +a half a mile without seeing more or less wagons that had been left +beside the trail, and in many of the broken wagons the outfit that the +owner had started with was in the wagon. + +[Illustration: I bent over him and spoke to him, but he did not answer.] + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +The night we struck the mines, we camped near the head of Russel's +gulch. The next morning, after we had eaten our breakfast, we started +out to take a look around, and Bridger said, "Where in the name of +common sense do these people come from?" For look in any direction we +would, there was a bunch of men with pick and shovel slung over their +backs, and every little while we came on a bunch of men digging a hold +in the ground. + +Later in the forenoon we went to Green Russel's cabin, he being the man +who had discovered the gold in that country. He had never met Uncle Kit +before but had heard a great deal about him. When Carson told him his +name, he invited us into his cabin. After we had talked with him awhile, +he said, "I suppose you all think that I am to blame for all of this +excitement, but if you think so, you are mistaken, so I will clear your +mind and vindicate myself. A year ago last spring my brother, myself, +and five other men came out here to prospect for gold. After we had +prospected all over the country, we discovered this gulch, and we struck +good pay dirt in the first hole we sank. We fixed up a couple of rockers +and went to work, and the first week we took out a hundred dollars to a +rocker. I told the boys that this was good enough for me, so each one of +us staked off a claim, and to prove that each of us had a good claim, we +sank a prospect hole on every claim, and we found that one claim was as +good as another. There was only one of the party who had a family, that +was my brother, the doctor, and as we all thought that we had a good +thing, my brother concluded that he would go home and fix up his affairs +this winter and bring his family out here in the spring, and he agreed +to keep our finding a secret from everyone but his own family, but it +seems that he did not keep his word but spread the news of our luck +broadcast as soon as he struck the first white settlement, and the waste +and destruction which you saw all along the trail from Clear creek to +the gulch are the effects of his folly, although I believe that there +are other mines as good as this in other parts of this country, but +mining for gold is like other kinds of business. Only one man out of a +hundred makes a success out of it." + +The next day we were looking around, and we came upon two young men who +said they were brothers, and they were so excited when we came near them +that they could scarcely talk. They had been sinking a prospect hole and +had just struck pay dirt. + +We watched them pan out a couple of pans, and they certainly had struck +it rich. After they had staked off their claims, Bridger asked them what +name they would give their new discovery. They said, "There is a +spring at the head of this ravine where we have often drunk and cooled +ourselves, so we shall call our mine 'Spring gulch,'" and I was told by +miners afterwards that these brothers had surely found a rich mine, for +it extended the whole length of the ravine. + +I met one of the brothers a number of years after the time I saw them +panning out the gold, and he told me that he and his brother took twenty +thousand dollars apiece out of that mine. + +The next day we were knocking around the mining camp, and we ran across +a man whose name was Gregory. He was from Georgia, and he had just +discovered a quartz lead which proved to be very rich in gold. + +He showed us some of the quartz that he had taken from it, and we could +see the gold all through the rock. He said that when he sank down a +hundred feet, it would be twice as rich in gold as it was at the top. + +There was a town built at this place, and it was called Gregory, and in +two years there were a half a dozen quartz mills built in that vicinity +and quite a number more quartz ledges had been discovered, and they all +paid well. + +We had been in this region about two weeks, when I met one of the men +that came with Capt. McKee. We were both surprised to see each other. +I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was mining. He said the +whole company was mining together on a claim they had taken up on south +Clear creek about twelve miles from Russel's gulch, and they had fifty +feet of sluice boxes and were taking out from five to seven dollars a +day to a man, and had ground enough to last them two years. + +He insisted on my going back with him to see the mine and said that I +could have an equal interest with the others of the company if I would +join them, and I have always regretted that I did not go and make them a +visit at least for I never saw Capt. McKee again. + +I was told afterwards that he made quite a good stake, and then went +back to Texas and married and bought a home and lived and died on it +about seven miles northeast of where Mineral wells is now, and I will +say here that Capt. McKee was like many of his noble statesmen. He was +brave, kindly, honest and true. One of nature's noblemen. He did not +interfere with any man's business and allowed no one to meddle with his +business, and if he professed to be a friend, he was a friend indeed, +one that could be trusted in foul weather as well as fair. + +Carson, Bridger, and I remained at Russel's gulch about three weeks, and +we visited many claims and heard the shouts of the successful and the +groans of those who failed, and we all three decided that we had got +enough of mining by looking on without trying our hand at it, so we left +the mining camp and pulled out for Denver, and from Russel's gulch to +the foot of the mountain. + +We were never out of sight of teams of every description, and nearly +every person we met asked us how far it was to Russel's gulch. + +We were about ten miles on the trail towards Denver when a man asked us +this question, and Jim Bridger answered that if we were anywhere else in +the United States it would be ten miles to Russel's gulch, but by that +trail he reckoned it was about fifty. + +The man said, "Doesn't the road get any better?" + +Jim said, "I don't call this path a road, but if you do I will tell you +that it gets worse all the way up." + +When we reached the foot of the mountains at the crossing at Clear +creek, we found more campers there than when we had left three weeks +before. As we were riding along, Bridger said, "Where, do you suppose +all these people came from?" Kit Carson answered, "Oh, they have come +from all over the east. This excitement has spread like wild fire all +over the country." + +Up to this time we had seen but very few families in the crowds of gold +seekers, but when we got to Denver on our return from the mines, we saw +that a great many of the emigrants had their whole families with them, +and it was surprising to see the number of cabins that had been built in +so short a time, and we saw a number of teams hauling logs from the foot +of the mountains to build more cabins, and there had been several little +buildings built and furnished with groceries and dry goods since we had +left there. + +The evening we got to Denver we went a little ways up the Platte river +to find a place to camp, and whom should we meet but our old friend Jim +Beckwith. As Carson shook his hand, he said, "Why, Beckwith, I thought +you had more sense than to be caught in a scrape like this." + +Beckwith laughed and answered, "Well, Kit, I see I am not the only +durned fool in the country. You seem to be caught in the same scrape +with me," and for the next half hour it was amusing to hear the jokes +these three old friends tossed at each other, for, of course, Bridger +joined in. + +After they had their fun with each other, Carson asked Beckwith what he +was doing there. Beckwith answered, "I have staked off a claim here, +Kit. It is not a claim either. It is a farm," and he pointed to a little +bunch of timber a short distance from our camp. "I intended to build a +cabin in that grove of timber," which he afterwards did, and he lived +there about thirty years and died there about fourteen years ago as I +was informed a year ago, when I was in Denver for the first time since +Carson, Bridger and I camped on his claim. + +When Jim Beckwith told us that he had taken up land and was going to +build on it and make himself a home there, I wondered what he would do +to make a living. The land seemed to be fertile enough, but I did not +see any chance to sell what he might raise if he tried farming, but I +was told that he cultivated the land for awhile and then it was too +valuable. So he cut it up into lots and sold it, and now it is covered +with business houses and residences, and all this change has taken place +in forty-nine years. + +As I stood and looked at the streets and blocks of houses, I found +myself almost doubting that that was the spot where we had camped +forty-nine years ago. When memory called back to my mind what a barren, +desolate country it was at that time, it almost seemed incredible that +such a large city could be built and such a vast change be made in less +than fifty years, and not only in this particular spot but for miles and +miles all through the surrounding country. + +While we were in camp, I was down on the banks of Cherry Creek one day, +and there were fifteen or twenty Indians sitting on the bank, and among +them was a squaw who had a pistol in her hand. She seemed to be +playing with it when several white men came along, and one of them was +intoxicated. This one went up to the squaw and, taking hold of the +pistol, tried to wrench it from her hand, and in the struggle the +pistol was discharged and the man dropped dead. Some of his companions +threatened to take vengeance on the Indians, but there were so many +other white men standing around that had witnessed the whole affair and +knew the Indians had done nothing to be molested for, they would not +allow the Indians to be troubled. So the men took the body away, and +that was the end of the affair. + +That evening a band of Kiawah Indians came into the town and camped +where the statehouse now stands. I happened to meet some of them, and +being acquainted with them I stopped and talked with them, and they told +me that they were going to have a peace smoke and a dance next day, and +they wanted me to join them, which, knowing it would not be wise to +decline, I promised to do. + +When I went back to camp, I told Uncle Kit and the others of the +invitation I had received and accepted. Uncle Kit said, "I guess we are +too old to take a part in the dance, but we can go and look on and watch +the fun." We did not go to the Indian camp until near noon the next +day; and I think there were two or three hundred white men, women and +children standing around the camp when we got there, and the majority of +them had never seen an Indian before. + +As Uncle Kit and Bridger and Beckwith did not wish to take a part in the +performance, they kept out of sight of the Indians, and I went into the +camp, and as soon as I arrived the Indians commenced to form the circle +for the peace smoke. + +We had all just taken our seats, and the head chief was in the act of +lighting the pipe when he sang out, "O Wah," at the top of his voice, +and in an instant every Indian sprang to his feet and started to run. I +could not think what was the matter until I looked around and saw a man +a short distance from us with a camera in the act of taking a photo of +us, but he never got the picture, for not an Indian stopped running +until his wigwam hid him from view. + +The man with the camera looked the disappointment he felt as he came to +me and asked if I were acquainted with those Indians. + +He said, "What in creation was the matter with them? What made them get +up and run? I would rather have given fifty dollars than miss taking +that picture." + +I could scarcely answer him I was so choked with laughter. But I managed +to tell him that I reckoned the Indians thought that he had some +infernal machine pointed at them that would blow them all to the happy +hunting grounds. + +He asked me if I would go and tell the chief that the camera would not +hurt them and try to make them understand what he was doing with it. He +said, "If you can persuade them to let me take a photo of them, I will +pay you well for your trouble." + +I told him I would try, but I was doubtful of his getting the picture. + +So I went to the chief's wigwam and tried to explain to him and to +persuade him to have him and all the band sit for their pictures to be +taken. + +The chief shook his head and said, "Hae-Lo-Hae-Lo white man heap devil," +which meant "I will not that the white man would do them some evil," and +then he said he was afraid that the white man with the big gun wanted +to kill all his warriors, and all that I could say would not change his +mind. + +Carson, Bridger and I staid at Denver three weeks, and then we went back +to Bent's Fort, and when we left Denver, the town and the country in +every direction was covered with wagons belonging to emigrants that +the excitement about gold having been discovered in the mountains had +brought to Denver and the surrounding country. + +We reached Bent's Fort late in the afternoon and had not been there over +an hour when three men and a boy came in on foot and brought the news +that the Indians had attacked a train of emigrants and killed them all. +The emigrants were on their way back east, from Cherry Creek, where they +had been led to believe that gold had been discovered. + +The men that brought the news of the massacre were so excited that they +could not tell how many people had been killed or how many wagons were +in the train. They said that the train had just broke camp and started +on their way when they heard the report of guns at the head of the +train, and in a moment more the Indians came pouring down upon them, +shooting everyone they met with their bows and arrows. "And," continued +they, "when we saw them shooting and yelling, we broke and run before +they got to us, and we did not stop until we got here." They said all +this in a frightened, breathless way, that showed how excited they were. + +Col. Bent sent the men and boy into the dining room to get something +to eat, and Uncle Kit followed them, to try to get some more definite +information regarding the massacre. After awhile Uncle Kit came back, +and Col. Bent asked him what he thought of the news the men had brought. +Carson answered that the men in the dining room did not know anything, +and that he thought they were a party of emigrants who were disappointed +and angry at their luck, and they had tried to vent their spite on some +Indians they had met by firing on them, and had got the worst of the +fight. + +"You know, Colonel, that the Comanches have not troubled any white +people in a number of years without they were aggravated to do so." + +Col. Bent said, "Well, Kit, are you going down there to investigate the +matter?" + +Carson answered, "Yes, and won't you send three men along to bury the +dead?" + +Col. Bent said, "Certainly, Kit, and anything else you want. When do you +want to start?" + +Carson said, "We will start now." + +Carson, Bridger, myself and three other men left the fort for the scene +of the massacre, which we reached at the break of day the next +morning, and the sight that met our eyes was a horrible one. We found +twenty-three dead bodies close together, apparently where the attack had +commenced, and down near the river, in the brush, we found five more, +and also four living men who were not hurt, but frightened nearly to +death. + +After Carson had talked with these men a while and they had recovered a +little sense, they told how the dreadful thing occurred. + +They had just pulled out from camp that morning when they met the +Indians. There were several men on horseback riding on ahead of the +wagons. When they met the Indians, they commenced to shout "How-How," +and the horsemen began to fire on the Indians without the Indians doing +a thing to provoke them, and then the Indians had turned on them and +killed every white person they could find, but that they had not been +seen by the Indians, as they ran down the river and hid in the brush. + +We searched thoroughly the brush all around for quite a distance, but we +could find no more living or dead. + +We could not find out by these men how many there were in the train any +more than we could of the men that came with the news to the fort. + +We began to bury the dead, and the four men commenced to look after the +teams and wagons. + +In a little while they came back driving three teams, and said they had +found them hooked together, feeding along quietly, and they found that +nothing had been touched or carried away from the wagons. + +After Uncle Kit had learned the cause of the massacre, I think he was +the most out of humor that I ever saw him. He said, "Such men as the +ones who fired on those Indians deserve to be shot, for they are not fit +to live in any country," and turning to Bridger he said, "Jim, it has +always been such men as they that has made bad Indians and caused most +all the trouble the whites have had with them, and still the Indians are +blamed for it all, and have to suffer for it all. I hope I shall live to +see the day when these things will be changed in this respect, and the +Indians will have more justice shown them." + +But I am very sorry to say that Uncle Kit did not live to see this +accomplished. It was fifty years ago that Kit Carson expressed that wish +in regard to the Indians, but it has never been gratified, for in all +that time the Indians have been driven from one place to another and not +allowed to rest anywhere long at a time, and in my opinion certainly +have not had justice done them by the white race, and I will say this +from my own experience, that when an Indian professes to be a friend he +is a friend indeed, in storm as well as sunshine. + +I will tell an instance that occurred four years ago when I was in +Indian Territory. I was sitting on the street in one of the towns when +an old Kiawah Indian came along, and looked at me quite sharply and +walked on a few steps, then turned and looked at me again, and then he +came back to me and slapped me on the shoulder and said, "A-Po-Lilly," +which meant "Long time ago me know you." I looked at him and said, "No, +you are mistaken, I do not know you," and then he told me where he +had met me and what I had done for him, and as he recounted what had +happened I remembered the incident. + +The time I had first met him I was out hunting and met him in the +forest. It was in the Territory of Wyoming, and he had had a fight with +the Sioux, and they had shot his horse, and he was hungry and tired and +footsore. I took him to my camp and fed him and kept him all night, and +the next morning I gave him a horse so he could ride back to his tribe +in more comfort, and I had not seen him since that morning, and this +happened forty years before I saw him again, and he remembered me. He +shook hands with me, which is a custom the Indians have not outgrown, +and left me, but in a few minutes he returned with at least forty of his +tribe with him, and I had to shake hands with every one of them. Some of +them could speak good English, and they told me the story he had told +them about my being kind to him, and they all called me their friend. +This incident shows that the Indian appreciates kindness. + +After we had buried the emigrants, which took nearly two days to do, +Carson asked the men who had escaped being massacred where they were +going and what they intended to do. + +One of them answered, "If you men will stay with us all night, we will +talk it over and decide what we had better do." + +Carson said we had better stay with them that night, so we made a fire +and prepared supper, and while we were eating we saw several more wagons +coming down the trail near the river. + +Uncle Kit said to the men that were with us, "Now is your chance, boys. +You can join this train and go home with them." + +When the teams drove up, the three men and the boy we had left at the +fort were with them. + +They all camped there with us, and after talking with the men, we found +out that none of them claimed the teams and wagons that had been found. +The owners of them had all been killed. The survivors did not know what +to do with the wagons and their contents, and they appealed to Uncle Kit +for advice in the matter. + +Carson said, "I do not see that you can do better than take them along +with you. If you leave them here, somebody will come along and take +them, and they belong as much to you as to anyone." + +So the next morning they rigged up five wagons with three yoke of cattle +to a wagon, leaving eight wagons with their contents standing where +their owners had left them when the Indians had killed them. + +As they were ready to pull out, Uncle Kit went to them and asked them to +give him their names and where they lived, "for," he said, "if I ever +hear where any of the people lived who owned the property you have +taken with you, I want to write to you so you can give them to their +families." + +We then bid them all good bye, and they started on their journey home, +Carson having advised them not to molest the Indians no matter how many +or how few they might meet on their way, and then the Indians would not +molest them, as they were a friendly tribe, and that was the last we +ever saw or heard of that party. + +We now turned back to Bent's Fort and reached there just before night. +Col. Bent's herder took care of our horses. + +That night Carson, Bridger and I consulted together, and Bridger and I +decided to go with Uncle Kit to his home at Taos, Mexico, and stay a +month with him, but fate seemed to step in and change my plans. + +The next morning when the herder went out to get our horses he found a +man crawling along, trying to get to the Fort, who was nearly starved +and so weak that he could hardly speak. + +The herder put him on his horse and brought him to the Fort, and we gave +him some food. He said this was the first time he had broken his fast in +four days, and then he went on to tell that he and his comrades, which +were four altogether, had been among the first to come out to Cherry +Creek in search of gold the spring before, and after they got there, +they were so disappointed to find that there was not enough gold there +to pay them to stay that they concluded to go and prospect on their own +hooks. Each of them had taken as much provisions as he could carry, with +his gun and blanket, pick and shovel, and they had struck out into the +mountains. They had kept on at the foot of the mountain until they +passed the Arkansaw river, and here they went up into the mountains and +soon lost their way. + +"How long we were traveling or where we went, I do not know," continued +the unfortunate man, "and finally we forgot the day of the week. As long +as our ammunition lasted, we did not lack for something to eat, and +foolishly we sometimes shot game we did not need, and after a while our +ammunition gave out, and when that happened it was not long until all +the other stuff was gone, and we could not tell where we were until we +got out of the mountains and saw Pike's Peak, as we knew what direction +Pike's Peak was from Cherry Creek. + +"We knew then what direction to take to get back. The second night after +we left the mountains, one of the boys was taken very sick, and as we +could not think of leaving him to die alone, and we had nothing to eat +for him or for ourselves, and I being the strongest, they picked me to +go and try to get relief. It has been four days and nights since I left +them, and I do not believe I have slept over two hours at a time since I +started, I was so anxious to find help to go to them. And besides, I was +so hungry I could not rest. Many a time I have walked as long as I could +keep my eyes open, and I would drop down beside a log and fall asleep +before I struck the ground and slept an hour or two, and then awoke with +that dreadful gnawing in my stomach. Then I got up again and struggled +on, but I could not have gone much farther when the herder got up to me, +for my strength was nearly gone, and I should have given up and died +very soon. Nobody knows what I have suffered on this trip, except they +that have gone through the same ordeal. We have about one hundred +dollars between us, and we are willing to give it to anyone who will go +and carry something to eat and help my comrades to come here." + +The looks of the man and the pleading way he talked and the faithfulness +to his friends in trying to get help to them was more pathetic than any +romance could describe it, and could not help but appeal to the heart of +any man. + +With the light of deep sympathy in his eyes, Uncle Kit stepped forward +and, stretching out his hand toward the unfortunate, exclaimed, "Do not +worry another moment; your comrades shall have assistance at once, or as +soon as I can reach them," and turning to me, Uncle Kit said, "Willie, +come outside with me a moment," and when I looked at him after I had +followed him, I saw the tears on his cheeks. I had known Kit Carson +several years, but this was the first time I had seen him moved to +tears. He said, "Willie, my boy, can't you find these men as well as +anyone?" + +I answered, "Yes, sir; if this man can give me any clue to follow, I +will find them in short order, for I have been all over those mountains +and through the valley several times, and know the country well." + +He said, "Well, I thought you could fill the bill if any one could, +Willie; and now go and have three horses saddled, and I will have some +grub fixed up, and by that time the man will have finished eating and +will be more fit to talk to you." + +My horses were soon ready, and I went in to see the man. When I went +into the room where he was, I found him lying on a cot, and after I had +talked with him a few moments, I decided in my mind he had left his +comrades not far from where the city of Trinidad now stands. He gave me +the description of nearly all the mountains and streams he had crossed +on his way to the Fort after he had left his friends, and I thought if +he had been correct in his description of his route I could find the +suffering men without much difficulty. When I went out to where the +horses were waiting for me, I found Uncle Kit had packed about forty +pounds of grub on one of the horses. Col. Bent handed me a pint flask of +whiskey, saying, "Now, if these men are alive when you find them, give +them a small quantity of this, but be very careful not to give them too +much at a time, and the same care must be taken in giving them food." + +As I was starting, Uncle Kit said, "Now, Willie, if you are successful +in finding the men, I hope to hear from you in two or three weeks. Jim +and I will leave here today for Taos, and you will find us there when +you come home," and he gave me his hand, and with a lingering pressure +said, "Goodbye, and God speed you on your errand of mercy, my boy." + +And I mounted my horse and left the Fort, and was off on my long, lonely +journey over trackless prairies and through mountain passes that had +perhaps never been trodden by a white man beforehand. No one can realize +how lonely this journey was. I did not think much about it myself until +I made my camp the first night. After I had staked out my horses and +built a fire, I began to realize what a dreadful state the lost men must +be in, for if I was so hungry, who had eaten a good meal at noon, what +must they be suffering who had had nothing to eat in five days? The +thoughts of the suffering men whom I hoped to rescue from death kept me +awake most of the night, and I fully decided that this was the last time +I would try to sleep until I knew whether they were living or dead. I +was up with the dawn the next morning, and on the way, and I thought if +I did not meet with any bad luck to detain me I would be in the vicinity +of the men I sought by night. + +From this time out I knew I must be very careful to look for signs of +the lost men, as hunger might drive them to leave the place where their +comrade had directed me to look for them. When I was a little west +of where the city of Waltzingburge now stands, and the darkness was +beginning to close down, I saw the glimmer of a little fire off to the +right, at what looked about a half mile from me. I thought it might be +an Indian camp and directed my course that way, but when I was within +sight of it and was within a hundred yards or so of the fire, I could +not see a soul stirring around it, but I kept on up to the fire, and +suddenly my horse came near stepping on a man who lay on the ground with +bare feet and nothing under or over him. I sprang from my horse and bent +over him and spoke to him, but he did not answer or move. I then took +hold of his shoulder and shook him gently, and he seemed to rouse up a +little. I said, "What are you laying here for?" and he murmured in a +voice so weak I had to bend my ear close to him to hear, "I have laid +down to die."' + +I pulled the flask of whiskey from my pocket and raised him on my arm +and wet his lips with a few drops of the whiskey. I repeated this +several times, as he seemed to have relapsed into unconsciousness, and +I was afraid I was too late to save him or bring him back to +consciousness. + +I laid him down and built the fire anew and unpacked my horse and got my +blankets and made a pallet and lifted him on it. Lifting him seemed to +revive him, and the firelight showed me that he had opened his eyes, and +he put his hand on his stomach and whispered, "Oh, how hungry I am." + +I gave him a small sup of whiskey, and, taking a piece of buffalo meat +from my pack, I soon had it broiled, and with some bread I began to feed +him in small morsels. I continued to do this for perhaps half an hour, +as he was too weak to swallow much at a time, and I had to wait some +moments before giving him another morsel, and between times I gave him +a taste of the whiskey. Up to now I had no idea he was one of the men I +was hunting for. + +It was perhaps an hour from the time that I commenced to feed him when +he seemed to come to himself, and I thought that he was strong enough +to answer me, so I asked him how he came to be here in the weak, almost +dying condition that I had found him in, and then he told me who he was +and how he came to be there, and I knew he was the only survivor left +alive of the three whom I had started out to find. + +He said that he had not had a bite to eat in seven days, only what +nourishment he could get by chewing his moccasins. + +He had soaked them in water until they were soft and then broiled them +on the coals and eaten them. + +I told him how his comrade had been picked up near Bent's Fort in an +exhausted condition, and how he had begged someone to go to the relief +of those he had left starving, and that I had started out to find them +if I could. + +He said the one who first fell sick died the same night their comrade +left them to get help, and that the other one and himself were not +strong enough to dig a grave to bury him in, so they left him just as he +had died and crawled away, and they kept on together until near the next +night, when the one that was with him took sick and could go no further. + +"And," said he, "I built a fire and we lay down, and I was so weak that +I fell asleep and slept until morning, and when I awoke my companion was +dead and cold. So I was all alone. I could do nothing for him any more +than he and I could for the other one. I left him also and started on +alone, but I could not go far, for I grew so weak. Then the thought came +to me that I could eat my moccasins if I soaked them soft and broiled +them over the coals. After I had eaten them, I was a little stronger and +kept on until I reached this place, when my strength gave out again, and +I built a fire, as I thought for the last time, for I did not expect to +ever leave here. When you came, I heard your voice, but I thought I was +dreaming." + +After I had listened to his sad story, I gave him some more to eat and +more whiskey, which seemed to revive him, and he gained strength very +fast, and when the morning came he could sit up and seemed quite +composed, although he was no more than the shadow of a man. But by noon +he could walk around and seemed very anxious to be moving. Late that +afternoon I saddled the horses and assisted him to mount one of them, +and we left the place. He said he had thought that place would be his +last resting place. + +We had ridden slowly for about five miles when we came to a stream of +cool water, and where we could have a shady place to lie down and +rest, and I made a camp there and spread a blanket for my sick man and +prepared some supper for us both. I had to remind him many times to be +careful and not eat too much in his weak state, for he was so hungry and +the food tasted so good that he found it difficult to restrain himself +from eating more than was good for him. + +For two days it seemed almost impossible for him to get enough to eat, +and although I pitied him, I knew I must not give him all he would have +eaten. + +The morning of the third day after I found him, he seemed more rational +than he had since I had been with him. That morning he asked where we +were going, and when I told him we were going to Bent's Fort, where his +comrade was waiting for us, he seemed surprised. He did not remember +that I had told him how the herder at the Fort had found him, and that +it was through his faithful struggle to get help for his starving +friends that I had started out to find them. When I told it all to him +again, he sat and cried like a child. + +He said: "How can I ever pay this friend for suffering so much for +me, and you, a stranger, for seeking to find me in the trackless +wilderness?" + +And then he told me what each of his comrades said before they died. + +He said they were all raised together in one town in Missouri and were +as dear to each other as though they had been brothers, and all their +parents were in Denver, Colorado, where the four sons had left them when +they started out prospecting for gold, and he said with tears in his +eyes, "How can I ever tell their mothers what we all suffered, and how +the two died and their bodies left laying unburied?" + +After we had talked as long as I thought was best for him to dwell on +the sad events, I cheered him up as well as I could. I assisted him to +mount the horse I had selected for him to ride, and we pulled out on the +trail for the Fort. + +He was so weak that we could not ride over ten miles a day, and we were +seven days going back the same distance that I had traveled in two when +I struck out to find them. + +The day before we reached Bent's Fort, I shot a young deer just as we +were going into camp, and as he was eating some of it, he said it was +the sweetest meat he'd ever eaten. + +We landed at Bent's Fort on the evening of the seventh day after I +started back with him. His comrade was sitting outside of the Fort when +we came in sight, and when he saw us he hurried to meet us, and when we +were in speaking distance of each other he said: + +"Bill, I had given up all hope of ever seeing you again," and he did not +wait for his friend to dismount, but reached up and took him off in his +arms, and men who were used to all kinds of sights turned away with +tears in their eyes at the sight of that meeting. + +After they were seated together in the Fort and were more composed, they +began talking about how they should tell the parents of the comrades who +had died in the mountains. + +One said, "I can never tell them," and the other said, "We must, for +they will have to be told, and who else will do it?" + +They now turned to me and asked if I would take them to Denver, and what +I would charge them for doing it. I said, "Boys, I will take you to +Denver, and when we get there you can pay me whatever you can afford to +pay, be it much or little." + +So it was decided that we should leave the Fort in the morning, and, as +we were nearly ready to start, the man who had brought the news and had +remained at the Fort while I went to find his comrades asked Col. Bent +how much his bill would be for the time he had staid there. Col. Bent +said, "You do not owe me a cent," and taking a twenty-dollar gold piece +from his pocket, the Colonel handed it to one of the men, saying as he +did so, "But you can give this to Mr. Drannan, for he is the one that +deserves this and more for what he has done." We mounted our horses and +left the Fort and struck the trail for Denver. + +Nothing occurred to impede our journey, and we arrived at Denver on the +third day after we left Fort Bent. + +We camped on Cherry Creek on the edge of town. + +I said: "Now, boys, I will take care of the horses and cook supper, and +you two can strike out and see if you can find your folks, and if you +have not found them by dark, come back here and get your supper and stay +with me tonight." + +They had not been gone more than half an hour when I saw them coming +back, and an elderly man and woman and a young lady were with them. + +When they came to me, the man whom I had found unconscious in the +mountains said: + +"Father and mother, this is the man who sought and found me and saved my +life." + +The father took my hand, and, in a voice that trembled with emotion, +said, "I can never thank you enough for what you have done for my boy +and his mother and me, for he is our only son, and I think our hearts +would have broken if he had shared the sad fate of his two comrades." + +The mother gave me her hand without speaking, but her tear-stained face +and smiling lips thanked me more than words could have done. The young +girl, whom the elder man presented as his daughter, thanked me in a +sweet voice for bringing her brother back to them, and when all got +through, I felt almost overpowered with their gratitude. + +They insisted on my going home with them to stay all night, which I did, +and the next morning I had the pleasure of meeting the father and mother +and two brothers of the other man. + +After I had talked with them all a while, one of the young men asked me +what they should pay me for all the trouble I had taken upon myself in +their cause. + +I told them that I would take the twenty dollars that Col. Bent had +given him for me, and as the morning was wearing away, I bid them good +bye and left them and started on my journey to Taos, New Mexico, and my +much-looked-forward-to visit to Uncle Kit, and that was the last time +I ever saw any of these people. But a year ago I was at Denver and had +occasion to call at the office of _The Rocky Mountain News_, which, by +the way, is the oldest newspaper published in the state of Colorado, and +while I was talking with the editor, he alluded to the incident I have +just spoken about and said that the man whom I had found unconscious at +the camp fire in the mountains lived and died at Denver, and that he was +always called "Moccasin Bill," from the fact that he ate his moccasins +while trying to find his way out of the mountains, and that for several +months before he died he seemed to dwell upon that event and always +mentioned how I'd rescued him from certain death on that to him +never-to-be-forgotten occasion. + +When I arrived at Taos, I found Uncle Kit and his family all in good +health, and I found Jim Bridger there having what he called a grand good +rest. + +As soon as I had been greeted by Uncle Kit and the others of the family, +he asked me how I had succeeded in my quest of the lost, and when I told +him all the particulars, he said: + +"Willie, my boy, that was one of the best things you have ever done, and +it is something for you to be proud of doing, and I am proud of having a +share in directing you what to do, and I am very proud of my boy." + +I answered, "Uncle Kit, you have always taught me to do my duty on every +occasion, as I have noticed you always do yourself, and it has been the +example you have set before me as well as the instruction you have given +me from my boyhood until now that has made me what I am, and I should be +very sorry to do anything to make you ashamed of or cause you to regret +that you took the little homeless, wandering orphan and gave him a +father's care and protection, and I shall always try to make you love me +whether I can do what will make you proud of me or not." + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chief of Scouts, by W.F. 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