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*/ + empty-cells: show; /* usual default is hide */ + border-spacing: 0.0em 1.0em; + font-size: 90%;} + td {padding-left: 0.8em; padding-right: 0.8em;} + td.right {text-align: right;} + td.left {text-align: left;} + td.indent {padding-left: 2.0em;} + td.center {text-align: center;} + td.hang {text-indent: -0.6em;} + thead td, tfoot td {text-align: center; + font-weight: bold;} + table.toc {line-height: 1.1em; + font-size: 90%; + width: 90%;} + /* Links ------------------------------------------------ */ + a:link {color: blue; background-color: inherit; text-decoration: none} + link {color: blue; background-color: inherit; text-decoration: none} + a:visited {color: blue; background-color: inherit; text-decoration: none} + a:hover {color: red; background-color: inherit} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Crossing the Plains, Days of '57, by +William Audley Maxwell + +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: Crossing the Plains, Days of '57 + A Narrative of Early Emigrant Tavel to California by the Ox-team Method + +Author: William Audley Maxwell + +Release Date: October 9, 2008 [EBook #26858] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CROSSING THE PLAINS, DAYS OF '57 *** + + + + +Produced by Richard J. Shiffer and the Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="trans-note"> +<p class="heading">Transcriber's Note</p> +<p>Every effort has been made to replicate this text as +faithfully as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other +inconsistencies. Text that has been changed to correct an obvious error +is noted at the <a href="#END">end</a> of this ebook.</p> +</div> + + + + +<h1>CROSSING THE PLAINS<br /> +DAYS OF '57</h1> + + +<h3 class="space">A NARRATIVE OF EARLY EMIGRANT TRAVEL<br /> +TO CALIFORNIA BY THE<br /> +OX-TEAM METHOD</h3> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 111px;"> +<img src="images/i003.jpg" width="111" height="83" alt="Publisher's Logo" title="" /> +</div> + +<h4>BY</h4> + +<h3 class="space">WM. AUDLEY MAXWELL</h3> + + +<h5 class="space">COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY<br /> +WM AUDLEY MAXWELL</h5> + + +<h5 class="space">SUNSET PUBLISHING HOUSE<br /> +SAN FRANCISCO MCMXV</h5> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<a name="Frontispiece" id="Frontispiece"></a> +<img src="images/i002.jpg" width="500" height="302" alt=""They started flight" (See page 119.)" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"They started flight"<br />(See page <a href="#Page_119">119</a>.)</span> +</div> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h2> + +<hr class="tiny tight" /> + +<div class='center'> +<table class="toc" summary="Toc"> +<tr><td class='left'> </td><td class='center'> </td><td class='right'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td class='left sc' colspan="2"><a href="#ILLUSTRATIONS">List of Illustrations</a></td><td class='right'>VI</td></tr> +<tr><td class='left sc'><a href="#FOREWORD">Foreword</a></td><td class='center'> </td><td class='right'>VII</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_I">Chapter I.</a></td><td class='hang'>Forsaking the Old, in Quest of the New. First Camp. Fording the Platte</td><td class='right'>1</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_II">Chapter II.</a></td><td class='hang'>Laramie Fashions and Sioux Etiquette. A Trophy. Chimney Rock. A Solitary Emigrant. Jests and Jingles</td><td class='right'>13</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_III">Chapter III.</a></td><td class='hang'>Lost in the Black Hills. Devil's Gate. Why a Mountain Sheep Did Not Wink. Green River Ferry</td><td class='right'>31</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">Chapter IV.</a></td><td class='hang'>Disquieting Rumors of Redmen. Consolidation for Safety. The Poisonous Humboldt</td><td class='right'>49</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_V">Chapter V.</a></td><td class='hang'>The Holloway Massacre</td><td class='right'>62</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">Chapter VI.</a></td><td class='hang'>Origin of "Piker." Before the Era of Canned Good and Kodaks. Morning Routine. Typical Bivouac. Sociability Entrained. The Flooded Camp. Hope Sustains Patience</td><td class='right'>76</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">Chapter VII.</a></td><td class='hang'>Tangled by a Tornado. Lost the Pace but Kept the Cow. Human Oddities. Night Guards. Wolf Serenades. Awe of the Wilderness. A Stampede</td><td class='right'>97</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">Chapter VIII.</a></td><td class='hang'>Disaster Overtakes the Wood Family</td><td class='right'>116</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">Chapter IX.</a></td><td class='hang'>Mysterious Visitors. Extra Sentinels. An Anxious Night</td><td class='right'>123</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_X">Chapter X.</a></td><td class='hang'>Challenge to Battle</td><td class='right'>133</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">Chapter XI.</a></td><td class='hang'>Sagebrush Justice</td><td class='right'>144</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">Chapter XII.</a></td><td class='hang'>Night Travel. Arid Wastes to Limpid Waters</td><td class='right'>160</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' class='left sc'><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">Chapter XIII.</a></td><td class='hang'>Into the Settlements. Halt</td><td class='right'>170</td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<h2 class="space"><a name="ILLUSTRATIONS" id="ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<hr class="tiny tight" /> + + +<div class='center'> +<table class="toc" summary="Illustrations"> +<tr><td class='left'> </td><td class='right'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"They started flight"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Frontispiece">Frontispiece</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"Fording the Platte consumed one entire day"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"Wo-haw-Buck"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"From our coign of vantage we continued to shoot"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_20">21</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>Chimney Rock</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"One melody that he sang from the heart"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"Hauled the delinquent out"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"The wagons were lowered through the crevice"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>Bone-writing</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_56">57</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"With hand upraised in supplication, yielded to the impulse to flee"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>Jerry Bush, 1914</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>Nancy Holloway, 1857</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>The Author, twenty years after</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>A Coyote Serenade</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"Van Diveer's advantage was slight but sufficient"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"A sip from the barrel cost fifty cents"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_146">146</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"'Stop,' shouted the Judge"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_156">156</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>"'Melican man dig gold"</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_173">173</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='left'>Pack-mule route to placer diggings</td><td class='right'><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="FOREWORD" id="FOREWORD"></a>FOREWORD</h2> + + +<p>Diligent inquiry has failed to disclose the existence of an authentic +and comprehensive narrative of a <i>pioneer</i> journey across the plains. +With the exception of some improbable yarns and disconnected incidents +relating to the earlier experiences, the subject has been treated +mainly from the standpoint of people who traveled westward at a time +when the real hardships and perils of the trip were much less than +those encountered in the fifties.</p> + +<p>A very large proportion of the people now residing in the Far West are +descendants of emigrants who came by the precarious means afforded by +ox-team conveyances. For some three-score years the younger +generations have heard from the lips of their ancestors enough of +that wonderful pilgrimage to create among them a widespread demand for +a complete and typical narrative.</p> + +<p>This story consists of facts, with the real names of the actors in the +drama. The events, gay, grave and tragic, are according to indelible +recollections of eye-witnesses, including those of</p> + +<p class="author">The Author.</p> +<p> W. A. M.,<br /> + <i>Ukiah, California, 1915.</i></p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CROSSING_THE_PLAINS" id="CROSSING_THE_PLAINS"></a>CROSSING THE PLAINS<br /> +DAYS OF '57</h2> + + + +<hr class="tiny" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>FORSAKING THE OLD IN QUEST OF THE NEW. FIRST CAMP.<br /> +FORDING THE PLATTE.</h3> + + +<p>We left the west bank of the Missouri River on May 17, 1857. Our +objective point was Sonoma County, California.</p> + +<p>The company consisted of thirty-seven persons, including several +families, and some others; the individuals ranging in years from +middle age to babies: eleven men, ten women and sixteen minors; the +eldest of the party forty-nine, the most youthful, a boy two months +old the day we started. Most of these were persons who had resided for +a time at least not far<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> from the starting point, but not all were +natives of that section, some having emigrated from Indiana, Kentucky, +Tennessee and Virginia.</p> + +<p>We were outfitted with eight wagons, about thirty yoke of oxen, fifty +head of extra steers and cows, and ten or twelve saddle ponies and +mules.</p> + +<p>The vehicles were light, well-built farm wagons, arranged and fitted +for economy of space and weight. Most of the wagons were without +brakes, seats or springs. The axles were of wood, which, in case of +their breaking, could be repaired en route. Chains were used for +deadlocking the wheels while moving down steep places.</p> + +<p>No lines or halters of any kind were used on the oxen for guiding +them, these animals being managed entirely by use of the ox-whip and +the "ox-word." The whip was a braided leathern lash, six to eight feet +long, the most approved stock for which was a hickory sapling, as long +as the lash,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> and on the extremity of the lash was a strip of +buckskin, for a "cracker," which, when snapped by a practiced driver, +produced a sound like the report of a pistol. The purpose of the whip +was well understood by the trained oxen, and that implement enabled a +skillful driver to regulate the course of a wagon almost as accurately +as if the team were of horses, with the reins in the hands of an +expert jehu.</p> + +<p>An emigrant wagon such as described, provided with an oval top cover +of white ducking, with "flaps" in front and a "puckering-string" at +the rear, came to be known in those days as a "prairie schooner;" and +a string of them, drawn out in single file in the daily travel, was a +"train." Trains following one another along the same new pathway were +sometimes strung out for hundreds of miles, with spaces of a few +hundred yards to several miles between, and were many weeks passing a +given point.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> + +<p>Our commissary wagon was supplied with flour, bacon, coffee, tea, +sugar, rice, salt, and so forth; rations estimated to last for five or +six months, if necessary; also medical supplies, and whatever else we +could carry to meet the probable necessities and the possible +casualties of the journey; with the view of traveling tediously but +patiently over a country of roadless plains and mountains, crossing +deserts and fording rivers; meanwhile cooking, eating and sleeping on +the ground as we should find it from day to day.</p> + +<p>The culinary implements occupied a compartment of their own in a +wagon, consisting of such kettles, long-handled frying-pans and +sheet-iron coffee pots as could be used on a camp-fire, with table +articles almost all of tin. Those who attempted to carry the more +friable articles, owing to the thumps and falls to which these were +subjected, found themselves short in supply of utensils long before +the journey ended.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> I have seen a man and wife drinking coffee from +one small tin pan, their china and delftware having been left in +fragments to decorate the desert wayside.</p> + +<p>We had some tents, but they were little used, after we learned how to +do without them, excepting in cases of inclement weather, of which +there was very little, especially in the latter part of the trip.</p> + +<p>During the great rush of immigration into California subsequent to +1849, from soon after the discovery of gold until this time, the usual +date at which the annual emigrants started from the settlement borders +along the Missouri River was April 15th to May 1st. The Spring of 1857 +was late, and we did not pull out until May 17th, when the prairie +grass was grown sufficiently to afford feed for the stock, and summer +weather was assured.</p> + +<p>At that time the boundary line between the "States" and the "Plains"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +was the Missouri River. We crossed that river at a point about +half-way between St. Joseph and Council Bluffs, where the village of +Brownville was the nucleus of a first settlement of white people on +the Nebraska side. There the river was a half-mile wide. The crossing +was effected by means of an old-fashioned ferryboat or scow, propelled +by a small, stern-wheeled steamer. Two days were consumed in +transporting our party and equipment across the stream; but one wagon +and a few of the people and animals being taken at each trip of the +ferryboat and steamer.</p> + +<p>From the landing we passed up the west shore twenty miles, seeing +occasionally a rude cabin or a foundation of logs, indicating the +intention of pre-empters. This brought us to the town of Nebraska +City, then a beginning of a dozen or twenty houses, on the west bank. +Omaha was not yet on the map; although where that thriving<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> city now +stands there existed then a settlement of something over one hundred +persons.</p> + +<p>From Nebraska City we bore off northwesterly, separating ourselves +from civilization, and thereafter saw no more evidence of the white +man's purpose to occupy the country over which we traveled.</p> + +<p>There was before us the sky-bound stretch of undulating prairie, +spreading far and wide, like a vast field of young, growing grain, its +monotony relieved only by occasional clumps of small trees, indicating +the presence of springs or small water-courses.</p> + +<p>Other companies or trains, from many parts of the country, especially +the Middle States, were crossing the Missouri at various points +between St. Louis and Council Bluffs; most of them converging +eventually into one general route, as they got out on the journey.</p> + +<p>It is perhaps impossible to convey a clear understanding of the +emotions<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> experienced by one starting on such a trip; leaving friends +and the familiar surroundings of what had been home, to face a siege +of travel over thousands of miles of wilderness, so little known and +fraught with so much of hardship and peril.</p> + +<p>The earlier emigrants, gold-hunters, men only—men of such stuff as +pioneers usually are made of—carried visions of picking up fortunes +in the California gold mines and soon returning to their former +haunts. But those who were going now felt that they were burning all +bridges behind them; that all they had was with them, and they were +going to stay.</p> + +<p>Formerly we had heard that California was good only for its gold +mines; that it was a country of rocks, crags and deserts; where it +rained ceaselessly during half of the year and not at all in the other +half.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> But later we had been told that in the valleys there was land +on which crops of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> wheat could be grown, and that cattle raising was +good, on the broad acres of wild oats everywhere in the "cow +counties." It was told us also that there were strips of redwood +forest along the coast, and these trees, a hundred to several hundred +feet in height, could be split into boards ten to twenty feet long, +for building purposes; and that this material was to be had by anybody +for the taking. Some said that the Spanish padres, at their missions +in several localities near the Pacific shore, had planted small +vineyards of what had come to be known as the "Mission" grape, which +produced enormous crops. Another report told us that other fruits, +including the orange and lemon varieties, so far as tried, gave +promise of being valuable<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> products of the valley and foothill soils. +Such stories gave rise to a malady called "California fever." It was +contagious, and carried off many people.</p> + +<p>Our first camp was on the open prairie, where grass grew about four +inches high, and a small spring furnished an ample supply of water. +Firewood we had brought with us for that night. The weather was very +fine, and all were joyous at the novelty of "camping out."</p> + +<p>On or about the eighth day we came to the Platte River; broad, muddy +stream, at some points a mile or more in width; shallow, but running +rapidly, between low banks; its many small islands wholly covered by +growths of cottonwood trees and small willows. From these islands we +obtained from time to time the fuel needed for the camp, as we took +our course along the river's southerly shore; and occasionally added +to the contents of the "grub" wagon by capturing an elk or deer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> that +had sought covert in the cool shade of these island groves. Antelope +also were there, but too wary for our huntsmen.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i019.jpg" width="500" height="433" alt=""Fording the Platte consumed one entire day"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Fording the Platte consumed one entire day"</span> +</div> + +<p>We forded the Platte at a point something like one hundred and fifty +miles westward from its confluence with the Missouri. There was no +road leading into the river, nor any evidence of its having been +crossed by any one,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> at that place. We were informed that the bottom +was of quicksand, and fording, therefore, dangerous. We tested it, by +riding horses across. Contrary to our expectations, the bottom was +found to be a surface of smooth sand, packed hard enough to bear up +the wagons, when the movement was quick and continuous. A cut was made +in the bank, to form a runway for passage of the wagons to the water's +edge; and the whole train crossed the stream safely, with no further +mishap than the wetting of a driver and the dipping of a wagon into a +place deep enough to let water into the box. Fording the Platte +consumed one entire day. We camped that night on the north shore.</p> + +<p>The train continued along the general course of the river about four +hundred miles, as far as Fort Laramie, through open country, in which +there was an abundance of feed for the animals, but where wood for +fuel was scarce.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> As late as March, 1850, Daniel Webster said in the United +States Senate: "California is Asiatic in formation and scenery; +composed of vast mountains of enormous height, with broken ridges and +deep valleys. The sides of these mountains are barren—entirely +barren—their tops capped by perennial snow."</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>LARAMIE FASHIONS AND SIOUX ETIQUETTE. A TROPHY. CHIMNEY<br /> +ROCK. A SOLITARY EMIGRANT. JESTS AND JINGLES</h3> + + +<p>The Laramie and Sioux Indians were in those days the lords of that +portion of the plains over which we traveled during the first several +weeks.</p> + +<p>They were fine specimens of physical manhood. Tall, erect, well +proportioned, they carried themselves with a distinct air of personal +importance and dignity. They had not taken to the white man's mode of +dress. Each had, in addition to his buckskin breeches and moccasins, a +five-point Mackinaw blanket, these comprising for him a complete suit. +The blanket he used as an outer garment, when needed, and for his +cover at night. Many of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> more important "big injins" owned also a +buffalo robe. This was the whole hide of the buffalo, with the hair on +it, the inner side tanned to a soft, pliable leather, and the +irregularities of its natural shape neatly cut away. It furnished the +owner an excellent storm<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> robe, sufficient protection, head to foot, +in the severest weather.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 399px;"> +<img src="images/i022.jpg" width="399" height="500" alt=""Wo-haw-Buck"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Wo-haw-Buck"</span> +</div> + +<p>The Indians of these tribes that we met were friendly, even to +familiarity. One of them would approach an emigrant with a +"glad-to-meet-you" air, extending a hand in what was intended to be +"white-man" fashion. But "Mr. Lo" was a novice in the art of +handshaking, and his awkwardness and mimicking attempts in the effort +were as amusing to us as satisfactory, apparently, to him. His vocal +greeting, with slight variation from time to time, was in such +words—with little regard for their meaning—as he had caught from the +ox-driving dialect of the passing emigrants: "Wo-haw-buck," "Hello, +John, got tobac?" If he added "Gimme biskit," and "Pappoose heap +sick," he had about reached the limit of his English vocabulary.</p> + +<p>Large game was common along some parts of the way: buffalo, elk, +antelope, deer, on the plains and hills; bear,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> mountain lions, +wildcats and other species in the mountainous sections. They were shy +and not easy to take, but we captured a few of some varieties. Some +members of the party demonstrated that fishing was good in the Rocky +Mountain streams. Naturally the men were hopeful of securing specimens +of the larger game, but our lack of experience and scarcity of proper +equipment for the purpose were against the chance, though not to the +extent of our entire disappointment.</p> + +<p>Only persons of much experience on the plains could form even an +approximate estimate of the great number of buffaloes sometimes seen +together. It has been stated that there were herds numbering more than +fifty thousand. Such an aggregation would consume days in passing a +given point, and in case of a stampede, all other animals in its path +were doomed to destruction. A herd of buffaloes quietly grazing was +sometimes difficult to distinguish, when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> viewed from a considerable +distance, from a low forest; their rounded bodies and the neutral tint +of their shaggy coats giving them the appearance of bushes.</p> + +<p>When the train was nearing the fork of the Platte River a herd of +buffaloes was seen, quietly grazing on the plain, a mile or more to +the right, beyond a small water-course.</p> + +<p>Deciding we would try our prowess, Captain Maxwell and this narrator +rode to the creek, at a point some distance below the position of the +herd, where we tied our horses, then crept along, under cover of the +creek bank, till we had gone as near as possible, without being seen +by the herd, distant from us not much more than a hundred yards.</p> + +<p>Cautiously peering above the edge of the bank, we selected a choice +buffalo among those nearest us, and both fired. The entire herd +galloped wildly away, continuing till all passed from view<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> over a +hill some miles northward. Not one showed sign of having been hit.</p> + +<p>As we were about to leave the place, what should we see but a lonely +buffalo, coming down the slope toward where we were, moving with +leisurely tread and manner perfectly unconcerned. Notwithstanding our +recent firing, this animal evidently had no suspicion of our presence. +We remained and awaited his coming.</p> + +<p>He walked a few steps, then browsed a little, as if in no hurry about +anything. Captain John and I felt our hope rise; we laid our plans and +waited patiently.</p> + +<p>Just where the buffalo trail led down the bank of the creek, there +were, as in many places near the stream, some scattered cottonwood and +other trees. One of these that once stood on the brink had fallen till +its top caught in the fork of another tree, and rested at a gentle +incline upward from where it had grown. At the roots of this fallen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +tree we concealed ourselves, to wait, hoping that the big animal would +come down to the water, but a few yards from us; for we guessed that +he was one that had not yet had his drink from the brook that day, and +was determined not to leave until he slaked his thirst.</p> + +<p>It was an anxious while of waiting, but not long. I was fearful that +my hard-thumping heart-beats would be audible and frighten him away. +Could it be true that I had an attack of "buck-ague"? Perish the +thought.</p> + +<p>Finally his bovine majesty came lazily over the top of the bank, with +a heavy, slow motion; grunting and puffing, as if he were almost too +heavy for his legs. When he got to the bottom of the bank and was +about to drink, Captain John whispered our agreed signal: "One, two, +three;" we fired, simultaneously, and repeated. The big fellow stood +still for a moment after the shots and looked about, with a slow +movement and stolid gaze, turning his head<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> questioningly from side to +side, as if he would say, "I thought I heard something pop."</p> + +<p>Somehow we knew we had hit him, and we wondered why he did not fall. +His little, black eyes rolled and glinted under his shaggy foretop. +Then he seemed to swell; crouching slightly, as does a beast of prey +when about to spring; lowered his head, pawed the earth and shook his +mane. His whole body became vibrant with the obvious desire to +fight,—and no antagonist in sight. Uttering a tremendous grunt, he +arched his back again, stamping with all four feet, somewhat like the +capers of a Mexican "broncho" when preparing to buck"; then he snorted +once more, with such explosive force as seemed to shake the tree +beside which we were hidden, as he looked about for something to pitch +into.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i029.jpg" width="500" height="467" alt=""From our coign of vantage we continued to shoot"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"From our coign of vantage we continued to shoot"</span> +</div> + +<p>By this time we thought we understood why a kind Providence had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +caused that cottonwood tree to lodge at such an angle that a buffalo +could not climb it, but we could—and we did. Getting ourselves safely +into the fork of the tree, we continued to shoot from our coign of +vantage till the big fellow dropped. When he ceased to kick or give +any sign of belligerency, we came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> down and approached him, carefully. +Then we dressed him, or as much of him as we could carry in two bags +that we had strapped behind our saddles, and rejoined the train after +our people had gone into camp for the night.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i030.jpg" width="500" height="309" alt="Chimney Rock" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Chimney Rock</span> +</div> + +<p>We had our first buffalo steak for supper that night. We also had the +satisfaction of observing signs of jealousy on the part of the other +men who had never killed a buffalo.</p> + +<p>One of the first natural curiosities we saw was Chimney Rock; a +vertical<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> column of sandstone something like forty feet high, with a +rugged stone bluff rising abruptly near it. Its appearance, from our +distant view, resembled a stone chimney from which the building had +been burned away, as it stood, solitary on the flat earth at the south +side of the Platte River, we traveling up the north shore. Such a +time-chiseled monument was a novelty to us then. To the early +emigrants it was the first notable landmark.</p> + +<p>While some distance farther west, as we scaled the higher slopes, we +could see to the southward the snow-capped peaks of that region which +long afterward was taken from western Nebraska to become the Territory +of Colorado, and later still, the State of that name. Looking over and +past the locality where, more than a year thereafter, the town of +Denver was laid out, we saw, during several weeks, the summit of +Pike's Peak, hundreds of miles away.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p>One evening when we were going into camp we were overtaken by a man +trundling a push-cart. This vehicle had between its wheels a box +containing the man's supplies of food and camp articles, with the +blankets, which were in a roll, placed on top; all strapped down under +an oilcloth cover.</p> + +<p>With this simple outfit, pushed in front of him, this man was making +his way from one of the Eastern States to California, a distance of +more than three thousand miles. He was of medium size, athletic +appearance, with a cheerful face. He visited us overnight. The next +morning he was invited to tie his cart behind one of our wagons and +ride with us. He replied that he would be pleased to do so, but was +anxious to make all possible speed, and felt that he could not wait on +the progress of our train, which was somewhat slower than the pace he +maintained. It was said that he was the first man who made the entire +trip on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> foot and alone, from coast to coast, as we were afterwards +informed he succeeded in doing.</p> + +<p>From time to time the tedium was dispelled by varied incidents; many +that were entertaining and instructive, some ludicrous, some pathetic, +and others profoundly tragic. Agreeable happenings predominated +largely during the early stages, and those involving difficulties and +of grave import were mainly a part of our experiences toward the close +of the long pilgrimage. Such an order of events might be presumed as a +natural sequence, as the route led first over a territory not +generally difficult to travel, but farther and farther from +established civilization, into rougher lands, and toward those regions +where outlawry, common to all pioneer conditions, was prevalent.</p> + +<p>With our company were four or five boys and young men, eighteen to +twenty-one years of age, also a kindly and unpretentious but droll +young fellow,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> named John C. Aston, whose age was about twenty-five. +This younger element was responsible for most of the occurrences of +lighter vein, which became a feature of our daily progress.</p> + +<p>Aston's intimate friends called him "Jack," and some of the more +facetious ones shortened the cognomen "Jack Aston" by dropping the +"ton," inconsiderately declaring that the briefer appellation fitted +the man, even better than did his coat, which always was loose about +the shoulders and too long in the sleeves. But all knew "Jack" to be +an excellent fellow. His principal fault, if it could be so termed, +was a superabundance of good-nature, a willingness at all times to +joke and be joked. He had a fund of stories—in some of which he +pictured himself the hero—with which he was wont to relieve the +tedium of the evening hours. A violin was among his effects, which he +played to accompany his singing of entertaining countryside<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> songs. +Most of these were melodious, and highly descriptive. "Jack" had much +music in his soul, and sang with good effect.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i035.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt=""One melody that he sang from the heart"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"One melody that he sang from the heart"</span> +</div> + +<p>There was one melody that he sang oftenest, and sang from the +heart—one that was rendered nightly, regardless of any variation in +the program; a composition that embraced seventeen verses, each +followed by a soothing lullaby refrain; a song which, every time he +sang it, carried "Jack" again to his old home in the Sunny South,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> and +seemed to give him surcease from all the ills of life. Of that song a +single verse is here reproduced, with deep regret that the other +sixteen are lost, with all except a small fraction of the tune. Yet, +cold, inanimate music notes on the paper would convey, to one who +never heard him sing them, only the skeleton; the life, sympathy and +soul of the song would be lacking. We needed no other soporific. Here +it is:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Oh, the days of bygone joys,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">They never will come back to me;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When I was with the girls and boys,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">A-courting, down in Tennessee.<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Ulee, ilee, aloo, ee—<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Courting, down in Tennessee.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>It was "Jack's" habit to allow his head to hang to the left, due, +presumably, to much practice in holding down the large end of his +violin with his chin. He was prone to sleep a great deal, and even as +he sat in the driver's seat of a "prairie-schoner," or astride a mule, +the attitude described<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> often resulted in his being accused of napping +while on duty. The climatic conditions peculiar to the plains, and the +slow, steady movement of the conveyances, were conducive to +drowsiness, in consequence of which everybody was all the time sleepy. +But "Jack" was born that way, and the very frequent evidences of it in +his case led to a general understanding that, whenever he was not in +sight, he was hidden away somewhere asleep.</p> + +<p>"Jack's" amiability, too, was a permanent condition. Apparently no one +could make him angry or resentful. For this reason, he was the target +for many pranks perpetrated by the boys. Like this:</p> + +<p>One evening "Jack" took his blanket and located for the night at a +spot apart from the others of the company, under a convenient sage +bush. The next morning he was overlooked until after breakfast. When +the time came for hitching the teams, he was not at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> his post. A +search finally revealed him, still rolled in his bedding, fast asleep. +When several calls failed to arouse him, one of the boys tied an end +of a rope around "Jack's" feet, hitched a pair of oxen to the other +end, and hauled the delinquent out some distance on the sand. "Jack" +sat up, unconcernedly rubbed his eyes, then began untying the rope +that bound his feet, his only comment being—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Ulee, ilee, aloo, ee;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Courting, down in Tennessee."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i038.jpg" width="500" height="328" alt=""Hauled the delinquent out"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Hauled the delinquent out"</span> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>LOST IN THE BLACK HILLS. DEVIL'S GATE. WHY A MOUNTAIN SHEEP<br /> +DID NOT WINK. GREEN RIVER FERRY.</h3> + + +<p>At Fort Laramie we left the Platte River, and, bearing northwesterly, +entered the Black Hills, a region of low, rolling uplands, sparsely +grown with scrubby pine trees; the soil black, very dry; where little +animal life was visible, excepting prairie dogs.</p> + +<p>There may be readers who, at the mention of prairie dogs, see mentally +a wolf or other specimen of the <i>genus canis</i>, of ordinary kind and +size. The prairie dog, however, is not of the dog species. It bears +some resemblance to a squirrel and a rat, but is larger than either. +It may be likened to the canine only in that it barks,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> somewhat as do +small dogs. Prairie dogs live in holes, dug by themselves. Twenty to +fifty of these holes may be seen within a radius of a few yards, and +such communities are known to plains people as "towns." On the +approach of anything they fear the little fellows sit erect, look +defiant and chatter saucily. If the intruder comes too near, the +commanding individual of the group, the mayor of the town, so to +speak, gives an alarm, plainly interpreted as, "Beware; make safe; +each man for himself;" and instantly each one turns an exquisite +somersault and disappears, as he drops, head downward, into the hole +beside him.</p> + +<p>John L. Maxwell had made the trip over the plains from the Missouri +River to California in 1854, returning, via Panama, in 1856, to take +his family to the West, accompanying the train of his elder brother, +Dr. Kennedy Maxwell. He was of great service to us now, by reason of +his experience<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> and consequent knowledge of the country traversed. He +was therefore elected to act as pilot of the company, with the title +"Captain John," which clung to him for many years.</p> + +<p>The emigrant trail in some parts of the way was well marked. In other +places there was none, and we had to find our way as best we could, +not always without difficulty. Often Captain John and others would +ride ahead of the train a considerable distance, select routes for +passage through places where travel was hard or risky, choose +camp-sites, and, returning, pilot the train accordingly.</p> + +<p>At various times, despite every care in selecting the route, the train +went on a wrong course, and at least once was completely astray. This +was one morning as the company was passing out of the Black Hills +country. Information had been received that at this place a short-cut +could be made which would save fifteen or twenty miles.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> There were no +marks on the ground indicating that any train ahead had gone that way, +but the leaders decided to try it. This venture led the company into a +situation not unlike the proverbial "jumping-off place."</p> + +<p>Directly in our course was a declivity which dropped an estimated +depth of sixty to one hundred feet below the narrow, stony flat on +which we stood, down into a depressed valley. Abrupt ridges of broken +stone formation were on our right and left, inclosing us in a small +space of barren, waste earth. The elements had crumbled the rocks down +for ages, until what perhaps had been once a deep canyon was now a +narrow flat, a mass of debris, terminating at the top of the steep, +ragged cliff that pitched downward before us. The high, rocky ridges +on both sides were wholly impassable, at least for the teams. A search +finally disclosed, at the base of the ridge on our right, a single +possible passage. It was narrow,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> slightly wider than a wagon, and led +downward at a steep incline, into the valley below, with rocks +protruding from both its side walls, its bottom strewn with stones +such as our vehicles could not pass over in an ordinary way.</p> + +<p>We were confronted with the problem how to get the wagons down that +yawning fissure; the alternative being to retrace our steps many +miles.</p> + +<p>At the bottom of this cliff or wall that barred our way could be seen +a beautiful valley, stretching far and wide away to the northwest; a +scene of enchanting loveliness, a refreshing contrast to the dry and +nearly barren hills over which we had traveled during the many days +last past. A short distance from the foot of the wall was a small +stream of clear water, running over the meadow-flat. Rich pasture +extended along the line of trees that marked the serpentine course of +the brook which zigzagged its way toward<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> the southwest. Every man, +woman and child of our company expressed in some way the declaration, +"We <i>must</i> get into that beautiful oasis." It looked like field, park +and orchard, in one landscape; all fenced off from the desolate +surroundings by this wall of stone. Like Moses viewing Canaan from +Nebo's top, we looked down and yearned to be amidst its freshness.</p> + +<p>It was not decreed that we should not enter in. A little distance to +the south, near the other ridge, we discovered another opening, +through which the animals could be driven down, but through which the +wagons could not pass. This was a narrow, crooked ravine, and very +steep; running diagonally down through the cliff; a sort of dry +water-way, entirely bridged over in one part by an arch of stone, +making it there a natural tunnel or open-ended cave; terminating at +the base of the cliff in an immense doorway, opening into the valley.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> + +<p>The teams were unhitched from the wagons, the yokes taken off the +oxen, and all the cattle, horses and mules were driven through the +inclined tunnel into the coveted valley. The women and children +clambered down, taking with them what they could of the camp things, +for immediate use, and soon were quite "at home" in the valley, making +free use of the little creek, for whatever purposes a little creek of +pure, cold, fresh water is good, for a lot of thirsty, dust-covered +wayfarers.</p> + +<p>The puzzle of getting the wagons down next engrossed the attention of +our best engineers. The proposition to unpack the lading, take the +wagons apart, and carry all down by hand, appeared for a time to be +the only feasible plan. Captain John, however, suggested procuring +rope or chain about one hundred feet in length, for use in lowering +the wagons, one at a time, through the first-mentioned passage. +Sufficient rope was brought, one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> end fastened to the rear axle of a +wagon, the other end turned around a dwarf pine tree at the top of the +bluff; two men managed the rope, preventing too rapid descent at the +steeper places, while others guided the wheels over the stones, and +the wagon was lowered through the crevice, with little damage. Thus, +one by one, all the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> wagons were taken into the valley before the sun +set.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i046.jpg" width="500" height="442" alt=""The wagons were lowered through the crevice"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"The wagons were lowered through the crevice"</span> +</div> + +<p>It was a happy camp we had that night; though every man was tired. +There was wood for fire, and a supply of good water and pasture +sufficient for dozens of camps. Some one ventured the opinion that the +Mormon pioneers had overlooked that spot when seeking a new location +for Zion.</p> + +<p>Except that it was very pleasant to inhabit, we knew little of the +place we had ventured into, or its location. How we were to get out +did not appear, nor for the time being did this greatly concern us; +and soon after supper the camp was wrapped in slumber, undisturbed by +any coyote duet, or, on this occasion, even the twitter of a night +bird.</p> + +<p>We did not hurry the next morning, the inclination being to linger +awhile in the shady grove by the brookside. With a late start, the +day's travel took us some twelve miles, through and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> out of the +valley, to a point where we made the best of a poor camping place, on +a rough, rocky hillside. The following day there was no road to +follow, nor even a buffalo trail or bear path; but by evening we +somehow found our way back into the course usually followed by +emigrants, not knowing whether the recent detour had lessened or +increased the miles of travel, but delighted with the comfort and +diversion afforded by the side-ride. Thinking that others, seeing our +tracks, might be led into similar difficulties, and be less fortunate +perhaps in overcoming them, two of our young men rode back to the +place of divergence, and erected a notice to all comers, advising them +to "Keep to the right."</p> + +<p>Another freak of Nature in which we were much interested was the +"Devil's Gate," or "Independence Rock," where we first came to the +Sweetwater River, in Wyoming. This is a granite ridge, some two +hundred<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> feet in length, irregular in formation and height, resembling +a huge molehill, extending down from the Rocky Mountain heights and +being across the river's course; the "Gate" being a vertical section, +the width of the stream, cut out of a spur of Rattlesnake Mountain. If +his Satanic majesty, whose name it bears, had charge of the +construction, apparently he intended it only as a passage-way for the +river, the cut being the exact width of the river as it flows through. +The greater part of the two walls stand two hundred and fifty feet +high, above the river level, perpendicular to the earth's plane, +facing each other, the river between them at the base. Many names had +been cut in the surface of the rock, by passing emigrants.</p> + +<p>We stopped for half a day to view this extraordinary scene. Some of +the boys went to the apex, to see if the downward view made the rock +walls appear as high as did the upward<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> view: and naturally they found +the distance viewed downward seemed much greater. Our intention was to +stand on the brink and experience the sensation of looking down from +that great height at the river. The face of the wall where it +terminates at the top forms an almost square corner, as if hewn stone. +A few bushes grew a short distance from the edge, and as we approached +the brink there was a sense of greater safety in holding onto these +bushes. But while holding on we could not see quite over to the water +below. We formed a chain of three persons, by joining hands, one +grasping a large bush, that the outer man might look over the edge—if +he would. But he felt shaky. He was not quite sure that the bush would +not pull up by the roots, or one of the other fellows let go. For +sometime no one was willing to make a real effort to look over the +edge, but finally "Jack" said he would save the party's reputation +for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> bravery, by assuming the role of end-man. He made several bold +approaches toward the edge, but each time recoiled, and soon admitted +defeat. "Boys," said he, "I'm dizzy. I know that 'distance lends +enchantment'; I'll get back farther, take the best view I can get, and +preserve the enchantment." To cover his discomfiture, he started for +camp, whistling:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Ulee, ilee, aloo, ee."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The next excursion off the route in search of novelty was on a clear +afternoon a few days after passing the "Devil's Gate," when three +young fellows decided to take a tramp to the rock ridge lying to our +right. We hoped to find some mountain sheep. From the Sweetwater River +to the ridge was apparently half a mile, across a grassy flat. We knew +that the rare atmosphere of that high altitude often made distances +deceiving, and determined to make due allowances. Having crossed the +river and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> being ready for a sprint, each made a guess of the distance +to the foot of the rock ridge. The estimates varied from two hundred +yards to three hundred. Off we went, counting paces. At the end of +three hundred we appeared to be no nearer the goal than when we +started. The guesses were repeated, and when we were about completing +the second course of stepping, making nearly six hundred yards in all, +one of the boys espied a mountain sheep on the top of the ridge, +keeping lookout, probably, for the benefit of his fellows, feeding on +the other side, as is the habit of these wary creatures.</p> + +<p>With head and great horns clearly outlined on the background of blue +sky, he was a tempting target. Without a word, the three of us leveled +guns and fired. Mr. Mountain Sheep stood perfectly still, looking down +at us. We could not see so much as the winking of an eye. Making ready +for another volley, we thought best to get<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> nearer; but as we started +the head and horns and sheep disappeared behind the top of the ridge. +Further stepping proved that we had shot at the animal from a distance +of at least half a mile. Our guns were good for a range of two hundred +yards, at most.</p> + +<p>Much of the time, especially while in the higher mountains, we were in +possession of little knowledge of our position. There were no marks +that we observed to indicate geographical divisions, and we had no +means for determining many exact locations, though some important +rivers and prominent mountain peaks and ridges were identified. We +knew little, if anything, then of territorial boundaries, and thought +of the country traversed as being so remote from centers of +civilization—at that time but little explored, even—that we could +not conceive any object in attempting to determine our location with +reference to geographical lines; nor could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> we have done so except on +rare occasions. Our chief concern was to know that we were on the best +route to California.</p> + +<p>We crossed the summit of the Rocky Mountains by the South Pass. Though +it was July, the jagged peaks of the Wind River Mountains bore a thick +blanket of snow. Sometime after leaving the "Devil's Gate" we passed +Pacific Springs. There we gained first knowledge that we had passed +the summit, on observing that the streams flowed westerly. Patient +plodding had now taken us a distance of actual travel amounting to +much more than one thousand miles and, from time to time, into very +high altitudes. About four miles west of Pacific Springs we passed the +junction of the California and Oregon trails, at the Big Bend of the +Bear River.</p> + +<p>Green River, where we first came to it, was in a level bit of country. +There this stream was about sixty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> yards wide; the water clear and +deep, flowing in a gentle current. For the accommodation of emigrants, +three men were there, operating a ferry. Whence they came I do not +remember, if they told us. We saw no signs of a habitation in which +they might have lived. The ferrying was done with what was really a +raft of logs, rather than a boat. It was sustained against the current +by means of a tackle attached to a block, rove on a large rope that +was drawn taut, from bank to bank, and was propelled by a windlass on +each bank. When a wagon had been taken aboard this cable ferry, the +windlass on the farther side was turned by one of the men, drawing the +raft across. After unloading, the raft was drawn back, by operation of +the windlass on the opposite shore, where it took on another load. The +third man acted as conductor, collecting a toll of three dollars per +wagon. All the horses, mules and cattle were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> driven into the river, +and swam across.</p> + +<p>The company passed along the shore of the Green River, down the Big +Sandy River and Slate Creek, over Bear River Divide, then +southwestward into Utah Territory.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>DISQUIETING RUMORS OF REDMEN. CONSOLIDATION FOR SAFETY.<br /> +THE POISONOUS HUMBOLDT.</h3> + + +<p>Soon after passing the summit of the Rocky Mountains there were rumors +of a hostile attitude toward emigrants on the part of certain Indian +tribes farther west. For a time such information seemed vague as to +origin and reliability, but in time the rumors became persistent, and +there developed a feeling of much concern, first for the safety of our +stock, later for our own protection.</p> + +<p>Measures of precaution were discussed. Men of our train visited those +of others, ahead and behind us, and exchanged views regarding the +probability of danger and the best means for protection and defense. +We were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> forced to the conclusion that the situation was grave; and +the interests of the several trains were mutual. As the members of the +different parties, most of whom previously had been strangers to one +another, met and talked of the peril which all believed to be +imminent, they became as brothers; and mutual protection was the theme +that came up oftenest and was listened to with the most absorbing +interest.</p> + +<p>By the time we had crossed the Green River these consultations had +matured into a plan for consolidation of trains, for greater +concentration of strength. A. J. Drennan's company of four or five +wagons, immediately ahead of us, and the Dr. Kidd train, of three +wagons, next behind us, closed up the space between, and all three +traveled as one train. Thus combined, a considerable number of +able-bodied men were brought together, making a rather formidable +array for an ordinary<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> band of Indians to attack. Every man primed his +gun and thenceforth took care to see that his powder was dry.</p> + +<p>Still the youthful element occasionally managed to extract some humor +out of the very circumstances which the older and more serious members +held to be grounds for forebodings of evil. One morning after we had +left camp, a favorite cow was missing from the drove. "Jack" Aston and +Major Crewdson, both young fellows, rode back in search of the stray. +From a little hill-top they saw, in a ravine below, some half dozen +Indians busily engaged in skinning the cow. "Jack" and the Major +returned and merely reported what they had seen. They were asked why +they had not demanded of those "rascally" Indians that they explain +why they were skinning a cow that did not belong to them. "Jack" +promptly answered that, as for himself, he had never been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> introduced +to this particular party of Indians, and was not on speaking terms +with them; furthermore, neither he nor the Major had sufficient +knowledge of the Indian language properly to discuss the matter with +them.</p> + +<p>The route pursued led to the north of Great Salt Lake, thence +northwesterly. Our line of travel did not therefore bring us within +view of the Mormon settlements which had already been established at +the southerly end of the great inland sea.</p> + +<p>We camped one night approximately where the city of Ogden now stands, +then a desolate expanse of sand-dunes. A group of our men sat around +the camp-fire that evening, discussing the probability of a railroad +ever being constructed over the route we were traveling. All of them +were natives or recent residents of the Middle West, and it is +probable that not one had ever seen a railroad. The unanimous opinion +was that such a project as the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> building of a railroad through +territory like that over which we had thus far traveled would be a +task so stupendous as to baffle all human ingenuity and skill. Yet, +some twelve years later, the ceremony of driving the famous "last +spike," completing the railroad connection between the Atlantic and +Pacific, was performed on a sand flat very near the spot where we +camped that night. The intervening period saw the establishment of the +"pony express," which greatly facilitated the mail service +(incidentally reducing letter postage to Pacific Coast points from +twenty-five to ten cents). That service continued from the early +sixties until through railroad connection was made.</p> + +<p>After the consolidation of trains as described, our next neighbor to +the rear was Smith Holloway, whose "outfit" consisted of three wagons, +with a complement of yokewise oxen and some horses and mules; also a +large drove<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> of stock cattle, intended for the market in California, +where it was known they would be salable at high prices. He had with +him his wife, a little daughter, and Jerry Bush, Mrs. Holloway's +brother, a young man of twenty-one years; also two hired men, Joe +Blevens and Bird Lawles. Holloway kept his party some distance behind +us, he having declined to join the consolidation of trains in order to +avoid the inconvenience that the mingling of his stock with ours would +entail, with reference to pasture, and camping facilities.</p> + +<p>A mile or two behind Holloway were the trains of Captain Rountree, the +Giles company, Simpson Fennell, Mr. Russell, and others, equipped with +several wagons each, and accompanied by some loose stock.</p> + +<p>All these were traveling along, a sort of moving neighborhood; +incidentally getting acquainted with one another, visiting on the road +by day<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> and in the camp at evening time; talking of the journey, of +the country for which we were en route, and our hopes of prosperity +and happiness in the new El Dorado—but most of all, just then, of the +probable danger of attack by savage tribes.</p> + +<p>More than ever rumors of impending trouble were flying from train to +train. Some of these were to the effect that white bandits were in +league with Indians in robbing and murdering emigrants. The well-known +treachery of the savages, and the stories we heard of emigrants having +been slaughtered also by whites—the real facts of which we knew +little of—were quite enough to beget fear and suggest the need of +plans for the best possible resistance.</p> + +<p>Up to this time there was frequent communication between trains, a +considerable distance ahead and behind. As at home, neighbor would +visit neighbor, and discuss the topics of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> day; so, from time to +time we met persons in other trains who gave out information obtained +before leaving home, or from mountaineers, trappers or explorers, +occasionally met while we were yet on the eastern slope of the +Rockies; men who were familiar with Indian dialects and at peace with +the tribes, enabling them to learn much that was of importance to the +emigrants.</p> + +<p>Dissemination of news among the people of the various trains near us +was accomplished not only during visits by members of one train to +those of another, but sometimes by other methods. One of these, which +was frequently employed in communicating generally or in signaling +individuals known to be somewhere in the line behind us, was by a +system of "<i>bone-writing</i>."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 443px;"> +<img src="images/i065.jpg" width="443" height="500" alt="Bone-writing" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Bone-writing</span> +</div> + +<p>There were along the line of travel many bare, bleached bones of +animals that had died in previous years, many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> of them doubtless the +animals of earlier emigrants. Some of these, as for example, the +frontal or the jaw-bone, whitened by the elements, and having some +plain, smooth surface, were excellent tablets for pencil writing. An +emigrant desiring to communicate with another, or with a company, to +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> rear, would write the message on one of these bones and place the +relic on a heap of stones by the roadside, or suspend it in the +branches of a sage bush, so conspicuously displayed that all coming +after would see it and read. Those for general information, intended +for all comers, were allowed to remain; others, after being read by +the person addressed, were usually removed. Sometimes when passing +such messages, placed by those ahead of us, we added postscripts to +the bulletins, giving names and dates, for the edification of whomever +might care to read them. It was in this way that some of the +developments regarding the Indian situation were made known by one +train to another.</p> + +<p>Thus we progressed, counting off the average of about eighteen miles a +day from the long part of the journey that still lay before us, when +we reached Thousand Springs, adjacent to the present boundary line +between<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> Utah and Nevada. This, we were told, was the source of the +Humboldt River. We were told, too, that the four hundred miles down +the course of that peculiar stream—which we could not hope to +traverse in much less than one month—we would find to be the most +desert-like portion of the entire trip, the most disagreeable and +arduous, for man and beast. Such was to be expected by reason of the +character of that region and the greater danger there of Indian +depredations; also because the passage through that section was to be +undertaken after our teams had become greatly worn, therefore more +likely to fail under hard conditions. Furthermore, scarcity of feed +for the stock was predicted, and, along much of the way, uncertainty +as to water supply, other than that from the Humboldt River, which +was, especially at that time of the year, so strongly impregnated with +alkali as to be dangerous to life.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + +<p>Nearly all the face of the country was covered with alkali dust, +which, in a light, pulverulent state, rose and filled the air at the +slightest breeze or other disturbance. It was impossible to avoid +inhaling this powder to some extent, and it created intense thirst, +tending toward exhaustion and great suffering. We knew that sometimes +delirium was induced by this cause, and even death resulted from it in +cases of very long exposure under the worst conditions.</p> + +<p>Sometimes for miles the only vegetable growth we found along the river +was a string of willow bushes, fringing its course, and scattered, +stunted sagebrush, growing feebly in gravel and dry sand, the leaves +of which were partly withered and of a pale, ashy tint. Feed for the +animals was very scarce. It was not possible, over much of the way, to +get sufficient fresh water for the stock, therefore difficult to +restrain them from drinking the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> river water. Some did drink from that +stream, despite all efforts to prevent it, the result being that many +of them died while we made our way along the sluggish Humboldt.></p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>THE HOLLOWAY MASSACRE.</h3> + + +<p>It was decided that while in this region we would, whenever possible, +make our camp some distance from the river, in order that the stock +might be prevented from drinking the dangerous river water, also for +the reason that the clumps of willows by the stream could be used as a +cover by Indians bent on mischief: and they, we now believed, were +watching for a favorable opportunity to surprise us.</p> + +<p>It transpired that the Holloway party neglected this precaution, at +least on one occasion, sometime after passing the head of the Humboldt +River. Their train was next behind ours when, on the evening of August +13th, after rounding up their stock for the night, a short distance +from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> wagons, they stopped near the willows by the river and made +what proved to be their last camp.</p> + +<p>Behind them, but not within sight, were several emigrant camps at +points varying from a few rods to half a mile apart.</p> + +<p>The Holloway party retired as usual for the night; Mr. and Mrs. +Holloway and their child, a girl of two years, in a small tent near +the wagons; Jerry Bush, Mrs. Holloway's brother, and one of the hired +men, Joe Blevens, in their blankets on the ground; while Bird Lawles, +the other hired man, being ill with a fever, slept in a wagon.</p> + +<p>There were others with this party that night; Mr. and Mrs. Callum, Mr. +Hattlebaugh, and a man whose name is now unknown. These four had been +traveling near the Holloway party, and joined it for camping on that +occasion.</p> + +<p>The following morning Mr. Holloway was the first to arise. While<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +making the camp-fire, he called to the others to get up, saying +cheerfully:</p> + +<p>"Well, we've got through one more night without a call from the +Redskins."</p> + +<p>"Bang, bang," rang out a volley of rifle shots, fired from the willows +along the river, less than a hundred yards away.</p> + +<p>Mr. Holloway fell, fatally shot, and died without a word or a +struggle. As other members of the emigrant party sprang to their feet +and came within view of the assailants, the firing continued, killing +Joe Blevens, Mrs. Callum, and the man whose name is not recalled; +while Bird Lawles, being discovered on his sick bed in a wagon, was +instantly put to death.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Jerry Bush grasped his rifle and joined battle against the +assassins. Thus far the savages remained hidden in the bushes, and +Jerry's shots were fired merely at places where he saw the tall weeds +and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> willows shaken by the motions of the Indians, therefore he has +never known whether his bullets struck one of the enemy.</p> + +<p>While thus fighting alone, for his life and that of his people, he +received a gunshot in his side and fell. Knowing that he was unable to +continue the fight, and, though doubting that he could rise, he +endeavored to shield himself from the bullets and arrows of the Indian +band. He succeeded in dragging himself to the river bank, when, +seizing a willow branch, he lowered himself to the foot of the steep +cliff, some ten feet, reaching the water's edge. He then attempted to +swim to the opposite shore. The effort caused him to lose his gun, in +deep water. Owing to weakness due to his wound, he was unable to cross +the stream.</p> + +<p>Jerry Bush's parting view of the camp had revealed the apparent +destruction of his entire party, except himself. Observing the body of +at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> least one woman, among the victims on the ground, he believed that +his sister also had been slain.</p> + +<p>But Mrs. Holloway and the little girl were still in the tent, for the +time unhurt, and just awakened from their morning slumber. Having +realized that the camp was being attacked, Mrs. Holloway emerged from +the tent to find no living member of her party in sight, other than +herself and her child. For a moment she was partially shielded by the +wagons. The first object that drew her attention was her husband's +form, lying still in death, near the fire he had just kindled. Next +beyond was the dead body of Blevens, and a little farther away were +the remains of the others who had been slain. Her brother she did not +see, but supposed he had met the same fate as the others whom she saw +on the ground. Jerry was an experienced hunter; she knew that he +always owned a fine gun, and had full confidence<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> that, if he were +alive and not disabled, he would defend his people to the last.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i076.jpg" width="500" height="297" alt=""With hand upraised, in supplication, yielded to the impulse to flee"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"With hand upraised, in supplication, yielded to the impulse to flee"</span> +</div> + +<p>She saw some of the Indians coming from their ambush by the river. +They approached for a time with caution, looking furtively about, as +if to be sure there was no man left to defend the camp. As they drew +nearer Mrs. Holloway realized that she and her child were facing an +awful fate—death or captivity. On came the savages, now more boldly, +and in greater numbers.</p> + +<p>The terrified woman, clothed only in her night robe, barefooted; not +knowing whether to take flight or stand and plead for mercy; with the +child on one arm, one hand raised in supplication, yielded finally to +the impulse to flee. As she started the attacking band resumed firing; +she was struck, by arrows and at least one bullet, and dropped +headlong to the ground.</p> + +<p>Though conscious, she remained motionless,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> in the hope that, by +feigning death she might escape further wounds and torture. But the +Indians came, and taking the arrows from her body, punctured her flesh +with the jagged instruments, as a test whether physical sensation +would disclose a sign of life remaining. She lay with eyes closed; not +a muscle twitched nor a finger moved, while those demons proceeded, in +no delicate manner, to cut the skin around the head at the edge of the +hair, then tear the scalp from the skull, leaving the bare and +bleeding head on the ground.</p> + +<p>Horrible as all this was, it did not prove to be the last nor the most +revolting exhibition of wanton lust for blood.</p> + +<p>The little girl, who it is hoped had been rendered insensible at sight +of the cruelties perpetrated upon her mother, was taken by the feet +and her brains dashed out on the wheels of a wagon. To this last act +in the fiendish<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> drama there was probably no witness other than the +actors in it; but the child's body, mangled too terribly for +description, and the bloody marks on the wagon, gave evidence so +convincing that there could not be a moment's doubt of what had +occurred.</p> + +<p>The marauders now began a general looting of the wagons. Some of their +number were rounding up the stock, preparing to drive the cattle away, +when the trains of emigrants next in the rear appeared, less than half +a mile distant. This caused the Indian band to retreat. They crossed +the river, and then placing themselves behind the willows, hurried +away, making their escape into the mountain fastnesses. Owing to their +precipitous departure, much of the plunder they were preparing to take +was left behind them. Among the articles thus dropped by them was the +scalp of Mrs. Holloway, and the rescuing party found and took +possession of it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + +<p>Those emigrants who first came upon the scene found Mrs. Holloway +apparently dead; but, on taking her up, they saw that she was alive. +Though returning to semi-consciousness some time later, her condition +was such that she was unable to tell the story then; but there were +evidences showing plainer than words could have told of the awful +events of that morning, which had converted the quiet camp of this +happy, hopeful company into a scene of death and destruction.</p> + +<p>Before noon a large number of people of the great emigrant procession +had arrived. They united in giving to the dead the best interment that +the circumstances permitted. Then the broken and scattered effects of +the Holloway company were gathered up, and the now mournful trains +took position in the line of pilgrimage and again moved forward +towards the Pacific.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Fennell, aided by Captain Rountree's company and others, attempted +to save such of the Holloway property as had not been carried off or +destroyed. They were successful in recovering about one hundred of the +one hundred and fifty head of stock which the Indians had endeavored +to drive away. Two mules that were being led off by ropes broke away +from the savage band and returned, but the emigrants did not recover +any of the stolen horses.</p> + +<p>Jerry Bush found his way back to the scene. His injury, though +apparently of a dangerous character, did not delay the relief parties +more than a day after the attack, and the wound healed within a few +weeks. It was reported that Callum and Hattlebaugh had escaped, but +their further whereabouts was not known.</p> + +<p>Captain Rountree took charge of Mrs. Holloway and her brother and +brought them, with such of their stock<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> and other belongings as +remained, to The Meadows, on the Feather River. After partially +recuperating there, an uncle, Mr. Perry Durban, came to their aid, and +they were taken to Suisun. After full recovery from his wound, Jerry +Bush located in Ukiah, and resided there some years. He still +survives, now a resident of Hulett, Wyoming, at the ripe age of eighty +years.</p> + +<p>The slaughter of the Holloway party occurred at a point on the +Humboldt River some thirty miles east of where Winnemucca is located, +a few miles west of Battle Mountain. This becomes apparent by careful +estimates of distance traveled per day, rather than by landmarks noted +at the time, there being no settlements there, nor elsewhere along the +route, at that time.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 384px;"> +<img src="images/i083.jpg" width="384" height="500" alt="Jerry Bush, 1914" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Jerry Bush, 1914</span> +</div> + +<p>It was perhaps a year later when I went to a camp-meeting one Sunday, +at Mark West Creek, in Sonoma County, California. The people attending +a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> service were in a small opening among trees. Standing back of +those who were seated, I saw among them a woman whose profile seemed +familiar, and later I recognized her as Mrs. Holloway.</p> + +<p>My interest in her career, due to her extraordinary part in the Indian +massacre on the plains, was heightened by the fact that I had known +her previously, as the daughter of Mr. Bush, a prosperous farmer, and +had been present when she married Mr. Holloway, in a little +schoolhouse, near Rockport, Atchison County, Missouri. It seemed a +natural impulse which prompted me to ask her for particulars of the +tragedy, so disastrous to herself and her family; though later there +were misgivings regarding the propriety of doing so.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Holloway appeared at that time to be in good health, and was +cheerful, possessing perfect control of her faculties. Her head was +covered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> by a wig, made of her own hair, taken from the scalp that was +recovered at the scene of the massacre.</p> + +<p>All the heartrending experiences that she had endured were imprinted +upon her mind in minutest detail, and she related them in the exact +order of their occurrence. The recalling of the terrible ordeal, +however, so wrought upon her emotions that she wept, to the limit of +mild hysteria, which brought our conversation to a close, and soon +thereafter she left the place.</p> + +<p>I saw her no more; but learned sometime afterwards that her health +failed, then of the giving away of her mental powers, and still later +of her death, at Napa City; caused primarily by shock, and brooding +over the misfortunes she had met on the bank of the Humboldt River.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 417px;"> +<img src="images/i087.jpg" width="417" height="500" alt="Mrs. Nancy Holloway, 1857" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Mrs. Nancy Holloway, 1857</span> +</div> + +<p>It is difficult to believe that a woman, any woman—or any man—could, +in a state of consciousness, endure such torture as was inflicted upon +Mrs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> Holloway, and refrain from disclosing to her tormentors that +she was alive. But that she did so endure was her positive statement, +and this was indisputably corroborated by evidences found by those who +arrived at the scene less than an hour after the event.</p> + +<p>Through the kindness of Mr. William Holloway, of Fairfax, Missouri, +there is presented here a picture of Mrs. Nancy Holloway, wife of +Smith Holloway. The photograph was taken in California, shortly after +the attack described.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>ORIGIN OF "PIKER." BEFORE THE ERA OF CANNED GOODS AND KODAKS.<br /> +MORNING ROUTINE. TYPICAL BIVOUAC. SOCIABILITY ENTRAINED.<br /> +THE FLOODED CAMP. HOPE SUSTAINS PATIENCE.</h3> + + +<p>The appellation "Piker," much used in the West in early days, +synonymous of "Missourian," had its origin on these plains. At first +it was applied to a particular type of Missourian, but later came to +be used generally.</p> + +<p>There was among the emigrants a considerable number of persons from +Pike County, Missouri. Some of these had the sign, "From Pike Co., +Mo.," painted on their wagon covers. Others, when asked whence they +came, promptly answered, "From Pike<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> County, Missouri, by gosh, sir;" +often said with a shrug implying that the speaker arrogated to himself +much superiority by reason of the fact stated. The display of such +signs, and announcements like that just mentioned, were of such +frequent occurrence that the substance was soon abbreviated to +"Piker," and became a by-word. It was often, perhaps always, spoken +with a tinge of odium. Possibly this was due to the fact that many of +the people referred to were of a "backwoods" class, rather short in +culture, and in personal makeup, manner and language, bearing a +general air of the extremely rural.</p> + +<p>Though only persons of that description hailing from Pike County were +those who at first had to bear the opprobrium generally implied by +"Piker," later it was applied to all persons of that type in the Far +West, regardless of their origin. Many years' of mingling of +California's cosmopolitan<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> population has changed all that; producing +her present homogeneous, sterling, virile, and somewhat distinct type +of "Californian"; so the "Piker," as such, is no longer in the land. A +later application of the same word, descriptive of a person who does +business in a small way, has nothing in common with the "Piker" of +early days.</p> + +<p>Fifty-eight years ago, the time of the events here narrated, was +before the era of canned goods. Nearly all of the foodstuffs carried +by the emigrants were in crude form, and bulky; but substantial, pure, +and such as would keep in any climate.</p> + +<p>During the first few weeks of the trip we milked some of the cows, and +also made butter, the churning operation being effected mainly by the +motion of the wagons, in the regular course. That this did not last +long was due to reduction of milk supply. After a time there was not +sufficient<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> even for use in the coffee, or for making gravy, that +convenient substitute for butter.</p> + +<p>Such delicacies as may now be found in first-class canned meats, +vegetables and milk would have filled an often-felt want. The +occasional supply that we had en route of fresh meat and fish were +obtained largely by chance; we having no knowledge of localities where +hunting and fishing were likely to be successful, and it being deemed +unsafe for members of the party to wander far or remain long away from +the train. It seems regrettable that the invention of +hermetically-sealed and easily portable foods, and the inducement to +cross the plains to California, did not occur in reversed sequence.</p> + +<p>Neither had the kodak arrived. Had it been with us then, this +narrative might be illustrated with snap-shots of camp scenes, +characteristic roadside views, and incidents of travel generally, +which would do more for realism<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> than can any word-picture. We often +see specimens of artists' work purporting to represent a "'49er" +emigrant train on the overland journey—some of them very clever; but +seldom are they at all realistic to the man who was there.</p> + +<p>The man with a camera could have perpetuated, for example, the +striking scene presented to us one day of a party, consisting of two +men and their wives, with two or three children, sitting on a rocky +hillside, woefully scanning their team of done-out oxen and one wagon +with a broken axle; no means at hand for recuperation and repair. In +the scorching sun of a July day they waited, utterly helpless, +hopeless, forlorn, confused; and a thousand miles from "anywhere." +Such a grouping would not have made a cheerful picture, but would have +assisted immensely in recording a historical fact.</p> + +<p>But no emigrant ever found another<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> in distress and "passed by on the +other side."</p> + +<p>We were early risers, and the camp was each morning a scene of life +with the rising of the sun. By sunset all were sufficiently fatigued +to wish for making camp again. Therefore, from the morning start till +the evening stop was usually about twelve hours, with variations from +time to time, according to necessity or exceptional conditions.</p> + +<p>Breaking camp in the morning became routine, and proceeded like +clockwork. Each patient ox voluntarily drew near, and stood, waiting +to be yoked with his fellow and chained to his daily task. So well did +each know his place by the side of his mate that the driver had only +to place one end of the yoke on the neck of the "off" ox, known, for +example, as "Bright," and hold the other end toward the "nigh" ox, +saying, "Come under here, Buck," and the obedient fellow placed +himself in position. Then the bows were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> placed and keyed, and +"Bright" and "Buck" were hitched for duty. It required but a few +minutes to put three or four yoke of oxen in working order.</p> + +<p>As the result of much repetition, the packing of the camp articles +onto the wagons was done dexterously and quickly. Each box, roll and +bundle had a designated place; all being arranged usually to +facilitate sitting or reclining positions for those who rode in the +"schooners," that they might be as comfortable as possible, and read, +sleep, or, as the women often did, sew and knit, or play games. During +some parts of the trip such means of whiling away the hours was very +desirable, if not a necessity. If there ever was a time or condition +in which it could be pardonable to "kill time," these circumstances +were there, during many long days.</p> + +<p>The bivouac was always a scene of bustle and orderly disorder, +especially if the camp-site was a good one: wood,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> water and grass +being the desiderata. Obedient to habit, every person and animal +dropped into place and action. With the wagons drawn to position for +the night's sojourn, teams were quickly unhitched, the yokes, chains, +harness and saddles falling to the ground where the animals stood.</p> + +<p>Relieved of their trappings, the oxen, horses and mules were turned to +pasture, plentiful or scant. Cooking utensils came rattling from +boxes; rolls of bedding tumbled out and were spread on the smoothest +spots of sand or grass. Eager hands gathered such fuel as was +available, and the camp-fire blazed. Buckets of water were brought +from the spring or stream; and in an incredibly short time the scene +of animation had wrought full preparation for the night, while the +odor of steaming coffee and frying bacon rendered the astonished air +redolent of appetizing cookery.</p> + +<p>Some families used a folding table,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> on which to serve meals; but more +spread an oilcloth on the ground and gathered around that; or +individuals, taking a plate and a portion, sat on a wagon-tongue or a +convenient stone. Camp-stools and "split-bottomed" chairs were among +the luxuries that some carried, in limited numbers; but these were not +useful especially as seats while partaking of a meal spread on the +ground.</p> + +<p>Appetites were seldom at fault; and the meals, though plain and of +little variety, were never slighted. It is hardly necessary to add +that bacon and coffee were easy staples. Bread was mainly in the form +of quick-fire biscuits, baked in a skillet or similar utensil, or the +ever-ready and always-welcome "flap-jack," sometimes supplemented with +soda-crackers, as a delicacy.</p> + +<p>Nearly all the nights were pleasant—mild temperature, and very little +dew. This gave much relief, the daytime<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> heat being generally irksome +and often distressingly hot. Many of the men came to prefer sleeping +wholly in the open, with the heavens unobscured; often requiring no +more than a pair of blankets and a small pillow.</p> + +<p>Early evening was devoted to social gatherings. If the night was +pleasant groups would assemble, for conversation, singing and +story-telling; varied with dancing by the young people of some +companies. The more religious sang hymns and read the Bible sometimes, +in lieu of attendance at any church service. When wood was plentiful, +a bonfire added to the cheerfulness and comfort of the occasion. Often +neighboring trains camped quite near, when much enjoyment was found in +visits by the members of one company among those of another. In such +ways many agreeable acquaintances were met and even lasting +friendships formed, some of which have endured throughout the nearly +three-score years since passed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> + +<p>But we were not always favored with clear and pleasant weather. No one +who was there can have forgotten one night at the Platte River, when +we had a most dismal experience. Rain began falling in the afternoon, +and for that reason we made camp early.</p> + +<p>The tents were set up on a bit of flat ground near the river bank. +There were some large trees, but little dry wood available for fuel +for the camp fire except on an island, which was separated from us by +a branch of the river, about twenty yards wide and a foot deep. Some +of us waded over, getting our clothes soaked; others crossed on +horseback, and carried back from the island enough wood to make a +fire. But, time after time, the fire was quenched by the rain, which +now was falling in torrents; so we had much difficulty in preparing +our supper.</p> + +<p>The people huddled into the tents and wagons, half hungry, more than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +half wet, and uncomfortable altogether. With the exception of one or +two cots, the bedding was spread on the ground in the tents, and all +turned in—but not for long. Some one said, "water is running under my +bed." Then another and another made the same complaint. Soon we +learned the deplorable fact that the large tent had been pitched in a +basin-like place, and that the water, as the rain increased, was +coming in from all sides, the volume growing rapidly greater.</p> + +<p>We succeeded then in lighting one lantern, when the water was found to +be something like two inches deep over nearly all parts of the large +tent's floor. The beds were taken up and placed in soaked heaps, on +camp stools and boxes; and the rain continued pouring in steady, +relentless disregard of our misery. Except where lighted by the single +lantern the darkness was, of course, absolute. Relief was impossible. +There appearing to be nothing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> else to do, everybody abandoned the +tents and huddled in the wagons; the lantern was blown out, and there +was little sleep, while we waited and wished for daylight.</p> + +<p>Some of the days were warm and some hot. Some were very hot. +Discomforts were common; and yet not much was said, and apparently +little thought, of them. Having become inured to the conditions as we +found them from time to time, discomforts, such as under other +circumstances would have been considered intolerable, were passed +without comment. There were times and situations in which hardships +were unavoidable, some of them almost unendurable; but these, having +been anticipated, were perhaps less poignant in the enduring than in +the expectation.</p> + +<p>Let us for a moment raise the curtain of more than half a century, +while we look back on one of those ox-drawn trains of +"prairie-schooners," as it appeared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> to an observer on the ground at +the time; about the middle of August, and beyond the middle of the +journey. Permit the imagination to place the scene alongside that of +the present-day modes of traversing the same territory, when the +distance is covered in a less number of days than it required of +months then. Perhaps such a comparison may help to form some faint +conception of what the overland pioneers did, and what they felt, and +saw, and were.</p> + +<p>There they are as we see them, on a long stretch of sage-brush +plateau. The surface of the plain is only sand and gravel, as far as +the eye can reach. The atmosphere is hazy, with dust and vibrating +waves of heat arising from the ground. Far away to the northwest is +the outline of some mountains, just visible in the dim distance. In +the opposite direction, whence we have come, there is nothing above +the ground but hot space, and dust. Not a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> living thing in sight but +ourselves and ours.</p> + +<p>The animals appear fatigued, jaded. The people appear—well, as to +physical condition, like the animals: generally all look alike. Yet +the people seem hopeful. And why hopeful? The inherent and indomitable +trait of the race which makes it possible for humanity to look over +and past present difficulties, however great, and see some good +beyond. That is why the world "do move." Often, as it was with us, +progress may be slow, but every day counts for a little.</p> + +<p>Just here twelve or fifteen miles a day is doing well—very well. From +a slight eminence at one side of the way we may stand and see the +slowly creeping line of wagons and stock, for many miles fore and aft, +as they bend their way in and out, around and over the surface of +knolls and flats, hillocks and gullies. From a distant view they seem +not to be moving at all.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<p>The hour of mid-day arrives, and they stop for the "nooning." There is +nothing growing in the vicinity that the horses and cattle can eat, +and no water except the little in the keg and canteens; so the +carrying animals stand in their yokes and harness, or under saddles, +and the loose stock wait in groups, their thirst unslaked.</p> + +<p>As the people come out of the wagons and go about the business of the +hour we see the marks of the elements upon them. The women wear "poke" +bonnets and gingham dresses. The men are unshaven. All are sunburnt to +a rich, leathern brown. Some are thin, and at this particular time, +wearing a serious expression. They are not as unhappy as they look, +their principal trouble of the moment being merely anxiety to satisfy +prodigious and healthy appetites.</p> + +<p>There, under the stress of the midsummer sun, now in the zenith, no +shade, no protection from the flying<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> dust, they proceed cheerfully to +build a fire, of sticks and dry weeds; they fry bacon and bake +biscuits, prepare large pots of coffee, and they eat, from tin plates, +and drink from tin cups.</p> + +<p>No one says, "This is awful!" They laugh as they eat, saying, "Good; +ain't it?"</p> + +<p>This is not a cheerful view altogether of the retrospective; but a +sketch true to life, as life was there. It was not all like that. A +good deal of it was.</p> + +<p>Some will say that these overland travelers were over-zealous, even +foolhardy. One of the earliest pioneers, Mr. Daniel B. Miller, who +reached Oregon by the plains route in 1852, wrote later to relatives +in Illinois, "I would not bring a family across for all that is +contained in Oregon and California." Himself single, he had come with +a train composed almost wholly of men, but learned incidentally what +risks there were in escorting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> women and children through the wilds.</p> + +<p>But the enduring of all this toil, exposure and hardship had for its +inspiration the buoyant hope of something good just beyond, something +that was believed to be worthy of the privation and effort it was +costing. The ardor of that hope was too intense to be discouraged by +anything that human strength could overcome. The memories of those +strenuous experiences are held as all but sacred, and you never meet +one of these early overland emigrants who does not like to sit by your +fireside and tell you about it. He forgets, for the moment, how hard +it was, and dwells upon it, telling it over and over again, with the +same pride and sense of noble achievement that the old soldier feels +when recounting the battles and the camp life and the hard marches of +the war, when he was young, away back in the sixties. One crossing +this country by present-day conveyances, in richly appointed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> railroad +trains, with all the comforts obtainable in modern sleeping, dining +and parlor cars, can hardly be expected to conceive what it was to +cover the same course under the conditions described; when there was +not even a poor wagon road, and the utmost speed did not equal in a +day the distance traveled in half an hour by the present mode. Any +person who rides in a cumbrous and heavily laden wagon, behind a team +whose pace never exceeds a slow walk; over dusty ground, in hot +weather, will, before one day is passed, feel that endurance requires +utmost fortitude. Consider what patience must be his if the journey +continues for four, five or six long months!</p> + +<p>It is worthy of mention that there was no dissension among our people, +nor even unpleasantness, during the entire trip, nor did we observe +any among others. We were fortunate in having no "grouches" among us. +Harmony,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> cheerfulness, a disposition to be jolly, even to the degree +of hilarity, was the prevailing spirit. That, too, under circumstances +often so trying that they might have thrown a sensitive disposition +out of balance. All this in the wilds of an unorganized territory, +where there was no law to govern, other than the character and natural +bent of individuals. Such lack of established authority we had thought +might lead to recklessness or aggressive conduct, but it did not.</p> + +<p>Present residents in the fields and valleys, and the prosperous towns +along much of the line of travel described, will find it difficult to +reconcile the accounts here given with conditions as they see them +now. Leagues of territory now bearing a network of railroads and +splendid highways, which carry rich harvests from the well-tilled +farms, and connect numerous cities, was thought of ordinarily by the +emigrants in early days only as it appeared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> to them, and then was, +the stamping ground of savage tribes and the home of wild beasts, +untouched by the transforming hand of civilization. To the keen +observer, however, it was evident that we were passing through a great +deal of fine country. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that part +of that journey was through lands naturally barren, some desert +wastes, much of which is still unreclaimed, some unreclaimable.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>TANGLED BY A TORNADO. LOST THE PACE BUT KEPT THE COW.<br /> +HUMAN ODDITIES. NIGHT-GUARDS. WOLF SERENADES.<br /> +AWE OF THE WILDERNESS. A STAMPEDE.</h3> + + +<p>Few readers need peruse these pages to learn what a thunder-storm is +like, but many may not know what it is to encounter a fierce +electrical disturbance while surrounded by a herd of uncontrollable +cattle on the prairie.</p> + +<p>On an occasion after having stopped for a "nooning," there loomed up +suddenly in the northwest a black, ominous cloud, revolving swiftly +and threateningly, as might the vapors from some gigantic cauldron; +variegated in black, blue and green, bespangled with red streaks of +lightning.</p> + +<p>This display of the angry elements<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> was making a broadening sweep +onward directly towards where we were. The air turned black and murky, +and was vibrant with electric tension. Flocks of buzzards flew low to +the earth about us, as if to be ready for the carrion of the impending +catastrophe. The fear instinct of the brute seized the cattle, and +they hovered together, bellowing, distraught with apprehension of +evil.</p> + +<p>The whirlpool of atmospheric chaos grew more intense and rapidly +larger as it approached. Globules of water began to "spat! spat!" on +the ground, here and there, as the storm-cloud opened its batteries of +liquid balls. There was only such protection as the wagons afforded. +Whatever preparation we could make must be effected at once.</p> + +<p>Knowing that if the cattle should take fright and run, it would be +better that they leave the wagons, I dropped the wagon-tongue to which +I was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> hitching a team, and called to a boy who was hooking up the +next wagon, telling him not to do so. He had, however, already +attached to that wagon the team consisting of three yoke of oxen.</p> + +<p>The big drops of water were in a moment followed by hailstones, at +first very large and scattering, striking the ground each with a +vicious thud—a subdued "whack"; growing more frequent and presently +mingled with lesser ones; until, in the shortest moment, there was a +cloud-burst of hail and rain pouring upon us, a storm such as none of +us had ever witnessed.</p> + +<p>The oxen, chained together in strings of three and four pairs, pelted +by the hail, were mutinous and altogether uncontrollable. My own +string, having turned crosswise of the front end of the wagon, were +pushing it backward, down the hillside. The team in charge of the boy, +being attached to their wagon and heading away from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> storm, were +turning the wagon over. Knowing that the boy's mother was in the +"schooner," on a sick bed, I left my wagon and ran to that. As the +oxen, in trying to shield themselves from the hail, were forcing the +front wheels around under the wagon-box, I was fortunate enough to get +a shoulder under one corner of the box and exert sufficient force to +prevent the wagon upsetting. All this took little more than a minute. +The storm passed away as suddenly as it had come. Then I saw the wagon +which was my special charge lying on its side, at the bottom of the +slope; the bows of the cover fitting snugly into a sort of natural +gutter, with a swift current of muddy water and hailstones flowing +through the cover, as if it were a sluice-pipe. Everything in the +wagon was topsy-turvy; and, half buried in the heap were two little +girls, who had been riding in the vehicle. They were more frightened +than hurt, but complained<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> loudly at being placed in a cold-storage +of hailstones.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 309px;"> +<img src="images/i115.jpg" width="309" height="500" alt="The Author—Twenty years after" title="" /> +<span class="caption">The Author—Twenty years after</span> +</div> + +<p>Meantime, the sun beamed again, clear and hot, and we saw the +storm-cloud pursuing its course over the plain to the southeast, +leaving in its wake a wet path a few rods wide.</p> + +<p>The other men had their hands full in caring for endangered members of +the party and the equipment. The loose stock had stampeded and were +far away, with some of the mounted men in desperate pursuit. They +eventually brought the cattle to a halt, about five miles away, where +the wagons overtook them when it was time to make camp.</p> + +<p>Continuous travel over rough ground and through deep sand, and +ascending steep mountains, proved too great a strain for the endurance +of some outfits. From time to time we were obliged to witness +instances of extreme privation and hardship, usually the result of +inadequate preparation for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> the arduous journey. Some started with +only enough oxen to carry them in case all should remain serviceable; +and carried provisions for no more than the shortest limit of time +estimated; so that the mishap of losing an ox or two, or any delay, +worked a calamity. Some trains started so late, or were so much +delayed, that they were compelled to negotiate passage of the higher +mountains after the time when enormous snow-drifts had to be +encountered; further delay resulting, with exhaustion of strength and +depletion of supplies, in consequence of which many members of some +trains failed to reach their destination. A notable experience of this +kind was that of the Donner party, in 1846.</p> + +<p>It was in one of the higher mountain regions that we overtook one Eben +Darby and his family. Darby had been with one of the trains in advance +of us, but being unable to keep the pace, he was obliged to fall +behind.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> He had one small wagon, two yoke of oxen, and a cow; the +latter led by a rope behind the wagon. His wife, with a young baby, +and the wife's brother, Danny Worley, were the only persons with +Darby. The wife was a weak, inexperienced girl; the child sickly. Mrs. +Darby's brother was a large, fat youth of nineteen, whose +distinguishing and inconvenient characteristic was an abnormal +appetite. Their provisions were nearly exhausted. The cow was to them +the real fountain of life. She was doing nobly—supplying them a quart +of milk a day, which was wonderful, considering the circumstances. +This milk fed the baby, and afforded a good substitute for butter, in +the form of milk gravy—on which Danny fared sumptuously every day.</p> + +<p>Later their oxen drank of the alkali water of the Humboldt River, and +three of the four died in one night. Then the cow was yoked with the +remaining ox, two steers were loaned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> them by "good Samaritans" in our +company, and they were with us to the Sink of the Humboldt.</p> + +<p>Meantime the milk supply grew less, and Mrs. Darby was compelled to +substitute water for milk in the gravy. This sop was not satisfactory +to Danny. One evening at meal time he was overheard by some of our +boys, saying, "I want milk in my gravy." Though reminded there was +only enough milk for the baby, he of the phenomenal appetite +reiterated, "I don't care, I want milk in my gravy." Thereafter +"Gravy" was the name by which he was known, so long as he traveled +with us.</p> + +<p>This narrative would not do justice to the variety of individuals and +events without mention of another singular personage, a young fellow +who was "working his passage"; a sort of disconnected unit, whose +place became everywhere in the train, and who belonged to nobody. How +he got smuggled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> into the company no one has since been able to +recall. He was a sort of desert stowaway; tolerated because, though +eccentric and quite alarming in appearance, he was always in good +humor, and often useful, having a willingness to do as many of the +chores as others would trust him to perform. He was notable as a +physical curiosity, though not actually deformed. Low of stature, he +came to be known as "Shorty," the only name we ever had for him. As he +stood, his abnormally long arms enabled him to take his hat from the +ground without stooping. His legs were not mates in length, causing +him as he moved, with a quick, rocking gait, to create the impression +that he might topple backward; but somehow the longer leg always got +underneath at the critical instant, and restored the balance. His head +was large, and perfectly round; hair porcupinesque, each bristle +standing nearly perpendicular to the plane on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> which it grew. He had +no neck. Mouth small, and so round that it opened not unlike a bored +hole in a flesh-colored pumpkin.</p> + +<p>"Shorty" asserted that he was a singer. He and "Jack" never sang +together, however—that is, they never did so any more, after trying +it once. "Shorty" and "Gravy" Worley became chums inseparable, except +on one occasion, when their friendship was temporarily ruptured by a +dispute over the ownership of a fishing hook. Anger grew hot, but when +they were about to come to blows, "Shorty" suddenly dropped on +"all-fours" and essayed to butt his adversary with his head, which +surprising mode of combat so disconcerted "Gravy" that he ran for his +quarters, wildly yelling, "Take him off, take him off."</p> + +<p>For a time during the early part of the journey the horses and mules +were picketed at night, on the best pasture available; and before we +retired, all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> the animals were brought near the wagons, the loose +cattle bunched with them, and guards were placed, to prevent straying +of the stock or surprise by Indians. Later, for awhile, these +precautions were deemed unnecessary, though still later they had to be +resumed. The stock became accustomed to the daily routine, and after +the all-day travel, were quite willing, when they had finished their +evening grazing, to assemble near the camp and lie down for the night, +usually remaining comparatively quiet till morning. As if having some +realization of the lonely nature of the surroundings, the animals were +not disposed to stray off, except on rare occasions; but rather to +keep within sight of the people and the wagons.</p> + +<p>There was proof of the theory that in some circumstances domestic +animals acquire some of that feeling that human creatures know, when +far from the habitations of man. There is a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> peculiar sensation in the +great and boundless contiguity of empty silence which works the senses +up to a feeling that is somewhat alike in man and beast—that there is +most comfort and protection near the center of the settlement or camp. +In this stillness of the night—and night on these plains was often +very still—any slight noise outside the camp startled and thrilled +the taut nerves. Not only was the night still; usually it was silent, +too.</p> + +<p>But occasionally, when the silence was absolute, a couple or more of +prairie-wolves lurking in the vicinity, without the faintest note of +prelude, would startle the calm of night with their peculiar +commingling of barks, howls and wails,—a racket all their own. It was +the habit of these night prowlers of the desert to come as near to the +camp as their acute sense of safety permitted, and there, sitting on +their haunches, their noses pointed to the moon, render a serenade +that was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> truly thrilling. Two prairie-wolves, in a fugued duet, can +emit more disquieting noise, with a less proportion of harmony, than +any aggregation of several times their equal in numbers, not excepting +Indians on the war-path or a "gutter" band.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i125.jpg" width="500" height="289" alt="A coyote serenade" title="" /> +<span class="caption">A coyote serenade</span> +</div> + +<p>That awe of the wilderness to which reference has been made, and its +effect on the nerves, may explain the stampede of cattle, often not +otherwise accounted for; which occurs sometimes in these hollow +solitudes. It occurs nowhere else that I have known.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span></p> + +<p>Several times we experienced this strange exhibition of sudden panic; +the snapping, as it were, of the nerves, from undue tension, when, +instantly, from cause then to us unknown and unguessed, the whole band +of cattle, teams as well as loose stock, made a sudden, wild, furious +dash, in a compact mass; seeming instinctively to follow in whatever +direction the leader's impulse led him; drifting together and forward +as naturally as water flows to the current; with heads and tails high +in air; blindly trampling to the earth whatever chanced to be in their +path.</p> + +<p>These were not in any sense wild stock. The cattle, horses and mules +were all animals that had been raised on the quiet farms of the Middle +West, well domesticated.</p> + +<p>In the light of certain modern theories it might be said by some that +these otherwise docile animals stampeded on the unpeopled plains +because<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> they heard the "call of the wild." There were, however, +occasions when the cause could be readily assigned for this temporary +casting off of restraint.</p> + +<p>In one instance, already mentioned, a sudden, pelting hailstorm was +the undoubted cause; when, taking the stampede temper, they ran five +or six miles before the man, mounted on one of our fleetest +saddle-horses, got in front of the foremost of them and checked their +running.</p> + +<p>On all such occasions control could be regained in only one way. +Speeding his horse till he overtook and passed the leader of the drove +the rider made his horse the leader; and as each loose animal always +followed whatever was in front, the horseman, by making a circuit and +gradually slackening the pace, led the drove around and back to place +in the line of travel.</p> + +<p>Naturally one source of uneasiness was the thought of what our +situation would be if, on one of these occasions,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> we should fail to +regain control of these animals, so necessary to us in continuing the +westward journey. A stampede when some of the oxen were yoked to the +wagons was, of course, more serious in its immediate consequences than +when it happened while all were detached from the equipment.</p> + +<p>A stampede occurred one day in a level stretch of country, open in +every direction; nothing in sight to cause alarm. There the emigrant +road showed plainly before us. The wagons were in open single file, +the loose stock drawn out in line at the rear. Men on horseback, hats +over their eyes, some of them with one leg curled over the pommel of +the saddle; lazily droning away the slow hours and the humdrum miles. +The women and children were stowed away on bundles of baggage and camp +stuff in the wagons, some of them asleep perhaps, rocked in their +"schooner" cradles. A few of the men and boys perchance were +strolling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> off the way, in the hope of starting a sage grouse or +rabbit from some sheltering clump of brush. During a specially quiet +routine like this; the cattle lolling behind the wagons, mostly +unattended, keeping the snail pace set by the patient teams; a steer +now and again turning aside to appropriate a tuft of bunch-grass; +their white horns rising and falling in the brilliant sunlight, with +the swaying motion of their bodies as they walked, shimmered like +waves of a lake at noonday before a gentle breeze: quickly as a clap +of the hands, every loose beast in the band, in the wildest fashion of +terror, started, straight in the course of the moving line—pell-mell, +they went, veering for nothing that they could run over; sweeping on, +with a roaring tramp, like muffled thunder, they passed along both +sides of the train. The teams, catching the frenzy, took up the race, +as best they could with their heavy impedimenta; all beyond control +of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> their drivers or the herders, who, startled from the reverie of +the moment, could do no better than dodge to such place of safety as +they found, and stand aghast at the spectacle. Fortunately the draft +oxen usually were forced to stop running before they went far, owing +to the weight of the wagons they hauled and their inability to break +the yokes.</p> + +<p>In this particular instance the most serious casualty was the death of +a boy, about eight years of age, the son of Dr. Kidd. The child was +probably asleep in a wagon, and being aroused by the unusual +commotion, may have attempted to look out, when a jolt of the wagon +threw him to the ground, and he was trampled to death. The body was +kept in camp overnight, and the next morning wrapped in a sheet and +buried by the roadside.</p> + +<p>This was in a vast stretch of lonely plain. As we journeyed through +it, viewing the trackless hills and rockribbed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> mountains not far away +on either side, mostly barren and uninviting, it was difficult to +conceive of that territory ever becoming the permanent homes of men. +Yet it is possible, and probable, that the grave of Dr. Kidd's little +boy is today within the limits of a populous community, or even +beneath a noisy thoroughfare of some busy town.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>DISASTER OVERTAKES THE WOOD FAMILY.</h3> + + +<p>Our consolidated train continued its creeping pace down the meandering +Humboldt; crossing the stream occasionally, to gain the advantage of a +shorter or better road.</p> + +<p>Soon again there were other proofs of the wisdom we had shown in +taking every possible precaution against attack.</p> + +<p>Next ahead of us was a family from England, a Mr. Wood, his wife and +one child, with two men employed as drivers. They were outfitted with +three vehicles, two of them drawn by ox teams, in charge of the hired +men, and a lighter, spring-wagon, drawn by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> four mules, the family +conveyance, driven by Mr. Wood. We had not known them before.</p> + +<p>One very hot day in the latter part of August, after having moved +along for a time with no train in sight ahead of us, we came upon Mr. +Wood in a most pitiable plight, the result of an attack and slaughter, +not differing greatly from the Holloway case, and its parallel in +atrocity.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wood's party had spent the preceding night undisturbed, and were +up early in the morning, preparing to resume their journey. The ox +teams had been made ready and moved on, while Mr. Wood proceeded in a +leisurely way with harnessing the four mules and attaching them to the +smaller wagon. All the articles of their equipment had been gathered +up and placed in proper order in the wagon.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Wood had nearly completed hitching the team, Mrs. Wood<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> and +the baby being already in the wagon, some men, apparently all Indians, +twenty or more of them, were seen coming on horseback, galloping +rapidly from the hills to the northward, about half a mile away.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wood, fearing that he and his family were about to be attacked, in +this lonely situation, hurriedly sprang to the wagon seat and whipped +up the mules, hoping that before the attack they could come within +sight of the ox wagons, which had rounded the point of a hill but a +few minutes before, and have such aid as his hired men could give.</p> + +<p>He had no more than got the team under way when a wheel came off the +wagon—he having probably overlooked replacing the nut after oiling +the axle. Notwithstanding this he lost no time in making the best of +the circumstances. Jumping to the ground, he hurriedly placed Mrs. +Wood on one of the mules, cutting the harness to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> release the animal +from the wagon; then, with the baby in his arms, he mounted another +mule, and they started flight.</p> + +<p>But the Indians had by this time come within gun-shot range and fired +upon them. Mrs. Wood fell from the mule, fatally shot. Mr. Wood's mule +was shot under him, and dropped; next Mr. Wood received a bullet in +the right arm, that opened the flesh from wrist to elbow. That or +another shot killed the child. Amidst a shower of bullets, Mr. Wood +ran in the direction taken by his ox wagons. Getting past the point of +the low hill that lay just before him without being struck again, he +was then beyond range of the firing, and soon overtook his wagons. His +men, with all the guns they had, returned, to find the woman and child +dead on the ground. One of the mules was dead, one wounded, the other +two gone. The wagon had been ransacked of its contents, and the band +of assassins<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> were making their way back into the hills whence they +had come.</p> + +<p>This small wagon, Mr. Wood said, had contained the family effects; and +among them were several articles of considerable value, all of which +had been taken. Among his property were pieces of English gold coin, +the equivalent of fifteen hundred dollars. It had been concealed in +the bottom of the wagon-box, and he had supposed the band would +overlook it; but that, too, was gone.</p> + +<p>Such was the plight in which our company found the man, soon after +this tragedy was so swiftly enacted, and which so effectually bereft +him of all, his family and his property, leaving him wounded, and +dependent on the mercy of strangers.</p> + +<p>The dead were placed in mummy-form wrappings and buried, mother and +child in one, unmarked grave.</p> + +<p>When the manuscript of this narrative was first made ready for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +printer, the description of the calamity which befell Mr. Wood and his +family ended here. There were other details, as clearly recalled as +those already recited, but so atrocious and devoid of motive, that it +was a matter of grave doubt whether the facts should be given. It +seemed too deplorable that such an occurrence could be recorded as the +act of human beings; furthermore, would it be credible? It has been +intimated that the present endeavor is to give a complete history of +events as they occurred: no material item suppressed, nothing +imaginary included; therefore the remaining details are given.</p> + +<p>Incredible as it may sound to civilized ears, after the bodies of Mrs. +Wood and her child had been interred, hardly had those who performed +this service gone from the spot when a part of the savage band that +had murdered those innocent victims, rushed wildly back to the place, +disinterred the bodies<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> from the shallow grave, taking the sheets in +which the bodies had been wrapped, and which were their only covering, +and carrying those articles away. When the Indians had gone a second +time, the grief-stricken Mr. Wood returned and reinterred the remains +of his wife and child.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wood's wounded arm was dressed by Dr. Maxwell and Dr. Kidd, his +wagons were placed in the lead of our train, and again we moved +westward.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>MYSTERIOUS VISITORS. EXTRA SENTRIES. AN ANXIOUS NIGHT.</h3> + + +<p>The next following day, as we wended our way among the sand dunes, +alkali flats and faded sagebrush, there came to us—whence we knew +not—three men, equipped with a small wagon, covered with white +ducking, arched over bows, similar to the covering on most of the +emigrant wagons; drawn by two large, handsome, well-harnessed horses; +all having a well-to-do appearance, that made our dusty, travel-worn +outfits look very cheap and inferior.</p> + +<p>They told us that they were mountaineers, of long experience on the +plains; well acquainted with the Indians and familiar with their +habits and savage proclivities. They said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> that the Shoshone Indians +were very angry at the white people who were passing through their +lands; that this hostility recently had been further aroused by +certain alleged acts of the whites along the emigrant road; and that +the feeling was now so intense that even they, our informants, were +alarmed, notwithstanding their long, intimate and friendly intercourse +with these Indians; and, believing themselves no longer safe among the +tribe, they were anxious to get out of the Shoshone country; therefore +they requested the privilege of placing themselves under the +protection of our large train until we should have passed out of the +Shoshone lands and into those of the Pah-Utes, which tribe they said +was known to be friendly toward the white race.</p> + +<p>One of these men was a specially picturesque figure; weighty, with +large, square shoulders; well-formed head; full, brown beard, cropped +short. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> wore a deer-skin blouse, leathern breeches; broad, +stiff-brimmed hat, low crown, flat top, decorated with a tasseled +leather band; a fully-loaded ammunition belt—a combination make-up of +cowboy, mountaineer and highwayman.</p> + +<p>The three men spoke plain English, with a free use of "frontier +adjectives."</p> + +<p>Having received permission to take temporary protection by traveling +near us, they placed themselves at the rear of our train, and that +night pitched camp slightly apart from our circle of wagons.</p> + +<p>Some of our men visited them during the evening, eager to hear their +tales of adventure; and listened, open-mouthed, to descriptions of +life among savage associations, in the mountain wilds, jungles and the +desert plains.</p> + +<p>The visitors dwelt with emphasis on the threatening attitude of the +Shoshone Indians towards the emigrants; warning us that our position +was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> hazardous, with caution that there was special risk incurred by +individuals who wandered away from the train, thus inviting a chance +of being shot by Redskins, ambushed among the bunches of sagebrush. +They were especially earnest as they assured us of the peril there +would be in loitering away from the body of the company, as they had +noticed some of our boys doing, that day, while hunting for sage +fowls.</p> + +<p>After awhile, he of the big hat inquired—and seemed almost to tremble +with solicitude as he spoke:</p> + +<p>"Are you prepared to defend yourselves, in case of an attack?"</p> + +<p>Here unpleasant surmises gave place to distinct suspicions in the +minds of some of our older men. They regarded that question as a +"Give-away." All the day, since these three joined us, we had felt +that they might be spies, and in league with the Indians. So now not a +few of us were giving closest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> attention, both with ears and eyes.</p> + +<p>An answer was ready: That we were prepared, and waiting for the +encounter; with a hundred and twenty-five shots for the first round; +that we could reload as rapidly as could the Indians; and had +ammunition in store for a long siege.</p> + +<p>The actual fact was that, although every man of us had some sort of a +"shooting-iron," they were not formidable. In kind, these varied well +through the entire range of infantry, from a four-inch six-shooter to +a four-foot muzzle-loader, and from a single-barreled shotgun on up to +a Sharp's repeating rifle. The weapon last mentioned carried a +rotating cylinder, for five shells, and was the latest thing in +quick-fire repeating arms of that time: but there was only one of that +class in the train. Had we been seen on muster, standing at "present +arms," the array would have been less terrifying than comical.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> + +<p>Just how our visitors received our bluff with reference to +preparedness for battle we could not know. The next morning these +mysterious strangers took position in the rear of our train once more, +carrying a small white flag, mounted on a pole fastened to their +wagon. Upon being asked the purpose of the flag they replied that it +served as a signal to any one of their number who might go beyond +view, enabling him to determine the location of the wagon.</p> + +<p>Captain John reminded them that, according to their statements, +wandering out of sight was too hazardous to be done or considered; +adding that therefore there did not seem to be any need of the flag, +and he wanted it to be taken down.</p> + +<p>It came down.</p> + +<p>During the noon-hour stop that day, while the doctors were dressing +Mr. Wood's wounded arm, he obtained a first look at our three +protegés. He at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> once indicated the man wearing the big, brown hat, +and stated, excitedly but confidentially, to those of our company who +were near him:</p> + +<p>"I believe that man was with the Indians who killed my wife and +child."</p> + +<p>That statement naturally created a much greater feeling of uneasiness +among us. The assertion was whispered around; and every man of us +became a detective. The leading men of our party put their heads +together in council. The situation was more than ever grave and the +suspense distinctly painful. We feared something tragic would happen +any hour.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wood was asked to obtain another view of the man and endeavor to +make his statement more definite, if he could. His wound, and the +terrible shock he had sustained two days previously, had so prostrated +him that he was unable to make haste. Arrangements were made to +disguise him and have him go where he could obtain a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> good view of the +three men, but his condition prevented it.</p> + +<p>Later in the afternoon the three-men-afraid-of-Indians announced that +we had passed out of the territory of the savage Shoshones; they felt +it would be safe for them to dispense with our kind escort, therefore, +after camping near us that night, they would withdraw and bid us a +thankful good-bye.</p> + +<p>We camped that night on a level place, where there was sage-brush +three or four feet high, and thick enough to make good cover for an +enemy. Our people, having become thoroughly distrustful of the three +men who had made themselves appendages of our train, feared an attack +would be made on our camp that night. Suspicion had developed into a +fixed belief that the trio were confederates of the Shoshones, and had +come to us under a pretense of fear on their part, in order to spy out +the fighting strength of our company.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> + +<p>The place where they halted their wagon and prepared to spend the +night was not more than a hundred yards from where our vehicles were +arranged, in the usual hollow circle, with the camp-fire and the +people inclosed.</p> + +<p>When darkness set in, guards of our best men, armed with the most +effective guns we had, were quietly distributed about the camp, the +chosen men crawling on their hands and knees to their allotted +positions, in order that the three strangers should not know our +arrangements. There was an understanding that, if there should be an +attack during the night, the first thing to do was, if possible, to +shoot those three men; for, under the circumstances, any attack +occurring that night would be deemed completion of proof that they +were responsible for it and for any atrocity that might follow or be +attempted.</p> + +<p>The night passed without notable happening—except that at the break +of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> day the three men and their wagon silently stole away.</p> + +<p>There was a feeling of great relief on being rid of them; but there +remained some apprehension of their turning up at some unguarded +moment and unpleasant place, to make us trouble; for their absence did +not remove the impression that they had come among us to gauge our +desirability as prey and the feasibility of overpowering our entire +train.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>CHALLENGE TO BATTLE.</h3> + + +<p>We divided our long train into two parts, leaving a short space +between the sections. Mr. Wood's two wagons headed the forward part. +Toward the close of the day on which this change of arrangement was +made, the forward section turned off the road a short distance before +stopping to make camp, and the rear section passed slightly beyond the +first, left the road and halted, so that a double camp was formed, +with the two sections thus placed for the night in relative positions +the reverse of the order they had maintained during the day.</p> + +<p>At night-fall, when supper was over and everything at rest, we saw +three horsemen going westward on the emigrant road. When they were +opposite the Maxwell, or forward, camp, as the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> train sections had +been placed, these men turned from the road and came toward us. We +soon recognized them as our late guests on the way: he of the big hat +and his two companions.</p> + +<p>Riding into our camp, one of them remarked that they now observed the +change made in arrangement of our train, explaining that they had +intended to call on the Englishman, whose place had been in the lead. +They apologized for their mistake. The first speaker added that they +had heard it stated that this English gentleman had charged one of +their number with being in company with the Indians who killed his +wife, at the time of the tragedy, a few days before.</p> + +<p>He of the big, brown hat then assumed the role of spokesman, and said:</p> + +<p>"I understand that he indicated me, by description; and if that man +says I was with the Indians who killed his wife, I will kill him. Let +him say it, and I will shoot him down like a dog,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> that he is. I am +here to demand of him if he said it."</p> + +<p>Another of the three said, in a tone of conciliation:</p> + +<p>"We are honest men. We came out here from Stockton, California, where +we live, to meet the emigrants as they come over from the States. We +buy their weak and disabled stock, such as cannot finish the trip to +the Coast; take the animals onto range that we know of, and in the +fall, when they are recuperated, we drive them in for the California +market."</p> + +<p>The man under the large hat resumed:</p> + +<p>"My name is James Tooly. My partners here, are two brothers, named +Hawes. And now, if that Englishman, or any one among you, says I was +with the Indians who killed his wife, I will shoot him who says it, +right here before you all."</p> + +<p>This was said with much vehemence, and punctuated with many oaths.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 414px;"> +<img src="images/i152.jpg" width="414" height="500" alt="Van Diveer's advantage was slight, but sufficient" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Van Diveer's advantage was slight, but sufficient</span> +</div> + +<p>Mr. Drennan, of our combined company, replied:</p> + +<p>"If you want to talk like that, go where the man is. We don't want +that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> kind of language used here, in the presence of our women and +children."</p> + +<p>Tooly, standing erect, high in his stirrups, drew a large pistol from +its holster and swung it above his head.</p> + +<p>"I will say what I please, where I please; and I don't care who likes +it," roared Tooly, waving his pistol in air.</p> + +<p>W. J. Van Diveer, a young man of the Drennan company, who had been +sitting on a wagon-tongue near the speaker, leaped to his feet, with a +pistol leveled at the big horseman's head, and with a manner that left +no doubt that he meant what he said, shouted:</p> + +<p>"I'll be damned if you can do that here. Now, you put down your gun, +and go."</p> + +<p>The muzzle of Van Diveer's pistol was within an arm's-length of Tooly, +aiming steadily at his head. Tooly was yet with pistol in hand but not +quite in position for use of it on his adversary. Van Diveer's +advantage was slight, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> sufficient for the occasion. Tooly's +companions did not act, appearing to await his orders, and, in the +suddenness of this phase of the scene, Tooly found no voice for +commands. Others of our men made ready on the instant, believing that +a battle was on.</p> + +<p>It was averted, however. Tooly replaced his pistol in the holster, +saying:</p> + +<p>"Well, of course—as you say, my pie is over yonder. I don't want to +kill <i>you</i> fellows."</p> + +<p>And he didn't. The three rode over to the other group of our men, +among whom was Mr. Wood. All of these had overheard what had just been +said, and felt sure they knew what was coming.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wood, grief-stricken, disabled, stood, pale and fearful, amongst +the party of timid emigrants, all strangers to him; he the only man +probably in the camp without a weapon on his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> person, his torn arm in +a sling across his chest.</p> + +<p>The big fellow made his statement again, as he had made it to us; with +the same emphatic threat to kill, if he could induce Wood or any one +to speak out and affirm the charge of Tooly's complicity with the +Indians.</p> + +<p>Tooly got off his horse and, pistol in hand, walked among the party; +many of whom surely did tremble in their boots. He declared again, as +he stalked about, that he would shoot the hapless Wood, "like a dog", +or any one who would repeat the charge.</p> + +<p>There were but a few men in that part of the camp when Tooly commenced +this second tirade, in the presence of Wood; but soon more came from +the other part of the train.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wood, in a condition as helpless as if with hands and feet bound, +realizing his situation, and his responsibility, maintained silence: a +silence<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> more eloquent than speech, since a single word from him in +confirmation of the charge he had made would have precipitated a +battle, in which he, most certainly, and probably others, including +some of his benefactors, would have been killed.</p> + +<p>Then Tooly saw that a goodly number of men had arrived from the other +section of the camp, and were watching to see what would happen; some +of these viewing the scene with attitude and looks that boded no good +for the man who held the center of the arena.</p> + +<p>Tooly's threatening talk ceased. Still Wood said nothing. In silence, +Tooly mounted his horse, and with his fellows rode away, leaving the +party of emigrants—most of them terror-stricken, some angry—standing +dumb, looking at one another, and at the retreating three until they +went out of sight, in the dusk of the desert night-fall: stood there +on the sage-brush sward, a tableau of silent dumbfoundedness;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> for how +long none knew; each waiting for something to break the spell.</p> + +<p>"I feel like a fool," exclaimed Van Diveer.</p> + +<p>"But," spoke Drennan, the older and more conservative leader of their +party, "we couldn't start an open battle with those fellows without +some of us being killed. They are gone; we should be glad that they +are. It is better to bear the insult than have even one of our people +shot."</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"I'm glad they left no bullets in me—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Ulee, ilee, aloo, ee;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Courting, down in Tennessee."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>This paraphrasing of his favorite ditty was, of course, perpetrated by +"Jack."</p> + +<p>But we all wished we knew. Was it true that these men were +conspirators with the Indians who had been ravaging the emigrant +trains? If so, doubtless they would be concerned in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> other and +possibly much more disastrous assaults, and perhaps soon. If so, who +would be the next victims?</p> + +<p>But Mr. Wood was still too indefinite in his identification of the man +Tooly—at least in his statement of it—to clear away all doubt, or +even, as yet, to induce the majority of our men to act on the judgment +of some: that we should follow these plainsmen, learn more, and have +it out with them.</p> + +<p>There were many circumstances pointing not only to the connection of +these men with the assault on Mr. Wood's family, but to the +probability of their having been responsible for the slaughter of the +Holloway party. It seemed improbable that there were two bands of +Indians operating along that part of the Humboldt River in the looting +of emigrant trains. If it could be proved that white men co-operated +with the savages in the Wood case, the inference would be strong that +the same white men had been accessories<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> in the Holloway massacre. The +use of guns in those attacks, and the evident abundance of ammunition +in the hands of the Indians, went far toward proving the connection of +white men with both these cases.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>SAGEBRUSH JUSTICE.</h3> + + +<p>The Sink of the Humboldt is a lake of strong, brackish water, where +the river empties into the natural basin, formed by the slant of the +surrounding district of mountains, plain and desert, and where some of +the water sinks into the ground and much of it evaporates, there being +no surface outlet. In the latter part of the summer the water is at a +very low stage, and stronger in mineral constituents. There we found +the daytime heat most intense.</p> + +<p>The land that is exposed by the receding water during the hottest +period of the fall season becomes a dry, crackling waste of incrusted +slime, curling up in the fierce sunshine, and readily crushed under +foot, like frozen snow. The yellowish-white scales reflect the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +sunlight, producing a painful effect on the eyes. Not many feet wander +to this forbidding sea of desolation.</p> + +<p>At the border of this desert lake, a few feet higher than the water, +is a plateau of sand, covered with sage-brush and stones. We were +there in the last week of August. Fresh water was not to be had except +at a place a half-mile from our camp, where there was a seepage +spring. There we filled our canteens and buckets with enough for +supper and breakfast. The animals had to endure the night without +water.</p> + +<p>Not far from the spring was situated a rude shack, known as "Black's +Trading Post." This establishment was constructed of scraps of rough +lumber, sticks, stones and cow-hides. With Mr. Black were two men, +said to be his helpers—helpers in what, did not appear. The principal +stock in trade was a barrel of whisky—reported to be of very bad +quality—some plug tobacco, and—not much else. Black's prices<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> were +high. A sip from the barrel cost fifty cents. It was said to be an +antidote for alkali poisoning.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i162.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt=""A sip from the barrel cost fifty cents"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"A sip from the barrel cost fifty cents"</span> +</div> + +<p>Some of our men visited this emporium of the desert, and there they +found "Jim" Tooly. The barrel had been tapped in his behalf, and he +was loquacious; appearing also to be quite "at home" about the Post. +His two companions of our recent acquaintance were not there. The +"antidote" was working; Tooly was in good spirits, and eloquent. He +did not appear to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> recognize those of our people who were visiting the +place; but they knew him. There were other persons present from the +camps of two or three companies of emigrants, but strangers to us, who +were also stopping for the night at the margin of the Sink.</p> + +<p>Tooly assumed an air of comradeship toward all, addressing various +individuals as "Partner" and "Neighbor"; but his obvious willingness +to hold the center of the stage made it clear that he deemed himself +the important personage of the community.</p> + +<p>Some things he said were self-incriminating. He boasted of having +"done up a lot of Pikers, up the creek," declaring his intention to +"look up another lot of suckers" the following day.</p> + +<p>When our men thought that they had heard enough they returned to camp +and reported.</p> + +<p>Recollections of the last time we had seen Mr. Tooly made the present<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +occasion seem opportune. An impromptu "court" was organized: judge, +sheriff and deputies; and these, with a few chosen men of the company, +went to the trading post to convene an afternoon session. The members +of this "court" dropped in quietly, one or two at a time, looked over +the place, asked questions—about the country; the prices of Mr. +Black's "goods"; how far it might be to Sacramento; anything to be +sociable: but none offered to tap the barrel.</p> + +<p>The stranger emigrants had heard of the Indian raids up the river. +Seeming to have inferred something of pending events, they had gone to +the trading post in considerable numbers. Tooly was still there. Black +and his two men seemed to be persons who ordinarily would be classed +as honest. Still, they appeared to listen to Tooly's tales of prowess +in the looting of emigrant trains as if they regarded such proceedings +as acts of exceptional<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> valor; exhibiting as much interest in the +recital as did the "tenderfoot" emigrants—who held a different +opinion regarding those adventures.</p> + +<p>When enough had been heard to warrant the finding of an indictment, +the newly-appointed judge issued a verbal order of arrest, and the +sheriff and his deputies quickly surrounded the accused, before he +suspected anything inimical to his personal welfare. With revolver in +hand, the sheriff commanded, "Hands up, 'Jim' Tooly!" To the +astonishment of all, the big man raised both hands, without protest; +this, however, in mock obedience, as was evident by his laughing at +the supposed fun.</p> + +<p>"This is not a joke, sir," came in harsh tones from the judge. "When +we saw you last, about sixteen days ago, you came to our camp to deny +a charge made against you by a man of our company. You overawed, +browbeat and insulted the man and those<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> who were assisting and +protecting him in his distress. You denied the accusation made against +you, with vehemence and much profanity. Giving you the benefit of a +doubt, we permitted you to go. Now we are here to take the full +statement of the prosecuting witness, and examine such other evidence +as there may be. We will clear you if we can, or find you guilty if we +must."</p> + +<p>In whatever direction the culprit looked he gazed into the open end of +a gun or pistol. The sheriff said:</p> + +<p>"Now, Tooly, any motion of resistance will cost you your life."</p> + +<p>A disinterested onlooker at the moment would have cringed, lest the +unaccustomed duty of some deputy should so unnerve his hand that he +would inadvertently and prematurely pull the trigger of his weapon. +But all held sufficiently steady, as they looked through the sights.</p> + +<p>The prisoner slowly grasped the situation,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> and knew that temporary +safety lay in obedience. The sheriff's demand for Tooly's weapons +created more surprise, when it was revealed that, in his feeling of +security while at the Post, he had relieved himself of those +encumbering articles and deposited them with the landlord, that he +might have freedom from their weight while enjoying the hospitality of +the place.</p> + +<p>Thus his captors had him as a tiger with teeth and claws drawn. His +weapons, when brought out from the hut for examination, were found to +be two pistols, of the largest size and most dangerous appearance, in +a leathern holster, the latter made to carry on the pommel of a +saddle, in front of the rider. These, also his saddle and other +trappings, were searched for evidence; but, except the pistols, +nothing was found that tended to throw any further light on the +question of his guilt or innocence.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> + +<p>Tooly was then taken, under a heavy guard, to a spot some distance +from the Post, where the court reconvened, for the purpose of +completing the trial.</p> + +<p>His captors had, with good reason, reckoned Tooly as like a beast of +the jungle, who, when put at bay, would resort to desperate fighting; +but, having been caught thus unawares and unarmed, violence on his +part or resistance of any kind, was useless. He was doubtless feigning +meekness, hoping for an opportunity to escape.</p> + +<p>A jury was selected, mostly from the stranger emigrants.</p> + +<p>The improvised court sat on an alkali flat near the margin of the +lake, where there were some large stones and clumps of sage-brush. +There Tooly was confronted by Mr. Wood, still with bandaged arm. Tooly +declared he had never before seen the Englishman, but Wood said he had +seen Tooly, and now reaffirmed his belief that the prisoner was one of +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> persons who, some weeks previously, had ridden with the Indians +who killed Mrs. Wood and the child, also wounded and robbed the +witness.</p> + +<p>Still the evidence was not deemed sufficiently positive or complete, +the identity being in some doubt. The jury would not convict without +conclusive proof. With the view of procuring further evidence, the +judge ordered that the person of the prisoner be searched.</p> + +<p>Hearing this mandate, Tooly first made some sign of an intention to +resist—only a slight start, as if possibly contemplating an effort to +break through the cordon of untrained guards.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," ordered the sheriff, "keep, every man, his eye on this +fellow, and his finger on the trigger." Then to the prisoner,</p> + +<p>"Stand, sir, or you will be reduced to the condition of a 'good +Indian'!"</p> + +<p>Escape as yet appeared impossible, and Tooly must have finally come to +a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> definite realization that he was in the hands of men who meant +business, most earnestly. Bravado had ceased to figure in his conduct. +It was apparent that the search for evidence was narrowing its field; +the erstwhile minions of frontier justice were on the right scent. +Tooly grew pallid of feature and his cheeks hollowed perceptibly, in a +moment. There was a wild glare in his eyes, as they turned from side +to side; fear, hatred, viciousness, mingled in every glance. He +crouched, not designedly, but as if an involuntary action of the +muscles drew him together. His fists were clenched; his mouth partly +opened, as if he would speak, but could not.</p> + +<p>Thus he stood, half erect, while the officer searched his clothing. +The examination disclosed that, secured in a buckskin belt, worn under +his outer garments, there was English gold coin, to the value of five +hundred dollars; just one-third of the amount that Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> Wood declared +he had lost at the time of the robbery. What became of the other +two-thirds of Mr. Wood's money was readily inferred, but full proof of +it was not necessary to this case.</p> + +<p>Tooly's trial was closed. The only instruction the court gave the jury +was, "Gentlemen, you have heard the testimony and seen the evidence; +what is your verdict?"</p> + +<p>The answer came, as the voice of one man, "Guilty."</p> + +<p>During the entire proceeding, at the post and down by the lake, the +judge sat astride his mule. Addressing the prisoner once more from his +elevated "bench," he said:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Tooly, you are found guilty of the murder of Mrs. Wood and her +child, the wounding of Mr. Wood, and robbery of his wagon. Mr. Wood +has from the first stated his belief that you were with, and the +leader of, the band of Indians which attacked his party. You +afterwards denied it; but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> now, in addition to his almost positive +identification, and many circumstances pointing to your guilt, you are +found with the fruits of that robbery on your person. Have you +anything to say?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i172.jpg" width="500" height="303" alt=""'Stop,' shouted the Judge"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"'Stop,' shouted the Judge"</span> +</div> + +<p>Tooly was ashy pale, and speechless. Absolute silence reigned for a +time, as the court awaited the prisoner's reply, if by any means he +could offer some explanation, some possible extenuating circumstance, +that might affect the judgment to be pronounced. None came, and the +judge continued:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You can have your choice, to be shot, or hanged to the uplifted +tongue of a wagon. Which do you choose?"</p> + +<p>Tooly took the risk of immediate death, in seeking one last, desperate +chance for life. Instantly he turned half around, crouched for a +spring, and, seemingly by one single leap, went nearly past the +rock-pile, so that it partly covered his retreat. Quick as his +movements were, they were not swifter than those of the men whose duty +was to prevent his escape.</p> + +<p>"Stop, Tooly," shouted the judge, sitting astride his mule, as his +long right arm went out to a level, aiming his big Colt's revolver at +the fleeing man.</p> + +<p>"Shoot, boys," commanded the sheriff at the same instant; a chorus of +shots sounded, and the court's sentence was executed.</p> + +<p>Complying with the request of the judge, the sheriff had a hole dug +near<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> where the body lay, and the dead man was buried, <i>sans +ceremonie</i>.</p> + +<p>The court returned to the trading post and requested the proprietor to +state what he knew of Tooly. Mr. Black declared he only knew that the +accused plainsman came to the post that day; that he bought and drank +a considerable quantity of whisky, and offered to treat several +passing emigrants, all of whom declined.</p> + +<p>The English gold found upon the prisoner was returned to Mr. Wood, and +the incident was closed.</p> + +<p>The trial had been as orderly and impartial as the proceedings in any +court established by constitutional authority. All those concerned in +it realized that they were performing a duty of grave importance. +There was nothing of vindictiveness, nothing of rashness. It was +without "due process," and it was swift; a proceeding without the +delays commonly due to technicalities observed in a legal tribunal;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +but it was justice conscientiously administered, without law—an +action necessary under the circumstances. Its justification was fully +equal to that of similar services performed by the Vigilance +Committee, in San Francisco, within a year preceding. It was a matter +the necessity of which was deplorable, but the execution of which was +imposed upon those who were on the spot and uncovered the convincing +facts.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>NIGHT TRAVEL, FROM ARID WASTES TO LIMPID WATERS.</h3> + + +<p>From the Sink of the Humboldt the little Darby party wished to +complete the trip by the Carson Route, thus separating from the +majority, but their supplies were exhausted and they had now but one +ox and one cow to draw their wagon. A suggestion, that those who could +spare articles of food should divide with the needy, was no sooner +made than acted upon. Sides of bacon, sacks of flour and other +substantials were piled into their little vehicle, and the owners of +the two oxen which had been loaned Darby simply said, "Take them +along; you need them more than we do." Danny, alias "Gravy" Worley, +being of that party, showed his delight, by sparkling eyes and +beaming<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> fat face, when he saw the abundance of edibles turned over to +his people. Mr. Darby shed genuine tears of gratitude, as we bade them +good-bye and drove away by another route.</p> + +<p>The combination train was further divided, each party shaping its +farther course according to the location of its final stop. The +Drennans took the Carson Route, the Maxwell train proceeding by the +more northerly, Truckee, trail. The associations of the plains, closer +cemented by the sharing of many hardships and some pleasures, had +created feelings almost equal to kinship, more binding than those of +many a life-long neighborhood relation. So there were deep regrets at +parting.</p> + +<p>On leaving the Sink of the Humboldt there was before us a wholly +desert section, forty miles wide. The course led southwesterly, over +flat, barren lands, with a line of low hills, absolutely devoid of +vegetation, on our right. This was known to be one of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> the hard drives +of our long journey; but hearsay knowledge was also to the effect +that, at its farther border, we would reach the Truckee River, and +soon thereafter ascend the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The prospect of +seeing again a river of <i>pure</i> water, and fresh, green trees, had a +buoyant effect on our lagging hopes; and these were further stimulated +by the information that not long after entering these forest shades we +would cross the State line into California.</p> + +<p>While crossing the forty miles of desert, the sun-baked silt, at the +beginning, and later the deep, dry sand, made heavy going. To avoid +the almost intolerable heat of day as much as possible, and it being +known that water was not obtainable, during this much-dreaded bit of +travel, we deferred the start until mid-afternoon, and traveled all +night.</p> + +<p>The impressions of that night ride were most extraordinary. As the +sun<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> sank, and twilight shaded into night, the atmosphere was filled +with a hazy dimness; not merely fog, nor smoke, nor yet a pall of +suspended dust, but rather what one might expect in a blending of +those three. Only a tinge of moonlight from above softened the dull +hue. It was not darkness as night usually is dark. It was an +impenetrable, opaque narrowing of the horizon, and closing in of the +heavens above us; which, as we advanced, constantly shifted its +boundary, retaining us still in the center of the great amphitheater +of half-night. We could see one another, but beyond or above the +encompassing veil all was mystery, even greater mystery than mere +darkness. No moon nor stars visible; nothing visible but just part of +ourselves, and ours.</p> + +<p>As the night merged into morning, the sunlight gradually dispelled the +mantle of gloom from our immediate presence; but still we could not +see out.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> As if inclosed in a great moving pavilion, on we went, +guided only by the tracks of those who had gone before.</p> + +<p>In the after part of the night the loose cattle, having been for two +nights and a day without water, and instinctively expecting an +opportunity to drink, quickened their pace, passing the wagons; the +stronger ones outgoing the weaker, till the drove was strung out two +or three miles in length along the sandy trail.</p> + +<p>Some of the wise-heads in the company were fearful that the cattle, on +reaching the Truckee River, would drink too much. They detailed Luke +Kidd and me to ride on our mules ahead of the foremost of the stock, +and on reaching the river, permit none of the animals to drink more +than a little water at a time.</p> + +<p>We went ahead during all that long morning, following what was surely, +to us, the longest night that ever happened, before or since. Most of +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> other members of our party were in the wagons, and they, except +the drivers, slept soundly; rocked gently, very gently, by the slow +grinding of the wheels in the soft, deep sand. But Luke and I, on our +little mules, must keep awake, and alert as possible, in readiness to +hold back the cattle from taking too much water.</p> + +<p>From midnight to daybreak seemed a period amounting to entire days and +nights; from dawn till sunrise, an epoch; and from sunrise to the time +of reaching the river, as a period that would have no end.</p> + +<p>As the sun finally rose behind us, the faintest adumbration of the +nearest ridges of the Sierras was discerned, in a dim, blue scroll +across the western horizon, far ahead—how far it was useless to +guess; and later, patches of snow about the peaks.</p> + +<p>The minutes were as hours; and their passing tantalized us: noting how +the dim view grew so very slowly into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> hazy outlines of mountains, and +finally of tree-tops.</p> + +<p>On we labored, overcoming distance inch by inch; nodding in our +saddles; occasionally dismounting, to shake off the almost +overpowering grasp of sleep.</p> + +<p>Half awake, we dreamed of water, green trees, and fragrant flowers. +Rising hope, anon, took the place of long-deferred fruition, and we +forgot for a moment how hard the pull was; till, with returning +consciousness of thirst and painful drowsiness, we saw the landscape +ahead presented still another, and another line of sand-dunes yet to +be overcome.</p> + +<p>Luke and I reached the Truckee at nine o'clock in the forenoon, just +ahead of the vanguard of cattle, and about three miles in advance of +the foremost wagon.</p> + +<p>We tried to regulate the cattle's consumption of water, but did not +prevent their drinking all they could hold. Ten men, on ten mules, +could not have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> stopped one cow from plunging into that river, once +she got sight of it, and remaining as long as she desired. We could +not even prevent the mules we rode from rushing into it—that cold, +rippling Truckee. Yet our elders had sent us two boys to hold back a +hundred cattle, and make them drink in installments—in homeopathic +doses, for their stomachs' sake.</p> + +<p>They dashed into the stream <i>en masse</i>; and seeing the futility of +interfering, we gladly joined the cattle, in the first good, long, +cool swallow of clear, clean water, within a period of six weeks.</p> + +<p>Our little mules did not stop till they reached the middle of the +river, and stuck their heads, ears and all, under the water. Luke's +diminutive, snuff-colored beast was so overcome by the sight and feel +of water that she lay down in it, with him astride, giving herself and +her master the first real bath since the time that she did the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> same +thing, in the Platte River, some three months previously.</p> + +<p>To us, the long-time sun-dried, thirsty emigrants; covered from head +to foot with dust from the Black Hills, overlaid with alkali powder +from the Humboldt, veneered with ashes of the desert; all ingrained by +weeks of dermatic absorption, rubbed in by the wear of travel, +polished by the friction of the wind—to us said the Truckee, flowing +a hundred feet wide, transparent, deep, cool; rattling and singing and +splashing over the rocks; and the sparkle of its crystal purity, the +music of its flow and the joy of its song, repeated, "Come and take a +drink."</p> + +<p>We filled our canteens and went back to meet the others. We found them +in a line three miles long; and it was well into the afternoon when +the last wagon reached the river.</p> + +<p>The train crossed to the farther shore, into the grateful shade of the +pine forest and there made camp.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span></p> + +<p>What an enchanting spectacle was that scene of wooded hills, with its +varying lights and shades, all about us! From as far as we could see, +up the heights and down to the river bank, where their roots were +washed in the cool water, the great trees grew.</p> + +<p>We were still within the confines of Nevada, but two men were there +with a wagon-load of fresh garden stuff, brought over from the +foothills of California to sell to the emigrants: potatoes, at fifty +cents a pound, pickles, eight dollars a keg, and so on. We bought, and +feasted.</p> + +<p>The camp that night by the Truckee River was the happiest of all. We +had reached a place where green things grew in limitless profusion, +where water flowed pure and free; and we were out of the desert and +beyond the reach of the savage Redman.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3>INTO THE SETTLEMENTS. HALT.</h3> + + +<p>Having begun the ascent of the lofty and precipitous east slope of the +Sierra Nevada Mountains, one night about the first of September the +camp-site selected was at a spot said to be directly on the boundary +line between Nevada and California.</p> + +<p>Lounging after supper about a huge bonfire of balsam pine, the +travelers debated the question whether we were really at last within +the limits of the Mecca toward which we had journeyed so patiently +throughout the summer. While so engaged, the stillness, theretofore +disturbed only by the murmur of our voices and occasional popping of +the burning logs, was further dispelled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> for a few seconds by sounds +as of shifting pebbles on the adjacent banks, accompanied by rustling +of the foliage, waving of tall branches and tree-tops, and a gentle +oscillation of the ground on which we rested. These manifestations +were new to our experience; but we had heard and read enough about the +western country to hazard a guess as to the significance of the +disturbance.</p> + +<p>"Jack," aroused from his first early slumber of that particular +evening, raised himself on an elbow, and asserted, confidently:</p> + +<p>"That settles it; we <i>are</i> in California: that was an earthquake."</p> + +<p>Appearing already to have caught the universal feeling of western +people regarding the matter of "quakes," he chuckled, in contemplation +of his own perspicacity, and calmly resumed his recumbent attitude, +and his nap.</p> + +<p>The summit of the Sierras was reached within about two days from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> the +commencement of the ascent. We met no people in these mountains until +we had proceeded some distance down the westerly slope, and reached a +mining camp, near a small, gushing stream, that poured itself over and +between rocks in a tortuous gorge.</p> + +<p>The camp was a small cluster of rough shacks, built of logs, split +boards and shakes. As if dropped there by accident, they were located +without regard for any sort of uniformity. These were the bunk cabins +of the miners; some of the diminutive structures being only of size +sufficient to accommodate a cot, a camp-stool and a wash-basin. A +larger cabin stood at about the center of the group, the joint kitchen +and dining-room.</p> + +<p>As we drove into the "town," the only person within view was a +Chinaman, standing at the door. For most of us this was a first +introduction to one of the yellow race. He was evidently the camp +cook.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span></p> + +<p>Major Crewdson approached the Celestial with the salutation: "Hello, +John."</p> + +<p>"Belly good," was the reply.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i189.jpg" width="500" height="382" alt=""'Melican man dig gold"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"'Melican man dig gold"</span> +</div> + +<p>Having already heard it said that the invariable result of an +untutored Chinaman's effort to pronounce any word containing an "r" +produced the sound of "l" instead, we thought little of that error in +the attempt of this one to say "Very," but believed that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> his +substitution for the initial letter of that word was inexcusable.</p> + +<p>"What is the name of this place?" continued Crewdson.</p> + +<p>"'Melican man dig gold."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know that; but, this town, what do you call it?"</p> + +<p>"Yu-ba Dam," the Chinaman answered.</p> + +<p>This response was intended to be civil. Near by the Yuba River was +spanned by a dam, for mining purposes, known as Yuba Dam, which gave +the mining camp its name.</p> + +<p>Further on we came to the first house that we saw in California; and +it was the first real house within our view since the few primitive +structures at Nebraska City, on the west shore of the Missouri River, +faded from our sight, the preceding spring. During a period of about +four months our company had traveled thousands of miles, through +varying wilds, in all of which not one habitation, in form common to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> +civilization, had been encountered. Seldom has civilized man journeyed +a greater distance elsewhere, even in darkest Africa, without passing +the conventional domicile of some member of his own race. Long ago +such an experience became impossible in the United States.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i191.jpg" width="500" height="310" alt="Pack-mule route to placer diggings" title="" /> +<span class="caption">Pack-mule route to placer diggings</span> +</div> + +<p>This house was a small wayside inn, situated where a miners' trail +crossed the emigrant route; a roughly-made, two-story, frame building, +with a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> corral adjoining; at which mule pack-trains stopped overnight, +when carrying supplies from Sacramento and Marysville for miners +working the gold placer diggings along the American and Yuba rivers. +We camped beside the little hotel, and the next morning were for the +first time permitted to enjoy a sample of the proverbially generous +California hospitality, when the landlord invited our entire company +into his hostelry for breakfast.</p> + +<p>Our entrance into California was in Nevada County, thence through +Placer, Sacramento, Solano and Napa, and into Sonoma.</p> + +<p>Over the last one hundred miles we saw evidences that the valleys, +great and small, were rapidly filling with settlers.</p> + +<p>The last stream forded was the Russian River, flowing southwesterly +through Alexander Valley, to the sea. Having crossed to the western +shore, our motley throng found itself in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> settlement embracing the +village of Healdsburg, an aggregation of perhaps a dozen or twenty +houses. There our worn and weather-stained troop made its final halt; +and the jaded oxen, on whose endurance and patient service so +much—even our lives—had depended, were unyoked the last time, on +September seventeenth, just four months after the departure from the +Missouri River.</p> + +<p>Considering all the circumstances of the journey, through two thousand +miles of diversified wilderness, during which we rested each night in +a different spot; it seems providential that, on every occasion when +the time came for making camp, a supply of water and fuel was +obtainable. Without these essentials there would have been much +additional suffering. Sometimes the supply was limited or inferior, +sometimes both; especially during those trying times in the westerly +portion of the Humboldt region; but we were never without potable +water nor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> fire, at least for the preparation of our evening meal. +Nature had prepared the country for this great overland exodus from +the populous East; a most important factor in the upbuilding of the +rich western empire, theretofore so little known, but whose +development of resources and accession of inhabitants since have been +the world's greatest marvel for more than half a hundred years.</p> + +<p>As I look back, through the lapse of nearly sixty years, upon that +toilsome and perilous journey, notwithstanding its numerous harrowing +events, memory presents it to me as an itinerary of almost continuous +excitement and wholesome enjoyment; a panorama that never grows stale; +many of the incidents standing out to view on recollection's landscape +as clear and sharp as the things of yesterday. That which was worst +seems to have softened and lapsed into the half-forgotten, while the +good and happy features have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> grown brighter and better with the +passing of the years.</p> + +<p>Whether pioneers in the most technical sense, we were early +Californians, who learned full well what was meant by "Crossing the +Plains."</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="END" id="END"></a>END.</h2> + +<div class="trans-note"> +<p class="heading">Transcriber's Notes</p> +<p>Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as +possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other +inconsistencies.</p> + +<p>The transcriber made changes as indicated to the text to correct obvious errors:</p> + +<pre class="note"> + 1. p. 15, awkardness --> awkwardness + 2. p. 44, we though best --> we thought best + 3. p. 45, knowldege --> knowledge + 4. p. 68, maner --> manner + 5. p. 74, consciouses --> consciousness + 6. p. 103, characteristc --> characteristic + 7. p. 114, unusal --> unusual + 8. p. 149, "tenderfoot' --> "tenderfoot" + 9. p. 153, "good Indian' --> 'good Indian' +</pre> + +<p>Several occurrences of mismatched quotes remain as published. Also, +some illustrations have been repositioned to appear between paragraphs, +causing some to move to a different page, but page numbers in the +Contents remain as published.</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Crossing the Plains, Days of '57, by +William Audley Maxwell + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CROSSING THE PLAINS, DAYS OF '57 *** + +***** This file should be named 26858-h.htm or 26858-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/8/5/26858/ + +Produced by Richard J. 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