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THIRTY.ONE YEARS ON THE

PLAINS ./^.^ MOUNTAINS

OR, THE

LAST VOICE FROM THE PLAINS,

AN AUTHENTIC RECORD OF A LIFE TIME OF HUNTING,

TRAPPING, SCOUTING AND INDIAN FIGHTING

IN THE FAR WEST

CAPT. WILLIAM F. DRANNAN,

WHO WENT ON TO THE PLAINS WHEN FIFTEEN YEARS OLD.

XOPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED BY H. S. DeLAY.

And Many Reproductions from Photographs.

CHICAGO:

Rhodes & McClure Publishing Company.

1900.

Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1899 by the

Rhodes & McClure Publishing Company,
in the Office of the Librarian of Corgrtss, Washington, D. C.

All RigJits Reserved.

PREFACE.

In writing this preface I do so with the full knowledge
that the preface of a book is rarely read, comparatively
speaking, but I shall write this one just the same.

In writing this work the author has made no attempt
at romance, or a great literary production, but has nar-
rated in his own plain, blunt way, the incidents of his
life as they actually occurred.

There have been so many books put upon the market,
purporting to be the lives of noted frontirsmen which are
only fiction, that I am moved to ask the reader to con-
sider well before condemning this book as such.

The author starts out with the most notable events
of his boyhood days, among them his troubles with an
old negro virago, wherein he gets his revenge by throw-
ing a nest of lively hornets under her feet. Then come
his flight and a trip, to St. Louis, hundreds of miles
on foot, his accidental meeting with that most eminent
man of his class. Kit Carson, who takes the lad into his
care and treats him as a kind father would a son. He
then proceeds to give a minute description of his first trip
on the plains, where he meets and associates with such
noted planismen as Gen. John Charles Fremont, James
Beckwith, Jim Bridger and others, and gives incidents of
his association with them in scouting, trapping, hunting
big game, Indian fighting, etc.

The author also gives brief sketches of the springing

8 PREFACE.

into existence of many of the noted cities of the West, and
the incidents connected therewith that have never been
written before. There is also a faithful recital of his
many years of scouting for such famous Indian fighters
as Gen. Crook, Gen. Connor, Col. Elliott, Gen. Whea-
ton and others, all of which will be of more than passing
interest to those who can be entertamed by the early his-
tory of the western part of our great republic.

This work also gives an insight into the lives of the
hardy pioneers of the far West, and the many trials and
hardships they had to undergo in blazing the trail and
hewing the way to one of the grandest and most health-
ful regions of the United States. W. F. D.

Chicago, August ist, 1899.

rt
tuO

c
IS

a
a

a.
U

CONTENTS.

Chapter i. A Boy Escapes a Tyrant and Pays a Debt
with a Hornet's Nest — Meets Kit Carson and Becomes
the Owner of a Pony and a Gun 17-3 i

Chapter 2. Beginning of an Adventurous Life— First
Wild Turkey — First Buffalo — First Feast as an Hon-
ored Guest of Indians — Dog Meat 32-47

Chapter 3. Hunting and Trapping in South Park,
Where a Boy, Unaided, Kills and Scalps Two Indians
— Meeting with Fremont, the "Path-finder". . . .47-73

Chapter 4. A Winter in North Park — Running Fight
with a Band of Utes for More than a Hundred Miles,
Ending Hand to Hand — Victory 73-82

Chapter 5. On the Cache-la-Poudre — Visit from Gray
Eagle, Chief of the Arapahoes. — A Bear-hunttr is
Hunted by the Bear — Phil, the Cannibal 83-96

Chapter 6. Two Boys Ride to the City of Mexico —
Eleven Hundred Miles of Trial, Danger and Duty — A
Gift Horse — The W^ind River Mountains 96- lo^^

Chapter 7. A Three Days' Battle Between the

10 CONTENTS.

Comanches and the Utes for the Possession of a
• 'Hunter's Paradise" — An Unseasonable Bath . 105-1 19

Chapter 8. Kit Carson Kills a Hudson Bay Company's
Trapper, Who Was Spoiling for a Fight — Social Good
Time with a Train of Emigrants i 19-129

Chapter 9. Marriage of Kit Carson — The Wedding
Feast — Providing Buffalo ^leat, in the Original Pack-
age, for the Boarding-house at Bent's Fort. . . 130-141

Chapter 10. Robber Gamblers of San Francisco — En-
gaged by Col. Elliott as Indian Scout— Kills and Scalps
Five Indians — Promoted to Chief Scout 141-158

Chapter ii. A Lively Battle with Pah-Utes — Pinned
to Saddle with an Arrow- — Some Very Good Indians —
Stuttering Captain- — Beckwith Opens His Pass, i 59-1 75

Caapter 12 — Col. Elliott Kills His First Deer, and Se-
cures a Fine Pair of Horns as Present for His Father
— Beckwith's Tavern — Society. 175-185

Chapter 13- — Something Worse than Fighting Indians
Dance at Col. Elliott's — Conspicuous Suit of Buckskin
I Manage to Get Back to Beckwith's 1 86-191

Chapter 14. Drilling the Detailed Scouts — We Get
Among the Utes- — Four Scouts Have Not Reported
Yet ^ — Another Lively Fight — Beckwith Makes a
Raise 1QI-210

CONTENTS. T I

Chapter 15. A Hunt on Petaluma Creek — Elk Fever
Breaks Out — The Expedition to Klamath Lake— A
Lively Brush with Modoc Indians 21 1-222

Chapter 16. More Fish than T Had Ever Seen at One
Time — We Surprise Some Indians, Who Also Surprise
Us — The Camp at Klamath Lake— I Get Another
Wound and a Lot of Horses .223-233

Chapter 17. Discovery of Indians with Stolen Horses
—We Kill the Indians and Return the Property to Its
Owners — Meeting of Miners — In Society Again. 233-24 5

Chapter 18. Trapping on the Gila — The Pimas Impart
a Secret — Rescue of a White Girl — A Young Indian
Agent — Visit to Taos — Uncle Kit Fails to Recognize
Me 245-267

Chapter 19. A Warm Time in a Cold Country — A
Band of Bannocks Chase Us Into a Storm that Saves
Us — Kit Carson Slightly Wounded — Beckwith Makes
a Century Run 267-283

Chapter 20. Carson Quits the Trail — Buffalo Robes

for Ten Cents — "Pike's Peak or Bust" — The New Citv

of Denver — "Busted" — How the News Started. 283-292

Chapter 21. A Fight With the Sioux — Hasa, the
Mexican Boy, Killed — Mixed Up With Emigrants
Some More — Four New Graves — Successful Trading
With the Kiowas 292-308

12 CONTENTS.

Chapter 22. A Trip to Fort Kearney — The General
Endorses Us and We Pilot an Emigrant Train to Cal-
ifornia— Woman Who Thought I Was "no Gentle-
man"— A Camp Dance 308-332

Chapter 23. Bridger and West Give Christmas a High
Old Welcome in Sacramento — California Gulch —
Meeting with Buffalo Bill — Thirty-three Scalps with
One Knife 333-351

Chapter 24. Face to Face with a Band of Apaches —
The Death of Pinto — The Closest Call I Ever Had —
A Night Escape — Back at Fort Douglas 351-360

Chahter 25. Three Thousand Dead Indians — A De-
tective from Chicago — He Goes Home with an Old
Mormon's Youngest Wife and Gets into Trouble — The
Flight 360-374

Chapter 26. — Through to Bannock — A Dance of Peace
Fright of the Negroes — A Freight Train Snowed in
and a Trip on Snow-shoes — Some Very Tough Road
Agents 374-387

hapter 27. Organization of a Vigilance Committe —
End of the Notorious Slade — One Hundred Dollars for
a "Crow-bait" Horse — Flour a Dollar a Pound . 388-395

Chater 28. Twenty-two Thousand Dollars in Gold
Dust — A Stage Robbery — Another Trip to California
Meeting with Gen Crook — Chief of Scouts. . . 396-404

COiNTENTS. 13

Chapter 29. Find Some Murdered Emigrants — We
Bury the Dead and Follow and Scalp the Indians —
Gen. Crook Is Pleased with the Outcome — A Mojave
Blanket 404-42 1

Chapter 30. A Wicked Little Battle — Capture of One
Hundred and Eighty-two Horses — Discovery of Black
Canyon — Fort Yuma and the Paymaster 422-434

Chapter 31. To California for Horses — My Beautiful
Mare, Black Bess — We Get Sixty-six Scalps and Sev-
enty-eight Horses — A Clean Sweep 435-444

Chapter 32. Some Men Who Were Anxious for a Fight
and Got It — Gen. Crook at Black Canyon— xBad Mis-
take of a Good Man — The Victims 444-452

Chapter 33. The Massacre at Choke Cherry Canyon —
Mike Maloney Gets Into a Muss — Rescue of White
Girls — Mike Gets Even with the Apaches.. . .452-466

Chapter 34. Massacre of the Davis Family — A Hard
Ride and Swift Retribution — A Pitiful Story — Burial
of the Dead — I am Sick of the Business 466-475

Chapter 35. Black Bess Becomes Popular in San
Francisco — A Failure as Rancher — Buying Horses in
Oregon — The Klamath Marsh — Captain Jack the
Modoc 475-583

Chapter 36. The Modoc War— Gen. Wheaton Is Held

14 CONTENTS.

Off by the Indians — Gen. Canby Takes Command and
Gets It Worse — Massacre of the Peace Commis-
sion 484-503

Chapter 37 — The Cry of a Babe — Capture of a Bevy
of Squaws — Treachery of Gen. Ross' Men in KilHng
Prisoners — Capture of the Modoc Chief 503-5 i 5

Chapter 38. Story of the Captured Braves- — Why
Captain Jack Deserted — Loathsome Condition of the
Indran Stronghold — End of the War — Some Com-
ments 5 16-524

Chapter 39. An Interested Boy — Execution of the Mo-
doc Leaders — Newspaper Messengers — A Very Sudden
Deputy Sheriff— A Bad Man Wound Up. ... 525-539

Chapter 40. In Society Some More — A Very Tight
Place — Ten Pairs of Yankee Ears — Black Bess Shakes
Herself at the Right Time — Solemn Compact. 539-552

Chapter 41. We Locate a Small Band of Red Butch-
ers and Send them to the Happy Hunting Grounds —
Emigrants Mistake Us for Indians — George Jones
Wounded 553-5^1

Chapter 42. v'We Are All Surrounded" — A i3old Dash

and a Bad Wound — Mrs. Davis Shows Her Gratitude

— Most of My Work Now Done on Crutches. . . 562-56.7

Chapter 43. Poor Jones Makes His Last Fight— He

CONTKNTS. 15

Died Among a Lot of the Devils He Had Slain — End
of Thirty-one Years of Hunting, Trapping and Scout-
ing 567-572

Chapter 44. A Grizzley Hunts the Hunter — Shooting
Seals in Alaskan Waters — I Become a Seattle Hotel
Keeper and the Big Fire Closes Me Out — Some
Rest — The Old Scout's Lament 573-586

When she turned her back I threw the nest under her feet. Page 21

CHAPTER I.

a boy escapes a tyrant and pays a debt with a
hornet's nest — Meets Kit Carson and becomes
the owner of a pony and a gun.

The old saying that truth is stranger than fiction is
emphasized in the Hfe of every mkn whose career has
been one of adventure and danger in the pursuit of a
Hvhhood. Knowing nothing of the art of fiction and but
httle of any sort of hterature; having been brought up in
the severe school of nature, which is all truth, and
having had as instructor in my calling a man who was
singularly and famously truthful, truth has been my
inheritance and in this book I bequeath it to my readers.

My name is William F. Drannan, and I was born on
the Atlantic orean January 30, 1832, while my parents
were emigrating from France to the United States.

They settled in Tennessee, near Nashville, and lived
upon a farm until I was about four years old. An
epidemic of cholera prevailed in that region for some
months during that time and my parents died of the
dread disease, leaving myself and a little sister, seven
months old, orphans.

[17]

I 8 SHAMEFULLY ABUSED.

I have never known what became of ni}' sister, nor do
I know how I came to fall into the hands of a man named
Drake, having been too young at that time to remember
now the causes of happenings then. However, I re-
mained with this man, Drake, on his plantation near
The Hermitage, the home of Gen. Andrew Jackson,
until I was fifteen.

Drake was a bachelor who owned a large number of
negro slaves, and I was brought up to the age mentioned
among the negro children of the place, without school-
ing, but cuffed and knocked about more like a worthless
puppy than as if I were a human child. I never saw the
inside of a school-house, nor was I taught at home any-
thing of value. Drake never even undertook to teach
me the difference between good and evil, and my only
associates were the little negro boys that belonged to
Drake, or the neighbors. The only person who offered
to control or correct me was an old negro woman, who
so far from being the revered and beloved "Black
Mammy," remembered wath deep affection by many
southern men and women, was simply a hideous black
tyrant. She abused me shamefully, and I was punished
b\- her not only for my own performances that displeased
her, but for all the meanness done by the negro boys
under her jurisdiction.

Naturally these negro bo\s quickly learned that they
could escape punishment by falsely imputing to me all of
their mischief and I was their scape-goat.

Often Drake's negro boys went over to General
Jackson's plantation to play with the negro boys over
there and I frequently accompanied them. One da}' the

NO EDUCATION. jg

old General asked me why I did not go to school. But
I could not tell him. I did not know why. I have
known since that I was not told to go and anyone knows
that a boy just growing up loose, as I was, is not likely
to go to school of his own accord.

I do not propose to convey to the reader the idea that
I was naturally better than other boys, on the contrary,
I frequently deserved the rod when I did not get it, but
more frequently received a cruel drubbing when I did not
deserve it, that, too, at the hands of the old negro crone
who w^as exceedingly violent as well as unjust. This, of
course, cultivated in me a hatred against the vile
creature which was little short of murderous.

However, I stayed on and bore up under my troubles
as there was nothing else to do, so far as I knew then,
but "grin and bear it." This until I was fifteen years
old.

At this time, however, ignorant, illiterate, wild as I
was, a faint idea of the need of education dawned upon
me. I saw other white boys going to school; I saw the
difference between them and myself that education was
rapidly making and I realized that I was growing up as
ignorant and uncultured as the slave boys who were my
only attainable companions.

Somehow^ I had heard of a great city called St. Louis,
and little by little the determination grew upon me to
reach that wonderful place in some way.

I got a few odd jobs of work, now and then, from the
neighbors and in a little while I had accumulated four
dollars, which seemed a great deal of money to me, and
I thought I would buy about half of St. Louis, if I could

20 ESCAPES A TYRANT.

only get there. And yet I decided that it would be just
as well to have a few more dollars and would not leave
my present home, which, bad it was, was the only one I
had, until I had acquired a little more money. But
coming home from work one evening I found the old
negress in an unusually bad humor, even for her. She
gave me a cruel thrashing just to give vent to her feelings,
and that decided me to leave at once, without waiting to
further improve my financial condition. I was getting
to be too big a boy to be beaten around by that old
wretch, and having no ties of friendship, and no one
being at all interested in me, I was determined to get
away before my tormentor could get another chance
at me.

I would go to St. Louis, but I must get even with the
old hag before starting. I did not wish to leave in debt
to anyone in the neighborhood and so I cudgeled my
brain to devise a means for settling old scores with my
self-constituted governess.

Toward evening I wandered into a small pasture,
doing my best to think how I could best pay off the
black termagant with safety to myself, when with great
^ood luck I suddenly beheld a huge hornet's nest, hang-
ing in a bunch of shrubbery. My plan instantly and fully
developed Quickly I returned to the house and hastily
gathered what little clothing I owned into a bundle, done
up in my one handkerchief, an imitation of bandanna, of
very loud pattern. This bundle I secreted in the barn
and then hied me to the hornet's nest. Approaching
the swinging home of the hornets very softly, so as not
to disturb the inmates, I stuffed the entrance to the

PAYS THE DEBT. 21

hornet castle with sassafras leaves, and taking the great
sphere in my arms I bore it to a back window of the
kitchen where the black beldame was vigorously at work
within and contentedly droning a negro hymn.

Dark was coming on and a drizzly rain was falling.
It was the spring of the year, the day had been warm
and the kitchen window was open. I stole up to the
open window. The woman's back was toward me. I
removed the plug of sassafras leaves and hurled the hor-
net's nest so that it landed under the hag's skirts.

I watched the proceedings for one short moment, and
then, as it was getting late, I concluded I had better be
off for St. Louis. So I went away from there at the best
gait I could command.

I could hear my arch-enemy screaming, and it was
music to my ears that even thrills me yet, sometimes.
It was a better supper than she would have given me.

I saw the negroes running from the quarters, and else-
where, toward the kitchen, and I must beg the reader to
endeavor to imagine the scene in that culinary depart-
ment, as I am unable to describe it, not having waited
to see it out.

But I slid for the barn, secured my bundle and
started for the ancient city far away.

All night, on foot and alone, I trudged the turnpike
that ran through Nashville. I arrived in that city about
daylight, tired and hungry, but w^as too timid to stop for
something to eat, notwithstanding I had my four dollars
safe in my pocket, and had not eaten since noon, the day
before.

I plodded along through the town and crossed the

MEETS A FRIEND.

Cumberland river on a ferry-boat, and then pulled out in
a northerly direction for about an hour, when I came to
a farm-house. In the road in front of the house I met
the proprietor who was goin^ from his garden, opposite

the house, to his breakfast.

He waited
until I came
up, and as I
was about to
pass on, he
said:

"Hello !
my bo y.
where are you
going so early
this morn-
mg?

I told him
I was on my
way t o St.
Louis.

"St. Lou-
is.?" he said.
"I never
heard of that
place before.
Where is it.'*"

I told him I thought it was in Missouri, but was not
certain.

"Are you going all the way on foot, and alone?"

"Hello! my boy. Where are you going?"

CONTiNUES THE JOURNEY. 2^

I answered that I was, and that I had no other way
to go. With that I started on.

"Hold on," he said. "If you are going to walk that
long way you had better come in and have some break-
fast."

You may rest assured that I did not wait for a second
invitation, for about that time I was as hungry as I had
ever been in my life.

While we were eating breakfast the farmer turned to
his oldest daughter and said:

"Martha, where is St. Louis.^"

She told him it was in Missouri, and one of the larg-
est towns in the South or West. "Our geography tells
lots about it," she said.

I thought this was about the best meal I had ever
eaten in my life, and after it was over I offered to pay
for it, but the kind-hearted old man refused to take any-
thing, saying: "Keep your mone}', my boy. You may
need it before you get back. And on your return, stop
and stay with me all night, and tell us all about
St. Louis."

After thanking them, I took my little bundle, bade
them good-bye, and was on my journey again. I have
always regretted that I did not learn this good man's
name, but I was in something of a hurry just then, for I
feared that Mr. Drake might get on my trail and follo\\-
me and take me back, and I had no pressing inclination
to meet old Hulda again.

I plodded along for many days, now and then look-
ing back for Mr, Drake, but not anxious to see him;
rather the reverse.

24 ARRIVES IN ST. LOUIS.

It is not necessary to lumber up this story with my
trip to St. louis. i was about six weeks on the road,
the greater part of the time in Kentucky, and I had no
use for my money. I could stay at almost any farm-
house all night, wherever I stopped, and have a good bed
ar.d be well fed, but no one w^ould take pay for these ac-
commodations. When I got to Owensboro, Ky. , I became
acquainted by accident with the mate of a steamboat
that was going to St. Louis and he allowed me to go on
the boat and work m\^ way.

The first person that I met in St Louis, that I dared
to speak with, was a boy somewhat younger than myself.
I asked him his name, and in broken English he replied
that his name was Henry Becket.

Seeing that he was French, I began to talk to him in
his own language, which was my mother toague, and so
we w^ere quickly friends. I told him that my parents
were both dead and that I had no home, and he being of
a kind-hearted, sympathetic nature, invited me to go
home with him, which invitation I immediately accepted.

Henry Becket's mother was a widow and they were
very poor, but they were lovingly kind to me.

I told Mrs. Becket of my troubles with Mr. Drake's
old negro woman; how much abuse I had suffered at her
hands and the widow sympathized with me deeply. She
also told me that I was welcome to stay with them until
such time as I was able to get emyloyment.. So I re-
mained with the Beckets three days, during all of which
time I tried hard to get work, but without success.

On the morning of the fourth day she asked me if I
had tried any of the hotels for work, I told her that I

MEETS DISCOURAGEMENT.

had not, so she advised me to go to some of them in my
rounds.

about a hotel, but
took Mrs. Becket's ad-
vice, and that morning
called at the American
hotel, which was the lH^gH

first one I came to.

'What kind of work do you think
you could do?"

26 MORE DETERMINED.

Quite boldly, for a green boy, I approached the per-
son whom I was told was the proprietor and asked him
if he had any work for a boy, whereupon he looked at
me in what seemed a most scornful way and said very
tartly:

"What kind of work do you think you could do?"
I told him I could do most anything in the way of
common labor.

He gave me another half-scornful smile and said:
"I think you had better go home to your parents and
go to school. That's the best place for you."

This was discouraging, but instead of explaining my
position, I turned to go, and in spite of all that I could
do the tears came to my eyes. Not that I cared so
much for being refused employment, but for the manner
in which the hotel man had spoken to me. I did not
propose to give up at that, but started away, more than
ever determined to find employment. I did not want to
impose on the Beckets, notwithstanding that they still
assured me of welcome, and moreover I wished to do
something to help them, even more than myself.

I had nearlv reached the door when a man who had
been reading a newspaper, but was now observing me,

called out:

"Mv bov! come here."

I went over to the corner where he was sitting and 1
was trying at the same time to dry away my tears.

This man asked my name, \Yhich I gave him. He
then asked where my parents lived, and I told him that
they died when I was four years old.

Other questions from him brought out the story of my

I wtnt over to the corner where he was sitting and I was trying at the

same time to dry away my tears. Page 26

MEETS KIT CARSON. 2/

boy-life; Drake, Gen. Jackson, the negro boys and the
brutal negress; then my trip to St. Louis — but I omitted
the hornet's-nest incident. I also told this kindly
stranger that I had started out to make a living for my-
self and intended to succeed.

Then he asked me where I was staying, and I told
him of the Beckets.

Seeing that this man was taking quite an interest in
me, gave me courage to ask his name. He told me that
his name was Kit Carson, and that by calling he was a
hunter and trapper, and asked me how I would like to
learn his trade.

I assured him that I was willing to do anything hon-
orable for a living and that I thought I would very much
like to be a hunter and trapper. He said he would take
me with him and I was entirely delighted. Often I had
wished to own a gun, but had never thought of shooting
anything larger than a squirrel or rabbit. I was ready to
start at once, and asked him when he would go.

Smilingly he told me not to be in a hurry, and asked
me where Mrs. Becket lived. I told him as nearly as
I could, and again asked when he thought we would leave
St. Louis. I was fearful that he would change his mind
about taking me with him. I didn't know him then so
well as afterward. I came to learn that his slightest
word was his bond.

But visions of Mr. Drake, an old negro woman and a
hornet's nest, still haunted me and made me over anxious.
I wanted to get as far out of their reach as possible and
still remain on the earth.

SOME GOOD ADVICE.

Mr. Carson laughed in a quiet and yet much amused
way and said:

"You must learn to not do anything until you are
good and ready, and there are heaps of things to do be-
fore we can start out. Now let's go and see Mrs.
Becket."

So I piloted him to the widow's home, which, as near
as I can remember, was about four blocks from the hotel.
Mr. Carson being able to speak French first-rate, had
a talk with Mrs. Becket concerning me. The story she
told him, corresponding with that which I had told him,
he concluded that I had given him nothing but truth, and
then he aked Mrs. Becket what my bill was. She re-
plied that she had just taken me in because I was a poor
boy, until such time as I could find employment, and

that her charges were
nothing. He then asked
her how long I had been
with her, and being told
that it was four days,
he begged her to take
five dollars, which she
finally accepted.

I took my little budget
of clothes and tearfully
bidding Mrs. Becket and
Henry good-bye, started
back to the hotel with
my new guardian, and
I was the happiest boy in the world, from that on, so
long as 1 was a boy.

I hardly realized that I was
Will Drannan.

MY FIRST BOOTS. 29

On the way back to the hotel Mr. Carson stopped
with me at a store and he bought me a new suit of
clothes, a hat and a pair of boots, for I was barefooted
and almost bareheaded. Thus dressed I could hardly
realize that I was the Will Drannan of a few hours
before.

That was the first pair of boots I had ever owned.
Perhaps, dear reader, you do not know what that means
to a healthy boy of fifteen.

It means more than has ever been written, or ever
will be.

I was now very ready to start out hunting, and on our
way to the hotel I asked Mr. Carson if he did not think
we could get away b}' morning, but he told me that to
hunt I would probably need a gun, and we must \vait
until he could have one made for me, of proper size for
a boy.

The next day we went to a gun factory and Mr. Car-
son gave orders concerning the weapon, after which we
returned to the hotel. We remained in St. Louis about
three weeks and every day seemed like an age to me. At
our room in the hotel Mr. Carson would tell me stories
about hunting and trapping, and notwithstanding the in-
tense interest of the stories the days were longer, because
I so. much wished to be among the scenes he talked of,
and my dreams at night were filled with all sorts of won-
derful animals, my fancy's creation from what Mr. Car-
son talked about. I had never fired a gun in my life and
I was unbearably impatient to get my hands on the one
that was being made for me.

During the wait at St. Louis Henry Becket was with

30 MAKE PREPARATION.

me nearly all the time, and when we were not haunting

the gun factory, we were, as much as possible, in Mr.
Carson's room at the hotel, listening to stories of adven-
ture on the plains and among the mountains.

I became, at once, very much attached to Mr. Carson
and I thought there was not another man in the United
States equal to him — and there never has been, in his
line. Besides, since the death of my mother he was the
only one who had taken the slightest interest in me, or
treated me like a human being, barring, of course, the
Beckets and those persons who had helped me on my
long walk from Nashville to St. Louis.

Finally Mr. Carson — whom I had now learned to ad-
dress as Uncle Kit — said to me, one morning, that as my
gun was about completed we would make preparations to
start West. So we went out to a farm, about two miles
from St. Louis, to get the horses from where Uncle Kit
had left them to be cared for during the winter.

We went on foot, taking a rope, or riatta, as it is
called by frontiersmen, and on the way to the farm I
could think or talk of nothing but my new rifle, and the
buffalo, deer, antelope and other game that I would kill
when I reached the plains. Uncle Kit remarked that he
had forgotten to get me a saddle, but that we would not
have to wait to get one made, as there were plenty of
saddles that would fit me already made, and that he
would buy me one when he got back to town.

When we reached the farm where the horses were,
Uncle Kit pointed out a little bay pony that had both his
ears cropped off at the tips, and he said:

THE PACK-TRAIN.

"Now Willie, there is your pony. Catch him and
climb on,' at the same time handing me the riatta.

The pony
being gentle
I caught
and mount-
ed him at
once, and
by the time
we had got
back to
town money
could not
have bought
that little
crop-eared
horse from
me. As will
be seen.

I caught and mounted him at once.

later on, I kept that pony and he was a faithful friend

and servant until his tragic death, years afterward.

In two days we had a pack-train of twenty horses

rigged for the trip. The cargo was mostly tobacco,

blankets and beads, which Carson was taking out to trade

to the Indians for robes and furs. Of course all this

was novel to me as I had never seen a pack-saddle
or anything associated with one

A man named Hughes, of whom you will see much
in this narrative, accompanied and assisted Uncle Kit on
this trip, as he had done the season before, for besides
his experience as a packer, he was a good trapper, and
Uncle Kit employed him.

32 BIDS GOOD-BYE.

CHAPTER 11.

Beginning of an adventurous life. — First wild
TURKEY. — First buffalo. — First feast as an
honored guest of Indians. — Dog meat.

It was on the morning of May 3, 1847, that we
rounded up the horses and Uncle Kit and Mr. Hughes
began packing them.

It being the first trip of the season some of the pack-
ponies were a little frisky and would try to lie down when
the packs were put on them. So it became my business
to look after them and keep them on their feet until all
were packed.

Everything being in readiness, I shook hands, good-
bye, with my much-esteemed friend, Henrv Becket, who
had been helping me with the pack-horses, and who also
coveted my crop-eared pony, very naturally for a boy.
Then we were off for a country unknown to me, except
for what Uncle Kit had told me of it.

My happiness seemed to increase, if that were possi-
ble. I was unspeakably glad to get away from St. Louis
before Mr. Drake had learned of my whereabouts, and
up to the time of this writing I have never been back to
St. Louis, or Tennessee, nor have I heard anything of
Mr. Drake or my ancient enemy, the angel of Erebus.

From St. Louis we struck out westward, heading for
Ft. Scott, which place is now a thriving little city in

Sa-tan-ta's Daughter and Brave, Kiowas.

CAMPING OUT. 33

southeastern Kansas, but then the extreme out-edge of
settlement.

The first day out we traveled until about 2 o'clock in
the afternoon, when we came to a fine camping place
with abundance of grass, wood and water.

Uncle Kit, thinking we had traveled far enough for
the first day, said:

*T reckon the lad is gittin' tired, Hughes, 's well as
che horses, an' I think we'd better pull up for the day."

I was glad to hear this, for I had done more riding
that day than in any one day in my life, before.

Uncle Kit told me it would be my job, on the trip,
as soon as my horse was unsaddled, to gather wood and
start a fire, while he and Mr. Hughes unpacked the ani-
mals. So I unsaddled my horse, and by the time they
had the horses unpacked I had a good fire going and
plenty of water at hand for all purposes. Mr. Hughes,
meantime, got out the coffee-pot and frying-pan, and
soon we had a meal that I greatly enjoyed and which
was the first one for me by a camp-fire.

After we had eaten, and smoked and lounged for a
while. Uncle Kit asked me if I did not wish to try my
rifle.

Of course I did.

So taking a piece of wood and sharpening one end
that it might be driven into the ground, he took a piece
of charcoal and made on the flat side of the wood a mark
for me to shoot at.

"Now Willie," said Uncle Kit, ' 'if you ever expect to
be a good hunter you must learn to be a good shot, and
you can't begin practicin' too soon."

TRIES HIS GUN.

I had never fired a gun, but I had made up my mind
to be a might}^ hunter and so started in for shooting prac-
tice with much zeal. Uncle Kit gave me few instruc-
tions about how to hold the gun, and I raised the rifle to
my face and fired the first shot of my life.

I do not know how close my bullet came to that

mark, nor how
far it missed, for
the wood was un-
touched. But I
tried it again and
with much better
success, for this
time I struck the
stick about eight

inches below the
mark. This was
great encourage-
ment and from
that on I could
scarcely take time
to eat meals in
camp, in my anxi-
ety to practice,
and I was further
Kit Carson. encouraged b y

Uncle Kit's approval of my desire to practice.

One evening I overheard Uncle Kit say to Mr.
Huges, "That boy is going to make a dead shot after-
while."

This gave me great faith in my future as a hunter

TURKEY HUNTING. 35

and Uncle Kit and Mr. Hughes seemed to take great de-
light in teaching me all the tricks of rifle marksmanship.

After we had traveled about two days we came to a
belt of country where there were wild turkeys in great
numbers, and on the morning of the third day out, Uncle
Kit called me early, saying:

"Come Willie, jump up now, an' le's go an' see if we
can't git a wild turkey for breakfast." He had heard
the turkeys that morning and knew which direction to
go to find them.

I rolled out and was quickly dressed and ready.

When near the turkey haunt Uncle Kit took a quill
from his pocket and by a peculiar noise on the quill
called the turkeys up near to him, then took aim at one,
fired and killed it.

"Now Willie," he said, "do you think you can do
that to-morrow morning?"

I told him that I thought if I could get close enough,
and the turkeys would stand right still, I believed I could
fetch one. And I desired to know if it was certain that
there would be turkeys where we. were to camp that
night.

"Oh, yes;" said he, "thar'll be plenty of 'em for
some days yit. "

Early the next morning Uncle Kit called me as usual,
and said, "Git up now, an' see what you can do for
a turkey breakfast."

Instantly I was on my feet, Uncle Kit showed me the
direction to go, loaned me his turkey-call quill, which,
by the way, he had been teaching me how to use, as we
rode the day before.

KILLS A TURKEY.

I shouldered my rifle and had not gone far when 1

heard the turkey's, up the river. Then I took the quill

and started my turkey tune. Directly a big old gobbler

came strutting towards me and I called him up as near

to me as he would come, for I wanted to make sure of
him.

Uncle Kit had told me about the "buck-ague" and I
knew I had it when I tried to draw a bead on that big
gobbler. I had never shot at a living thing, and when I
leveled my rifle it was impossible to control ni}- nerves.

The turkey seemed to jump
up and down, and appeared
to me to be as big as a
pony, when I looked at
him along the rifle. Two
Mr. Gobbler tumbled over, dead. or three times I tried to

hold the bead on him, but
could not. Now I wouldn't have missed killing him for

Lone Wolf, Kiowa Chief.

BEV^OND ClVILIZATIOlvf. 37

anything, in reason, for I feared that Uncle Kit and Mr.
Hughes would laugh at me.

At last, however, the sights of my gun steadied long
enough for me to pull the trigger, and to my great de-
light— and I may as well admit, surprise — Mr. Gobbler
tumbled over dead when I fired, and he was so heavy as
to be a good load for me to carry to camp.

Now I was filled with confidence in myself, and be-
came eager for a shot at bigger game; antelope, deer or
buffalo.

In a few days we passed Ft. Scott and then we were
entirely beyond the bounds of civilization.

From that on, until we reached our destination, the
only living things we saw were jack-rabbits, prairie-dogs,
antelope, deer, buffalo, sage-hens and Indians, barring,
of course, insects, reptiles and the like, and the little
owls that live with the prairie-dogs and sit upc. the
mounds of the dog villages, eyeing affairs with seeming
dignity and wisdom.

The owls seem to turn their heads while watching
you, their bodies remaining stationary, until, it has been
said, you may wring their heads off by walking around
them a few times. I would not have my young friends
believe, however, that this is true. It is only a very old
joke of the plains.

The first herd of buffalo we saw was along a stream
known as Cow Creek and which is a tributary to the Ark-
ansas river. We could see the herd feeding along the
hills in the distance.

Here was good camping ground and it was time to
halt for the night. So as soon as we had decided on the

SHOOTING BUFFALO.

spot to pitch camp, Uncle Kit directed me to go and kill
a buffalo, so that we might have fresh meat for supper.

That suited me, exactly, for I was eager to get a shot
at such big game.

Uncle Kit told me to follow up the ravme until oppo-
site the herd and then climb the hill, but to be careful
and not let the buffalo see me.

I followed his instructions to the dot, for I had come
to believe that what Kit Carson said was law and gospel,
and what he didn't know would not fill a hookas large as
Ayer s Almanac. I was right, too, so far as plainscraft
was concerned.

Uncle Kit had also directed me to select a small buf-

falo to shoot at, and to
surely kill it, for we were

out of meat.

T, 1 J - 1 < u I drew a bead on her and fired.

it SO happened that when

I got to the top of the hill and in sight of the herd again

the first animal that seemed to present an advantageous

shot was a two-year-old heifer.

I dropped flat on the ground and crawled toward her,

like a snake. Once she raised her head, but the wind

o
a

p
3

OFF AGAIN. 39

being in my favor, she did not discern me, but put her
head down and went on feeding. I succeeded in crawl-
ing quite close enough to her, drew a bead on her and
fired. At the crack of the rifle she came to the ground,
"as dead as a door-nail," much to the surprise of Uncle
Kit and Mr. Hughes, who were watching me from a dis-
tance.

When the animal fell, I threw my hat in the air and
gave a yell that would have done credit to an Apache
warrior.

Uncle Kit and I dressed the buffalo and carried the
meat into camp while Mr. Hughes gathered wood for the
night-fires.

I could scarcely sleep that night for thinking of my
buffalo, and could I have seen Henry Becket that night
I would almost have stunned him with my stories of
frontier life.

The novice is ever enthusiastic.

The following morning we woke up early, and off,
still heading up the Arkansas river for Bent's Fort, and
from here on the buffalo were numerous, and we had that
sort of fresh meat until we got good and tired of it.

The second day out from Cow Creek, in the after-
noon, we saw about twenty Indians coming towards us.
At the word, "Indians," I could feel my hair raise on
end, and many an Indian has tried to raise it since.

This was my first sight of the red man. He looked
to me to be more of a black man.

Uncle Kit asked Mr. Hughes what Indians bethought
they were. The reply was that he thought them to be

40 MEETING INDIANS.

Kiowas, and on coming up to them the surmise proved
to be correct.

They were Black Buffalo, the chief of the Kiowas,
and his daughter, accompanied by twenty warriors.

Black Buffalo, and indeed all the Kiowa tribe, wxre
well acquainted with Uncle Kit and had great respect for
him. So a general hand-shaking and pow-wow followed.

Carson spoke their language as well as they could,
and consequently had no difficulty conversing with them.

In those days very few Indians knew a word of Eng-
lish, consequently all conversation with them had to be
carried on in the several tribal languages or dialects, or
in the jargon.

This latter was a short language composed of Indian,
French and English words, and was called ''Chinook."
It originated with the fur traders of Astoria, Ore., and
its growth was assisted by missionaries, until it became
the means of communication between the whites and the
Indians of the coast and interior of the vast Northwest,
and even between Indians whose dialects were unknown
to each other. In short it was a sort of Indian
"Volapuk, " and was very easil}^ mastered. There has
been a dictionary of it printed, and I have known a
bright man to acquire the vocabulary in two or three
days.

Black Buffalo and his little band shortly turned about
and rode back to their village, which was onl}^ two miles
away. But they first invited us to visit them, which we
did, as not to have done so would have been a violent
breach of plains etiquette, that might cause a disruption
of friendship.

While we were eating supper Uncle Kit asked me if I knew what kind

of meat I was eatiug. Page 41

EATING DOG MEAT. 4 1

In the Indian village, after our horses had been un-
packed and turned out to graze, Uncle Kit and Black
Buffalo strolled about among the lodges or wick-i-ups, of
which there were something like fifteen hundred. I fol-
lowed very closely for I was mortally afraid to get fifteen
feet away from Uncle Kit, in that sort of company.

Black Buffalo did us the honor, that evening, to take
us to his own private wick-i-up for supper. It was a cus-
tom with this, and many other tribes of Indians, that
conveyed great distinction to visitors, to kill and cook
for them a nice fat dog. However, I was not then aware
that I was so distinguished a guest, as indeed neither I
nor Mr. Hughes would have been had we not been in the
company of Kit Carson. With him we shone by re-
flected greatness.

While we were out on our walk about the village.
Black Buffalo's cook was preparing this distinguishing
feast for us.

I had kept unusually quiet all the time we were
among the Indians, not even asking one question, which
was very remarkable in me. For I presume that on the
journey I had asked more questions to the lineal mile
than any boy ever had before.

But I ate the dog in silence and liked it. Of course
I had no idea what the meat was. So, Uncle Kit observ-
ing the gusto with which I was devouring dog, asked me
if I knew what the meat \vas. I told him that I did not,
but supposed it to be antelope, or buffalo. He informed
me that it was neither, but good, healthy dog.

I thought he was joking, and simply replied that it

42 HONORED GUEST.

was mighty good meat, even if it was dog, and gave the
matter no further reflection, at the time.

The next da}^ when Uncle Kit and Mr. Hughes as-
sured me that it was really dog meat, we had eaten the
night before, I felt very much like throwing up every-
thing I had eaten at the village, but it was too late then.

After supper, that night in the Indian village, we had
what was called a "peace smoke." The Chief selected
about a dozen of his braves, and all being seated in a
circle, two of our party on one side of the Chief, and
Uncle Kit at his right, a pipe was lit and the Chief took
one whiff, the smoke of which he blew up into the air.
He then took another whiff, and turning to his chief
guest, handed him the pipe, who blew a whiff into the
air and the second one into the face of the host. This
performance having been gone through with for each
guest, the Chief then handed the pipe to the first Indian
on his right, and thus it went around the circle, each
Indian blowing a whiff into the air.

It was considered a great breach of etiquette to speak,
or even smile, during this ceremony.

This Indian village was situated at Pawnee Rock, on
the Arkansas river, in a beautiful valley, in what is now
the southwest corner of Benton Co., Kan. The wick-i-
iips were made of poles set on ends, gathered together at
ilie top, and covered with buffalo skins from which the
the hair had been removed.

The Kiowas were, at that time, the most numerous
tribe of Indians in the United States.

Early the next morning after our dog-feast and peace-
smoke, our party was up and off, and I was particularly

COMANCHE VILLAGE. 43

glad to get away, feeling that I would rather camp out
and feed on'buffalo, antelope, jack-rabbits and wild tur-
key than dwell in the lodges of Kiowas and be "hon-
ored" with banquets of the nicest dogs in all that region.

We took the Santa Fe trail and the buffalo were so
numerous along the way that we had to take some pains
to avoid them, as when they were traveling or on a stam-
pede, nothing could turn or stop them and we would be
in danger of being ground to atoms beneath their thou-
sands of hoofs.

In two days more of travel we reached another In-
dian village, on another beautiful plain, in what is now
Pawnee Co. , Kan. Here the country was so level that
one could see for miles in any direction, and the sun ris-
ing or setting, seemed to come up or go down, as a great
golden disk, out of or into the earth. We could see
many bands of wild horses feeding on the luxuriant
grasses, and little did I think, then, that I would live to
see the day when that broad and unfenced plain would
be converted into homes for hundreds of the pale-faced
race.

We were met on the outskirts of the village by White
Horse, Chief of the Comanches, who, being an intimate
friend of Uncle Kit, shook hands with us and conducted
us to his own wick-i-up. There we unpacked the animals
and piled up our goods, and White Horse detailed an In-
dian to guard the packs day and night.

After our horses had been picketed out to grass, the
Chief took us into his lodge to dine with him, and here
again we had boiled dog and the peace smoke.

White Horse insisted upon our being his guests until

44 ESCORTED BY CHIEF.

morning, it being about ±noon when we arrived, and as
our horses were much jaded we decided to give them the
advantage of such a rest.

The Comanche Chief was most exceedingly hospi-
table, in his way, and would not allow us to eat of our
own provisions, but insisted upon our eating with him,
and "trotted" out the best "grub" he had.

After breakfast the next morning our horses were
brought in by the Indians, who also helped us to pack,
and we struck the trail again, accompanied by White
Horse and his daughter, who traveled with us all that
day and camped with us at night.

That evening Uncle Kit killed a fine buffalo calf, and
I thought it the best meat I had ever eaten — even better
than dog.

The following morning the Chief and his daughter re-
turned to the village, and we proceeded on our journey.

That day, riding along on my crop-eared pony, about
fifty yards behind my companions, I chanced to look be-
hind me and I saw what I thought to be a man, walking
on a hill towards us, and he appeared to be at least
twenty feet high. As he got further down the hill he
appeared to grow shorter, until, I thought, he went down
a ravine and out of. sight.

I put spurs to Croppy and galloped up to Uncle Kit,
and told him I had seen the tallest man on earth, de-
claring that the man was at least twenty feet high.

"An' you saw a man that high.^" said Uncle Kit.

"Indeed I did," I replied.

"Sure you saw him.?" he asked.

Lone Wolf's Son, Killed at iiuweiis, iex., 1573.

SEES A MIRAGE. 45

*'Yes, sir; and if you will watch you will see him
come up out of the ravine, directly."

Uncle Kit, laughing, said: "It was not a man you
saw, my boy, but a mirage," and he explained to me the
phenomena, which I became familiar with in the years
that followed.

Sometimes the mirages present to the vision what ap-
pear to be men, at other times bodies of water sur-
rounded by trees, and often houses and whole towns.
They appear before you on the dryest plains and then
disappear as if the earth opened and swallowed them.

Early in June we reached Bent's Fort and met there
Col. Bent and his son, Mr. Roubidoux and his son, and
a man named James Bridger, of whom you wjU see a great
deal, later on in this narrative. These men were all
traders, buying furs and buffalo robes from Indians,
white hunters and trappers.

We remained at Bent's Fort six weeks, and often
during that time some one of the many hunters, trappers
and traders, that made this place their headquarters,
would ask Uncle Kit what he was going to do with that
boy — meaning me. To all of which Carson would reply:
"I'm goin' to make a hunter and trapper of him."

During the six weeks at the fort I was out nearly
every day with some of the men, and to me they gave the
name of "Young Kit."

By the time we were ready to leave Bent's Fort,
Young Kit became quite a rider, and Uncle Kit had been
training me in the dexterous use of the rifle, shooting
from my knee, lying on my back, resting the gun on my

46 KIT Carson's home.

toes, lying flat on my belly, resting the gun on my hat,
and in various other positions.

Having disposed of all our blankets, beads and all of
the tobacco, except what was reserved for home con-
sumption, we left Bent's Fort, crossed the Arkansas river
and followed up Apishapa creek three days, when we
came to the Rocky Mountains, among which we were
during four days, passing Trinkara Peak then turning
.south toward a little Mexican vdlage called Taos, where
Uncle Kit made his home, he having a house of his own
in that village.

On the morning after our arrival at Taos, Uncle Kit
•said to me at breakfast:

"Willie, there are a lot of Mexican boys here who
would like to play with you."

Some of them were standing near in a group, gazing
at me in much wonderment.

"But," continued Uncle Kit, ^ 'you will have to learn
to speak their language in order to have much fun. Go
with them if you wish, and tell me to-night how many
words you have learned."

Then he spoke to the group of boys in their own
tongue and told them I wished to play with them but
couldn't speak their language, and wanted to learn.

We had a jolly time that day in many boyish games
that I had never seen, and when I came home Uncle
Kit asked me how many words I had learned.

"Three," I replied.

"Splendid!" he exclaimed. " 'Twont be long fo' you
are a fus'-class Mexican."

One evening, after we had been in Taos about two

a
o

N
U

fl
o
a

en
Cuo

0)
• »-»

fey*S

?^:^

THE FANDANGO. 47

weeks, Uncle Kit told me to put on my best suit and he
would take me to a fandango. I was not sure what a
fandango was but was willing to experience one, just the
same, and, togged out in our best, we went to the fan-
dango, which was simply a Mexican dance. Sort of a
public ball.

I looked on that night with much interest, but de-
clined to participate further than that. I learned better
in a little while, and the fandango, with the tinkle of
guitars and mandolins, the clink of the cavalleros' spurs,
and the laugh and beauty of the Mexican senoritas, be-
came a great pleasure to me.

Thus began our life at the little Mexican town of
Taos, the home of that great hero of the West, Kit
Carson.

CHAPTER III.

Hunting and trapping in South Park, where a
boy, unaided, kills and scalps two indians. —
Meeting with Fremont, the "Path-finder."

One evening in October as I was getting ready to re-
tire for the night. Uncle Kit said to me:

"Now Willie, to-morrow you must put in the day

48 MOULDING BULLETS.

moulding bullets, for we must begin making preparations
to go trapping."

This was pleasant news to me, for I had laid around
so long with nothing to do but skylark with those Mexi-
can bo3's, that life was getting to be monotonous.

The reader will understand that in those early days
we had only muzzle-loading guns, and for every one of
those we had to have a pair of bullet-moulds the size of
the rifle, and before starting out on an expedition it was
necessar}^ to mould enough bullets to last several weeks,
if not the entire trip, and when you realize that almost
any time we were liable to get into a "scrap" with the
Indians, you can understand that it required a great
number of these little leaden missiles to accommodate
the red brethren, as well as to meet other uses.

That evening after I had gone to bed, Mr. Hughes
said:

"Kit, what are you going to do with that boy.''"

"What boy.^" asked Uncle Kit, as if he were aston-
ished.

"Why, Willie. What are you going to do with him
while we are away trapping.^"

''Why, take him along to help us, of course."

"Thunderation!" exclaimed Hughes; "he will only
be a bother to us in the mountains."

I had been with Kit Carson three months, and this
was the first time I had seen him, apparently, out of
humor. But at Hughes' last remark, he said in a decid-
edly angry tone:

"Jim Hughes, I want you to understand that wher-
ever I go that boy can go, too, if he likes."

TRAPPING EXPEDITION 49

Hughes seeing that Carson did not Hke what he had
said about "that boy," turned the matter off by saying
that he had only made the remark to tease the boy.

Next morning Uncle Kit started a Mexican lad out to
round up the horses, and the next two days were spent
in fixing up our pack-saddles preparatory for the trip.

Our horses were as fat as seals, as there was no end
to the range for them in this part of the country.

All being in readiness we pulled out from Taos, four
of us, Uncle Kit, Mr. Hughes, myself and a Mexican
boy named Juan. The latter went along to bring our
horses back home.

We crossed back over that spur of the Rocky Moun-
tains that we had came in through, and struck the Ark-
ansas river near where Pueblo, Colo. , now stands, and
from here we palled for the headwaters of that river,
carefully examining every stream we came to for bea-
ver sign.

We saw abundance of game on the trip, such as
antelope, deer and buffalo.

When we had traveled up the river about two days,
Uncle Kit thought it was not best to take the horses
any further as the country was now too rough for them,
so we spent the next two days caching our cargo.

As some may not know what a cache is, I will ex-
plain.

Cache is French for ''hide." A hole is dug in the
ground and the things to be hidden are put in there
and covered with brush, then with dirt, then more
brush and more dirt, and the whole is covered with
turf, to make the surface look as natural as possible,

50 IN THE MOUNTAINS.

SO that it is not likely to be discovered by Indians at
a distance.

We having about a thousand pounds of stores to
cache, it was no small job.

On the morning of the third day in this camp, we
ill started out to kill some game for Juan to take back
home. Mr. Hughes started out in one direction and
Uncle Kit and I in the opposite. We had gone but
a short distance, when, looking across a canyon, I saw
a herd of some kind of animals and asked Uncle Kit
what they were. He told me they were bison, and
complimented me on having such good eyes.

Bison, by the way, is the distinctive name in that
region for mountain buffalo, all buffalo belonging to the
bison family.

We then started on a round-about way to try and
get in gunshot of the herd, in which we were successful.
When we had got in gunshot of them and he had pointed
out the one for me to shoot at, he said:

"Now take a rest on that big rock, and when I count
three, pull the trigger, and be sure that you break its
neck."

The guns went off so near together that I turned and
asked Uncle Kit why he didn't shoot, too, for I did not
think that he -had fired; but as soon as the smoke from
our guns had cleared away, I saw two bison kicking their
last.

After dressing the animals we returned to camp and
learned that Mr. Hughes had killed two deer, which, with
the two bisons, were enough to load the pack-horses.

We werfe now in the extreme south end of South

CARRYING A PACK. 5 1

Park, which was mostly a prairie country, except along
the streams, and more or less pine trees were scattered
here and there along the hillsides.

Next morning we loaded the pack-horses with the
game and Juan started back home, alone, with the horses.

After we had seen him off, we rolled up our blankets
and taking enough provisions to last several days, we
"packed up our packs" and pulled out up the Arkansas
again.

This, to me, was like breaking a colt to the saddle,
only I didn't buck.

Notwithstanding I had a light pack, for I was a light
subject, it was hard work for me. Mr. Hughes had been
out the year before, and being a grown man, it did not
worry him as it did me. However, we traveled very
slowly, looking well all the time for beaver sign.

In the afternoon of the second day we came to where
there was plenty of beaver sign. In fact the trees they
had gnawed down were so thick that we could not travel
along the river, but had to take to the hillsides.

We camped that night at the mouth of a little stream
that empties into the Arkansas, and the following morn-
ing, after looking over the trapping ground, the two men
selected a place to build our winter quarters, and we
went to work. They w^orked at the cabin while I killed
the game for our meat and did the cooking, my outfit
being a frying-pan, a coffee-pot and a tin cup for each
of us.

They were about two weeks getting our cabin, or dug-
out, completed. It was made by first digging out a place
in the hillside, about twehe feet square, and building up

WINTER QUARTERS.

the front with logs, then brush and pine boughs, and
then the whole with dirt. "I he door was made of
hewed logs, fastened together with crossed pieces by
means of wooden pins, and it was hung on heavy
wooden hinges.

Our winter quarters being thus completed, Uncle Kit
and Mr. Hughes set out one morning for the cache, in-
tending to return that same evening. Before starting
they told me to go out some time during the day and
kill a small deer, that I would be able to carry to camp,
and have a good lot of it cooked for supper, as they
would be very hungry when they returned that night.
They started sometime before daylight, and I stayed

around the
cabin, clear-

ing

About the right thing.

country as sheep on a mutton farm. But, boy-like, I

things

up and cut-
t ing wood,
until about
ten o'clock,
then cleaned
up m}^ rifle
and started
out to kill
the deer. It
was an easy
matter to
find one, for
they were as
thick in that

The other two dropped to their knees and locked all around. Page 53

KILLS TWO INDIANS. 53

wandered off up the canyon about two miles before I
found a deer that just suited me, and I wanted to see
the country, anyway.

At last I found a little deer that I thought about
the right thing and I killed and dressed it — or rather un-
dressed it — threw it on my shoulder and pulled for camp.

Instead of going the way I had come, I climbed out
on the ridge to avoid the down timber, that was so thick
in the creek bottom, When I was near the top of the
ridge, I looked off a short distance and saw three In-
dians, on foot, going down the ridge in the direction of
our dug-out.

I had often heard Uncle Kit tell how the Indians
robbed the camps of trappers and that they invariably
burned the cabins.

As soon as I got sight of the Indians, I dropped back
over the ridge, for, luckily, they had not got sight of me.
In a few seconds I did some powerful thinking, and I
came to the conclusion that it would never do to let them
find our dug-out, for while it would hardly burn, they
might carry off oar bedding, or destroy it. So I crawled
up to a log, took good aim at the leader and fired, strik-
ing him just under the arm, bringing him down. The
other two dropped to their knees, and looked all around,
and I suppose the only thing that saved me was the
wind was coming from them to me and blew the smoke
from my gun down the canyon, so that they did not
see where the shot came from.

I heard Uncle Kit tell of lying on his back and load-
ing his rifle, when in a close place, so I did likewise and
crawled up to my log again. The remaining two In-

54 TAKES THEIR SCALPS.

dians, having looked all around and seeing no one, had

got on their feet again, and were standing with bow and

arrow in hand, each having a quiver full of arrows on

his back, and if they had got sight of me that would have
been the last of Young Kit. But I took aim at one of
them and fired, with the same result as before. As my
second • Indian fell, the third one started back up the
the ridge, in the direction from which they had come,
and if I ever saw an Indian do tall sprinting, that one
did. I watched him until he was out of sight, and then
loaded my gun, shouldered my deer and went to where
the two Indians were lying. They were both as dead as
dried herring.

I had never seen an Indian scalped, but had often
heard how it was done, so I pulled my hunting-knife and
took their top-nots, and again started for the dug-out, a
great hunter and Indian fighter, in my own estimation.

I hung the scalps up inside the dug-out, directly in
front of the door, so that Uncle Kit and Mr. Hughes
would see them the first thing on entering the cabin.
Then I set about getting supper, all the while thinking
what a mighty deed I had done in saving our cabin,
which was probably true.

The two men did not return until after dark and they
were very tired and hungry, having walked forty miles that
day, carrying on the return trip a hundred pounds each.
That is a heavy load for a man to carry twenty miles,
but they did it, and it was no uncommon thing for the
hardy frontiersmen of that day to perform like feats of
strength and endurance.

THE TRAPPING GROUND. 55

\\'hen they pushed open the heavy log door, the
scalps were ahiiost in their faces.

"Who did this.'" said Uncle Kit, as he threw his
heavy pack on the dirt floor.

I told him and he was very much astonished.

"How was it, Willie.'" he asked, and I told him the
whole story.

^^'hile I was telling him the story, as hriefl}^ as I
could, he showed more agitation than I had ever seen
him exhibit.

During all the time I had been with him, he had
never spoken a harsh word to me, up to this time. But
while we were at supper he said to me:

"My boy, don't let me ever hear of you taking such
chances again. Not that I care for you killin' the In-
juns, but you took great chances for losing your own
hair, for had them redskins got sight of you, by the time
they had got through with you, your hide wouldn't have
held corn shucks. And it's a m3'stery to me that they
didn't see you."

The follow^ing morning after breakfast we all took a
trip up the can3'on, where I had gone the morning be-
fore, and we took with us twelve beaver traps that they
had brought up from the cache, and these we set at dif-
ferent places along the stream.

After they were set Uncle Kit asked me if I thought
I could find all of them again, and I said I thought I
could.

"All right then," he said. "It will be your job to
tend these traps, until Jim and me get the balance of the

56 CATCHING BEAVER.

stuff packed up from the cache. Now le's go and see
your Injuns."

I took them to where I had shot the two Indians,
and Uncle Kit, as soon as he saw them, said:

"Thev are Utes, aud the wust hoss-thieves on the
waters of the Colorado. Willie, I'm dog-goned glad you
killed 'em. I would a give the best hoss I've got to a
been here with you, for I think Old Black Leg would a
caught the other feller, afore he got to the top o' the
mountain."

"Black Leg" was Uncle Kit's pet name for his rifle.

That night, before going to bed. Uncle Kit said we
must be up early next morning, as he and Hughes would
have to make another trip to the cache, and that I must
tend to the traps and keep a sharp lookout for Indians.
''But whatever happens," he said, "don't ever be taken
prisoner. "

They started very early the next morning, and as
soon as it was light I struck out to examine the traps.
From the twelve I took nine beaver, skinned them, reset
the traps, returned to the dug-out and stretched the
skins.

The stretching is done by making a bow of a small
willow or other pliant wood, for each hide, and then pull-
ing the hide over it. The hides are thus left until they
are drv, when the bows are taken out and the hides are
packed in a frame made for that purpose, fifty in a bale.

All of this kind of work I had learned at Bent's Fort,
while there, from the many trappers there. Besides,
Uncle Kit had given me other lessons in the work.

Uncle Kit and Mr. Hughes made a trip to the

HUNTING ELK. 5/

cache every other day until the stuff was all packed
up to our winter quarters.

I had my hands full attending to the traps, as the
men brought more of them on the second trip, aud they
set enough of them to make double work for me. One
dozen traps is called a "string," and it is considered one
man's w^ork, ordinaril}^ to "tend a string."

The two men brought all the stuff up from the cache
in five trips. On the day the last trip was made, I went
out early, as usual, to attend to the traps, of which we had
thirty-six. That morning I took twenty-three beaver,
and seeing that it would be impossible for me to skin
them all, I set about to carry them to the dug-out. If
ever a boy worked, I did that day, and had just got
through carrying them in when Uncle Kit and Mr.
Hughes returned.

After we had got caught up with our work and rested
a few days. Uncle Kit said one morning that we must be
out early next day and get our work done so that we
could go and kill some elk. "For," said he, "we have
got to have meat for the winter and we must have some
hides for beds."

In those days the trappers made their beds by first
constructing a frame or rough bedstand, over which they
stretched a green elk hide, securing that by thongs or
strings cut from a green deer skin. By lying on these at
once, before they are dry, they get shaped to the body
and they make a first-class bed for comfort.

We were out early to the traps next morning, and
the catch being somewhat smaller than usual, we got

58 PLENTY OF MEAT.

through by ii o'clock, and after eating a ''snack" — a
lunch — we started on the elk hunt.

After going about four miles we jumped up a band ol
fifty elk, which was considered a small herd then. But
we didn't get close enough to shoot any of them.

"Let 'em go," said Uncle Kit; "no doubt they will go
to the quaking-asp grove, and we can git 'em to-mor-
row." So we returned to camp without any elk. But
the next morning we went to the quaking-asp thicket,
and there, sure enough, we found the same band of elk,
and succeeded in killing five of them. Thus we had
enough meat to last a year, if we had wanted that much,
and we had skins enough for our beds and moccasins for
the winter.

Now we were in no danger. of starving, and from now
on we could devote our whole attention to the traps.

I had to work very hard that winter, but I was much
better contented than when I was with Drake and in the
grasp of that old "nigger wench."

Not until now did I tell Uncle Kit of the prank I
played on the black tyrant. I also told him why I was
so anxious to get away from St. Louis. That it was I
feared Drake would discover me and take me back to his
farm and the society of his slaves.

Mr. Hughes here interrupted me to say: "Well,
Willie, you are safe enough from Drake and the wench,
but I think by the time you get out o' here in the spring,
you would much rather be with them."

I assured him, however, that he was mistaken, and
that I was bent on being a hunter and trapper.

"And an Indian fighter.^" he added.

OFF FOR TAOS. 59

"Yes, and an Indian fighter, too, if you like;" I re-
plied.

Well, we remained at this camp all winter, not see-
ing a person untside of our own crowd, and to take it on
the whole, it was one of the most enjoyable winters of
my life. It being my first winter in the mountains, I
was learning something new every day, and whenever I
found the track of any wild animal that I was not ac-
quainted with, I would report to Uncle Kit, and he
would go miles with me to see the sign, and would
take great pains to tell me what sort of an animal it
was and all about its nature and habits.

This was one of the most successful winter's trap-
ping he had ever had, as we were on entirely new ground,
where trapping had not been done before, and, more-
over, the weather was particularly favorable.

Winter began to break up about a month earlier than
usual, it being toward the last days of March when the
snow commenced going off. We then took a pair of
blankets each, and enough provisions to last us on our trip,
and started for Taos, the only kind of provisions w^e had
left being dried elk and venison. It was an easy matter
to cure meat in this style in that country, for the air is so
light that meat stuck upon the top of a pole eight or ten
feet high, will quickly become dried, or "jerked."
Trappers seldom take enough flour and coffee to last all
winter, as it made too much bulk and weight to pack so
far. Sugar was almost unknown in a trapper camp.

The second day after leaving the dug-out we met
Juan, the Maxican boy. He was not bringing our
horses, but was carrying a letter for Uncle Kit, from

6o MEET COL. FREMONT.

Col. John C. Fremont, asking him to come to Taos,
as he wished to employ him as guide for his expedi-
tion to California.

That evening, after reading the letter, Uncle Kit
said: "Willie, I have got to go to California in the
summer to pilot Col. Fremont through. Do you want
to go along?"

I said I was perfectly willing to go anywhere that
he went.

He said: "We will pass through some mighty
rough countr}/, and also through the country of the
Utes. If you go, you will, no doubt, have plenty of
chances to try your hand at shootin' Injuns, for them
Utes are tough nuts."

That didn't scare me a bit, for I was now sixteen
years' old, had killed and scalped two Indians, and had
already begun to consider myself a hunter and Indian
fighter from away back. Besides, when the story of
my killing the two Indians got out, I came to be gen-
erally called "the boy scalper. " But Uncle Kit never
spoke of me in that way, for he always respected me as
a father would his own son.

Now Uncle Kit was anxious to reach Taos and meet
Col. Fremont, so we pushed on with all possible speed
until the third day from where we met Juan with the let-
ter, we met Col. Fremont at the crossing of the Ark-
ansas river. He had became over-anxious and had
started out to meet us.

It was late in the afternoon, so we went into camp and
had supper, which consisted of dried venison and water,

ARRANGEMENTS MADE 6l

but for breakfast we had a change of diet, which was
dried elk and water.

We learned that Col. Fremont had been detailed the
summer before by the government to command an ex-
ploring expedition across the continent, and, if possible,
find a better route from the "States" to California.

It leaked out that some of the trappers who did not
like to have him in the neighborhood of Bent's Fort, for
their own selfish motives, had misinformed him that first
summer out, as to the lay of the country, hoping thereby
to mislead him and his company into the m.ountains,
where they would get snowed in and die of strvation.

Fremont and his party, consisting of twenty-eight
men, had started up the Black Canyon, and they did get
snowed in and had to stop for the winter.

The}^ ran out of provisions and killed and ate some
of their horses, but the other horses died of starvation
and six of the men died of scurvy.

It being late when the Fremont party got into the
mountains, and the snow-fall being very deep, the game
went early to the lowlands and the men were forced to
]'.\e on salt bacon and horse flesh. Even that became
scarce and the entire company came near perishing be-
fore spring.

In the camp with Col. Fremont that evening Uncle
Kit and he made their bargain. Carson was to furnish
all the horses and was to have the right to take as many
extra men and horses as he liked, also the right to trade
for furs and send his men and their horses back whenever
he desired to do so.

After eating heartily of the dried venison and hearing

62 TO PILOT HIM

Col. Fremont's story of the dreadful experiences of his
party in the Black Canyon, it was bedtime, and each
man rolled himself in his biankets and soon all were
sleeping, as tired men can, out on the plains.

We had an early breakfast, each man's hunk of dried
meat being handy, so there was really no preparation to
be made, except to wash. No compulsion, however, as
to that. But having distinguished company, all hands
washed this morning before squatting for breakfast.

While we were eating, Fremont asked whose boy I
was. Uncle Kit replied that I was his boy, and "a first-
class hunter and trapper, and he shoots Injuns purty
well, too." He then related the incident of my killing
the two Utes.

All arrangements having been made. Uncle Kit agree-
ing to meet Col. Fremont at Bent's Fort in three weeks,
they separated and we pushed on for Taos. On arriving
there Uucle Kit hired two Mexicans to go back with Mr.
Hughes to our beaver camp and get the furs, and he gave
instructions to take the furs to Santa Fe and dispose of
them. Uncle Kit then employed Juan and a Texan boy
named John West to assist us in fitting up for our Cali-
fornia trip. So at the end of three weeks we met Fre-
mont at Bent's Fort as per agreement.

Fremont's company consisted of twenty-two men,
and they were, beyond doubt, the worst looking set of
men I ever saw. Many of them w^ere scarcely able to
walk from the effects of scurvy and they were generally
knocked out.

We had taken with us from Taos a pack-train loaded
with vegetables, such as potatoes, onions and the like, and

TO CALIFORNIA.

after Freemont's men had associated with those vege-
tables for a few days, they came out fresh and smiHng
and were able to travel.

It was about the Middle of May, 1848, that we left
Bent's Fort to hunt a new route to the golden shores of
California.

The first night out we camped at Fountain Qui Bou-
ille — pronounced Koh-boo-yah — and here a little incident
occurred that created much fun for all the party except
one — that was me.

As soon as we went into camp, Carson told Johnnie
West and me to let Juan take our horses and for us to go

out and kill

some meat.

We started

out in oppo-

sitedirections,

and I had not

gone more

^ than a quarter

of a mile when

I saw a small

deer, which I

~ shot, threw^ on

v' my shoulder

F%j$ and pulled for

camp. Only a

fewrodsonthe

way I came to

a little mound of rock about three feet high, and from it
flowed a spring of the nicest lookin.q-, sparkling water I

But a sudden change came over me.

64 THE **PIZEN-SPRING."

thought I had ever seen. Being very thirsty, I made a
cup of my hat by pinching the rim together, dipped up
some of the water and gulped it down, not waiting to see
whether it was hot or cold, wet or dry. But a sudden
change came over me. I felt a forthwith swelling under
the waistband of my buckskin breeches, and I seemed to
have an internal and infernal hurricane of gas, which in a
second more came rushing through my mouth and nostrils
like an eruption from Cotopaxi or Popocatapel. To say
that I was frightened would be putting it mild. I rushed
down the hill like mad, and fairly flew to camp and up to
Uncle Kit, exclaiming as best I could, ''I'm poisoned!"

"Pizened.?" said Uncle Kit.

"Yes, poisoned;" and just then another rush of gas
came through my nostrils.

When the men saw me running so fast they grabbed
their guns, thinking the Indians were after me, and
quickly surrounded me to hearwhat was the matter.

Uncle Kit asked me how I got poisoned, and I told
him of the spring water I had drank, and asked him if
he could do anything to save my life. Then there was
another eruption.

Uncle Kit laughed harder than I had ever seen him,
but he told me, as fast as he could, that I had drank
from a soda spring and that it would not hurt me. Ev-
erybody laughed and then all went to the spring to get
some of the "poisoned water," which was very good,
when taken in reasonable quantitiiss and in a reasonable
way.

My gun, deer and hat were all lying near the spring,

NEAR THE SNOW- LINE.

and I secured them, but it was many a day before I

heard the last of the "pizen-spring. "

Johnnie West came in soon after, having missed all

the fun, and Juan and I went with him, taking each a

horse, and packed the game into camp.

I was anxious to get away from camp on that little

packing trip, hoping the crowd would forget all about the

soda-spring before I returned, but I hoped in vain, for

when I re-
turned they
laughed at and
joked me
more than
ever.

We traveled
up the Arkan-
sas river near-
ly a hundred
miles, and as
we neared the
snow-line the
deer and elk
were more
plentiful and
we never went
hungry for
meat.

At Jimmie's

Carson would climb to the top of the highest Pork W e

hill to look for Indian camps.

turned to the
left and followed that stream to its head, then crossed

66 MEET APACHES.

over to the Blue river, which is a tributary of the Colo-
rado. Now we were in the Ute country, and had to keep
a sharp lookout for Indians. Every evening, after mak-
ing camp. Uncle Kit would climb to the top of the high-
est hill near us to look for Indian camps, as it was an
easy matter late in the evening to discover their camps
by the smoke from their fires. He used to take me
along with him, and he would point out different land-
marks in the country and would tell me to make close
observations, as I would have to return, without him,
over the same route and if I were not careful I might
lose my way.

On the third day after crossing the divide, we met
Tawson, chief of the Apache tribes. Tawson had never
met Carson but knew him by reputation; but a number
of the warriors were personally acquainted with him.

The Indians all turned about and rode back with us
to their village, which was only a short distance away.

Uncle Kit being able to speak Spanish, as were all
the Indians in that country, he had quite a talk with the
old chief, and in the meantime he had bought all the
furs the Indians had to sell.

When we were ready to start from the village, Car-
son said in Spanish:

"Now, Tawson, I have always been a friend to your
tribe and I will tell you what I'm going to do. In about
one moon I will start this boy back through your coun-
try, with the horses and two other boys — referring to
Juan and West — and if anything happens to them while
passing through your country [ will hold you personally
responsible."

WITH UTES.

struck me that the reason I missed the first time was
because I didn't take good aim.

Uncle Kit had always taught me that it was not the

fastest shooting in an "'"
Indian fight that did the
most execution, and
that it was better to fire
one shot with good aim
than four at random.

When I went to shoot
the second time, Uncle
Kit was near me, and he
said:

"Take g o o d a i m, t. 1 ^ re * u- t 1 a e,^ a

^ I took a rest on ot his back and tired.

Willie, before you fire."

I did take good aim and had the satisfaction of seeing
the Indian tumble to the ground. But whether I killed
him or some one else did, I could not say, for an abso-
lute certainty, but I have always thought he belonged to
my list.

The Indians were no match for Col. Fremont's men,
being only armed with bows and arrows, and they beat a
hasty retreat, closely followed for a distance by the sol-
diers, who, however, did not get any Indians on the run,

When the men returned to camp, and, as usual, after

Hand Rock, Canon de Chelly, Arizona

70 OFF FOR SANTA FE.

Before I left camp that morning, Col. Fremont, un-
beknown to Uncle Kit, came to me and said:

"Willie, in about a year from now I will be on my
way back to St. Louis, and I will take you home with
me if you would like to go. I will send you to school
and make a man of you. You are too good a boy to
spend your life here, in this wild country."

But I told him I was perfectly satisfied to remain
with Kit Carson.

Had Uncle Kit known of that conversation I think he
would have been very much displeased, and it might
have caused serious trouble. Therefore I kept my ow^n
counsel and did not mention the matter to Carson.

Us boys were four weeks making the return trip to
Santa Fe. and we did not see a hostile Indian on the
way. I wondered much at that, but a year or two after-
ward Uncle Kit told me that the Apaches saw us every
day and were protecting us, for he had seen Tawson on
his return and the chief told him that we had gone
through safe.

We arrived at Santa Fe about the first of October,
and there I met Jim Hughes, who was waiting our ar-
rival, and I was very glad to see him. I gave him a let-
ter that Uncle Kit had sent him concerning our trapping
[or the coming winter.

iMr. Hughes said that he was glad that we had got
back so early, for it was time we were getting into the
mountains for our winter work.

I asked him if we would trap in the same place as
the winter before, and he said we would not, as he had
brought all the traps out to Taos, and we would go the

>
►-I

(■;!?■>.* IT, . h It . :

■^r.

NEW TRAPPING GROUND. /I

next winter up to North Park, as he had just returned
from there and knew we could put in a good winter's
work, as it was new trapping ground that had not been
worked, and it was a fine country, too.

Soon as we had got rid of our furs, which Mr.
Hughes had sold before our arrival, we pulled out for
Taos and begun operations for going to North Park.

All being in readiness in a few days thereafter, Mr.
Hughes, Johnnie West and I started for the new trap-
ping ground, taking Juan along, again, to fetch our
horses home. We had to travel over some rough coun-
try on the way, but found the North Park a fine region,
with scattering pine timber on the hills and quaking-asp
and willows along the streams. I have been told that
this park is now owned by sheep men, and it is an excel-
lent region for their business.

After looking around over our trapping field Mr.
Hughes selected a suitable place for our winter cabin,
and we fell to work building it. This time we built en-
tirely above ground with pine logs, an unusual thing for
trappers to do.

As soon as our cabin was built, Juan returned to
Taos with the horses and we set into our winter's em-
ployment.

In those days hunters never wore boots or shoes, but
moccasins from the tanned hides of elk. This winter we
made enough gloves and moccasins to last us for two
years, and each made himself a buckskin suit, out and
out.

Game was very plentiful in that country, such as

72 A BIG UNDERTAKING.

moose, elk and deer, and early in the winter a few moun-
tain buffalo.

We were successful this winter, our beaver catch
being nearly eight hundred. The winter was also an
unusually long one, lasting until far into April.

After the snow had gone off so that we could travel,
Jim Hughes, who had been our foreman, in the absence
of Carson, asked me if I thought I could find the way
back to Taos, which I said I could. He said that one of
-us would have to go and get our horses to pack the furs
in on.

It was now the spring of 1849 and. I was seventeen
years old, but it looked to me to be a big undertaking
for a boy of my age, a trip of three hundred miles, afoot
and alone, with my rifle and blankets; but some one had
to go, and I agreed to tackle the trip.

This was on Saturday, and as we never worked on
Sundays, except to tend the traps, Mr. Hughes and John-
nie West talked the matter over and decided that be-
fore I started away we had better cache the furs and
such traps as they would not use in my absence. This
was done, so that in the event of their being killed by the
Indians, I could find the furs on m}' return. It was a
wise conclusion, as will be seen later on.

It was the custom of the Utes to cross over the moun-
tains in .small squads every spring and kill all the trap-
pers they could find and take their traps and furs.

On Monday morning we all set about to cache the furs
and traps that would not be used, and it took two
days hard work to accomplish the task. Then I made
preparations to start on miy journey to Taos.

74 • RUNNING FIGHT

We made for the top of the hill, which was about
one hundred and fifty yards from the cabin, and stopped.
The Indians were by this time at the cabin. Johnnie
West counted them and said there were twenty-seven all
told.

We each fired a shot among them, but could not tell
whether we killed any of them or not. We then started
on the run, loading our guns as we ran, the Indians in
hot pursuit of us.

After running about two miles, Jonnie West proposed
that we make a stand. We stopped on a little ridge, and
did not have to wait long until the Indians were in gun-
shot of us.

"Now, Willie," said Mr. Hughes, "don't get excited
and shoot too quick, but take good aim arid be sure that
you get your Indian."

As they came up, each of us selected our Indian, fired
and each got his man. In a moment the smoke from
our guns had cleared away, and the whole band being in
sight, Mr. Hughes said:

"Let's run for our lives. There are too many of
them for us." And run we did, loading as we flew.

We ran about five miles and made another stand, but
not with the same success as before, for we only got one
Indian.

We had a running fight all that day and made three
or four stands, but could not tell how many Indians we
killed, for we would fire at them and then load our guns
on the run. They having nothing but loose arrows and
tomahawks, we could easily keep out* of danger. But
they figured on running us down.

WITH BAND OF UTES 75

That evening near sundown, Mr. Hughes asked me,
as I was a little faster on loot than the rest, to drop back
far enough to count them, which I did, and found there
were eleven of them still in pursuit of us.

When they saw me behind the other two they started
the war-whoop and did their best to overtake me, no
doubt thinking I was tired out and that the other two
had left me. But they were disappointed when I ran on
and overtook my friends.

We were now in sight of a large body of timber, and
Mr. Hughes thought that if we could reach that by
dark we might be able to dodge the Indians and get away
from them.

We reached the timber just at dark and tried very
hard to dodge our pursuers, but it seemed as though they
could scent us like blood-hounds, for we would no more
than get stopped and lie down to rest, when they would
be upon us.

A number of times during the night we would build
up a fire and then go a hundred yards or so from it and
lie down to rest, but the redskinned devils kept close to
us, and, conseqently, we got but little rest during the
night.

The following morning we left the timber and took to
the prairie. After running some four miles we looked
back and saw four Indians very near tons and gaining at
every step. Johnnie West proposed that we stop and
accommodate them, saying that he felt hungry and tired
enough to fight any two Indians in the band. So each
man selected his Indian and fired, and we succeeded in
killing two of them; the remaining two hid behind some

76 FOR MORE THAN

big rocks until the others came up, and again we were
compelled to flee.

We ran for about two hours, when we stopped and
made another fight and killed two more Indians. This
was kept up until late in the afternoon, which made two
days and one night that we had been chased by these
savages, with not a bite to eat during the whole time,
and we were getting so tired that we could scarcely raise
the trot.

We were now running down a long slope, when I
looked at Mr. Hughes and could see a change in his
countenance. There was an expression different from
that which I had ever seen on his face before. Just
about a half mile ahead of us down a little flat, was a
wash-out, and Mr. Hughes said:

"Right down there by that little bunch of willows, at
that wash-out, is where I intend to make my last fight.
Now you boys can do as you please, but I am exhausted
and can go no further."

Before we got to the wash-out, Johnnie West told
Mr. Hughes to run straight for the patch of willows, also
telling me to turn to the right, while he took to the left,
and as soon as we were in the wash-out for me to run to
where Mr. Hughes was. This was to be done to cause
tlie Indians to scatter so they would not all be on us at
once, there now being seven of them in the gang.

Johnnie West told me to take a bandy-shanked fel-
low on the left and he would take one who had two
feathers in his hair.

"All right," said Mr. Hughes, *'and I'll take the
leader."

I threw up my left arm and received a severe cut in the wrist. Page 77

ONE HUNDRED MILES.

We all took good aim and each of us brought down
his Indian, but we did not have time to load before the
others were upon us, and it ended in a hand-to-hand
light, besides it got to where ench man had to look out
for himself.

One of the Indians came straight for me and dealt
me a desperate blow with his tomahawk, but I threw up
my left hand and received a severe cut in my wrist — the

They were trying to get a chance to deal him a blow.

mark of which I carrv to this dav — at the same time I
struck him with my knife and almost cut him in two.

78 HAND-TO-HAND FIGHT.

As he was falling he threw his tomahawk at me with all
the vengeance in him, but missed my head and' struck a
rock just behind me. I sprang at once and picked it up.

Mr. Hughes was fighting one of the Indians; the
other two had attacked Johnnie West, who was on his
back with his head against the bank of the wash-out,
and they were tr\ ing to get a chance to deal him a blow,
but he was kicking at them with both feet and was strik-
ing so fast with his knife that they had not yet been
able to get a lick in on him.

They were so busily engaged with Johnnie that I
sprang at once, unseen by them, and buried the toma-
hawk so deep in the head of one of them that I was un-
able, for the moment, to recover it. As soon as my In-
dian was out of the way, Johnnie was on his feet, quick
as the twinkhng of an eye, and stabbed the remaining
one through the heart with his hunting-knife.

In the meantime Mr. Hughes was having a hard fight
with his Indian. He succeeded in killing the red fiend
but got badly used up. He had a severe wound in the
shoulder, also one in the thigh. I received a cut in
the wrist, and Johnnie West did not not get a severe
wound, in fact but little more than a scratch.

The fight and fiight being now^ ended, we went a
few rods to a little clump of pine trees, where Mr.
Hughes dropped down and said: "Boys, there's no use
of talking, I can't go any further; I think I have done
my last trappin' and Injun fightin'."

I gathered some limbs and chunks and started a fire,
while Johunie pulled Mr. Hughes' moccasins off and

I was not long in gettintj the venison cooked

Page 79

A MUCH -NEEDED MEAL. 79

bathed his feet and legs with cold water. They were
swollen almost to twice their usual size.

The tire being started, Johnnie proposed that we lie
down and take a nap and a rest before starting out to
hunt for meat, saying it was impossible for him to stand
on his feet any longer. *'My legs," said he, "are swol-
len clear to my body." I was too hungry to sleep, so I
proposed that Johnnie stay and care for Mr. Hughes and
I would take my gun and go out and kill some game, which
was plentiful in this part of the country. I had not gone
more than a quarter of a mile when I looked up the ridge
and saw a small deer coming down almost in the direc-
tion of where I stood, and never before in my life had I
cast my eyes on a living animal that pleased me so much
as did that one. I waited until he was in gunshot and
fired. It ran about one hundred yards in the direction
of camp and fell dead. I dressed it, cut off its head and
carried it to camp, and it was all I could do to get along
with it in my half-famished condition.

I found Hughes and West both sound asleep by the
fire. It was not long before I had some of the venison
cooked, and I had it fashionably rare, at that. After I
had wakened my companions and we had broiled and
eaten venison for a time, Johnnie and I rolled some logs
together and gathered pine knots and made a good fire.
Then we broiled more venison and ate again, until we
got sleepy and fell over by the side of the fire, lost to
ourselves and Indians. During the night we all woke
up again, cooked and ate as long as we could keep our
eyes open, and by sun-up ne"xt morning there was not
enough of that little deer left to feed a cat.

8o ARRIVE AT TAOS.

We found ourselves very sore and stiff from the ef-
fects of our run, but Mr. Hughes thought we were about
one hundred miles nearer Taos than when we started, as
we had been running most of the time in that direction,
and this was some consolation.

We remained here and rested two days, and as game
was plentiful we did not have to go far from the camp to
get all the meat we wanted.

On the morning of the third day we started for Taos,
which was about two hundred miles away, but all being
so badly worn out and Mr. Hughes having such severe
wounds, we had to travel slowly, it taking us about two
weeks to make the trip. But we had no more trouble
with the Indians.

At Taos we met Uncle Kit Carson, who had been
waiting our arrival for two weeks. After resting up for
a few days, Uncle Kit, Johnnie West and myself started
for North Park to pack out the furs. Mr. Hughes stayed
at Taos, as he was too badly wounded to accompany us
on the trip.

On our arrival at North Park we found everything
just as we had left it, except that the traps, which we
had not cached with the furs, had been stolen.

On our return trip we camped one evening in a bea>u-
liful little valley where the grass was knee high, and
cJong the little stream were green quaking-asp, alder and
w illows, with scattering pine trees here and there on the
hills and in the valley. About sundown that evening
the horses commenced to show signs of uneasiness and
occasionally they would raise their heads and look in the
direction of a little pine grove near by, and snort.

FIGHT WITH PANTHER.

Johnnie West, being- the first to notice it, said: ' 'Kit,
what is the matter with the horses? I beheve there are
Indians around."

"I don't think so," said Carson, "for I havn't seen

any sign of Injuns to- ..^^^^^
day." ' ^'

Shortly after dark
that night Uncle Kit
went out about fi f t y J

yards from camp in the uncle Kit came in, covered with blood.

direction of the horses,

taking with him neither his gun or his pistol, which was

a rare thing for him to do. Just as he was passing around

82 DISPOSED OF FURS.

a pine tree a panther sprang at him from the tree. On
hearing the rustle in the hmbs, Carson jumped back from
the tree as far as he could and thus avoided the full force
of the blow from the panther. As he jumped back he
drew his knife and had a hand-to-hand fight with the
huge feline and succeeded in killing it.

Johnnie and I sat at the camp-fire, knowing nothing
of the affair until Uncle Kit came in. covered with blood
from head to foot, and his heavy buckskin shirt, which
had no doubt been the means of saving his life, was torn
almost into strings. When he told us he had been en-
gaged in a fight with some kind of a wild animal, John-
nie asked why he did not call for help, and his reply was
that he did not have time to call as he had his hands full
with the "varmint."

After we had dressed his wounds as best we could,
we took a torch and went to the foot of the pine tree,
and there lay the panther, dead. He had stabbed it to
the heart.

Uncle Kit had a very bad wound in one thigh, also in
one arm, so we did not move camp next da3\ but the
day after we proceeded on our journey. We took our
furs lo Santa Fe, where we disposed of them at a good
price, furs being higher that season than usual.

Our furs being disposed of we returned to Taos and
rested for about two weeks;

-:o:-

Powder Face and Squaw, Arapahoes,

Cache-la-Poudre. 83

CHAPTER V.

On the Cache-la-Poudre. — Visit from Gray Eagle,

CHIEF OF THE ArAPAHOES. A BEAR- HUNTER IS

HUNTED BY THE BEAR.^ PhIL, THE CANNIBAL.

Uncle Kit, having made quite a sum of money, con-
cluded that he would take a trip over to the headwaters
of the Cache-la-Poudre to look for a new field where he
could trap the coming winter on a large scale, and
wanted Johnnie and I to accompany him, which we did.

Each taking a saddle-horse and one pack animal, we
started on the trip, taking a new route to Uncle Kit, as
well as to Johnnie and myself.

Carson took the lead, for, like a deer, he could find
his way anywhere he wished to go.

We crossed the Arkansas river above Bent's Fort, and
from here we traveled along the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains, striking the Platte at the mouth of Cherry
creek, which is now the center of Denver City, Colo.
Here we met Mountain Phil — of whom you will hear
more in this narrative. He was living in awick-i-up and
had a squaw for a wife. Uncle Kit and I, being ac-
quainted with him, stopped and had a chat with him
while our horses were feeding. Uncle Kit asked him
what he intended to do the coming winter, and he re-
plied:

"I will trap for you if you like, but you will have to

84 MEET ArAPAHOES.

furnish me with an outht, for I have none of my own."

"All right, Phil," said Carson, "I will give you a job,
but you will have to stop alone, for none of m.y men will
live with you.

"All right," said Phil, "me and Klooch will be
enough to stop in one cabin, anyway."

These things being understood we rode off, Mountain
Phil agreeing to meet us at Taos about two months from
that time.

After we rode away I asked Uncle Kit why no one
woa-ld live with Mountain Phil. His reply was, '*Phil is
a very bad man, and I yet have to hear the first man
speak a good word for him."

Late that afternoon we saw a little band of Indians —
ten in number — coming toward us, and when near them
we saw that they were Arapahoes and dray Eagle, the
chief, was with them. Uncle Kit being well acquainted,
all shook hands, and the chief insisted on our going
to their camp and staying all night with them. Uncle
Kit knowing the nature of the Indians, and knowing that
Gray Eagle would take it as an insult if we should refuse
to visit him, turned about and went home with him.
He sent two of his men ahead to the village, and we
vvere met by abcnit hve hundred warriors with all the
women and children of the village. Just at the outer
edge of the village we were honored with what they con-
sidered a great reception.

Gray Eagle took us to his own wick-i-up, his men
taking charge of our horses and packs. I had learned to
speak the Arapahoe language fairly well and could un-
derstand anything they said. When supper time came,

MORE DOG MEAT. 85

Gray Eagle came to Uncle Kit and said: "I have a great
feast for you; my men have killed a very fat dog; sup-
per is ready, come in and eat."

I remarked to Uncle Kit as we were going to supper,
that I was very glad we came home with Gray Eagle,
for it had been a long time since I had had a good meal
of dog.

Supper being over, the chief got his pipe and selected
six men from his tribe and we had a peace-smoke, and
he and Uncle Kit smoked and talked nearly all night.
During their conversation that night he said that Moun-
tain Phil was a very bad man, and that he would often
steal their horses and sell them to the Gomanches.

Next morning after breakfast our horses were brought
in, saddled up and we were off on our journey again to
Gache-la-Poudre.

It might be of interest to our readers to know how
this stream acquired its name. There was a Frenchman
by the name of Virees Roubidoux camped on the stream
spoken of, with a little squad of men; they were attacked
by a band of Indians, and the first word uttered by
Roubidoux was "Gache-la-poudre," which means in Eng-
lish, "hide the powder," and from that time on the
Stream has been so called.

We arrived at our proposed trapping field, and after
looking over the country we found plenty of beaver sign
along the streams and game in abundance, and Uncle
Kit decided that there was room enough for four camps.

We returned by the way of Bent's Fort, as Uncle
kit wished to employ the best men he could get to trap
for him the coming winter. On our way to the fort*

86 INCREASING THE PARTY.

which was four hundred miles from the proposed trapping
ground, Uncle Kit told me that he would have to leave
me in charge the coming winter, as he was going to the
City of Mexico on business, but said that he would come
out and get the camps established and return to Taos
with the horses before going there.

We found plenty of men at Bent's Fort, and, as usual,
they were all broke, having squandered the money
earned the winter before for whiskey and card playing.
Uncle Kit experienced no trouble in getting all the men
he wanted, but had to furnish them with traps and pro-
visions— which took considerable money — he to have
half of the furs caught by each of them. Everything
being understood we returned to Taos, the men agreeing
to meet us there two weeks later. They were all on
hand at the appointed time, but there being a large party
to outfit it took some weeks to make preparations for
the trip, there being eleven in the crowd. It was about
the last of October when we arrived at the trapping-
ground ready to begin work.

There was a man in the crowd named Charlie Jones,
who was an old friend of Johnnie West, and they and I
lived in the same cabin that winter. One morning after
we had got fixed up comfortably in our winter quarters
and Uncle Kit had returned to Taos with the horses,
Charlie Jones waked us up very early, saying that there
was a light snow and he thought we would be able to get
a bear if we got out early. We rolled out, got breakfast
and were off as soon as it was light enough to see.

There were three small ridges, all pointing to our
cabin; Johnnie West took up the right-hand ridge, Char-

CHASED BY A BEAR. 8/

lie Jones the left and I the middle one. The ridges were
open, with scattering" pine trees here and there, but along
the creek was heavy timber and a dense growth of under-
brush. While walking along up the ridge, keeping a
sharp lookout for bear, I came in sight of Johnnie West,
who beckoned me to cross over to where he was, saying
that in the thicket, which covered about an acre of
ground, there was a small bear. I proposed calling
Charlie Jones over before entering the thicket, but John-
nie said no, as it was such a small bear that Charlie
would get mad and would not speak to either of us for a
week if we should call him over for such a little bear,
"and if we cannot kill that bear," he continued, "we
had better quit the mountains."

We both cocked our guns and started into the brush
side by side. When near the center of the thicket I saw
the bear raise on its haunches. The snow was falling
from the bushes so thickly that it was almost impossible
to get a bead on him, but I fired, anyway, and hit too
low, thus failing to bring him down.

He made a rush for us, but Johnnie had saved his
charge in case I failed to kill, but the snow was falling
from the bushes so fast and thick that he could not get
a shot at the bear as he rushed for us, so we were both
compelled to l^ee for our lives, Johnnie to the hillside,
while I took down the canyon, jumping the small logs
and falling over the large ones and riding down the
brush, while I could almost feel the bear's breath on my
posterior at every jump, and had it not been that West
had saved his charge, you Vvould now be reading some

88 BADl.Y SCARED.

other book — certainly not this one, as it would never
have been written.

Just as we crossed a little opening, Johnnie fired, the
ball cutting Bear's jugular vein and also his wind-
pipe, but the bear still seemed to have a "hankering"
after me and kept coming for several yards.

After its windpipe was severed, the bear made a
louder noise than ever, but not knowing the cause, I
thought he was nearer me and I strained every nerve and
fibre of my body to widen the distance between us, as I
almost imagined his teeth clashing down on me, while
Johnnie West w^as yelling: "Run, Willie; run for your
life!"

Well I rather think I was running some about that
time, for just then I came to a big log, and I jumped,
climbed and fell over it, in fact. I never knew exactly
how I did get over it; however, I fell on one side of the
log, utterly exhausted, and the bear, not being able to
get over, fell on the other side and died.

Of all the hunting and Indian fighting I have ever
done, I never had anything to scare me as did that little,
insignificant bear.

Charlie Jones, hearing the two shots and Johnnie yel-
ing for me to run, came to the scene and had no little
fun with me for running from so small a bear, saying:
"If a little bear like that were to come at me, I would
take it by the tail and beat its brains out against a tree."

By the time the boys got the bear dressed, I had re-
covered sufficiently from my run and excitement to help
carry the meat to the cabin, which was only a few rods
away, as in our foot-race we had been running in the di-

'-I

3
a
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LEARNING TO READ.

rection of the camp. The boys had a great deal of sport
at my expense, and many times during the winter I was
reminded of the bear hunt, in which the bear hunted me.
After we had got everything nicely fixed up in our
new quarters, Johnnie West one evening got down his
sachel, took out a book and sat and read till bed time.
The following evening when he took the book up again,
I asked him what he was reading, and he said, "Robin-
Crusoe." I asked him why he did not read aloud so the
rest of us could hear,
and he did read aloud
until bed time. I told
him I would give any-
thing if I could read as
he did. So he said if
I would try to learn,
he would teach me to
read that winter as good
as he could. I assured
him there would be
nothing lacking on my
part, so the next night
I took my first lesson.
At that time I did not
know all the letters, but I was determined to learn to
read. In a very short time I had learned all my letters,
and being possessed of a great memory, I learned very
fast, and Johnnie, seeing I was so determined in the mat-
ter, spared no pains in teaching me, and by the next
spring I could read Robinson Crusoe myself. Having a
start, I could learn of my own accord, and to Johnnie

Reading Robinson Crusoe.

go Mountain Phil,

West I am greatly indebted for the limited education I
now possess; and were he now living I could not express
to him my gratitude for his labors as my tutor in that
lonely wilderness, hundreds of miles from any white
man's habitation. And, although my education is quite
limited, yet what little I do possess has been of great
value to me through life.

We had good success trapping this winter, until about
the first of January, when we had an unusual heavy fall
of snow in the mountains w'hich drove all the game to
the lowlands, nothing being left that was fit for meat ex-
cept a few mountain sheep, and the snow made it very
inconvenient getting around to attend to the traps. In
the latter part of February I asked Charlie Jones one day
to go down to Mountain Phil's camp and see if there was
anything that he wanted, as we had kept all the extra
supplies at our camp. IMountain Phil and his Klooch —
that being the name he called his squaw, which is also
the Arapahoe name for wife — were staying alone about
ten miles further down the country from where we were
located.

On Charlie Jones' return, he said: "It seems that
Mountain Phil has been faring better than any of us, for
he has been able to kill his meat at camp, thereby saving
liiin tlie trouble of having to get out and hunt for it."

Johnnie and I did not understand what he meant by
this. So, after hesitating a moment, Jones said:
"ooys, If I should tell you what [ know about Mountain
Plnl, you would not believe it, but as sure as you live he
li;is killed his squaw and eaten most of her, and he has
left his camp."

THE American Cannibal. 91

We insisted that he must be mistaken, but he de-
clared that he was not, saying he had seen the bones in
the cabin, aud further investigation had developed the
fact that he had beyond any doubt killed and eaten his
Indian wife.

From that time on. Mountain Phil went by the name
of the American Cannibal until his death, which was — if
my memory serves me right — in 1863 or '64, at Virginia
('ity, Mont.

After the snow had settled so that a person could
travel on top of it, I took my gun and stole out one day
to see if I could not kill a mountain sheep. As I clam-
bered up the mountain I looked about one hundred yards
or so ahead of me on a cliff of rock, and saw a panther,
which I supposed was looking out for the same kind of
game that I was. I fired and killed her the first shot
and started to skin her, when I heard the kittens, or
young panthers, crying up in the rocks near where I had
shot the old one. My first thought then was what a nice
pet I would have if I could only get hold of those young
panthers. I was afraid to crawl into the cave for fear
the other old panther might come in on me, so I cut a
forked stick and twisted in their fur and in that way man-
aged to pull them out, all the time keeping a sharp look-
out for the other old one. I took the two young panthers
to the cabin and made pets of them. They grew to bo
very watchful; nothing could move without their know-
ing it. The female grew to be very tame, and a more
affectionate creature I never saw. But it was different
with the male. When he was six months old he got to
be ver)' cross, and I had to keep him tied up. One day

A TRAINED PANTHER.

I went out to feed them and he drew back and slapped
me, and I shot him on the spot with my pistol. The

female I kept

until she was
c o n s i derably
over a year
o 1 d, when I
sold her for
one hundred
dollars to an

Eng] i sh m a n
named Mace,
and had I
only known it,
that panther
was worth five
hundred dol-
lars. I had
taught her
m a n y tricks.

She could count ten, by putting her paw on the ground
ten times, and would do various other tricks, but when
asked by any other person than her master to perform,
she would shake her head and would not allow any one
else to touch her. I always tied her up when going out
for a hunt, and when I would return she would cry and
scream so shrill that it would almost raise the hat on a
man's head until I would untie her. She never was con-
tented until she could get to lick my face, and I never
saw a dog more watchful than she.

It was in the month of April that Uncle Kit came in

I heard the kittens crying up in the rocks.

BREAKING CAMP.

with a pack-train for the furs, the snowfall having been
so heavy that he could not get in earlier. Our catch had
been light, as we had more snow that winter than has
ever been known before or since in the history of that
country. Uncle Kit
was. however,
well satisfied w
work, with the excep-
tion of Mountain Phil, P^^ISi:^;
whom he had furnished ^IM^"^^-^
for the winter, and ^$^1^;,^ vtii-S\

who had not caug^ht a I

h -
beaver. We soon had |''J?e^

our traps and furs to- g;o^^^^^

gether, loaded up and ^^^^K^

were on our way to ^^"" ""^

. w.r,^

New Mexico. p^-^'^.^^'^"'

The third day about i:vlo; ., . .-

e>- •^V'^ aT- ; ■' ^^r^-i-J

-\-^ ^^ ^o *•*?

noon we reached the tfi^^>^"^

C ac

where

he-la-Poudre, r^iSi^^ri^i
I we again ran on ?c;^"&0sj^:
to the American Can- |i^^|\f

■?,*-7-

'■r''>^^^'\

^>V

jV.-fi'v,'^

rs-s,-.

^•/

^=:ii^:^i^:??

n i b a 1. We stopped t^i^,
here to let our horses t^??v^-^f^

feed and to partake of K^S%^n:j^^-;<mmm^^^^^m
some refreshments hSm^m^M^^^^MM^M

ourselves. Uncle Kit, The American Cannibal.

after giving Mountain

Phil a lecture for his past conduct, said:

"Phil, if ever you and I are out together in the moun-
tains and run short of provisions, I will shoot you down
as I would a wolf, before you get hungry."

94 ON Sand Creek.

Phil asked him why he would do so, and Carson re-
plied: "Because I wouldn't take the chances of being
killed and eaten up by a cannibal like you."

It might be well to give a brief description of this
cannibal. He was a large, raw-boned man, who would
weigh about two hundred and fifty pounds, though he
was not very fleshy. He always wore his hair long
and never combed it, also wore his beard long and never
sheared or combed that. His hair grew down on his
forehead almost to his eyes. In fact he looked more like
an animal than a human being.

Three days' travel brought us to South Platte, where
we crossed the river and made camp on a little stream
called Sand Creek. It was our custom to stake our sad-
dle horses out at night as near camp as good grass could
be found. The following morning Johnnie West and
myself had been out after the pack animals, and on our
return when within about a quarter of a mile from camp,
we heard a rumbling noise that sounded like a band of
buffalo in a stampede. We looked off to our right and
saw a large herd of horses, driven by seven Ute Indians,
who were pushing them at the greatest possible speed.
We urged our horses in the direction of camp as fast as
possible. As soon as we were in sight of camp, we gave
the alarm and every man sprang to his gun, mounted his
horse and was ready to receive them. The Indians did
not see us until they had run the herd of horses almost
into our camp. Our saddle horses being fresh, we suc-
ceeded in killing the seven Indians before they got far
away, and captured the herd of horses, which proved to
be a herd they had stolen from the Arapahoe Indians the

A NEW PISTOL AND KNIFE.

night before, and in less than an hour, Gray Eagle, the
Arapahoe chief, came along in pursuit, accompanied by
fifty of his select warriors. M^hen Uucle Kit showed
him the dead Utes, he walked up to one of them, gave
him a kick and said: "Lo-mis-mo-cay-o-te, " which
means, "All the same as cayote."

Gray Eagle gave us each a horse, thanked us very
kindly and returned to
his village with his ani-
mals.

We proceeded on our '^
journey to Santa Fe, ■^'
which took us twelve
days. Here we met our
old friend, Joe Favor,
who we had sold our
furs to the year before,
and who bought them
again this season.

Furs being still higher
this year, notwithstand-
ing our small Cci. tch.
Uncle Kit did fairly
well out of his winter's
trapping.

After settling up with Uncle Kit, Mr. Favor called me
into the store and presented me with a single-shot, silver-
mounted pistol, also a knife that weighed two and one-
fourth pounds, that had been manufactured in St. Louis.
We stopped at Santa Fe and rested two days,
after which time Uncle Kit, Johnnie West, myself and

"All same as cayote."

g6 THOUGHT MYSELF A MAN.

my pet panther returned home to Taos, which was a
distance of ninety miles from Santa Fe.

CHAPTER VI.

Two BOYS RIDE TO THE CiTY OF MEXICO. ELEVEN

HUNDRED MILES OF TRIAL. DANGER AND DUTY. A

GIFT HORSE. ThE WinD RiVER MOUNTAINS.

It was now the spring of 1850, I was eighteen years
old and beginning to think myself a man. Uncle Kit
asked me to go to the City of Mexico, saying that he
owed a man there two hundred and fifty dollars, and
wished to pay him. He also told me that he would have
Juan, the Mexican boy, accompany me on the journey,
but cautioned me not to let any one know that [ had
money. "For, " said he, "them Mexican guerrillas would
kill you if they knew you had money about you."

The reader can fancy two boys at the age of eighteen,
starting out on a trip of eleven hundred miles, over a
wild country, with no settlement except hostile Indians
and Mexicans, who are worse than Indians if they know
a person has money about him. At that time there
were no roads across the country in that direction; noth-
ing but a trail — a part of the way not even that — and the

Pyramid of Cholula, Mexico.

Entrance to the Alameda, Mexico

TWO BOYS TRAVEL ^ 97

whole country full of Mexican guerrillas — or, as we would
term them, Mexican robbers — who made it a business to
murder people whom they suspected of having money,
and who would even masacre whole trains of emigrants,
take w-hat money they might have, their provisions and
clothing, burn their wagons and drive their stock away.
The fact is that many of the depredations committed in
those days, for which the Indians were blamed, were
done by those fiendish Mexicans.

When the time arrived for starting and we were
mounted. Uncle Kit, Johnnie West and Mr. Hughes
came out to bid us good-bye.

Johnnie West said: ''Well, I am afraid I shall never
see you again, for those Mexican guerrillas are worse than
Indians, especially when they think a traveler has money
about him."

All this helped to put me on my guard, and I didn't
even tell Juan that I had money with me.

We started on our journey with two saddled horses
and one pack-horse each. We met numerous little bands
of Navajoe Indians, but they being on good terms with
the whites, gave us no trouble, whatever. We also met
numerous little squads of Mexican guerrillas, but they not
suspecting two boys as young as we were with having
money, did not disturb us. Uncle Kit had sent the
shabbiest looking horses along that he had, in order to
deceive them. Every band of Mexicans that we met on
our trip would ask us where we were from, where we
were going and our business. I always told them that I
was from Taos, and was going to the City of Mexico to
see a friend, and they would pass on.

98 ^ ELEVEN HUNDRED MILES

■ The first river we came to, Juan asked me if I could
owim. J told him that I did not know, as I had never
had a trial. We stripped down, tied our clothing about
our shoulders and mounted our horses again.

I wanted Juan to take the lead and let me drive the
[i ^rses after him, but he thought we had best ride side by
side and let the pack-animals follow, so in case of acci-
dent we could help each other. We made it across s^ife,
and from this time on we never hesitated at a stream.

We were thirty-one days making the trip to the City
of Mexico. '

I found Mr. Reed at his residence and paid the two
hundred and fifty dollars to him. He was much aston-
ished at Uncle Kit sending two bo3^s eleven hundred
miles to pay so small a debt, and said that he had not ex-
pected to get the money until such time as Carson might
be coming that way on other business, for it was so far
that he would not have gone after it and taken the
chances of crossing the country between the City of
Mexico and Taos, as we had done, for the two hundred
and fifty dollars.

But Uncle Kit owed this money and had agreed to
pay it at a certain time, and he, like many other fron-
tiersinan, valued his word more- than he did his gold.

We laid over two days at the City of Mexico in order
to let our horses rest. The day before we were to start,
Mr. Reed, who had invited us to his residence to board
while in the City, went out to where our horses were,
and seeing that one of the horses had a sore back, told
me that he would make me a present of a horse that,

•'~t7-r- ^ ' ■*«

Ploughing with Mules, Mexico.

'J!3*^-

t^=_

^■Sg* ;.T?<~<1

Ox Cart, Mexico.

TO City of Mexico. 99

if I took good care of, would be able to carry me the
entire trip.

I named this horse Mexico, and as will be seen later,
he proved to be a noble saddle-horse, which I kept and
rode for seven years.

We made the trip home somewhat quicker than we
did on our way out, being better acquainted with the
country, and so could make better time.

We were just two months making the round trip, ar-
riving at Taos two weeks sooner than Uncle Kit had ex-
pected us. Johnnie West and Mr. Hughes were glad to
see us return, for it was more than they expected;

By this time my panther had grown to be quite
large, and was glad to see me.

On my return to Taos I learned that Uncle Kit and
Jim Bridger had formed a co-partnership, for the pur-
pose of trapping the coming winter in the Wind River
mountains, which were about seven hundred miles from
Taos, and had employed Johnnie West, Charlie Jones
and Jake Harrington to trap for them, and in a few days
after my return from the City of Mexico we made the
start with thirty-two pack-animals, besides our saddle-
horses.

Nothing happening worthy of note on our way out,
we arrived at our proposed trapping ground, and found
plenty of beaver and plenty of fresh Indian sign as well,
but the Indians were not apt to give us any trouble at this
season of the year, more than to run our horses off, as
they would prefer to let trappers alone until spring and
then kill them and take their furs.

We established our two camps about four miles apart,

lOO

Blackfoot Indians.

and kept our horses in the valley between the two camps;
there was an abundance of grass, plenty of game and no
end to the beaver. In fact, to take it on the whole, it
seemed that this was going to be the lovliest place to
spend the winter that we had ever struck, and the boys
were all highly elated over their new winter quarters.
We had onl}' been in our trapping field about two weeks
when Uncle Kit went out one morning to kill a deer
and to look after the horses. He had not gone far when
he looked across the the little valley and saw an Indian
driving off our horses. Being in gunshot of the Indian,
he fired at him and brought him to the ground. When

Uncle Kit returned to camp,

he said:

"Boys, I am afraid we

have made a mistake in

coming here to trap this

winter; we must be near the

Blackfoot Indians, for I just

killed one that was driving our horses off, and I just hap-
pened to see him in time to catch him with old Blackleg."
At that time the Blackfoot Indians were considered
the worst tribe in the entire Northwest.

He fired at him and brought
him to the g.ound.

J-'-r

i-: i

•u

s^*

-w

•%■■•»" ?

-'^i

* -Sr.T

Water carrier as seen in Mexico.

ATTACKED BY BlACKFOOTS. IOI

I went at once to the other camp to notify Jim
Bridger and his crowd that they might be on their guard.
Bridger said he had been expecting it, as he had seen
fresh Indian sign out on the ridges some days before, but
thought it was getting so late now that they would not
give us any more trouble this winter, but that we would
have to get out early the next spring.

We stayed here and trapped all winter, with splendid
success. Jim Bridger took twelve beaver from his string
of traps every twenty-four hours for seven successive
days, being the greatest catch I ever knew from one
string of traps.

About the last of March we commenced making
preparations to leave the mountains, for fear the Indians
might come and clean us out.

The day before we were to start there came a heavy
fall of snow, and we were not able to move until the first
of April, when we made another start for Santa Fe,
going via Sweetwater, and we had enough fnrs to load
our entire train.

The second day after leaving camp we Were attacked,
about noon, by twenty Indians of the Blackfoot tribe,
who entertained us for about an hour.

We huddled our horses and used them for breast-
works, and killed seven Indians without one of our men
being wounded, but we lost two horses.

It might be well to describe the manner in which trap-
pers traveled those days while passing through a coun-
try where there were hostile Indians.

Each man would take the number of horses he was to
lead and and string them out and fasten them together

I02 A HOT LITTLE FIGHT.

b}' tying each horse to the tail of the horse ahead of him,
and the head horse of the string he would tie to the tail
of his saddle-horse. This had to be done to prevent a
stampede when attacked, and the horses, too, were a
great protection to the men, for when they were attacked
by Indians the men would ride to the center and use the
horses for breastworks in time of battle.

After the fight was over the boys all felt jubilant over
their victory. We had no more trouble with Indians for
four days, when we reached Rock Creek, a beautiful lit-
tle mountain stream that pays tribute to the North Platte
river. Here was a nice place to camp; plenty of wood
and an abundance of grass, and the finest water in the
land. Here was a lovely valley, and just off to the
northwest was a little hill or ridge, only a short distance
from which we made our camp. Some of the men went
to getting wood and building a fire, while others were
unpacking, not thinking of Indians, and just as the packs
were off we were aroused by the war-whoop of a little
squad of Indians who were coming over the ridge
spoken of. We had a hot little fight, but it only lasted
a few minutes, when the Indians withdrew, and Uncle
Kit gave orders to follow them, which we did, and had a
running light for about five miles. We captured five
horses from the redskins, and in the affair did not lose a
man, nor even a horse.

This ended our'trouble with the Indians for this trip.

On arriving at Santa Fe, Uncle Kit and Jim Bridger
sold their furs to Joe Favor and Mr. Roubidoux for
a good price.

Here we met an Englishman, who lived in London,

TRADING WITH INDIANS. I03

England, and had come that spring from St. Louis, in
company with Mr, Roubidoux and Joe Favor.

I had my pet panther with me, and the Enghshman
took a fancy to her and asked my price for her. I told
him that she was not for sale. He offered me a hundred
dollars for her. I hated to part with her, but a hundred
dollars was more money than I had ever had before at
one time, and looked like a big lot to me, so I accepted
his offer, and in less than twenty-four hours I was very
sorry, for during the time I stayed in Santa Fe, every
time that I would pass in sight of her she would cry as
pitifully as any child ever heard. Five hundred dollars
would not have bought her from Mr. Mace, as he had
purchased her with the intention of taking her to Eng-
land.

Mr. Roubidoux and Joe Favor employed Uncle Kit
to go out and trade for buffalo robes with the Comanche
and Kiowa Indians. I accompanied him on this trip,
and we were out two months, during which time we did
not see a white man.

This was the first shipment of buffalo robes that had
ever been made from this region, consequently, we were
able to get them almost at our own price.

As soon as Uncle Kit got out there with his little
stock of goods that had been furnished him to trade on,
and which consisted of beads and rings and a ver}' few
blankets, and the Indians had learned that he would
trade for robes, the squaws all fell to dressing them.
Among the Indians it was considered disgraceful for men
to do such work.

In a very short time there were plenty of dressed buf-

I04 PREPARING FOR SoUTH PaRK.

falo robes, and some very nice- ones, and I have seen
Uncle Kit trade a string of beads a foot and a half long
for a first-class robe, and for a red blanket he could get
almost as many robes as he had a mind to ask.

As fast as the robes were bought they were baled,
and by the time Uncle Kit pretty well bought up all that
were for sale, the wagon-train came and hauled them
away.

There were twenty wagon loads of robes, and the
goods Uncle Kit traded for them would not have cost to
exceed seventy-five dollars.

Our work being done, we started for Taos, for it was
now almost time to start out for the winter's trapping.
On our arrival at Taos we found Johnnie West, who had
been loafing around for two months, and who was anxious
to get at work again. Uncle Kit hired him to go with us
to South Park to trap the coming winter, that being the
place he had decided upon for the season's work.

— :o: —

|Essr

« -^i^s^isaif Jr;rsEJ*3!W"

-cS^^'-

^:^

■«- .

Pattle betweeh' Utes and Comanches. See chapter 7

A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. I05

CHAPTER VII.

Battling three days' battle between the Coman-

CHES AND THE UtES FOR THE POSSESSION OF A

"Hunter's Paradise." — ^An unseasonable bath.

All being ready, Uncle Kit, Johnnie West and my-
self pulled out for South Park. We passed over a high
range of mountains, struck the Park on the east side,
and a more beautiful sight I never saw than the region
was at that time. Coming in from the direction men-
tioned, one could overlook the entire park, which was
almost surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and the
valley, several miles below, which was about eighty
miles long and from ten to twenty miles wide, was as
green as a wheatfield in June. When we were near the
valley we could see elk in bands of a hundred or more,
with small herds of bison scattered here and there in the
valley, and antelope by the hundred.

I had often heard of a hunter's paradise, and when I
got sight of this lovely valley, with its thousands of wild
animals of almost every description known to the conti-
nent, I made up my mind that if there ever was such a
place as a hunter's paradise, I had surely found it. The
high mountains with scattering pine trees on the sides;
the snowy white peaks above the timber line, and the
many little mountain streams and rills that paid tribute
to the main stream that coursed this beautiful valley, all

io6 AT South Park.

combined to form a scene of magnificent grandeur. The
quaking-asp, balm and various other kinds of small tim-
ber that grew along the streams all helped to add to the
beauty of the scene.

We crossed over to the west side to a cove that ran
back some twelve miles from the main valley; here, we
decided, was the best place to establish our winter quar-
ters. Every little mountain stream in the valley was
alive with beaver, and Uncle Kit thought it so late that
we would not be bothered by the Indians that fall, but,
that we would have to get out early the following spring.
Feeling perfectly safe, we built our cabin this winter en-
tirely on top of the ground, consequently we were not
long in getting our winter quarters completed and were
soon ready to start in trapping. We had excellent suc-
cess this winter; very little snow to contend with, mak-
ing it much better getting around than usual and an
easier task to look after strings of traps.

In those cases each man had his string of traps, and
it was bis business to go to each trap every day, take the
beaver out, skin them, set the traps, carry the skins
home and stretch them. Sometimes we would trap as
far as seven miles from camp, that being the outside
limit. After we had trapped here about three weeks
there came a light fall of snow which drove most of the
game to the valley, and we experienced no trouble in get-
ting all the meat we wanted close to camp, in fact we
could often kill deer and antelope from our cabin door.

The second morning after the snowfall. Uncle Kit,
Johnnie West and myself all started down the valley to
look after our traps. We went about a mile together^

•V*^*"-

y-C^ ^v^f"'9sr:

vlF

They were within a few feet of me.

Page 1 08

CHASED BY BISON. IO7

when I left the other two, my traps being the farthest
away, some three miles dowai the valley. After leaving
the other two I struck out dow^n the valley on a turkey
trot, that being my usual gait when alone. I had not
gone far when I heard two gun shots. Thinking that
Uncle Kit and Johnnie had been attacked by the Indians,
I turned in the direction that I heard the shooting, and
ran back much faster than I had come, but had not
gone far when I saw ahead of me, up the narrow valley,
a band of about twenty bison coming direct for me. [
thought by shooting the leader it might check their
speed and perhaps cause them to change their course.
So I brought my gun to my face and dropped the leader,
but it neither caused the others to halt or change their
course, and they w^ere making a bee line for me, and
there was not a tree in reach large enough for me to
climb nor a place of any kind that I could hide.

Now I was not long in making up my mind that I
had a first -class foot-race on my hands— as an Irishman
might say — and after running some distance I looked
back and saw the bison were on me at every jump. Had
I only known the nature of bison, which I learned after-
ward were not so vicious as buffalo, I could have turned
to the right or left and they would have passed on; but
thinking that fhey w^ere after me, I got out like a quar-
ter-horse, putting in my best licks to try to reach a wash-
out that I knew of ahead of me. Thinking that if I only
could reach that ditch I might have some possible show
for my life, I lost no time in getting there, but got right
down to business and did the prettiest running I have
ever done in my life. Every time I looked back I saw

io8

AN UNSEASONABLE BATH.

that the rushing herd was closer upon me, until they
were within a few feet, and by the time I reached the
ditch I fancied that I could feel the breath from the
nostrils of a half dozen bison on the rear base of my
buckskin trousers. Then into the ditch I went, head-
long and into about four feet of water. It seemed to me
that those buffalo were half an hour crossing that ditch,

but I stood
perfectly
quiet in the
^g water up to
my waist until
they had all
passed over.
The ditch
being deep
and the banks
p e rp e ndicu-
lar, I had to
wade the
water for
some distance
up the ditch
before I could
find a place
where I could
climb out. I
had just
scrambled up
the bank and shaken myself, when up came Uncle Kit
and Johnnie, who had heard the report of my gun and

"Rather cold weather to go bathing."

A PLEASANT WINTER. IO9

had come to see whether or not I had killed anything.

"Rather cold to go bathing," said Uncle Kit.
"When I go bathin' I alius pull off my buckskin suit."

But I told them I considered myself lucky to be able
to find a suitable place to go swimming just at that time,
and congratulated myself on being all there.

Aside from my race with the bison, I put in a very
pleasant winter, and Uncle Kit said he had never spent
as pleasant a time in the mountains as he did that winter
in South Park. "In fact," said he, "it was more like a
pleasure trip than anything else."

Our camp at this time was near where the town of
Tarryall has since been built, and we ranged our horses
in the extreme south end of the park, where they had the
best kind of grazing the entire winter.

It was in the latter part of March — this now being
the spring of 1852 — when Uncle Kit made a trip to the
south end of the park to get our horses, thinking we had
sta3'ed there about as long as it was safe.

Dnring his absence Johnnie West and I were busily
engaged in making preparations to start for Bent's Fort,
as soon as Carson should get back with the horses. On
his return he informed us that he would not leave the
park until about the first of May, which was a surprise
and disappointment to us both, as we had made all cal-
culations on getting started the following day. We asked
what was up that we were to be detained so long.

"On my trip for the horses, "said Carson, "I saw
some Injuns of the Comanche tribe, and they told me
that them and the Utes war goin' to have a battle as
soon as the Utes can cross the mountains, and the place

no THREE days' BATTLE

for the battle decided on is in the south end of the park."
He also said that with all the Indian fighting he had been
mixed up in he had never before had an opportunity to
see two tribes come together, and that he would not miss
seeing it for any consideration.

In those days each tribe of Indians had their own
scope of hunting and trapping ground, and if one tribe
was caught intruding upon the the rights of another tribe
it was apt to cause trouble.

As I have said before. South Park was a hunter's
paradise in the winter, and added to this, in the summer
almost the entire valley was covered with wqld strawber-
ries. Along the many little mountain streams were
abundance of wild gooseberries, blackberries and wild
currants, while on the hillsides were acres of wild rasp-
berries. In fact almost every variety of berries that then
grew west of the Missouri river could be found in South
Park; while the streams were full of the finest quality of
mountain trout as well as many other kinds of fish.

The two tribes of Indians mentioned had been in
dispute for a number of years as to their boundar}^ line,
each claiming South Park, and this battle had been ar-
ranged the fall before by the chiefs, also the place de-
cided upon for the battle, which was to be on a little
stream in the extreme south end of the park, that has
since gone by the name of Battle Creek.

Battle Creek heads in the Pike's Peak range of moun-
tains, and runs almost due west. The particular :ipot
selected for this battle was on this creek, about two
miles from where it empties into the stream that runs
through the park.

BETWEEN COMANCHES I I I

No better place could have been selected for the fight.
There were scattering pines here and there, with not a
bush of any kind to interfere with their wild charges, and
a gentle slope from each side to the stream which we
might call the dead line.

The Comanches were to occupy the south side,
while the Utes were on the north.

As this battle was to settle for all time the long-dis-
puted right of these two powerful tribes, it was likely to
be no tame affair.

This was what might be called a civil war between
two tribes of Indians, They had quarreled so long over
this portion of the country that the two chiefs had met
and decided to have it settled for, and the conditions of
the battle were as follows: In the event of the Coman-
ches being victorious they were to have South Park; the
summit of the Rocky Mountains to be the boundary line.
And in the event of the Utes being victorious, the boun-
dary line was to be at the foot of the Rocky Mountains
on the eastern slope, the country in dispute comprising
all of the territory between the Arkansas river and South
Platte, including South Park.

About two weeks before the time set for the battle,
the Comanche warriors began to arrive. Some brought
their families while others did not.

Uncle Kit, being well acquainted with the Comanche
chief, as well as the most of his warriors, loaded up all
his furs and we moved over near the Comanches' quar-
ters a few days before the battle was to take place.

As the Comanches came in they would pitch their
wick-i-ups back on the hill about a quarter of a mile

I 12 AND UtES for

south of the little stream, which was to be their line of
battle. They were all on hand before any of the Utes
came across the mountains.

About two days from the time the last of the Coman-
ches came to the ground, there was a little squad of
Utes came in and pitched their camp about the same
distance from the little stream as the Comanches, only
on the opposite side.

This little squad of Indians came on ahead to ascer-
tain whether they would be able to cross the mountains,
and if they did not return in so many days the others
would take it for granted that all was clear and would
follow, which they did, and a few days later the entire
Ute nation was there.

The battle did not begin for two or three days after
all the Utes were on the ground, thereb}' giving both
sides ample time to kill plenty of game to last them
through the war.

During the time they were preparing for battle,
neither tribe seemed to make any attempt to molest their
enemy in any way whatever, but apparently looked upon
it as a matter of business and proposed to fight it out on
the square.

During the time we were awaiting the battle, Kiwat-
chee, chief of the Comanches, who was a very intelligent
Indian in his way, and could speak French fairly well,
and who was also an intimate friend of Kit Carson, came
to Uncle Kit and said:

"I know you are a great chief and I want to hire you
and your men to help me whip the Utes.

Horse Back, Comanche Chief.

THE POSSESSION OF II3

' 'If you help me fight the Utes I will give you five
ponies each."

Kit Carson declined by telling Kiwatchee that he did
not come to fight, but as he had never witnessed a war
between two tribes of Indians, he had come merely to
look on, and as the war was for the purpose of settling a
dispute between the two tribes, he did not think it would
be right for him to interfere. Kiwatchee insisted on our
entering into the battle and asked how many horses we
would take to help him fight the Utes. But Uncle Kit
told him he would take no hand in the affair.

We were camped on the hill near the Comanches,
where we could overlook the entire battle-ground, as well
as the Ute camp. We dared not go near the Utes, for
they were not at all friendly toward the pale-faces, and
in case the Utes were victorious we would have to flee
with the Comanches.

The day before the battle was to take place, Kiwat-
chee came and said to us:

"To-morrow we will fight."

We asked him how long he thought the battle would
last. Kiwatchee said he thought he could whip the Utes
in one day.

The following morning about sunrise, just as we were
eating breakfast, the two chiefs commenced beating their
war-drums, which was a signal to call their men to-
gether. The war-drum, or what the Comanches call a
"tum-tum," was made of a piece of hollow log about
eight inches long, with a piece of untanned deerskin
stretched over one end. This the war chief would take
under one arm and beat on it with a stick. When

114

A "Hunter's Paradise."

the tum-tums sounded the first morning there was great
commotion among the Indians. At the first tap the
war-whoop could be heard, and in a few moments both
tribes of Indians were down at
the httle stream, each formed in
hue on his own side.

On arriving at the stream the
tum-tums ceased and were not
heard again till the Indians were
formed in line of battle and each
war-chief passed down in front
of his men, after which they
again commenced beating on the
tum-tums, and at that the ar-
rows began flying.

Now the fun had commenced
in earnest, and of all the war-
whoops I ever heard they were
there, and the more noise the
Indians made the harder they
would fight.

After they had fought for
about two hours they seemed to

get more cautious than at the start, and would look for
some advantage to take of the enemy.

They fought hard all day; sometimes the Coman-
ches would cross over to the same side with the Utes,
and I saw many hand-to-hand fights with tomahawks and
knives. At other times the Utes w^ould cross over on
the Comanche side of the stream, but would soon re-
treat again, and each side would resume their old posi-

The tum-tum.

DESPERATE FIGHTING. II 5

tion for a time. About sunset both tribes withdrew, ap-
parently by mutual agreement, each side returning to
camp for supper.

I did not learn how many Comanches were killed that
day, but there were some twenty odd wounded, and some
of them fatally. The night was made hideous by the
shrieks and cries of the squaws and children of the war-
riors who had been killed or wounded during the day.

Neither tribe put out picket guards during the night.

The next morning about sunrise the war-chiefs were
out beating on the tum-tums. The warriors did not
hasten around so briskly as the morning before, however,
they were soon at the spot and ready for battle.

After going through the same manoeuvres as the
morning before, the war-woops rang out loud and shrill,
and again the arrows began to fly. The contestants
fought hard all day again, without ceasing. About the
middle of the afternoon the Comanches made a desperate
charge on the Utes, crossing the creek and fighting them
at close quarters. Among the Comanches was one In-
dian in particular that I was acquainted with, that I saw
engaged in a number of hand-to-hand fights, and always
came out victorious, but he got badly used up during the
day. This Indian went by the name of White Bird, and
he was beyond doubt the worst disfigured piece of hu-
manity I ever saw, but he fought on, and he seemed to
say by his actions:

"I am slightly disfigured, but still in the ring."

About sundown the two armies again withdrew for
refreshments and repairs.

That evening after eating my supper I went over to

Il6 FIGHTING CAUTIOUSLY.

White Bird's wick-i-up and found him sitting there,
bloody from head to foot, with a large cut on one cheek,
another on one side of the head, and numerous other
wounds, making him the most horrible specimen of hu-
manity that I had ever seen living. He had not even
washed the blood from his face or hands, but was sitting
there telling his squaw and children how many Utes he
had killed during the day, apparently as cool and uncon-
cerned as though nothing had happened him. But he
was not able for duty the next day, and died about ten
o'clock.

We never learned where the Indians buried their
dead, for they took them away during the night and dis-
posed of them in some manner.

There were more Indians killed and wounded the
second day than the first, and that night the Comanches
had a big war-dance over the scalps they had taken.

The morning of the third day each tribe marched
down at about the usual hour and resumed their positions
in the line of battle, and that morning they fought more
cautiously than before, until about ten o'clock, when the
Utes made their first big charge on the Comanches, and
they had a hard fight, which resulted in the death of
many Indians, and the Utes retreated with considerably
the worst of it.

In this charge we counted over forty Utes that were
killed and scalped.

After the Comanches had driven the Utes back,
Johnnie West and I went down within about fifty yards
and sat there until the war was ended. About the mid-
dle of the afternoon of the third day, the old war-chief

Comanche victory. 117

of the Comanches rushed up and commenced to shout,
"Co-chah! Co-chah!" which meant to go ahead, or, in
other words, to charge. Johnnie West, who understood
the language, turned to me and said:

"The Comanches are going to make another charge."

Sure enough, they did; crossing the creek and made
a desperate rush for the Utes, but the Utes could not
stand the pressure and retreated, the Comanches fol-
lowing them to the top of the hill where the Utes were
camped, it being understood between the two chiefs that,
when either army or tribe was driven back to the top of
the hill, they had lost the battle.

The Comanches now returned, singing and shouting
at the top of their voices, and in a short time a little
squad of Comanches came in with about one hundred
head of Ute horses. We never learned whether they had
captured the horses or whether they had won them in
the battle.

That night the Comanches had another big war-dance,
and while the unfortunate squaws and children were
weeping over the loss of their fathers and husbands, the
victorious warriors were dancing, singing and shouting,
and while dancing, each warrior would try to show as
near as he could the manner in which he killed and
scalped his enemy, and of all the silly manoeuvers a white
man ever witnessed, it was there at that war-dance.

The next morning there was not a Ute to be seen, all
having left during the night.

The day following, the Comanches broke camp and
started back for their main village on the Arkansas river.
We broke camp and started out ahead of them, and in

Il8 EMPLOYED BY COL. BeNT

four days reached Bent's Fort, where Uncle Kit sold his
furs to Colonel Bent and Mr. Roubidoux.

These two kept a boarding-house at the Fort, and
this being the general loafing place during the summer
season for most of the trappers in this part of the coun-
try, they also kept whiskey, and after the trappers had
sold their furs, many of them would stop around the
Fort and pay board for about three or four months dur-
ing each summer, and by the time they were ready to
start trapping again, Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux would
have all of their money back for grub and whiskey, and,
in fact, many of them would be in debt to them.

There being so much stock around the Fort the game
was driven back so far that it became necessary to go
considerable distance to get any. Col. Bent and Mr.
Roubidoux proposed to hire Johnnie West and I to hunt
for them for two months, saying that they had not had
fresh meat half of the time the past spring. We agreed
to work for them for tw^o months, they being willing to
pay us fifty dollars each per month, with the understand-
ing that in case we kept them in meat all summer they
would pay us extra wages. They now having some thirty
odd boarders, it took a great deal of meat, and having
to go some distance for game we had to pack it on pack-
horses. We hunted for them two months, and at the
end of that time we had kept them in meat and had
enough ahead to last them one month longer.

It now being time to start out to look for trapping
ground for the coming winter, we went to Col. Bent for
a settlement, and aftei he had counted out our hundred
dollars each he asked us how much extra wages we

TO FURNISH MEAT. I I9

thought we should have. I told him I was perfectly
willing to leave it to Mr. Roubidoux, and Johnnie being
willing to do that also, Mr. Roubidoux told the Colonel
to pay us twenty dollars each, extra, all of which was
agreeable to us, and they engaged us to hunt for them
the next summer at seventy-five dollars per month.

We returned now to Taos to prepare for the winter's
trapping.

CHAPTER VIII.

Kit Carson kills a Hudson Bay Company's trapper,

WHO WAS spoiling FOR A FIGHT. SOCIAL GOOD

TIME WITH A TRAIN OF EMIGRANTS.

Arriving at Taos I learned that Uncle Kit had his
trapping company already organized for the coming win-
ter, consisting of himself, Jim Bridger, Jim Beckwith,
Jake Harrington, Johnnie West and myself, six in all.

Early in the fall of 1852 we pulled out for the head
of Green river, which was a long and tedious journey,
being more than eight hundred miles from Taos and over
a rough country. We took the trail along the foot of the
Rocky Mountains, running north until after crossing
North Platte. Here we struck across the Bad Lands,

120 AT Hell's Hole.

and I thought that if there ever was a place rightly
named, it surely was this section of country. We were
three days crossing this God-forsaken country; and we
would often travel a half day without seeing a living
thing of any description. Froin there we struck across
the main divide of the Rocky Mountains, and were three
days crossing over to the headwaters of Green river,
and were somewhat disappointed when we learned that
Green river had been trapped over by the Hudson Bay
Company the year before. However, we were there, and
it was too late to look up another trapping-ground, so
we occupied some of the old cabins that had been erected
by the Hudson Bay Company and went to trapping.

Notwithstanding the country had all been trapped
over, we had fair success, or, at least, much better than
we expected. We stayed there and trapped until some
time in February, when we pulled up and moved down
Green river nearly twenty miles and there we trapped for
two weeks, but not with as good success as we had had
at the old camp.

We again moved camp down to what was known as
Hell's Hole. There we found about forty French Can-
adians trapping for the Hudson Bay Company, who, by
the way, had plenty of bad whiskey. They were not
very friendly toward the new arrivals.

Among the party was a big fellow by the name of
Shewman, that seemed to think himself a very bad man;
he did not appear to have any love or respect for any
American trapper, which was the case with the general
run of those French Canadians who were in the employ
of the Hudson Bay Company.

Kit Carson kills a 121

This man Shewman seemed to have a great antipathy
toward Kit Carson.

If the reader will pardon me, I would like to say just
here, that while Kit Carson was the last man to offer an
insult, yet, at the same time, if challenged, he would
fight any man living rather than be called a coward, and
in those days the character of men concerning whom
this work is written quarreled but very little. If a man
insulted another, ten chances to one he would be chal-
ienged to fight a duel; and in such a case he would either
have to fight or be branded as a coward, and the sooner
he left the crowd the better it would be for him, for he
could see no peace while remaining*with them.

The third day we arrived at the place spoken of, this
man Shewman got pretty well ginned up and started out
to look for Uncle Kit, saying that he had heard a great
deal of Kit Carson and of his fighting proclivities, and
that he would lick him on sight. One of Shewman's
friends, knowing Kit Carson by reputation, tried to in-
duce him to let Kit alone and have nothing to do with
him, but the more they said to him the madder he got,
until finally he was raging with anger.

It happened that while he was in his rage. Uncle Kit,
Jake Harrington and I, knowing nothing of Shewman's
mad fit, started out to look after our horses and had to
pass near their camp. Just as we were passing by their
cabin, Shewman said:

"There goes the d — d white-faced American now.
.Look at him, he looks just like a coward, and he is a
d — d cowardly cur, just like all the rest of the Ameri-
cans."

122 TRAPPER, WHO WAS

Uncle Kit stopped and addressed him in the follow-
ing manner:

"I am an American and I feel proud of the name,
but I would have j^ou understand that I am no coward.
I will fight you any way that you wish."

Shewman said: "If 3'ou want me to kill you, get
your horse and I will get mine, and we will get one hun-
dred yards apart and start at the word. After we start,
each fire when we please. "

This Uncle Kit agreed to, saying: "There is my
horse, I will be ready in three minutes. Get ready as
soon as you please; as you seem to want to fight, I will
accommodate you."

I had been with Uncle Kit now since 1847, ^^''^ this
was the first time I had ever seen him in any serious
trouble, and I was surprised at the cool and unexcited
manner in which he talked to Shewman. He was ap-
parently as cool as though he was just in the act of start-
ing out buffalo hunting. There was a smile on his coun-
tenance when he was talking to Shewman about the fight
that was to take place, in which one of them was to lose
his life.

I had been with Kit Carson long enough to know
better than to sa}' anything to him, but Jake Harrington
followed him out to where his horse was, and started in
to try to talk him out of the notion by telling him that
Shewman was drinking. He turned to Harrington and
said: "Jake, I thought you were an American, and
would fight for the name." Harrington, seeing that
Uncle Kit was determined in the matter, said no more.

Carson went out to where his saddle-horse was feed-

Uncle Kit fired and Shewman fell.

Page 123

124

THE FUNERAL.

that we would have to fight the entire Canadian outfit of
trappers, but we found it quite different, for after the fight
they were more friendly toward us than before. We

stayed two days
and helped to
bury Shewman.
This was the
first white man
that I had ever
seen buried in
the Rocky
Mountains.

We rolled
him up i n a
blanket, laid
.^ -^ him in the
'-TN grave and cov-
ered him with
dirt. The fu-
neral beingover,
our party start-
ed for Bent's
Fort.

The third
day's travel

brought us to Sweetwater, where we came to the top of
a hill, from which we could overlook the entire valley,
which was covered with wagons and tents. This was a
large train of emigrants from various portions of the
East who had started the year before and had wintered
on Platte river, the edge of settlement, and when spring
opened they had resumed their journey.

-r>

He acKnowledged that it was all his own fault.

WITH EMIGRANTS. 1 25

After supper that evening, Uncle Kit suggested that
we visit the emigrant camp and see the ladies, which
did not altogether meet with my approval, but rather
than be called bashful, I went along with the crowd. I
was now twenty-one years of age, and this was the first
time I had got sight of a white woman since I was fif-
teen, this now being the year of 1853.

I had been out in the mountains a long time, and had
not had my hair cut during that time, but took excellent
care of it. I always kept it rolled up in a piece of buck-
skin, and when unrolled it would hang down to my waist.

There was a number of young ladies in the train, and
they were not long in learning that I was the most bash-
ful person in the crowd, and they commenced trying to
interest me in conversation. At that time I only owned
two horses, and would have given them both, as free as
the water that runs in the brook, if I could only have
been away from there at that moment. Seeing that I
had long hair, each of them wanted a lock. By this
time I had managed to muster courage enough to begin
to talk to them.

I told them that if they would sing a song, they might
have a lock of my hair.

A little, fat Missouri girl, spoke up and said: "Will
you let any one that sings have a lock of your hair.'^"

I assured her that I would.

"And each of us that sing.^" interrupted another
young lady.

I said each one that would sing could have a lock,
provided there was enough to go around.

126 THE PRETTIEST SONG

I now had the ice broken, and could begin to talk
to the ladies and crack a few jokes with them.

The little, fat, chubby young lady, that first started the
conversation, sang a song entitled "The Californian's
Lament," which was as follows:

Now pay attention unto me,

All you that remain at home,
And think upon your friends

Who have to California gone;
And while in meditation

It fills our hearts with pain,
That many so near and dear to us

We ne'er shall see again.

While in this bad condition.

With sore and troubled minds,
Thinking of our many friends

And those we left behind;
With our hearts sunk low in trouble,

Our feelings we cannot tell,
Although so far away from you.

Again we say, farewell.

With patience we submitted

Our triah to endure.
And on our weary journey

The mountains to explore.
But the fame of California

Has begun to lose its hue —
When the soul and body is parting,

What good can money do?

The fame of California

Has passed away and gone;
And many a poor miner

Will never see his home.
They are falling in the mountains high.

And in the valleys, too;
They are sinking in the briny deep,

No more to rise to view.

I HAD EVER HEARD.

127

This I thought the prettiest song I had ever heard in
my life. Environment so colors things. In other words,
"circumstances alter cases."

The lady at once demanded a lock of my hair as
compensation for services rendered, and I removed the
buckskin wrap and told her to take a lock, but cautioned*
her not to take too large a bunch, for fear there might
not be enough to go around. The young lady, seeing
that I was very bashful, had considerable trouble in find-
a lock that suited her. A number of the young ladies
sang together, after which several of them took the scis-

She had trouble in finding a lock that suited her.

sors and cut a lock of hair from the head of the young
trapper.

I wondered at the time why it was that all the young
ladies had a pick at me, for there was Johnnie West, a

128 GIVEN THREE CHEERS.

fine looking young man, who was continually trying to
engage some of them in conversation, but they did not
want to talk to any one but me, and it amused Uncle
Kit not a little to see the sport the young ladies were
having at my expense.

Before leaving, I told the young lady who sang the
first song that 1 thought it was the prettiest song I had
ever heard, and requested her to sing it again. She re-
plied that she would if I wished, and she did.

The next day about ten o'clock as we rode along,
feeling drowsy from the warm sun, Jake Harrington
turned around in his saddle, yawned and said: "Well,
Will, can't you sing the song for us that you learned
from those little Missouri gals last night.^^"

I told him I thought I could, and commenced clear-
ing up my throat, at which the entire crowd smiled above
a whisper; but I surprised the crowd by starting in and
singing the song just as I heard the young lady sing it the
evening before. Every man in the crowd took off his
hat, and they gave me three cheers.

On arriving at Bent's Fort we learned that furs were
high, and notwithstanding our catch was light. Uncle Kit
did fairl}^ well.

He sold his furs again to Col. Bent and Mr. Roubi-
doux.

After Uncle Kit had settled up with all the otlier
boys, he called me into the tent and said:

"Willie, I have settled with all the men now but you;
how much am I owing you.-*"

Up to this time I had never received an}' wages from
Uncle Kit, nor had I expected any, for I did not think

MY FIRST WAGES. I 29

that I had done enough for him to pay for my raising.
I had always felt under obligations to him for picking me
up when I was without a home and almost penniless,
and had, as I considered made a man of me.

Uncle Kit told me that I was old enough now to do a
man's work, and that I was able to fill a man's place in
every respect. He took his purse from his pocket,
counted me out one hundred and fifty dollars in gold;
and not until then had I known that he had ordered me
a fifty dollar suit of buckskin made at Taos, the fall be-
fore; and not until then had he told me that he was to
be married on the tenth of July, and wanted Johnnie
West and I to be there without fail. I asked him who
he was going to be married to. He said her name was
Rosita Cavirovious. She was a Mexican girl who lived
in Taos. I did not know the lady but was acquainted
with some of her brothers. I told Uncle Kit that I
would surely be there.

Uncle Kit and Jim Beckwith now started for Taos,
and Johnnie West and I began making preparations to
start in hunting for Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux, as per
contract nearly one year before.

Col. Bent said that he was very glad that we were
ready to start in hunting, as they had been out of fresh
meat at least half of the time that spring.

In that country bacon was high, being worth from
twenty-five to thirty cents per pound, and early in the
spring higher even than that.

This spring, as usual, there were some thirty trappers
congregated at Bent's Fort, apparently to eat and drink
up what money they had earned during the winter.

130 ON THE PURGATOIRE.

CHAPTER IX.

Marriage of Kit Carson. — The wedding feast. —
Providing buffalo meat, in the original pack-
age, for the boarding-house at Bent's Fort.

Johnnie West and I started with a saddle-horse each
and four pack-mules for a buffalo hunt; I still riding
Croppy, the pony Uncle Kit had given me at St. Louis,
but he was getting old and somewhat stiffened up in his
shoulders.

We traveled up the Arkansas river to the mouth of the
Purgatoire — pronounced in that country Picket Wire —
which was about thirty miles from Bent's Fort. Seeing
a small band of buffalo some distance away, we took the
pack-saddles off of the mules and turned them out to
graze, mounted our saddle-horses and were off for the
herd; but the wily beasts got wind of us and started off
before we got within gunshot of them. After running
them about a mile we overhauled them, both fired and
each killed a yearling calf while on the run. I fastened
my rifle to the pommel of the saddle, drew my pistol,
and there being a very fine heifer that had dropped back
to the rear, I spurred up by the side of her and was just
in the act of firing, when old Croppy stepped into a prai-
rie-dog hole and fell with me.

Johnnie West had just fired his second shot and killed
a fine three-year-old heifer, when he looked and saw old

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DEATH OF Croppy. 131

Croppy lying" there, and I stretched out beside him, ap-
parently dead. The first thing I knew after the fall,
Johnnie \\'est was sitting by my side slapping me in the
face with his hand.

I was badly bruised but no bones were broken, and as
soon as I recovered sufficiently to know for a certainty
that I was not dead, an examination of old Croppy devel-
oped the fact that his left shoulder was badly broken. I
being too chicken-hearted to shoot him, got Johnnie
West to put him out of his misery, and now I was left
afoot and thirty miles from home. Johnnie West went
back and got our pack-mules. We dressed our buffalo
and had plenty of meat to load all of our mules, and
some to leave there for the hungry cayotes. That night
while we were cooking some of the meat for supper, the
cayotes raised a howl and it seemed as though they
would take possession of our camp in spite of us; but by
firing a shot among them once in a while, we were
able to keep them at bay.

In those days hunters never took along anything to
eat, for a man that could not kill what he could eat was
considered worthless.

The following morning we loaded our meat on the
mules, lashed my saddle on top of one of the packs and
started for Bent's Fort. I being bruised and crippled up
from the effects of my fall, Johnnie let me ride his horse
and he walked almost the entire wav home.

Mr. Roubidouxon learning that I had left old Croppy
dead on the prairie, said: "I have got the best buffalo
horse on the plains, and I will make you a present of

132 Kit Carson's marriage.

him;" and turning to his herder, he said, "go and bring
Pinto in."

When the spotted horse was brought in, Mr. Roubi-
doux said: "Now, Will, I am going to make you a
present of this horse, and I want you to keep him to re-
member me by."

I thought this the prettiest horse I had ever laid eyes
on, and he proved to be as good a buffalo horse as Mr.
Roubidoux had represented him to be.

On the third day of July, Johnnie West and I having
enough meat ahead to last several days, we pulled out
for Taos to attend the wedding of Kit Carson. Arriving
there, Uncle Kit took us to his house.

He brought my new buckskin suit, and I know it was
the handsomest of the kind I had ever seen. On the
front of the trousers was the finest of bead work, repre-
senting horses, Indians, buffalo, deer and various other
animals; and on the coat the same, except they were
worked with beads and porcupine quills.

I was now twenty-one years old, and had never at-
tended a wedding. The ladies present all being of Catho-
lic faith, Uncle Kit and his bride were married in the
Catholic church by the priest.

There were at that time about five hundred inhabi-
tants in Taos, and every man, woman and child attended
the wedding of Kit Carson.

After the ceremony was over all marched down about
three blocks to where there had been a whole bullock
roasted, also three sheep. The tables used were made
of rude boards split out with a froe. There were no
table-cloths, no tea or coffee, but plenty of wine and an

Cheyenne Camp, Indian Territory.

THE WEDDING FEAST. I 33

abundance of meat, that all might "eat, drink and be
merry."

While we were at the supper table Uncle Kit hap-
pened to get sight of Johnnie West and I, and, taking
each of us by the hand, he led us over and gave us an in-
troduction to his wife, and this was the first time I had
ever been introduced to a lady. Uncle Kit introduced
me as his Willie. Mrs. Carson turned to me and said:

"Ge-lem-a mo cass-a la-mis-mo ta-casso tades
vases; meaning, "Willie, my house shall be your home
at any and all times."

As I do not write Spanish, I simply give the sound of
her words as she spoke them — or as I would.

I was highly pleased with the manner in which Mrs.
Carson addressed me, for no lady had ever spoken so
kindly to me before, and I had supposed that after
Uncle Kit was married I would have to hunt another
home.

Supper being over, all repaired to the dance hall and
enjoyed themselves dancing until sunrise the next morn-
ing, when they returned to the tables for breakfast.
This time they had coffee and tea, but during the entire
feast they did not have a bite of bread on the table.

Here I met Jim Beckwith, of whom there will be
much more said at intervals later on.

Jim wanted me to accompany him to California the
following spring, saying that he knew of a pass through
the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which, if we could manage
to get the tide of emigration turned that way, we could
establish a toll road and make a fortune out of it. I said

134 WITH Col. Bent.

I would not promise him now, but would give him an
answer later on.

The wedding being over, Johnnie West and I, after bid-
ding Uncle Kit and his wife good-bye, started for Bent's
Fort. Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux wanted to employ
uSto hunt for them the coming winter. Johnnie thought
he could do better trapping, but I hired to them to huut
until the following spring.

Col. Bent always had from six to twenty boarders,
having six men of his own, and I kept them in meat all
winter, alone.

About the first of April — this being in 1854 — I settled
up with the Colonel, and having wTitten Jim Beckwith
the fall before that I would be on hand to go with him
to California, I now pulled out for Taos.

I visited with Uncle Kit and his wife while at Taos,
and found that what Mrs.. Carson had said at the feast
was true, for I was as welcome at their home as though
I was one of the family.

Jim Beckwith had everything in readiness for our trip
across the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The day before starting. Uncle Kit asked us what
route we would take. Jim said that we would go around
by the headwaters of the Gila river, this being a tribu-
taiy to the Colorado. On this trip we would cross that
part of the country which is now Arizona. Uncle Kit
said this was a good route, and that he had gone over it
twice in company with Col. Fremont. He drew a dia-
gram of the countr}', showing the route by streams,
mountains and valle\'s; telling us also what tribes of In-
dians inhabited each section of the country that we would

OFF FOR California. 135

pass through. Among the different tribes spoken of was
the Pimas, whom he said w^ere friendly toward the whites,
and insisted on our caUing on that tribe, provided we
went that way.

He had been at their village in 1845, ^^^ ^t that
time they had told him he was the third white man they
had ever seen.

The reader will understand that all the Indians in
that section of the country at that time could speak
Spanish, having learned it from the Aztecs, a tribe that
lived in Old Mexico and were of Montezuma's race.
Thev often came out into that country to trade with the
other Indians.

All being ready we bade Uncle Kit and his wife good-
bye, and were off for California. We crossed the Rocky
Mountains up the Arkansas river and took the trail made
by Col. Fremont in 1848 to the summit of the Rocky
Mountains. We then crossed over the mountains on to
the headwaters of the south fork of Grand river, and
from here we headed almost south, passing through a
country that had all been burned over. We could look
ahead for miles and see nothing but burnt hills. Game
was so scarce that w^e could barely kill enough to supph^
us with food, until we struck the north fork of Gila river
Here we found plenty of game. We traveled down the
Gila three days, which brought us to the Pima — or as
was sometimes then called Peone^ — village. This village
was situated in a lovely valley about twenty miles long
and ten wide. The soil was very fertile. The surround-
ing mountains were very high and covered with fine tim-
ber, while the foothills were luxuriant in the finest

136 AT Pima village.

quality of bunchgrass, and along the little mountain

streams were cotton wood and willows.

The Indians here were fairly well civilized, a fact

worthy of note, as they had never had a missionary or
priest among them. They also had a different mode of
worship from the tribes of the Northwest. Their place
of worship was what might be called a large shed con-
structed by setting posts in the ground and covered with
poles, brush and the leaves of the century plant, these
leaves being from three to five feet long and from six to
ten inches wide. Their houses were also covered with
these leaves.

I never saw but two of these plants in bloom. One
was about fifty miles north of Sacramento and the other
in Golden Gate Park, near San Francisco. It was said
they held their flowers four months. These flowers are
very beautiful, being four inches across and look as
though they were made of wax.

But to return to my story. These Indians had three
days of worship, also three days of feasting. On assem-
bling at their place of w^orship, the chief chose four men
from the audience, whom we would term preachers,
but which they called abblers. They never pray, but the
abblers stand up and talk to the audience, during which
lime the Indians preserve the very best order. The ab-
blers tell them w^hat they must do and what they must
not do. When ready to break up, all join in singing,
but never sing before preaching. Just how they learned
this mode of worship was a mystery to me, and is 3'et,
for that matter. We attended service while in the village

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THEIR INDUSTRY. I 3/

and after preaching was over many of them invited us
home with them.

There were about five hundred men in this tribe, all of
whom were apparently very industrious, raising corn,
melons, red pepper and other vegetables in abundance.
They raised some ver}^ large melons, which were not ex-
cellent in flavor, however.

The Pimas were very kind to us while we were with
them, often taking us out to their truck patches and pul-
ling nice, large melons for us. I asked a very aged Indian
where they got their seed corn, but he did not know,
saying they had raised it ever since he could remember.
They did their plowing with wooden plows, which they
made themselves, being pulled by oxen that were hitched
to the plows by a strong stick in front of their horns.
For harrows they used brush, and they had shovels made
of wood to dig with.

Notwithstanding they were in one sense uncivilized,
they showed us more hospitality during the time we were
with them than most white people would have shown to
strangers.

These Indians keep their age by taking a piece of
horn, pressing it out flat and punching a hole in the cen-
ter. When a child is a certain age he has one of these tied
about his neck, and every year the child is supposed to
cut a notch in the piece of horn. I did not learn how
old they had to be before they were supposed to keep
their own age.

We found the chief of the tribe to be very obliging.
He told us the Apaches were bad Indians, and that they
had killed many white people — men, women and children.

138 THE NAKED YUMAS.

When we were ready to leave the village, the chief
came out and bade us good-bye, and gave us a cordial
invitation to call on him when passing through the
country.

We crossed the Gila river near where Colville now
stands. Here was a tribe of very indolent Indians, that
during this season of the year did not wear a stitch of
clothing of any kind whatever. They were known as the
Yumas.

We both emptied our rifles before crossing the river,
knowing that they would get wet in crossing. I fired at
a bird across the river and it fell to the ground.

At the crack of my rifle the Indians ran a few paces
from me, dropped down and stuck their fingers in their
ears. They told us in Spanish that they had never seen
a wah-hootus before, meaning a gun with a loud report.

When Jim Beckwith went to fire his gun off, the
sqauws all ran away, but the bucks, being more brave,
stayed, but held their hands over their ears. This tribe
lived principally on fish.

The reader will remember that I had traveled over
this same country in the year 1849 in company with Kit
Carson and Col. Fremont, when on our trip to California.

After traveling about five miles we crossed a little
sage-brush valley that was almost covered with jack-rab-
bits, and they were dying by the thousand. We could
see twenty at one time lying dead in the sage-brush.

That night we camped on what has since been known
as Beaver creek, and here we had to strike across the
San Antonio desert, and having been across the desert I
knew it would be eighty miles to water. Having two

THE GOSHOOTS.

139

parafleshes with us for such emergencies, we filled them
with water to use in crossing this desert.

A paral^esh is made of rawhide expressly to carry

water in, and
are frequent-
ly used to
peddle milk
by the Mexi-
cans.

The second
day from
Beaver creek
we reached a
little stream
near the Go-
shoot village,
this being the
place where
Uncle Kit fin-
ished buying
furs to load
his pack-train in 1848.

The next morning we reached the village. I had not
seen any of these Indians for five years. Then I was a
mere boy and now a grown man, but every one of the
Goshoots knew me and were glad to meet me. We
stopped that day and visited with them, and bought some
venison and frigoles, or beans.

The next morning we resumed our journey to Los
Angeles, crossing the extreme northeast part of Death
Valley. From here on the country was all new to me,

Crossing the desert.

140 At Los Angeles.

and had it not been for the kindness of the Goshoot In-
dians, we would have perished for the want of water.

When I told a good Indian in that village where we
were going, he sat down and with his finger marked a
diagram in the dust, showing the lay of the country that
we must pass over, every little blind spring near the trail,
the different mountains and valleys, and made it so plain
that we could scarcely have made a mistake on the trip.
' On arriving at Los Angeles we found only one white
man in the place, and he was the only person in the
whole town that could speak the English language. He
had arrived there some years before, married a Mexican
woman and had got to be very wealthy. He tried to in-
duce us to go farther up the coast, telling us if we started
for San Francisco the country was full of Mexicans, and
that they despised all Americans and would be sure to
murder us on our way; but as we had started for San
Francisco, we were determined to see that city if pos-
sible. After laying over one day with the old American
we resumed our journey.

The next place we struck was Monterey, where is
now the famous Hotel del Monte, about two hundred
miles from Los Angeles. Here we did not find a man
who could speak a word of English, and we found the
Mexicans still more selfish than in Los Angeles.

We began to think that the old white man had told
the truth, for we would not have been surprised at any
time to have been attacked by a band of Mexicans.

While here I saw two persons that I thought to be
curiosities. They were of Indian parentage, light com-
plexion and had eyes of a pink color. One was a boy about

TWO FREAKS. I4I

twenty years old and the other a girl of sixteen, and were
brother and sister. It was claimed that they could see
well after night, but could not see their way on a bright,
sunny day.

These Indians were said to be of the Mojave tribe,
that inhabited a portion of the country some six hundred
miles east of Monterey, near the Mojave desert. I have
since learned that such freaks are called albinos.

The reader will no doubt wonder why we came this
round-about away to get to San Francisco. The reason
is that in coming a more direct course we would have
passed through a country that was infested with wild tribes
of Indians; that is, tribes hostile to the whites. There
being only two of us the chances were it would have
proved a very unhealthy trip for us at that time.

CHAPTER X.

Robber gamblers of San FRA^XIsco. — Engaged by
Col. Elliott as Indian scout. — Kills and scalps
five Indians. — Promoted to chief scout.

Arriving at San Francisco we found things very lively,
this being about the time of the greatest gold excitement
in California.

142 "PLAYED OUT OF LUCK,

» »

Here was the first city of note that I had been in
since leaving St. Louis; here also was the first time I had
seen gambling going on on a large scale. There were all
kinds of games and all kinds of traps to catch the honest
miner and rob him of his money that he had labored
hard to dig out of the ground.

That night Jim Beckwith and I took in the sights of
the city. We went to the different gambling houses and
had just finished our tour and were on our way back to
the What Cheer house — that being the hotel at which
we put up — the leading hotel in the city then. We were
just passing one of the gambling dens, when we saw two
men coming out of the door leading a man between them
who was crying like a child, and exclaiming: *T am
ruined! I am ruined!"

We learned from the two men that he had come to the
city that day with eight hundred dollars in gold, had
bought a ticket for New York, and it was his intention to
sail for that city the following morning. But he had
gone out that night to have a farewell spree with his
friends, got too much booze, started in gambling, think-
ing he might double his money by morning; but like
thousands of other miners in those days, he ''played out
of luck," as they termed it, and had lost every cent he
had.

We walked on down to the hotel, and in a few min-
utes the three came into the hotel also, the one still cry-
ing like a baby. The proprietor only laughed and said
it was a common occurrence for men to come to the city
with even twenty thousand dollars, gamble it off in less
than a week and then return to the mines to make an-

Beckwith Pass. 143

other stake. But he said he had never seen a man be-
fore that took it as hard as this one did.

It was all new to me, and . a little of it went a long
ways.

That night after Jim Beckwith and I had retired, I
told him that I had seen all of San Francisco that I cared
to, and was read}^ to leave. However, we stayed two
days longer, after which we pulled out for the Sierra Ne-
vadas, by the way of Hangtown, a little mining camp
situated at the American Fork. Here we crossed over a
pass that Jim had told me of more than a year previous,
which led us to the headwaters of the Carson river.

I proposed we give it the name of Beckwith Pass; and
from that day to this it has been known by that name,
and since has been made a splendid stage road.

After traveling down the Carson river some distance,
we met a party of miners who informed us that a few
days previous a band of Indians down on the Humboldt
had made an attack on an emigrant train, cut off a por-
tion of the train, stampeded the teams, killed all the
people of that part of the train and burned the wagons.

They also informed us that Col. Elliott was down on
what was known as Truckee Meadows with a company
of soldiers, but, so far, was having very poor success kill-
ing Indians.

Col. Elliott had been sent out there with four compa-
nies of cavalry to protect the emigrants against the Pah-
Ute or Piute Indians, which were very numerous down
on the Humboldt, and around the sink of the Carson and
as far up the mountains as Lake Tahoe.

Jim being very well acquainted with Col. Elliott, pro-

144 Meet Col. Elliott.

posed we go around that way, thinking that the Colonel
might be able to assist materially in turning the tide of
emigration through his pass, his object being to get as
much travel that way this fall as possible, and the fol-
lowing spring he would establish a toll road through that
pass.

Col. Elliott was pleased at meeting Jim, and in the
conversation said: "Beckwith, I am very glad, indeed,
to see you. You are just the man I have been wanting
this long time, for I haven't a scout in my entire com-
mand that is worth a cent to scout for Indians. I don't
believe there is one of them that would dare to leave
headquarters fifteen miles alone, and I want to employ
you as chief of scouts. "

Jim thanked the Colonel kindly for the honor, but
told him he could not accept the offer as he had another
matter he wished to attend to, and told him of the scheme
he had on hand. But, he said, he had a young man with
him that he could recommend highly for that position,
and he gave me a great send off as a scout.

The Colonel insisted on our going with him to his
private quarters for supper, which we did, and after hav-
ing a pleasant visit with him, we returned to our own
camp for the night.

When we were ready to take our departure for the
evening, Col. Elliott said: "Mr. Drannan, can I see you
privately to-morrow morning at nine o'clock.''"

I told him that I would call at his quarters at that
hour.

After Jim and I had reached our camp I asked him
why he had misrepresented me to Col. Elliott in the way

ENGAGED BY HIM I 45

he had, when he knew I had never scouted a day in my
Hfe, knew nothing of scouting and had done very httle
Indian fighting.

Jim said: "You are a young man and have been
among the Indians long enough to be pretty well ac-
quainted with their habits. There is not a single fellow
in Elliott's outfit knows as much about scouting as my
black horse, and if you ever intend starting in, now is
your chance. That is the reason I gave you such a send
off to the Colonel."

After thinking the matter over, I concluded that Jim
was right in regard to it, and now was a good time to
make a start.

After breakfast the next morning I met Col. Elliott
at his quarters at the time appointed. He invited me in
and set out a bottle of whiskey and a glass. I thanked
him, but declined to drink.

"Where were you raised," said the Colonel, "that
you do not drink whiskey .'^ I thought you grew up in the
Rocky Mountains. "

I told him that I did, but was not raised to drink
whiskey. I also told him that I had been brought up,
since a boy fifteen years old, by Kit Carson.

The Colonel asked me many questions about Indians,
their habits, my idea of fighting them and so on, after
which he asked me if I would like a position as scout. I
told him I would, provided there was enough in it to
justify me.

The Colonel made me a proposition of one hundred
dollars a month and rations, I to furnish my own horses.
I could also turn my extra horses in with the Government

146 AS Indian scout.

horses and it would cost me nothing to have them herded.
I accepted his proposition, agreeing to start in on the
following morning. I also had an agreement with him
that when I did not suit him, he was to pay me off and I
w^ould quit. Also, when he did not suit me, I was to
have the privilege of quitting at any time, all of which
was satisfactory to him, and I started in on the following
morning as per agreement.

That evening about sunset three of Col. Elliott's
scouts came in, and he gave me an introduction to them,
telling them that I was going to be a brother scout.
After supper I had a long talk with one of them, in which
he posted me somewhat as to the different watering
places, grass, etc.

From him I learned that they had not seen an Indian
for three days, but had seen any amount of sign every day,
which was evidence that there were plenty of Indians
in the country.

The following morning when I went for my orders I
was much surprised at the Colonel saying: "Oh, damn it!
I don't care. Go any way you please and as far as you
please. The other boys say there is not an Indian in
fifty miles of here, and if you find any you will do better
than any man I have sent out, so far."

When I went to order my lunch, and told the negro
cook to put up enough to last me until the next night, he
looked at me and said: "Whar you goin', boss.?" Jim
told him I was going out to get some cayote scalps.

I now^ mounted Mexico — the horse that Mr. Reed had
given me at the City of Mexico — and started off on my

SPIES THREE REDSKINS.

first scouting trip, taking an easterly direction until I had
struck the old emigrant road.

After I had left camp the other scouts were talking
among themselves, and none of them thought I would
ever return. One of the scouts told Jim that I was the
biggest fool that he had ever seen, to start out scouting
in a strange re-
gion and not
ask an3^thing
about the coun-
try, grass,
water, Indians,
or anything
else.

"Don't be
alarmed about
that boy," said
Jim, * 'he'll take
care of himself
in any man's
country."

I 'had been

taught by Uncle Kit that when I attempted to do a thing
to carry it out at all hazards, if it was in my power to
do so.

After I had ridden about twelve miles or so, and was
just entering the mouth of a little ravine, on looking up
the same ravine I saw three Indians who had just hove
insight over the hill. I dropped back from their view as
quick as I could, which only took about two or fhree
jumps of my horse.

Looking up the ravine I saw three Indians.

148 IN A QUANDARY.

The Indians having their backs toward me, I was
confident they had not seen me. They were heading for
the emigrant trail, that being what we called the wagon
road across the plains in those days.

I rode around the point of a hill and tied my horse
in a washout where he would be hid from view, climbed
up the top of the hill and saw five warriors, riding direct
for the trail. After watching them for a short time I
hurried back to my horse, mounted him and rode as fast
as Mexico could conveniently carry me — over this sage-
brush country — about a quarter of a mile in an opposite
direction to which the Indians were traveling. Riding
up to the head of a little ravine, where I could tie m}'
horse in a place where he would not be discovered by the
redskins, I dismounted, tied my horse and crawled up
through the sagebrush to the top of the hill, where I
could watch the movements of the Indians.

This was a rolling country, low hills covered with a
heavy growth of sagebrush, and not a tree of any descrip-
tion to be seen anywhere.

I had discovered my game, but how to capture it was
what puzzled me.

The reader can have a faint idea of the situation of
a young maa in a strange country and a sandy, sage-
brush plain, who did not know where to find either water
or grass. If I returned to headquarters they would escape
me, and this being my first timeout in the scouting busi-
ness, I could not afford to let them get away. So, after
holding a private council with myself, I decided these In-
dians were spies, who were scouting for a large party of
Indians that were somewhere in this part of the country,

CONFIDENCE IN MeXICO. I49

and that they were looking for emigrants, and in case
they did not see any such that day, they would no doubt
go to water that night.

I laid there on the hill watching their movements and
trying to devise some plan by which I could capture them
then.

Could I only have had Jim with me, how easy it
would have been to follow them to their camp that night,
kill and scalp them and capture their horses.

In those days an independent scout was entitled to
all the stock captured of the enem}' by him.

I watched the Indians until they got to the emi-
grant trail, where they stopped and held a council, ap-
parently in doubt as to which way they should go. After
parleying for some five minutes they struck out on the
trail. I watched them for about two miles, then they
passed over a low range of hills and were out of sight.

I now mounted Mexico and rode as fast as I could,
not directly after them, but as near as I could to keep
out of their sight; and at the same time I felt confident
that should they discover me, that there was not an In-
dian pony in that whole country that could catch Mexico,
either in a short or long distance.

After riding some five miles or so, I dismounted and
tied my horse to a sagebrush, and climbed to the top of
the highest hill between me and where I supposed them
to be. I discovered them about a mile away, and they
were just leaving the trail, riding up a ravine that led to
the north. They dismounted and put their ponies out to
grass. There also appeared to be a little meadow where
they stopped, and I concluded there must be water there,

150 DEVISING PLANS

too. I took in tlie situation at a glance and could see
that I would have to ride a long distance to get near
them. Just immediately beyond them was a little hill
that sloped off down to the meadow on which they were
camped, but in any other direction a person could not
ride without bein^ discovered.

I went back to my horse, mounted and took a circuit
of about ten miles, having to travel that distance in order
to keep out of their sight. Coming in from the north, I
rode almost to the top of the hill; here I dismounted,
tied my horse, crawled to the top of the hill, and on look-
ing down could see them almost under me, the hill was
so small and steep. They were busily engaged in skin-
ning a jack-rabbit, and about that time I felt as though
I could eat a hind quarter of it myself if it had been
cooked; for I had been too busily engaged that day to
stop and eat a lunch.

Here I lay in the sagebrush trying to devise some
plan by which I could do away with them and capture
their horses.

It was now about four o'clock in the afternoon, and
this being about twenty miles from headquarters, I would
not have time to ride there and return with soldiers be-
fore they wold break camp in the morning.

For me to attack them alone looked like a big under-
tidving.

There being a little grass for their horses, I now con-
cluded they would remain until morning. So I crept
back to where my horse was tied, took out my lunch and
sat down and ate it, at the same time debating in my
mind the best course to pursue.

FOR ATTACK.

151

I remembered what Col. Elliott had told Jim, that he
did not have a scout that dared go fifteen miles from
camp, and now
if I should re-
turn to camp
and report
what I had
seen, he would
start soldiers
out, and by the
time they
could reach
the ground the
Indians would
be gone, and
there would be

nothing accom-
plished, conse-
q u e n t 1 y I
w o u 1 d, no

doubt, be classed with the balance of the scouts in the
opinion of the Colonel. While on the other hand,
should I be successful in laying a plan by which I could
do away with the Indians and take their scalps to head-
quarters as evidence of my work, it would give me a
reputation as a scout.

I was confident they had not seen me that day, and
knowing, too, the Pah-Utes had not been disturbed by
Col. Elliott's scouts, they would no doubt lie down when
night came, and I might steal a march on them and
amid their slumbers accomplish the desired deed.

I sat down and ate my lunch.

152 CREEPING UPON THEM,

Having been brought up by one of the bravest fron-
tiersmen that traversed the plains at that time, and who
always taught me to respect a brave man and hate a cow-
ard, I made up my mind to make the attack alone, pro-
vided the Indians did not put out guards that night.

After I had finished my lunch I examined both my
single-shot pistols — I still having the one presented to
me by my old friend Joe Favor, three years before at
Bent's Fort, also the knife, which the reader will remem-
ber w^eighed two and one-fourth pounds — and creeping
back to the top of the hill I watched them cook and eat
the jack-rabbit. As it grew dark I drew nearer, and
when it was about as dark as it was likely tb be that
night, I crept up to within a few yards of them. They
had a little fire made of sagebrush and did not lie down
until very late.

I was so near that I could hear them talking, but I
cuuld not understand their language, as I had never been
among them, but I was confident they were Pah-Utes,
because I was in their countrv.

After they had smoked and talked matters over, which
1 supposed was in regard to the next day's scouting,
they commenced to make preparations to sleep. In the
crowd, apparentl}', were three middle-aged warriors and
tun young ones, not yet grown. The three older ones
laid down together, while the two young ones made their
beds about fifteen feet away from the other three.

After they had become quiet 1 commenced crawling
closer, as there was some fire yet and I wanted to get
their exact location before I made the attack.

I felt confident that I could kill one of them the first

WERE SOrXl) ASLEEP. I 53

blow with my knife, mid then I could kill the other two
with my pistols. Hut this would still leave two to one
and I with nothing but a knife; liowever, after going this
far I was determined to make the attack at all hazards.

When I had crawled up within a few feet of their bed,
one turned over and muttered something in his own
tongue, which I could not understand. I made sure I was
not detected, and after lying still for some time I con-
cluded they were all asleep, and I soon made up my mind
that I had better make the attack at once and have the
matter settled one way or the other. After taking in the
entire situation I decided to make the attack with my
knife. I took the pistol from my right holster in my left
hand, thereby giving me a better chance after emptving
the one pistol to easily grasp the other one with my
left hand.

I knew that if I could get a fair lick at one of them
with my big knife, which I always kept as sharp as a
razor, that he would make little, if any, noise. Mv plan
of attack being completed, I crawled up near their heads,
and all appeared to be sound asleep.

I decided to take the one on \ny right first, so that in
case the other two should attempt to arise I would be in
a position to shoot the one on my left and at the same
time cut the other one down with ni\' heav\- knife. But
it was my intention to kill all three of them with my
knife, if possible, in order to save both pistols for the
two \oung ones, as I expected a hard fight with them,
for I felt sure they would be on to me by the time I got
through with the other three, at the very best I could do.

I now raised upon to my feet and aimed to strike the

154 THE ATTACK.

one on my right about the middle of the neck. I came
down with all my might and killed him almost instantly.
I served the second one the same way, but by this time
the, third one had raised to a sitting position, and I struck
him in the shoulder and had to make a second lick to kill
him. By this time the other two had been aroused, and,
as near as I could tell in the darkness, one of them was
crawling in the opposite direction on his hands and knees,
while the other one was coming at me on all fours. I
shot him with the pistol that I held in my left hand, and
I then thought I was almost safe. Just at that moment
the other young buck was on his feet, with bow in hand
but no arrows. He dealt me a blow on the side of the
head, which staggered me but did not knock me dowm,
and before I had time to recover, he dealt me a second
blow, but it did not stagger me so much as the first, but
it brought the blood quite freely from my nose, at the
same time I made a side stroke at him, but struck too
low. I then drew my other pistol from the holster and
fired, shooting him through the chest, and though he fell
mortally wounded, he again raised to his feet and dealt
me another blow, which was a great surprise to me, but
just one stroke of my big knife severed his jugular and he
yielded up the ghost.

Now my task was done, x^t the risk of my life I had
accomplished the desired end, and my reputation as a
scout would be established.

I knew the other scouts were having some sport at my
expense while I was away, for I had overheard two of
them in a conversation that morning make some remarks
about Col. Elliott's tenderfoot scout.

AT HEADQUARTERS. 155

I had said nothing to them, but this made me all the
more determined in the undertaking, and now I had
turned the joke on them, and, as the old saying goes,
"he who laughs last laughs best."

I could see by the light in the east that the moon
would be up in a short time, so I went and got my sad-
dle-horse from where I had tied him. and who, by this
time was very thirsty and hungry, as he had had nothing
to eat and no water since morning. I watered him, then
picketed him out for about two hours on the little
meadow, by which time the moon had risen.

I then scalped the five Indians and tied their scalps to
my belt. They would be good evidence of my day's work
when I should meet the Colonel at his quarters. This
being done, I tied the five Indian horses together and
started for headquarters, arriving there about noon the
next dav.

Just as I had put the horses in the corral and before I
had time to dismount. Col. Elliott's orderly came on the
dead run, saying: "Col. Elliott wishes to see you at his
quarters at once. "

I turned about and rode over to the Colonel's tent,
and when I had saluted him. he said: "Sir, whose
horses are those you just turned into that corral.^"

I said: "Sir, those are my horses, as I understand
that any stock captured from the Indians by an inde-
pendent scout, he is entitled to. "

"Mr. Drannan, do you tell me that you captured
those horses from an Indian.^"

I said: "Col. Elliott, yes, sir; and here is some-

156 SCALPS FOR DINNER.

thing more I captured with them." At that I threw
down the five scalps at his feet.

He looked amazed as he gazed at the scalps, but said
nothing for a few moments.

About this time the orderly announced Jim Beckwith
at the door. The Colonel said let him come in, and just
as he entered the door, Col. Elliott said:

"Beckwith, where do you suppose this scout got
those scalps.-*"

Jim picked up the scalps, examined them thoroughly,
and said: "I'll bet my black horse that he took them
from the heads of five Pah-Ute Indians."

The Colonel smiled and said: *'Drannan, if you will
tell us all about the whole affair, I will treat."

I related the adventure in brief. Dinner being ready,
the Colonel set out the wdiiskey and cigars and told me
to call on him that afternoon, as he wished to have a
private conversation with me.

I picked up the five scalps and started to dinner, and
as I passed by the kitchen I threw them under the negro
cook's feet and told him to cook them for dinner for my
friend and me — referring to Jim Beckwith. When he
saw the scalps he exclaimed: "Laws a massa, boss!
whar you git dem skelps.^ Marse Meyers said dey wasn't
an Injun in fifty miles o' hyar."

While we were eating dinner, Jim said to me:
"Don't \'ou know them fellers didn't think vou'd ever
come back.-* "

I asked him what fellow^s, and he said: "Why, those
scouts. One of them told me you was the d — est fool he

REPUTATION MADE.

157

ever saw in his life, to go out scouting alone in a strange
country, and that the Pah-Utes would get you, sure."

I said I did not think it worth while to ask those
scouts anything
about Indians or
anything else,
for I didn't think
they had been
far enough from
camp to learn
anything them-
selves.

That after-
noon when I was
announced at
the C o 1 o n e I's
tent. I was met
in a somewhat
different manner
by Tiim to what
I had been that
noon, for he
raised the front
of the tent and
said : * ' C o m e
right in Drannan, why do you hesitate.''"

After having a social chat with him and rehearsing to
some extent the fight which took place the night before
between myself and the five Pah-Utes, he proposed to
make me chief of his scouts. He said: "Now, Drannan,
I will tell you what I wished to see you about. 1 have

"Laws a massa, boss! whar }ou git dem skelps?"

158 CHIEF OF SCOUTS.

five scouts besides you, and I am going to make you
chief of all my scouts, and you can handle them to suit
yourself."

I told the Colonel that I did not desire any promotion
whatever, for in the first place I would not be doing my-
self justice, and that it would not be doing justice to the
other scouts, and I thought it would be of more benefit
to both him and his other scouts, to go alone, as I had
started out.

He asked me why I would prefer going alone. My
reply was that a person in that business could not be too
cautious, and I did not know what kind of men he had,
and just one careless move would spoil the plans of the
best scout in the world.

The Colonel admitted that I was right, but insisted
on selecting one man from his five scouts to assist me,
saying: "If he don't suit you, after trying him two or
three days, report to me, and you may select any one
from my scouts that you like." And to this I consented.
I told him that I would be ready to start out the follow-
ing morning, and if he had any orders to give me to give
them now, as I would start very early. He said that he
had no orders to give, but that he had selected Charlie
Meyers to accompany me; and he proved to be a good
man and a good scout.

— :o: —

A DRY CAMP. 159

CHAPTER XI.

A LIVELY BATTLE WITH PaH-UtES. — PiNNED TO SADDLE

WITH AN ARROW. — ^SOME VERY GOOD INDIANS. A

STUTTERING CAPTAIN. BeCKWITH OPENS HIS PASS.

The next morning I ordered three days' rations for

■K

two men, and CharHe Meyers desired to know if I was
going to Salt Lake City or New York. I told him I was
going out hunting, and if I struck fresh signs of game I
proposed tracking it to wherever it went.

That day we took the divide between Carson and
Humboldt, south of the emigrant trail, making a ride of
forty miles that day, and then a dry camp — a camp with-
out water. The following morning we rode about five
miles, and came on to a big Indian trail that had been
made the evening before. We pushed on as fast as we
could, all the time keeping a sharp lookout, for we were
now in the heart of the Pah-Ute country, and could not
be too careful. About half past three o'clock we came
to where the Indians had camped the night before, on a
tributary of the Humboldt. At this camp three antelope
had been devoured, so we knew that there had been a
large band of the redskins at that feast. It was also
evident that they were not very far ahead of us, as their
fires had not entirely died out.

Continuing the pursuit we were now getting close to
the emigrant trail, and it was plain that the Indians had

i6o

SEA OF "SAGEBRUSH.

headed west, which convinced me that they were looking
for emigrants, and if so they would not go far before they
would either go into camp or leave the trail. It proved
that after following the emigrant train a short distance
thev had taken to the hills.

The country was a sea of sagebrush, and frequently
we would start a jack-rabbit or antelope that we would
have been pleased to roast for supper, but dared not
shoot.

When near the top of a hill I would dismount, and
leaving my horse with Meyers, would crawl to the sum-
mit of the hill and peep over in order to discover whether
or not the Indians were in sight, and then return, mount

I peeped over to get a sight of them.

my horse and ride at a rapid gait until near the top of
another hill, when the same manoeuver would be repeated.

A BAND OF PaH-UtES. i6i

At last we came to a sharp ridge and I dismounted.
I remarked that if we did not find those Indians soon we
would have to make another dry camp that night. It
was now nearly sunset, and on crawling to the top of the
ridge and looking down on a nice little valley not more than
a half-mile distant, I saw that they had just gone into
camp and had not yet got all their ponies unpacked.

I had a good chance to make a rough estimate of
their number, which I thought to be about two hundred
warriors.

I rushed back to Meyers and told him that I had lo-
cated them, and that one of us would have to ride back
to headquarters that night and report, and asked him
whether he would rather go or stay and watch the In-
dians.

"Why not both go," he asked.

I told him that by the time the cavalry could get there
the Indians might be gone, and one of us must stay and
see where they went to.

We were now, as near as we could tell, about thirty-
five miles from camp, as that afternoon we had been
traveling west, in the direction of headquarters.

After thinking the matter over, Meyers concluded
that he would rather make the ride than stav. I told
him to be off at once, but before starting, he said to me:
"Suppose the Indians should discover you while I am
awav.-^"'

I replied that I would like very much to have them
discover me, when I knew the soldiers were in sight or
within ten miles, for I would Hke to run them into such

1 62

MADE GOOD TIME.

a trap, and that I was not afraid of any horse in their

band catching Mexico in any distance.

I i n s t ructed

Meyers not to
spare horseflesh
on the way, and
to tell Col. El-
liott to start two
companies of
cavalr}^ as soon
as possible.

^^^ e shook
hands a n d he
started, and that
was once that he
made good time.
It being after
seven o'clock
when he started,
he reached camp
at fifteen minutes after eleven that night.

When he had gone I started in to lay my plans for
the night.

It was yet so light that I could get a good view of the

surrounding country, and about three miles from the In-
dians' camp I could see the highest hill anywhere around.
I decided at once that if I were on that high hill I could
see every move of the Indians, besides I could look up
the Humboldt and see the soldiers, or at least the dust
raised by them, while they were yet a long way off.

He made good time.

RE-ENFORCEMENTS. 1 63

This peak lay north of the trail, and the trail ran east
and west.

As soon as it was dark I mounted my horse and rode
to the peak and tied him to a sagebrush in a sinkhole,
that looked as though it might have been put there on
purpose, for my horse was hidden from every direction.

I now went to the top of the hill, and there being a
dense growth of sagebrush, 1 was perfectly safe from dis-
covery when daylight should come.

I did not have to wait long after daylight, for just as
the sun was creeping up over the hill and shedding its
rays on the little valley where the two hundred braves
had had such a pleasant night's rest, dreaming, perhaps,
of emigrants, horses, provisions and other stuff that they
would probably capture the following day, I looked up
the Humboldt and saw the two companies of cavalry
coming.

The Indians seemed in no hurry to leave, and were
perhaps waiting for the five scouts to return and report,
never thinking that they had been killed and scalped,
and that the same paleface who did the deed was then
watching their every movement and laying plans for their
destruction.

I got my horse in about a minute, mounted and rode
across the country to meet the cavalry, taking a route so
that I would not be seen by the Indians.

I met the soldiers — who were commanded by Capt,
Mills and Lieut. Harding — about four miles from the In-
dian camp, and they came to a halt.

I told them about the number I thought there were in
the Indian band and the lay of the country, as nearly as

164 A CONSULTATION.

I could. The Captain and Lieutenant stepped to one
side and held a council, and after talking the matter over
they called me and said they had about decided to attack
the enemy from both above and below at the same time,
and, as I had seen the ground, they asked my opinion in
the matter. I told them I thought it an excellent plan,
and then Capt. Mills turned to Lieut. Harding and said:
"Which do you prefer, to make the upper or low^er at-
tack.'^ Take your choice."

He then asked me if they could get to the head of the
ravine that the Indians were camped on and not be seen
by them. I told him that I could show them a ravine
that led from the emigrant trail to the head of the valley
on which they were camped, and marked out a plat of
the country in the dust, showing the course each company
would have to take, telling them that the company mak-
ing the upper attack would have to travel about a mile
farther than the one making the attack from below. He
then asked me if the companies could see each other be-
fore the Indians could see them. I informed him that
they could not, but that I could show him a hill where
he could station a man and he would be able to see both
companies, but the Indians could not see him, and when
the company from above should reach the top of the hill
that man could signal to the other company to charge.

At that time Lieut. Harding turned to Capt. Mills and
said: "If the boy scout will go with me I will make the
upper attack, as he has been over the country and knows
the lay of the ground."

Of course I consented, and we marched to the mouth
of the ravine just mentioned.

TAKEN UNAWARES. 1 65

I pointed out the hill referred to, and the Lieutenant
placed a man on top of it, and we proceeded.

Just before we reached the top of the other hill,
Lieut. Harding halted and formed his men in line, plac-
ing them about ten feet apart, saying: "I have only a
hundred soldiers, but I want it to appear that I have a
thousand."

When we first came in sight of the Indians, some
were lying stretched out in the sun, some were sitting
down, while a few were out looking after their horses,
everything indicating that they had just had their break-
fast and were lounging around, not having the slightest
idea of an enemy in twenty miles of them, and we
took them wholly unawares.

When the Lieutenant formed his men in line be-
fore raising the top of the hill, he asked me to take
charge of his left wing and he would take charge of
his right. As soon as we came in sight of the Indians,
he gave the order to charge.

This was the first thing of the kind I had ever wit-
nessed, and when I cast my eyes down the line of sol-
diers I thought it the grandest sight I had ever seen.
This was also the first engagement for either of the
companies.

In all the scrimmages I had been in with the redskins,
the one that made the most noise was the best Indian
fighter; so when the Lieutenant gave the order to charge,
I raised a yell, as I thought this to be one of the essen-
tial points of a charge, and wondered why the rest of the
boys did not do the same. However, after hearing a few
of m}' whoops they picked it up, and each began yelling

I 66 IN CLOSE gUARTERS.

at the top of his voice, and by this time we were among
the Indians.

The two companies had about the same distance to
run after sounding the charge, but Lieut. Harding was at
the scene of conflict a few moments ahead of Cap t.
Mills, thereby giving the Indians time to scatter. This
was attributed to the fact that Capt. Mills had to charge
up grade while Lieut. Harding had down grade, which
they had not thought of before making the arrangement,
and the ground being mostly sand made a great differ-
ence in the speed ot the horses.

Meyers and I made a rush for the Indians' horses, but
the soldiers all stuck together, and seeing that a number
of Indians were at their horses already and mounted, we
abandoned the idea at once. Had one platoon made a
dash for the horses and stampeded them, we would no
doubt have got more Indians.

After emptying both of my single-shot pistols I drew
my knife, and just at that moment an Indian shot Mey-
ers through the arm with an arrow and he sang out to
me that he was wounded. Another Indian then made a
dash at Meyers with his bow and arrow in hand, so I
charged after him and made a slash at him with my
knife, but he saw me in time to slide off on the opposite
side of his horse. I could not stop the blow so I struck
his horse in the back and brought him to the ground,
and the Indian ran for dear life.

About this time a soldier came riding along, and I
knew from his actions that his pistol was empty (the sol-
diers had no firearms in this engagement except pistols),

I made a strike at him with my knife.

Page 167

PINNED TO THE SADDLE. l6j

and I. asked him why he did not draw his sabre and cut
them down. He said he had no orders to do so.

To that I did not reply, but I thought this a queer
way of fighting Indians, when a soldier had to stop in
the midst of a battle, fold his arms and stand there to be
shot down while waiting orders to draw his sabre. A
moment later they received orders to use their sabres,
and they went to hewing the Indians down.

I saw an Indian with two or three feathers in his
hair, and I took him to be the war chief. He was com-
ing direct for me with bow and arrow in hand, and I
made a desperate rush for him and made a strike at him
with my knife, but he threw up his arm and knocked off
my lick, at the same time a measly redskin shot me
through the calf of my leg, pinning me to the mochila of
my saddle.

The mochila is a large covering for a saddle made of
very heavy leather and comes low on the horse's side,
thereby affording great protection to horses in cases like
this. This shield is of Spanish origin, but they were used
by all mountaineers as well as Mexicans.

I was leaning over when the arrow struck me and
pinned me to the saddle, so that I could not straighten
up, for I was almost on the side of the horse when I re-
ceived the arrow.

Capt. Mills, seeing the predicament I was in, came
to my rescue and cut the war chief down with his sabre,
just in time to save me from getting another arrow.

The Captain pulled the arrow out of my leg, which
had a very large spear made of hoop iron, and it tore a
bad hole in my leg when he pulled it out. By this time

1 68 THE BATTLE OVER.

the redskins were scattering in all directions, some on
foot and some on horseback.

As soon as I was free I saw a band of about fifty
horses not far away, and asked the Captain to detail
some of his men to assist me in running them off. The
Captain dashed off to his orderly who he told to take a pla-
toon of men and go with the boy scout to take charge of
those horses.

In this charge we got fifty-two horses and killed four
Indians. We drove the horses out on the hill where they
would be out of the way and where the Indians would
not get them, and the Sergeant left his men to guard
them until further orders.

As I rode back to the scene of battle I looked up the
road and saw four wagons coming. I asked the Sergeant
where those wagons were going, and he said they were
ambulances, coming to haul the wounded to headquar-
ters, saying they had started at the same time the cav-
alry did but could not keep up, consequently they did not
arrive until after the battle was over.

About the time I returned to the battlefield the bugle
sounded calling the soldiers in from the chase, and on
looking over the ground, four dead soldiers and twenty-
seven wounded were discovered. There were sixty-three
dead Indians in sight, and more, no doubt, were scattered
around in the sagebrush.

The battle being over we had our breakfast. I also
had my horse put out to grass, as he was very hungry,
not having had anything to eat since noon the day be-
fore, and not much then.

After breakfast was over the soldiers buried their four

A PROMOTION. 169

dead comrades and loaded the wounded into the ambu-
lances and started for headquarters, arriving there about
nine o'clock that night. Charlie Meyers had a wound in
his arm that laid him up all summer, and I was not able
to ride for two weeks, although I had the best of care.

From that time on I was known as the boy scout,
and the next day after our return, Col. Elliott appointed
me chief of scouts with rank and pay of captain, which was-
one hundred and tsventy-five dollars per month. He also
provided me with private quarters, my tent being pitched
near his own, and notwithstanding that I was only a
mere boy the other scouts all came to me for orders and
counsel, and I often wondered wh}^ men who knew noth-
ing of scouting nor the nature of Indians would stick
themselves up as scouts.

Two weeks from the time I got wounded the Colonel
asked me if I thought I was able to ride, saying that the
news had just come to himi that the Indians had attacked
a train of emigrants, killed some of them and driven off
their stock. This depredation he said had been com-
mitted in the Goose Creek mountain country about one
hundred and twenty miles east of us. Col. Elliott said
that he w^as going to send out a company of soldiers
there, and if I felt able I might accompany them, which
I did.

All being in readiness, I selected two scouts to assist
me, and we pulled out, taking with us a pack-train with
one month's provisions.

We had a rough and tedious trip, as not one of the
entire crowd had been over the country •♦and did not know
a single watering place, so we had to go it blind, hit or

I/O PROTECTING

miss. I had not gone far when I found that I had made
a sad mistake, as notwithstanding my leg appeared quite
well when I started out, 37et, after one or two days' rid-
ing, it got quite sore and pained me severely, and the
longer I rode the worse it got.

Five days' ride and we were at the place where the
emigrants were camped. Another small train had pulled
in with them as they were afraid to cross the desert alone.

That night Capt. Mills called the men of the train
together to ascertain whether or not they wished to look
after their stock, but they did not seem to know them-
selves what to do. They were quite sure that the In-
dians had driven the stock south, as they had tracked
them some distance in that direction. Capt. Mills asked
me what I thought of finding the stock, and I told him
that if it was driven south, of which the emigrants
seemed quite sure, it was more than likely that the In-
dians and stock were several hundred miles away, and
that it would be next to impossible to get any trace of
them, and in my opinion it would be like trying to find
a needle in a ha3'stack.

After considering the matter the emigrants concluded
that I was right.

Those of them who had lost all their stock were a
pitiful sight indeed, women and children were weeping,
and particularly those who had lost their husbands and

fathers in the fio:ht with the Indians.

'h.

There were no women and children killed, as the
Indians did not attack the train, being apparently only
bent on capturing the horses and cattle. They had

EMIGRANTS. I71

killed the guards and also the men that ran out to pro-
tect the stock.

One who has never witnessed a like affair can scarcely
comprehend the situation of a widow left out there with
three or four children in this desolate region, utterly des-
titute. It was a gloomy situation, indeed, and a sight
that would cause the hardest-hearted man to shed tears.

Those who had lost their stock made some kind of
arrangements to ride with those that had come later.

The day before starting the emigrants rolled all their
wagons together that they did not have teams to haul,
also the harness, and in fact everything they could not
haul, and burned them, so that the Indians would not
derive any benefit from them.

I merely note a few of these facts to give the reader
a faint idea of the trials, troubles and hardships that the
early settlers of the "wild West" had to pass through,
not only in crossing the plains, but, as will be shown
later in this book, in many instances after settling in dif-
ferent parts of this western country.

The day before starting, Capt. Mills suggested that as
my wound was giving me so much trouble, I should re-
turn to headquarters in company with the train of emi-
grants, and asked how many men I wanted to guard
them through. I told him that I would not feel safe
with less than twenty men. The Captain thought that
twenty would not be sufficient, so he made a detail of
twentv-five men and issued rations to last us eio:ht davs.

Capt. Mills and the men he had reserved remained
in this section of country to guard emigrants that might
be traveling westward, as the Indians were now working

j4^

1/2 SLOW TRAVELING.

in this part of the country since our battle with them on
the Humboldt.

Having completed all arrangements we pulled out
with one hundred and twenty-five wagons, all told, in the
train, but as some of the oxen were very tender footed
we had to travel very slowly. I divided my men into
squads of twelve each, and changed guards at morning,
noon, evening and midnight.

I also started six guards ahead every morning, with
instructions to keep from one to three miles from the
train on either side, according to the lay of the country.

The second day one of the scouts returned from the
south and reported having seen six Indians southwest of
the train; this was about ten o'clock in the forenoon. I
turned and rode off with the scout, saying nothing to
anyone in the train. He piloted me to where he had
seen the Indians, and sure enough there were the
tracks of their ponies in the sand. The scout returned
to the train and I followed the trail of the Indians all
day, but never got sight of an Indian. When dark
came I turned about and rode to camp, arriving there
at twelve o'clock that night.

The people in the train were very much pleased to
see me return, for they had felt much uneasiness as
to my safety, fearing that I might have fallen into the
hands of the Pah-Utes. This ride, however, laid me up
for two weeks, and I had to go the balance of the
way in an emigrant wagon.

The captain of this train had a jaw-breaking name
that I never heard before or since. It was Sam
Molujean, and I know he was the most excitable man

AN EXCITED CAPTAIN. 173

that I ever saw. When Capt. Molujean got excited
he could not talk at all for stuttering, so one day the
guards concluded to have a little sport at the expense of
the Captain. We were now nearly opposite where about
a month previous a battle with the Pah-Utes had been
fought, and the advance guards were riding back to the
train — it now being time to corrall for dinner. They
met Capt. Molujean, who asked if they had seen any In-
dians.

One of the guards informed him that there were sixty-
odd up the ravine. This set the Captain wild. He
wheeled around and rode back to where I was in the
wagon and started in to tell me what the guard had
said, but he could not utter a word.

After listening to him a minute or so I told him if
he would get some one to tell what he wanted I would
answer his question. I suppose I was somewhat im-
patient, as I was suffering from my wound. At this
one of the guards rode up with a smile on his face,
and I asked him if he could tell me what Capt.
Molujean was trying to say to me, He related to me
what they had told him in regard to the sixty-odd
Indians up the ravine, referring to the Indians that had
been killed in battle between the soldiers and Pah-Utes.

We had a good laugh at the Captain's expense,
after which I told him the Indians the guard had ref-
erence to were all good Indians.

"Oh! is that so.'^" he exclaimed, and these were the
first words he had been able to utter. "But," he con-
tinued, "I did not know there were any good Indians
in this country; I thought all of them were savage." I

174 Beckwith's invitation.

told the Captain that those Indians were dead, and that
all dead Indians were good ones. This was a stunner for
the Captain, and I do not think that the joke has ever
penetrated his massive skull.

We did not see any more Indians or any sign of them
on the trip.

On reaching headquarters we found Jim Beckwith
awaiting our arrival. He had been out with three other
men whom he had hired to help him blaze a road across
the mountains through his new pass. He had finished
his work on the road and returned to Col. Elliott's camp,
knowing that if he could get one train to go his way it
would be a great help toward getting the tide of immigra-
tion turned in that direction the following season.

Here Beckwith took charge of the train. Col. Elliott
recommending him very highly, and telling the emigrants
that if they would only obey his orders he would pilot
them through in safety.

Before starting, Jim asked me to come over and spend
the winter with him, saying that he was going to build a
cabin on the other side of the mountains, lay in a big
supply of provisions, and as after that he was going to do
nothing, he wanted me to help him.

I promised to go and winter with him if it was pos-
sible for me to do so, as at this time I did not know but
what I might have to go to San Francisco to have my leg
treated the coming winter.

From here the emigrants were to pay Jim to pilot
them across the mountains to a little mining camp called
Hangtown, which was about one hundred and twenty
miles east of Sacramento. They made the trip without

Deer by Moonlight.

MORE EMIGRANTS. 1/5

any trouble. I saw one of the eml^^^rants the next spring
and they spoke in very high terms of Jim Beckvvith.

CHAPTER XII.

Col. Elliott kills his first deer, and secures a

FINE pair of horns AS A PRESENT FOR HIS FATHER. — •

Beckwith's tavern. — Society.

Two weeks after the incidents related in the previous
chapter, Capt. Mills came in with another train of emi-
grants, not having seen an Indian on the trip, and from
this time on there was no danger of such trains going
from that region through Beckwith Pass, and as the road
was now broken by the other train, these emigrants could
cross the Sierra Nevadas without a guide.

About this time four men with pack animals came
along who claimed to be from Salt Lake. They reported
that they had seen Indians one day traveling east of
headquarters. I took two men and started out and was
gone about a week, but did not see an Indian, or a track
or sign of one, and when we returned the Colonel con-
cluded that he had been misled by the packers.

Col. Elliott now ordered me to take fifty men, with
two weeks' provisions, and go as far as we could with

176 OFF FOR San Francisco.

that amount of rations, or until we should meet some
emigrants. We were gone about three weeks, but did
not see either Indians or emigrants. The fact is, that
it was getting so late in the fall that the Indians had all
gone south, and the emigrants were not moving on the
desert at that season.

On our return the Colonel had everything read}^ and
we pulled out for San Francisco. We camped the first
night at Steamboat Springs, a place that has since grown
to be a famous health resort. On the second day we
passed over the country where now stands Carson City,
the capital of Nevada. At that time, this region, like all
of that country then, was a wild, unsettled, sagebrush
desert, or mountain wilderness.

The morning we left Eagle Valley the Colonel rode
in advance of the column with me, and I saw there was
something on his mind. In a little while he said he
would like to kill a deer with big horns, so that he could
send it — the horns — to his father in New York, who had
never seen a deer, and he added that notwithstanding he
— the Colonel — had been on the Pacific coast two years,
he had never killed a deer in his life. I told him
that I would fix it for him to get one the very next day,
and he was as pleased as a child.

That night we camped by a big spring at the mouth
of a great canyon,' and about the spring stood a number
of large pine trees. Many persons who had passed that
way had carved their names in the bark of the trees, and
among the names were two that were quite familiar to
me. One of these was the name of Capt. Molujean — I
wondered how he had done it without stuttering — and

Col. Elliott's first deer.

177

the other was the name of James Beckwith. On the
same tree was written with lead pencil: * 'Sixty miles to
Beckwith's Hotel."

On my favorite horse, Pinto, I rode out with the
Colonel for a deer hunt. While riding along the canyon

The Colonel fired and brought the big buck to the ground.

about two miles from where the command had camped,
I saw a large doe crossing the canyon and coming down
the hill toward us. I signaled the Colonel to halt and
I shot the doe, breaking her neck, while sitting on my
horse. I then told the Colonel to secrete himself behind

178 A PROUD COLONEL.

a tree and he would soon see the male deer, and he
would stand a good show to get a fine pair of horns. In
a few moments two deer came tracking the one I had
shot.

"Be ready, now," said I, "and when he stops let
him have it." So when the deer were within about
fifty yards I gave a keen whistle and they stopped, stock
still. The Colonel fired and brought the big buck to the
ground. The other, which was a small one, started to
run, but I sent a bullet after it that made more venison.

We now had plenty of meat, and the Colonel was as
proud over killing that deer as I was over my first pair of
boots.

We stopped here until the command came up, dressed
the venison and went on our way rejoicing.

Soon we were ascending the Sierra Nevada Moun-
tains, and about three o'clock we struck the snow-line.

To one who has never gone from comparative summer
in a few hours' ride, to the depths of winter and a con-
siderable depth of snow, the sensation is a strange one.
Of course, I had often done that before. But having
more leisure to think of it now, and having more to do
with the snow, I thought of its strangeness, and I am re-
minded of a little girl ^vhom I have become acquainted
with long since those days, and the e/ffect that the first
sight of snow had upon her. She was born in San Fran-
cisco, and had not seen any snow up to the time when
she was three years old. Her parents were coming east
with her on a railroad train, which runs over about the
same ground that we were on at the time I was there
with Col. Elliott. Awakening in the morning in a sleep-

SHOVELING SNOW. I 79

ing-car on top of the Sierras, the little one looked out,
and seeing the vast fields of whiteness, she exclaimed:
**Do look, mamma; the world is covered with sugar."

As we ascended the mountains the snow became so
deep in a little while that we were forced to camp. The
next morning the herders were directed to take the stock
ahead in order to tramp down the snow to make a trail,
but in four miles it became so deep that it was impos-
sible to proceed further in that manner, and then the
Colonel detailed fifty men to shovel snow, but having
only a few shovels, wooden ones were made that answered
the purpose, and while we were shoveling, the horses
were also frequently driven back and forth over the trail,
and in three days we had a passable road for the wagons.

At the end of the three days we reached the edge of
the snow on the opposite side of the mountains, and
there being a beautiful camping ground and the first night
out of the snow for some time, the luxury of it was fully
appreciated by all hands.

On a pine tree here I again saw signs of my old friend,
Jim Beckwith, for there was written: "Twenty miles to
Beckwith's Hotel." So you see that even in that far-
away country, and at that early day, even the pioneer
had learned the uses of out doo:; advertising.

The next morning we took an early start and traveled
hard all day, anticipating with much pleasure that at
night we should enjoy all the luxuries of the season at
Beckwith's Hotel. And we did, to the extent that this
region and the markets of San Francisco could afford.

We reached the place about sunset that evening, and
the command went into camp and I went to Jim's new

l8o J\ PRESENT ATIOK.

log house. He had built one and had started in to build
the second, having two carpenters at work finishing
them up.

After supper Col. Elliott and all his officers, both
commissioned and non-commissioned, came to Jim's,
house, where, after a social chat and having cracked a
feu' jokes, which latter was really a part of the business
connected with this life, Col. Elliott pulled off his over-
coat, laid it and his hat on a bed, stepped up near the
table and said:

*'Mr. Beckwith, I wish to say a few words to your
friend, Mr. Drannan, in behalf of myself and the other
officers present." Jim told him to go ahead, which he
did, telling how faithful I had been and what valuable
services I had rendered both to him and the emigrants.
He went on and made quite a lengthy speech, in conclu-
sion of which he said: "Mr. Drannan, as a slight token
of our appreciation of your services while with us, I now
present to you this pair of glasses," whereupon he handed
me a fine pair of field glasses which he took from his
overcoat pocket, "and here are two navy revolvers that
Capt. Mills and Lieut. Harding wish to present to you as.
a token of their friendship."

This took me wholly by surprise, as I had not ex-
pected anything of the kind, and I was so dumbfounded
that all I could say was to thank them for the presents,
the thought never having entered my head that my ser-
vices had been so highly appreciated by the officers of
those four companies.

Col. Elliott said that in case he should go out on the
plains the following summer^ which in all probability he

TIPPING GLASSES. l8l

would, he wanted me to ^o with him without fail. I
promised him that I would, provided I was in the coun-
try when he started out.

After Col. Elliott had closed his remarks and taken
his seat, Jim Beckwith arose and made quite a speech in
his plain, rude language, addressing his remarks princi-
pally to Col. Elliott, in which he said: "Colonel, I
would not have recommended this boy to you so highly
if I had not been with him long enough to know that
when he starts in to do a thing he goes at it for all there
is in him, and, as I told you, he has been with Kit Car-
son ever since he was a boy, and I knowed that if he didn't
have the everlasting grit in him, Kit Carson wouldn't
have kept him around so long. I am very glad indeed,
Colonel, that he has filled the bill, and now the Injun
fightin' is all over for this season and 'twill be some time
before we all meet again, if we ever do. I have nothing
of value to present to you, but such as I have is as free
as the water in the brook."

At this he produced a gallon jug of whiskey, set it on
the table, gave us some glasses and told us all to help
ourselves. This wound up the evening's exercises, and
after each had tipped the glass about three times we
broke up the lodge and each went on his way rejoicing.

Before the Colonel left that night he told me that we
would divide the captured horses the next morning. I
told him that all I wanted was the five horses that I had
captured from the five Indian scouts when I first started
in to scout for him, but the next morning he called me
out when the horses were brought in and made the di-

1 82 A LIVELY TOWN.

vision. There were sixty-three of them, and he left fif-
teen to my share.

I stayed at Jim Beckwith's for about two weeks, and
his carpenters having the houses completed, we saddled
up four horses and took them to Hangtown. It was
a distance of twenty miles to Hangtown, which at that
time was one of the loveliest mining towns in California.
There were between four and five thousand inhabitants
in and around the place. During the day it appeared
dead, as there was scarcely a person to be seen on the
streets; but at night it would be full of miners, who,
it seemed, came to town for no other purpose than to
spend the money they had earned during the day.

This winter passed off, apparently, very slowly, being
the most lonesome winter I had put in since I struck
the mountains.

Along about the middle of February our groceries
were running short and Jim went to Hangtown for
supplies. On his return he brought me a letter from
Col. Elliott, asking me to come to San Francisco at
once.

I asked him what he thought of it, and he told me
by all means to go.

I told him I would have to stop in San Francisco
and buy me a suit of clothes before going out to the
fort to see Col. Elliott. He thought this was useless,
saying: "Your buckskin suit that Kit Carson gave you
is just what you want for a trip like that." .

I thought that if I wore such a suit in civilization
the people would make light of me, and I hated the
idea of being the laughing stock for other people.

Beckwith's hotel.

183

Jim said: "It is Col. Elliott you are going to see,
and he would rather have you come that way than any
other."

I took my suit down and
looked at it, and it was a
fine one of the kind. I had
never worn it since Uncle
Kit's wedding, so it was

practically new. 1 decided to wear
it, and the next morning I started

for San Francisco, Jim accompanying me to Hangtown

to take the horses back to his ranche.

184 A ROUGH RIDE.

At Hangtown I took the stage for Sacramento, which,
by the way, was the first time I had ever ridden in a
stage-coach.

We started from Hangtown at five o'clock in the
morning and at twelve o'clock that night the driver drew
rein at the American Exchange Hotel in Sacramento.
The coach was loaded down to its utmost capacity, there
being nine passengers aboard. The roads were very
rough at this season of the year — being the latter part of
February — and I would rather have ridden on the hurri-
cane deck of the worst bucking mustang in California
than in that coach.

This hotel was kept at that time by a man named
Lamb.

That night when the proprietor assigned the passen-
gers to their respective rooms he asked us if we wished
to take the boat for San Francisco the next morning. I
told him that I did, whereupon he asked me if I wanted
my breakfast. I told him that I did, saying that I didn't
want to go from there to San Francisco without anything
to eat. This caused quite a laugh among the bystanders;
but I did not see the point, for at that time I did not
know that one could get a meal on a steamboat, for I
had never been near one.

Just as I stepped on the boat next morning, a man
rushed up to me with a "Hello there! how are you?" as
he grasped me by the hand. Seeing that I did not recog-
nize him, he said: 'T don't believe 3'ou know me." I
told him that he had one the best of me. He said:
"You are the boy scout that was with Capt. IMills last
summer, and you rode in my wagon. " Then I recog-

AT THE FORT.

185

"I don't believe you know me."

nized him. His name was Healey, and at the time was

running a restaurant in San Francisco, and he insisted on

my going to his

place when I got

to the city,

which i n v i t a-

tion I accepted.

H i s estabHsh-

ment was known

as the Miners'

Restaurant.

Mrs. Healey
and her little
daughter, eleven
years old, knew
me as soon as I

entered the door, and were apparently as glad to see me
as though I had been a relative of the family.

The next morning when I offered to settle my bill
they would not take a cent, but requested me while in
the city to make my home with them.

That day I went out to the Fort, which was three
miles from the city, and on arriving there the first man I
met was Lieut. Harding, who at once conducted me to
Col. Elliott's quarters.

That afternoon we made the rounds of the Fort, and
Col. Elliott, when introducing me, would say: "This is
the 'boy scout,' who was out with us last summer, and
whom you have heard me speak of so often."

I made my home with Col. Elliott and his wife during
my stay at the Fort, which was two weeks.

I 86 SOMETHING NEW.

CHAPTER XIII.

Something worse than fighting Indians. — Dance at
Col. Elliott's. — Conspicuous suit of buckskin. —
I manage to get back to Beckwith's.

That night Mrs. Elhott had every lady that belonged
around the Fort at her house, and she took the "boy
scout" along the line and introduced him to every one of
the ladies. This was something new to me, for it was
the first time in my life that I had struck society, and I
would have given all of my previous summer's wages to
have been awav from there. I did not know how to con-
duct myself, and every time I made a blunder — which
seemed to me every time I made a move — I would at-
tempt to smooth it over, and always made a bad matter
worse.

Next morning at the breakfast table I told the Colo-
nel and his wife that I was going back into the moun-
tains as fast as I could get there. I knew I could track
Indians, and fight them if necessary, but I did not know
how to entertain ladies, especially when my best clothes
were only Indian-tailored buckskin.

Mrs. Elliott assured me that she would not have had
me come there dressed differentl}', had it been in her
power to prevent it. "Dressed otherwise than you are,"
she said, "you would not be the same 'boy scout' that
my husband has told us so much concerning."

I struck society

Page i86

AN OUTLANDISH FIGURE.

187

Of course this was encouraging, and I concluded that
I might not have been so painfully ridiculous as I had
supposed. For, be it known, I had been scarcely able
to sleep the night before for thinking of what an outland-
ish figure I had cut that night before all those high-toned
ladies, and of the sport my presence among them must
have created.

However, I felt much better after the pleasant way in

which Mrs. Elliott declared she looked at it, and with

renewed self-complacence proceeded to discuss with the

Colonel his plans for the next summer's campaign.

He informed me that he intended to go out with four
companies of soldiers, and would locate a short distance
east of last year's quarters, at a place where the town
of Wadsworth has since been built. Plenty of good

water and an
abundance of
grass were
there, and
with two com-
panics he
would make
his headquar-
ters there.
'l he other two
companies he
w o u 1 d send
about one

hundred miles

further east, to the vicinity of Steen's Mountain, and it
was his wish that I should take charge of the scouts
and operate between the two camps.

The Colonel and I talk matters over.

1 88 AT THE DANCE.

Notwithstanding I had a good home with Col. Elhott
and his wife as long as I wished to remain, it seemed to
me that this was the longest and lonesomest week I had
ever experienced. Everything being so different from
my customary way of living, I could not content myself.

The day before I was to start back home it was ar-
ranged that I should return to Jim Beckwith's ranche and
keep the Colonel posted by letter in regard to the snow
in the mountains, and when he would be able to cross.
Then I was to join him at Beckwith's.

The following evening Mrs. Elliott gave a party,
which was attended by all the "ladies and gentlemen of
the garrison. There was to be a general good time, per-
haps the last party of the season, as it w^as approaching
the time for preparations for the next campaign against
the Indians.

When all the guests had arrived and the spacious
house was a blaze of light and happiness — fair women
smiling and their musical voices fairly making a delight-
ful hub-bub of light conversation, and the gentlemen,
superb in their gold-trimmed uniforms, or impressive in
full evening dress — the manager of the dance sang out
for .all to take partners for some sort of a bowing and
scraping drill that is a mystery to me to this day. I had
seen the fandango in Taos, and elsewhere in the Mexican
parts of the southwest, but this was the first time I had
seen Americans dance, and it was all appallingly new to
me.

I sat in a corner like a homely girl at a kissing-bee,
and had nothing to say.

After the crowd had danced about two hours, the

SWELL PEOPLE. I 89

floor manager sang out, "Ladies' choice!" or something
that meant the same thing, and to my surprise and ter-
ror, Mrs. ElHott made a bee-hne for me and asked me to
assist her in dancing a quadrille. I had no more idea of
a quadrille than I had of something that was invented
yesterday, and I begged her to excuse me, telling her
that I knew nothing whatever of dancing. She declared,
however, that I had looked on long enough to learn and
that I would go through all right. I hung back like a
balky horse at the foot of a slippery hill, but between
Mrs. Elliott and the prompter I was almost dragged out
on the floor.

The reader may be able to conceive a faint idea of
my situation. I was now twenty-three years old, and
this was the first time I had been in civilization since I
had left St. Louis, a boy of fifteen. Here I was, among
those swell people, gorgeous in "purple and fine linen,"
so to speak; ladies in silks, ruffles and quirlymacues,
gentlemen in broadcloth, gold lace and importance, and
I in only buckskin from head to foot. I would have
freely given everything I possessed to have been out of
that, but my excuses failed utterly, and finally I went
into it as I would an Indian fight, put on a bold front and
worked for dear life.

I found it quite different to what I had expected.
Instead of making light of me, as I feared they would,
each lady in the set tried to assist me all she could.

When on the floor it seemed to me that every man,
woman and child were looking at me, as indeed they
were, or rather at my suit of buckskin, that, worked full
of beads and porcupine quils, was the most beautiful suit

igO THE DOUBLE-SHUFFLE.

of its kind I have ever seen. But it was so different from
the dress of the others that it made me decidedly con-
spicuous. When on the floor and straightened up I felt
as if I were about nine feet high, and that my feet were
about twenty inches long and weighed near fifty pounds
each.

The prompter called out, "Balance all!" and I forgot
to dance until all the others were most through balanc-
ing, then I turned loose on the double-shuffle, this being
the only step I knew, and I hadn't practiced that very
much. About the time I would get started in on this
step the prompter would call something else, and thus
being caught between two hurries I would have to run to
catch up with the other dancers. However, with the
assistance of Mrs. Elliott, the other good ladies, the
prompter, and anybody else in reach, I managed to get
through, but I had never gone into an Indian fight with
half the dread that I went into that dance, and never es-
caped from one with more thankfulness.

The following morning, after bidding Col, Elliott,
his wife and all the other of my new-found friends good-
bye, I started on my return to Beckwith's ranche, per-
fectly willing to resign my high-life surroundings to go
back to the open and congenial fields of nature and an
indescribable freedom.

I found Beckwith suffering severely from an old arrow
wound that he had received in a fight with the Utes near
Fort Hall in 1848.

PICKING SCOUTS. I9I

CHAPTER XIV.

Drilling the detailed scouts. — We get among the
Utes. — Four scouts have not reported yet. —
Another lively fight. — Beckwith makes a raise.

It was late spring when the snow began to melt, but
it went away very fast when it once started. About the
first of June I wrote to Col. Elliott that by the tenth of
the month he could cross the mountains. He did not
arrive until the 20th of June, then I joined him and we
started across the mountains.

By direction of the Colonel each of the captains de-
tailed four men from their respective companies to be my
assistants, and at my suggestion young men were chosen,
such as m3^self, who could ride forty-eight hours, if nec-
essary, without stopping, and I asked for men who were
not afraid to go alone, not afraid to fight, and, above all,
men that would never allow themselves to be taken
prisoner.

The command having been drawn up for dress parade,
the orderly sergeants called their rolls, and whenever a
man's name was called whom the captains wished to de-
tail, he was directed to stand aside. Up to this time the
men did not know and were wondering what was up.
Col. Elliott informed them after the drill was over, and
said to them:

"Soldiers, this man, Capt. Drannan, is now your

192 ON THE HUNT.

chief, and you will act according to his orders at any and
all times. He will instruct you when to meet him at his
private quarters."

The next three days were spent in drilling the scouts
to mount and dismount quickly, to shoot at some object
when on the dead run, to lie on the side of the horse and
shoot at an object on the opposite side while running at
full speed, and a great deal of other work of that kind.

Three days later we started east, Capt. Mills and
Lieut. Harding with their companies, expecting to go
about one hundred miles before locating permanently for
the summer. I started out in advance of the command
with my entire force of scouts. We traveled about fif-
teen miles together, when we separated, four taking the
north side of the emigrant trail, with instructions to keep
from four to five miles from it; four keeping the trail
and four, with myself, south of the trail. I gave the
men north instructions in case they should find an Indian
trail to follow it until they were sure the Indians were
making for the emigrant trail, and then dispatch one
man to notify the men on the trail, the other three fol-
low the Indians, and at the end of three days all were to
meet at a certain point on the trail where we expected to
meet the soldiers.

The second day out we struck an Indian trail south
of the road, but it being an old one we did not follow it
but made a note of the number we thought there were in
the band, an that night we pulled for the emigrant trail,
expecting to meet the soldiers there.

We did not meet the soldiers, but met the four scouts
who had traveled on the emigrant trail.

NO PROVISIONS. 193

We got no word that night from the men north, but
according to agreement we went to a hill near by and
built two fires of sagebrush, that they might know where
we were, and if in need of assistance they could dispatch,
but did not see nor hear anything of them.

The next morning I kept the emigrant trail myself,
sending the other squad of men south, with instructions
to meet me at Humboldt Wells, telling them about the
distance it was from where we were then camped, and
describing the place to to them. There we would wait
until the command came up, as we were now running
short of rations. That day the party south struck the
same trail that we had seen the day before; two of them
followed it and the other two came to camp to report.
The party that had started out north of the trail got into
camp just at dusk, tired and hungry, and the following
morning at daylight the other two from the south came
into camp. From what I could learn from them the band
of Indians they had been following were traveling along
almost parallel with the emigrant trail, looking for emi-
grants, as it was now getting time that the emigrants
were beginning to string along across the plains en-route
for the gold fields of California.

Our provisions had run out, so we sat up late that
night awaiting the arrival of the command, but we looked
in vain.

The following morning, just as I could begin to see
that it was getting a little light in the east, myself and
one assistant scout crawded out quietly, without disturb-
ing the other boys, to kill some game. We had not gone
far from camp when we saw nine antelope; we both fired

194 NEW RECRUITS.

and both shot the same antelope. We dressed the game
and took it to camp, arriving there just as the other two
scouts came in from the south. The boys were all
up in camp, and considerable excitement prevailed
among them, they having heard two shots, and thought
the Indians had attacked us. They were all hungry as
wolves, so we broiled and ate antelope almost as long as
there was any to eat.

Almost the entire scout force were from New York,
and were new recruits who had never known what it
was to rough it, and they said this was the first meal
they had ever made on meat alone. After breakfast was
over, it now being understood that we would lie over
until the supply train should come up, my first assistant
scout and two others took a trip to a mountain some two
miles from camp, which was the highest mountain near
us, taking my glasses along to look for the supply train.
In about two hours one of the scouts returned to camp
in great haste and somewhat excited, saying that about
fifteen or twenty miles distant they had seen a band of
Indians who were traveling in the direction of camp.
We all saddled our horses, left a note at camp informing
Capt. Mills where we had gone and for what purpose.
We started for what has ever since been known as Look-
out Mountain — of course not the famous Lookout Moun-
tain of Tenneesse — and there joined the other three
scouts. From the top of this mountain we could get a
good view of the Indians through the field glasses. We
watched them until about one o'clock, when they went into
camp in the head of a little ravine some five miles distant.
This convinced us that there was water and that they

A BAND OF UtES. 1 95

had stopped for the night. We located them as well as
we could, and the entire scout force, being thirteen all
told, started across the country for their camp.

Seven of this number of scouts had never seen a wild
Indian and were over anxious to have a little sport
with the redskins. The Indians, being in a little ravine,
we were able to get within a half a mile of them be-
fore they could see us. After advancing as far as we
thought prudent, one of the scouts and myself dismounted
and crept through the sagebrush within three hundred
yards of them. Their fire was yet burning and the In-
dians were lounging around, everything indicating that
they had just cooked and eaten their dinner. I counted
them and made out twenty-one, my assistant scout made
twenty-three, and instead of being Pah-Utes, as we ex-
pected, they were Utes. The boys all being anxious to
try their hand, I decided to make the attack at once.
Returning to where I had left the other scouts, I told
them my plan of attack, telling them to bear in mind
that one shot well calculated was worth three or four at
random. I also told them as soon as I gave the war-
whoop for each of them to make all the noise he could.

Now we all mounted, and by riding up a little ravine
we were able to get within fifty rods of them before they
could see us.

Before making the charge I told the boys to draw
their pistols, and when the pistols were emptied to draw
sabres and cut the savages down before they could get to
their horses. We rode slowly and cautiously until almost
in sight of the Indians, when I gave the word "Charge!"
and all put spurs to their horses, raised the yell, and one

196 . THE BATTLE.

minute later we were in their midst, arrows and bullets
flying in all directions. I received an arrow wound in
the calf of my right leg, the man immediately on my
right got shot through the left or bridle arm, and one of
the raw recruits got his horse shot from under him.

He did not wait for orders, but drew his sabre and
went to work cutting them down as he came to them.
When we first made the charge some of the Indians
made a desperate attempt to get their horses, but the
scouts shot and cut them down, not allowing one of them
to mount. The Indians, much to my surprise, fought as
long as there was one of them left standing. The battle
lasted about fifteen minutes, and when it was over we
counted the dead Indians and found the number to be
nineteen, but there were twentv-one horses, so we were
confident that two Indians either escaped or fell in the
sagebrush where we could not find them.

We gathered up the horses and ropes that belonged
to the Indians. The man that had his horse killed in
the battle, caught the best horse in the band, threw the
saddle on him and started for camp, considering we had
done a good day's work. As we rode down the ravine in
the direction of the emigrant trail some of the boys looked
in that direction and saw the smoke curling up from a
camp-fire.

"The command has arrived!" shouted one of the
boys.

I proposed that we give the Captain a surprise. We
all dismounted, and each fastened a scalp to the brow-
band of his bridle, and when the Captain saw us coming
and saw that each had a scalp, he said: "Boys, let's

3
CD

ft)
-i

a
•-t

't^^'^'^i} K kv^fi'MMmfi'k'i.'i ';f iM'yggCTifeyaA'Sj

crq

Steen's Mountain. 197

give them three cheers." At that the valley rang out
with the yel's.

This pleased the new recruits that had been engaged
in the battle, and I can truthfully say that I never saw
the same number of green men equal them in the first
engagement, for every one of them fought like heroes.

We dismounted, turned our horses over to the herder
and called for supper. This was the first square meal
that it had been our pleasure to sit down to for four
days, and this was where none of us shrunk from duty,
in the least.

By this time the wound in my leg was beginning to
pain me, and gave me more trouble than I anticipated.
The next morning it was badly swollen, and I was not
able to ride horseback for several days.

That morning we pulled for Steen's Mountain, which
we supposed to be about forty miles from where we were
camped.

Not being able to ride horseback, I rode in one of
the ambulances.

From here we kept guards out on each side of the
trail, with orders to keep from five to six miles from the
train, and if any Indians were seen to report at once.

The second day in the afternoon Capt. Mills estab-
lished his headquarters about one mile from the trail, in
a beautiful spot; plenty of water, an abundance of good
grass, and a few pine trees scattered here and there,
making it an unusually pleasant place for quarters that
summer.

Not being able to ride, I stayed in camp, but sent all
the other scouts out The second day my first assistant

198 FOUR SCOUTS LOST.

returned and reported having found the trail, as he
thought, of about fifty Indians, travehng west, and about
parallel with the emigrant trail.

The next morning I started my assistant and three
scouts after the Indians, with orders to report as scon as
they had the redskins located.

They were gone four da3's and no word came from
them. I began to be very uneasy, as well as Capt. T^Iills,
thinking something must have happened them or they
would have returned, as they only took three days' ra-
tions with them. I took four other scouts and went on
their trail.

The reader will understand that in this country the
soil is somewhat sandy, and a horse is easily tracked.
Our horses being shod, it was easy to distinguish their
tracks from that of the Indians' horses. My wound gave
me much trouble, but we followed the trail of the other
scouts for some distance after striking the trail of the
Indians, and their horses being shod, we could easily
track them, but finalh' they became so obliterated that
we could see no more trace of the shod horses. We
sought in vain to get some sign of them, and came to
the conclusion th'-it while the scouts were trailing the In-
dians another band had stolen up behind them and either
killed or taken them all prisoners, for we could get no
trace of them, nor ha\ e thev ever been heard of since.
As soon as I returned to quarters, by the consent of
Capt. Mills, I detailed two men of my scout force to
carry a dispatch to Col. Elliott. As the Indians were
now too far west for Capt. Mills to attempt to follow
them, I sent the two best men I had to bear the message

ANOTHER BAND. 1 99

to the Colonel. They made the trip in two nights, rid-
ing at night and lying over in the daytime. The next
day after the Colonel received the dispatch his scouts
discovered the same band of Indians, and Col. Elliott
sent one company of soldiers out at once after them.

The soldiers overhauled them at Clover Valley, which
was about forty miles south of the emigrant trail, and
attacked the redskins, but they were too much for the
soldiers. In the engagement the loss to the command
was sixteen men killed, and I never knew just how many
were wounded or how many Indians were killed. The
soldiers had to retreat. All I ever learned from this
battle I learned from the dispatch bearers, as they
stayed at Col. Elliott's quarters until after the soldiers
had returned from the engagement

From this on I kept scouts out south of the trail con-
tinually.

One evening one of the scouts came in and reported
having seen a little band of Indians some twelve or fif-
teen miles south of the trail. The other three scouts that
were out with him remained to watch the Indians while
he came to report. The scout was not able to tell just
the number, as they were some distance away. The
other three scouts secreted their horses, crawled to the
top of the highest hill near by and lay there in the sage-
brush and with glasses w^atched the Indians, who were
traveling almost in the direction where the scouts lay,
bearing a little south, so that the scouts did not have to
change their hiding place. I mounted my horse for the
first time since I had been laid up, and in company with

200 REINFORCEMENTS.

five other scouts, including the one who had brought the
message to me, started to investigate the matter.

We rode to where the other three scouts had been
left, and they were awaiting our arrival. They had lain
on the hill and watched the Indians go into camp and
then returned to where the dispatch bearer had left them.

After holding a council for about five minutes we all
mounted and rode as near the Indians as we considered
safe, and dismounted. Taking another scout who had
been watching them, I crawled as near as we dared to
their camp to try to ascertain their number. We decided
that there were about fifty. It was perilous to get very
close for the reason that the Indians had a number of
dogs, and when we would get too near the dogs would
begin to bark, and three or four Indians would raise up
and look about and every Indian in the band would
listen. When we returned to where we had left the other
scouts they were all prepared for an attack, but I told
them there were too many for us to tackle alone. Be-
sides, they were Utes, the worst Indians in the whole
country to fight.

We were now about fifteen miles from headquarters,
so I dispatched two men at once to Capt. Mills in all
haste, requesting him to be there by daybreak, if it were
within the bounds of possibility. This being a sandy,
sagebrush country, one could not ride at full speed, but
the scouts made good time, nevertheless, and Capt. Mills
and his command were with us before daylight. We inei
him about a mile from where the Indians were camped,
and I told him how the ground lay and the general sur-
roundings as best I could, and I suggested that as on ac-

THE CHARGE. 20I

count of the dogs I had not been able to locate the horses
of the Indians, it would be advisable to wait until day-
light to make the attack.

We waited about an hour, when the Captain said he
thought it was light enough to kill Indians. He gave
orders to mount, drew his men up in line and rode back
and forth, up and down the line, instructing them how to
proceed, saying:

'*When I give the word, 'charge!' every man draw
his pistol, and when within fifty yards, begin to fire.
Don't fire at random, but take good aim, and when your
pistols are empty draw your sabres and cut them down.
Don't let one escape. Don't wait for further orders; you
have them, now carrv them out."

Capt. Mills rode to the left wing and asked me to
take the right. I told him I thought it best that myself
and the scout force should make a dash for the Indian
horses as soon as he made the charge, for if we could
succeed in getting the horses we need not let one Indian
escape.

It was now so light that we could see their ponies on
the hill just beyond their camp. All being ready, and I
having instructed my assistants, the Captain ordered
them to charge. I made a dash to the right with my en-
tire scout force. This was a great surprise to the reel-
skins. They were nearly all abed yet, except a few of
the earliest risers. Those who were up made a desperate
rush for their horses, but unavailingly. We got there first
and stampeded the herd. Some of the horses were pick-
eted, but we cut the ropes as fast as we came to them,

±oi

A PRETTY RACfe.

and before any of the Indians could get to their horses
we had them on the dead run.

Taking a circuitous route we drove the horses around

between the
scene of bat-
tle and head-
quarters.
When about
a mile distant
my first as-
sistant and
m y s e 1 f re-
turned to the
battle ground
leaving the
other scouts
to guard the
horses. We
arrived at the
scene just in
time to see

the last Indian fall. When it was good light the Indians
could be seen lying around in every direction. The or-
derly sergeant and two privates were looking around in
the sagebrush, thinking there might be some of them
hiding there, and all of a sudden two young bucks
started up and began to run, and for about three hun-
dred yards they had what I thought to be the prettiest
race I had ever witnessed. The two Indians on foot and
the soldiers on horseback, running through the sage-
brush and every man in the crowd, from the Captain

Two young bucks started to run.

A DAY S REST. 2O3

down,. yelling at the top of his voice. Here I (hd the
poorest shooting that I had ever done in my hfe, empty-
ing one of my revolvers and not touching an Indian.
But the sokhers finally got them.

We countw^d the dead braves and found them to be
forty-eight in number.

In this engagement Capt. Mills did not lose a man,
and only one was wounded. This was the result of making
the attack so early in the morning. Had it been later,
after the Indians were all up, they would have made a
harder fight.

The battle being over we all started for headquarters,
feeling jubilant over the victory.

We reached headquarters at ten o'clock in the morn-
ing, after which Capt. Mills told us we had done enough
for one day, and that all could take it easy for the
rest of the day. The next morning I struck out east
on the emigrant trail, sending one man north and one
south of the trail, each taking three days' rations, our
object being to meet emigrants, if there were an}-, and
guard them through to Capt. Mills' quarters, as it was
now time for the emigrants to come stringing along; a
time that heretofore among the Indians had been con-
sidered a harvest in this section of the country.

The first day in the afternoon I rode to a high hill,
took my glasses, and looking east I 'saw a train of
emigrants stringing along. This was the first train of
the season. The scout from the north and also the
one from the south had got sight of them, and were
pulling for the trail. We pushed on and met the train
just as it was pulling into camp. I called for the captain

204

A LARGE TRAIN.

and he came forth. I told him we were scouts for Capt.

Mills, and were out for the purpose of protecting emi-
grants. The
captain, as
well as the
people in the
train, were
V e r y m u c h
please d to
k n o w that
1 1 1 e }' were
going to have
protect ion
after that
through the
hostile coun-
I rode to a high hill-top. t r \'. T h e V

had been
troubled more or less by Indians all the way through
Utah, having a great deal of stock, both horses and cat-
tle, stolen by the Indians, as they supposed, but among
men who were better informed it was the supposition that
they were stolen by white men, for in those days there
was a set of white men in Utah much worse than In-
(iians.

On learning that I had been in California they had
niany questions to ask about the gold fields of that noted
country. They w^ere expecting to find gold by the bushel
when once there.

This was a large train, there being one hundred and
twenty wagons all told. The next morning I sent out

A BEAUTIFUL VALLEY. 205

one of my scouts north of the train, the other one ahead,
with instructions to keep from one to two miles in front,
and I went south of the trail that day. This was done
so that if the scouts should see a large band of Indians
they could notify the emigrants and give them a chance
to prepare for the battle, but we experienced no trouble
on this trip.

We were two days traveling from where we met the
train to Capt. Mills' quarters, and from here the Captain
sent a sergeant and twenty men to guide the emigrants
through to Col. Elliott's headquarters.

This kind of work was kept up for about a month,
every week, and sometimes two or three trains of emi-
grants would pass by, but we experienced no serious
trouble the remainder of the season with Indians.

During this summer the officers in looking through
their glasses from different high points around, discov-
ered a beautiful valley, which we afterwards learned was
named Thousand Springs Valley. Capt. Mills came to
the conclusion that this valley at this time of the year
was headquarters for the Utes, and not thinking the dis-
tance was so great sent another scout and mvself to in-
vestigate.

It may be well to mention the fact here, that in these
regions the air is so rarified and clear that distances are
very deceptive, objects appearing to be much closer than
they really are.

We started with three days' rations, and on the third
day in the afternoon we struck the valley, just at its
mouth on the desert, but the water was warm, and we
traveled some distance up the valley, finding the springs

206 BREAK CAMP.

numerous, but all warm. We also found an abundance
of grass and plenty of Indian sign, but not fresh. It ap-
peared that a large number of Indians had wintered
there. After looking the valley over we returned to camp,
but by a different route from the one we came.- We saw
no Indians or fresh sign of them until the second day of
the return trip, but about two o'clock we came in sight
of four Indians traveling eastward. We tried to attack
them, but our horses being much jaded, the Indians out-
rode us, so we had to give up the chase. We were of the
opinion that the four Indians were scouts for a big band
making its way to winter quarters.

A short distance north we secreted our horses in a
ravine, and watched for the Indians from the top of a
high hill until noon the next da}^ but all in vain, for we
did not see an Indian. We returned to camp, our horses
worn out and half starved. The part of country we
passed over on this trip is now the most northeastern
portion of Nevada, and just what it is good for I have
never been able to learn.

After lying around here watching for emigrants about
two weeks longer, and making two different trips east on
the emigrant trail, Capt. Mills now concluded that there
would be no more emigrants that fall, so we pulled up
and mo\'cd to Col. Elliott's quarters. W^e kept scouts
nut on the trip, but did not see an Indian or even a fresh
trail on the trip. On arriving at Col. Elliott's quarters
I could see that he was not pleased with the way things
had gone with his command during the summer. His
men had had two engagements during the season, and
had got the worst of it both times.

A GENERAL SPREE. 20/

He had lost twenty-six men, and not a scalp to show
for them.

Capt. Mills felt quite jubilant. He kad over sixty
Indian horses that he had captured, over sixty scalps,
and had not lost a man, with the exception of the four
scouts. Col. Elliott did not have much to sav, but the
Lieutenant declared that the Colonel was very jealous of
Capt. Mills over the past summer's work.

After remaining- at headquarters about a week we
pulled out across the Sierra Nevada Mountains, along
the same route that we had taken the fall before, some-
what earlier, and winter not having yet set in, we ex-
perienced no trouble in crossing. The first night we
camped at the head of Eagle Valley, and from there to
Jim Beckwith's ranche it was sixty miles.

I being over-anxious to see Jini. saddled up my Pinto
horse the next morning and started ior his place, making
the ride in one day. On my arrival I found Jim doing a
rushing business in the hotel line, but was just in the act
of selling out his hotel to a man from Sacramento.
Beckwith had sold all my horses during the summer at
what I thought a good figure, having got fifty dollars per
head all around.

The command came on two days later, pitched their
tents and stayed two da\s, having a red hot time. The
men had plenty of money, and Jim Beckwith, who was
now running a saloon in connection with his hotel, had
plenty of bad whiskey. The Colonel put very little re-
striction on his men while they remained there, allowing
them to have a general spree, for they had been where

208 GEYSERS.

there was no chance to spend their money, and the Httle
they had was burning their pockets.

Jim Beckwith made a handsome httle clean-up during
the two days they were camped there.

When the Colonel was ready to pull out for San
Francisco he came to me and invited me to come to the
Fort and spend a few months during the winter. I told
him I did not know where I would winter, but preferred
to seek quarters where I could hunt for a livelihood. I
told him I did not wish to put in another winter lounging
around as I did the last one. The Colonel made me a
proposition to come to the Fort after I had visited my
friend, Jim Beckwith, saying that he would organize a
hunting party among the officers and take a trip north of
San Francisco on the Russian river.

The country to which we wished to go is now So-
noma County, Cal., of which Santa Rosa is the county
seat. In fact the region is now called Santa Rosa Val-
ley, and it is well named, for it is a great garden of roses
and other beautiful flowers that grow indigenously and
in luxurious profusion. At the head of the valley are the
famous geysers of California.

The Colonel, after dividing the horses with me,
started for the Fort, I agreeing to join him there in a few
weeks for the hunt.

After remaining at Jim Beckwith's for a few days, he
and a gentleman from Sacramento came to a trade, Jim
selling out "slick and clean."

Jim had too much money to stay in the mountains.
I saw $12,000 weighed out to him ii^ gold-dust, and I

'GOING TO THE BAY

) >

209

don't know how much coin he had, but there were several
thousand dollars of it.

*'Now we will ^o to San Francisco for the winter,"
said he, "and will have a good time. You stay with me
this winter, and it shan't cost you a cent."

We took our horses and started for Sacramento,
making the trip in four days. Here we boarded a boat

for the bay.

In those days persons
speaking of going to San
Francisco, always spoke of it
as "going to the bay."

The second morning after
our arrival, I found at the
feed-yard, where my horses
were, a gentleman awaiting
my arrival, who wanted to
buy my stock.

I sold all of the horses to him except Mexico and
Pinto—they were not for sale at any figure.

Wanted to buy my horses.

2IO PREPARATIONS FOR TRIP.

I stayed around the city for two weeks, until it be-
came monotonous. Jim Beckwith had lots of money,
and it looked to me as though he wanted to get rid
of it as soon as possible. He would get just so full
every day, and when he was full of whiskey his tongue
appeared to be loose at both ends. It now being the
first of December, I saddled my horse and rode out to
the Fort, and on arriving there I found all anxious for
the hunt. Col. Elliott had been talking the matter
up among them. It took about three days to prepare
for the trip, and I kept hurrying them up, all that was
in my power, for I did not want to fool around there
until the good ladies took it in their heads to have
another dance, as it was not a dance that I was hunt-
ing I had had enough of that on my other visit to
satisfy me for some time to come.

:o:-

Petaluma Creek. 211

CHAPTER XV.

A hunt' on Petaluma Creek. — Elk fever breaks
OUT. — The expedition to Klamath Lake. — A

LIVELY brush WITH MODOC INDIANS.

The hunting party made up at the Fort was ready
early in December, and we pulled out, promising to be
home by New Year's day, at the latest.

At this time there were no steamers running across
the bay in the direction we wished to go, so we hired a
tug to take us over to the mouth of Petaluma creek, near
which we proposed to pitch our hunting camp. Here
was live-oak timber, with now and then a redwood, and
in places the chapparal was thick, and there was no end
to deer sign.

We had plenty of shelter in case of storm, having two
good-sized tents in the outfit and only six men, not
counting the darkey cook, who, however, always does
count in an expedition like that. In the party I was the
only one who had ever hunted any. Three of the others
had never fired a shot at larger game than a jack-rabbit.
Col. Elliott had once killed a deer, of which I made men-
tion in a preceding chapter.

The following morning after breakfast I told them to
select their course for the day's hunting, and I would go
in an opposite direction.

"Why do you wish to go in an opposite direction?"

212

THE CAMP-FIRE.

Lieut. Harding asked; "Why not all go together.?" I
replied that after we got out in the woods I did not think
they could tell a man from a deer, and I did not want
to be shot by a white man out here in this country.

Capt. Mills proposed that three go at a time, two of-
ficers and myself; by so doing there would be no danger.

This being satisfactory, Lieut. Harding, Capt. Mills
and myself took the first turn. Neither of them had ever
hunted an3^ and both were as ignorant in that line as I
was when I started out from St. Louis in company with
Uncle Kit Carson, which, by the way, I had told them
something about the night before, while sitting around

the c a m p-
fire.

When we
were all
ready for the
hunt and
had started
t o w a 1 k
away from
the tent,
Capt. Mills
re q u e s t e d
the Colonel
to have the
horses in
readiness to

L.uiiuu'uii'minnnui

Sitting around the camp-fire.

pack the deer in. We had not gone far until I asked
them if they could not walk without making so much

SHOOTING DEER. 2l3

noise. Lieut. Harding said he did not see what differ-
ence it made how a person walked, and I had to stop
and exphiin matters by telling them that a deer depended
as much on his ears as he did on his eyes, and if we did
not walk easier the deer would hear 'us before we could
get sight of them, and it seemed to me thai, they had
stepped on every stick along our way and had rubbed
against every brush that. we passed near. Having been
trained to hunt since a boy of fifteen years old, it became
second nature for me to slide along without making a par-
ticle of noise.

After traveling a short distance we saw four deer com-
ing toward us, and I pointed out an opening and said:
"When they get to that place I will stop them; be ready,
and when I count three, fire." When the deer were all
on the selected spot I gave a keen whistle, which caused
them to stop and throw up their heads. I counted three
and fired, but did not hear the report of the other guns.
Just as I turned to see what was the trouble, Capt. Mills
fired, but Lieut. Harding stood and held his gun at a
"ready" and did not fire at all. He said the sight was
so pretty that he did not think of his gun. I killed my
deer, and the Captain wounded his by breaking one fore
leg. The other deer gave a few jumps and stopped, and
I took the Lieutenant's gun and shot it dead. We now
had two deer and were only about a mile from camp. I
left the two officers to dress the venison and I went back
to camp after a horse to pack it in. While I was away,
and before they had got the fallen game dressed, two
other deer came along within gunshot of them. The two
otficers fired at them and killed one deer, both claiming

214 EI-K SHOOTING.

the honor of the fatal shot. Now we had plenty of meat
for a start, and would, no doubt, get more before we con-
sumed that.

After arriving at camp with the deer I directed Jake,
the negro cook, to get an early dinner, as I wanted to
take a big hunt that afternoon.

While at the dinner table I suggested that as they
could find deer anywhere around there, for they were
as thick as sheep and not very wild, that they might
kill that kind of ganie, while I would mount Pinto and
prospect for larger, for I thought there were elk in that
country, and if that was true we wanted some of them.

After dinner I mounted my horse and was off for
an elk hunt. After riding up the river about three
miles I could see any amount of sign. Dismounting
and tying my horse, I took an elk trail where a band
had just crossed the trail on which I was riding, and
I did not follow it very far until I came in sight of
the elk. There were eight in this band, and I had to
take a roundabout course to get in gunshot of theni,
but when I finally did get a shot at them I killed an elk
that carried the largest pair of horns I have ever seen,
with one exception. I unjointed his neck about a foot
from his head and dressed him, but left his hide on.
The head and horns were all I could lift as high as the
horse's back.

When I rode up to camp and the negro cook saw
that head of horns he exclaimed: "Hello, Marstah;
what you got dar.^ You must hab killed de debbil dis
time, suah."

From the negro I learned that the ofificers had all

ELK FEVER. 2 I 5

been out, and had seen more or less deer and had done
more or less shooting, but had only killed one small doe.

That night the elk fever raged high in camp, as that
pair of horns had set them all wild to go elk hunting the
next day. That night we ordered an early breakfast, so
as to get an early start to our hunting ground.

After riding up the river the next morning, to where
I had killed the elk the day before, we all dismounted
and tied our horses. I asked them which they preferred,
to go single or two together, and they thought it the best
plan to go in couples.

Being somewhat acquainted with this kind of game,
and knowing where to find them at this time of day, I
told them what ridges to take to lead them to the main
divide, also what our signals would be to come together.

Capt. Mills and I took up the center ridge, the two
other couples going on ridges each side of us, but not in
sight. After going about a mile or so we heard two gun-
shots to our left, and in a few moments we could hear elk
running. The underbrush was so thick that it was diffi-
cult to get a shot at them on the run, so, seeing an open-
ing that they were sure to cross, provided that they did
not change their course, I had the Captain to stand by
the side of a big tree and level his gun at the opening,
and when an elk darkened the sight to fire, which he did,
and got a fine elk. I fired also, but did not get my elk.
He was as proud over killing that elk as I was over killling
my first buffalo.

We hunted until about four o'clock that afternoon,
and several shots were fired, but the Captain was the
only one who got an elk that day. So we loaded that

2l6 PULLED CAMP.

one, and the one I had killed the da}- previous, on to our
horses and returned to camp \vi-th about all the meat the
horses were able to carry.

The next morning I told the other men that as they
now knew the elk range and how to hunt them, and
could get along without me as well as not, that I would
hunt for a grizzly bear, and if I could only kill a grizzly
I would be ready to go home. I spent the next three
days bear hunting, and saw any amount of sign, but only
saw one bear and did not get a shot at it.

After being out about two weeks, and all having
enough of hunting, they thought, to last them a year — as
they had killed more or less deer, and one of them had
killed an elk — and time being about up for the tug to
come after us, we pulled up camp and started for the
bay, arriving there on the 19th. The tug arrived on the
20th, about noon.

We reached San Francisco that evening, about dark,
unloaded our baggage and meat, hired a man to watch it
that night and we saddled up and rode out to the Fort.

The following morning I returned to the city, hired a
team and took our baggage, as well as the meat we had
killed, back to the Fort.

I was hailed several times while passing through the
city by parties who wished to buy my mammoth elk
horns, but I would not sell them, ha-ving already given
them to Col. Elliott.

I stayed around the city until the middle of February,
not knowing what to do to kill time, and loafing is the
hardest work I ever did.

About this time Col. Elliott received orders to go out

AN EXPEDITION 217

into southeastern Oregon, as soon as the weather would
permit, and establish a fort at K.amath Lake. As soon as
he received these orders he came to the city and hunted
me up, and wanted me to go with him, at the same time
insisting strongly on my joining his command; saying:
"If you will enlist I am sure I can bring enough influence
to bear to procure a Lieutenant's commission for you."

I told him emphatically that I would not enlist, as I
intended to be a free man all the days of my life, **And
when I scout for you," I said, "if I fail to do my duty, or
shirk in the least, all you have to do is to say so, and I
will quit then and there, and at the same time if you ask
anything that I consider unreasonable, I will quit you
cold."

The Colonel, however, accepted me as an independ-
ent scout.

I requested him to procure some one that was familiar
with that country to go along as guide, but he tola me
that I would be around the city, and would have a better
chance to find a suitable person than he would, and re-
quested me to find a man and he would be satisfied with
the selection.

During my stay in the city I saw a great many men
who claimed to know all about that country, and who
were anxious for the trip, but when I would question
them they did not know any more about the country than
I did, and I had never been in that region.

Finally the time was set to start, which was the first
of June.

Before starting this time I had an understanding with
Col. Elliott regarding the stock that might be captured by

2i8 TO Oregon.

the scouts; he agreeing to let the scouts take the stock
captured by them and divide it equally among themselves.

After having started, the Colonel was undecided as to
where he would cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At
that time there was no map of the country between Cali-
fornia, Oregon and Nevada, but finally he decided to
cross over the Beckwith Pass. After we had crossed the
mountains we turned north, crossing the Truckee river
where Reno now stands. From here we traveled across
the sagebrush plain to Honey Lake.

So far we had no trouble with Indians, and the com-
mand stopped to let the horses rest a few days.

While lying there Col. Elliott requested me to take four
other scouts and go north four days to prospect for water
and grass, for this was now a strange country to all of us.

My companions were John Reilly, Fred Miller, John
Boyd and George Jones, of whom there will be more said
later on, and who were my companions the rest of the
summer, or, as long as I was able to scout. Alto-
gether there were twelve scouts in my compa'ny.

In the evening of the second day of our trip we
camped at a nice little spring. We got into camp just at
sundown, and having seen considerable Indian sign during
the da};, I had the boys stake their horses near the camp,
and I took a look around on the ridges to see if there
were any camp-fires in that part of the country. I was
gone for about three hours, and the boys got quite uneasy
while I was away. I only saw one Indian camp, which
was northeast of our camp, and not having discovered it
until after dark I was unable to tell just how far it was
away. On my return I told the boys that we would have

CHASED BY INDIANS. 219

to stand guard that night, each one taking a turn of two
hours, and as soon as supper was over we put the fire
out so as not to give the redskins any advantage in that
way. The next morning we got breakfast, and as soon
as it was Hght George Jones and I went to the nearest
ridge to look for Indians. I saw them just breaking
camp, and they were about two miles away. That day
we had to travel very cautiously, being in an entirely
new country and knowing it to be full of hostile Indians.

That night we camped on a small stream which after-
wards we found to be a tributary of McCloud's river.
From what we had seen, there appeared to be plenty of
water and grass, and from the Indian sign we had seen,
they appeared to be in large bands, so we concluded to
return to the command. The first day on our return
trip, just about noon, as we were looking for a place to
stop for lunch, we were discovered by about twenty In-
dians. The red devils made for us, and their war-
whoops sounded as though they were bloodthirsty.
They came pell-mell over the hills and hollows in hot
pursuit of us, and I tell you things looked a little blue;
only five of us and at least twenty Indians, and no telling
how many there would be in a short time.

I told the boys that we would give them a round, any-
way; and I had four men that were not afraid to face an
Indian even in a hand-to-hand fight, if necessary; and
then one feels more brave when he knows that he has
got companions who will stay with him till the last dog
is hung.

We rode to the top of the ridge, stopped and drew
our revolvers, and when they were close enough we fired

220 IN A HURRY.

two shots apiece in succession and then put spurs to our
horses and ran nearly a mile, when, on looking back,
we saw that we were outriding them. We rode a mile
further to the next ridge, just dropped over out of sight,
and stopped and reloaded the empty chambers of our re-
volvers.

We knew now that we had the best horses, and the
boys were all anxious to give them another round; so we
waited until they were in pistol shot — as we felt more
bold, knowing that if we could not whip them we could
outrun them — and taking good aim this time we fired
three shots each, making fifteen shots in all.

We saw a number of Indians fall to the ground, but
did not stay to count them as we were just then in
somewhat of a hurry.

We rode on again, they continuing to follow us.
When we were far enough ahead again and in a suitable
place, we stopped, reloaded and waited for them to come
up, but they seemed to have changed their minds and
didn't appear as anxious to ride in our company as they
had on the start, for now they kept out of pistol shot.
One of the boys dismounted and said: "I believe I can
reach them from here." and taking a rest over his horse's
back, fired and killed a horse. This caused a scattering
among them, and if our horses had been fresh we would
have tried to kill the whole ojtfit.

George Jones remarked that he guessed the red devils
had enough of it already, and we rode on. They made
two circles around us, keeping out of gunshot, and then
rode away.

W^e pushed on with all haste possible, expecting that

AGREEABLY SURPRISED. 221

they had gone away to get reinforcements and follow us
up, but that was the last we saw of them.

That night we made a dry camp, and did not build
any fire for fear that they might be on our trail, and the
next morning we were off very early. We rode until
about ten o'clock, when we struck plenty of grass and
water. Here we stopped, and one man stood guard on
the hill while the others ate breakfast, and we were
agreeably surprised at not seeing any more Indians on
the trip.

We got back to the command the evening of the sixth
day, and informed Col. Elliott that there was plenty of
water as far as we went, and abundance of grass, also no
end of Indian sign.

The command made preparations to move on again,
and two days after our return we started, but moved
slowly and cautiously, making only from ten to fifteen
miles a day. Now we had twelve scouts in all, and it
was our business to guard the command while traveling,
and, in fact, at all times when there was a possibility of
an attack, and we had to watch out north, south, east and
west, lest a large band of Indians should make an attack
unawares and get the better of the expedition.

We traveled in this manner until reaching the little
stream spoken of, where the scouting party had turned
back, not having met any trouble.

The Colonel thought it best for me to take a part of
my scouts and go ahead again and prospect the country
for water and grass.

After giving my other scouts particular orders to keep
a sharp lookout for Indians, and to scout the country

222 A HARD FIGHT.

thoroughly for eight or ten miles in every direction daily,
I took my same four men that were out the trip previous,
four days' rations, and started out again.

All my talking did not prevent a surprise, for the sec-
ond day after our departure the Indians made an attack
on the herders, captured t\vent\-two horses in broad day-
light and killed one of the herders. The same evening
about sundown they made an attack on the command,
and after a hard fight for an hour or more, the Indians
retreated, leaving sixty dead Indians on the battlefield,
there being eleven soldiers killed and twenty wounded.

On my return Col. Elliott told me not to leave the
camp so far any more, for, said he. "I am satisfied if
you had been here w^e would not have had the surprise."

I told the Colonel what kind of country we would
have for the next seventy-five miles: plenty of water and
grass, abundance of game and the country full of hostile
Indians.

The reader will understand that this was the year
1856. The Klamath Indians and the tribe afterwards
known as the Modocs, of whom mention will be made
later on in this work, were one and the same tribe; and
up to this time they did not know what it was to be
whipped. Besides there had been but little travel
through this part of the country without experiencing a
great deal of trouble with those Indians.

Sa-lo-so, Son of Sa-tan-ta.

DRIED FISH. 223

CHAPTER XVI.

More fish than I had ever seen at one time. —
We surprise some Indians, who also surprise
us. — The camp at Klamath Lake. — I get another
wound and a lot of horses.

When we pulled out for Klamath Lake we traveled
from five to ten miles a day and kept scouts out in all
directions. While riding along one day with my four
assistants, a few miles in advance of the command, we
came to a beautiful body of water which is now known
as Clear Lake, which is the head of Lost river. Here
we dismounted, and on looking into a brush shanty that
stood on the lake shore, I saw more fish than I had ever
seen before at one time. The little shanty was filled to
its utmost capacity with fish, hanging there to dry for
winter use. Further on we found numerous other similar
shanties, all containing like quantities of drying fish.
These were the Indians' dry-houses. They had caught
the fish and hung them there to dry in the hot summer's
sun. Such was their food in winter when the land game
was scarce.

After our fill of admiring the beautiful lake and rest-
ing our horses, we mounted and started back to the com-
mand. We had gone only a short distance, when, all of
a sudden, on reaching the top of a little hill, we were

224 A SKIRMISH

met by twelve Indians, who had not seen us, nor us
them, until within a hundred 3^ards of each other.

There was only one thing to do and that was to fight,
for they were directly between us and the command, and
the braver we were I thought the better; so I gave orders to
charge, but the Indians did not stand fire. We got three
of them the first round and in another hundred yards
we got three more, but their horses being fresh and
ours somewhat jaded, they outran us and got away.

These were the first Klamath Indians I had got close
enough to, to see how their moccasins were made, and
for a person engaged in the business that I was then in, it
was quite essential to be able to tell the tribe an Indian
belonged to by his track. And here I will state that not
any two tribes cut and make their moccasins alike, and
at that time I could tell an Indian by his track, if he be-
longed to any tribe that I was familiar with.

Here we laid over three days to let our horses rest up
a little. While here we had all the fish that we wanted
to eat, for the lake was literally full of the finest in the
land.

In a southwesterly direction we could see, by looking
through our field glasses, a large valley, which Col. El-
liott thought to be the countr}^ which he was ordered to
go to.

The second day after leaving Clear Lake we struck an-
other lake. We did not name it, but it has since been
known as Tule Lake, and is the outlet of Lost river, but
has no visible outlet itselt. Here we laid over two days,
after which we pulled out up the valley. Two days more
and we were at Klamath Lake, and here Col. Elliott es-

ANOTHER BAND.

225

tablished his headquarters and started in to fortify him-
self against the Indians, which were very numerous in
this country at that time.

John Riley, Fred Miller, John Boyd, George Jones and
myself took four days' rations and started out to investi-
gate the surrounding country north of headquarters.

The next afternoon about three o'clock we saw a band

Tule Lake.

of Indians some distance away as they were passing over
a somewhat uneven country. We were not just able to
tell the number in the band, but thought there must be
about twenty, and they were driving some loose horses.

We stopped to consider the matter as to what was
best to be done. George Jones said: "Boys, we have
been out all summer and have not got a single horse to
pay for our trouble, and I think I could fight like the

226 PLANNING THE ATTACK.

devil if there was a good band of horses at stake." The
balance of the crowd seemed to think likewise, so we
concluded to follow up the Indians and give them a round.
We started at once, but before overtaking then:i they had
pitched camp on the shore of Lake Klamath.

After it was quite dark, George Jones and I crawled
around near the camp and counted twenty Indians.

Our intention had been to stampede the horses in-
stead of making an attack on the Indians, as we thought
the number too great to tackle, but an investigation de-
veloped the fact that they had turned their horses into a
little peninsula that ran out into the lake, and had pitched
their tents so as to hold their horses in there. Riley said
there was only one of two things to do, and that was to
make the attack or crawfish. We were all well armed,
the other four having each a six-shooter and a sabre, and
I had my big knife, which was almost as good as a sabre,
and two six-shooters.

We laid and watched their movements until all turned
in for the night.

They were badly scattered, making it worse for us
than if they had been in a bunch. We waited until about
eleven o'clock, when we thought they were all asleep, and
liaving laid our plans of attack, we all crawled up abreast
to within a rod or so of where some of them were lying,
and each drew his pistol and sabre.

Taking our pistols in our left hands and sabres in the
right, we made a rush for them, intending to cut the first
ones down with our sabres, and if we got into close quar-
ters we could use both at the same time.

In such cases it is quite essential that a scout should

A DESPERATE BATTLE. 22/

be able to use his pistol in his left hand, which had been
part of their drill duties before starting out scouting

As soon as the attack was made some of the Indians
arose on their feet, and we tried to cut them down as fast
as they arose, but it was so dark that it was difficult to
distinguish our own men from the Indians.

The Indians fought us with their tomahawks, and it
was not long until we were all mixed up together, and a
person had to look close before striking, for fear of mak-
ing a mistake. After fighting some time I had two hand-
to-hand encounters, but was victorious in both of them.
Just as I had finished the second one I got a tremendous
blow from behind that caught me on the shoulder, and it
knocked me as blind as a bat. When I tried to rise I
would stagger and fall like a drunken man. After mak-
ing the third attempt to get on my feet, and seeing it was
no use and being afraid my own men might mistake me
for an Indian, I laid down as still as I could until the
fight was ended.

About this time my shoulder commenced to pain me
fearfully, and it was a hard matter for me to lie still. I
could then see a very little, but to me everything was
still. Just then I heard George Jones' voice. He was
asking where Will was. I did not hear any reply, and
a moment later he hallooed at the top of his voice.
It sounded to me as though he was a long ways off, but
at the same time he was within four rods of me. I made
out that time to answer so he could hear me, and in a
moment they were all by my side. Some one raised me
up, while another ran to the lake and got his hat full of
water. They removed my clothing sufficiently to exam-

228 SEVERELY WOUNDED.

ine my wound, and found that my shoulder blade was
broken in two places. • When I was able to talk, the
boys asked what they had better do, saying they had the
last Indian killed. I said jf you are sure you have them
all killed, build a fire and put out guards until morning,
and we will return to headquarters with the stock.

George Jones, feeling much concerned about me on ac-
count of my wound, proposed to ride to headquarters that
night for the surgeon, but I told him it was not necessary,
that I would be able to ride to headquarters the next day.

I took a sup of brandy, which we were never without
on a trip like this, and drank a cup of coffee, after which
I felt much better, but could not move my left hand or
shoulder without much pain.

The next morning as soon as it was light enough to
see to scalp an Indian, the boys took twenty-one scalps,
and we had fifty-two horses, some of which were extra-
ordinary good ones of that class. That was ten horses
each and two over. After having counted them, George
Jones said: "I think Will ought to have the two extra
horses, for he is the only one that got wounded in the

fight.

The boys were jubilant over their victory and the band
of horses, but were very sorry to have one of their com-
rades so badly used up. After they had breakfast over,
the saddle horses were brought in, my horse was saddled
for me and they assisted me in getting on him, or rather
put me on, for I was almost as helpless as a child.

My shoulder they had tied up as best they could with
two handkerchiefs, and one of the boys leading my horse,
we started for headquarters. We were about twenty

ANXIOUS TO LEAVE. 229

miles from the command, but I never rode fiftv miles
that seemed as far as that twenty miles did. When we
arrived at camp my shoulder was badly swollen, and it
took the surgeon a long time to get it set just to his no-
tion, or, at least it seemed so to me, and when he did
finally get it set he gave me something to put me to sleep.

However. I was not able to ride any more that sum-
mer. All that I was able to do was to sit in camp, hear
the reports of scouts as they came in and give orders.

It had been six weeks since I was hurt, and it was
getting late in the fall and the weather looking some-
what blustery, I told the Colonel I thought I would go
back to San Francisco and winter there.

Up to this time the surgeon had not allowed me to
ride on horseback, but I had come to the conclusion
that I could now stand it to ride without any serious
difficulty, and I was anxious to get back before win-
ter set in.

When I told the Colonel my intentions, he said:
"How in the name of God will you get to San Fran-
cisco.'^ If you were well and able to ride I could not
spare an escort sufficient to guard you through."

"It don't matter about the escort, I said, "when I
get ready I will go if I have to go alone."

"Young man," said he, "you must be insane to even
think of such a thing."

"Colonel," I said, "you may call it what you please,
but I mean just what I say; and I suppose that as \ou
liave been out all summer, having no chance to either
send or receive any mail, that you would like to send out
after that."

230 MAKE PREPARATION

Said he, "I have no one to send, that could make the
trip without asking a larger escort than I could spare."

I told the Colonel that I could select two men from
his command, either of whom I could take and make the
trip safely, or the two would make it alone with perfect
safety.

"The Colonel replied, "If I could only think sol
certainly would ask them to go;" and he asked who the
parties were to whom I had reference. I told him they
were Messrs. Jones and Riley, who had been my assist-
ant scouts the past summer.

The Colonel asked when they would be in camp. I
told him they had just returned a few minutes previous.
He said: "Tell them I will see them at your quarters
at seven o'clock this evening." I assured him that they
would be there, but up to this time [ had not mentioned
or even hinted at such a thing to them, but being desir-
ous of seeing them before the Colonel had a talk with
them, I set about to find them. I found them in their
quarters and told them of the proposed meeting and the
object, and asked them what they thought of it.

George Jones said: "As far as I am concerned, I
think I can make the trip alone, for I can see an Indian
just as far as he can see me, and just as quick, and I am
perfectly willing to take the chances."

"And how with you, Riley .^" I asked. He replied:
"I will go if I can get permission."

At seven o'clock, sharp, all hands met at my tent.
The Colonel opened the conversation by saying: "Gen-
tlemen, our chief scout, Mr. Drannan, has concluded to
leave us and go to San Francisco to spend the winter,

TO START FOR 23 1

and under the circumstances I don't want to see him go
alone. Do you men feel like accompanying him and
bringing our mail back on your return?"

George Jones said: "I can only speak for myself. I
will accompany him alone and bring the mail back if no
one else feels like going." At this Riley said he was wil-
ling to accompany George on the trip if necessary.

Col. Elliott straightened up and said: ''Boys, I don't
believe you realize the danger you will necessarily have
to encounter in making this trip. Think the matter over
thoroughly until to-morrow evening, by which time you
will be able to give me a decided answer;" and then the
Colonel departed, requesting us all to meet him in his
quarters the following evening at seven o'clock, sharp.
After he had gone George Jones asked me how long I
thought it would take us to go to Sacramento. About
fifteen days was my estimate, and I was of the opinion
that we would best go an entirely different route to what
we came. Before leaving my tent they had made up
their minds to tackle the trip anyway, let it go as it
might, and the time set to start was ten days from that.

The following evening we all went to the Colonel's
tent at the hour agreed upon. He asked the boys as
soon as they entered if they had made up their minds to
tackle the trip, and they both told him they had. He
then asked me when I would be ready to start, and I told
him in ten days.

George Jones then asked the Colonel what length of
time he would give him and Riley to make the trip in.
"1 will give you a month and a half," was the reply.

Five of us had fifty- two horses that we had captured

232 San Francisco.

from the Indians, I called the other four together and told
them if they would let me pick six horses from the band
they might have the remainder. This being agreeable,
the day following the horses were driven into the corral
and I selected my six. Jones and Riley put in a good
portion of the day in saddling and riding them to see
whether they were broke or not, and we found them all
to be fairly well broken to ride.

The next day I told the Colonel that I was ready to
resign my position as chief of scouts, for you will have to
appoint another man, and you had just as well do it first
as last.

* 'No, " said the Colonel, ' 'when you are ready to start,
I will give 3'ou a voucher for your pay up to that time,
and when you get to San Francisco you can get your
money."

We commenced making preparations to start, but did
not let it be generally known until the day before start-
ing, and then everybody wanted to write a letter to send
out, and by the time we were ready to start we had a
pack-horse loaded with mail.

The Colonel sent a long letter to his w4fe, and told
me a Igt of stuff to tell the other officers, of which I did
not remember one-fourth.

Finally w^e were rigged up and ready to start, but we
had a hard time to get away, for Dick Jones wanted me
to tell Jim Johnson so and so. Another had some word
to send to a friend, whose name I had never heard be-
fore, and never thought of after I was out of sight.

After shaking hands all around, and Col. Elliott tell-
ing me a lot of stuff to tell his wife and numerous other

White Horse, Kiowa Chief.

A GRAND SIGHT. 233

ladies, which he knew I would not repeat the half of, for
he knew that there was not another man in San Fran-
cisco that hated to try to talk to ladies as much as I did.
If we had not jarred loose and rode off I suppose we
would have been there all day, and we would have had
enough word to carry in our heads, that had it been
written, would have made a book that Webster's Un-
abridged Dictionary would be small compared with it,
and again shaking hands we waved our hats at the many
soldiers standing around and rode away.

CHAPTER XVII.

Discovery of Indians with stolen horses. — We kill
THE Indians and return the property to its
OWNERS. — Meeting of miners. — In society again.

On our return trip we took the divide between the
Klamath River and Yule Lake. I had told Col. Elliott
before starting that I intended to pass west of the snowy
butie instead of east of it, as we did coming in.

Thisbutte has since been called Shasta Mountain, and
it is one of the grandest sights that ever the e}e of man
beheld. It flouts the skies with its peaks of everlasting
snow, gleaming like a vast opal under the sunshine, or

2 34 DISCOVER Indians

peeping out in rainbow-tinted glints, from among the
rifts of the clouds that rake along its sides. Often long
streams of glittering white stretch from its peaks, far out
into space, and these are called "snow-banners."

My object in passing west of Shasta was to strike
the headwaters of the Sacramento and follow that river
to the city of Sacramento. Late in the evening Oi
the fifth day we struck a beautiful region, since known
as the Shasta Valley.

While we were looking ahead through our field
glasses and laying out our route for the next day, we
discovered a great cloud of dust, which seemed to be
not more than five or six miles away, and just beyond
a low range of hills that we could overlook. We se-
creted our horses and watched the dust, but we had
not watched long before about sixty horses came in
sight, driven by five Indians. We could note that there
were a number of mules in the band, and that two of the
redskins carried rifles.

We were not long in making up our minds that this
was stolen property, and that they had done murder and
had taken the stock and were getting away as fast as they
could. Otherwise they would not have those rifles.

In those days Indians knew very little about using
guns, and the mules we knew did not belong to them, for
they did not have any mules, only as they could steal
them from the emigrants.

We watched them until they came to a nice little
stream, where they stopped, staked their saddle-horses
out, and as it was almost night, we were confident from
their movements that they were going into camp. Being

WITH STOI.EN HORSES.

235

not more than three miles from where we were, we staked
our horses on the grass, ate a cold lunch, and it now
being dark we started afoot for the Indian camp.

We did not get insight of the Indians any more until
within a quarter of a mile of their camp.

They had a little fire of sagebrush and had not lain
down yet, but were watching the horses very closely.

They stayed up until about eleven o'clock, and every
few minutes some of them would go out to where the

horses were feeding and look all around.

The moon
being -full, it
was a very
bright night,
and we could
see well.

Finally the
horses all got
quiet, and the
Indians, after
building up a
little more
fire, all laid
down by it for
a nap.

After they
had lain there
some little
time, I told

the boys now was our time, for as soon as one of them
woke up he would go out to the horses again.

Would go out where the horses were feeding
and look around

236 KILL THE Indians.

George Jones requested me not to take any hand in
the fight for fear I might get my shoulder hurt over again,
as it was not well by any means. I told him I would not
unless I thought it really necessary; but if it was I would
give them a shot anyway, just for luck. I gave George
Jones one of my revolvers, so he took a revolver in each
hand, and Riley had a revolver in his left and his sabre
in his right hand. We now started to crawl up to where
the Indians were no doubt fast asleep.

I crawled up with the balance, in case the boys got
in close quarters, thinking that a shot might help them,
but George Jones assured me that by taking one of my
revolvers they would get three the first shot and then
they would have three more shots for the other two, so
that before any of them got to their feet we would have
them all.

It being an unusually bright, moonlight night, we
were able when near them, by the aid also of the little
fire which was yet burning, to get their exact position,
which was a great help in making an attack.

When within ten feet of the Indians, Jones and Riley
both rose to their feet and fired three shots, Jones firing
both pistols at once, and they killed two Indians as they
lav and killed the third one as he raised to his feet.

The other two ran, not offering to fight at all, but
Jones and Riley got them before they had gone further
than a few steps.

This fight occurred about sixteen miles east of Yreka,
near Little Shasta.

We rebuilt the fire by throwing some sagebrush on,
and in their outfit we found two scalps taken from white

CAPTURED HORSES.

23;

men, and which looked to have been taken in the last
twenty-four hours; two rifles, but no amunition, and I
don't think they would have known how to use them if
they had had amunition. They were armed with bows
and arrows, and some had knives.

T stayed and looked after the captured horses while
the other boys went back after our own horses. On their
return I laid down and slept awhile, but the other boys

They killed the third one as he arose.

did not lie down at all that night, for there was not much
night left by the time they got in with our horses.

The following morning, as soon as it was light enough
to see, we counted the horses and found there were fifty-
five of them.

After getting our breakfast we started back on the
trail the Indians had come, that being the course we
wished to go. We traveled hard all day, and just at

238 A RESTLESS NIGHT.

night we came to a little stream running across the val-
ley, that we had looked at through the glasses the even-
ing before. Here we went into camp for the night, and
on looking across the valley on the opposite side of the
river we could see through the field glasses a number of
little wreaths of smoke curling up into the air, and they
were scattered along the foothills here and there for sev-
eral miles,

I knew at once they were not from Indian fires, for I
could not see a lodge, and they were too badly scattered
to be an Indian village.

Just what it was we could not make out, but we
stopped on the little stream that night, which is now
called Shasta river. I slept but very little, as my broken
shoulder was commencing to bother me again from rid-
ing. I was up and down all night long, and was around
among the horses many times.

The next morning we were up and had our breakfast
and started very early. We had not gone more than two
miles, when, on looking ahead, we saw twelve men com-
ing on horseback. Through my glasses I saw they were
white men, and told the boys so. George Jones could
not believe they were white men until he looked through
the glass, when he said: "Well, I'll be d — d if they
ain't white men. "

We altered our course so as to meet them, and less
than a half hour's ride brought us face to face.

There was a man by the name of Wm. McConnell
riding in the lead, and on meeting us the first word ut-
tered by any of the party was by McConnell. He said:
"Where in the name of God did you get those horses?"

RETURN PROPERTY. 239

While I was telling him where and how we came in pos-
session of them, George Jones took the five Indian scalps
from the pack and said:

"And there is something else we got at the same time
we got the horses."

Then he took the two white men's scalps from the
pack, also the two rifles, and they were also satisfied
that the scalps were the scalps of the two white men
who had been herding this same band of horses and
mules, for the hair was similar in color to that of the
two herders. One of them had dark brown hair and
the other one had rather light hair.

From this company of men we learned that near
us there was a mining eamp, the stock belonged to the
miners, and that the two men killed had been herding
the horses and mules about three miles away from
camp. This was a new camp called Greenhorn Gulch.

The herders always brought the horses to camp
every night, but the last two nights they had failed to
bring the stock in, and this man McConnell had raised
the crowd to hunt the stock, being satisfied that the
two herders were killed and the stock driven away by
the Indians.

After giving them a brief outline of our little fight
with the Indians, our business there, etc., McConnell
asked us how much the miners would have to pay us for
our trouble. I told him that we did not make any charge,
but that if the miners felt that it was worth anything to
them to have their horses brought back, they could pay
us just what they felt like giving. McConnell said for us
to ride back to camp with them and he would call a

240 MINERS MEETING.

miners' meeting that afternoon and state the case to the
miners, and he was satisfied they would do what was
right.

We drove the stock to where they were accustomed
to being corralled at night and corralled them, and made
camp for the night, for I was needing rest, very much, on
account of my shoulder.

This man McConnell was erecting a store building
about half way between Greenhorn Gulch and a new dis-
covery that had recently been made, some two or three
miles off.

About two o'clock Mr. McConnell came to our camp
and told us to come along with him to a certain miner's
cabin, and that the miners would all be there and we
would see what could be done. When we got to the
cabin, sure enough every miner was there.

Mr. McConnell called the house to order, stated the
object of the meeting and made quite a little speech.
He told the miners that we had brought the stock home,
told where and how we came in possession of it, and
that he, as well as eleven other men that were present,
had seen the five Indian scalps, also two scalps of white
men that he was confident were the scalps of the two
herders, and had also seen their two rifles.

After Mr. McConnell had addressed the crowd in a
very genteel manner he set a hat on the newly con-
structed miners' table and said: "Now, gentlemen, how
much will each of ^ou give.'' I will give twenty dollars. "
At the same time he threw twenty dollars in for a starter.
The other miners followed suit, all contributing liberally.

AT San Francisco. 241

and the amount raised reached three hundred and fifty
dollars.

After the money was counted they asked us if we were
satisfied with that amount.

We told them that we were, and that if they had not
given us anything it would have been all right, for we only
considered that we had done our duty, which we would
expect any man to do for us under like circumstances.

The morning following, before starting out again, we
obtained information from Mr. McConnell concerning our
trip down to Sacramento that was of great value to us.
He directed us by way of Scott's Valley, and told us we
need not have any fear of trouble with the Indians, which
was a great relief to us at that time.

We found it a splendid trail, and made the trip from
the mining camp to Sacramento in nine days. Mr. Mc-
Connell thought it would take us twelve days, but having
plenty of horses along we could change when we liked,
and by doing so could make good time.

The next day after arriving at Sacramento we got our
horses on pasture, and the following mornmg took the
boat for San Francisco.

The next morning after arriving at San Francisco we
went to the Miners' Restaurant to see my old friend,
Healey, and they were all very glad to see us.

After breakfast we hired a team and started to the
Fort with our baggage.

They were all greatly astonished when we told them
that we had made the trip alone.

As soon as I arrived at the Fort I went to see the sur-
geon, and he told me that my shoulder was in a dan-

242 A GREAT COMMOTION.

gerous condition, and that I would have to stay around
the Fort so that he could see me at least every other day
for several weeks.

There was a great commotion at the Fort when the
news spread abroad that we had arrived from Fort Kla-
math, for every one that had a friend away with Col.
Elliott's command expected a letter, and we had to have
a postmaster appointed to distribute the mail.

During my stay at the Fort I made my home at Mra.
Elliott's.

While I was away with Col. Elliott, Jim Beckwith
had been at the Fort a number of times, and each time
had left a letter for me requesting me to come to see
him as soon as I got back.

After resting a few days I started to the city to
look Jim up, and found him without any trouble. His
money was about all gone, and he was anxious for me
to go to the mountains with him on a trapping expe-
dition the coming winter, saying he was tired of laying
around doing nothing but drink whiskey.

We made arrangements to start in two or three
weeks from that time, provided my shoulder would per-
mit. Jim agreed to go to Sacramento when we were
ready to start and get my horses, and I returned to the
Fort to have my broken shoulder taken care of.

Now, as I have said before, I don't think there was
ever a young man that suffered from bashfulness as I did
during v/hat time I was in the company of ladies.

At that time I thought Mrs. Elliott was doing all she
could to tease me, but since I have grown older and
learned a little more about civilization, I am convinced

IN SOCIETY.

243

that it was for my own good, thinking that I might over-
come my timidity to a certain extent by having me go in
societ}^ Nearly every day while at the Fort she would
either ask me in the afternoon to go in company with
her to visit some lady friend, or would want me to stay
at her house to receive some lady company, and fre-
quently I have accompanied her to a neighbor's house
where there were young ladies, and I would have given
every horse that I owned to have been away. But Mrs.
Elliott had been almost like a mother to me, and I could
not refuse to go with her when she requested me to do so.
After I had been at the Fort about two weeks Mrs
Elliott said she was going to give another part}', but I
told her I had a lawful excuse this time for not dancing,
as the surgeon would not allow me to dance on account
of mv shoulder. Among- the balance of Mrs. Elliott's
lad}' friends was Lieut. Jackson's wife, who, by the way,
was one of the loveliest
and best women I have
ever met. Her husband
had been ordered the |?
past summer out to
Arizona, and was at
that time establishing
a new fort, which was
known afterwards as
Fort Yuma.

Mrs. Jackson was ex-

, • , . She was going to give another party.

pectmg to go soon to & & & v j

join her husband at Fort Yuma, and as I was going on
to the waters of the Gila, trapping, she insisted on my

244 ANOTHER PARTY.

waiting and going in company with them. Finally, after

stopping around the Fort three weeks, the surgeon told
me by a certain time, which was nearly a week, I might
start out, and if I was careful I would be perfectly safe.

I went down to the city, and Jim Beckwith and I
agreed on the time to start, after which I returned to the
Fort.

The evening before I was to start, every army officer
at the Fort, there being twenty-eight in number, and
every lady, married and single, came to Mrs. Elliott's
house. When I asked her what all this meant, she said:
*T suppose the}^ have come to bid you good-bye." But
it was not long until I knew the object of the meeting,
for some one in the crowd sang out: "Choose partners
for a quadrille!" and in a jiffy there was a double set on
the floor, and the floor manager said: "All ready."

The musicians took their seats, and the same
prompter stood there that prompted for them the time I
attended that other party of Mrs Elliott's.

The music started up, and I commenced to realize
that I was attending a party, or the party was attending
me, one of the two. They danced nearly all night, and
had what they called a nice time, while I sat back in one
corner scared half to death for fear they would call "la-
dies' choice;" and I knew Mrs. Elliott or some other lady
was sure to come for me, and as my shoulder was getting
most well, I was afraid that I could not get clear on the
plea of being a cripple.

When the party broke up, Mrs. Jackson insisted on
my paying them a visit at Fort Yuma, as it would not be

Nawasa, Pima tribe.

Page 246

OFF TRAPPING. 245

a great ways from where I was going to trap the coming
winter.

The next morning when I rode off, and different ones
were waving me adieu, Mrs. EHiott told me to be sure
and pay them a visit when I came to the city.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Trapping on the Gila. — The Pimas impart a sec-
ret.— Rescue of a white girl. — A young Indian
agent. — Visit to Taos. — Uncle Kit fails to
recognize me.

The same day that I left the Fort, Jim Beckwith
came down to the boat bringing my horses, twelve in
number, and after bu3ang our outfit for camping, provis-
ions, and so on, we bought quite a lot of beads, blank-
ets, cheap rings and such goods as we could trade to the
Indians for furs.

The following day we pulled for the trapping region,
by way of the old San Jose mission, and from there to
the old mission of San Grbriel, thence across the Mojave
desert. From there we struck out for the mouth of the
Gila river, and crossed just where it empties into the
Colorado. We then traveled up what is known as Salt

246 WITH PlMAS.

river, some distance from where we crossed the Gila.
This was early in January, and we found plenty of beaver
that were easy to catch.

No trapping had been done in that region for several
years. Besides, we thought at the time, and it so proved,
that we were entirely out of the way of hostile Indians.

Here we put in two months trapping, with splendid
success. Then, as it was getting too late in the season
to trap, Jim proposed that we take our little stock of
goods, or a portion of it, and visit the Pima tribe of In-
dians, which we found to be not as great a distance away
as we had supposed, it being only about forty miles to
their village.

They all knew us and were glad to see us. The chief
and some other of the head men were out on their an-
nual hunt, and we did not get to see them, as w^e only
stayed two days, during which time they treated us the
very best they knew how. They had plenty of vegetables
such as turnips, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.

While on this visit a certain young Indian got to be a
great friend to me, but I am sorry to say that I have for-
gotten his name. He had a sister whose name was
Nawasa, who also got to be a warm friend of mine, and
I must say, that, although an Indian, she was a lady in
her way, and I thought, really, that she was the best
looking Indian I had ever seen.

The evening that we were to start back to our camp,
Nawasa came to me and told me in Spanish that her
brother wanted to see me, and that he had something to
tell me. I started off with her, and after we had gone a

THEY IMPART 247

short distance I asked her where her brother was, and
she pointed to a bunch of bushes, saying he was there.

On n:y arrival at the spot I asked him what he wished
to say to me. I knew he had something private and im-
portant to say, otherwise he would not have called me to
an out-of-the-way place like that.

He raised to his feet and looked around to see if
there was any one in sight, and said in Spanish: "Sit
down here, me and my sister have something to tell
you."

He started in by saying that the Apaches were very
bad Indians, and that they had killed many of my
friends; which showed that he considered all white
people my friends.

"Six or seven years ago," he continued, "they killed
a man, his wife, and two boys, and took two girls priso-
ners. A long time ago the smallest girl died and the
big girl buried her."

At this, Nawasa spoke and said: "Many times I
have gone with her to the village and heard her sing
a pretty song, but I could not understand a word of it."

I asked if this girl was living yet.

Nawasa said: "Yes, I see her every few days."

I asked her what size the girl was, and from what
I could learn she was almost grown.

I asked her if the girl was satisfied, and she thought
she was not, saying she was held a prisoner and had
to do the work for the Indian families, or lodges, as she
termed them. She said the work consisted of getting the
wood and water, and whatever little cooking was to be
done.

248 A SECRET.

The reader will understand that while the Apaches
were hostile toward the whites, and the Pimas were not,
yet the two tribes were always on peacable terms. But
1 could see at a glance that those two Indians felt a deep
interest in that white girl. I asked Nawasa how far it
was to where the white girl was. After studying awhile,
she said it was about six hours, meaning six hours' ride.

I asked her when she would see the girl again, and
she made me understand that if it would please me, or be
of any benefit to the girl, she could see her most any day,
saying that she went near the village to gather huckle-
berries, this being the time of year the red huckleberries
are ripe in this country.

I told them that I would come back in four days, and
then I would go with them to that place to gather huck-
leberries.

I wanted to look over the ground before laying my
plans for taking the girl, provided she wished to leave
the Indians.

This ended the conversation, so we went back to
camp, where I found Jim Beckwith and a crowd of In-
dians joking, smoking and having a good time generally,
for. as I have said before, this was the most sociable
tribe of Indians that I ever saw.

On our arrival at camp, Jim asked me in Spanish
where I had been, and when he saw the Indian girl, said:
"Oh, I see; you have been off courting;" and then he and
the Indians had a laugh at my expense.

I did not say anything to Jim about what I had heard
until the next dav.

We started early in order to make the trip in one

PLAN TO RESCUE 249

day. I told him the story just as I had it from the two
Indians, and told him that I was going to try to get the
girl away from the Apaches if she wanted to leave them.

I -rode along some distance, apparently in a deep
study, and he finally turned to me and said:

"I think you had better let that gal alone, for them
Apaches is the wust Injuns in the hull country. If you
make the attempt and they ever git on your track, they'll
run you down in spite o' you. "

To the readers of this book I will say I never, was
more astonished in my life, than I was to hear Jim Beck-
with talk as he did. In all the time that I had been with
him, this was the first time I had ever seen the slightest
indication of his showing the white feather, as we termed
it. It seemed to me he had lost all his nerve.

I said: "Jim, my mind is made up; if that white girl
is dissatisfied and wants to leave the Indians, I am going
to make the attempt, and trust to luck for the balance."

From that time until the day I was to go back to the
village, he tried in every way he could think of to per-
suade me not to make the attempt, but I told him there
was no use talking, that I looked upon it as being my
duty, knowing that the girl was a slave to those Indians.

Qn the day appointed I saddled Mexico and started
for the Pima village. I met the two young Indians about
two miles from the village, where they had come to meet
me, and they were both riding one horse, Nawasa riding
behind her brother. When I met them she jumped off
from behind her brother and said she wanted to try my
horse to see how^ he rode, and she got on Mexico behind
me and rode to camp.

250 CAPTIVE WHITE GIRL

I stayed at the village that night, and the next morn-
ing the three of us started out to gather huckleberries.

After we were on the ground and were busying our-
selves gathering berries, Nawasa said:

"If you will go on that little hill" — pointing to a hill
near by — "at noon to-morrow, I will bring the white girl
here to this tree, and you can see her for yourself."

She made me promise her not to go any nearer the
Apache camp at this time, for, said she, "If they suspect
anything wrong, the white girl will be traded off to the
Indians in Mexico for a slave."

After making arrangements to meet the next day,
Nawasa rode off toward the Apache town, and her brother
and I rode back to the Pima village.

The following day I rode back in company with my
young Indiar. friend to within two or three miles of the
berry-patch, where we separated, and I rode out to the
ridge that Nawasa had pointed out to me the day pre-
vious.

I saw them standing by the tree, as she had said. I
put my glass to my eyes and saw sure enough that it was
a white girl with Nawasa, and that she looked very sad.

I then rode back to the Pima village. That same
night the two young Indians both came home, but they
would not say a word while at camp. It seemed that they
would not under any consideration have let any of the
other Indians know what they were up to, so the next
morning when I started home they took their horses and
rode with me about two miles.

After we had got away from the village some distance,
I asked Nawasa if the white girl still wanted to leave the

FROM Apaches.

251

Apaches, and she said, "Yes, she would like very much
to leave them, but was afraid; as the Apaches had told
her that if she
ever tried to get
away and was
caught, she
would be sold
to the Mexican
Indians as a
slave, and there
she would have
to work in the
fields, which
would be much
harder work
than she has to
do where she is."
I t o 1 d Na-
wasa that if she
would bring the
white girl out on
the same ridsre

that I had rode ^^^^

on, I would give

her five strings
of beads, and I

would give her

one string to give to the white girl. She promised that
she would try, and that she would do her best.

I agreed to be back in eight days and see what ar-
rangements had been made, and to let her know when I
would be ready to take the girl.

I saw them standing by the tree.

252 DISCOURAGEMENT.

When I got back, Jim asked me what I would do with
the girl if I was successful in getting her away from the
Indians. I told him I would take her to Fort Yuma.

"And what in the name of God will you do with her
when you get to Fort Yuma.-*" said Jim.

I told him that if Mrs. Jackson was there, which I
was confident she was, that I would leave the girl with
her, and that I had no fears but that the girl would be
taken care of in the very best manner that Mrs. Jackson
could provide for her.

Jim said: "If the girl is satisfied with the Injuns,
why don't you let her alone.-* She don't know anything
but Injun ways, and she never will."

I told him that my mind was thoroughly made up,
and I would rescue that girl from the Indians or lose my
scalp in the attempt. And now don't say any more about
it, for it will do no good.

He said: "Go ahead and do as you please, as you
have always got to have your own way about things, any-
how."

I said: "Yes, Jim; when I know I am right, I pro-
pose to have my own way."

This ended the conversation, for the time being, at
least, for Jim saw that I was determined in the matter,
and he said no more about it.

On the day appointed I took my two favorite saddle-
horses and rode over to the Pima village.

I started very early and arrived at the village about
four o'clock in the afternoon.

After knocking about the village for a little while, my
two Indian friends proposed that we take a ride.

CLEVER SCHEMING 2 53

Of course I knew the horseback ride was only a ruse
to get a chance to tell tne the plans laid by herself and
the white girl for her escape, although she said that she
just wanted to try my Pinto horse to see how he would
ride.

And here I will sa\' that T don't believe there was an-
other Indian in that village who had any idea of the
scheme that was being worked up between myself and
those two Indians, for they would never say a word to
me while within earshot of any of the tribe.

The other Indians thought I was courting Nawasa,
and it was always the custom among those Indians for a
young couple never to ride out alone.

It has always been a mystery to me why those young
Pimas took such a deep interest in the white girl, for they
were merely untutored Indians, having only a few years
since seen the first white man, and had not seen many
since then.

But those two 3'oung Indians seemed to be as kind-
hearted persons as I ever met, and were the most intel-
hgent Indians I ever saw, who were not educated, and I
often regretted that I did not take them to some school
and have them educated, for it would have been a great
benefit to the people on the plains at that time.

But to go on with my story. We took our ride, and
as soon as we were well away from the village Nawasa
told me that she had seen the white girl and completed
plans for her escape. She said that after making ar-
rangements with the girl, she — Nawasa — had not gone to
the Apache village, but had met the girl at the huckle-
berry patch most every day.

54 BY TWO YOUNG

She said: "The girl will come to the berry-patch
every day until we go there for her, provided the Indians
with whom she lived would let her go; that she might be;
there to-morrow, and she might not come till the next
day. The girl is willing to go with you, and we will go
to the berry-patch to-morrow and wait till she comes."
The next morning the three of us started out osten-
sibly to pick berries.

After we were out of sight of the village the young
Indian man took my Pinto horse and started in the di-
rection of Fort Yuma, it being understood that he was to
stop about half way between Fort Yuma and the place
where we would meet the girl. He was to wait there
until the middle of the afternoon, and if we were not
there by that time he was to return to camp.

Xawcisa and I went on to the berry-patch, but the
white girl was not there. V^e had not waited long, how-
ever, until Nawasa looked up and said in Spanish,
''There she comes now."

I looked and saw the girl running. She did not dis-
co\'er us until she was within about fifty yards of us, and
when she saw us she stopped very suddenly and hung her
head.

I did not know at the time whether she was ashamed
or whether she had been with the Indians so long that
she was realh' afraid of a white person; but Nawasa was
not long in getting to her, and the girl would look at me
and then look back, as though she had a notion to go
back to the Apache village.

When I rode up to where she was, she dropped her
head and would not look up for some little lime.

She dropped her head and would not look up for some little time.

Page 254

Pima Indians. 255

I saw that her face was badly tattooed, but her body
was not, and as she stood there, apparently undecided
what to do, she was to me an object of pity, and her de-
jected countenance would, I think, have appealed
strongly to even Jim Bridger's heart.

I told Nawasa to help her on behind me, for we
must be off quick. Nawasa said: "She don't want to
go." I then spoke to the white girl in Spanish, and
said: "My dear girl, why do you hesitate.-^ Get up
behind me and I will take you to your own people.
Why do you want to stay here and be a slave for those
Indians.?"

I wish I could give in detail the persuasive lan-
guage used by that untutored but kind-hearted Indian
girl, to get her to leave the Apaches. She would tell
her that if she would only go with me that I would
take her to her own people, and would tell her how
happy she would be with them.

After a great deal of persuasion, as I sat on my horse
I reached down and took her by one arm and told the
Indian girl to help her up behind me. She took her by
the foot and helped her on my horse, and mounting her
own horse we flew out of that section about as fast as our
horses were able to carrv us.

I was riding Mexico, and he was one of the swiftest
horses in that country, and he had great endurance, also.

We rode some distance before I said anything to the
girl, though Nawasa had kept along at our side, talking
to her all the time to keep her spirits up. Finally I
spoke to her in the English language, but it was some

256

THE ESCAPE.

time before I could get her to utter a word; I don't know
whether it was through fear or bashfulness.

Four miles' ride brought us out of the timber into an
open prairie, with low hills covered with bunch-grass, and
here and there a bunch of prickly pears, so rank that one
dared not attempt to ride through them. There were
little mountain streams running through the country, with

We flew as fast as our horses could carry us.

no kind of timber but willows, strewn here and there
along the banks.

On we went, over the hills and across the valleys,
putting our horses down to what they, could stand and at
the same time keeping a sharp lookout behind to see if
the Indians were trailing us.

CHANGE SADDLE. 257

Our course for the first twenty miles, to where we met
the young Indian, was a httle north of west, and from
there ahiiost due west.

About two o'clock we arrived at the point where we
were to meet the young Indian, and found him there,
waiting.

We dismounted, and I was not long in changing my
saddle from Mexico to my Pinto horse. This horse would
weigh nearly eleven hundred pounds, and had good life
and splendid bottom.

By this time the white girl was beginning to talk some.

After having my saddle changed and on my horse, the
Indian girl told her she would go no farther with us.
She told Nawasa that she was afraid to go with me, as
she was afraid that I would take her to Mexico and sell
her for a slave, where she would have to work in the
fields. But Nawasa assured her there was no danger,
saying: "Esta umbra niooly ah-me-go," meaning, "This
man is a great friend of mine;" and she again told her
not to be afraid, for I would take her to her own people.

This seemed to give her some encouragement.

After the young Indian had shown me the direction
to Fort Yuma, by landmarks, etc., I asked him how far
it was.

He stepped out by the side of my horse, and after
taking a good look at him, said in Spanish: "About
three hours, or perhaps three and a half " I then told
Nawasa to help the girl up again, and she did so.

When we were about to start, the two Indians came
up to us and said: "Adios anlyose," which means,

25^ A Clouded memorv.

"Good-bye, my friend;" at the same time shaking hands
with us both.

After riding a short distance I commenced talking to
her in our own language.

It seemed that she had almost forgotten English, and
when she would try to talk it she could not join the words
together so as to make much sense of it. It was hard to
understand her, but between English and Spanish to-
gether she could manage to talk so that I was able to un-
derstand her. However, her English seemed to improve
by degrees, and I asked her if she would not be glad to
get back to her own people, so they could dress her up
and make a lady of her.

I do not believe that the poor girl had really thought
of or realized her nude condition.

She said: "No, I can never be a white girl," and at
the same time commenced crying, and said in broken
Enghish, "Now I remember seeing my mother dressed all
nice, and plenty more women all dressed nice." It
seemed after talking to her in her own language a short
time she could call back to memory things that she had
forgotten altogether.

I asked her how long since she was taken by the
Indians. She had to study some time before she could
answer, but finally in broken English, intermingled with
Spanish, she said she thought seven years.

I asked if she was taken alone. She said, no, she had
a little sister taken at the same time she was. I asked
her where the little sister was, and she replied that she
had died, and she thought she had been dead about three
years.

Navajo Church, near Fort Wingate, New Mexico.

ARRIVE AT FORT. 259

I asked her if the Indians had killed her father and
mother. She said: "Yes, and my little brother, too;
and burned (jur wagon and all that was in it."

Then I said to her: "I don't see how you can love
those Indians who had killed your father, mother and
brother." She replied that she had no one else to love.

I then said to her, "You will soon be among friends,
for I am taking you to a woman that will be as good to
you as your own mother was, " and at that moment we hove
in sight of the Fort. I pointed to the Fort, and told her
there was where the woman lived that I was taking her to.

We were now safe from an attack from the Apaches,
and only a few minutes later I drew rein at Fort Yuma.

I first rode up to the guard, whose beat was in front
of the Commander's tent, and asked where Lieut. Jack-
son's quarters were. He pointed to a tent not far from
where we then were, saying: "That is his tent, and his
wife is there, too."

As I rode to the Lieutenant's quarters, all eyes were
turned in our direction. Mrs. Jackson came to the door
of the tent and recognized me at once, and her first words
were: "Chief, in the name of common sense, where are
you from, and who is this }'ou have with you.''" '

I said: "Mrs. J'lckson, this is a girl I rescued from
the Indians. She has no parents and no relatives, that
she knows of, and I have brought her to you, thinking
you would be a friend to her."

The reply of that noble woman was, "I will, with all
my heart," and at that she assisted the girl in getting off
the horse and led her into her own tent.

By this time Lieut. Jackson and all the officers of the

26o

INTRODUCTIONS.

■ ■^.j-^m.j,'^ w.rn^^

■ - ^,#^ -3

■•c^^

Fort were there, and it seemed to me that the Lieutenant
would never quit shaking'- my hand, and when he went to

introduce me to
- . the other offi-
^i v! cers who were
' \" present, laugh-
iv ^^ \ng\y said.
l-'xj' "What shall

-'<■ ^'.

'V.

: I

vou

s. 1

1 t ^ '^

"Who is this you have with you?"

'^ ' have known vou

a s t h e 'Boy

^ Scout,' also as

^^'^"^ the 'Chief of

' '*" Scouts, ' I have

k n o w n y o u

~~"" when you w^ere

giving lessons

in hunting, and

now you have come in from a hostile Indian country with

a white girl riding behind you. What shall I call you.^"

I said: "Lieutenant, call me Will Drannan, the

irapper, for I am now engaged in that business."

"Yes, I see you are;" responded the Lieutenant with
a hearty laugh, ''and T see you have had splendid success
ill Nour new enterprise." He then asked me if I had
lr.;pped the girl.

I told him that I did not trap her, but that I got her
awa}' just the same.

The Lieutenant then introduced me to the officers,
and had the orderly take charge of my horses. I was
never kept more busy in my life answering questions than

Olivi-: Oatman. 261

I was for the next two Imurs, relative to the ^\r\ aiul my
plan of rescuinj^ her.

Anion,!;" the; officers was a captain by llie name of Asa
Moore, who hail heard all about this massacreOnly a short
time after it occurred, and he said he tliought there were
some of the relatives living somewhere in California, but
he did not know just what part of the state.

I had forgotten to say that on our wa\' to the Fort I
asked her name. It seemed at first that sheliad forgotten
it, but after stud}'ing some little time she tried to speai;
the name, which at that time I understood to be Otus, but
I have learned since that her name was Olive Oatman.
She did not seem to remember her gix'cn name. The
Indians had a name for her, but I have forgotten what it
was.

Lieut. Jackson invited us into his tent, but when we
got to the door it was barred.

Mrs. Jackson asked us to wait a few minutes until she
got some clothes on Will's girl.

A few minutes later, when we were called into sup-
per, Mrs. Jackson had washed the girl and had her dressed
in calico.

Mrs. Jackson told us that after she got her dressed,
the girl sat down and wept bitterl}' and said she did not
know how to wear such clothing.

I remained at the Fort two days, and I must say that
this girl improved both in talking and in manners during
the time I was there far beyond our expectations.

When she would appear down-hearted or discouraged
Mrs. Jackson would talk to her in such a kind and moth-

262 A RECOMMENDATION

erly manner thcit the girl would cheer up at once and
would be anxious to try to make something of herself.

After spending two da}S at the Fort, and knowing
that Jim Beck with would be uneasy about me, I com-
menced making preparations to return.

Mrs. Jackson promised me that she would give the
girl the very best care possible wliile she remained with
her, and if she could hear of any, of her relatives she would
see that she got to them safely.

With this understanding I left the girl with Mrs.
Jackson, but before I was ready to start the Lieutenant
came to me and asked if I did not want a j ^b of scouting.
I told him that I did not at present, that I was going to
Santa Fe and did not know when I would return again.

He then handed me a letter of recommendation, say-
ing, "If you ever happen to want a position scouting,
just show this letter and it will be of some benefit to
you," and he assured me that if at any time he could
assist me in any manner he would cheerfully do so.

When 1 was ready to start, Miss Oatman asked Mrs.
Jackson what she should s;ty to me. Mrs. Jackson told
her to tell me goo(i-b\e, and tell me that she was very
thankful to me for all I had done for her. But the poor
girl could not remember it all. She could oiily remem-
ber the words "Good-bye, I thank you," at the same time
shaking hands with me.

This was the last I ever saw of the girl, but have
heard various reports concerning her since. I have been
told that Mrs. Jackson raised money at the Fort to send
her to San Francisco to have the tattoo marks removed
from her face by the celebrated Dr. Fuller of that city,

O
o

w
O

BACK WITH PiMAg. 263

but they having been formed with vegetable matter, he
was unable to remove them. I was also informed that
she was afterwards sent to New York for the same pur-
pose, but with no better success.

Only a short time ago, since coming to Idaho, I heard
that she had really found some of her relatives some-
where in the state of Oregon, where she remained and
raised a family; while a still later report is that she is
married to a rich merchant and is living somewhere in
the state of New York.

I have often thought of this poor girl since, and it has
always been a question in my mind whether I did right
in taking her away from the Indians after she had been
with them so long; but if I did do right, and she or any
of her relatives should by chance see this work and
glance over its pages, I wish to say that to that kind-
hearted Indian girl of the Pima tribe, Nawasa by name,
and her brother belong the the praise of rescuing Olive
Oatman from the Apache Indians.

In the first place, had it not been for her and her
brother, I would never have known of the girl, and even
after I knew she was there, I could not have done any-
thing without Nawasa's assistance, for she could not have
worked more faithfully and earnestly if there had been a
thousand dollars in the operation for her.

On my return trip I rode the first day to the Pima
village and remained there that night.

I hired my young Indian friend to go among the
Apaches and trade beads for furs, and he went home with
me.

Nawasa was very anxious to know how I got through

264 ARRIVE AT CAMP.

with the girl, but did not dare say anything while in
camp; so the next morning when her brother and I were
leaving she caught a horse and rode with us some dis-
tance. As soon as we were out of hearing of the other
Indians, she and her brother commenced asking all sorts
of questions concerning the girl; whether I thought she
would be happy with her own people or not.

Those Indians had learned in some way that some-
where, a long distance away, the white people had great
villages, and Nawasa asked if I thought the white girl
would be taken to the large cities.

The young Indian and I arrived at our camp about
four o'clock that afternoon and found Jim Beckwith in a
splendid humor, for he was glad to see me. He had
given up all hope of ever seeing me again, for he thought
the Apaches had followed me up and killed me. I told
him what I had brought the young Indian for, and he was
well pleased with the arrangement.

We fitted him out with beads that cost us twenty dol-
lars, and tin pans and blankets, agreeing to come to his
village in two weeks for our furs.

When the two weeks were up we took our pack-horses
and went to the village, and to our surprise he had traded
off the beads and blankets to a much better advantage
than we could have done ourselves.

For this favor we gave him in compensation two pairs
of blankets, four brass finger rings and four strings of
beads; and the young fellow thought he had been well
treated f(^r his trouble.

It was now getting late in the season, and after buy-
ing all the furs the Pima tribe had we commenced making

cr-

»-* •

o
c

AT Kit Carson's home. 265

preparations to pull out for Taos, as we had about all the
furs we could pack on our horses to advantage, having
fourteen pack-horses in all.

We packed up and started, and made the trip without
anything of consequence happening on the way. We
did not see any hostile Indians and had very good suc-
cess, only losing one pack and horse while crossing a
little stream, the name of which I have forgotten; and
arrived at Taos in the latter part of Jane.

It was late in the afternoon when we rode up to
Uncle Kit Carson's home. He and his wife and little
child were out on the porch, and as soon as we rode
up, both recognized Jim Beckwith, but neither of them
knew me, for when they had seen me last I was al-
most a beardless boy, and now I had quite a crop of
beard and was a man of twenty-five years of age.

"Hello, Jim!" were Uncle Kit's first words, and he
and his wife came out to the gate to shake hands with
him.

"Well, how are you, anyhow; and how have you been
since you left, and who is this you have with you.''"
said Uncle Kit, the last in a low tone of voice.

I had dismounted some 3ards distant, and on the op-
posite side of the pack-horse from them. Jim told Uncle'
Kit that I was a discouraged miner that he had picked up
In California, saying: "He don't amount to very mucli,
but I needed some one for company and to help me
through with the pack-train, so I brought him along. "

By this time I had made my way through the bunch
of pack-horses and walked up to Uncle Kit and spoke to
him, and I think I got the worst shaking up that I had

266 AT Bent's Fort.

had for a long time, and I don't think there ever was a
father more pleased to see his son return than Uncle Kit
was to see me.

Our horses were turned over to the hired man, who
took care of them, and the next two davs were spent in
visiting Uncle Kit and his wife. Of course I had to tell
them of the hardships I had undergone during my ab-
sence from home; my adventures, narrow escapes, etc.

I learned that Mr. Hughes had died during my ab-
sence; I also learned that Johnnie West was at Bent's
Fort.

After resting two days we packed up again and started
for Bent's Fort. Uncle Kit went along with us to assist
in making a good sale of our furs, and we arrived there
just in time, as the last train was going out for the sea-
son, and we sold them for a good price.

Here I met Jim Bridger, Johnnie West and a number
of other acquaintances and friends who supposed I had
been killed and scalped by the Indians. I was sorry to
learn that Johnnie West, like the majority of the old
frontiersmen, had fallen into the habit of drinking up
every dollar that he earned.

While we were here. Uncle Kit made a proposition
that himself, Jim Beckwith, Jim Bridger and myself take
a trip to the head of the Missouri river and put in the
winter trapping.

He said he wanted to make this trip and then quit
the business, saying: "I have business enough at home
to attend to, but I have always had an anxiety to take a
trip to the headwaters of the Missouri river."

The four of us returned to Taos, arriving there just in

u
a

D
C
O

a;
>^

a;
o
c

"!«

THE FANDANGO. 267

time to celebrate the Fourth of July, arriving on the sec-
ond, and now I was home again in my fine buckskin suit.
• ^ The night of the fourth we all attended a big fan-
dango, and had a huge time. I was somewhat over my
bashfulness by this time, and by the assistance of Mrs.
Carson and two or three other ladies present, I was en-
abled to get through in pretty good shape. After that
night's dancing, I felt that if I were back at the Fort,
where I tried to dance my first set, I would show them
how dancing first began.

CHAPTER XIX.

a warm time in a cold country, — a band of ban-
nocks chase us into a storm that saves us.

Kit Carson slightly wounded. — Beckwith makes
a century run.

We remained at Taos until August first, then, all
being ready for our northern trip, each man taking his
own saddle-horse and five pack horses, we made the start
for the headwaters of the Missouri river. We crossed
the Platte where it leaves the mountains, and the next
day we met a band of Arapahoes, who informed us that
the Sioux were on the war-path, and that Gen. Harney

268 Gen. Harney's camp.

was stationed on North Platte with a considerable body
of soldiers. The day following, after having crossed the
Cache-la-Poudre, we reached Gen. Harney's camp. The
General, being a good friend of Uncle Kit and Jim
Bridger, insisted on our being his guests, so we took sup-
per with him and camped there for the night.

While at the supper table, Jim Beckwith told the
General who I was and what I had been doing the last
three years, following which I took Lieut. Jackson's let-
ter from my pocket and handed it to the General. I had
never seen the inside of the letter myself. The General
read the letter the second time, and looking up at me,
he said:

**Yes, I'll give you a job; you^can start in to-morrow
if you like."

Before I had time to answer him. Uncle Kit spoke up,
saying: "General, I have employed him for the next six
months and I cannot get along without him."

At this the General said: "Mr. Carson, your busi-
ness is not urgent and mine is, and I insist on the young
man taking a position with me for tlie remainder of the
summer."

I said: "General, I did not show you that letter
with the intention of asking you for employment, but
simply to show you the standing I have with the people
where I have been."

^ 'Young man," he replied, "I don't wish to flatter
you, but there is not a man in my service that I could
conscientiously give such a letter."

When he saw that we' were deterihined to'proceed,
he tried to persuade us that we could not make it

a
-I

o
3
5'

A SKIRMISH. 269

through, "For," said he, "the whole country is full of
hostile Indians between here and there, and they are kil-
ling emigrants every day." Which was true.

The following morning we pulled out again, aiming to
push through and get into the bad lands as quickly as
possible, knowing that when once in there we would not
be attacked by a large band of Indians, there being no
game in that region for them to live on.

The second day out from Gen. Kearney's quarters,
about the middle of the afternoon, we were looking for
a place to camp for the night, when we saw eleven In-
dians coming for us full tilt. Jim Bridger was riding in
the lead, I being the hindmost one. Jim being the first
to see them, he turned as quick as a wink and we all rode
to the center. Each man having a saddle-horse and five
pack-horses, they made good breastworks for us, so we
all dismounted and awaited the impolite arrival. I drew
my rifle down across the back of one of the horses when
the Indians were two hundred 3'ards away, and Uncle
Kit said: "Don't fire yet. All wait until they get near
us, and I will give the word for all to fire at once. Each
man take good aim, and make sure of his Indian; use
your rifles first and then draw your pistols."

He did not give the word until they were within about
one hundred yards of us, and when he did, we all fired.
I saw my Indian fall to the ground. We then drew our
revolvers, and I got in two more shots before the Indians
could turn their ponies so as to get away.

At the first shot with mv revolver I did not see the
Indian fall, but at the second shot I got my man.

We killed seven from the little band, only leaving

2/0

Crow Lndiaxs.

four. They seemed to realize at once that they had bit
off more than they could chew, and in about three min-
utes they were out of sight, and that was the last we saw
of them.

We did not ^et a man wounded, and onlv one horse
hurt, and that very slightly

This was our last trouble with Indians until we were
across the Yellowstone.

The next day after crossing that river we saw on our
right, about a quarter of a mile away, twenty Crow In-

dians coming

for us. Thev

gave us chase

for five or six

niiles, until we

struck suitable

ground. As

soon as that was

obtained we

stopped to make

a stand, and as soon as they were in sight around the

hill they were within gunshot, and we all fired. I think

I saw two Indian wick-i-ups.

X
o

■-I

y
k:

2-
o"

r-r-

o
a

p
•I

UNFRIENDLY TRAPPERS. 2/1

I wounded my Indian in the leg, and killed his horse.
Jim Beckvvith said he saw three Indians fall to the
ground. This, however, was the last trouble we had
with the Crow Indians on that trip.

The next day we arrived at Fort Benton, on the Mis-
souri river. There we met a number of trappers in the
employ of the Hudson Bay Company, and not an inde-
pendent trapper in the outfit. Strange, but true, the
trappers in the employ of that Company always hated the
sight of an independent trapper.

Here we stayed over two days, trying to gather some
information as to our route, and, strange as it may seem,
we could not find a man who would give us any informa-
tion as to the route we wished to go, which was only
about two hundred miles from there.

Trapping had never been done in that region, and
these men knew that this was because of hostile Indians
there. They were not men of sufficient principle to even
intimate to us that the Indians were dangerous in that sec-
tion, but let us go on to find it out for ourselves, hoping,
no doubt, that the Indians would kill us and that there
would be so many independent trappers out of the way.
From here we took the divide between the Missouri river
and the Yellowstone, aiming to keep on high land in
order to steer clear, as much as possible, of hostile In-
dians.

Uncle Kit said he was satisfied that there was a large
basin somewhere in that country, but did not know just
where or how to find it.

It was in the evening of the fifth day when we came
upon a high ridge, and almost due west of us and far

272 Bridger's Pass.

below we could see a ^reat valley, since known as Galla-
tin Valley, where Bozeman, Mont., now stands.

When we came in sight of this beautiful region,
Uncle Kit said: "Boys, this is the country I have been
looking for, and Til assure 3'ou if we can get in there
and are not molested, we can catch beaver by the
hundred." . .

We had not been bothored by Indians, nor had we
seen any sign of them since we left Fort Benton.

We had been on high ground all of the way, and
we thought now when once in this valley we would be
entirely out of the way of the Crows, and the Ban-
nocks and Blackfoot Indians would be the only tribes
to contend with.

From where we first saw the valley, we started to
go down the mountain. The next day, as we got lower,
we could see plenty of Indian sign. Striking a canyon,
that we thought would lead us down to the valley, we
gave it the name of Bridger's Pass, which name it has
to-day. As we neared the valley we saw more Indian
sign, and from the amount of it, it seemed that the coun-
try must be alive with them. When within about five or
six miles of the valley, we saw a band of Indians to our
right, on the ridge.

Jim Bridger said: "Boys, they are Crows, and we
are in for it."

They did not come in reach of us, but kept along the
ridge above us. We could see b}- looking ahead that
near the mouth of this canyon there was a high cliff of
rocks.

We expected to be attacked from those rocks, and we

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GUARD DUTY. 2/3

had to be very cautious in passing this point. But to our
surprise they did not make the attack. Here we began
to see beaver sign in abundance. I don't think that I
ever in my hfe saw as much of it on the same space of
ground as I saw there, for every Httle stream that emptied
into that valley was full of beaver dams.

The Indians kept in sight of us until we struck the
valley, which was just at sunset. We traveled until
dark, when we stopped and built up a big fire. As soon
as our fire was burning good we mounted our horses and
rode about one mile on to open ground. Dismounting,
we loosened all our saddles, both pack and riding-sad-
dles, and picketed all our horses as close together as we
could.

We made our bed in the center, keeping a guard out
all night. Jim Beckwith was the first man on duty, and
my turn came second. By the time I went to relieve
Jim the moon was up, and he told me to keep a keen
lookout in the direction of the creek, "For," said he, "I
am almost sure I saw an Indian in that direction about
half an hour ago."

Of course this put me on my guard, and I kept my
eye peeled in great shape. About my second trip around
the horses I looked in the direction of the creek and
thought I saw an Indian coming on all fours.

He would only come a few steps and then stop. Be-
ing below me, I could not get him between me and the
moon, so I concluded I would meet him half way. I got
down on all fours and watched him, and when he would
start I would move ahead, keeping my eye on him, and
when he would stop I would stop also.

274

A MISTAKE.

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:!!i!!!i!

This I did so that to move at the same time he did,
he could not hear the noise made by me. When I was
close enough I laid flat on the ground, shut my left hand,
and placing it on the ground, resting my gun on my fist,
took good aim and I got him.

At the crack of my gun the whole crowd were on
their feet, and a moment later were at the scene of war.
We went to the place where it lay, and beheld a very
large white wolf lying there, ''dead as a door nail."

This was the first time I had ever made such a mis-
take, and it was some time
before I heard the last of it.

The next morning when we
got up, instead of being one
band of Indians in sight, there
were two. We made up our
minds that we had discov-
ered the finest trapping ground
in America, and had a poor
show to get away from it, but
we went ahead and got our
breakfast, just as though there
were no Indians in sight of us,
but we concluded we had better
leave this part of the country,
so we pulled out southwest
across the valley, having no
trouble until we struck the West
Gallatin river.
Here the beaver dams were so thick that it was diffi-
cult to find a place to cross. After prospecting some little

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A very large white wolf.

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A WARM TIME IN 2/5

time, we struck on a buffalo trail crossing the river, and
we concluded to cross on that trail. I was in the lead,
but did not proceed far until we saw the mud was so deep
that we had to retrace our steps. When we faced about
to come back, of course I was thrown into the rear, and
just as we had turned the Indians made an attack on us
from the brush. I fired four shots at them at short range
with my revolver, the others firing at the same time.
Just as we were out of the brush, my favorite horse,
Mexico, which was the hindmost horse in my string, was
shot down, having five or six arrows in his body. I
sprang from my saddle and the other boys halted until I
cut my dying horse loose from the others, which was only
a second's work, and we made a rush for the open ground,
which was reached in a few jumps. The Indians did not
show themselves on the open ground, but kept hid in the
brush. We rode up and down the stream for an hour
and a half, but could not find a place that we could cross
for Indians and mud. Every place we would attempt to
cross, the Indians would attack us from the brush.

This, however, was all an open country, excepting
immediately along the stream, where was an immense
growth of underbrush. After making several attempts to
cross and being driven back, Jim Beckwith proposed that
we put spurs to our horses and ride as fast as they could
carry us for three or four miles up the river, that we
might be able to cross before the Indians would be able
to get there, "For," said he, "this brush seems to be full
of redskins."

This being agreed to, we all started at full speed up
the river, and after running some distance we saw a large

276 A COLD COUNTRY.

buffalo trail leading across the river. Jim Bridger being
in the lead, said: "Here is a big buffalo trail, let's try
crossing on it." We were about one-fourth of a mile
from the river, and Uncle Kit, who from some cause had
dropped behind, sang out: "All right, let's hurry and
get across and out of the brush on the other side before
them redskins get here."

At this we all made a rush for the river, and just as
we were going out on the other side the Indians attacked
us from the brush. They shot Uncle Kit's hindmost horse
down before he was out of the mud and water, and he
had to get off in two feet of mud and water to cut his
dying horse loose from the string of horses. We. killed
two Indians here. Uncle Kit, while he was down cutting
his horse loose, shot one who was just in the act of strik-
ing him with a tomahawk. We made our w^ay to open
ground as quick as possible, rode about a half a mile and
then stopped and loaded our pistols.

Uncle Kit said: "Bovs, how in the w^orld are we to
get out of this.' The whole country is alive w^ith Indians."

Jim Bridger said: "Kit, you are the man that got us
in here, and we will look for you to get us out."

"All right," said Kit, "mount your horses and let's
be off." And he gave orders to ride abreast when the
ground would permit.

By riding in this manner we could corral quicker.
What is meant by corralling is that each man has his
string of horses as we have before stated, and when at-
tacked each man rides to the center, and the horses are
a great protection to the men in time of battle. We

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A CONTESTED STREAM. 277

traveled some four or five miles without seeing an Indian,
but all this time we were on open ground.

Fnally we came to a little stream, a tributary to the
Madison river, and when crossing this we were again at-
tacked by the Indians, who were secreted in the brush.

This was a surprise, for we had not seen an Indian
since we left the West Gallatin. Here we had a fight
that lasted full twenty minutes. We were about the
middle of the stream when they opened fire on us.

Uncle Kit said: "Come ahead, boys;" at the same
we commenced firing at the Indians, and every foot of
that stream had to be contested, from the middle, where
they first opened fire on us, to the shore. I saw two dead
Indians in the water, and there might have been more,
but I did not have time to stop and look for Indians,
either dead or alive. I had seen the time that I was
hunting for Indians, but at this particular time I didn't
feel as though I had lost any.

Uncle Kit was now in the lead and I was bringing up
the rear. Just as we were out of the water and he was
removing the saddle from his horse, he got two arrows
through his buckskin hunting shirt, and was very slightly
hurt.

We managed to stand them off until he removed the
saddle from the dying horse to another, after which we
pulled for open ground, all escaping unhurt, excepting
the slight scratch Uncle Kit received from the arrow.

The redskins did not follow us away from the creek.

As soon as we were on open ground we stopped and
built a fire and dried our clothing, for we were as wet as
drowned rats. To build a fire we had to pull small sage-

278 CHASED BY BaNNOCKS

brush that grew here and there in the open prairie in that
country. While we were drying our clothing and eating
a lunch, we had our horses feeding near us, but did not
dare let them scatter for fear of an attack, which we were
liable to experience at any moment. After we had our
clothing pretty well dried out and having had a little
something in the way of refreshments, on looking off to
the northeast about two miles distant, we saw a big band
of buffalo and a lot of Indians after them.

We concluded that we had remained here long
enough, so w^e mounted and pulled out again.

The balance of the day we kept on open ground, and
saw numerous little bands of Indians, but were not mo-
lested by them until late in the afternoon.

About sundown, while traveling down a little narrow
valley, all of a sudden about fifteen Indians, all well
mounted, made a charge on us. W^e corralled at once.
By this time our horses had learned to corral pretty quick,
and when they were in gunshot we opened fire on them.
I fired at one with my rifle and got him, for I saw him
fall to the ground, and I got another with my pistol. I
do not know how many were killed, but they went away
a much less number than they came. We all escaped
unhurt, but I ncle Kit lost another horse, making in all
four horses that da}'.

We moved on again and traveled about five miles and
made another camp, but did not build a fire. Our horses
were picketed near camp, and that night we stood guard
the same as the night before, but I did not see any In
dians crawling up on all fours. The morning following
we were off very early, and traveled some four miles

Grand Canon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone Park, Wyoming,

INTO A STORM 279

before we came to water. Coming to a nice little brook,

we stopped and took our breakfast. Here we had a

chance to have killed an antelope, but did not dare shoot.

After taking something for the inner man, we pro-
ceeded on our way. We did not have any more trouble
with Indians, not even seeing any until we got to what is
known as Stinking Water or Alder creek, near where Vir-
ginia City, Mont., now stands. In traveling down this
stream, which is quite crooked, and just as we were
rounding one of those points of the hill running down
to the creek, riding in the lead I saw two Indian wick-
i-ups about half a mile ahead, just in the edge of the
brush. I at once gave the signal to turn back, and
we got out of sight without being discovered by the
Indians.

We turned our course, somewhat, making a circuit-
ous route, and when we were just opposite the wick-i-
ups, Jim Bridger and Uncle Kit climbed to the top of
the hill, taking my glasses with them, and took in the
situation. When they returned to where we were they
were feeling much more encouraged, saying: "Thank
God we are rid of the Blackfoots and Crows; those are
the Bannocks. We are now in their country, and they
are not so numerous nor so hostile as the Crows and
Blackfoots." That night we camped on Stinking Water,
near Lone Butte, picketed our horses close around camp
and stood guard the same as the two nights previous.

The next morxiing we were up early and off again,
aiming to cross the main divide and go over to Fort Hall,
expecting to find there a great many trappers and raise a

28o THAT SAVES US.

crowd sufficient to come back and trap on the Gallatin
river this winter.

At that time Fort Hall was a great rendezvous for
trappers.

Now we were beginning to feel more encouraged and
to think our chances were pretty good, but that evening,
while traveling up Beaver Canyon, which, I think the
railroad runs up now, from Pocatello, Idaho, to Butte
City, ^lont., the Bannocks attacked us about fifty strong.

They held us there for about an hour, and had it not
been for a thunder storm that came up, I don't think one
of us would have got out of that canyon, for the}' had us
completely surrounded. They killed two horses from jim
Bridger's string and wounded Uncle Kit in one shoulder
severely.

When the thunder storm came up the Indians were
gradually closing in on us, and it commenced to thunder
and lightning, and it actually rained so hard that one
person could not see another two rods before him'.

While it was raining so hard, we mounted and rode
out of the canyon.

I never saw it rain harder in my life than it did for a
half hour. When we were on open ground and it had
quit raining, we stopped, and Uncle Kit said: "Now who
s;;\s the Almighty didn't save us this time by sending
that shower of rain just at the right time?"

That night we camped near the summit of the Rocky
Mountains, dividing the waters that run into the Pacific
and Atlantic oceans. Uncle Kit suffered all that night
from his arrow wound, the arrow going imder his sh.oul-
dtr blade, and when we examined the wound we found

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AT Fort Hall. 281

it .much deeper than we had any idea of. This was the
last trouble with Indians on that trip.

The next morning we started very early, and were
three days making Fort Hall, having no trouble whatever
on the way. On arriving at the Fort we were very much
disappointed in regard to raising our crowd to go to the
head of the Missouri river to trap the coming winter.
There were only about twenty trappers at Fort Hall at
that time, and they appeared to have no particular ob-
jections to living a little while longer. Those of them
who had never interviewed the Blackfoot and Crow In-
dians personally were pretty well acquainted with them
by reputation, and they said they did not care to risk
their lives in that country. We remained here two
weeks, after which time — Uncle Kit's wound getting con-
sderable better — Jim Bridger, Uncle Kit and myself con-
cluded to go on to the waters of Green river and trap the
coming winter.

While here, Jim Beckwith fell in with a man by the
name of Reese, who said he had trapped on the head-
waters of Snake river the winter previous, and that trap-
ping was good there. He induced Beckwith to goto that
section of the country, saying it was only one hundred
miles from Fort Hall. This trapping ground was imme-
diately across the divide of the Rockies and south of the
Gallatin, where the Blackfoot and Crow Indians were so
bad, but Reece thought they could get out the next spring
before the Indians ccjuld get across the mountains.

So he and Beckwitii started, and at the same time we
pulled out for the head of Green river. They went to the
head of Snake river, and I afterwards learned that they

2^2 A CENTURY RUN.

trapped there all winter with splendid success, but trap-
ping being so good they stayed too late in the spring.
One morning about the last da3'S of April, after they had
just eaten their breakfast and were making preparations
to go to look after their traps, they were attacked by
about one hundred Blackfoot Indians. Reese was killed
the first shot, and Jim then saw that his only show was
to run, which he did. It was about sunrise when they
made the attack. Jim Beckwith fled, with the Indians in
hot pursuit. ft was claimed to be one hundred miles
from there to Fort Hall, and that same evening, before
dark, he was in Fort f-^all, and he went all the wav on
foot.

In this run Beckwith burst the veins in his legs in
numerous places, making him a cripple for life. The last
time I saw him was at his own home, near Denver, Colo ,
in 1863. At that time he was so badly crippled that he
had to walk with two canes, and after telling me the
condition he was in, he showed, me a number of running
sores that were caused by the bursted veins. For Jim
Beckwith, now dead and gone, I will say, he was a l^ero
in his day. For bravery he was far above the average,
and at the same time he was honorable and upright. He
was a man whose word was as good as gold, and one wiio
was possessed of great strength and had a constitution
equal to that of a mustang. The worst thing that could
be said of Jim Beckwith was that he was his own
worst enemy, for he would spend his money for whiskey
as fast as he earned it.

Uncle Kit, Jim Bridger and myself wintered on the
waters of the Green river and trapped, but had ver}- poor

Pike's Peak Railway, Colorado.

Burro and Load, Colorado.

AT Bent's Fort. 283

success, this country having been trapped over so much
that the beaver were scarce and hard to catch, and Uncle
Kit's wound bothered him all winter, and in fact as long
as he lived.

After winter had broken up we started for New Mex-
ico, via North Park. Our idea in taking that route was
to avoid the hostile Sioux.

We were successful in getting through without having
any trouble with Indians, whatever, arriving at Bent's
Fort about the first of June. We sold our furs again
to Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux. Joe Favor having
gone out of business, I engaged with Col. Bent and
Mr. Roubidoux to go among the Arapahoe Indians to
trade for furs and buffalo robes.

CHAPTER XX.

Carson quits the' trail. — Buffalo robes for ten
CENTS. — "Pike's Peak or bust." — The new city
OF Denver. — "Busted." — How the news got

STARTED.

Uncle Kit Carson pulled out for home and when he
was starting he said he had done his last trapping and he

284 Carson quits

was going home to his sheep ranch and take things eas}^
"For," said he, "I had the wust luck last winter that I
ever had in my life, when I had 'lowed to have the best.
I'm gittin old enough to quit."

Before he left he told me that whenever I felt like it
he wanted me to come to his place and make my home
as long as I pleased.

Col. Bent fitted me out with twenty-five pack animals
and two Mexican boys to assist me, and I started for the
Arrapahoe country, one hundred and twenty-five miles
distant. I was supplied with beads, blankets and rings
to trade to the Indians for furs and buffalo robes.

On my arrival at the Arrapahoe village I learned that
there were not many furs on hand, as the Sioux had been
so hostile the past fall and winter that the Arraphoes had
not been able to trap or hunt much, consequently we
had to visit all the little hunting parties belonging to that
tribe, in order to get furs and robes enough to load our
pack train.

After remaining about two weeks I got a fair load
and started on my return, making the round trip in little
over one month, having had no trouble whatever with
Indians or otherwise. On mv return to Bent's Fort' I
found John West, who had been trapping in the Wind-
river mountains in company with two other men I did
not know. They had been successful the past winter
and had sold their furs for a good price, and now Johnnie
had plenty of money and was having what he termed a
glorious good time, spending from ten to forty dollars
a day.

After I had settled up with Col. Bent and Mr. Rou-

Flock of Deer.

* *?£

^y- A' A'^T"

Taos, North Town, Pueblo, New Mexico.

ARRIVAL AT TaOS. 285

bidoux I went to Taos with the determination that I
would take it easy the balance of this season.

Col. Bent offered to bet me a horse that I would not
stay in Taos one month. He told me that if I would go
to Taos and rest up a month and return to the fort and
hunt for them the balance of the season he would make
me a present of a better horse than the other one he gave
me, but I told him that he was mistaken, and that he
never owned a better horse than Pinto. I knew that
Pinto was getting old and had had many a hard day's
ride, but I could get on him to-morrow morning after
breakfast, and be in Taos before sundown, which was a
distance of eighty miles. I made a bargain with them
to return to the fort in a month from that time and hunt
for them until something else turned up.

On my arrival at Taos I found Jim Bridger stopping
with Uncle Kit, and he made me a proposition that we
go and stop with the Kiowa tribe that winter and buy
furs and and buffalo robes. I agreed to that provided
that Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux would agree to buy
the furs and robes of us. They were the only traders in
that country since Joe Favor had retired from business.

In one month I returned to the fort as per contract
and started in hunting.

There was so much stock around the fort that T had
to go from ten to twenty miles to find deer, and some-
times further to find buffalo.

After I had hunted about three weeks Jim Bridger
came over to try to make a bargain with the company in
regard to buying furs and buffalo robes.

Up to this time the Kiowas had not traded any at

2 86 THE NEW CHIEF.

this fort. In fact, there had been but httle trading done
among- them, vet thev were in the heart of the buffalo
countr\' in the fall of the year, being located on the
Arkansas river, one hundred miles west from the Big
Bend. We made a bargain to work for Bent and Rou-
bidoux by the month, they to furnish us.

They thought the best plan would be to buy a load
of robes and return with it, and then go back again, for
by so doing we would not have to run chances of being
robbed by other tribes as we would by waiting until
spring to pack over to the fort.

We started about the first of November for the Kiowa
village, with thirty-two pack-horses and a Mexican boy
to help us. This was just the time of year that the buf-
falo were moving south for the winter, and they travel
much slower and are much harder to frighten than in the
spring when they are traveling the other way. I
attributed this to their being so much fatter in the fall of
the year, for in the fall one would never see a poor buf-
falo except it was either an old male or one that had been
crippled; and their hides are much more valuable than
those taken off in the spring.

On arriving at the village we found that the Indians
had a new chief, whom neither of us were acquainted
with. His name was Blackbird. The old chief. Black
Buffalo, who fed us on dog meat when we were on our
way from St. Louis to Taos, ten years before, having
died, Blackbird was appointed in his place, and we found
him to be a very intelligent Indian. He said his people
were glad to have us come among them and that they
would be pleased to trade with us.

Lone Star Geyser in Action, Yellowstone Park, W)'oming.

TRADING WITH INDIANS. 287

We stayed tliere about two weeks before offering to
buy a hide or fur of them, but would show our goods
quite frequently in order to make them anxious, and by
doing so we would be able to make a better bargain with
them.

After staying there about two weeks we told the chief
that on a certain day we would be ready to trade with
his people, putting the date off about one week.

When the day arrived the Indians came in from all
quarters to trade furs and robes, bringing from one
to one dozen robes to the family. The squaws brought
the robes, and the bucks came along to do the trading,
and we got many a first-class robe for one string of
beads, which in St. Louis would cost about ten cents.
We traded for enough furs in one day to load our entire
pack-train of thirty-two horses.

The next morning we loaded up our furs and pulled
out, telling the chief that we would be back in one moon
— meaning in their language, one month — which would
keep us busy, it being about four hundred miles to Bent's
Fort, and as w-e were heavily loaded we would have to
travel slow. The Mexican boy would ride ahead and
the pack horses would follow him, while Jim and I
brought up the rear. We experienced no trouble in get-
ting all the buffalo meat we wanted, for those beasts were
quite tame at this season of the year, and they would
often come near our camp. So near, in fact, that we
could sit in camp and kill our meat.

Upon our arrival at the fort Col. Bent and Mr. Rou-
bidoux were well pleased with the success of the trip,
and we at once started back after the second load. We

288 Pike's Peak.

found more furs and robes there awaiting our arrival than
we could load on our horses. In all we made four trips
that winter, and Col. Bent told me some time afterward
that they cleared a thousand dollars on each cargo.

When spring came Jim Bridger and I went to Taos
and visited Uncle Kit for about a month.

This was now the spring of 1859 and the excitement
over the gold mines around Pike's Peak was running high.
We all knew where Pike's Peak was, for any day when it
was clear we could see it very plainly from Bent's Fort
or Taos, but we did not know just where the mines were.
Jim proposed that we take a trip out there and see about
the mines. So we talked the matter over until I was
finally attacked with that disease which was then known
as "the gold fever."

About the first of June we made a break for the gold
fields. We crossed the Arkansas river near Fountain
ca-boo\'ah (or something like that) — (I'ountain qui
Bouille, Boiling Fountain)— and rlid not go f,ar from there
until Vv'e struck a wagon road, which showed there had
been much travel, and we could see that it had not been
long since a wagon passed.

We were very much surprised at a wagon road in this
portion of country, but there it was just the same. We
did not travel on this road very far until we overtook a
large train of emigrants, and on making inquiry we
learned that they were on their way to Pike's Peak.

Jim Bridger laughingly remarked: "If you are not
carefid you will pass Pike's Peak before you go there, for
there is the mountain," pointing to the Peak, the foot of
which we were just then passing. At this another man

Denver. 289

said: "We are goin^ to Cherry creek to the mines. Do
you know how far it is.^"

I told him it was twenty miles to the head of Cherry
creek. He then asked me how far it was to Denver. I
told him I had never heard of any creek or river hy that
name in this country. "But," he said, "I mean Den\er
City," But Jim and I had never heard of the place. He
said Denver City was on Cherry creek in the gold mines.

We passed on, crossing the main divide betv/een the
Arkansas and the Platte rivers, striking the head of
Cherry creek, then traveled down Cherry creek to the
mouth, on a now well-beaten wagon road, the dust in
places being six inches deep or more.

When we were within a mile of the mouth of Cherry
creek I looked ahead, and for the first time I saw Den-
ver, there being then as I supposed about fifty tents and
campers' houses in the place. We stopped to take a look
around and saw people coming in, every hour of the day,
over the Platte and Arkansas river routes, and could see
all kind of conveyances from a hand cart to a six-horse
team. While there I saw a number of carts come in
drawn by men alone, all the way from two to eight men
to the cart.

After stopping around Denver two days and taking in
the sights, we pulled out for the mountains to a place
called Gregory, about forty miles from Denver, where it
was reported they were mining.

The mines were located on North Clear creek and
there were only two claims being worked.

Gregory, the man that this little camp was named
for, was working a claim and said he was taking out

290 GOLD MINING,

some gold, and a man by the name of Greene Russsell
was working another claim.

They were both old Georgia miners.

This man Russell told me how the excitement got
started. He said that himself, Gregory and Dr. Russell,
a brother of his, and three other men had come out there
the fall before, and early that season had discovered gold
on Cherry creek, and also a little on the mountain stream
where they were then at work. Dr. Russell being a man
of famil3% concluded to return to his home that fall. He
and the rest of the crowd cautioned him to say nothing
about what they had struck, for they did not consider
they had found anything to warrant an excitement and a
stampede, as it was termed in mining parlance. The
Doctor promised he would not mention it even to his
most intimate friends. But it seems he did not keep his
word, but commenced to spread the news as soon as he
struck the settlements, telling wonderful stories, of the
gold around Pike's Peak, which set the people wild.
They seemed to think there had been another California
struck which caused a repetition of the stampede ten
years before. During the winter the news spread all
over the State and they came from every quarter.

Russell continued: "Now you can see the effect of it.
If I had known my brother would have told such out-
rageous stories I would not have allowed him to go
home." He said he thought there were a few claims out-
side of the ones they were working that would pay, but
beyond that he did not think it would amount to any-
thing.

After remaining here one week we concluded we had

WE START BACK. 29I

gold mining enough to last us some time, so we started
back for the foot of the mountains, and the first night we
camped at the place where Golden now stands, the place
where South Clear creek flows from the mountains.

At this time there were at least five hundred wagons
to be seen at one sight, camped on this creek. We
camped near the crossing of Clear creek, and there was
almost a constant stream of people coming in.

Late that evening four men came into camp with four
yoke of oxen, a wagon, and an outfit for mining and with
a good suppy of grub — enough to last them a whole sea-
son. They camped that night a few yards from us. On
finding that we had just returned from the mines they
came over to learn what news we had. We told them
what we had seen and what Mr. Russell told us.

After they had heard our story, one of them said:
"Well, boys, I'm a goin' back to Missouri. What are
the balance of you goin' to do.^"

They talked the matter over for some time and finally
all concluded that old Missouri was a pretty good country
and they would all start back in the morning.

One of the crowd said: "What will we do with our
provisions.-^ We can't haul it back for our cattle are so
tender footed now that the}/ can hardly travel." Another
said: "What we do not want ourselves we will give to
those hand-cart men over there." But another one in
the crowd who perhaps was more like the dog in the
manger that could not eat the hay himself nor would not
let the cows eat it, spoke up and said: "No, we will not
do any such thing! What we do not want to take along
to eat on our way back we will throw in the creek."

292 BACK TO BkNT's FoRT.

The next morning after they had eaten breakfast two
of them got up into the wagon and selected what pro-
visions they wanted to take along with them, after which
they threw the remainder out on the ground and the
other two carried it and threw it into the creek. It con-
sisted of flour, dried fruit, bacon, sugar, and I noticed
one ten gallon keg of molasses.

I was told that this was an everyda}' occurrence. As
we had seen the elephant and had about all the mining we
wanted, for awhile, at least, we saddled up our horses
and started for Taos, by the way of Bent's Fort.

Three days' ride took us to Bent's Fort, and we had a
thousand and one questions to answer, for this was the
first news they had got from the mines around Pike's
Peak.

CHAPTER XXI.

A FIGHT WITH THE SlOUX. HaSA, THE MEXICAN BOY,

KILLED. — Mixed up with emigrants some more. —
Four new graves. — Successful trading with

THE KlOWAS.

While at Fort Bent we bargained again to go and
trade with the Kiowas, on the same terms that we were

Woman's Heart, Kiowa Chief.

WE GO TRADING. 293

einploved upon the preceding winter, and we could com-
mence at any time we pleased.

We then started for Taos, and when we got there found
Uncle Kit suffering very much with his last arrow wound.
The doctor had told him that it had never healed inside
and that it might be the death of him.

We remained at Taos until time to go to the fort,
doing nothing in particular, but hunting a little and
occasionally attending a fandango. During this time,
however, unbeknown to us and the people at the fort,
the Comanches and Sioux had been fighting among them-
selves, having been so bold as to come on to the Arkansas
river and murder a number of white people. Had we
knowm this we should not have made the attempt to go
over that country. Or had Bent and Roubidoux known
it they would not have asked us to go. But, somehow^ it
seemed always my luck not to see trouble until I was
right in it.

On our arrival at the fort they were anxious to get us
fitted out and started as soon as possible. Mr. Roubi-
doux said: "Last winter you made four trips for us;
now every extra trip you make this winter we w^ill give
you fifty dollars extra, apiece," which we thought a great
lavout.

We started out with thirty-two pack animals and tne
same Mexican boy as assistant that we had the previous
winter.

While passing through the Comanche country we me
a young man of that tribe with whom I was on good
terms, having done him a favor during the war betw^een
his tribe and the Utes, for which he felt very grateful to

294 STRUCK A TRAIL.

me. After learning" where we were going, he said: "Look
out for the Sioux, for they have killed lots of white peo-
ple this fall near Pawnee Rock." But he did not tell us
that his trihe and the Sioux were at war.

When we had passed nearly through the Comanche
country we thought they were all west of us, for we saw
where a large band of Indians had crossed the road going
South. This we did not exactly understand, for we well
knew that neither the Comanches nor Kiowas had hunt-
parties out this time of year, as the buffalo were moving
South, and the Indians could kill all the\- wanted near
the villages.

It was about noon when we crossed the Indian traih
and that was the general topic of conversation the bal-
ance of the day. If they had been on foot we could
easily have told what tribe they belonged to by their moc-
casui tracks, but they all being on horseback left us to
guess.

We made an early camp so that if it became neces-
sary we could move that evening, but we built no fire.

As soon as we had decided on our camping place and
while Jim and Hasa, the Mexican boy, were unpacking
and arranging the camp, I rode about \.\\o miles from
C'lnv) to high ground to look for Indians. \Mien I was
on tlie highest point I could find, I saw a little band of
I::diai;S coming from the South, and making their way
for the river below us. They were about ten miles away
and I could not tell by looking through my glasses just
the exact number, but I could see them plain enough to
tell they were not Comanches.

On my return to camp I told Jim Bridger what I had

DISCOVER Sioux.

295

seen and he at once declared that they were Sioux, and

said we were sure to have trouble with them before long,

We decid-

ed to remain
there that
night, and I
agreed that I
would stand
guard while
Jim and Hasa
slept. I stood
guard until

mornmg

I stood guard.

the

star rose, and

I turned in.

telling Jim to get an early
breakfast and call me, which
he did. The boy brought in
our horses, saddled them and
tied them near camo. The
pack animals were also feed-
ing near camp.

Just as we had finished our breakfast and it was get-
ting good daylight. I cast my eyes in the direction of our
horses and saw that a number of them had raised theii
heads and were looking ofY down the river as though thev
had seen something. I sprang to my feet and saw nine
Indians coming up the river in the direction of our camp,
but they were apparently sneaking along slowly. I could
see at once by their movements that they did not thhik
they were discovered yet. I said to Jim: "The Sioux

296 THE FIGHT.

are on us," and he sprang to his feet, saying, "Let us
mount our horses and meet them before*they get among
our pack horses," which we did, at the same time telhng
Hasa to keep the horses together.

We started to meet them on the dead run, and i wish
to say here now, that Jim Eridger, though a very brave
man, was very exciteable when in an Indian fight, and
as we started I said to him: *'Now Jim, for God's
sake keep cool this time and make every shot count."

\Mien within about a hundred yards of the Indians,
and our horses doing their best, I raised my rifle and
fired, kihing the leader dead. I then drew m}' pistol and
raised the yell. About that time, from some cause, Jim's
horse shied off to the right, so when we met the Indians
he and I were about thirty or forty }ards apart. Jim
claimed that his horse scared at something in the sage
brush.

Two of the Indians that seemed to be the best
mounted made a break for our horses, wiiich I discovered
after 1 had fired two shots > from my pistol. I wheeled
my horse and made a rush for them, leaving Jim to take
care of the other three that we had not yei killed. But
the redskins had got too far the start of me, and being
on good animals they beat to the pack horses, and before
I rot in i^unshot of them the\- had killed both the bov
:;i-.d his horse. Had the poor bo\' kept his presence of
mind he might have saved himself, but I think he got
excited and did not tr\- to get awa}'.

I got one of them, but the other having the fastest
horse, outran me and made his escape. I think he had
the fastest horse I ever saw under an Indian in my life.

Kiowa Squaws.

DEATH OF HaSA.

297

Jim Bridger killed one of the remaining three, and the
others got away. Three out of nine escaped, and had it
not been for Jim's horse getting scared I don't think they
would have killed our Mexican boy.

We dug a grave and buried the poor fellow as best
we could under the circumstances, scalped the Indians,
packed up and pulled out, leaving the poor unfortunate
lad to rest on the lonely banks of the Arkansas river.
The Indians we left a prey to the many wild animals that
roamed the hills and valleys.

We traveled on with heavy hearts, expecting at any
time to be attacked again by another band of these
"noble red men," fearing that we might not be so suc-
cessful the next time.

In the afternoon we came to where the Indians had
had another fight with what we supposed, and which
afterwards proved to have been
emigrants, returning from Pike's
Peak. Here we saw four fresh
graves, and from the general ap-
pearance o f
things w e
conclu ded
that the fight
had been in
the morning,
which also
proved to be
the case.

We were now satisfied that the big trail we had seen
the day before was made by Sioux, and that they had

Four fresh graves.

298 MEET WITH EMIGRANTS.

split up into small bands to catch small trains of emi-
grants.

Being satisfied- that these emigrants were not far
ahead of us, we made up our minds to push on and try
to overhaul them, as much for our own protection as
anything else.

Jim Bridger told me to take the lead and ride as fast
as I wished, and he would make the pack animals keep
up; also telling me when on high ground to take my
glasses and look for Indians.

After traveling about two hours, putting in our best
licks, we came in sight of the train. We then pushed
on with new courage and overtook the emi^^rants just as
they were going into camp for the night. I rode up and
asked if they had anv objections to our camping with
them. "Certainly not," replied one of their crowd,
*'and if you can fight Indians we will be pleased to have
you camp and travel with us also."

We dismounted, unpacked and turned our pack ani-
mals loose with the emigrants' stock, but picketed our
saddle animals near camp. Those people told us of their
fight that morning with the Indians. Just as they were
hitched up and were in the act of pulling out, the Indians
attacked them, about fort\' strong. They onh' had
t\venty-f(jur men and the Indians killed four of their
number, and theirs were the graves we had seen that
niorning.

They didn't have an Indian scalp, nor did they know
whether or not they had killed an Indian.

Jim then told them about our fight with the nine
Sioux and of losing our Mexican boy. "But," said he,

..«r-._ ■'n^-^,i«!!«tf<iM'^^y.'^yiiiw«ijl^«tf^^^

^ *i.

Kiowa Squaw in Gala Dress.

HORSE-SHOE BEND. 299

"to show that we got revenge look as this collection of
hair," and he produced the six Indian scalps we had
taken.

Jim added that if his horse had not got scared upon
making the charge, we would have got them all hefore
they could have reached the boy.

They offered to furnish two men to look after our
pack-train if we would scout for their train and travel
with them as far as we were to go their route, which was
about one hundred and fifty miles.

There were eight wagons in the train, composed of
two and four horse teams.

When we were ready to start Jim told me to go
ahead, saying: "You have a pair of glasses and your
eyes are better than mine, and I will bring up the rear,
so there will be no danger of a surprise party."

This being agreed to, I started ahead of the train and
rode about five miles in advance all the time, keeping
my eyes peeled for Indians. In the forenoon I saw a
small band of the savages, but they were a long way off
and were traveling in the same direction we were. I was
sure they could not see us, for I could only see them
faintly through my glasses.

That evening we made an early camp at a place we
named Horse-shoe Bend, and I am told that the place is
mentioned yet by that name. It is a big bend in the
Arkansas river almost encircling two or three hundred
acres, and where we camped it was not more than a
hundred yards across from one turn of the river to the
other.

That night we drove all our horses into the bend and

300 PAWNEE ROCK.

did not have to guard them or keep out a camp guard.
I remained out in the hills, about three miles from camp,
until dark, selecting a high point and with my glasses
watching all over the countr}^ for Indians. The boys
were all well pleased when I returned and told them
there were no red-skins anywhere near, and that they all
could lie down and sleep that night. They turned in
early.

The next morning we broke camp early, and about
eleven o'clock came on to four emigrant wagons return-
ing from Pike's Peak. The Indians had stolen the horses.

There were sixteen men in the party and the\' had
been there three days and had not been two miles away
from camp. The\' made some kind of arrangement with
the train we were ^vith to haul their things to St. Joe,
Missouri, and left their four wagons standing b}^ the road-
side.

We had no more trouble w-hile with this train, and
everything moved along nicely.

When we were near Pawmee Rock, w^here we were to
leave the train, and some tw^enty miles from the Kiowa
village, I met about thirty Kiowa Indians going out to
run the buffalo near there. Of course they all knew me,
and after shaking hands we stopped to await the arrival
of the train. When it came in sight and the men saw
the Indians all around me they thought I had been taken
prisoner. They at once corralled their wagons for a
fight, and all the talking Jim Bridger could do would not
make them believe otherwise, until he rode out to where
we were. When he told me this I thought to have a
little sport- with the boys before leaving the train, and I

AMONG FRIENDS. 3OI

proposed to Jim that we start to the wagons with the In-
dians riding on either side of us, so as to make it appear
they had taken both of us prisoner. But Jim thought it
would not do, as they were so excited they would shoot
at our Indians before we were near the wagons. So we
rode to the train and told the emigrants that these In-
dians would not molest them, and that they were my
friends.

When I told the Indians the cause of their corraling
their wagons, they all had a hearty laugh and called the
men squaws. The Kiowas said that their people would
be glad to see us at their village, and that they had
plenty of robes to trade for beads, rings and blankets.
So here we bade the emigrants good-bye, they keeping
th« Sante Fe trail east, while we turned due south, and
in company with the thirty Kiowas, rode that evening to
their own village. Chief Blackbird met us at the outer
edge of the village and invited us to his wick-i-up. We
told him that we had come to tra(ie with his people, and
that in four days we would be ready for business.

Jim Bridger and I had talked the matter over con-
cerning this tribe and the Sioux, for we well knew that
if they and the Sioux were on friendly terms we would
get home safe, if not, we would have a hard time of it.

I proposed to Jim that we make Blackbird a present
of something, and while he was in the best of humor I
would ask him the question. Jim thought it a capitr.l
idea, and before supper I went to our cargo and got three
rings and three strings of beads. After supper I gave
one string of beads and one ring to Blackbird, one to his
wife and one to his eldest daughter, who was about

302

A FRIENDLY CHAT.

grown

We then sat down and had a social smoke and
a friendly chat. By this time Blackbird was beginning
to think I
was a pretty
good fellow,
so I asked
liim if the
Sioux were
good I n-
dians. H e
said: "Yes,
the Sioux
are my
friends."

That M'as
all I wanted
to know, and
I did not
ask him any
more ques-
tions, nor
did I tell

him of our trouble with the nine Sioux. I told him we
wanted to hire four young men from his tribe to go to
the fort with us. He said:. "All right, I'll see to-
morrow."

Our idea in wanting the young Kiowas along, after
finding they were on good terms with the Sioux, was
that we knew when we were in company with the Kiowas
the Sioux would not give us any trouble.

The day following, in the afternoon. Blackbird came

We had a social smoke.

AN AUCTION SALE. 303

to US and told us that there were four young men who
wanted to go with us and asked how long we would be
gone. We told him we might be gone one moon, perhaps
not so long. He wanted to know what Indian country we
would pass through. I told him none but the Comanches,
for they were terribly afraid of Navajoes. We assured
him that we would not pass through their country.

On the day appointed for the sale of our goods, the
robes came in by the hundreds. I never saw anything
equal it.

We conducted our sale something like an auction. I
would hold up a string of beads and show them to the
crowd; an Indian would step forward and offer a robe
for two strings of beads. Another would offer a robe for
one string. This was our idea for appointing a certain
day for trading with them, for the more Indians present
the better prices we were able to get for our goods.

We went there this time with about the amount of
goods we had always taken before to trade for a train
load of robes, and we sold our entire stock the first day.
We could have traded ten times that amount. More-
over, we got about one-half more than we could pack at
one trip.

We knew before we started in to sell that there was
a greater number of robes in the village than at any time
we had visited it before, as we had been pretty well over
the village, and I had never seen the like of robes and
dry buffalo meat before, nor have I since. Every wick-
i-upwas hanging full. The Indians said it had been the
best season for buffalo they had seen for years.

I never saw people more busy than the squaws were.

304 WE HAD AN ESCORT.

All were dressing buffalo hides, and every family had
from three to one dozen robes, and this was the best
day's sale we ever had, as it seemed that the Indians
were crazy for the rings and beads.

I just mention these facts to show the reader how
the people took advantage of those Indians, for at that
time they did not know the value of money and had no
use for it except as ornaments. They would pay a big
price for a half dollar, but every one they got hold of
they would hammer out flat, punch two holes through it
and put it on a string; then the chief or some of his fam-
ily would wear them on their backs or fasten them to
their hair and let them hang down their backs. I have
seen strings of flattened out half dollars two feet long
worn by the chief or some member of his family.

When we went to pack up we could only get two-
thirds of our robes on the animals so we left the remain-
der in charge of Blackbird, and he agreed to look after
them until we returned. I told him if he would take
good care of them I would bring him a big butcher knife
when I came back.

So we started for Bent's Fort accompanied by four
young Kiowas. We had loaded our horses unusually
heavy this trip, each animal packing thirty robes.

Two of the Indians rode in front of the pack-train
w ith me and the other two behind with Jim. Our idea
in traveling that way was that in case we should meet a
band of Sioux, these young Indians w^ould tell them we
were their friends, and no matter how bitter they felt
toward us they would pass on.

We traveled three days before we saw any Sioux. It

MEET MORE SlOUX. 305

was our custom to always stop and unpack and let our
horses rest and feed about an hour.

That day we had just unpacked and turned our horses
loose to feed and were ready to eat a cold lunch, when
we looked up the ridge and saw twenty Sioux Indians
coming down the ridge in the direction of our camp. I
told one of the Indians that we had better go and meet
them. He said he would go and for me to stay in camp.
I told him to tell them to come down to camp and get
something to eat. So he started ofT in a trot to meet
them, and when he came up to them he stood and talked
with them for some time, after which they turned and
rode off in another direction. When the Indian boy re-
turned I asked him why they did not come down to camp
and have some dinner. He said they had plenty to eat
and were in a hurry.

Jim Bridger said to me in our own language: "If we
had not had those young Kiowas with us by this time we
would have been in a hurry, too." These were the last
Sioux we saw on the whole trip.

When we returned to the fort and reported our trou-
bles to Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux, they felt very bad
over the loss of the Mexican boy, Hasa, but they com-
plimented us on the way we had managed. They asked
me what I had agreed to pay the Indians. I told them
I had not made any bargain whatever, and that we had
not agreed to pay them anything, nor had they asked it.
But we thought that under the circumstances we did not
consider it safe to attempt to make another trip that fall
or winter without an escort of that kind, and w^e couldn't
expect those Indians to make the trips free of charge.

3o6 WE HIRE Indians.

Col. Bent told me to make my own bargain with them,
and he would pay the bill whatever it might be.

This was the first time these young Indians had ever
been in civilization, so I took them around the place and
took particular pains to show them everything. When
we had been all around and I had showed them every-
thing out doors, I took them into the kitchen of the
hotel. When they saw the cook getting supper on the
stove they said it was no good, for they could not see
the fire and they did not understand how cooking could
he done without it.

After they had seen all there was to be seen I took
them in where the two proprietors were, and after telling
them that they would hire them all winter, providing
they did not ask too much, I asked them what they were
going to charge us for the trip they had already made.

The most intelligent one spoke up and said: '*Give
me one string of beads and one butcher knife for the trip
already made, and give me one butcher knife for the next
trip." I then asked the others if they were satisfied with
that, and they said they were; so I paid them off by
giving them a butcher knife that cost about fifty cents in
St. Louis and one string of beads that would perhaps
cost ten cents. They thought they had been well paid
for their trouble, and I could see that they had not ex-
pected so much. This was no doubt their first experience
in hiring out.

The next morning Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux said
to Jim and I: "Now boys, we will make you a present,"
telling us that their horses were in the corrall, and for us
to go and pick out a saddle horse apiece. They told us

MY NEW HORSE. 307

that all the horses in the corrall were theirs, and we

might take our choice, and that we could turn our other

horses into the herd for as long as we liked.

I selected a black horse and saddled him, and he
seemed to be quiet and gentle.

There were some trappers at the fort who were going
to South Park to trap the following winter. When I led
the horse out to get on him they asked if it was mine.
"Yes," I said. They asked what price I had set on him,
and I said one hundred dollars. They said they would
give me that for him if I would wait for my money until
spring when they returned from South Park. I asked
them if they were going to trap for Col. Bent and Mr.
Roubidoux, and they said they were. We then walked
into the store and I asked Col. Bent and Mr. Roubidoux
if they would go these men's security for one hundred
dollars. They said they would, and I told the trappers
the horse was theirs. Mr. Roubidoux asked me if it was
the horse he had given me. I told him it was and he
said: ''You did well, for I bought that horse of an emi-
grant last summer and have never been able to get any
money out of him. I think you will have to take a lot
of my horses to sell on commission, for I see right now
you can beat me selling horses all hollow."

We remained at the Fort three days this time, after
which we rigged up and started for the Kiowa nation
again with more goods to trade for buffalo robes. We
made the trip in eleven days, being the quickest we had
yet made over the road.

We found the chief in an excellent humor, and he

3o8 BACK AT Kiowa village.

was as well pleased over his new butcher knife as a boy
would be over his first pair of red topped boots.

We found the Indians anxious to trade robes for our
trinkets and we had no trouble in getting a load and
more than we could pack again. We made five trips
that fall and winter with the very best success, keeping
those same four Indians with us all winter. .

CHAPTER XXII.

A TRIP TO Fort Kearney — The General endorses

us AND WE PILOT AN EMIGRANT TRAIN TO CALIFOR-
NIA.— Woman who thought I was "no gentle-
man." A CAMP DANCE.

Jim Bridger proposed that he and I make a trip to
Fort Kearney together, and remain there until the emi-
grants began to come along, thinking that perhaps the
Sioux would be so bad on the plains again that sumrnerthat
we might get a layout scouting for trains going to Cali-
fornia. Both of us were well acquainted with a greater
part of the country to be traveled over, and there were
few other men as well posted as to where the Indians

rf-
f-t-

r-»-

Fort Kearney. 309

were likely to make attacks, which was one of the most
essential requirements in scouting with a train.

About the first of April we started, by the way of
Denver City, for Fort Kearney, and as it had been nearly
a year since we had seen the first named place we found
quite a change there. Instead of a tented town, of
shreds and patches, we saw a thriving village that had
some quite comfortable wooden houses and an air of dis-
tinct civilization. To-day Denver is probably the best
built city of its size in the world, but there was a time
after this present visit of mine and Bridger's when the
place became almost deserted. That was when the
Union Pacific railroad was being constructed to Chey-
enne, leaving Denver one hundred and eight miles due
south. Then, all the people in Denver who could raise
any sort of a team, took their household goods and gods,
and in some cases the houses, and struck out for Chey-
enne. Many who were too poor to get away became
enormously rich, afterward, from that very fact, for they
became possessed of the ground, and when the Kansas
Pacific railroad was projected, and afterward constructed,
Denver took on such a boom that real estate nearly went
out of sight in value. The poor ones became wealthy,
and nearly all of the Cheyenne stampeders returned.
Following this, some years afterward, the discovery of
silver carbonates in California Gulch, where Leadville
now stands, gave Denver another boom that made the
place the Queen city of the Plains, for good and all.

We reached Fort Kearney before the emigrants had
got that far out, and found Gen. Kearney in command.
He was glad to see us, and told us that if we needed any

3IO VISIT Gen. Kearney.

references to send the parties to him and he would give
us a send-off that would be likely to fix us all right, and
we knew that it would.

**I predict more trouble," said he, "on the plains this
summer than there ever has been in any season previous
to this, from the fact that the northern Sioux are, even
at this early date, breaking up into little bands, and no
doubt for the express purpose of capturing small bands
of emigrants crossing the plains the coming summer."

The first train that came along was from Illinois and
Missouri. It was on the way to California and was com-
posed of sixty-four wagons. The company was made up
of men, women and children, nearly all of the men hav-
ing families. They camped about a mile from the fort,
and at near sundown Gen. Kearney proposed that we go
over and see the ladies. So we rode over — the General,
Jim Bridger and I.

Arriving at the camp we were astonished at seeing
that the emigrants had no system whatever in forming
their camp or corralling their wagons and stock, all being
scattered here and there, hodge-podge.

I remarked to Gen. Kearney that they had certainly
not met with any trouble from Indians so far, else they
would have been more careful. The General replied that
they would learn before they got much further.

When we arrived at their camp quite a crowd gath-
ered around us, and among the balance was one man
apparently forty years old, who walked up to Gen. Kear-
ney and said: "How are you, John.^" that being the
General's first name.

Gen. Kearney looked at him fcr a moment, then

COMPLIMENTED. 3II

shook hands with him and said: "You seem to know
me, but you have the best of me. If I ever saw you be-"
fore I don't remember when or where."

The gentleman then said: "When we used to go to
school together you were the only boy in my class that I
could not throw down, but I believe that I could to-day."

They had been schoolmates in Ohio and this was the
first time they had met since they quit school. "Of
course," said Gen. Kearney, "you had the advantage of
me, for you knew I was out here, while I never dreamed
of you being in this country."

We soon learned that the emigrants had heard about
the hostility of the Sioux Indians, and were dreading
them very much.

After the General and his old schoolmate talked over
by-gone days for awhile they commenced asking him all
sorts of questions relative to the Indians on ahead.

The General gave his views regarding the outlook for
the coming summer, and after having "said his say"
about the noble red men, a number of the emigrants
thought they would turn back the next morning.

Gen. Kearney said to them: "Here are two as good
mountainers as may be found west of the Missouri river
and I believe that you could hire them to go the entire
trip with you at a reasonable figure, and I feel sure they
will be able to render you valuable service, while passing
through the Indian country, they being well posted as to
where the Indians would be most likely to make an
attack. They are also well informed as to water, wood
and grass, and the different drives to be made betwen
camping places, &c."

312 EAT WITH EMIGRANTS.

When we were just ready to mount our horses to re-
' turn to the Fort for supper, a number of the men came to
Jim and me and asked how much per month or per day
we would take to go with them as scouts through the
Indian country. We told them to get their supper over
and call their men together, and we would go back to the
Fort and get our supper, after which we would come
down to their camp again and talk matters over and see
if we could make a bargain. By this time a number of
ladies had gathered around, and among them was an old
lady who said: "You two gentlemen with buckskin
coats on can come and take supper with us in our tent."

Gen. Kearney said: "You had better accept the
lady's hospitaltty, for you have a great deal to talk
about."

We thought this a capital idea and took supper with
the emigrants, and the General returned to his quarters.
But before going he gave all, both ladies and gentlemen,
a cordial invitation to come to the Fort the next day and
pay him a friendly visit.

After all were through eating supper, Jim Bridger
asked how many men they had in their train, but no one
wr.s able to tell. When he asked who their captain was
a man replied that they did not know they had to have a
captain. Jim with an oath said: "What in the name
of God do you think those soldiers over there would do
without a captain, or at least an officer of some kind.^'

Then he told them they had better form in line and
see how many men they had, and elect five men to trans-
act business with us. They formed in line and counted
and there were one hundred and forty men in the train,

ENGAGED AS SCOUTS. 313

and not one of them had ever been on the plains before,
and, of course, not one of them had ever seen a hostile
Indian.

They then proceeded to elect the five men to transact
the business with us, after which Jim turned to me and
said: "Now make your proposition." I suggested that
as he was the oldest, he should go ahead and make the
bargain, whereupon he said: "All right. Gentlemen,
I will make you an offer; if you see fit to accept it all
right, and if not there is no harm done. We will scout
for you for six dollars per day from here to the
foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and you board us
and herd our horses with yours. We must have charge
of the entire train, and we want at least two or three
days in which to organize and drill before leaving this
camp, and after the lapse of five days if this community
is not satisfied with our work, we will quit, and not charge
you a cent for what we shall have done at that time, and
if our work is satisfactory we will expect our money
every Saturday night, for it is the money we are after and
not the glory. Now, gentlemen, take the matter under
consideration and give us an answer to-morrow morning
after breakfast."

On the following morning one of the men from the
train came to the Fort very early to inform us that they
had decided to accept our proposition.

We told him to go back to camp and have all the
teams hitched up and we would be down after breakfast
and put in a few hours drilling the teamsters.

We numbered the wagons by putting the figures on
the end-gates of the wagons, telling each teamster to

314 * FORMING A CORRALL.

remember his number, and when forming a corrall, no
matter what the occasion might be, for the even num-
bers to turn to the right and the odd numbers to the left,
forming a circle with the teams inside of the corrall or
circle of wagons.

For the benefit of the reader who has not had the for-
tune— or misfortune, whichever he deems it — to have
traveled in an Indian country where the corrals are neces-
sary in order to protect the traveler from the Indians, I
will give a more detailed description of how they are
formed:

By having each wagon numbered every man knew
his place in the train, and when it was necessary to cor-
rell, one-half of the teams would turn to the right and
the other half to the left. Each would swing out a little
distance from the road and the two front teams — num-
bers one and two — would drive up facing each other. All
the rest of the wagons would drive up forming a circle,
with the teams on the inside ot the corrall, and the back
or hind ends of the wagons pointing outwards. The two
hindmost teams would now swing together as in the
front, closing the rear gap in the circle. This also served
the purpose of a pen in which to run the stock in the
event of an attack, thus preventing the possibility of a
stampede.

Our object in drilling the teamsters was to teach them
how to form a corrall quickly in case of an attack while
under way.

After drilling a while we told the committee to select
eight men from their train to assist in scouting, we pre-
ferring young men with horses of their own or such as

ORGANIZED. 315

could get horses, and those men to be exempt from guard
duty except in cases of emergency. They proceeded at
once to select the eight men for assistant scouts, after
which we told them to appoint a sergeant, or whatever
they chose to call him, to command, respectively, every
platoon of twenty men, the hundred and forty being
organized in such squads.

This was the hardest task, apparently, for the com-
mittee, as no one wanted to serve in that capacity, each
one having soine excuse or other, but they finally com-
pleted the appointments and then Jim said to me:

NoWj Will, you take entire charge of the scouts, and
I will take charge of the balance of the men," telling me
that in the day time on the move he would assist me in
scouting all he could, but after the train was corralled to
handle the scouts to suit myself.

I told the newly appointed scouts to saddle their
horses and we would have a little exercise. I took a
piece of pine board box cover, sharpened it and stuck it
into a prairie dog hole. This board was about twelve
inches wide and two or two and a half feet long. I drew
a mark about thirty feet from the board, telling them to
fire when they reached this mark. I had them all mount
and start about a hundred yards from the board, and
when at this mark to fire at the board while at full speed,
each taking his turn.

Out of eight shots only one hit the board, and that
was made by the last one that fired.

I told them that such shooting would never do at all
if they expected to fight Indians, so I mounted my horse
and asked them which hand I should use my pistol in.

3i6

DRILLING THE SCOUTS.

All cried out: "Use your left hand!" I said: All right,
I will shoot across my bridle reins." I had one of the

I put two bullets through the beard while passing.

boys get on his horse and whip mine down to a dead run.
and with my pistol in my left hand I f ut two bullet liolcs
through the board while passing it..

This was a surprise to all of them as they had never
seen shooting done that way before, but they were all
eager to learn.

x\fter practicing this feat awhile I started in to teach
them to mount quick. This was the hardest thing for
them to learn, and all of their horses were trained to
stand perfectly still until they straightened up in the
saddle.

And here I will say that in scouting it is very essential
to have a horse that is quick to start.

LEARNING TO MOUNT.

317

The way we used to train our horses to start was by
having some one stand behind them with a whip and
strike them just as we jumped into the saddle. This
taught both horse and rider to be very agile, as we would
have to get on our horses almost on the dead run when
in close quarters with the Indians.

That evening near sunset another train drove up from
Missouri. There were twenty wagons and they were de-
sirous of joining our train. The committee came to us
to see what they thought of letting them in. We told
the committee that we were willing to take them in by
their pa3'ing one dollar a day. This being agreeable to

the committee
newcomers agreei
to pay the per d
we took them in.

The morning of Another train drove up from Missouri

the third day, after

organizing we pulled out, Jim Bridger staying with the

train all day. I dropped four of my men behind the

3l8 WE START.

train, telling them to keep about half a mile from it and
at the first sight of Indians to get to the train as quick as
possible and report to Jim Bridger, who would signal me
at once by firing two shots in quick succession, otherwise
there was to be no shooting in the train during the time
we were in a hostile country.

All went smoothly until the fifth day. We were then
on the north side of the South Platte and my new. assist-
ant scouts were beginning by this time — or at least some
of them were — to be anxious for a little sport with the
Indians.

I had told them the day before that they might expect
to see Indians at any time now, as we were then in the
Sioux country.

The morning of the fifth day I started two scouts
ahead of the train, telling them to keep about two miles
ahead of the wagons, two to drop behind the train and
two south, and to keep on the highest ground they could
find. Taking the other two with me I struck out north
of the road, this being where I most expected to find In-
dians. After riding five or six miles we came up on to a
high point where I took out my glasses and made a sur-.
vey of the surrounding country. I saw a large band of
Indians traveling almost parallel with the wagon road
and moving in the same direction the train was going.
I should judge them to have been about ten miles away.
Anyway, they were so far that I could not tell their num-
ber, but I thought there were in the neighborhood of one
hundred and fifty in the band.

I showed them to my associates by allowing them to
look through my glasses. I then showed them a route

DISCOVERED Indians. 3^9

to take and designated a certain point for them to go to
and remain, until I should come to them, and I started
alone after the Indians to try to get closer to them and
also get their general course of travel so as to come to
some conclusion as to what their intentions were. I suc-
ceeded in getting within about four miles of them and of
getting a good view of them as they were passing over a
little ridge. I saw that they had no squaws with them,
and I knew then they were on the war-path.

After taking a good look at the redskins I got back to
my two scouts as quickly as possible. Shortly after
joining them I saw nine Indians coming toward the road,
about three or four miles away from us, we being be-
tween them and the road, making them about eight miles
from the road.

I started one of my men to the train on a double
quick to inform Jim Bridger of what we had seen and
also to bring at least four or five good men and horses
back with him, telling him where to meet us on his
return.

. I was thoroughly convinced that these nine Indians
we had seen were scouts for the large band ahead of us,
and my object was to capture them and not let one of
them get back to the big band of warriors that we had
seen.

The other scout and I secreted our horses and watched
the nine Indians on the sly, until the other man returned
bringing three men with him from the train. By this
time the Indians were within two miles of the train, and
we had swung around so as to come in behind them and
were only about a half mile from them. We followed

320 A SCRIMMAGE.

them leisurely until they were passing over a little ridge
near the train, when we put spurs to our horses and rode
at a lively gait. I told my men to save their ammuni-
tion until they were near them and take good aim so that
every man would get his Indian the first shot, and to not
get excited or scared, for if all would keep cool we would
be able to get all of them without much trouble.

It so happened that just as we came on to the ridge
that the Indians had passed over a few minutes before,
they came in sight of the train, which was then not more
than half a mile away. They stopped and were looking
at the train.

Jim Bridger's quick eye had caught sight of them, and
not knowing but it was the big band coming, he had the
wagons corralled to prepare for an attack.

When we came to the top of the ridge mentioned we
were not more than three hundred yards away from them
and I immediately ordered a charge.

I was on Pinto, and he knowing what was up, was
ready for a chase. In fact, I could not have held him
had I been so disposed.

The warriors were so engrossed looking at the train,
no doubt thinking what a picnic they would have with
them, that they did not see us until I was almost ready
to fire. I was somewhat in advance of the rest, my
horse being the fleeter, and when within about a hun-
dred yards I raised in my stirrups, brought my rifle to
my shoulder and fired, killing one Indian, and the boys
claimed that I killed a horse from under another one at
the same time. They were sure the same bullet killed
both, for both fell at the crack of my rifle.

KILLED NINE INDIANS. 321

As soon as I had fired I drew my pistol and told them
to do Hkewise, also telling them to be sure and make
every shot count.

If ever I saw a horse that enjoyed that kind of sport
— if I might call it such — it was old Pinto.

The Indians made an effort to turn to the north, but
I was on the left of my men and my horse was fleet
enough to head them off. I crowded them so close that
they headed straight for the train; in fact, I think they
were so scared that they did not know where they were
going.

At the first fire v/ith our pistols three of the Indians
fell, leaving four yet mounted and one on foot — the one
whose horse I had shot at the first fire. I saw the In-
dian on foot making for some sage brush near by and
sang out to a man named Saunders, who was on a fine
grey horse, to run that Indian down, which he did, kill-
ing him the second shot, so he said afterwards.

About this time I saw Jim coming, with six or eight
men following him closely. Then we all commenced
yelling at the top of our voices, which excited the In-
dians still more. Whether they saw our men coming or
not I do not know, but two of them ran almost right up
to them and were shot down at a distance of thirty or
forty yards.

We succeeded in getting the other two, not letting
one escape to tell the tale; thereby accomplishing just
what I started to do when I first got sight of them.

After the last Indian had fallen, I rode to where Jim
was and told him of the big band of Indians I had seen
that day, and suggested that we had better go to Barrel

322 TOOK THEIR SCALPS.

Springs that night, which was about four miles further
on, as I thought that the best place to be in camp in
case we were attacked by the Indians. In this he agreed
with me.

By this time my men were all on the battle-field, and
most of the men from the train, also a number of the
women who had come out to see the dead Indians. I
asked one of the boys to go with me to scalp the Indians,
after which I would go to the train as I wanted to change
horses, but none of them knew how to scalp an Indian,
so Jim and I had to teach them how.

One old man, who was looking on, said: "I would
not mind shooting an Indian, but I would not like to
scalp one of them."

After scalping the nine Indians we rode to the train
and showed the scalps to the women. One young lady
said to me:

"I always took you to be a gentleman until now."

I said: "Miss, I claim to be only a plain plains gen-
tleman, but that at any and all times."

She said: "I don't thmk a gentleman could be so
barbarous as you are."

"My dear lady," I replied, "the taking of these scalps
may be the means of saving the train," and then I ex-
plained why we always scalped the Indians when we
killed them. I told her that the Indians did not fear
death, but hated the idea of being scalped.

About this time Jim Bridger came up and gave a more
thorough explanation cf the scalping business, and I did
not hear anything more of it at that time. But Jim often
teased the young lady spoken of, who had a lovely head

Barrel Springs. 323

of hair, by remarking what a fine scalp it would make
for the Indians.

I changed saddle horses and then myself and two
assistants rode out north to watch the movements of the
main band of Indians.

Before starting out Jim gave us the password of the
pickets, which was "Buffalo."

We rode until near sunset before we got sight of the
big band of Indians again, they having gone into camp
about four miles west of Barrel Springs, where our train
was camped, and only about a half mile from the trail or
wagon road.

I crawled up as near their camp as I dared to go,
and watched them until about nine o'clock that night, at
which time a number of them had turned in, apparently
for the night, and a number were around their horses all
the time, giving us no opportunity whatever, to stam-
pede them, which was my intention, provided they gave
us the least show. I told my assistants there would be
no danger whatever, until daybreak the next morning,
and we would return to camp and sleep until near day-
light.

When we got to the train Jim had not gone to bed
yet. I told him where we had located the main band,
and as near as I could the number of the Indians — about
one hundred and fifty — but that I did not anticipate any
trouble during the night.

Jim said he would sit up until four o'clock the next
morning. "At which time, " said he, "I will call you
and you can take as many scouts with you as you like
and watch every move made by the Indians, and if they

324 READY FOR AN ATTACK.

start this way telegraph me at once and I will have every-
thing in readiness to receive them, and I think we will
be able to give them quite an interesting entertainment."

What we meant by the term telegraphing was send-
ing a messenger as fast as he could ride, as there were
no other means of transmitting messages quickly.

The next morning at four, sharp, Jim woke us up.
He had our horses there, ready to saddle.

I sent three scouts north of the trail, three south and
took the other two with me to look after the Indians.

We arrived at the place where we had been secreted
the evening before, just as the Indians were breaking
camp. They started toward the road, and I watched
them till they struck the road and headed toward the
train.

I then dispatched one of my assistants to the train,
which was nearly four miles distant, telling him to spare
no horseflesh, but make the trip as quick as his horse
was able to carry him and notify Jim of the Indians'
movements. The other scout and I stayed to watch the
Indians. They traveled along the road at their leisure
until they got in sight of the train, but Jim had all in
readiness for them. He had raised the tongues of the
two lead wagons — which in forming a corrall always stood
face to face — about six feet high and had the nine scalps
we had taken the day before, strung on a line and swung
under the wagon tongues so as to be readily seen by the
Indians. As soon as the Indians came in sight of the
train he had all the men form in single line on the out-
side of the corrall, while all the women and children and
all the stock were on the inside.

SCARED OFF. 325

They circled around the entire train, taking in the
situation but keeping out of gunshot, Seeing that the
emigrants, much to their surprise, were ready to receive
them, and seeing no chance to stampede their stock, they
rode off on the hillside about half a mile away and held
a council for about half an hour, after which they all
mounted and rode away. They were not disposed to
tackle a greater number than they had, especially when
their antagonists were armed with guns, while they had
only bows, and arrows, and tomahawks.

Our men were well armed with such hand-guns as
were then in existence. Some had squirrel rifles, others
yager's, shotguns and pistols. In fact, about all makes
of firearms were represented in that emigrant train.

This was the first big band of hostile Indians that any
of the people had ever seen, and Jim said there was the
**wust" hubbub inside that corrall he had ever heard, not-
withstanding he had cautioned them to be quiet.

The most nervous of the women, at sight of the In-
dians, commenced crying and screaming, while those
more brave tried to reconcile those that were half fren-
zied from fright, and keep them quiet. Some were afraid
to have their husbands stand outside the corrall for fear
they would be killed by the redskins; but had it not been
for that line of men standing on the outside of the
wagons, and those scalps dangling from the wagon
tongues all of which led the Indians to believe that the
pale-faces were anxious to entertain them for awhile at
least, they undoubtedly would have attacked that train
that morning.

My assistants and I watched them all that day, and

326 A BUFFALO HUNT.

the train, after the Indians had gone, moved on. The In-
dians went back and took the trail of the nine scouts that
they had sent out the morning before, tracked them to
where their dead bodies lay, and taking four of the bodies
with them, moved on eastward. We selected a high
point and watched them until they had gone about ten
miles, and then we turned and followed up the train,
which camped that night at the head of Rock Creek.
When we arrived and reported that the Indians had left
the county they were the happiest lot of people I ever
saw. It seemed that they thought this was the only band
of Indians in the country.

The next day being Sunday Jim proposed that we lay
over and rest, saying that he was about worn out him-
self and that he was satisfied that the scouts were in the
same condition. This was satisfactory to all, so we did
not move camp that da}^

Up to this time we had not killed any game, although
we had seen plenty, there being considerable buffalo in
this part of the country yet, but it had been contrary to
orders to shoot while traveling, and I want to say right
here that the people of this train were always obedient
to our orders during our travels with them.

I told them I would go out and kill a buffalo that day
provided I could find one not too far from camp. A
number of men in the train wanted to go with me for a
buffalo hunt. "The more the merrier," I said, so we
saddled and started, six of us together.

About two miles from camp we saw a band of fifteen
buffalo that had not yet seen us. We at once dropped
back over the hill, and taking a circuitous route, we rode

WE KILLED FOUR. 32/

on the opposite side of them from camp, and cautiously
to within about a hundred and fifty yards, when they
raised their heads, took a good look at us and started off
toward the train. I told Saunders as he was on a fast
horse to take one side and I would take the other and
let the other boys bring up the rear, as by so doing we
could drive them near camp and save packing the meat
so far. When we were in the valley just below camp I
told each man to select his buffalo and fire, which they
did, when within a quarter of a mile from camp. We
then all commenced yelling like Indians, and Jim Bridger
said that he never saw a crowd of men get to their guns
as quick as the men in the train did, for they actually,
thought we were Indians.

We succeeded in killing four buffalo out of the band,
the last one being within a hundred yards of camp. We
dressed them and all h«nds volunteered to carry the meat
to camp where it was twrned over to the committee to
be distributed among the people of the entire train.

This w^as a great treat to them, for they had been
living on bacon for a long time, having no fresh meat
whatever.

It was twenty-five miles from here to the next place
where we could find water and a suitable camping place
where we would also have a good chance to protect our-
selves from Indians. So we pulled out early, I distribut-
ing my scouts as usual, only that I went alone and had a
hard ride for nothing.

After I had gone quite a distance I saw what I sup-
posed to be Indians; but they were a long way off. The
thought struck me that it was the same band we had

328 HEAR OF MORE INDIANS.

seen before and that they were sneaking around intend-
ing to steal a march on us and attack the train while
traveling and stampede the stock, which was often done

when no scouts were kept out for their protection. I
started to follow them up and did not find out my mis-
take until I struck the trail of my supposed band of In-
dians which to my surprise proved to be a buffalo trail
and instead of Indians I had been following a band of
buffalo all day.

That night I laid out and the people in camp were
very uneasy about me, thinking I never would return, as
they thought I must have been killed by Indians. Jim
told them not to be alarmed as I would turn up all right
the next day.

On a trip of this kind I usually took a lunch along
with me; but not expecting to be out long this time I did
not take anything to eat, so I had to starve it out until I
got back to the train, which was the next day at noon.

I did not see any fresh Indian sign on the entire trip;
neither did the other scouts see any sign of them, and
we concluded that if we did not have any trouble for
three days, we would be out of danger of the Sioux, for
by that time we would be out in the Bitter Creek coun-
try and there was no fear of Indians there.

All went along smoothly and we did not see or hear
of any more [ndians until we got to Fort Bridger. Here
I met one of Gen. Connor's men who told me that the
Utes were very bad in the vicinity of Fort Douglas near
Salt Lake, that being the place where Gen. Connor was
stationed at that time. He said that they had not been

DISCOVER Indians. 329

able to get a fight out of the Indians yet, although they
had followed them around a great deal.

We decided to take Sublet's Cutoff, leaving Salt Lake
City about one hundred miles south, as Jim said he would
rather fight Indians than Mormons.

Six days after leaving Fort Bridger I met two of Gen.
Connor's scouts in Cash valley, and they told us the Utes
were very bad farther West, and advised us to take the
Goose Creek route to avoid the Indians. We took their
advice.

• Here was a scope of country that neither Jim nor I
had ever been over, it being a new road just made the
year previous.

After traveling four days on this road, late in the
evening of the fourth, I discovered a little band of In-
dians about six or eight miles from the road on a stream
that I have since heard called Raft river, which is a trib-
utary of the Snake.

We watched the band until dark and then rode as
near as we thought safe. I then left my horse with my
two assistants and crawled up near the Indian camp and
tried to get a count on them. When I got near them I
found that they were Bannocks and were not warriors,
but apparently a hunting and fishing party, and were all
old men and women. I went away without molesting or
even allowing them to know that I had been there.

Four days' travel from here brought us into a section
of country where I had done my first scouting, on the
waters of the Humboldt. The first day after striking the
Humboldt, three of my men and I late in the afternoon,
ran on to a small band of Utes, eleven in number. I

330 KILLED TWO InDIANS.

thought we had discovered them and got away without
being noticed, so I told the boys that by making a circuit
of about one and a half miles we would have the advan-
tage of the ground and w^ould be on to them before they
knew it.

On arriving at the place where I expected to make
the charge I was disappointed to find that they were
mounted and on the move, they having no doubt gotten
sight of us when we first saw them. We gave chase but
they had too far the start of us, and after running about
two miles we ended the pursuit.

There was no more trouble until we got to where
Wadsworth now stands. Here, one morning about sun-
rise, as the herders were bringing in the stock, five In-
dians rushed in and tried to stampede the animals, but
the herders happened to see them in time to give the
alarm. Jim and I having our horses tied near the camp,
were out after them quicker than I can tell it. We got
two of them, and I think the other three must have
thought themselves extremely lucky that they got away
with their scalps.

The only damage done by them was that they scared
the herders out of a year's growth, and just where those
Indians came from I never have been able to tell, for I
made it a rule to circle the camp every evening and look
for Indians and Indian signs.

This was the only time on the trip that I had an In-
dian steal a march on me, and this was the last trouble
we had with Indians on this trip. Tert days travel
brought us to the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at
the -head of Eagle Valley.

FAREWELL DANCE. 33 I

Jim knowing that they wanted to lay over the next
day, it being Sunday, he selected a lovely camping
ground in a pleasant pine grove and went into camp
about the middle of the afternoon.

As soon as we had got into camp, Jim and I went to
the committee and told them they did not need our ser-
vices any longer as there would be no danger whatevei
from here on of Indians, they being now out of the hos-
tile country entirely.

When the women folks learned that we were going
to leave they proposed giving a farewell party that night.
Having musicians in the train, they selected a nice level
spot, and all who desired to participate congregated there
and had an enjoyable time. I think they enjoyed that
dance out in that lovely forest as much as though they
had been dancing in the finest hall in San Francisco; and
I think even the old people who were religious were so
overjoyed to know that they were once more safe from
the much dreaded and barbarous red men of the plains,
that they almost felt like dancing themselves.

Although I had been with this train just two and one
half months I had been in company with the ladies but
very little, for I had never been in in daylight only just long
enough to eat my meals and change horses, consequently
I was but slightly acquainted with any of them. This
was the first dance on the trip, and it w^as surprising to
me to see how sociable the ladies were with me, and had
it not been that I was so bashful, I might have had a
pleasant time.

When the dance was over, about ten o'clock that
night, one of the committee got up and made us quite a

332 WE SAY GOOD-BYE.

speech in behalf of the people in the train, telling us how
much they appreciated the interest we had taken in
guarding their train through safely, and after he was
through talking he gave each of us a letter of recommen-
dation, which had been drawn up that evening while the
dance was going on. I think those letters were signed
by every man in the train, and a great many of the ladies
had signed them too. The speaker concluded his re-
marks by asking us to remain with the train as long as
we desired, and our provisions should not cost us a cent,
nor for having our horses herded with theirs. It being
too late in the fall to return to Fort Kearney, we ac-
cepted their kind and liberal offer and concluded to travel
with them a few days.

We remained with them until near Sacramento, and
here I met my old friend Johnnie West. He was begin-
ning to look very old, considering his age. He told me
he had quit drinking and was going to lead a different
life from this on; that he had taken up a ranch five miles
from Sacramento on the river and invited us home with
him.

We accepted the invitation, and bidding the people
that we had been traveling with nearly three months,
good-bye, we left them and went wqth Johnnie to his
ranch.

When we were ready to leave, I think every per-
son in the train shook hands with us.

Johnnie West's ranch. 333

CHAPTER XXIII.

Bridger and West give Christmas a high old wel-
COME IN Sacramento. — California Gulch. —
Meeting with Buffalo Bill. — Thirty-three
scalps with one knife.

On our arrival at Johnnie West's ranch we found that
he had quite a comfortable house, considering that it had
been built by an old trapper. He had five acres under
cultivation, and had raised a promiscuous lot of very de-
sirable produce, especially in the way of vegetable truck.

We remained with West two months, putting in our
time hunting, fishing and loafing. It being near Christ-
mas now, the question arose as to what we would do to
celebrate that festive season. Jim was for going to San
Francisco and Johnnie wanted to go to Sacramento. I
told them it was immaterial to me where I went. But
all this time I was afraid that if John West got to town
in company with Jim Bridger that West would break his
oft-repeated resolutions and there would be a big run on
the reddest kind of paint. I told Jim my fears and pro-
posed that we remain at home and take our Christmas
there. But Jim couldn't see it in that light, and said
one little spree wouldn't hurt Johnnie, so the day before
Christmas we pulled out for Sacramento, That same

334 Chirstmas at Sacramento.

evening Jim and Johnnie both got loads that they ought
to have gone after about nine times, if they just had to
pack them, and the result was that it was my busy day
keeping them out of the calaboose. I promised the
police I would put them to bed and make them stay
there until morning.

Next morning, the first thing after we had dressed,
Jim said: "Well boys, let's go and have a Christmas
drink."' I said: "Boys, I will take one drink with you
and then quit. Now if you fellows want to make brutes
of yourselves and get into the lock-up, just go ahead, but
I am going to go home as soon as I get my breakfast."
So we went down the street and into the first saloon we
came to and called for egg-nogg. I remained with them
until they w^ere drinking their fifth drink. I could not
do anything with them, so I told them I w^as going to
breakfast, and they could do as they pleased. This was
the first time in my life that I had ever been placed in a
position where I was actually ashamed of my associates.
I was so disgusted when I left them that morning to go
to my breakfast that I thought I would go home and
leave them But after eating my breakfast, being, per-
haps, in a better humor, I started out to hunt for them.
I do not w^ish to try for a moment to lead the reader to
belive that I do not like the taste of liquor, for I am con-
fident at that time I really liked it better than either of
my associates, but I always dispise the effect, and that
seemed to be what they, like thousands of other, drink
it for. It always seemed to me that when a man is
druuk he is more disposed to show the brute that is in
him than to act a gentleman.

Johnnie locked up.

335

After, looking around some little time I found Jim
Bridger in a saloon so drunk that he could scarcely walk.

M\v\^

The police had taken him to the station-house.

I asked him where Johnny West was, and the bar-keeper
told me that the police had taken him to the station-house.
I asked what for, and he said for trying to shoot some
one.

I watched for an opportunity and took both of Jim's
pistols and knife away from him and gave them to the
clerk at the hotel. Afterwards I walked to the station-
house to see what the charge was against Johnny West.

33^ Los Angeles.

The man told me the charge was drunk and disorderly
and shooting a pistol inside of a house. I asked him if
he would let Johnny out if I would pay the fine. He
said: "Yes. As soon as he is sober to-morrow morn-
ing, you can come around. The charges will be twenty
dollars."

If the reader ever had any experiece with a drunken
man, which to me is the most disgusting thing on earth,
he can realize something of the time I had with those
two men, for it took me all the next day to get Johnny
West home and get him reconciled.

He was determined to return to Sacramento, and it
took me two more days hard work and coaxing to get
Jim Bridger home. I have it by good authority that this
was the last drunken spree that Johnnie West ever took.
He remained on his ranch some six years longer and hav-
ing accumulated considerable wealth, sold out for a good
price and returned home to his relations in Texas, and
there died a short time afterwards;

Jim Bridger and myself stayed at Johnny's until about
the middle of January. This now being 1861, we started
for New Mexico, via Los Angeles, with the intention of
laying over in Los Angeles until we could cross the
Rocky Mountains. There was a good wagon road from
Sacramento to San Jose, and from San Jose to Los An-
geles.

At this time the Indians were all peaceable through
California, the only trouble with them was their begging.
At that I think, beyond any doubt, that they could beat
any class of people it has ever been my misfortune to
meet.

START FOR NeW MeXICO. 33/

We arrived at Los Angeles on the fifth of February.
It being one of the Spanish feast days, they were having
a great time. The Spanish population of this place hav-
ing now become reconciled, we were treated with due
respect while we remained here, being about one week,
during which time we lived on fruit. For here were
fruits and flowers, world without end. Beyond any doubt,
this is the greatest place for flowers that I have ever
seen.

Soon we pulled out for New Mexico, keeping on the
north side of the Colorado river until above the head of
the Grand Canyon, this being pretty w^ell up in the
Rocky Mountains, and here near the head of the Grand
Canyon we began to see more or less Indian sign, but we
were undecided as to what tribe of Indians they be-
longed.

The second day after crossing the Colorado river we
ran on to a band of Indians, but to our satisfaction they
were of the Pima tribe, and the same young Indian whose
sister had assisted me in rescuing the white girl Olive
Oatman, was with them.

As soon as he saw me he ran to meet me and shouted
"Kain, igo," — meaning "Hello, friend," — and shook
hands with me.

The Pimas were out on their annual hunt for that
season, and we had to remain with them two days. Be-
ing acquainted with them all, and as I have said before,
when one is out in a hostile Indian country, sometimes
the company of friendly Indians is quite acceptable.

After leaving here we would be compelled to pass
over a small portion of the Ute country, and game being

338

FRIENDLY INDIANS,

plentiful at this time, we feared they might be out on a
hunt, and just at present we were not hankering after
sport of the Indian fighting kind. So I preposed to Jim
Bridger that we hire four of these young Pimas to ac-
company us through the Ute country, knowing that the
Pimas were on good terms with all their neighboring
tribes. Jim said that we had nothing to give them, hav-
ing neither jewelry or beads with us.

I told him that I would spare them a horse if we could
get them to go, I had four horses with me, while Jim

Sitting around the camp fire, smoking and cracking jokes.

only had three. He told me to go ahead and make any
kind of a bargain with them I liked and he would stand
his portion.

WE HIRE ESCORTS. 339

That night after supper while we were sitting around
the camp fire, smoking and cracking jokes — for an In-
dian enjoys a joke as well as any one — I got up and told
them that we would, after leaving their country, have to
travel over a small portion of the Ute conntry, and they
being hostile towards the white people, we did not feel
safe to try to cross their country alone, I told them we
were very poor, having no beads nor blankets to spare,
but if four of their men would accompany us for three
days, I would give them a good horse.

The young Indian said: "You have been a good
friend to me, and me and my friend will go with you
across the Ute country. We don't want your horse, but
when you come back you can bring us some beads."

This we agreed to do, and the next morning we
started early, accompanied by four young Pima Indians.

During the first two days' travel from the Pima camp
we saw not less than two hundred Indians of the Ute
tribe, camping the second night within a quarter of a
mile of a large village of them, but having those Pimas
with us they did not offer to molest us.

When we were approaching a village two of the Pimas
would ride ahead and tell the Utes that we were 'their
friends. They traveled with us four days, when we con-
cluded we were safe and they returned to their crowd of
hunters, and we proceeded on our journey, crossing the
main divide of the Rocky Mountains at the head of the
Blue river, striking the head of the Arkansas river as soon
as we were across the main divide.

The day we crossed the divide we went into camp as
soon as we were out of the snow on the east side. That

340 California Gulch.

night when it was dark we could see down the Arkansas
river a great number of camp fires, and what this all
meant was a mystery to us. We knew that we were
then in the Comanche country, but we could not think
that they were up in that region so early in the season.
We were both somewhat restless that night, sleeping but
very little, fearing that these were camp-fires of the Utes,
and if so we were sure to have trouble with them before
we could get out of this part of the country.

We were not in much of a hurry to start next morn-
ing, but I took my glasses and selecting a high point for
a general look, was agreeably surprised to see that the
camp was one of wagons and tents. That made us feel
considerably better. We packed up at once and went
down to see what it all meant.

On arriving we found a company of miners. The
gold in California Gulch had just recently been discov-
ered, and that was attracting them. As soon as we
learned the cause of the excitement, we struck camp and
walked up the canyon to where they were at work. They
were taking out gold in great quantities, but we only re-
mained until next morning, when we packed up and
started for Taos, going via the the place where Colorado
City now stands — a deserted village near the present city
of Colorado Springs. We were now in a country where
we were perfectly safe, so far as Indians were concerned,
and we could travel at our ease.

On our first day's travel, after leaving the mining
we passed through the country where I did my first trap-
ping in company with Uncle Kit Carson and Mr. Hughes,
and as we were riding along I pointed out to Jim the

WORKING FOR UnCLE KiT. 34I

place where I took my first Indian scalp. This was the
first time I had ever mentioned it to him and he said
that Uncle Kit had told him all about it a long time ago.

On our arrival at Taos we found Uncle Kit suffering
severely from the effects of the arrow wound that has
twice before been mentioned in this history. He and
his wife were glad to see us, and Uncle Kit insisted on
my remaining with him and taking charge of his stock.
He now had several bands of sheep and some four hun-
dred head of cattle, and not being able to ride and look
after the camps, he wanted me to ride from one camp to
to the other and look after the business in general, for
which he offered to pay me well. I agreed to work for
him at least two or three months and perhaps longer,
provided I liked the business.

After I had been one month at work a wholesale
butcher came over from Denver to buy cattle and sheep.
I went out and showed him Uncle Kit's, after which we
returned to Taos and he closed a trade with Uncle Kit,
agreeing to take one hundred head of cattle and one
thousand head of sheep. The price to be paid for them
I never knew, but he paid a certain portion down and
the balance was to be paid the coming October, in Den-
ver City.

I remained with Uncle Kit until the first of October,
looking after things in general, when he asked me to ac-
company him to Denver City, which was one hundred
and eighty miles from Taos.

About the middle of the afternoon of the sixth day
we rode into Denver, from the southwest. When near
where Cherry creek runs through the city we saw an im-

342 Denver City.

mense crowd of people in the streets, so we pushed on
te see what the excitement was.

When near the crowd we met three or four men
on horseback riding up the street. We asked what was
causing the excitement. One of them replied: "Oh,
nothing, only they are going to hang a man down there
in a few minutes."

This being the first opportunity I had ever had to see
a man hung, we stayed and saw it through. We rode
up to the edge of the crowd, which was about forty yards
from the scaffold where the hanging was to take place,
and had been there but a few^ moments when we saw the
sheriff coming with the prisoner, having a very strong
guard of some two hundred men all well armed. As soon
as the prisoner stepped on to the platform some one
handed him a chair to sit down in.

The sheriff turned to the prisoner and said: "Mr.
Gordon if you have anything to say, now you have the
opportunity. I will give you all the time necessary to
say what you wish."

The prisoner rose to his feet and brushed his hair
back, apparently cool, but the moment he commenced
to talk I could see the tears begin to trickle down his
cheeks.

I thought it a most pitful sight. He did not talk
long, but briefly thanked his friends for their kindness to-
wards him during his confinement, and said: "Gentle-
men, I think you did very wrong in holding out the idea
to me that I would come clear, when you knew very well
that there was no show whatever for me," and took his
seat.

WITNESS A HANGING. 343

A gospel minister then stepped upon the platform and
engaged in prayer. When he rose from praying the
prisoner was weeping bitterly. The sheriff then stepped
up to him and said: "Come, Mr. Gordon, your time is
up," and he took him by one arm and another man by
the other, and when he raised to his feet they tied his
hands behind him, tied a cloth over his face, led him on
to the trap and the sheriff placed the rope around his
neck and started down the steps to spring the trap, when
the prisoner sang out: "Come back, Meadows, come
back! "

The sheriff turned and walked up to where the pris-
oner was, and he said:

"Meadows, fix the rope good so it will break my neck,
for I want to die quick."

After the sheriff had fixed the rope he stepped down
and sprung the trap, and from where I was I could not
see that Gordon made the least struggle after he dropped.

Just as we were ready to leave here who should step
up but our old friend Mr. Joe Favor, whom we had not
seen for a long time. He insisted on us going to his
store, telling us where to put our horses. So, after put-
ting our horses up, we went around with him.

On arriving at Favor's place we found that he had a
nutriber of his St. Louis friends with him, who had only
arrived a few days previous to this. After introducing
us all around, lie said: "I w^ant you two men to come
over and take supper VA'itli me. I have just ordered sup-
per at the Jefferson House."

Uncle Kit tried to excuse himself on the grounds that

344 THIRTY-THREE SCALPS.

we were not dressed well enough to go into company, we
having on our buckskin suits. But his answer was:

*'I would not have you dressed otherwise if I could,
so be sure and come with your side arms on," having
reference to our revolvers and knives. He then addressed
his conversation to me for a few moments by asking what
I would take to tell him the honest truth as to how many
Indians I had scalped with the knife that he gave me,
seeing that I still carried it.

I said: "Mr. Favor, I ccnild tell you just the num-
ber, but it would be out of place for me to do so." He
asked why, and I said: "Mr. Favor, up to this time I
don't think I have ever given you any reason to doubt
my word, but if I should tell you the honest truth as to
the number of Indians I have scalped with that knife I
fear vou would doubt me."

Bv this time a number of his St. Louis friends had
flocked around me, and it seemed as if they would look
through me. Mr. Favor assured me that he would not
doubt mv v/ord for a moment, but I told him his friends
would. They assured me that they would not, saying
from what they had heard of me from Mr. Favor before
seeing me, they felt satisfied that I would tell them the
truth.

I. said: "Gentlemen, if I had gotten one more scalp
I would just have even thu^ty-four, but as it is I have
just taken thirty-three scalps with this knife. I mean
from Indians that I killed myself. I have taken a num-
ber that were killed by others, but I did not count them."

The crowd then turned their attention to Uncle Kit
Carson, and while at the supper table those St. Louis

Kit Carson's life. 345

parties asked him what he would take to sit down and i^ive
them a true history of his hfe and let them write it up
and have it published. To this he would not hear. 1 hey
then came at him in a different manner by asking wliat
per cent, of the net proceeds he would take. To this he
said: "Gentlemen, if there is anything on earth that I
do dislike it surely is this thino" called notoriet}^," and he
continued by . O''"^' "There is a part of my life that I
hate to think of m\self, and a book written without the
whole of my life ^vould not amount to anything."

After supper we returned to the store and those men
talked with Uncle Kit until near midnight about this mat-
ter. By this time he had become inipatient and said:
"Gentlemen, there is no use talking, for I will not sub-
mit to a thing of this kind, and you will oblige me very
much by not mentioning it anymore." So that ended
the conversation concerning the matter, for the time be-
ing, and Uncle Kit and I retired for the night.

The morning following I walked dow^n to the store
and Mr. Favor told me there had been some parties look-
ing for me, and left word for me to meet them at the
store at ten o'clock.

I sat down and waited until thev came at the hour
appointed. A gentlem.an in the crowd named Green
Campbell seemed to be their spokesman. And, by the
way, this same Mr. Campbell has since grown to be very
wealthy and now resides in Salt Lake Cit3% and a few
years ago was nominated on the Gentile ticket for Gov-
ernor, but was defeated.

Mr. Campbell said to me: "There are five of us that
have been mining here this summer and have done very

346 TO GO TO Gila River.

well, but we are not satisfied. We want to go on to the
waters of the Gila river and prospect this winter, and
have been trying for several days to find some one that
could guide us to that country, and Mr. Favor having
recommended you to us very highly, we wish to make
some kind of a bargain with 3'ou if we can, to guide us to
that part of the country. Is it safe for a small party
to go in there .^ "

I said: "Mr. Campbell, it depends altogether in
what part of the country }"ou vv-ant to go. I could take
you on the waters of the Gila river where you would be
perfectly safe, but whether it would be where 3-ou want
to go or not is the question." I drew a diagram of that
part of the country as best I could, showing the different
tributaries to the river, pointing out the region where
they would be safe and also that which they would not
dare enter on account of the hostile Apache Indians.

Mr. Campbell asked me if I would remain with them
until spring. I told him I would, and they made me a
proposition, which I accepted. They were to furnish all
the pack animals necessary for the outfit and to board
me, I to furnish my own saddle-horses. I advised them
to go to Taos with a wagon and team, and buy their pack
animals there as they would l^e able to get them much
cheaper than in Denver. They proposed that I go to
Taos and buy th.e pack animals and have everything
ready by the time they would arrive, as they had busi-
ness which would necessarilv detain them for at least

•J

two weeks. This I agreed to do.

That afternoon I was walking down the street near
the Planters House when I met a policeman in great

A LIVELY ROW.

347

haste, making his way for the hotel mentioned. As he
approached me he said: "I deputize } ou to assist me
in makini^- the ar-
rest of those stage
drivers i n t h e
Planters' House."
This was a crowd
of men who were '^
driving stage at ^v
that time for the
notorious Slade,
of whom more will
be said later on.

I had left mv
side arms at Mr. Favor's store,
not thinking I would have any
occasion to use them, but at the re-
quest of the policeman, I entered the
hotel and found a general row pro-
ceeding. As soon as we entered the
door two or three of the crowd made
for me, I backed off and defended myself the best that
I could, until I had backed to the end of the hall. The
door at the end of the hall being shut, I could back no
farther. Here I sparred with them for some time, when
one of them struck at me with all vengeance and just
grazed the side of my face. As I threw my head and
shoulders back to dodge the blow I knocked the whole
upper portion of the glass door out. Just at that instant
Wm. F. Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill, seeing the
predicament I was in, and seeing that I was unarmed,

' 'I deputise you to

assist me.

34^ WE ARRESTED SIX.

caught me by the shoulders and jerked me through that
window much quicker than I could tell it. He handed
me one of his pistols and said: "Come on pard, and we
will take them fellows or know the reason why. "

When we entered the door they had the policeman
and bar-keeper both cornered behind the bar, but seeing
that we were prepared for them, strange to say, not one
of them drew his pistol, but all surrendered at once, and
the entire crowd, six in number, were escorted to the
cooler.

The name of this policeman was William Deecy, and
he is now living in Boulder, Montana. I saw him less
than one year ago, and we enjoyed a good laugh as we
rehearsed the affair of the Planters' House.

That afternoon after having his business attended to,
Uncle Kit went to Mr. Favor and said: "Joe, I want
you and your friends from St. Louis to come and take
supper with me this evening at the same hotel where we
had supper last evening."

When Uncle Kit spoke in this manner Mr. Favor felt
sure that he had changed his mind in regard to having
his life written up, and before going to supper, in the
absence of Uncle Kit, Mr. Favor asked me about it. I told
him he had not. Whereupon he proposed betting me a
new hat that those parties would write up his, Kit Car-
son's, life. I said; "Not by his consent." "Yes," said
he, "by his own consent."

This bet I accepted, and that night Mr. Favor and
all of his St. Louis friends accompanied us fro«i the store
down to the hotel for supper. There was one gentleman
in the crowd who was a splendid talker, and apparently

Buffalo Bill.

349

an intelligent man, and when at the supper table that
night, he mentioned the matter to Uncle Kit again of
having his life published. On turning his eyes to the re-
fined gentleman, he said: "I would have you under-
stand that when I say anything I mean it. I told you
in plain English last evening that I would not submit to
anything of that kind, and now don't compel me to talk
too harsh, but please drop the subject at once."

Mr. Favor, who had been watching very close all this
time, could see at once there was no use in talking any
more about the subject and turned the conversation as
quickly as possible and theie was no more said about it.

That night while
i n a conversation
with Buffalo Bill he
told Uncle Kit and
I that he would be
going out to Bent's
Fort in a few days
and proposed that
we join him there
and have a buffalo
hunt before I went
away. We prom-
ised that we would
meet him.

The next morn-
ing Uncle Kit and I Col. W. F. Cody. -"Buffalo Bill."

mounted our horses

to start on our return trip to Taos, and when we rode up

in front of the store, Mr. Favor told me to come in and

350 A BUFFALO HUNT.

get my hat. I told him no, that I would not take it
now, but let it go until next spring when I returned. He
said to call and get it any time, saying: ' 'You won it
lair.

After we had ridden but a short distance I told Uncle
Kit how I came to win the hat, and he said: ''I think
them St. Louis men are gentlemen, but I don't propose
to have any one write up my life. I have got plenty to
keep me as long as I live and I do not like notoriety."
And just here I would say, that to a man that roughed
it out on the plains in those days as we old frontiersmen
had to do, they did not feel that a history of their lives
would be fit to go before the public, for as Uncle Kit
said: "A man on the frontier had to undergo many
hardships, that if written up true, just as they occurred,
people in the civilized countries would not believe them
when they read it."

On my arrival at Taos I bought ten Mexican jacks or
burros to use for pack animals on the trip that we were
about to start upon. After that we started for Bent's
Fort where we joined Buffalo Bill and Col. Bent and
struck out for the * 'Picket Wire"— Purgatoire — -on a buf-
falo hunt.

Here we found buffalo plenty and enjoyed two days
successful hunting, and I must say that a more jolly
crowd I was never out with than those three men were
on a trip of this kind. Buffalo Bill, who was as good-
natured a man as a person would wish to meet, was able
to furnish amusement for the entire crowd. Col. Bent
himself was no mean Nimrod, and Uncle Kit did not take
a back seat on such occasions.

Black Hawk, Apache Chief,

RETURN TO TaOS. 35 1

This was the last hunting expedition that it was ever
my pleasure to go upon in company with Mr. Cody, and
it was not my pleasure to meet him again for a number
of years afterwards.

From hare Uncle Kit and I returned to Taos, and I
commenced making preparations for the trip to the
waters of the Gila. *

CHAPTER XXIV

Face to face with a band of Apaches. — The death
OF Pinto. — The closest call I ever had. — A

NIGHT escape. BaCK AT FORT DoUGLAS.

On the arrival of Mr. Campbell and party we packed
up and were off to the waters of the Gila. Our crowd
consisted of Green Campbell, of Missouri; Thomas Free-
man and David Roberts, of Illinois, and Marlow Pease,
of Massachusetts.

I took three saddle horses with me and they each took
a saddle horse and three extra horses belonging to the
company. We did not lose any time getting across the
main divide. Being late in the fall we had great fear of
becoming snow-bound on the trip. We left the head of

^^2 PROSPECTING.

the Arkansas river some fifty miles to the north so as to
be able to cross the river without having the snow to en-
counter. After we were across the main divide I told
them there would be no danger of being snowed in now,
SO they would stop occasionally from half a day to three
dajs in a place to prospect what they called the most
favorable looking pla«es for the yellow metal and most
generally finding a little gold, but not as the}^ considered
in paying quantities, and while they were prospecting it
Vv'as my business to scout all around the camp to prevent
a surprise party by the reds and to kill game to live on.

We arrived at the Gila, striking the middle fork a
little more southwest than I had ever been before. I told
them we were now in the Apache country and that those
were the worst Indians we had to contend with. We
found a nice place for a camp and j\Ir. Campbell pro-
posed to build a log cabin in order to protect ourselves
against the Indians, but I told them I thought they had
better prospect a week or ten days first, and if they
found it to pay them we could build a cabin, Lind in the
mean time I would try and locate the Indians and watch
their movements.

Tlie fi.rst four or five days I didn't go very far away,
but made an entire circuit of the camp every day. After
being here five or six dciys, I struck out in a south-
westerly direction, intending to go about ten or fifteen
miles from camp.

Up to this time I had not seen any fresh Indian sign
whatever, and had about concluded that we would riot
have any trouble this winter with them. After riding
about ten miles or so I came to a nice little brook, and

Us "
Cfl"

Apache Indians.

353

there being fine grass, I stopped and let my horse feed
for an hour or more. I was riding my old Pinto that day
and h e was
also feeling-
fine.

About one
o'clock I
mounted Pin-
to and started ^_

1 -1 • ^

south, striking ^

for a high m

mountain, ^^y

from which if
I could once
reach the top,
I could, with
the aid of my
glasses, see all
over the en-
tire country.
While climb-
ing this moun-
tain I ran on to a bear cub. Seeing that he was very
fat, I shot him and lashed him behind m}' saddle, and
was soon climbing the mountain again, which was. in
places, steep and very rocky, with scattering pine trees
here and there. After going about a half a mile and just
as I came to the top of a steep little pitch, I came face
to face with a band of Apache Indians. I did not take
time to count them, but thought there were about eigh-
teen or twenty of them. I fired four shots in quick suc-

I stopped and let my horse feed.

354

A LIVELY CHASE.

cession The first two shots I killed two Indians, but
the other two I could not tell whether I got my men or
not, as I was just in the act of turning my horse when I
fired. They fired a perfect shower of arrows at me. To
run back down the mountain the way I came was a mat-
ter of impossibility, as it was both steep and rocky, so I
took around the side of the mountain, thinking that I

I had to ride all over mv horse.

would be able in a few nioments' run to reach the top of
the moL-mtain, where I could have a better show to de-
fend mvself.

I had to ride all over my horse to avoid the arrows,
■first on one side, hanging by one foot and one hand, then
on the other side.

I had not run more than one hundred yards until I

Pinto killed. 355

knew there was something wrong with my horse, for he
had always before seemed to know when I was in a tight
place and seemed eager to carry me out of danger. I
<iave him the spurs three or four times but he did not in-
crease his speed in the least, and then I knew well that
he had been shot, and it always seemed a miracle to me
that I went through all that and did not get shot also.

It is quite useless for me to say I thought my time
had come. On looking ahead some fifty yards I saw a
pile of rocks about four or five feet high, which I made
a bee line for. Getting to the rock pile I dismounted
and ran between two large rocks where poor old Pinto
tried to follow me, but he received two more arrows in
his hip and one in his flank. He fell to the ground, and
after falling raised his head, and looking toward me,
whinnied.

The poor faithful old fellow lay there and would
whinny for me at intervals as long as he lived, which was
perhaps half an hour. The reader can fancy my condi-
tion just at this time. Here I v/as almost surrounded by
hostile Indians and the only friend that I had with me
dead. I did not expect to ever get away from there, for
I expected that while a part of the Indians guarded me
the balance would go off and rally reinforcements.

I had made up m\' mind to fight them to the last and
kill as many as I could before they got me. They made
three desperate charges for me before dark, but as luck
would have it I was always loaded for them. I piled up
rocks as I could get them loose in a manner to give me
protection from every quarter, but expected the}/ would
reinforce and attempt to starve me out,

356

A PERILOUS POSITION.

Just as it was getting" dark, two of the Indians crawled
up to within thirty feet of my rock pen. I was watch-
ing them, and just as they rose up to fire I fired and
brought one of them to the ground, thereby making an-
other good Apache. The other one ran away, and it
being somewhat dark, I did not get him.

This made the fifth Indian I had killed since I had
been in my little rock pen and I had fired eleven shots.
After it was good and dark I made up my mind that I
would get out of there sometime during the night, for to
remain there till the morrow only meant death, and I
might as well
lose my life
in trvins^ to
get away that
night as to
remain there
and be killed
the next day.
I felt sure
thev had a
guard around
me, but I
made up m\'
mind to make
a desperate
effort to get
a w a V. I
c r a w 1 e d to

where my dead horse was laying, which was only a few
feet from my rock house, cut the latigo, removed my

I was always loaded and ready for them.

AN AWFUL NIGHT. 35/

saddle from the dead horse, lashed it to my back, taking
the mochilar or covering for a saddle, which I liave de-
scribed heretofore, I took my knife and cut a hole in the
front portion of the mochila where the pommel of the
saddle protrudes, so that I was able to stick my head
through. The mochila was good as a shield, for an
arrow^ would not go through it except at very short range.
I cut the reins off of the bridle, and as the bit was a very
heavy one, I thought it would answer pretty well as a
sling shot in close quarters.

I had no idea of getting out without a desperate fight
wifh ninety-nine chances against me to one in my favor.
After I had my rig complete 1 started to crawl away fiat
on the ground like a. snake, I would crawl for a short
distance, then stop and listen. It was very dark, there
being no moon in the fore part of the night. I was ex-
pecting every minute to feel an arrow or a tomahawk in
m}' head. After working my way down the hill some
hundred yards or so, I came to a tree and raised up by
the side of it. I stood and listened for some time, but
CouJd not hear anything of the Indians, so I struck out
in the direction of camp, walking very cautiously for
some little distance.

After traveling about six miles I felt, comparatively
safe, knowing they could not do anything toward track-
ing me until morning and did not think they would even
be able to track me then.

I passed over a great deal of rocky country where
there was but little vegetation. Finally I laid down to
wait until morning, and I must sa\' that I never had been
out in all my life when I actually longed for daylight to

35^ . BACK AT CAMP.

come as I did that long" and lonely night, and I believe
that I would freely have given five hundred dollars to
have had a man there with me that night; not that I was
afraid of Indians, for I considered that I had given them
the shp, and did not believe they would be able to over-
take me before I would reach camp even though they
should be able to track me the next morning.

I thought of m}' d3'ing horse who had been such a
faithful servant and carried me out of so many tight
places, and when I would think of him I could fancy that
I could see him raise his head and whinn.y at me as he
had done that evening in his d\ing moments, seemingly
asking me for help, and I could not keep tlie tears from
ni}' eyes. As soon as it was light I started for camp,
arriving there about ten o'clock that morning. The men
in camp had given me up and did not expect to ever see
me any more, thinking" that the Apaches h.'id got me. I
told the men that we would have to leave this part of the
country now, and that too, just as soon as I could get a
bite to eat and get my saddle repaired. While the bo}s
pulled up and started to move camp I saddled up another
horse and took my back track, traveling very cautiously,
thinking they w^ould try to follow me out, and I wanted
to watch their movements and see whether they had re-
inforced or not. I told the boys to move northeast and
where to camp, the place being ten miles from where we
were then, and not to build any fire that night, also that
I would be in camp some time before morning this time,
I was very cautious not to be surprised the second time.
I rode back within a mile of where my dead horse lay,
but could not see. any Indians, so I finally concluded that

A NEW CAMP. 3^9

it had been a small hunting party, and seeing that they
could not scare me out of my rock pen by their ferocious
charges, accompanied by a war-wiioop that would make
the hair stand on the bravest mountaineer's head, they
had abandoned the idea altogether and had no doubt left
the ground before I started to crawl away from my rock
pen, which had been the means of saving me from falling
their victim.

I returned to camp, arriving shortly after dark. We
moved north, the men prospecting the country as we went
and I scouting, keeping a shaip lookout to prevent a sur-
prise part3^ but we did not see any more Indians during
the entire winter. We struck the Colorado river at the
mouth of the (xreen river.

Mr. Campbell concluded that he would go to south-
ern Nevada; taking a southwesterly course from Green
river, I piloted them about one hundred miles and they
now being in a country where they were perfectly safe as
far as hostile Indians were concerned, I left the party,
and the most of them it has never been my pleasure to
meet since. I met one of the party by the name of Free-
man in Seattle in the year of 1889. At that time he was
settled down in his old neighborhood in Illinois and had
a wife and five children. I can truthfully say that I
never met five better and more agreeable men to travel
with in all my career than those men were. While with
them I never saw one of them apparently out of hum.or
with his companions or heard one use any kind of lan-
guage than that of a gentleman. Leaving the party I
struck for Salt Lake City. I had no trouble in finding

360 MEET Gen. Connor.

the way, or otherwise, and arrived at Fort Douglas about
the first of March.

On arriving here I found General Connor just making
preparations to move with ahnost his entire force against
the Ute Indians, who at this time were concentrating
tlieii- forces in Cash Valley, and committing a great many
d'epiedations in that part of the country.

CHAPTER XXV.

Three thousand dead Indians. — A detective from
Chicago. — He goes home with an old Mormon's

YOUNGEST WIFE AND GETS INTO TROUBLE. ThE

FLIGHT.

Gen. Connor offered me a position as scout, which I
accepted, and on the sixth day after my arrival at Fort
Douglas, in company with two other scouts, I struck out
in advance of the command. In the forenoon of the
eighth day from the fort we found the Indians on a tribu-
tary of Cash Valley in a deep canyon and fortified. They
had cut logs and rolled them down the hill, piling them
on each side of the canyon, several feet high and had in-
termingled them with brush. This was the first fortifi-
cation I had ever seen built by Indians.

P
o

Indian fortifications. 361

We returned and met the command that night, and
when we were making" our report to the General he asked
me what the fortifications looked like. I told him that
I could not think of anything to compare them to, but
that I thought they could be swept very easily by a How-
itzer from above and below. He asked me if I would
accompany one of his commissioned officers that night to
see the fortifications, and I told him I would. After
supper that evening a Captain came to me, whose name
I am sorry to say I have forgotten, and asked me if I
was the man that was to accompany him to the Indian
fortifications. I told him that I was, and he asked what
time we had better start. I told him we had better start
at once as there would be a moon in the fore part of the
night, but that the after part would be very dark. So
we mounted our horses and were off.

We rode to within about three-quarters of a mile of
the fortifications and there we remained until it was light
enough to see, and then the Captain took out his glasses
and scanned the whole country as well as the fortifica-
tions. After looking about half an hour the Captain
asked me what I thought of it, and what would be my
plan of attack. I told him that I had no idea, as I had
never seen Indians fortified before. He said it would be
a bloody fight, I said yes, but I thought the blood would
all be on one side. "Yes," replied the Captain, "we
ought to clean them out without losing ten men."

We went to our horses, mounted, and rode back to
the command as quick as we could, meeting it about four
miics f)om the fortifications, piloted b\- the two scouts
tliCii l.:'.cl been out with me the day before.

362 THREE THOUSAND

The Captain and Gen. Connor had a long conversa-
tion as we moved along. When within a mife of the
mouth of this canyon Gen. Connor formed his men in

line, one half to go on each side of the canyon in which
the Indians were fortified, and the cannon were placed
at the mouth of the canyon.

I did not see any Indians of any account until the
command to fire was given. When the soldiers com-
menced to fire — there being about twelve hundred — it
frightened the Indians so that they came running out
from under those logs and brush like jack rabbits and
were shot down like sheep. In all my experience in the
Western wilds I never saw such a slaughtering as there.

The Indians had been taught by the Mormons that if
they would fortifv themselves in that way the whites
could not harm them, teaching them also that the Lord
would protect tliem, which was a great thing for the
white people, for it came so near cleaning the Utes up
that there was only a little remnant left, and they never
gave the white people any more trouble. Thus white
people were enabled to pass through that country unmo-
lested. Heretofore it had been one of the most danger-
ous parts of the country. For all this I have ever since
believed that the Mormons, unintentionally, did the
Gentiles a great favor.

After the battle was over, and as scouts are at liberty
to go where they please, I rode over the battle-field in
company with the other scouts and I never in all m}- life
saw such a mangled up mass as was there. Men,
women and children were actuall}- l\'ing in heaps, and I

Cascade, Bullion Canon, Utah.

DEAD Indians.

363

think all that got away were a few that hid among the
logs and brush.

I n this
battle the
Captain told
me they did
not lose a
man, and
had only
four wound-
ed, while he
counted
over three ^
t h o u s and
dead I n-
dians.

When I
returned to
Salt Lake "^^ •
City I was
astonished
to see the
manner in
which the

Salt Lake papers abused Gen Connor for slaughtering
the Indians in the manner he had, w4ien they (the Mor-
mons) had planned the slaughter, although not meaning
for it to be a slaughter of Indians.

Gen. Connor said that the Mormons had thought that
the Indians would fortify themselves, and when attacked
by the soldiers, they would wipe them (the soldiers) off

Men, women and children were lying in heaps.

364 THE Mormons.

the face of the earth. The idea had been so thoroughly
instilled into the minds of the Indians by the Mormons
that the Lord would protect them if only fortified in this
manner that they depended most altogether on the Lord
to protect them.

The third day on our return trip we came to a little
place called Ogden. Here the General made preparations
to leave the command and go ahead, accompanied by one
company of cavalry. When they were ready I was directed
to accompany him, which I did. He and I rode in the rear
of the company. After riding some little distance Gen.
Connor said: "Drannan, I think I can put you on the
track of a good thing if it would suit you." I asked him
in what way. He asked me if I had not heard of the
Mountain Meadow massacre in Utah. I said: "Cer-
tainly, manv times."" He said: "Now be honest with
me and tell me who 3'ou think did that horrible work."
I told him the Mormons, and the Mormons alone.

He then told me there was a man at tb>e fort from
Chicago trying to work up the case and if possible to
find out just by whose authority the Mormons had mas-
sacred those emigrants, and he said: "From what I
have seen of you, I think 3'ou would be just the man to
help him work up the case."

I said: "General, I think 3'ou are mistaken. I never
did any detective work among the white people, and I
fear I am not good enough a talker to obtain the desired
information." The General said: "All right, we'll see."

We reached the Fort that night at dark, having ridden

forty miles that day. That evening the General told me

t*j

m-'-^ r-^-

Eagle Rock, Rio Vig n, Utah.

TURN DETECTIVE. 365

to come to his quarters the following day at ten o'clock

and he would introduce me to the gentleman referred to.

I went to the General's quarters and the gentleman
was present. His name was Howard. By whose author-
ity he was working up this case I never learned, but,
however, after questioning me for some time as to what
I knew of the Mormons, he asked me what I would
charge him per month to go along with him, play the
hypocrite, and try to help work up the case. I told him
it was all new work to me; that I knew nothing of de-
tective work whatever. I said that if it were a case of
Indians it would be quite different, but I did not think I
would be of much service to him working among the
Mormons.

He proposed that he would furnish me a suit of
clothes suitable for the part I was to play, furnish money
to pay my expenses, such as hotel bills, whiskey bills,
ball-room bills, and pay me fifty dollars per month, I to
do as he told me, or as near as I could. "And, at the
end of one month," said he, "if your work does not suit
me, or if I don't suit you, I can pay you off and you can
go your way; or if you stay and we work up this case as
I anticipate, as soon as the work is completed I will pay
you one hundred dollars per month instead of fifty."

Under these conditions I went to work for him, and
the next two days were spent in drilling me on Mormon
phrases, their customs and so on, he having been there
some three months, had got pretty well posted on the
Mormon doctrine.

When I got my new suit of clothes on and he got my

366 WE GO TO CHURCH.

hair fixed up just to suit hini I looked in the mirror, and
I could hardly believe that it was Will Drannan.

The third day we mounted our horses and started
across the country to a little town called Pro\o, which is
about forty miles from Salt Lake, if I have not forgotten.
Here, we are both Mormons, are brothers, and our
business buying cattle; looking around to see who has
cattle to sell. We arrived at Provo on Sunday evening
and made the acquaintance of two young men who were
Mormons. They asked us to go to church with them.
"All right," said Mr. Howard, "but where will my
brother and I stay to-night.''" The eldest of the two
young men said: "One of you can stay with me and the
other can stay with Jim," referring to his chum. So it
fell to my lot to go with Jim after church.

On our way to church, naturally enough the boys
asked our names, and Howard spoke up and said: "My
name is George Howard, and this is my brother Frank."
And I will tell you now with all candor I did not feel
right over this, for it was the first time in m}^ life that I
had ever lived under an assumed name, but I had agreed
to do what I could, and although I would have given the
best horse I had to have been out of the scrape, yet I
was into it and I was determined to go through with it if
possible. That evening when we came out of church
Jim gave me an introduction to his two sisters and they
asked me to walk home with them from church, and I
did so.

After conversing with them for some time and getting
a little acquainted with them, I asked the girl on my left
how old she was, and she said she was seventeen. I

OfQ

O
<

• "^

-^^

-"^v^^-^siS!^^^

"5^!^^

^^4^&fc#5.

Mountain Meadow massacre. 367

asked her how long^ she had Hved in this country. She
said: "My father was one of the first settlers in this
country. He came here among the first emigrants and
I was raised here in this country."

"Is that so.''" I asked. "Then you were here in this
part of the country at the time of the Mountain Meadow
massacre.'*" "Yes," said she, *'but you know we must
not talk about that." "Well," said I, "you know they
were all Gentiles that were killed and what's the differ-
ence.^" "Well," she said, "I think it was all wrong any
way."

I asked her if her father was in that fight and she
said: "Let's don't talk about that, please don't ask me
any more questions about it."

By this time we had reached the gate, and the con-
versation stopped for that time. The next day I tried to
get a chance to talk to her, but my efforts were all in
vain. That afternoon I met Howard and told him of
the conversation I had with the young lady, and he in-
sisted on my working on her father if I could get a chance
to have a private conversation with her.

On Wednesday night there was to be a big dance at
the church, and it being free to all, we attended it. In
the mean time I had engaged the company of those two
young ladies for the dance. I paid all due respect to the
young lady, but did not mention the affair of which I was
desirous of obtaining information until we were returning
from supper to the church, when I again made mention
of the affair in such a'manner that I did not think she
would suspect anything wrong. But she gave me to un-

368

GETTING CLUES.

derstand in plain language that she would not converse
on that subject under any circumstances.

I saw there was no use to waste any more time with
her and did not mention the subject again.

We remained in this place ten da3'S, during w^hich
time I formed the acquaintence of an old man by the
name of Snyder, who had five wives, three of them liv-
ing at his res-

idence in the
town and the
other two on
his farm in
the country.
Beingabroth-
er Mormon,
M r . Snyder
one day dur-
ing my stay
there invited me home
with him for dinner, and
on entering the dining
room he introduced me
to his three wives, the
youngest of the three be- '^
ing about twenty years
old, while Snyder was
sixty-one years old.

That afternoon How- ^e walked on home ^vith her.

ard and m3'self were tak-
ing a walk, and by chance met this young Mrs. Snyder,
whom I introduced to my brother. He asked to accom-

AT Salt Lake City. 369

pany her on her walk, to which proposition she unhesi-
tatint^ly assented, and he walked on home with him.

Her husband was not at home, but before Howard
left the gate he heard one of Snyder's other wives say to
her: "I'll tell on you, and you will not get to go out
again."

This convinced him that there w^as a great deal of
jealousy existing between Mr. Snyder's wives. He said
she was well posted in everything pertaining to the Mor-
mon doctrine, and at the same time bitterly opposed to
their proceedings.

The afternoon following George Howard and I took
a stroll down to Salt Lake City, which was a distance of
three miles.

We had been in the city but a short time and were
walking up Main street, when on casting my eyes across
the street I saw old man Snyder standing talking to Por-
ter Rockwell and Bill Hickman. They were just across
Main street immediately opposite us, and George had not
yet got sight of them. Those two men were supposed to
be Brigham Young's "destroying angels," and their busi-
ness was to put any one out of the way who had fallen
under the ban of the Mormon Church.

These two men had been pointed out to me before,
and as soon as I got sight of them I said in a low tone:
"There are the leaders of the Danites."

When he looked across at them old man Snyder was
pointing his finger direct at us, and Rockwell and Hick-
man seemed to be very eager to get a good look at us.

"George said: "This is no place for us. Let's get
back to the Fort." And all the talking I could do I

37o BACK AT Fort Douglas.

could not make him believe that we were perfectly safe
there in the city in broad daylight. His very countenance
showed uneasiness to extremity. He had been there
long enough to be thoroughly posted in all their laws,
customs, etc., and didn't seem to think it would be
healthy for us there from that time on. However, I can
truthfully say that we made the trip to the Fort in much
less time than we did from the Fort to town, notwith-
standing it was all up grade.

On our arrival at the Fort we went to Gen. Connor's
quarters and told him the whole story just as it occurred.
The General said: "The thing is up with you now How-
ard, you might as well quit and go home. You can do
no more good here now. You are perfectly safe here in
the Fort, but the moment you are out of sight of it you
are in danger of your life. But you will have one com-
pany of cavalry to protect you when you go to leave the
Fort.

It was really laughable to see the way Howard would
tremble and shake while Gen. Connor was talking to
him, and he was anxious to get out of the country and
wanted me to go with him, it being the wrong time of
year to catch a train going East. He thought if he could
get to Fort Bridger, which was one hundred miles east of
Fort Douglas, he would be safe from the Mormons, and
would stand equally as good a show to strike a train
going eastward as he would at Salt Lake.

Before we were ready to start for Fort Bridger there
came a man to Fort Douglas who had been wagon boss
for Maj. Russell the year before. He had just received
a letter from his former employer requesting him to come

WE START East. 371

at once to Fort Kearney. He was anxious to find some

one to travel with, as it was not safe for one to travel

alone in that country, and it was a long and tedious trip

this time of year.

The Pony Express was then running, but outside of
that we were not likely to see any one on the trip.

They insisted on me accompanying them, and being
anxious to cross over on the other side of the mountains,
I agreed to join them. Having two saddle horses myself
I told them three horses between them would be enough,
for in case of emergency I would use one of my horses
for a pack animal. The next two days were spent in
getting ready for the trip, Mr. Damson, the wagon boss,
having procured three horses for himself and Howard,
Mr. Howard thinking it might not be conducive to his
health to leave the Fort to look for horses.

Getting everything in readiness, we made the start
just at dark, going the Emigrant canyon route, striking
Echo canyon fifty miles from Salt Lake City, making the
trip that far without stopping to let our horses feed or
even to eat anything ourselves. We did this because we
wished to get beyond the Mormon settlements without
being discovered by them. We reached Fort Bridger
the third day and there took in two more companions,
John Scudder and John Korigo, who had been at work at
the Fort all winter hauling wood for the Government.
They had earned a little money and were returning to
their respective homes, one living in Missouri and the
other in Pennsylvania. We were now five in number
and calculated to make Fort Kearney in fifteen days.

372 ARRIVE AT FoRT KeARNEY.

which, if I remember rightly, is called six hundred miles
from Fort Bridger.

We crossed Green river and took the Bitter creek
route, thinking that would be the safest from hostile In-
dians; but when we got to the head of Bitter creek the
Pony Express rider: informed us that the Indians were
very bad on the North Platte river, having killed two ex-
press riders the week before.

This frightened the boys badly, for not one of them
had ever been engaged in an Indian fight, and all were
free to admit that they were not hankering after expe-
rience of that kind.

After we struck North Platte we saw considerable In-
dian sign every day, but it was evident that the reds were
in little bands.

From now on we made a dry camp every night,
always stopping in the middle of the afternoon to let our
horses graze while we did our cooking to avoid building
our fire after dark. Then we would mount and ride until
after dark and make a dry camp. This was done in
order to avoid an attack while in camp, but w^e made the
entire trip without seeing an Indian.

On my arrival at Fort Kearney I met my old friend
Jim Bridger, who was waiting there for a man by the
name of Jim Boseman, who was on his way with a large
train of emigrants to the eastern part of Montana, the
same country that Bridger, Kit Carson, Beckwith and I
passed through in 1856 when the Indians were so bad.

Jim Bridger had met Boseman the fall before and had
promised to pilot him through to that part of Montana,
for which he was to receive five hundred dollars, it also

MEET Jim Bridger. 373

being understood that there would be at least fifty men
in the train and all well armed.

Bridger was just in receipt of a letter from Boseman
stating that he would be there on or about a certain date
with two hundred men, most all of whom had families.

Jim was very anxious to have me join him, offering
to divide the spoils.

I told him it would be folly for me to accompany him,
as he would be able to handle the train alone and would
then have the five hundred dollars himself, and further-
more, I did not care for work of that kind that summer,
as I would rather return to Taos and buy a band of sheep
and settle down, for I thought I had enough money, if
properly handled, to make me a good living.

At this Jim laughed heartily and said: "Yes, you'll
settle down with a band of sheep when you are too old
to straddle a horse and your eyes too dim to take in an
Indian. I have often, thought of the same thing," he
continued. "I have a place picked out now about fif-
teen miles east of Fort Bridger on Black's Fork, near the
lone tree. There is where I am going to settle down
after I make this trip. I can then sit in my door and
with a good glass I can see Fort Bridger that was named
for me and which I feel proud of to-day."

Jim Bridger made this trip north with Boseman's
train into the valley where the town of Boseman now
stands, without the loss of a man or beast on the entire
trip, and returning to South Platte, married an Indian
woman of the Arappahoe tribe, went to Black's Fork and
took up a ranch within five miles of the lone pine tree.
Here he lived with his Indian wife ^or about five years,

374 Jim's children.

when she died, leaving two children, a girl and a boy,
which I have been told he sent to school, gave them a
good education, and they now hve, I think, in the state
of Missouri.

CHAPTER XXVL

Through to Bannock. — A dance of peace. — Fright

OF THE negroes. A FREIGHT TRAIN SNOWED IN

AND A TRIP ON SNOW-SHOES. SOME VERY TOUGH

ROAD AGENTS.

While I was at Fort Kearney another long train of
emigrants came along, en-route for Bannock, Montana.
They did not know just where Bannock was, and through
the influence of Jim Bridger and Gen. Kearney, I was
offered employment in guiding them at seventy-five dol-
lars per month, with provisions.

I told them I did not know where Bannock was, but
that I could take them to any portion of Montana they
asked to go. I was not long making the bargain and
making preparations to get started. We went back over
the same road as far as Fort Bridger that I had come
only a short time before. There was not a person in the
entire train that had ever seen a hostile Indian, and very

START FOR BaNNOCK. MONTANA. 375

few of them had ever traveled outside of their own state.
The most of them were from Indiana, and most of the
men had families, and I presume they were fleeing from
the draft; that being the time of the late war.

I experienced a great deal of trouble in getting those
people organized and trained in a manner to enable us to
protect ourselves against the hostile Indians.

In this train there were two negros, whose names
were Joe and Bab. Joe was driving a team for his grub
and Bab was cooking for two families for his grub. The
people of the train fell into the habit of calling me Cap-
tain, and every time I would ride along where this Joe
or Bab were, they would invariably salute me by lifting
their hats or by taking them off entirely and then they
would say: "Marse Capting, de ye see any Injuns.-^"

One day my scouts came in from the south and re-
ported seeing a band of Indians, about ten or fifteen in
number, two miles away and coming direct for the train..
I struck out alone at full speed in that direction to ascer-
tain what kind of Indians they were, there being another
man whose business it was to take charge of the train at
any time I was away, and in case of an attack or danger
of such, it was his business to corral the train and pre-
pare for battle.

I had only gone a half mile when I met the Indians,
and they proved to be Arapahoes. I was personally
acquainted with all of them and asked them to go to the
train with me, telling them it was just over the ridge.
This theyi agreed to do, saying: "We will go to the
train and then all will go out and kill some buffalo this
evening."

3/6 EMIGRANTS SCARED.

We rode leisurely along until in sight of the train, and
the moment the people saw me riding with the Indians
on each side of me, they felt sure that I had been taken
prisoner, and all the hustling and bustling around to get
those wagons corralled, beat anything I had ever seen,
and they were all so badly excited that it was no use to
try to hello at them.

They were afraid to shoot at the Indians for fear they
might shoot me, or if they did not shoot me, they were
afraid that if they should shoot the Indians they would
retaliate by shooting me down.

The wagons being corralled, we rode around the en-
tire train. I left the Indians and rode inside of the cor-
ral and told the people that these were peaceable Indians
and were all friends of mine, and that I wanted every
man, woman and child to come out and shake hands with
them. Quite a number hesitated, believing that I had
been taken prisoner by the Indians and had been com-
pelled to do this in order to save my own life, and be-
lieving that those Indians wanted to murder the entire
train.

But after reasoning with them for a while I succeeded
^n convincing them that the Indians were peaceable.
Then they all went out and shook hands except the two
darkies, who were not to be found any where about the
train at that time. I then told the man whose duty it
was to look after the train in my absence, to drive about
three miles and camp, describing the place, and that I
would go with the Indians and kill some buffalo, sp that we
might have fresh meat, telling him to have each family
cook a little bread extra for the Indians, and that they

THE NEGROES MISSING. 377

would furnish meat enough to do to-night and to-morrow,
and was off for the buffalo hunt.

The Indians told me ?-

there was a band of buf- V
falo about two or three
miles ahead of us near
the road.

We pushed on, on
the main road, and sure
enough right in the little .-^^1*.
valley where I had told
the captain to camp, we ^
saw a band of buffalo
feeding. We all made a
dash for them, and suc-
ceeded in kilHng five He claimed that he had been asleep.
fat buffalo, and on the
ground, enough for the entire train.

As soon as the train was corralled and the stock turned
loose, we appointed four men, who claimed to know
something of butchering, to cut up and distribute the
meat among the people of the train. Up to this time
the darkey cook had not been seen since I came over the
hill in company with those Indians. A certain lady in
the train said she thought that when he saw the Indians
coming he had run off and hid in the sage brush, but after
the fires were started he crawled out of one of the wagons
where he had been hid, and claimed that he had been
asleep all this time and did not know anything about
any "Injuns," but it was a difficult matter to make the
people in the train believe this yarn. I had the Indians

378 A PEACE DANCE.

build their fire outside of the corral, and while they were
preparing their meat I went around and collected bread
enough of different ones in the train for them, also a bowl
of molasses. After all had their supper over I proposed
to the Indians that we have a dance.

This dance is what they call a dance of peace, and is
carried on in a manner like this: They — or all that wish
to participate in the dance — form in a circle around the
camp-fire, singing, or rather humming, a certain tune.
I went to the people of the train and told them that the
Indians and myself were going to have a peace dance,
and all that wished to see it could come to the camp-fire
and look on. I think every man, woman and child came
cut to see the dance, which lasted about two hours.
After the dance was over one of the young Indians in the
crowd came to me and said if I would interpret for him
he would be pleased to make a speech for my friends,
providing they were willing for him to do so. When he
told the other Indians he was going to make a speech
they all sat down in a circle around the camp-fire, seven-
teen in number, and were perfectly silent. I told them
that this young Indian wanted to know if they would care
to hear him make a speech. All were anxious to hear
him, which would be something new to them. I told
them that he would make the speech in his own language
and I would interpret it word for word as near as I knew
how.

When I told him they would be pleased to hear from
him he walked up to me, laid his hand on my shoulder,
and said:

'T have known this friend of mine a great many years.

The Peace Dance,

Page 378

THE SPEECH. 37^

A long time ago when he use to come to our village, we
always killed a dog, and after we would have a feast on
dog meat, we always smoked the pipe of peace, and all
of the Arapahoes are his friends."

He continued this manner of speaking about fifteen
minutes, to the amusement of the entire train, and when
he took his seathe wanted some one else to speak, but no
one would attempt to respond to him, thus winding up
the amusements for the evening.

In a conversation that evening with the Indians, they
told me their business out there, which was to keep the
Sioux Indians off of their hunting ground.

The Sioux and they were on friendly terms, but some-
times the Sioux would steal over on their huntmg ground.
They proposed to accompany us through the dangerous
part of the country.

The morning following I told the men in the train of
the generous proposition which the Indians had made
me, and told them if they would furnish the Indians with
bread they would keep them in meat. I also told them
that we were now in the most dangerous part of the
Sioux country, and that as long as those Indians were
with us w^e were in no danger whatever from the fact
that when the Sioux saw those Indians with us we were
supposed to be their friends, and they dare not trouble
us in the least.

This, however, was more than agreeable to the entire
train, relieving the scouts of their duty, also the night
guards. I made arrangements with the Indians to travel
three days, and we then pulled out. Just when we were
almost ready to start, one young lady in the crowd said

380 FRIENDLY ArAPAHOES.

to me; "Captain, I want to ask you one question, and
will you tell me the truth?" I said: "Most assuredly I
will." She said: "I want to know whether it was true
that when you visited those Indians they always killed a
dog and ate the meat?"

I told her it was true as gospel, and said we always
considered dog meat the finest in the land, and only the
chief and his most intimate friends were able to afford
dog meat. She said she was astonished to hear me talk
in such a manner. She said: "The most laughable
part of the proceedings the evening before was the action
of the darkey cook, Bab, who stood away back in the
outer edge of the crowd when you and those Indians were
dancing. You could have knocked his eyes off with a
frying-pan and not have touched his face."

All went well. The Indians traveled with us three
days as they had agreed to, which brought us to the head
of Bitter creek. We killed a few buffalo all along the
way, and when the Indians were ready to leave us they
had killed all the meat that the train could take care of.

This being as far as they had agreed to accompany
us, they were to start back the following morning and
that night we had another peace dance. The Indians
invited all in the train to participate in the dance, but
none w^ould take a part; so they and myself had the
dancing to ourselves again The next morning when
they were ready to leave us I told the people in the train
to all come outside of the corral, both old and 3^oung,
and form in line so those Indians could shake hands with
all of them, telling them that they had done us a great
favor in escorting us through the dangerous part of the

TAKING LEAVE. 38I

country, and that this shaking hands they considered a
great token of friendship.

This request was comphed with, and the Indians all
passed down the line of people, shaking hands with each
one. After they were done shaking hands with all the
train they all came and shook hands with me, mounted
their ponies, and rode away as fast as their horses could
run.

We pulled on for Fort Bridger, all going smoothly,
for we were in the Bitter creek country and had no fear
of Indians in that section. The day we arrived at Fort
Bridger we sent four men on ahead to ascertain, if pos-
sible, where Bannock was. Here they met, by chance,
some men from what was then called East Bannock and
from them we learned just where Bannock was located,
it being on a west tributary of the Missouri river. We
also learned from these parties that there was a great ex-
citement at this time over mines that had been struck
some eighty miles east of Bannock, on what was known
as Alder Gulch, or Stinking Water, but they were not
able to advise us as to whether or not we could get there
with wagons.

Now I knew just where we wanted to go, and we took
what was known as the Landers cut-off, and pulled for
Fort Hall, reaching the fort without encountering any
trouble with the Indians or otherwise. The second day
after passing Fort Hall, while we were crossing Snake
river, we met a crowd of miners just from Alder Gulch,
on their way to Denver, Colorado, for their families.
From them we learned where Alder Gulch was, and those
miners spoke in such high terms of the richness of that

382 Alder Gulch.

place that a great many in the train wanted to go there

instead of going to Bannock, while others wanted to go

to Bannock, that being where they had started.

That night they took a vote to decide as to which
place they should go, which resulted in favor of Alder
Gulch, so we pulled for Alder Gulch instead of Bannock.

We were now in the Bannock country. I did not
hear of any depredations being committed by the Indians,
but I used all precautions possible in order to prevent a
surprise by the redskins.

Every few days we would meet a little squad of min-
ers, all telling exciting stories about the richness of Alder
Gulch. They were going home to their families with the
expectation of moving them out there the following
spring; most of their families being in Denver, Colorado.
This all helped to create an anxiety among the people to
push on and get through as quick as possible.

They moved somewhat faster now than before, reach-
ing Virginia City, Montana, about the last of September,
this being the trading point for Alder Gulch. Here we
stopped and the train paid me off.

I stayed around there about three weeks. One day
while I was at Virginia City two men. Boon and Bivian,
who owned the only store of any note in Virginia City at
that time, came to me and said that they had a train of
twenty-tw^o wagons some where on the road, but just
where they did not know, and they wished to employ me
to go and pilot it in, as their men with the train were all
inexperienced in that line of business, and not acquainted
with the road, not having been over any part of it before,

PROVISION TRAIN 383

and they were afraid that through carelessness they might
fall into the hands of Indians.

The train was loaded, principally, with flour, bacon,
sugar, coffee and tobacco. Flour was then worth twen-
ty-five dollars per hundred, bacon forty cents a pound,
and other things in proportion. On the twentieth of
September I took two horses and started off to meet the
freight train.

Three days from the time I left Virginia City I crossed
the summit of the Rocky Mountains and it was snowing
hard. I thought it doubtful whether or not they would
be able to cross the mountains this winter, but I went
on, and met them between Fort Hall and Soda Springs.
I gave the wagon-boss a letter which Boon and Bivian
had sent him, and after reading the letter he asked me
if I thought they could cross the range this fall. I told
him that it was about one hundred and eighty miles from
there to the summit, and if he could make that distance
in ten days he would be able to get through, but if not, he
could not cross the mountains this fall. He said it would
be impossible to make it in that length of time, as the
cattle were all getting very poor and weak and the teams
very heavily loaded. The next morning I struck out,
taking another man with me, to try and find if possible,
another ford on Snake river some thirty or forty miles
above the old crossing, knowing if I could do that it
would save us two or three days' travel, and might be
tfie means of our getting across the mountains that fall.
I told the wagon-boss that I would meet him at Fort
Hall, so in company with one other man, I struck straight
across the country for Snake river. The second day

384 SNOWBOUND.

about noon we reached the river, and that afternoon .we
succeeded in finding a good ford, which we called the
Island ford, there being a little island just above.

We camped on Snake river bottom that night, and
the next morning about daybreak we were on our journey
for Fort Hall, reaching the fort one day ahead of the
train. Here we waited until the train arrived. From
Fort Hall we struck out for Snake river. This was all
an open country, with the exception of sagebrush. The
first night after leaving the fort snow fell four inches deep
on the valley, and I felt satisfied then that we would not
be able to cross the mountains that winter. The next
day the sncw all melted in the valley, but hung low at
the foot of the mountains.

The third day after leaving Fort Hall we reached
Snake river, and were successful in getting across with-
out any mishap whatever. This new ford is near where
Pocatello, Idaho, now stands. The first night after
crossing the river we camped on a little stream, which I
gave the name of Rock creek, and I am told that it is
still known by that name. That night the snow fell one
foot deep. I told the wagon-boss the next morning that
he was at his journey's end for the present fall. We un-
loaded one wagon and he took one wagon to haul his
camping outfit and provisions for the winter, and returned
to the river bottom for the purpose of wintering his stock
there. Another man and myself went to work to make
two pairs of snow shoes, for which we had to use the
side-boards of a wagon, there being no timber suitable in
reach for that purpose. We w^ere three days preparing
for this trip, by which time the snow had settled.

CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS.

385

All being in readiness the morning of the fourth day
in this camp I, accompanied by two other men started
on horseback, one man going along to bring the horses
back, and the other to accompany me across the moun-
tains. We rode to within ten miles of the summit of the
mountains. Here the snow was nearly two and a half
inches deep. Our horses were unable to get anything to
eat except the branches of quaking asp trees that we cut
and carried to them. The next morning we saddled our
horses, one
of my com-
p a n i o n s
started back

again, and ' ^^'^^g "^^Sl@y --^^m^^^^-^

we mounted ^E^^^^^^^^^=^"^~"^"^^^t^fegi^'^'^^
our snow Pi.;:.: -^ >-. — ^^g^^^--^-^=^-=-— ^^^^^-—

shoes and ~. ..._ •-:.: ■ \^jf^^^^^^^^.^^^__^^^^ _..:^.^^,.:g

started to ;.- ^^-^^g^-g^gsf

climb the
m o u n tain,
this being
my second

attempt to ''- ■ ' ^

travel o n

snowshoes. ^h ..:•■- :.-. -■-:. ■^.^jr-'f^^^i^

I was some- %: ^.-_ _ •;:iii..""n.;:;::/:-=::;:-- ^=*=^^ __

ward at this r^ u

On snow shoes.

new under-
taking, and you can rest assured that I was tired when I
reached the summit of the mountains, which took the

386

MEET ANOTHER TRAIN.

greater part of the day. Each had a pair of blankets and
enough provisions strapped on his back for the trip.

After reach-
ing the sum-
mit of the
mountain and
starting down
on the other
side we found
it much easier
travehng. We
worked hard
all da}^ and
made what we
thought to be
twelve miles,
camping that
night in the
fir timber. It
was a cold,

d i s agreeable
I raised on my stirrups and fired. • i , • j. y^

our one pair of blankets each, we consoled ourselves
that it was much pleasanter than to have been here
afoot and alone, and no blankets at all. The second
day's travel after crossing the summit of this mountain
we met a freight train on its return to Salt Lake City.
This train was owned by a man named Goddard. It had
been across the mountains with a load of freight and was
returning, like our train on the opposite side and was un-
able to proceed farther, having to return to the low

'ROAD AGENTS." 387

lands for the purpose of wintering the stock. We aban-
doned our snow shoes and procured conveyance to Vir-
ginia City. Messrs. Boon and Bivian were glad to know
that their train was safe from the hands of the hostiles,
but they said they would lose ten thousand dollars by
not getting it across the mountains that fall. These
men having a room at the rear of their store where they
slept and did their cooking, kindly proposed that I should
stop and winter with them, which hospitable offer I
accepted.

At this time a stage ran from here to Bannock and
from Bannock to Boise and from Boise to Salt Lake
City, and the news was coming in every day of both
stage and train robberies along this line, and it actually
got so bad that it was not at all safe for a man to step
outside of his own door after dark, if it was known that
he had any money. These robbers were known in those
days as "road agents."

«•%•

388 VIGILANCE COMMITTEE.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Organization of a vigilance committee. — End of the

NOTORIOUS SlADE. OnE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR A

"crow-bait" horse. — Flour a dollar a pound.

About this time what was known as a vigilance com-
mittee was organized at Virginia City, and other points
along the stage line, for protection against desperadoes.
During the winter I was not out much, and all the news
I could get was from persons who came to the store to
trade.

One morning in the latter part of January I went out
after a bucket of water at daylight, and happening to
cast my eyes up a hillside I could see sentinels walk-
ing to and fro. I could not understand it. On return-
ing to the house I mentioned the matter to Messrs. Boon
and Bivian. They smiled and said: "We understand
all that," and they explained the whole thing to me. One
of them said: "There will be some fun to-day," and
the other replied: "Yes, ^ little hemp-pulling."

"Yes," responded the other, "that is what I meant."
And then — in our western vernacular — I "tumbled to the
racket."

By the time we had breakfast over people were be-
ginning to come in to trade, and happening to look down
the street I saw forty or fifty men all well armed come

MAKING ARRESTS.

389

marching up the street in the direction of the store.
They marched up to a large gambling house, called the
Shades. There they halted while some pf them went in
and returned, bringing with them a man by the name of
Jack Gallagher.

There was a log cabin immediately across the street
with a fireplace in it, and to this house they marched
Gallagher and put him inside.

Leaving a strong guard around the cabin, the balance
of them start-
ed out as if
hunting some
one else. In
a short time
they came
marching an-
other man to
the cabin by
the name of
Boone Helm,
who had one

hand tied up. It seemed to
comfort Gallagher to know
that he was going to have
company on the long trip by
the short route, and "mis-
ery likes company."

The third man was
brought in a few minutes
later whose name was Hank Parrish, the fourth and last
that day being Clubfoot George.

I could see sentinels walking
to and fro.

-2 00 fOUR HANGED.

They were all placed in the log cabin under a strong
guard .

About the middle of the afternoon the crowd reas-
sembled at the cabin jail, took the prisoners out, and
marched them up the street. Mr. Boone and I walked
down the street by the side of the crowd, and after they
had gone one block, for some reason they came to a halt,
when Boone Helm sang out in the most profane language
he could have uttered, saying: "Hang me if you intend
to, or I will have to go and warm my sore hand."

They marched on up the street to where there was a
new log house that had been recently built and not yet
covered. That had been prepared for this neck-tie party
by placing four dry goods boxes in a row in the house*
The four men were led in and placed on the boxes and a
rope placed around each of their necks thrown over a
joist above and made fast to a sleeper below.

While they were tying the rope around Jack Galla-
gher's neck — his hands already having been tied behind
him — a perfect stream of oaths was pouring from his lips,
and about the last words he uttered were: "I hope to
meet you all in the bottomest pits of hell." These words
were uttered not more than a minute before the box was
kicked from under him.

After this little hanging-bee everything was quiet
until near spring, when there came to town a man by the
nameof Slade, who was full of noisy whiskey, and started
in to paint the town red. This man was the same Slade
that used to be stage agent on the Overland road. He
was also the same man that in the year 1852 cut an old
man's ears off while he was tied to a snubbing post in a

Slade arrested. 391

horse corrall, where he had been taken by the cowardly
curs that were at tliat time in the employ of Slade sim-
ply because he, Jule, would not vacate the ranch where
Julesburg was afterward established. After severing both
ears from his head they shot him down like a dog while
he was tied and helpless.

\yhile in Virginia City this time Slade made threats
against several people, and during his spree did some-
thing, I never knew just what, and a warrant was sworn
out and placed in the hands of a marshal for his arrest.
The marshal found him in a gambling house, and in some
way managed to pet him into the court-room before he
suspected an\'thing, not reading the warrant to him until
thev were in the court -room.

When informed that he was under arrest, Slade did
not w^ait to hear the warrant read, but jerked it from the
hands of the officer, tore it in two, wadded it up in his
hands and threw it on the l^oor and stamped on it with
his foot. Then he turned and walked out, and was in
no wise backward in telling the officer, as well as the
judge of the court, what his opinion was of such pro-
ceedings.

About the middle of that afternoon the Vigilantes,
some twenty in number, came to where Slade was stand-
ing, took him in charge, and marched him off up the
street. I happened to be standing near when they took
him in tow and followed close in the rear while they were
marching him off to the place of execution. I don't
think that he drew three breaths during that time but
what he was pleading for his life.

He told them after he was on the dry goods box that

392 THE LAST OF SlADE.

if they would release him he would leave the United

States just as soon as he could get away. I have seen

men die in various ways, but I never saw a man die as

cowardly as this man Slade. When he found they were

determined he begged and plead for them to let him live
until he could see his wife; he said it was for a business
affair. They did not wait for anything, but as soon as
they were ready they kicked the box from under him,
thus ending the life of another of the worst men that
ever lived.

The awful life of this man is another story that would
be too long to give here.

It seemed as though as soon as the arrest was made
some of Slade's friends had started to inform his wife,
from the fact that just as they were carrying the body
from the gallows to the hotel she was seen coming across
the hill as fast as her horse could carry her. I was told
afterward that had she only got there before the hanging
took place he never would have hanged, for parties that
knew her said that before she would have seen him
hanged she would have shot him herself. I was stand-
ing in the hotel where the body lay when she came in.
She stood silently looking at the corpse for a few min-
utes, and then turning to the crowd that was standing
around, said: "Will some one tell me who did this. '^"
No one answering her, she repeated the question, and
fmally the third time she repeated the question at the
top of h.er voice. At this I turned and walked out, and
that was the last time I ever saw her. This was the last
hanging we had that winter and spring.

LOST MY HORSES. 393

In the latter days of April Messrs. Boone and Bivlan
employed me to cross the mountains and take letters to

the wagon-master, and also to assist him in crossing the
Rockies, so tak'ng one pair of blankets, ten days' pro-
visions and a pair of snow shoes on my back I started
afoot and alone across the mountains. The fourth day
after leaving Virginia City I came to the foot of the main
divide, and up to this time I did not have to use my
snow shoes, Where I camped that ni«;ht tlie snow was
two feet deep, and the next morning there was a crust
on it strong enough to bear me up until I went six or
seven miles farther on, when I commenced to break
through.

Then I put on my snow-shoes, and in a short time I
was at the summit of the mountain. After reaching the
top, the country being open and all down hill, I had fine
traveling while the snow lasted, making a distance of
about forty miles that day. Then I abandoned my snow-
shoes, and in two days more I was in camp on the river
bottom where the stock had been wintered.

The wagon-master informed me that he had lost
about one-third of the oxen, which had stampeded and
ran off in a storm; also my two saddle horses, and his
one and only saddle horse had gone with the cattle. He
said they had been gone about six weeks, so I struck out
to Fort Hall to try and buy a horse to ride to hunt up
the lost stock.

I succeeded in buying a very poor excuse of a horse
for a hundred dollars, that under any other circumstances
I would not have accepted as a gracious gift. But it

394

I FIND THE STOCK.

was "Hopkins' choice," that or none. Mounting my
crow-bait, I struck out in a westerly direction to look for
the stock.

Three days'
ride from the
fort I struck
plenty of cat-
tle sign. They
were apparent-
ly heading for
Wood river,
and after fol-
lowing their
trail about two
miles, I discov-
ered two horse
tracks, which
convinced me
it was the stock

I was looking

f ^T-1 , ^ d ^.covered two horse tracks.

tor. 1 he next

morning I found them and the cattle were all there with

the exception of three. One of my horses was there,

but the other one was missing; the wagon-master's

horse was also there. I succeeded in catchingmy horse

and turned loose the one I had bought and left him

there for wolf-bait, provided they would eat him, mounted

my saddle horse, and turned the stock in the direction

of camp. It took me five days to drive them to our

camp on the river, making ten days in all since I had

started out. We stayed there three weeks longer, and

THE TRAIN ARRIVES. 395

the grass being good, by that time the stock was look-
ing well.

All this time we were expecting a Mormon train on
the other side \vould cross over and break the road as
they were not loaded, but not seeing any sign of them,
the wagon-boss got tired of waiting, and hitching up,
pulled about twenty miles to the edge of the snow.

We were two days making this twenty miles. Here
we stopped, but the wagon-master and I started next
morning on foot for the summit. While we were on the
mountain we could hear the other train coming so we
walked on to meet it and see if we could assist them in
any wa}-. They were taking a very wise plan for it; two
men riding ahead on horseback, others were driving
about forty head of loose stock behind them, all followed
by the wagons.

They got to our camp that night about dark. This
train broke the road in good shape for us, and the fol-
lowing morning the bgss put all of the oxen to half the
wagons and pulled across. It took us nearly all day to
get out of the snow on the other side, thereby taking us
three days to cross the mountains.

I traveled with the train three days after crossing the
mountains, and then I left and rode on to Virginia City,
knowing that Boone and Bivian would be anxious for
information.

This was the first train of the season, and when it
arrived flour was worth one dollar per pound, bacon fifty
cerits, and everything else in proportion.

396 START FOR SaLT LaKE.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Twenty-two thousand dollars l\ gold dust. — A
stage robbery. — another trip to california. —
Meeting with Gen. Crook. — Chief of scouts

AGAIN.

After the goods were unloaded and the stock rested
up for a few days, the train was started back to Salt
Lake City to load with flour and bacon. After it had
been gone five da3S Mr. Boone and 1 started to follow it,
expecting to get to the Mormon city ahead of the train
and have the cargo purchased by the time it would
arrive.

Mr. Boone took with him on. this trip twenty-two
thousand dollars in gold dust, on pack-horses. But in
order to get away from Virginia City with it and not be
suspected, we packed up three horses one night, behind
the store, and I started that night with a pick and shovel
tied to each pack, as if I were going prospecting. I went
to where I thought would make a good day's ride for
Boone, and camped. He overtook me the next night,
and he said he would not have had it known how much
dust he had with him for three times that amount.

We made the trip to Salt Lake all right, however,
but in a few days after we learned that the stage-coach
that left Virginia City at the same time we did was

STAGE ROBBERY. 39/

robbed and ever}' passenger killed. These passengers
were seven successful miners that had made all the money
they wanted, or rather what they considered a handsome
little stake, there being eighty thousand dollars in the
crowd, and they were on their way home somewhere in
the East.

The driver was the only one that escaped, he claim-
ing to have jumped off from the stage. I saw the siage
when it came into Salt Lake City, and it was riddled
with bullets and blood spattered all over the inside of
the coach.

There was a man by the name of Brown driving the

stage at that time, and many people believed, in fact it
was the general impression at the time, that the driver
was in with the robbers. This robbery and massacre
occurred in what is known as Beaver canyon.

During my stay at Salt Lake there came in from Vir-
ginia City a young man by the name of Richard Hyde,
to buy cattle. Mr. Boone recommended him to me as
being a fine young man and very shrewd for his age. After
having some little acquaintance with him and he had
told me his business, also what profit there was in it, he
and I formed a co-partnership for the purpose of bu}ing
cattle and driving them to Virginia City. We bought
one hundred and ninety-two head of all sizes, and by the
help of two other men, we drove them through, losing
only five head, which was considered excellent luck.

We stopped about ten miles below town, and after
setting a price on our cattle, I remained with them whiJe
Mr. Hyde went to look for buyers. He was gone nearly
a week, and when he returned he had sold nearly all the

398 TO California.

cattle. We were well pleased with the result of our
venture, and I am told Mr. Hyde kept the business up
for several years until he made an independent fortune,
and I am told, at this writing — 1899 — that he is some-
where in Iowa doing a large banking business.

As soon as the cattle were all delivered and we had
settled up, Mr, Hyde and I struck back for Salt Lake
City, he to buy more cattle, and I on my way to Cali-
fornia.

Near Ogden I fell in with an emigrant train of twen-
ty-two wagons bound for California. As soon as they
learned who I was, having heard of me back at Fort
Kearney, they insisted on my traveling in company with
them, and there being some fine looking young ladies in
the train, I accepted the invitation and joined them.

These families were from Illinois and Ohio, and lean
truthfully say that I never traveled -with or saw a finer
crowd of people than these were, and I never was in a
company that I regretted leaving as I did those people,
for they all seemed more like brothers and sisters to me
than strangers.

The majority of them bought small farms in Solano
county, California, and settled down. I remained with
them until after the holidays, then left and struck out
for San Francisco. This was the beginning of the
year 1865.

After remaining in the city a few days I concluded
one day to take a ride out to the fort and see if any of
my acquaintances were there. I only found one person
that I had been acquainted with before, and that was
Capt. Miller. He showed me a number of letters from

MEET George Jones. 399

his brother officers out in Arizona, all saying they were
having a great deal of trouble with the Indians in that
country. I returned to the city, bought two more horses
and commenced making preparations to go to Fort Yuma
by wa}' of Los Angeles.

The da\' l)efore I was to start I w^as walking down
Sampson street near the American Exchange Hotel,
where I was stopping while in the cit}-, when I heard a
voice across the street that sounded familiar, say, "Hello
chief." I looked around and who should f see but George
Jones, who was then coming on a run to me; and you
can rest assured that I was glad to see him, as it had
been nine years since I had met him. He told me of his
trip back to Fort Klamath the time that he accompanied
me to San Francisco and returned with the mail; of the
hardships that he underwent on his way back, and also
his various speculations after leaving the service and said
that it seemed that everything he turned his hand to
went against him.

I told him my intention was to go to Arizona and secure
a position as scout, and he at once made up his mind to
go with me, and it is useless to say that I was well
pleased with his decision from the fact that when he was
with me I always knew just what to depend on.

It was in the fore part of February when we started
on this long and tedious trip, and we made up our minds
to take our time to it. From here we went to Los An-
geles, and there we stayed four days to let our horses
rest, and while there we lived principally on fruit.

From Los Angeles to Fort Yuma it is called five hun-
dred and fifty miles, and the greater part of the way it is

400 Fort Yuma.

over a desert countr}-. From Los Angeles we struck
across the Mojave desert, crossing the extreme south end
of Death Valley to avoid the sand desert, and made our
wa}' to the Colorado river without any mishap, but some-
times having to ride as much as forty miles without water
for our horses.

When we struck the river we traveled down on the
north side until just below the mouth of the Gila we
crossed the Colorado, where Jim Beckwith and I had
crossed a number of years before. We had not gone far
after crossing the Colorado when we came to the Yuma
Indians, spoken of before as not wearing any clothing.
Here George Jones declared that he had gone far enough,
sa37ing he had found a place that he,had l)een looking for
for a long time where people did not have to wear cloth-
ing nor till the soil for a living. And he added: "This
is good enough for me. "

The next day at noon after crossing the river we
reached Fort Yuma. We rode up to the guard and asked
if Lieut. Jackson was stationed at this fort. The guard
replied that he was, and directed me to his quarters. I
walked up to his door and rapped. He came to the door,
but did not recognize me as my hair had grown out long
and my beard was all over my face, but in his usual
kindly way he asked what he could do f( r us. I asked
him if m\^ friend and I could get our dinner.

By this time his wife had recognized my voice and
came to the door, and as she was approaching him he
asked if she could let those two gentlemen have their *
dinner.

"Why, Lieutenant, don't you know who that is you

MEET Gen. Crook. 401

are talking to.''" she said. "I do not," he replied. "Why,"
said she, "that is the boy scout."

It is useless to Scty that we were taken in to dinner
and our horses taken care of, and while at the dinner
table I told the Lieutenant our business there. I told
him that I had come there with the intention of get-
ting a position as chief of scouts, and that I would not
accept a position unless my friend Mr. Jones could get a
place with me. He told me that he had no doubt but
that we would both be able to get a position, as they had
lost five scouts inside of the last month.

After dinner Lieut. Jackson excused himself, and tell-
ing us to remain at his quarters until he returned, iie
took a walk to the General's quarters. He returned in
about an hour, saying Gen. Crook wished to see us both
at once at his quarters, and we, in company with the
Lieutenant, w^alked over to the General's tent, and to my
astonishment, I was introduced as Capt. Drannan.

The General's orderly and the officer of the day were
both in his room and he told them he wished to speak
to us on private business, and they at once withdrew.
Then the General commenced to question me in regard
to fighting Indians, and I did nothing for the next two
hours but answer questions.

Like all other successful officers, he did not want any
dead-heads around him, and I presume that is why Gen.
Crook was such a successful Indian fighter.

He requested us to call at his quarters at nuie o'clock
the next morning, after which he called his orderly and
told him to show us quarters for the night and also to
care for our horses. That evening while George was

402

LOOKING FOR JOBS.

away looking after our horses I was taking a stroll
around the fort, when by chance I met Gen. Crook tak-
ing his evening walk, and he asked me what I knew
about this friend of mine. I told how I had seen him
tried on various occasions and that I had never seen any
siirns of his weakenin": vet. I also told him that if I ac-
cepted a position as scout, I wanted George Jones with

me, for I knew
that I could
depend on him
under any and
all c i r c u m-
stances. The
General told
m e that h e
had been hav-

ing very hard
luck this sum-
m e r. having
lost all his best
scouts b\' their
falling in the
hands of the
Apaches. He
also told me
that he had
one scout that
fell into their
h a n ds and

was burned at the stake. The next morning at nine
o'clock Jones and I were on hand at the General's quar-

'illL.ulUiUulllillllilllllllllillil).llli,!llllllillllllllllllllullU>lliiiiuiiiilUirlllll

I met Gen. Crook taking his evening walk.

ENGAGED AS SCOUTS. 4O3

ters. The first question he asked me was on what con-
ditions I wished to go to work and what I expected per

month. I told him that heretofore what scouting I had
done I had gone as an independent scout, and that I
would go to work under no other conditions.

He asked me what I meant by an independent scout.
I said I meant so much per month, rations for myself
and horse, and all horses I captured from the Indians to
be my own. If I don't suit you, you can tell me so and
I will quit, and when you don't suit me I will call for my
money and quit at once.

He said that was fair enough, but I told him that I
would not go to work under any consideration unless my
friend Mr. Jones could have employment too.

I hired to Gen. Crook for one hundred and twenty-
five dollars per month, to go to work the following morn-
ing. After the bargain was made the General said to
me: "You must bear in mind th.at you are in a different
country now to wliat you have been accustomed to work-
ing in, and altogether a different (dinuite as well." He
proposed sending a man with n;e that lie said was thor-
oughly posted in the country, kn()\^•ing every watering
place, as well as the different ru,iwa\s of the Ii]dians in
the whole, country, and he added that he would not ex-
pect any benefit fioui us for at least ten days, as it would
take this man that length of time to show us over the
country.

At this I withdrew from the General's quarters, and
he and George soon made a bargain. George was to
receive seventy- five dollars per month. The balance

404 READY TO START

of the day was spent in making preparations for our
prospecting tour, as we termed it.

CHAPTER XXIX,

Find some murdered emigrants. — We bury the

DEAD AND FOLLOW AND SCALP THE IXDIANS. GeN.

Crook is pleased with the outcome. — A Mohave

BLANKET.

The following morning I ordered ten days' rations for
three of us. When we were ready to start Gen. Crook
called me aside and told me the nature of the man who
was to accompany us, saying that there was not a water-
ing place nor an Indian trail in the whole territory that
he did not know, and said he: "If you don't see any
Indians or fresh sign of Indians he will show you all over
the country. But he is the scarriest man of Indians you
ever saw in your life."

This man's name was Freeman. When we were
ready to start Freeman asked me what course I wished
to take. I told him that I would like to go in the direc-
tion that we would be the most likely to find Apaches.
I pointed in the direction of a range of mountains, tell-

TROUBLED BY APACHES.

405

ing him that by ascending them he would be able to
show me where the different watering ]^laces were in the
valley by land
marks, and we
struck out south-
east from the fort
in the direction of
the middle fork of
the Gila river.
The first night we ^p

Gen. George Crook.

camped on what ^^
was then called ft^"
the Butterfield
route, some thir-
ty-five o r forty
miles from the
fort. This season
there were a great
many emigrants
passing over this route from Texas and Arkansas to Cal-
ifornia, and Gen. Crook said the Apaches were giving
them much trouble on this part of the road, and if they
continued to be so bad he would have to send one or two
companies of soldiers out there for the protection of the
emigrants. The second morning out we passed a ranch
owned by a man named Davis, who had lived there two
years. He told me that the Apaches had never given
him any trouble from the fact that he had gotten the
good will of the chief when he first went there by giving
him numerous little presents of different kinds.

He told me that although isolated from the world, he

406 FIND THREE DEAD BODIES.

was doing well, from the fact that most all of the people
passing there patronized him. This family was from In-
diana. After I had told him who I was and what would
be my business, he insisted on m\- staying over night
with him when convenient, saying that it would not cost
me a cent. Thanking him for his hospitable offer, we
rode on, keeping the Butterfield route. Late that after-
noon w(; met a train of sixteen wagons on the way to Cal-
ifornia. The people told us that the day before they
had seen where five wagons had just been burned. I
asked how far it was, and they thought it was twenty-five
miles from where we met them. When we heard of this
we pushed on, thinking there might be some dead bodies
there and that we could bury them. On arriving at the
scene, sure enough we found three dead bodies two hun-
dred and fift}' yards from the burned wagons; one of
them being that of an old man, and the others, two boys
twelve and fourteen }ears of age. The Indians had not
stripped the bodies nor mutilated them, only they were
all filled with arrows. The dead bodies were all dressed
in home-made jeans. We found a few pieces of wagon
boxes that had not been burned and dug as good a grave
as we could in the sand, giving them as good a burial as
we could under the circumstances. This being done, we
took the trail of the Indians, \\hich led off in a south-
westerly direction. I felt confident that it had been at
least three days since this depredation had been com-
mitted. My object in following them up was to see if
we could get any evidence of white prisoners in their
camp. For the first ten or fifteen miles they kept on the
roughest, rockiest ground they could find, all of which

FOLLOWING THE TRAIL.

407

led me to believe they had expected to be followed. The
!u:.\t morning we came to where they had made their
first camp. All the evidence we could see of white pris-
oners in their charge was a few pieces of calico torn up
and .scattered around their camp-ground.

We followed
the trail until
we came to
where they had >^^
made their sec-l^yi^
ond camp, and
here we found

One of the bodies being that of an old man.

two dress waists we took along with us.

til e waists
(J f t w o
w o m e n's
dresses, one
being some-
what larger
t h a n the
other. The
Here the In-

dians had changed their course somewhat, and our guide

4o8 SAW SIX Indians.

said in the direction of their main village, but I did not
consider myself well enough posted to go too near their
main village. I told the guard to lead us off south of
west from Fort Yuma, which he did, and late that after-
noon we saw six Indians traveling east, and I told the
boys that they were scouts for the main band and that
they were going out to look for emigrants. When we
first got sight of them they were traveling up an open
valley. I told the bo\s that we would keep a close
watch of them, and if they should camp alone we would
have their scalps before morning; but just one look from
Freeman and I was convinced that he did not approve of
this scheme. George said to him: "You can take care
of the horses can't you, and if everything is favorable.
Cap and I can take care of the Indians." Late in the
afternoon I told them what course to travel, and taking
advantage of the ground, I pushed, on to see the Indians
go into camp. When I started the guide told me there
was water about a mile above where the Indians were,
and that they were pulling for it. He said there was a
fine spring of water in a little bunch of timber, and that
the Indians alwa3'S camped there when they were going
to and from their hunting ground. Sure enough, when
they came to this little grove they all dismounted and
turned their horses loose entirely, then commenced to
roast their antelope meat for supper. I hurried back to
meet my companions, and we succeeded in getting within
a quarter of a mile of the Indians. By this time it was
getting dark.

We picketed our horses and sat down to eat our cold
lunch, after which we started down to the camp, but

STOLE UP ON THEM. 4O9

were veiy cautious how we traveled. When in sight of
the camp-lire we could see them all plainl}- sitting around
it. We lay silent and watched them and their move-
ments. In a few minutes two of them got up and went
out to where their horses were and drove them all up
together to less than one hundred yards of where we lay.
Tt was so dark we could not see them, but could hear
them talking very distinctly. After having rounded their
liorses up together they returned to the fire. Thinking
they would lie down in a short time, for they did not
seem to suspect any trouble that night, we started to
crawl down to their camp, all abreast. After our guide,
Freeman, found that I was determined to attack them
he seemed to muster up courage and come right to the
front like a man. My object in crawling near their camp
so soon was to see in just what position they lay before
the fire went out, and when the last one laid down we
were within fifty yards of them. I told the boys we had
a soft thing of it, for each of us had two revolvers and a
good knife, and the Indians were all lying close together
wqth their feet towards the fire. I told them we would
wait two hours as near as we could guess the time and
then they would be asleep; that then we A^vould crawl up
and send them to their happy hunting-ground. After
waiting until we thought they were asleep we crawled
down to their camp, again all three abreast, George on
my right and Freeman on my left; and so we drew near,
their fire had not gone entirely out, and a little breeze
now and then would cause it to blaze up just enough so
that we were able to get their exact positions. I told the
boys to watch me and when I raised to my feet for both

4IO KILLED SIX.

to raise and draw both revolvers as we would then be
rigi'ht at their heads, and for each man to stick the muz-
zle of each of his pistols to an Indian's head and fire;
George to take tlie two on my right and Freeman the two
on m\' left, and I to take the two in the middle, and after
firing each man was to jump b.-uk two jumps, so in case
one of us should miss one of his men that we would be
out of their reach, tlicrcby enal)]ing- us to get all of them
without takin^i^ any cliances ourselves.

George said that at the hrst click of his pistol one of
his men raised up in a sitting- ]:)osition, and he onl}' got
one the first shot. Freeman and I each got our two In-
dians the first shot; but Geoi-ge haxing both his eyes on
one, the other rose to his feet. George and I took two
shots each at this other Indian before we could get him
down. It was mostly guess work, for it was so dark
that we could scarcely see him.

As soon as we were satisfied that we had all of them
we started out to look for their horses, but it was so
dark that we could not find them, so we .found our way
back to where our own horses were. Freeman and I laid
down to rest, while George got on a horse and kept cir-
cling the camp so as not to let an}' of the horses get away
during the night. He kept this up until the morning
star arose, and seeing that all the horses were there, laid
down to rest. As soon as it was beginning to get light
Freeman and I arose, started a fire, and sat around until
after sun-up, when we got breakfast, made some coffee
and then called George, and all enjo\'ed a good square
meal once more.

After breakfast we scalped our Indians and found that

HOMEWARD BOUND.

411

we had eight good half-breed horses and a nun^ber of
good horse-hair robes. I asked our guide how far we
were from Fort Yuma
and he said straight
through it was

0 n e hundred a n d
twenty miles, but the
wav* that we would
have to go it would
be at least one hun-
dred and fifty miles.

1 concluded we had
better pull out for the
fort so Freeman and
myself rode ahead
and George followed
up the rear, driving
the loose horses. We

JvH.

Getting breakfast.

412 BACK TO THE FORT.

did not see any more Indian sign that day. Late in the
evening I was riding along when I ran on to a young an-
telope. I shot him and we had fresh meat for supper

for the first time since we left the fort. The next day
we crossed a big Indian trail going east. The trail looked
to be about two days old, but as our rations were begin-
ning to run short wc did not attempt to follow them, but
pushed on to the fort, making as good time as possible,
returning on the eleventh day trom the time we started
out.

I reported our success to the General. He was well
pleased with the result of the trip, and when I reported
the burying of the dead bodies, he thought we had better
return to the spot, taking with us some good coffins, and
give them a more decent burial, but on consulting the
doctor, concluded in that extraordinarily hot climate it
would be utterly impossible to bury them after so long a
time, and the idea was abandoned.

I showed the two dress waists that I had found at the
Apache camp to the General, also to Mrs. Jackson, but
we never got any information of any white prisoners be-
ing taken there at that time.

The General was pleased to see the Indian scalps, as
he said they were the first scalps that had been brought
'n for two months.

Gen. Crook now made up his mind at once to send
Lieut. Jackson out on the road with two companies of
cavalry, and George Jones and myself were to accom-
pany them as scouts.

When we were ready to start Lieut. Jackson asked

ON THE MARCH.

413

me if I didn't want more scouts, but I told him thai I
thought we could get along this trip with what we had.

_ We took the Butterfield route
I and followed that road until we
I were in the St. Louis moun-
1 tains. This seemed to be

at that
^^^^ t i m e, a
f a V orite
^ part of
the coun-
try for
5;;|^^^M the Apa-
^:HSS^j ches t o
B com m it
■ their
^^>|^^B depreda-
tions up-
on emi-
grants.
We trav-
eled very
slowly as

we had to pack our entire outfit on burros, and our
saddle horses having to live altogether on grass, con-i

sequently we could not hurry. Early in the morn*]
ing of the sixth day of that trip George and I started
out in advance of the command, one to theright and
the other to the left of the road, and if neither of us
should see any signs of Indians we were to meet at

Our pack train.

414 DISCOVER Indians.

the crossing of a certain stream only a few miles ahead

of the command; and in the event of either of us arriving

at the stream and waiting half an hour and the other did

not make his appearance, he was to return at once with
his force of scouts to the command. On arriving at the
appointed spot and finding that George and his assist-
ants were not there, we waited until we were convinced
he was not coming and at once returned to the command.

On our return we learned that shortly after starting
out that morning George had run on to a big Indian trail.
Supposing it to be the same band of Indians whose trail
we had crossed when returning from our other trip, he
had reported to the command at once, and the trail be-
ing fresh, he, taking four other men, had started in pur-
suit, leaving word with Lieut. Jackson for me not to be
uneasy about him nor attempt to follow him, but to re-
main with the command until I heard from him again.

While Lieut. Jackson was yet talking relative to the
matter, I received a message from George saying that he
had the Indians located some five miles from the road
and wanted me to come and look the ground over before
the command should start.

I at once mounted, and piloted by the man who had
brought the message to me, rode to where George was.
On arriving there I found the Indians so situated that it
was impossible to ascertain the number from the fact
that in this extraordinarily warm climate the Indians do
not use any v.ick-i-ups or lodges, so that the only method
by which we could make an estimate of their number
was by counting the number of fires they had end calcu-

GETTING READY. 415

late each fire to represent a certain number of Indians,
this being our method of estimating them when in wick-
i-ups, we reckoned their number to be one hundred and
fifty.

Wher-e these Indians were camped it would be utterly
impossible to make an attack without being discovered
long before reaching them, they being in a large valley.

After a thorough examination of the camp and sur-
surroundings by looking through a glass, we concluded
that the best plan would be to return to the command
and have it move up to within two miles of the Indians
and remain there until after dark, then leave it to the
Lieutenant w^hether he should make the attack on foot
or horseback.

I remained to watch the movements of the Indians
and see whether they were reinforced during the day and
to report at dark, George returning to the command.
The soldiers moved up that evening to within two miles
of the Indian camp. I remained at my post until it w^as
so dark that I could not see through my glasses any
longer, when I mounted my horse and rode to the com-
mand, having made no new discoveries. After explain-
ing the situation as nearly as I could, the Lieutenant
concluded to make the attack on foot some time between
midnight and daylight the next morning, and to attack
them from two sides at the same time.

The Lieutenant taking half the men and making the
long march, which would be about one and a half miles
farther than the others would hci\ e to march, leaving his
orderly sergeant in charge of the other half of the com-

41 6 THE SLAUGHTER.

mand. I piloted the Lieutenant and George piloted the
orderly. Here Lieut. Jackson invented some new style
of signal to what I had seen before, by taking a tea cup
and pouring powder in it and when he was ready to make
the charge he was to set the powder on fire, which would
make a flash, and in case the orderly was ready, he was
to signal the Lieutenant in the same manner.

We made the circuit and marched up to within one
hundred yards of the Indians, but could not make the
attack until near daylight, the Lieutenant thinking it
was so dark that the soldiers were in danger of killing
each other, which was all perfectly true.

When the time arrived for the attack, which was just
at daybreak, the Lieutenant gave his signal, which was
answered at once by the orderly, and the Lieutenant led
the way bv going in advance of the force, and I think it
was the quickest fight I ever saw. I did not count the
Indians th it were killed myself, but was told that there
were between 190 and 200 found dead on the battlefield.
They seemed to raise up as fast as the soldiers would cut
them down, and I think there were two cut down with
the sabres where one was shot. As soon as the battle
was over, or when we could not find anymore Indians to
kill, George and I got our horses as quick as we could
and went out after our horses, but they had taken fright
at the firing and were scattered all over the country.
That evening the Lieutenant moved back to the road at
the head of a nice little valley where there were plenty
of fine grass and good water, saying that he would make
this his headquarters as long as he was out on this road.

The Lieutenant having five men wounded in this en-

SEE ELEVEN INDIANS. 417

gagement, he wanted some one to carry a dispatch to
headquarters requesting the General to forward an am-
bulance, and George Jones being a light man who could
stand the ride better than any one in the crowd, the
Lieutenant chose him to make the ride. It took us five
days to come from Fort Yuma, and George took three
horses and made the round trip in seven and one-half
days. We remained here in this camp something like
three months, but did not have another fight of any con-
sequence with the Indians during our stay in this place.
The Apaches quit their work in this portion of the coun-
try, thus enabling the emigrants to pass unmolested. In
about one week after George Jones had returned from
his trip to headquarters, Lieut. Jackson, George and my-
self went out around the foot of the mountain on a
scouting tour. We were riding in sight of each other,
when the Lieutenant signalled us to come to where he
was. On arriving there he told us to keep our eyes on a
certain ridge and we would see a little band of Indians
rise over the top of the hill in a few minutes, saying he
had just got sight of them while crossing the ridge beyond
but could not tell just how many there were.

We secreted ourselves in a little thicket of timber
where we would be concealed from their view, and in a
few minutes they hove in sight. We counted them and
found that there were eleven of them. Lieut. Jackson
said to me: "Cap, shall we try them a whirl or not.-*"
I said: "Lieutenant, I will leave that with you. If you
feel like it we will give them a round." The Lieutenant
said: "All right. I want to try my mare anyway and
see if she is any good or not."

4i8

THE ATTACK.

He was riding a mare of fine breeding, as black as a
coal and as fleet an animal as there was in the whole
command. By this time the Indians had crossed over-
the ridge and were then traveling up a little ravine, and
by keeping ourselves secreted they would cross the ridge
near us. Just as they turned over the ridge referred to,
we were to make the charge. I was riding a roan horse
that I had bought in San Francisco that could run like a
deer, for when in this business I would not ride a horse
that was not swift, but I never had him in an engage-
ment of this kind. Being very hard-mouthed, I thought

he was liable to
run away with
me, and I did not
know whether he
would run in the
opposite direction
or after the In-
dians. The Lieu-
tenant and Geo.
Jones said that if
he would only run
after the Indians
they would follow
me up closely.

As soon as the
last Indian had
The Lieutenant was riding a mare of fine breeding, nassed over the

ridge out of sight
we made a charge, and that black mare w^ent like she was
shot out of a cannon. The Indians were all armed with

£L£VfiN KILLED. 419

bow and arrows, but they did not attempt to use them.
They did not suspect anything wrong until they heard
the clatter of our horses' feet within a few yards of them
and when they turned to look back we all had our revol-
vers ready and turned loose to firing and yelling, and for
the next half mile we had a lively race. I had thought
up to that time that there wasn't a man on the plains or
in the Rocky Mountains that could beat me shooting with
a pistol while on the run, but I must confess that Lieut.
Jackson on his black mare could shoot more Indians in
the same length of time than any person I was ever out
with, and it seemed that as fast as the Lieutenant would
shoot one Indian down his mare would turn and take
after the next nearest. The Lieutenant fired six shots
and killed five Indians and wounded the sixth one, while
riding at full speed, and in this country in places the sage
brush is waist high to a man. In this engagement I got
four Indians, having to shoot one Indian three times be-
I got him down, and George Jones killed three. Not
one of them escaped. Lieut. Jackson said he could not
see why it was that they did not offer to defend them-
selves, when they had four to one to start with, for the
Apaches have always been considered the bravest tribe
of Indians in the entire West, and they had been known
at different times to fight soldiers man to man. The last
Indian I killed v/as beyond doubt the best horseman I
had ever seen among the Indians, for he was first on one
side of his horse and then on the other. It seem.ed as
though he could almost turn under the horses bell}/ while
on the dead run, and he would swing himself around
under his breast, rendering it almost impossible to deal

420 Navajo Indians.

him a fatal shot, for he frisked around so fast that a per-
son could not get a bead on him.

We arrived at camp that evening just at dark. Dur-
ing our absence a train of emigrants consisting of twenty-
one wagons had camped near our quarters. They wanted
an escort of twenty or twenty-five men to accompany
them to Fort Yuma, which the}' were willing to board
free of charge while oh the trip.

Those emigrants were from Dallas, Texas, and ap-
parently well-to-do people. On learning that the Lieu-
tenant was out on a scouting tour, they prepared a nice
supper for the three of us. The following morning the
Lieutenant detailed twenty men in charge of a sergeant,
to escort the emigrants to Fort Yuma. George Jones
went along as a scout ard I remained with the command.
They were ten days making the trip, as the emigrants
having ox teams, traveled slowly. On the return of the
escort the Lieutenant concluded to move some fifty miles
south on this road, where we made our headquarters
while we remained in this section of countr}', being on a
tributary of the Grand river, which* runs down through
the Avestern part of New Mexico.

One day while I was out on a scouting tour I ran on
to a little band of Navajo Lidians on their way to the
St. Louis Mountains for a hunt. They had some blankets
with them of their own manufacture, and being confident
that the Lieutenant had never seen a blanket of that
kind, I induced them to go with me to our quarters to
show their blankets to the Lieutenant and others as well.
I told the Lieutenant that he could carry water in one of
those all day and it would not leak through. We took

BACK AT THE FORT. 421

one of them, he taking two corners and I two, and the
third man poured a bucket of water in the center of it,
and we carried it twenty rods and the water did not leak
through it. The Lieutenant asked how long it took to
make one of them, and the Indian said it took about six
months. He bought a blanket for five dollars, being
about all the silver dollars in the command. The blanket
had a horse worked in each corner, of various colors,
also a man in the center with a spear in his hand. How
this could be done was a mystery to all of us, as it con-
tained many colors and showed identically the same on
both sides.

By this time our three months' supply was running
short, and Lieut. Jackson commenced making prepara-
tions to return to headquarters with his entire command.
We pulled out for the fort, and did not see an Indian or
even a fresh, track on our way.

When we arrived at the fort and Lieut. Jackson made
his report Gen. Crook was more than pleased with the
success we had met, and I succeeded in getting George's
wages raised from seVenty-five to one hundred dollars per
month, unbeknown to him.

It was now in the fall of the year, and the General
decided to send us back again with two companies of
cavalry and one company of infantry, calculated more
for camp and guard duty than for actual service.

After we had rested up a month or such a matter the
General had six or eight mule teams rigged up, also fifty
burros for pack animals, and started Lieut. Jackson back
again with three hundred soldiers.

422 WE START AGAIN.

CHAPTER XXX.

A WICKED LITTLE BATTLE. CAPTURE OF ONE HUNDRED

AND EIGHTY- TWO HORSES. DISCOVERY OF BlACK

Canyon. — Fort Yuma and the pay master.

We traveled very slowly and cautiously, and at the
foot of the mountains, one hundred and fifty miles from
Fort Yuma, we met a freight train from Santa Fe loaded
with flour and bacon, principally, bound for Tombstone,
Arizona. This train was owned by a man named
Pritchett; but he was generally known as "Nick in the
Woods." His party had had a fight with the Indians in
the mountains the third day before we met him, and he
had lost several mules killed and two of his teamsters were
wounded. He informed us that the mountains were
swarming with Indians, so the Lieutenant sent one com-
pany ahead of the command, George Jones and I going
as scouts.

The advance company was under command of an
orderly sergeant, who was instructed that if we met no
Indians before reaching our old quarters we were to stay
there until the command came up. On the third even-
ing, just as our company was going into camp, and Jones
and I were taking a survey from the hill near by, we saw
a band of Indians coming leisurely along and evidently
bound for the same camp ground that the soldiers were.

A WICKED FIGHT. 423

Jones hurried down to inform the sergeant of the situa-
tion, I tarrying long enough to become positively con-
vinced that the reds might get their camp fixings mixed
with ours. So I put spurs to my horse and rode down to
camp a£ quickly as I could. During this time the ser-
geant was flying around like a chicken with his head cut
off to have his company ready to meet the Indians, and
he barely had time to get his men all mounted when the
reds came in sight, not forty rods away. George and I
had ridden our horses very hard all day, consequently
took no hand in this engagement, but rode to the top of
a little hill close by where we could see the whole affair.

In this fight the Apaches showed their blood by stand-
ing their ground better than any Indians I have ever
seen in a battle. They did not offer to retreat until
the soldiers were right up among them, there being some
sixty Indians and one hundred soldiers.

This was beyond doubt the wickedest little battle I
had ever witnessed, but it did not last long. In the en-
gagement three soldiers were killed and five wounded,
and nine horses killed and nine wounded. There were
twenty-seven good Indians left on the battle-field, and
none of the Indian horses were captured. Those that
the Indians did not drive away took fight and ran after
them.

The soldiers followed until after dark, but did not
find any more dead Indians. We remained in this camp
until the Lieutenant came up with his command. He
regretted that he did not come on himself ahead of the
command, thinking that had he been there the result
would have been quite different.

424 MORE Indians.

On his arrival he made a detail of eight men to assist
in scouting, informing them that they were relieved of
all guard duties while serving in that capacity, which is
a great relief to a soldier, especially when in an Indian
country. I was appointed captain or chief of scouts and
George my first assistant. The Lieutenant selected what
he thought to be the best men he had in his command
and they afterwards proved themselves to be just what
he had expected. On starting out I did not make any
reserve of scouts, but sent four with George and took the
other four with me.

The fourth day after starting, about noon, I saw a
band of Indians in camp ten miles from the Lieutenant's
quarters. I knew this to be a new camp, as I had been
over the same ground only two days previous. The In-
dians were camped in a valley nearly a mile wide that
had not a stick of timber on it, except the few small wil-
lows that grew along the little rill that ran through the
valley, consequently I could not get close enough to
ascertain tTie number of the Indians until after dark. In
the meantime I telegraphed the Lieutenant to hold his
men in readiness or to move on at once as he thought
best.

As soon as he received my message he mounted two
companies of cavalry and pushed ori to the place where I
had told the messenger to meet me on his return.

While the messenger went to headquarters, in com-
pany with one of my scouts I went down near the Indian
camp to try to ascertain if possible their number, leaving
the other two scouts in charge of the horses. The only
way we could get at the number was to count the fires

COMMAND ARRIVES.

425

and make an estimate in that way. The Indians seemed
to be nervous and much disturbed that night from some
cause; con-
tinually lit-
tle squads
of them
would walk
from one
fire to an-
other. Af-
ter we had
crawled
a r o u n d
s o mething
like two
hours and
made our
esti m a t e.,
we return-
ed to our

horses and comrades, and I never was more surprised in
my life than when I got back and met Lieut. Jackson
there with his command, for I did not think sufficient
time had passed for him to come that distance. I sat
down and explained the lay of the ground as best I could;
nothing being in the way except the little creek that
carried the water across the valley, and I told him that
about one hundred and fifty yards below the Indian camp
the horses would be able to jump it. I also told them
that I estimated their number at two hundred.

The Lieutenant said: "I think I will attack them at

I sat down and explained the lay of the ground.

426 ANOTHER BATTLE.

once," and asked me if I had their horses located. I
told him I had. He then gave orders for all of the men
to muffle their spurs, and he asked me to take my four
men and as soon as the charge was made to make a
dash for the horses, cut them off and stampede them.
So we made the start, my scouts and I on the extreme
right of their entire command. The Lieutenant had ex-
plained to the command that he would give the word in
an undertone, each corporal to take it up, and they also
had orders to hold their sabres up in a way that they
could not make any noise. Being good starlight that
night, one could see fairly well. We rode within less
than one hundred yards of the Indian camp before the
word was given to charge. When we were in sight of
the horses we raised the yell and they all started, and we
did not let them stop until at headquarters the next
morning at daybreak. At this haul we got one hundred-
and eio^htv-two horses.

The Lieutenant returned with his command at ten
o'clock the same morning, and he told me that he didn't
think a dozen Indians escaped.

In this engagement he did not lose a man, and only
a few were wounded, but five horses were hurt, and
those he had killed after returning to headquarters, claim-
ing that in this warm climate, where the flies were so
bad, it took too much attention to cure them.

The two days following were days of rest with us,
very little being done in the way of scouting. On the
morning of the third day after the battle, George and his
force went out to make a tour around the camp, and
Lieut. Jackson, myself and four scouts went out to try to

Apache stronghold. 427

kill some deer, as we were getting very hungry for fresh
meat, having been so long on bacon that we were all
sick and tired of it. That day we killed four deer, and
that night we camped six miles from our quarters. The
next morning the Lieutenant sent to headquarters for ten
pack animals, and we remained to hunt. In two days
we killed all the game we could pack to camp on the ten
animals. On our return the Lieutenant said to me:
"This part we will have to keep to ourselves, for if we
tell the General that we were out hunting and spent
three days on the trip he would swear until everything
around would turn blue."

After this we made two and three day scouting trips.
While out on one of these, I found where the Apache
stronghold was; down in a deep canyon, which since
then has been known as Black canyon. From all ap-
pearance the greater part of the tribe was there. This
canyon was' tributary to the Colorado, and the hardest
place to get into I have ever seen in the Rocky Moun-
tains.

After making as good an investigation as the sur-
roundings would permit, I returned with my scouts to
the command to report. In making my report I said:
"Lieutenant, I cannot half describe that canyon to yon,
for it is beyond any doubt the blackest looking place I
have ever seen in all my travels." I told the Lieutenant
that I would like to have him go with me and view the
place before he moved his command. The can3'on was
fifty miles from our quarters. That same night George
Jones returned with his four scouts, and the morning fol-
lowing we started out with the entire scout force, taking

428 Black Canyon.

four days' rations with us. On the morning of the sec-
ond day we canie in sight of the canyon. The Lieuten-
ant took a good look at it through his glasses, after
which he said: "Captain, I think you named it well
when you called it a Black canyon, for it looks as if it
would be impossible to enter it on horseback." That
day and the next was spent in trying to find where the
Indians entered the canyon, and we at last discovered
that they entered it from the east and w^est with horses,
by descending a very abrupt mountain, and they were
strung up and down the canyon for five miles. After the
Lieutenant had made examinations of the location we
started back to headquarters.

The Lieutenant and I fell back to the rear in order to
have a private conversation relative to the situation. He
said: "To be honest with you, I don't think it safe to
go in there with less than two thousand soldiers, espec-
ially at this time of the year. If the Indians are as
strong as they look to be, and have the advantage of the
ground that they seem to have, it would only be sport
for them to lie behind those rocks and shoot the soldiers
down as fast as they could enter the canyon. This is
the first time I ever went out hunting Indians, found
them, and had to go away and let them alone. To tell
the truth, I don't know what to do, for if I report to the
General he will come at once with all his forces and ac-
complish nothing when here."

The Black canyon is in the northwest corner of Ari-
zona, where it joins on to California and Nevada. Since
that time there have been more soldiers killed in that
place than in all the balance of Arizona territory.

OUR NEW CAMP. 429

After he had thought the matter over for a day or so
he decided to move the command up near Black canyon,
catch small parties out from there, and try in that man-
ner to weaken them, or he might succeed in drawing
them out, and in that way be able to get a fight out of
them on something like fair ground. But in this the
Lieutenant was very much disappointed, for they were
too smart to come out.

George Jones and myself, each with our company of
scouts, started out to locate some place suitable for head-
quarters, with instructions that anywhere within twenty
miles would be satisfactory. I was out six days but did
not find what I considered a suitable location. Jones
was more successful. Within about ten miles of the can-
yon he found what he thought to be a suitable location,
but said it would be impossible to get to the place with
wagons. So the wagons were corralled and left at our
present location in charge of a sergeant, with thirty in-
fantrvmen.

Loading the entire pack train, we started for How-
ard's Point, that being the name George had given the
new camp.

Upon arrival at our new camp the Lieutenant put
out pickets all around camp one mile away, keeping them
there day and night while we remained. The scouts for
the next six weeks were almost worked to death, without
accomplishing much of anything, from the fact that we
were too close to the main bod}' of Indians to catch them
in small squads, for in going out to hunt they would not
go into camp until twenty or thirty miles from their head-
quarters, and our plan was to catch them in camp and

430 TWO SCOUTS KILLED.

attack them either in the night or just at daybreak in
the morning. .

One morning after being here ten days, the whole
scout force started in two squads, with the understand-
ing that we keep in about one mile of each other, so that
if one squad should encounter a band of Indians the
other could come to the relief.

After traveling about ten miles we heard shots in the
dierction where I knew George was with his four assist-
ants, and turning in that direction, we put our horses
down to their best speed, and were soon at the scene of
action, but owing to the roughness of the ground we
could not make as good time as we desired. When in
sight of the contestants I saw that George was on foot,
a comrade on each side of him, and they were firing as
fast as they could load and shoot. He had run into those
Indians, about twenty in number, hid in the rocks, and
they had opened fire on the scouts, killing two of his
men the first shot, and shooting George's horse from
under him, leaving him afoot. When we arrived I
ordered my men to dismount and take to the rocks, leav-
ing the horses to take care of themselves, as t^he Indians
were on foot and we could make better time in that im-
mediate vicinity than we could on our horses. W^e had
a hot little fight, but succeeded in driving the savages
back. After the battle was over we tied our dead com-
rades on one horse and packed them to camp, changing
off with George and the scout whose horse the dead
bodies were tied on, letting them ride our horses part of
the time. That night we dug graves and gave the two
comrades as decent a burial as circumstances would per-

MORE SCOUTS.

431

mit. George felt very sorry over losing the two scouts
because they were in his charge, but he was not to blame
in the least.

In this little battle we got six Indians, and they killed
two of our men and three horses. Lieut. Jackson thought
it would now be advisable to increase the number of
scouts and have a sufficient force together to be able to
protect ourselves, for we were to remain here a month
longer, and if
in that time we
were not able
in some way to
get at the In-
dians we would
return to the
fort and wait
until spring.

Two weeks
later I was out
on a scouting
tour when I saw
a small band of
Indians coming
out of Black
c a n v o n and

making their

Shooting from behind the rocks.

way westward. ^^
\\' h e n they
were within

ten miles of our headquarters I got to count them, find-
ing there were forty in the band, all on foot. I decided

432 A HUNTING PARTY.

that they had started on a hunt and I would keep my eye
on them to see where they would camp for the night.
By this time I had all the water in this region located,
and when I would see a band of Indians late in the even-
ing I could tell about where they would camp.

As soon as I had decided where those would camp I
telegraphed to Lieut. Jackson the situation. Where
these Indians camped was within six miles of our quar-
ters, but a miserable place to enter with horses, but I
thought we could ride within a mile of the place on
horseback.

The Lieutenant, however, was well acquainted with
the ground, and as soon as he read my message he
mounted his cavalrymen and started, and met me within
a mile of the Indian camp. Dismounting, he and his
men started on foot to the camp, and he told the sol-
diers to walk lightly, and when in sight of the camp to
get down and crawl, but to be very careful not to break
a limb or twig. I was very much disappointed in not
getting to see this fight, for after I had sent my message
to headquarters my horse fell with me and dislocated my
right knee.

Lieut. Jackson said that he had never seen Indians
fight harder in the dark than they did. He had three to
their one, and said if it had been daylight he thought
they would have held the soldiers in check for some little
time. He did not think that he got all of them. In
this action he lost two men killed and seven wounded,
tw^o of whom died afterwards from their wounds.

I was laid up for a month with my knee, having to
go on crutches most of the time, and it has given me

BACK AT Fort Yuma. 433

more or less trouble since, even up to the present time.
After we had arrived at our headquarters the Lieutenant
concluded that as it was getting late, we had better move
in the direction of the fort, and we started, making ten
miles a day, and keeping out a strong force of scouts,
thinking they might be able while in the mountains to
capture small bands of hunting Apaches, but no more
Indians were seen.

When we were out of the mountains we doubled our
distance, making about twenty miles a day. Having no
other way to travel than on horseback, my knee swelled
badly, and when we got to Mr. Davis' ranch, which was
forty miles from Fort Yuma, I had to stop and rest a few
days. This was, however, a very desirable place for an
unmarried man to stop, for Mr. Davis had some young
daughters who were very attractive. I remained there a
week, until I got the swelling reduced in my leg, and
Mr. Davis hauled me to the fort in a wagon, taking at
the same time a load of watermelons and tomatoes,
which grew abundantly in that country. When I arrived
at Fort Yuma Gen. Crook told me to take good care of
myself, also saying he was highly pleased with the suc-
cess of the past season, and he said: "If I live until
spring I am going to see that Black canyon of yours that
Lieut. Jackson has told me so much about."

During this winter we got a weekly mail established
from Fort Yuma to Los Angeles. I had been here over
eight months and had not seen a newspaper since I came,
and when this mail line was established nearly every
man subscribed for a paper of some kind, and the fort for
the first time was blessed with plenty of reading matter,

434 THE PAYMASTER.

and we were able to gain a little knowledge as to what
was going on in the civilized parts of the United States.

In the fore part of the month of December the ofBcers
put the men to work cleaning and staightening things up
in general about the fort. We were all confident there
was something up, but just what was not known. After
everything was in proper shape it was whispered around
that the paymaster would be in in a few days. On hear-
ing this I asked Lieut. Jackson if it was true, and he
said it was, and he also informed me that from this on
we would have a regular pay day; and this was not all
either, but that we were to have two more companies
of cavalry and one of infantry, and said he: "The Gen-
eral is talking of sending you and me to California to buy
horses, but that will not be decided upon until the pay-
master comes."

It was the twentieth of December when the paymas-
ter came, and also the three companies of recruits spoken
of by the Lieutenant. This was the first pay day the
soldiers had had for over a s'ear. and the boys all had
plenty of money, but a poor show to spend it, as there
were no saloons or gambling houses there, so they
amused themselves by gambling among themselves, and
one could go all around the fort and see all kinds of
games running, and there was money flying in the air.

:o:-

'^-'^ v^'Ss,:

5. '-'^-:^ :/.5'V-- '-^:^-- >:'a":^'^-s

^"-^^A-^^^^S^"^^""-"^^- ^

Seal Rock, Faranlone Islands, California.

^i^^iiffl

Old Mission House, Santa Barbara, California.

TO California. 435

CHAPTER XXXI.

To California for horses. — My beautiful mare,
Black Bess. — We get sixty-six scalps and sFv-
enty-eight horses. a clean sweep.

It was about the first of January when Gen. Crook
ordered Lieut. Jackson and I to go to Cahfornia to buy
fifty head of cavalry horses. With an escort of twelve
men we headed for Los Angeles, expecting to be able to
procure the horses there, which we did, and were back at
Yuma in a little more than a month preparing to give
Apaches more of our warm social attention. In this
campaign Lieut. Jackson was to take the lead with two
companies of cavalry and one of infantry, and take the
same route as the season before. Gen. Crook was to
follow in a month, taking no wagons, but a pack-train of
one hundred animals. Only Mexicans were employed
this time as packers, and the captain of our train was
named Angel, but he didn't look it.

It was arranged between Gen. Crook and I that I was
to have twelve scouts and select them myself. The
General sent a sergeant with me to take the names of
the men I wished to secure, and then he gave me per-
mission to go into the corrall and select two horses for
each of my men, taking anything that did not belong to
a commissioned officer. In the afternoon of the same
day Lieut. Jackson came to me and said: "Captain, I

436

Black Bess,

have a present for you if you will accept it. I want to
give you Black Bess." '

This was the beautiful mare that he rode the year be-
fore and of which I spoke previously.

It was a very acceptable present indeed, and I was
surprised to learn that he would part with her, but he
walked down to the stable and turned her over to me.
He had never ridden her when going into a fight except

She would paw until I woke.

the time of which I made mention when out on the
scouting tour. He said to me: "She is too fine an ani-
mal forme, and if you will train her a little she will be a
perfect companion to you."

This black mare proved to be the most intelligent
animal that I had ever owned in my life, and there was
nothing she seemed to dislike so much as the sight or
even the scent of an Indian. Often when out scouting I

STRUCK A TRAIL. 437

have got off of her and let her feed at the end of a picket

rope while I would lie down and sleep, and the moment

she would see or scent anything strange she would come

to where I was lying and paw until I would raise up and
look in the direction of whatever object she had seen or
heard, and in less than three months she was the pet of
the entire command. She would follow me like a dog
anywhere I would go.

We pulled out for the mountains, and went some-
thing like one hundred and fifty miles from Fort Yuma
before making a halt for a permanent camp — this being
in the fore part of February, 1866 — and as soon as we
were fairly settled we began active work.

We had only been there a few days when George
Jones came in and reported having seen the trail of a
band of Indians coming from the direction of Black can-
yon. George, myself and four other scouts started out
immediately to take the trail, which was ten miles south
of our quarters. We camped on their trail that night on
account of the country being too rough to travel after
night, but the next morning we were off early and fol-
lowed the trail all day. Just before sundown we halted
on a high ridge, when I took a look through my glasses
over the country. About twelve miles away I saw an
Apache camp. The course they had traveled that day
brought them about as near our quarters as where we had
struck their trail, and from this I came to the conclusion
that they were either looking for the command or were
expecting an attack.

Now the country between us and the Indians was

438 Indians in camp.

very rou^h, but I told the boys that we must get there
that night, and as quickly as possible.

I could see the country between the Indians and head-
quarters, and they were not more than fifteen miles from
there, although we were about twelve miles away, and
about the same distance from the Indians.

Knowing that Lieut. Jackson would be anxious to
hear from me, I sent one man back to camp to report to
him, with instructions as to the course to move, also for
him to throw up a rocket every mile or so, that I might
know where to send my next messenger to meet him.
Mvself and the other four scouts started for the Indian
camp, and it took two hours and a half the best we
could do to reach it.

When we were within a quarter of a mile of them,
that being as near as we thought it safe to ride, we dis-
mounted, and leaving two men in charge of our horses,
the other three of us started to crawl down to their camp,
at least near enough to find out about their number.

They had not lain down for the night nor had they
any guards out with their horses, but were sitting around
the camp-fire smoking and apparently enjoying them-
selves.

No doubt if we could have understood their language
they were then laying plans to capture the first emigrant
train that might come that wa}^ The moon was shin-
ing brightly, and we had a splendid chance to have stam-
peded their stock, but I did not think it best from the
fact that it would put them on their guard, which would
be to the detriment of the cavalry when they should ar-
rive. We decided not to disturb them until the cavalry

COMMAND ARRIVES. 439

came up, knowing that the command would lose no time
in getting there, and that it would be before daylight if
it was possible.

We counted the horses of the Indians as best we
could by moonlight, and made out eighty head of them.
We could not make out just the number of Indians, but
estimated them at seventy-five, After ascertaining as
near as we could the lay of the ground and the general
situation, we returned to our horses, and ^ all started in
the direction that we expected the command to come
from. After we had ridden about a half mile I stopped,
and George Jones started on with the other scouts to
meet the command. After riding five miles they met
Lieut. Jackson coming with two companies of cavalry
and the entire scout force; and long before I expected
them Black Bess told me by her actions that they were
coming.

The Lieutenant formed his men in a triangle on the
ridge, his object being to pocket the Indians; in other
words, to bunch them up or prevent them from scatter-
ing. While he was forming his men and giving instruc-
tions, I told my men where the horses were and that we
must get to them about the time the cavalry made the
attack on the Indians. I told them that no doubt the
horses would have ropes on them and the first one that I
come to I would take him and lead the way. "And
when you hear the first shot, all raise the yell, for by do-
ing that we will be able to make the stampede, and if
nothing goes wrong we will keep the stock going until
we reach headquarters." W^hen I got to the horses about
the first one I stumbled onto was a white one, with a

440 A SUCCESSFUL ATTACK.

long hair rope on; I caught him and led the way, and he
made a good leader for the others to follow.

We got to the horses a few moments before the sol-
diers got to the Indian camp, and at the first shot we all
raised the yell, and as I led the white pony away all fol-
lowed, and we did not halt until we were five or six
miles off. Here we came to a small stream that mean-
dered through a little valley. There we stopped awhile
to let our horses drink and rest, and while there we
counted our horses and found that we had seventy-eight.

We reached camp about six o'clock the next morn-
ing, but the soldiers did not get in until noon. When
the fight was over the Lieutenant put out a strong picket
guard and remained there until morning in order to catch
the Apaches that might be secreted in the sage-brush.

When daylight came he succeed in jumping up eleven,
which he considered ample pay for staying there a few
hours. In this fight sixty- six Indians were killed, besides
we got all their horses, blankets, ropes and such other
articles as they had.

We did but little m the way of scouting for the next
few days. Lieut. Jackson said that we had made a good
beginning and we did not want to do much before Gen.
Crook came. "For," said he, we will have all the fight-
ing we want when the General gets here."

The morning of the third day after the fighf we
started out with the entire scout force in squads of four,
there being three squads, with the understanding that we
were to keep in from one to three miles of each other,
and all to camp together at night.

We took along with us four days' rations, but a scout

ANOTHER BAND. 44 I

is expected to live on four days' rations for eight days if
it becomes necessar}', for when he starts he never knows
just where he is going or when he will return.

It was in the afternoon of the third day that I ran on
to an Indian trail that appeared from the number of
horse-tracks to be about twenty in the band. We could
tell that they had passed there that day, so we followed
the trail; and it was not long until the other two pulled
in towards me, and we were soon near enough that I
could signal to them, or they to me, and shortl}' we all
met on the trail.

We had not followed long before we came in sight of
the Indians riding leisurely along, and we then set it
down that they were a band of Apaches on their way to
the Oscuro Mountains for a hunt. The}' went into camp
early that night on account of water, and after supper
they amused themselves by running foot-races. I was
tempted several times before dark to make a charge on
them, but knowing that we could accomplish our end
better by waiting until after dark, we held back until
they had all turned in for the night. They did not lie
down until about nine o'clock, and by this time the boys
were all getting anxious for a fight. We waited about
an hour after they had all lain down and then we started
to crawl down to their camp. We agreed to use our
knives and sabres, George Jones and I each having a big
knife, all the rest having sabres.

Our idea for this was to prevent any of our own party
from being shot accidently; but each man had his pistol
In his left had with instructions not to use it except
in case of emergency. We crawled into the camp un-

442 CRAWLED INTO CAMP.

discovered as the Indians had no dogs along to give the
alarm.

Previous to this I had told the boys that I could
crawl all over an Indian and not wake him up, and I
came near demonstrating it that night. They were ap-
parently asleep and badly scattered, two in a place.

I had told the boys not to strike until they saw that
I was just in the act of striking; that when they saw me
raise up for each man to spring to his feet and get his
Indian the first lick if possible, and not to let up as long
as they could see one kick.

It being bright moonlight we could see each other
very plainly, and we crawled right in among them, there
being no order whatever in their camp. When I came
to where there were two lying with their backs together,
I made up my mind that that was too good a chance for
me to let pass; so I looked around to see if the boys had
their men selected, and seeing that they had, and that
they were all watching me and the Indians also, I raised
to my feet, and placing my right foot between the two
Indians, I aimed to sever the first one's head from his
body, which I came near doing, for he only just quivered
after I struck him. At that they all began the work of
blood and death

The second one I attacked I had to deal the second
blow, as I also did the third one. Up to this time I had
not heard a word from any one of my companions, but
there had been a continual ringing of sabres all around
me. Just as I had done up my last Indian George
sprang to my side and said: "Cap, we have got every
one of them." We counted them and found that we

TWENTY-TWO DEAD. 443

had killed twenty-two, and after examining their blankets
and other "traps," we knew that we had got them all.

They had killed a fine buck deer during the day and
had only cooked enough of it for their supper, so we had
plenty of fresh meat, for a while, at least; so while
George and some of the other scouts went for our horses,
which were about a quarter of a mile from camp, the re-
mainder of us built a fire and began roasting venison.
This was the first fresh meat we had on the trip.

The morning following we gathered up the horses
and found we had twenty-two, and we started two of the
men to headquarters with them, and also sent a message
to Lieut, Jackson to the effect that we were going in east
of Black can3^on to see what kind of a countr}^ it was.
We were out seven days longer, making ten days in all.
but we did not make any new discovery.

When we returned to headquarters I learned that
Lieut. Jackson had received a dispatch from Gen. Crook,
to the effect that he would soon be on with more supplies
and men.

The Lieutenant advised me to work close to quarters,
as the General was likely to be on any day, and said it
was hard to tell what he would want to do when there.

— :o: —

444 Gen. Crook arrives.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Some men who were anxious for a fight and got
IT. — Gen. Crook at Black Canyon. — Bad mistake

OF A GOOD MAN. ThE VICTIMS.

After the events of the last chapter I remained in
camp most of the time, and sent my assistants out in
different directions, with orders to return the same day.

In ten days Gen. Crook made his appearance, with
two companies of cavalry and one of infantry.

The next day after his arrival after having talked the
matter over relative to Black canyon and the country
surrounding it, he asked me how far it was to the noted
place. I told him it was what we called fifty miles. The
General said: "There is where I want to go. Those
men I brought out with me are anxious for a fight. I
brought them out here to fight, and I will see that they
get it." He told me that the day following he wished
me to accompany him to that country, saying: "You
can take as many of your scouts along as 3'ou like, and I
will make a detail of twenty men to do camp duty."

We started out the following morning for Black can-
yon, taking along my entire scout force. In the after-
noon of the second day I piloted Gen. Crook to a high
ridge, where, with his glasses, he could overlook the
whole country. He could see Black canyon and the per-

LOOKING FOR INDIANS.

445

pendicular wall of rock on the opposite side for miles and
miles, in fact, as far as he could see with his glasses.
After he had looked the country all over he asked me
where we could get into the canyon. In answer to this
question I said: "General it is easy enough to get into
it, but the question is where to get out."

He said: "We surely can get out where we go in if
we only have sense enough to keep our eyes open." So

I piloted Gen. Crook to a high ridge.

I told him that I would show him the next morning. We
returned to camp and I started out on foot to find some
fresh meat, and had gone but a short distance when I
ran on to a band of wild turkeys, and killed two fat gob-
blers. Turkeys seemed to keep fat in that country the
year around, as those that I killed were very fat. Dur-
ing the time I was out hunting George Jones had taken
two other scouts and had made an entire circle of our

44^ AT Black Canyon.

camp, and not seeing any Indians or fresh sign we felt
safe from any attack that night

The next morning we did not move camp, but leav-
ing the twenty men detailed for camp duty in charge of
the camp and stock, I took my entire scout force to
escort Gen. Crook to Black canyon. When we came to
where the trail started down the bluff, he asked me how
far I had been down. I told him about a mile, but did
not let him know that Lieut. Jackson was with me at the
time, knowing that the General wanted the glory of be-
ing the first officer to investigate and take in the situa-
tiyn of Black canyon. He asked me if it was safe for us
to go down that far. I told him it was not at this time
of day as we could not go that far and back without be-
ing seen by hundreds of Indians.

He decided not to look any further, but we returned
to our camp and made preparations to start back to
headquarters the next morning. He did not say anything
to me as to what he thought of Black canyon that even-
ing, but next day on our way back to headquarters he
asked me if I thought there would be grass enough where
we camped the night before for three or four hundred
head of stock for three or four days. This led me to be-
lieve that he intended moving a part of his command to
that place.

As soon as we were back at headquarters he told me
that if any of the horses belonging to the scouts had
shoes that needed resetting to have it attended to at
once, and also told me to have the scouts pick out the
very best horses for the trip.

During the time that these preparations were in pro-

MAKING PREPARATIONS. 447

gress, Lieut. Jackson in a private conversation told me

that Gen. Crook was going to move up with a portion of

the command near Black canyon and try to get into it.

I told him that he could get in there easy enough, but
had my doubts whether or not he would be able to get
out with half the men he took in.

After having completed our preparations we pulled
out for the Camp on the Mountain, this being the name
given the camp by some of our men when we were out
before, and I am told that the springs where we camped
still go by that name. We started with two companies
of cavalry and one of infantry, taking a pack-train to
carry the supplies.

The first night at Camp on the Mountain Gen, Crook
threw out a strong picket guard, and the next morning
he told me to place my men both above and below the
trail that they were to travel in descending the mountain
into the canyon. I had examined this part of the coun-
try and was thoroughly posted in all the ways and by-
ways of the Black canyon, which I knew the General
was not, and I told him that there was no danger from
above, from the fact that it was at least six miles to the
next place where the Indians could climb the bluff, but
this didn't seem to satisfy him, so I placed my scouts
according to his directions. This, he said, was to pro-
tect his rear.

I took my stand farthest down the hill from any of
the scouts, being about half way down, and had my men
scattered along on the mountain side, both above and
below. This I did so that in case any of my men should

448 ENTER Black Canyon

see danger from above they would report to me at once
and I would report to Gen. Crook.

After I had my men all placed and was at my stand
I saw two companies of cavalry coming down the bluff
supported by one company of infantry. When they got
to w^here I was stationed, it being what we termed a
bench on the mountain, they halted, and Crook and
Jackson held a council in which Lieut. Jackson advised
Gen Crook to send the infantry ahead as '^feelers," but
the General thought just the reverse, saying: "I will
feel my way with the cavalry." So they started down
the mountain single file.

After they had been gone about two hours, or it
seemed that long to me at least, I heard the firing com-
mence; but I could tell from the direction that they were
not yet down to the foot of the mountain. The firing
continued about an hour, but I could not get to see an}-
of the battle, for I dared not leave my post for fear thai
some of the scouts might come to report to me, and in
case I was away he would not know what to do.

At last I saw the cavalry coming back up the moun-
tain, some on foot, some leading their horses, and a very
few riding. The Indians were being held in check by
the infantry in order to give the cavalry a chance to get
out of the canyon with their horses.

As well as I can remember, in this fight Gen. Crook
lost forty-two men killed, twenty-one wounded, and
sixty horses killed.

That night I heard one sergeant ask another in the
presence of Gen. Crook when the dead would be buried,
but the question was not answered. The next morning

WITH HEAVY LOSS. 449

the General told me to take as many men as I wanted
and see if I could recover the dead bodies. I said. "Gen.
eral, if you will wait until night I will take my men and
if there are any dead bodies left on the battlefield I will
try and get them, but I do not propose to take my men
and stick them up for a target to be shot at by the In-
dians when they have no show whatever, for I will not
ask my men to go where I will not go myself."

He said: "Suit yourself about it," and turned and
walked away.

That night I took my entire scout force, besides
twenty soldiers that volunteered to go along, and de-
scended the mountain. We worked hard all night, and
all that we could find was twenty-one bodies, and that
day they were buried, after which we commenced mak-
ing preparations to return to headquarters.

Up to that time I had not had a chance to talk to
Lieut. Jackson concerning the battle in Black canyon, as
we had both been busy ever since. When on a march it
was my custom to ride ahead of the army, so the morn-
ing that we were ready to start back I had given my
orders to the scouts, had mounted, and was just ready to
start, when Lieut. Jackson said: "Wait a minute. Cap-
tain, and I will ride with you."

The reader will understand that by this time the
Lieutenant and I were as intimate friends as though we
were brothers, and when he told me anything I could
rely upon it, and I had always made it a rule to be punc-
tual with him. If he would ask me a question I would
always answer it the best I could, and if [ asked him for
any information, if he knew he would tell me. And here

450

ON THE MARCH,

I would like to say that while Gen. Crook bore the name
of being a great Indian fighter, I know for a fact that
Lieut. Jackson planned more victories two to one than
Gen. Crook did himself, and had it been in the Lieuten-
ant's power to have kept those soldiers out of Black can-
yon, they never would have entered it.

That morning after we had ridden a short distance
he mentioned the fight and said: "Cap, that was a hor-
rible affair." I said: '^Lieutenant it was not half as
bad as I thought it would be, for when I saw you go
down there I did not expect to see half of the boys come
baek." He said: "Had it not been for the infantry
coming to our rescue just when it did not a horse would

have come
out of the
canyon,
and but
very few
soldiers."

I asked
him where
the next
move
would b e
and hesaid
that Gen.
Crook was
going t o
return t o

He mentioned the fight.

the fort and we would go farther out on the road to pro-
tect the emigrants, who would soon begin to move to-

A NEW CAMP. 451

ward California. For the next two or three days every-
thing was undergoing a change around camp; rigging up
packs and fitting up in general.

The soldiers who had their horses killed were mounted
on the choice horses that we had captured from the In-
dians, which made very fair cavalry horses.

As soon as we had completed our arrangements Gen.
Crook started back for Fort Yuma, much wiser than he
came, while we pushed farther out on the Butterfield
route, with two companies cf cavalry and fifty infantry-
men.

We traveled four days from our old camp before
making a general halt. The evening of the fourth day
just a short time before we were ready to go into camp
the scouts came in and reported having seen a small band
of [ndians only a short distance west of us, and they said
they had watched them go into camp.

I reported to the Lieutenant and he started with one
company of cavalry after them, leaving orders for the
command to go into camp at the next water, which was
about a mile ahead of us. This proved to be a small
hunting party, and they in some way discovered us be-
fore we got to their camp. When we came in sight of
them we were about a quarter of a mile away from their
camp and they had their hcrses all packed and were be-
ginning to mount. We gave chase, but they had the
start of us so that we only got two out of the band, but
we crowded them so close that they had to leave their
pack-horses, and we got all of them, there being twenty,

I captured a fine American horse that showed good
breeding. He was a sorrel, with white hind feet and a

452 A FAST HORSE.

white stripe on his face and branded C on the left shoul-
der. I mads the Lieutenant a present of this horse, and
he afterwards proved to be a very fast animal, as the
Lieutenant told me several years after, that during the
winter months he kept the soldiers nearly all broke with
that horse. He told me that he proved to be the fastest
half mile horse he ever saw.

CHAPTER XXXHI.

The massacre at Choke Cherry Canyon. — Mike Ma-
loney gets into a muss.— rescue oe white
GIRLS. — Mike gets even with the Apaches.

The emigrants now begun to come along and we were
kept busy night and day looking after the small bands of
Indians that were continually making murderous forays
in spite of all we could do to prevent.

With only three hundred soldiers and twelve scouts,
and a country over one hundred miles in extent to guard,
the service was exacting, and our lot was not altogether
a happy one.

One day in July, in company with George Jones and
John Riley, I started out in the direction of Black can-

Choke Cherry Canyon. 453

yon to see if I could locate any small band of Apaches
that might be prowling around. We traveled all day,
and not seeing any Indians or sign of them, concluded to
return to camp and get some much needed rest, and did
so. It now seemed that there were no Apaches near us
so I went to Lieut. Jackson's tent to report to him, in-
tending to then lie down and rest for the day at least
He had just rolled out of bed, but he looked worn and
haggard as if he had had a bad night of it. He asked
me what news I had and I said good news, as we had
seen no Indians or any fresh sign, but that I was worn
out, having been almost constantly in the saddle for
twenty-four hours. I asked him if he had any news and
he said he had, and bad news too. The Indians had at-
tacked a train in Choke Cherry canyon, burned all the
wagons, but how many persons they had murdered or
how many had escaped he could not tell me, as there
were no scouts in camp at the time.

He wished so know if I could spare some men to go
and bury the dead and locate the Indians. I replied
that George Jones and John Riley were there, but that
like myself, they were very much fatigued. He said he
wanted them for another purpose. Then I offered two
men, good and fresh, Jim Davis and Mike Maloney. But
I had some uneasiness as to Mike. Not that there was
any doubt about his bravery but he was so utterly incau-
tious. However, I decided to go with them myself, as
tired as I was. So as soon as I could get a bite to eat
and a fresh horse saddled, we were off and on the way
to Choke Cherry canyon.

Lieut. Jackson asked me when he could expect to

454

Mike Malonhy.

hear from me. I told him that if I succeeded in locating
the Indians in a body I would report to him at once, but
if not he might not hear from me until my return. So
we shook hands and he retired to his tent.

I directed Mike to go straight to the canyon and to
keep on the east side until he came to the trail leading
to Agua Caliente, and then take that trail direct for Sand
Point; and when near the point to signal me by barking
like a cayote, and that I would answer him by gobbling
like a turkey; that he must meet me at Sand Point at
three o'clock sharp, and if he was not there at that time
I would know that something was wrong. I also told
him to be careful and not run into an ambuscade, but
above all not to be taken prisoner. Then I asked him
if he could bark like a cayote. His answer was: "Sure,
Captain, it's mesilf that can make a bloody cayote

ashamed of himself bairk-
ing, and I belave ye's is
afraid forme, but O'ill tell
ye now there's no bloody
Apache in all Arizony
that's goin' to take this
Irishman prisoner. I'm
sure they don't want me
schalp anyway, for me
hair is too short. "

I told Jim Davis to go
to Wild Plum Ridge and
then follow the trail to
Sand Point, for him to signal me the same manner as
Mike and I would answer him in the same manner.

SCALP DANCE.

455

Everything being understood between us we separ-
ated, each taking his appointed route, and I striking
direct for the late emi-
grant camp. Before I
got there, however, I ran ;

onto the trail of appar-
ently three Indians and
concluded to follow them
up. I had not gone a
great distance away until "
I espied them in a little
ravine a short distance
away and they were hav-
ing a scalp dance. I tied
my horse secure from ob-
servation and then com- ^^^^
menced to crawl upon
them. They were cir-
cling two scalps that they
had hung upon sticks
stuck in the ground, every

no\v and then drawing their bows as if going to shoot at
them. I crept along cautiously, expecting that the In-
dians would be so absorbed in their scalp dance that I

would get in close pistol shot before they discovered me;
but in this I was mistaken, for when yet a long rifle shot
away they espied me, and the moment I saw I was dis-
covered I opened fire with both pistols, which caused
them to fiee in hot haste, leaving the two scalps hanging
on the sticks. I went up to where they were and found

456 Sand Point.

that one scalp was that of a woman and the other that
of a man.

I was now certain that there had been some emi-
grants murdered, and I soon made up my mind that
about the first thing to do was to locate the bodies and
bury them; but on consulting my watch I saw that I
must hurry if I made Sand Point by three o'clock. Just
as I had turned and started back to my horse, vvho
should come up but Jim Davis. He had been trailing
the Indians, which brought him over in my direction,
and when he heard the shots he had come with all haste
thinking that I was in trouble. We both turned and
rode on to Sand Point, arriving there about half past
three, but no Maloney was in sight, so after giving the
signal agreed upon and receiving no answer, we made up
our minds that he was in trouble, and we struck out to
find his trail.

While we were on our way to hunt Maloney's trail
Davis said: "Captain, I believe those Indians had two
prisoners with them, and I think they are both women,
judging from their tracks and other indications; see here
what I found while I was trailing them." And he showed
me two pieces of calico of different color. He thought
that they had been dropped by the prisoners in the hope
that some white person might find them and follow. He
also said that there were small twigs broken off along the
trail, which would indicate that they expected a -search
for them.

When Maloney left us he made direct for Sand
Point, but before he reached there as he was riding
along he discovered a small shoe track, he dismounted

Mike in trouble.

457

and tried to follow it, but it seemed that the tracks ex-
tended no farther. This confused him greatly, and he
said to himself: "Be the loife of me it was only just
there that I saw the thrack, and it's sure I am that she
could not have l^ew away. Oh! here it is again, and
begorra I belave it's the thrack of a white woman, for
sure I am that ,.— ^

no dhurty spal- P" c ,^
peen of an [njun "^^^,

could iver make
such a dainty
thrack as that.
Sure and I'll look
in that bunch of
brush, perhaps
it's there she is,
the poor cray-
ther."

He made his
way up to the
brush cautiously
with a pistol in
each hand, and
just as he peered
in two Indians
sprang upon him
and grabbed his

' ' They quickly bore poor Mike to the ground.

caused his pistols

both to be discharged up in the air. The} quickly bore

poor Maloney to the ground and soon had him bound

458 TIED TO A STAKE.

hand and foot. They then drove a stake into the ground
and tied Mike to it, and began to gather brush for the
fire. This did not suit him a bit, but all he could do was
to hurl an avalanche of w^ords at them, which, of course,
they did not understand and to which they paid no heed.

"Ah, ye dhurty divils," said Mike. "Ye's have took
me pistols both away from me. Ye's know I can't hurt
ye's without me guns, so what's the use in ye's tyin' me
like a hog, ye dhurty blackguards. Let me loose and
Oi'll be afther lavin' ye's. Oi'll do it be the boots that
hung on Chatham's Hill. I do belave they are goin' to
burn me alive. O, ye bloody haythens; let me loose
and Oi'll fight the pair of ye's if ye's have got me pistols."

The Indians by this time had the fire started, but
Mike still retained his nerve, cussing the red fiends by
all the powers in the Irish vocabulary.

Davis and I were pushing on with all possible speed
in the direction of the place we expected to find Ma-
loney's trail, when we heard two pistol shots in quick
succession further up the can3^on, so we put our horses
down to their utmost in the direction from whence the
sound of the shots came.

After running about two miles we came in sight of a
small fire a short distance away that seemed to be but
just kindled. We dashed up at full speed and found
Mike tied to a stake and two Apaches piling brush on
the fire. We fired at the Indians through the gathering
darkness, but only killed one, and the other one made
off about as fast as you ever saw an Indian go. Jim
kicked the fire away from Mike and cut his bonds before
he was burned to speak of. I asked him how he came

Mike rescued. , 459

to be taken prisoner by just two Apaches, and his story
ran Hke this:

"Oi'll tell ye, Captain, it was on that sage-brush hill
there while I was ridin' along I saw a thrack in the sand
and sure I was that it was not the thrack of an Injun for
it was a dainty little thing and the hollow of the foot
didn't make a hole in the ground like an Apache's and
Apaches niver wear shoes, aither. Well, I got off me
horse and stharted to follow the thrack, and whin I got
to that bunch of brush the dhurt}^ rid divils sprang out
on me like a pair of hounds, tied me hands and fate, and
was tryin' to burn me aloive whin ye's came up."

"Well, Mike," said I, holding up the scalp of the In-
dian we had killed, "here is one Indian that will not
bother you again, but be more careful next time."

We were all of the opinion that there was a woman
alone somewhere in those hills that had escaped from
the Indians when they burned the emigrant train, and we
decided to keep up the search until morning; so we
agreed on the following search: To separate about a
quarter of a mile apart, and to commence circling a large
hill or knob close by covered by a dense growth of sage-
brush that in some places was as high as a man's head
when he w^as on a horse, and every few rods to hallow%
that in case she was secreted around there in hearing of
us she would answer, and in case anv one found her he
was to fire two shots in quick succession, when the other
two would go to him immediately.

We made almost the entire circuit of the hill, hallow-
ing every little w^hile, when I finally thought I heard a
faint answer. I called again and then listened intently,

460

ALONE IN A

and I was sure I heard an answer, after which I turned
and rode in the direction from which the answer came.
After riding a few rods I called again, when I heard the
faint answer quite near, and I soon found a young girl. of
about eighteen years. She was overjoyed at seeing me,
but was too weak to rise. I asked how she came there,
and she said that the train in which her family was trav-

She was overjoyed to see me.

eling had been attacked by the Indians. The people, or
a part of them, had been murdered and the wagons
burned, she and her 3'ounger sister had been taken pris-
oners, and when night came they were tied hand and
foot and staked to the ground, and all laid down for the
night.

"After we thought that the Indians were all asleep,"

DESOLATE COUNTRY. 46 1

she said, "I made a desperate effort and freed oiui of my
hands, although it cost me a great deal of pain. x\fter
I was free I soon released my sister and we then ran for
our lives. We had got but a short distance when the
Indians discovered our absence, and raising the yell,
started after us. My sister outran me and I soon hid in
a little thicket and they missed me, but I fear they have
overtaken her.

I asked her what her name was and she said it was
Mary Gordon, and her father's nam.e was Henry Gordon.
He was sheriff of their county in Illinois for two years
before starting west. I now fired the two shots to call
Jim and Mike, and they were not long in getting there.

As soon as Mike came up he said: "Sure, Captain,
and wasn t I after tellin's ye's that it was no bloody spal-
peen of an Apache's thrack that I be follerin' lasht
avenin'.?"

Miss Gordon now seemed just to have realized that
she was alone in a wild country, for she wrung her hands
and said: "Oh! what shall I do in this desolate country
without a relative or a friend; it would have been better
if I had been killed when my poor father and mother
were. O, kind sir, what will I do.-^" and she sobbed as
if her heart would break.

I told her not to grieve, that we would protect her
and see that she got safely to civilization, and that we
would also try to find her sister. I asked her if she was
not very hungry and she said she was, as she had eaten
nothing for almost thirty-six hours. At that Mike said:
''Sure, Captain, it's meself that has a pairt of me rations
lift, and Oi'll go and get it for the poor crayther, and

462 Mike finds

Oi'll bring the horses at the same toime," and he started
off muttering to himself, "Ah, them Apaches, the dhirty
divils; I'd hke to kill ivery wan o' thim."

He soon returned with the horses, and handing me
his rations, he said: "Sure, Captain, it's mesilf that
thinks I'd better be afther takin' a look around here-
abouts, as thim durty haythens might be afther playin'
us the same game as they did me last evenin'." I told
him it was a good scheme, that we might go up to the
top of the hill and take a look as it was then most day,
and if there were any Indians around they would be astir
and that he had better let Jim Davis go with him, but he
said no, for Jim to stay with me and the young lady and
see that no "bloody blackguard of an Apache got her
again," so I cautioned him to keep his ears and eyes
open, and he struck out.

When Mike had gone Miss Gordon turned to me and
asked my name. I told her my name was William F.
Drannan, but I was better known on the plains as the
Boy Scout.

"Oh, kind sir/' she said, "are you the Boy Scout.?"
I have often heard my father speak of you, and he said
you were liable to put in an appearance when one least
expected it. I thought of you a thousand times yester-
day and to-night, but I had no idea that you were in a
thousand miles of here."

I told her that I was at present scouting for Gen.
Crook, who was at Fort Yuma, but that Lieut. Jackson,
with three companies of soldiers, was stationed but a few
miles west of us.

We had been waiting for Mike Maloney's return about

ANOTHER GIRL. 463

two hours and were beginning to get uneasy about his
delay and speculating as to what caused his absence so
long, when we heard two pistol shots. This was always
our signal to call a companion; so telling Jim to look
after the young lady, I swung myself into the saddle and
was off like the wind in the direction from whence the
call, as I supposed it to be, came. It was now getting
da3'light, and when I got to the top of the hill I looked
down to the south and I could see a fire, I did not hes-
itate, but went down that slope through the heavy sage-
brush like smoke through the w^oods. As soon as I was
near enough to distinguish objects around the fire I saw
Mike bending over some object, and when I rode up to
him, to my great surprise and delight, I saw it was a
young girl. Mike was beside himself with excitement.

It appeared from his story that upon reaching the
top of the hill after he had left us he came in sight of the
fire and concluded to investigate; so riding down as near
as he thought safe he tied his horse and commenced
crawling. He soon saw that there were but two Indians
and to his horror he saw that they had a white girl tied
to a stake and were preparing to burn her. He crept up
to within about twenty yards of them and fired, killing
one of the Apaches, and as the other one turned to see
what was up he fired again, killing the other one; then
brandishing his pistol over his head he dashed up to the
fire, exclaiming: "O, ye murtherin bastes, I'm avin wid
ye's now; Oi'll learn ye's how to stake a poor divil down
to the ground and thin try to burn him." Then he went
up to the girl, cut her loose from the stake, and she
raised up in a sitting posture. "Would ye's moind let-

464 • THE TWO SISTERS

tin' me help ye to yer fate, Miss?" said Mike. • 'O, I'm
so tired and weak I can't stand, " said the girl. "They
have almost killed me dragging me over the cactus."

Just as I came in sight Mike fired two shots as a sig-
nal for us to come to him, but I was there almost before
the echoes died away in the mountain.«^. When I rode
up Mike was most beside himself with glee; his tongue
ran like a phonograph, and within five minutes he
had given me the history of the whole transaction and
had invoked a curse on the whole Apache tribe from all
the saints in the calender.

I told Mike that we had best get the girl on one of
our horses at once and be off to where Jim and the other
girl w^ere, and from there on to headquarters, for there
was no telling how many more of the red devils there
might be lurking around. "Faith, Captain, and it's
right ye are this toime, too," said Mike, "and it's me
own horse she can ride, the poor damsel." So saying
he led his horse up and we assisted the young lady to
mount.

As soon as we were fairly started I asked the girl her
name and she said it was Maggie Gordon. She also
spoke of her sister having been taken prisoner along with
her, and when I told her that Mary was safe, her joy
knew no bounds. This news so revived her spirits that
she talked quite freely with us on the way over to where
Jim Davis and the other girl were. When we got to
near where they were Mary looked up and saw us and
exclaimed, "Oh! there's Maggie!" and when they met
there was the most pathetic scene of greeting I ever wit-
nessed.

AGAIN UNITED.

465

As soon as they had a good cry in each others arms
we gave Maggie something to eat, after which we put
the girls, one on Jim Davis' horse and one on mine, and
headed for camp, arriving there in the afternoon.

We did not go to the late emigrant camp, as we

Oh! there's Maggie.

could do nothing toward burying the dead, burdened as
we were by the two young women, so Lieut. Jackson
sent a platoon of soldiers out to do that last act of
charity.

There were four families besides the Gordon family
murdered, and those two young ladies were the only
ones that escaped, so far as we knew. When the next

466 ESCORTING EMIGRANTS.

emigrant train came along we sent the Misses Gordon on
to Fort Yuma, and from there they drifted on into CaH-
fornia, and I never heard of them again.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Massacre of the Davis family. — A hard ride and

SWIFT retribution. A PITIFUL STORY. BURIAL OF

THE DEAD. — I AM SICK OF THE BUSINESS.

We remained here for some weeks yet, piloting and
escorting emigrants through the mountains, but having
very few scraps with the Indians. When the emigrants
quit coming and our provisions had run very low, we
made preparations to return to Fort Yuma. But to
m.ake sure that no more of the crawling trains would be
winding along that way this season, myself and another
scout, with two days' rations, started on a little scurry
eastward. But a tour of four da\s developed no further
sign of emigrants or Indians, so the scout and I returned
to hnd the command all ready to start. We were j-ist
about taking up the line of march for Yuma when a
t'jamster on his way to Phoenix with a load of freight.

THE Davis massacre. 467

drifted into camp and informed us to our horror, that
the Indians had attacked the Davis ranch, hilled the old
man and his two sons, treated the old mother and the
two daughters shamefully, and then pillaged the place
and drove off all the stock.

I had no sooner ridden into camp that night than an
orderly came and took my horse and said: "Lieut. Jack-
son wishes to see you at his tent immediately." I knew
that there was something very unusual the matter or he
would not have called me to his quarters until I had had
my supper. On approaching his tent I saw that he was
much excited. He told me what was up, and said it
was strange the Indians would come down there that
season of the year and commit such depredations as that.
After he had laid the whole matter before me just as he
had it from the teamster, he said: "Send the very best
men you have on their trail." I told him I would go
myself and take George and two other men with me.

I was convinced before finishing my talk with him
that it was not the Indians that had committed the dep-
redation, but that I kept to myself.

Just as I walked out of the Lieutenant's tent I met
George and told him that we had a long night's ride be-
fore us, to pick out two of the best men we had, also to
take the best horses we had, and to change my saddle to
Black Bess from the horse that I had been riding that
day. I also gave orders to have everything in readiness
by the time I was through supper, which did not take
long, although I was very hungry. The bo} 3 were all
on hand by the time I was through eating, and we
mounted and rode away for the Davis ranch. The way

468 A PITIFUL SIGHT.

we had to go to reach the ranch was about twenty miles
down grade and inchned to be sandy all the way. We
were all well mounted, and we scarcely broke a gallop
until we reached the Davis place.

A pitiful sight was there. The old lady and her three
daughters had carried the old gentleman and two boys
into the house and laid them out on benches in the best
manner possible, and to say that it was a heart-rending
scene does not begin to express it.

When I stepped into the house Mrs. Davis pointed to
the dead bodies and said: "Captain, if you will avenge
their death I will be a friend to you as long as I live."
I told her that I would do all I could, that I was in a
great hurry to get on the trail of the perpetrators, and I
would like her to give me all the information she could
relative to the matter.

She then led the way into a private room and related
the whole circumstance, telling me how the Indians had
come there, decoyed her husband and two sons to the
bairn and there shot them down, then rushed to the
house, and before the inmate had time to shut and bar
the door, came into the house, cajght and tied her to the
bed post, and then disgraced her three daughters in her
presence. Then they gathered up all the horses and
cattle about the ranch and drove them across the desert.

In the direction she said they had started it was
eighty-four miles to water, but I did not believe for a
moment that they would attempt to cross the desert in
that direction.

After I had gained all the information I could, I said:
'•Mrs. Davis, those were not Indians, but Greasers or

'Captain, if you will avenge their deaths 1 will be a friend to you as

long as you live." Page 468

ON THE TRAIL. • 469

Mexicans, and I will capture them before twenty-four
hours if I live."

I started one man back to camp to tell Lieut. Jack-
son to take the trail direct for Aw-wa-col-i-enthy, which
in English means hot water, (Agua Caliente).

Lieut. Jackson had become over anxious as soon as
we left and had started after us with one company of
cavalry. My messenger met him five miles from the
Davis ranch, and there he turned in the direction of
Agua Caliente.

In starting out from the ranch I took the trail of the
stock, and after we had gone quite a distance I called
George to my side and told him it was not Indians we
were following, but a crowd of cut- throat Greasers, and
we didn't want to have a fight with them until the sol-
diers arrived if w^e could help it, but that we would fight
them before we would allow them to escape.

I had never told George until now what all they had
done, and when I related to him the whole affair he said:
•*We will not allow one of them to escape." We could
see that they were turning in the direction of Agua Ca-
liente and had made this circuit merely to throw any one
off that might attempt to follow.

This was what I thought when I dispatched the Lieu-
tenant to come to Hot Springs.

It was twenty-seven miles straight through on tlie
road from the Davis ranch to Agua Caliente, but the
way we went that night we supposed it was about forty
miles, making sixty miles that we had to ride that night,
while the soldiers if they started direct from camp would
only have to travel thirty-five miles.

470 FIND THEIR CAMP.

Finally the trail made a direct turn for Agua Caliente
and I again "telegraphed" the Lieutenant to hurry up
with all possible speed and try to reach the place before
daylight, my object being to catch them in camp, as our
horses would be too tired to run them down after they
were mounted on fresh horses.

My second messenger did not see the Lieutenant at
all on the road, for unbeknown to me he had started
from headquarters soon after we did, and after having
met my first courier, had pushed on with all possible
haste.

When George and I were within a mile and a half of
Agua Caliente we met some of the stock feeding leisurely
along in the direction of their old range. We examined
them closely and found that they were the Davis stock.

We had not gone much farther until Black Bess
raised her head, stuck her ears forward and commenced
^sniffing the air. I told George to watch her, and he
said: 'AVe must be near them." So we dismounted,
took off our spurs, picketed our horses, and started
cautiously towards their camp.

When we were within three hundred yards we could
see the glimmer of their fires that had not entirely gone
out, evidence that they had not gone to bed till late.
We crawled so near that we could see the outlines of the
fiends lying around the few coals that were yet smolder-
ing. Now and then a chunk would blaze up as if to
show the exact positions of the murderers.

After satisfying ourselves that this was the party we
were in pursuit of, we returned to our horses.

I told Jones to mount his horse and not spare him

THE SOLDIERS ARRIVE. 47I

until he met the soldiers; and to hurry them up so we
could catch the Greasers in bed; and I said to him as he
was mounting: "If you do not return with the soldiers
before daylight I will take chances of holding them here
with Black Bess until you do return." But he had not
gone more than two miles and a half when he met the
soldiers coming in a stiff gallop.

George reported that we had the outlaws located,
and the Lieutenant gave orders for the soldiers to muffle
their spurs and sabres and to be quick about it.

I did not have to wait long until Black Bess told me
they w^ere coming, for when they got near me I could not
keep her still.

Upon the arrival of the soldiers I told Lieut. Jackson
the particulars of the murder as given to me by Mrs.
Davis, and also where the murderers were. He divided
his men, sending fifty around on the opposite side of the
camp, giving them half and hour to make the circuit,
George piloting them, and I the other fifty. When the
time was up we rode down, both squads arriving almost
at the same time. Just one word from the Lieutenant
and the Greasers were surrounded, and us with our pis-
tols drawn.

The outlaws seemed to be sound asleep, but when
we commenced to close in on them they woke, and the
first one that jumped to his feet had his pistol in his
hand, but when he looked around and saw the situation
he dropped his pistol before the Lieutenant had time to
tell him to drop it.

It was not yet daylight, but their being a very bright
moon, one could see first rate. All the Mexicans were soon

472

Greasers captured.

their feet and bego^ing for their Hves. Lieut. Jackson
being able to speak Mexican asked if any one in their
crowd could speak English, but they said they could not
speak a \\'ord in that language. He then asked them in
Spanish who their Captain w^as, and a big, rough, greasy
looking fellow said he was the Captain.

The Lieutenant then told him to form his men in
line out on the road, saying: 'T will give you five min-
utes to prepare to die." He then turned to his orderly
and told him to relieve them of their arms, and they
gave them up without a word of protest. He then told
them all to stand in a line and when the five minutes
were up they must die. During all this time tlieir Cap-
tain was pleading for

■j-^^'s'feSMS ises, but the Lieuten-
ant turned a deaf
ear to them, not
even answering them.
When the five min-
utes were up the or-
der was given, "Phi-
toon No. I, front
face. Make read}-.
Take aim. Fire."
And all of the sconn-

Captain of the Greasers.

drels fell at the first
round, although some

of them had to be shot the second time to get them out

of their misery.

THE Davis' funeral. 473

This being done they were taken about a hundred
yards away and buried in the sand

By that time it was dayhght and Lieut. Jackson made
a detail of twenty-four men to assist George and I in
driving the stock back to the Davis ranch. The rest of
the company returned to headquarters, but went by way
of the Davis ranch to assist in burying the bodies of the
old gentleman and the two sons. Lieut. Jackson told
me that when he arrived at the ranch and saw the dead
bodies and heard the sad story of the wife and mother
and of her daughters, he said it was more than he could
stand. He made a detail of six men to dig the graves
and he returned to headquarters and moved the entire
command down there and they all attended the funeral.

After the funeral was over Mrs. Davis called me to
one side and said: "There is one more favor I wish to
ask of you before you leave." I asked her what it was.
She said as she was keeping a boarding-house she would
have to keep travelers, and that she would like to have
us leave a man to look after the stock until such time as
she could get some one to work for her. I told her that
if the Lieutenant did not object I would leave a man
with her that would take as much interest in the stock
as if they were his own, and that she would find him a
perfect gentleman at all times.

I called Lieut. Jackson aside and mentioned the mat-
ter to him. He ■ told me to leave a man and that he
would also detail a man to stay, which he did then and
there. I asked George Jones to stay, which he was will-
ing to do.

Mrs. Davis asked us to send her a good, trusty man

474 QUIT SCOUTING.

and she would pay him good wages, and she said she
would write to her brother, who, when he came out,
would close up her business there as quickly as possible,
and they would return to the East.

Arriving at the fort and finding no idle men, Lieut.
Jackson wrote to San Francisco for a man, and in about
three weeks he came, and he proved to be a good one,
as Mrs. Davis told me several 3^ears afterwards.

It was nearly a month after we arrived at the fort be-
fore George Jones came. The next day after he arrived
he told me that he had just received a letter from his
father, who was then living somewhere in the state of
Illinois, and had written him to come home as he wanted
to emigrate to Oregon the following spring, and wanted
George to pilot the train across the plains and over the
mountains to the countr}^ where big red apples and pretty
girls were said to grow in such abundance.

George had made up his mind to accede to the wishes
of his father, and as we had been there twenty-two
months and both were tired of the business, and having
made up my mind to quit the scouting field, I talked the
matter over with George for two days and concluded to
accompany him to San Francisco; so we went to Gen.
Crook and told him we were going to quit and go away.

He asked what was the matter, if anything had gone
wrong. We told him there was nothing wrong at all,
but we were tired of the business and had made up our
minds to quit. He said he was very sorry to have us
leave, but if we had made up our minds to that effect
there was no use saying any more. He asked me how
many head of horses George and I had. I told him that

OFF FOR San Francisco. 475

there had been over one hundred head of horses cap-
tured, and that many of them had been used by the sol-
diers all summer, but if he would let George and I select
thirty-five head from the band of captured horses he
could have the rest of them. This he agreed to, so
there was no falling out over that.

Having settled up with Gen. Crook and everything
arranged, in a few days we were ready to start.

The day before our departure for San Francisco we
went around and visited with all the boys in blue, telling
them we were going to leave, and that for good. They
expressed their regrets, but bade us bon-voyage and good
luck for the future.

CHAPTER XXXV.

Black Bess becomes popular in San Francisco. — A

FAILURE AS RANCHER. BUYING HORSES IN OrEGON.

The Klamath Marsh. — Captain Jack the Modoc.

George Jones and I pulled out for San Francisco, via
Los Angeles, this being the regular mail line at this time,
and we made the trip to the City of the Golden Gate in-
side of a month.

4/6 George Jones leaves.

As soon as we arrived at San Francisco we commencd
selling our horses at private sale. We put up at what
was known as the Fashion Stable, which was kept by a
man by the name of Kinnear, whom we found to be a
perfect gentleman, and who rendered us almost invalu-
able assistance in disposing of our horses. This was the
first stable that was .built on Market street. As soon as
our horses were sold Jones boarded the steamer for New
York. When we separated here, having been so inti-
mately acquainted for so long, the separation was almost
like that of two brothers, and we had not the least idea
that we would ever meet again in this world.

I remained in the city three months, not knowing
what to do or where to go. During this time I spent
much of it in training Black Bess, as I found her to be a
very intelligent animal, and she would follow me like a
dog wherever I would go when she had the saddle on,
and during that winter I taught her to perform many
tricks, such as to lie down, kneel down, count ten, and
tell her age. I could throw my gloves or handkerchief
down and leave her for hours without tying her and she
would stand there until I would return, and no one could
come near them or take them away, nor would she allow
a stranger to put his hand on her. One day I came to
the barn and Mr. Kinnear asked what I would take to
saddle Black Bess up and let her follow me to Wells,
Fargo &Co.'s express office and back to the stable again
without touching her on the way.

I said: "Mr. Kinnear, if it will be any accommoda-
tion to you I will have her follow me up there and back
and it will not cost you anything."

Black Bess,

477

"All right," he said, "about one o'clock come to the
stable, for I have made a bet of fifty dollars with a man
from the country,
that you could
make her follow
you from the stable
to Wells, Fargo &
Co.'s express ofBce
and back to the
stable and not ;
touch her."

Wells, Fargo &
Co.'s express office
was a distance of
eight blocks from
the stable, and on
my return I found
quite a crowd there
waiting to see the
p e r f o r mance. I
threw the saddle on
the mare, put the
bridle on her just as
though I was going
to ride, took my
whip in my hand,
and started down
the sidewalk and
the mare walked
down the street. ]Montp:omerv street was always full of
teams at this time of the day, and . also the sidewalk

I started down the sidewalk and the mare
walked down the street.

478

WINS THE BET.

crowded with people, but I walked near the outer edge.
She would pick her way along the street among those
teams as well, apparently as though I was on her back
and at the same time would keep her eyes on me all the
time. On arriving at the place mentioned, I took my
handkerchief from my pocket and threw it down at the
edge of the sidewalk, walked into the office and remained
five minutes or more, and when I came out she was still
standing with her head over the handkerchief as
though she was tied. I picked the handkerchief up,

started
backdown
the side-
walk, and
she took
the street,
k e e p i ng
her eyes
on me all
the time
until w e
reached
the stable.
The farm-
e r was
somewhat
wiser, but
about fifty
d o 1 1 a r s
short in actual cash, but vowed he would not bet again
on a man's own game.

I made her bow to the people.

BOUGHT A RANCH. 479

On my return several different men asked me what I
would take for her, but I informed them money would not
buy her from me. Before putting her in the stable I
had her perform several tricks, and then bow to the
crowd, which by this time had grown to more than a
hundred people.

I had now lain around so long that I had become
restless, as it never did suit me to loaf about a town, so
I concluded that I would try ranching. I had enough
money to buy a good ranch and stock it, not thinking
that it required any great amount of skill. So I started
up the Sacramento river to look for one. After I was
out most a month, this now being the last of February,
1867, I found stock looking well and found a man that
wanted to sell out his stock and ranch. He had three
hundred and twenty acres of land and one hundred and
fifty head of cattle, some chickens, a few hogs, and a
very few farming implements. After I had ridden around
over the ranch several days and looked at his stock, and
finding the range good, I asked his price. He wanted
nine thousand dollars. I believed that this w^ould be a
nice quiet life, and although I did not know anything
about raising stock, yet I thought I would soon catch on
as the saying goes, so I made him an offer of eight thou-
sand dollars, which offer he accepted. He was to leave
everything on the ranch but his bed and clothing and a
few little keep-sakes that he had about the house.

Now I started in to be an honest rancher, believing
that all I would have to do was to ride around over the
range occasionly and look after my stock, take things

480 SOLD MY RANCH.

easy, and let my stock grow into money, as I had heard
it said that stock would while one was asleep.

I stayed on this place until the spring of 1872, ranch-
ing with very poor success, by which time I had learned
to a certainty that this was not my line.

When a man came along and wanted a cow I always
sold him one. I would take his note for the price and,
as a rule, that was all I ever got.

In the spring of 1875 ^ man named Glen came into
that country from Jefferson county, Missouri, and to him
I sold my entire possessions. I got out of that scrape
by losing my time and one thousand dollars in mone}',
but I had five years of almost invaluable experience in
ranching and stock-raising.

In those days this was what we called a Mexican stand-
off, I lost my time and money, but had my life left.
Nothing occurred during this five years of my life more
than the routine of business that naturally belongs with
this kind of life, so I wmII pass over it. I had such poor
success ranching that I don't like to think of it myself,
much less having it told in history.

Leaving here I went to Virginia City, Nevada. This
was in the palmy days of the Comstock, and everything
was high. After looking around for a few days and see-
ing that horses were valuable, I started for Jacksonville,
Oregon, to buy horses for the Virginia City market. On
my arrival at Jacksonville I met a man by the name of
John T. Miller, who was a thorough horseman, and was
said to be a great salesman, which I knew I was not my-
self. I could buy, but I could not sell to advantage like
some other men.

SELLING HORSES. 48 I

I formed ii partnership with Miller, and we were not
long in gathering up eighty-five head of horses in Jack-
son county and starting to market with them.

I was back to Virginia City in a few days over two
months from the time I had left there, and Mr. Miller
proving to be a thorough salesman, we soon disposed of
our entire band at a good figure, and in less than one
month from the time we arrived at Virginia City we were
on our way back to Oregon.

After we returned to Jacksonville we settled up and
had cleared eleven hundred dollars each on the trip.
That beat ranching all hollow. Now Mr. Miller proposed
to me that we go into horse raising. He said he knew
where there was a large tract of swamp-land near Kla-
math Lake. Swamp and overflown land belonged to the
state, and this swamp-land could be bought for a dollar
an acre by paying twenty cents an acre down and twenty
per cent yearly thereafter until it was paid.

Miller being a thorough horseman, I thought I might
succeed better in the horse business than in cattle. So
in company with him, I started over to look at the land,
and being well pleased with the tract, I made applica-
tion for it at once. This land was located just on the
outer edge of the Modoc Indian reservation. Miller be-
ing acquainted with all the Modocs, he and I, after I had
concluded to settle, rode down to Captain Jack's wick-i-
up, which was a distance of two miles from where I pro-
posed settling. Captain Jack was the chief of the Modoc
tribe, and I found him to be a very intelligent Indian,
and he made a very good stagger towards talking the
English language.

482 Captain Jack.

When Mr. Miller introduced me to Chief jack — or
Captain Jack as he was called — and told him that I was
going to be a neighbor to him, he said. "All right, that's
good, and we be friends, too." I told him yes, and if
the white men did not treat him well to let me know and
I would attend to it. Jack then asked Mr. Miller where
Mr. Applegate was, he being agent for the Modoc tribe,
and lived in the neighborhood of Jacksonville, Oregon.
Miller told him that he did not know. Jack said: "My
people heap hungry and Applegate no give us anything
to eat, no let us leave reservation to hunt; I don't know
what I do. "

Mr. Miller told Jack that he would see Applegate
and tell him of their condition. The next morning
Miller started back to Jacksonville and I remained on the
land selected to be mv future home

Every few days Jack would come to my place to ask
my advice as to what he should do, saying: "We no
got anything to eat for three moons (three months). He
tell me he come bring beef. He no come, no send beef."
Finally Jack came to my camp one da}' and said: "I
don't know what I do, no meat, no flour, wocus nearly
all gone."

I told Jack that I would go home with him and see
for myself, not knowing but that his complaints might J^e
without foundation. I mounted my horse, and riding
over with Captain Jack, my investigation proved to a
certainty that he had been telling me the truth all this
time, for they were almost destitute of anything to eat,
there being nothing in the entire village in the line of
provisions but a little wocus, or wild rice.

Modoc Indians. 483

Jack said: "Agent no come next week and bring
something to eat, I take all Injuns, go Tule Lake and
catch fish. What you think.^"

I said: "Jack, I do not know what to say, but you
come home with me and I will give you one sack of flour
and I have a deer there, I will give you half of that, and
by the time you eat that up perhaps the agent may come
with provisions. A few days later Jack came to my
house and said: ''Agent no come to-morrow, I go Tule
Lake, take all Injuns. Plenty fish Tule Lake, easy catch
them." To this I did not reply. I dare not advise him
to leave the reservation, and at the same time I knew
they were almost in a starving condition and were com-
pelled to do something or sit there and starve; and here
I would say that in this case Captain Jack was not to
blame for leaving the reservation. I just state these few
facts merely to show that while the Indians are as a gen-
eral rule treacherous and barbarous, at the same time,
in many cases no doubt similar to this one, they have
been blamed more than was due them.

As the old adage goes, 1 believe in giving the devil
his just dues, and I do not believe that Jack would have
left the reservation at that time had he been supplied
with provisions sufficient to live on.-

I do not pretend to say whose fault this was, but
merelv state the facts as I know them.

484 THE MODOCS GO

CHAPTER XXXVI.

The Modoc war. — Gen. Wheaton is held off by the
Indians. — Gen. Canby takes command and gets
IT worse. — Massacre of the peace commission.

Two weeks later I went out to Linkville to buy some
groceries. This place was fifteen miles from where I had
settled, and the nearest trading post or settlement to me,
telling my two hired men that I would be at home the
next day or the day after at the outside.

The store was kept by a man named Nurse. He told
me he had a band of mares that he would sell cheap, and
insisted on my staying over night with him, saying that
he would have them brought in the day following, which
I agreed to do, and the next morning he started his men
out to look for the mares. They did not get them gath-
ered up until the afternoon, and Mr. Nurse and I were
in the corral looking at them, when a man rode up at
full speed, his horse foaming all over, and said in a very
excited tone that the Modoc Indians had gone on the
war-path and had murdered most all the settlers on Lost
River and Tule Lake, the latter being only twenty miles
south from Linkville. The courier that brought the news
to Linkville said that the soldiers had come down to
T.ule Lake and fired on Captain Jack without any warn-
ing whatever, which we learned later to be all too true.

ON THE WAR-PATH. 485

The Indians had scattered all over the country, and
had killed every white person they ran across for two

The Modocs are on the war-path.

486 RIDE TO Jacksonville.

days and then fled to the lava beds. This put an end to
the horse trading. Mr. Nurse said that some one would
have to go to Jacksonville and report at once, for they
were not strong enough there to protect themselves
against the Modocs, but no one seemed willing to tackle
the trip, and I told them that if no one else would go, I
would go myself. It was now near sundown, and it was
called one hundred miles to Jacksonville from there. I
started at once, going part of the way over the wagon
road and the remainder of the way on the trail.

I arrived at Jacksonville the next morning before sun-
up. The first man I met was the sheriff of the county,
who was just coming out to feed his horses. I related
my story to him in as few words as I could, and told him
to raise all the men he could. I had mv horse taken
care of and went to bed, for I was very tired, with direc-
tions to wake me up in time to eat a bite before start-
ing. At four o'clock that afternoon they woke me, they
having sixty men then read\^ to start and one hundred
ready to follow the next morning.

Among the balance who were ready to start was Mr.
Miller. When I led my horse out he asked if that was
the horse I had ridden over from Linkville. I told him
I had nothing else to ride. He went to the stable and
got another horse and insisted on my changing my sad-
dle, but I told him T would ride my horse to the foot of
the mountains and then change, which I did.

We reached Linkville tjie next morning at nine
o'clock, and Mr. Nurse gave us breakfast. That after-
noon we went down to Tule Lake and buried three dead
bodies, being of the Brotherton family, the father and

Gen. Wheaton. 487

two sons, and the next day we buried four more, after
which I left this squad and returned to my ranch to get
my two hired men away, which took me three da}s. By
the time I had got back to Linkville the news had spread
all over the country of the outbreak of Captain Jack and
the Modoc tribe, and Gen. Wheaton had moved his en-
tire force down to the lava beds, where Captain Jack had
his forces concentrated.

Gen. Ross and Col. Miller had moved in, but I do
not know just the exact number of men they had in their
command. After this scare I could not get any men to
work on the ranch, so I abandoned it for the time being
and stayed around Linkville about a week, when I re-
ceived a message from Gen. Wheaton to come to his
quarters immediately. This message was carried by one
of his orderlies. I complied, the orderly returning with
me. I was not acquainted with Gen. Wheaton, nor had
I ever seen him before. When I was introduced to him
he asked me if I knew Captain Jack, chief of the Modoc
tribe. I told him that I was well acquainted with him
and all of his men. "Now." said he. 'T'll tell you what
I wish to see vou about. Col. Miller recommends vou
very highly as a scout, and how would it suit }ou to take
charge of the entire scouting force, and organize them to
suit yourself and start in at once.'"'

*T said: "General, I have tried hard to quit that
business. In the first start I went at it for the glory in
it, but having failed to find that part of it, I have be-
come tired. I will not answer you now, but to-morrow
morning at nine o'clock I will come to your quarters,
at which time I will have my mind thoroughly made

488 MEET George Jones.

up." I left his quarters and went over to Col. Miller's.
I told the Colonel that the General had sent for me. He
nrged me in the strongest terms to take hold of it, say-
ing that there was not a practical scout in the entire
command. Finally I promised him that I would again
enter the scouting field.

The next morning I was up early and had breakfast
with Col. Miller. After obtaining the pass-word I sad-
dled Black Bess, and at nine o'clock was at Gen. Whea-
ton's quarters.

I left Black Bess standing about twenty paces from
the General's tent, took one of my gloves and stuck it
on a bush, and went in to see Gen. Wheaton. I told
him that I had decided to start in scouting for him, and
I suppose I was in his tent about half an hour talking
matters over about the scouting business. All being un-
derstood, I started out to get my mare, and saw quite a
crowd had gathered around her. and one man in particu-
lar was trying to make up with her. Just as I stepped
out of the door I heard him say, "This must surely be
Black Bess. I wonder who owns her now." And until
he called the mare's name I had not recognized him, and
it struck me that it must be George Jones, but not being
sure, I said: "Is that you, George.^" He said: "Yes,
and that's my old friend Capt. Drannan." This was a
surprise to us both. It was the first time that we had
met since we separated at San Francisco in the fall of
1866, at which time we had both decided to quit fight-
ing Indfans, but here we both were again in the field.
After a good square shake and giving a hasty synopsis of
our experiences during the time we had been separated,

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CHIEF OF SCOUTS. 489

George asked if I was going into the scouting field again.
I told him that I had just accepted a position as chief of
scouts with Gen. Wheaton. I then asked him what he
was doing for a livelihood. He said that he had joined
the Oregon Volunteers, and asked me if I did not tliink I
could get him relieved. "For," said he, "I would rather
work with }ou than any one else. We have been to-
gether so much we understand each other."

He told me his Captain's name and that he belonged
to Col. Miller's regiment. I did not lose any time in
seeing Col. Miller and telling him that I would like very
much to have him relieve George Jones from his com-
mand, as I must have him for my first assistant.

This was the first time that Col. Miller had heard of
George Jones being a scout, and he wrote out the release
at once and went out and had Gen. Ross sign it and gave
it to me.

George and I went to work at once to organize our
scouting company, drawing our men mostly from the vol-
unteers. About the time that we were thoroughly organ-
ized it was reported that the Pah-Utes and the Klamaths
were all coming to join Captain Jack. This lava bed
where Captain Jack was fortified, was sixty miles from
the Klamath reservation, but the Pah-Utes w^ere one
hundred and fifty miles away, and it both surprised and
amused me when those old officers would tell me that
they expected the Pah-Utes any time. Being afraid of
' an attack from the rear, we had to scout a strip of coun-
try about forty miles long every day, and all the argu-
ments that I could produce were of no avail. After going
through this routine for about a month Gen. Wheaton

490 THE ATTACK ON

concluded to take Captain Jack by storm. Captain Jack
was there, and had been all the time, in what was called
his stronghold in the lava bed, being nothing more or
less than a cave in the rocks, sixty yards long, and from
ten to thirty feet wide, there being one place in the east
side where a man could ride a horse into it, and numer-
ous places where a man could enter with ease. Down
on the east and south sides are numerous holes in the
rock just large enough to shoot through. Capiain Jack
had his entire force in there, had killed all of his horses
and taken them in there for meat, and through the Kla-
math Indians had got a good supply of ammunition.

x\fter Gen. Wheaton had made up his mind to take
the stronghold by storm, he asked if I could give a dis-
cription of the place. Up to this time there had not
been a shot fired at the soldiers by the Indians, and I
had a number of times passed in gunshot of the main en-
trance, and I know that the Indians iiad recognized me,
but because I had befriended them they would not shoot
at me.

I drew a diagram of the cave in the best style that I
could, showing the main entrance and the natural port
holes, and when I submitted it to the General, I said:
"General, you can never take Captain Jack as long as
his ammunition lasts, for he has the same kind of guns
that you have, and the majority of his men have pistols
also, and all that he will have to do is to stand there and
shoot your men down as fast as they can come."

But the General thought different. The day was set
for the attack, and on Wednesday morning the storm
was to commence. The army had its camp one mile

Jack's stronghold. 491

from Jack's stronghold, so the soldiers did not have far
to march. About sunrise the whole command marched
down and turned loose on Jack, and were soon bombard-
ing him in great shape. This was kept up for three days
and nights, when Gen. Wheaton withdrew, having lost
sixty men and something over twenty wounded, as I was
told by Col. Miller afterwards, but Jack did not come
out.

A short time after this Gen. Canby came over and
took the entire command. He brought with him a min-
ister by the name of Col. Thomas.

The second day after Gen. Canby arrived he asked
Gen. Wheaton, in the presence of quite a number of
officers, how many men Captain Jack had with him.

Gen. Wheaton said: "My chief scout could tell just
the number that he has, but I think some sixty-three or
sixty-four warriors."

"And you had fifteen hundred men in that three days'
fight.?"

Gen. Wheaton said he had.

"And you got whipped.-* There was bad manage-
ment somewhere," said Canby; and he concluded
he would take Captain Jack by storm, but post-
poned it for a month, this bringing it into the foggy
weather in that country, and in that time of the year it
is the foggiest country I ever saw. I have seen it for a
week at a time in the lava bed that I could not tell an
Indian from a rock when twenty paces away. And this
was the kind of weather Gen. Canby was waiting for.
He marched down to the lava bed and placed his how-
itzer on the hill about a quarter of a mile from Jack's

49- ANOTHER ATTACK.

stronghold and commenced playing the shell. This was
done in order to give the infantry a chance to march
down to the main entrance of the cave and there shoot
the Indians down as fast as they came out.

Three days and nights this was kept up, but not an
Indian came out, and Gen. Canby drew off, losing over
one hundred men killed, but I never knew the exact
number wounded.

When Gen. Canby found he could not take the Mo-
docs by storm, he sent to Yreka, Gal., for a man named
Berry, who was a particular friend of Jack's, or rather
Jack was a particular friend to him. On Mr. Berry's
arrival at headquarters Gen. Canby asked him if he
thought he dare go to Captain jack's stronghold. Mr.
Berry replied that he would provided that he went alone.
I never knew just what Mr. Berry's instructions were,
but, however, I accompanied him to within two hundred
paces of the main entrance to the cave, in order to direct
him to the proper place, and he chose his time to go
after dark.

I remained there until after he returned, which was
before midnight. A few da\s later I learned that there
was to be a council meeting between Gen. Canb\', Rev.
Col. Thomas and Captain Jack, and in. a conversation
with Col. Miller he asked me my opinion in regard to
the matter. I told him that I did not understand all the
particulars, as I had heard but little about it.

He then told me that Gen. Canby and Col. Thomas,
with George Meeks as interpreter for them, and Meek's
squaw as interpreter for Captain Jack, were to meet Jack
next Sunday morning for the purpose of effecting a treaty

A COXFEREN'CE. 493

with tlie Modoc tribe, they to meet jack at a certain
phice, without escort or side arms. After the Colonel
had told me of the council and manner in which they were
to meet Captain Jack, I said: "Colonel, do you really
believe they will go?"

"Go," he replied. "Gen. Canby will go if he lives
till the time appointed for the meeting."

I could not think that Canby would do such a thing,
and I told Col. Miller that there was one thing he could
depend upon, if they went in that manner they would
never return alive. I also told him I did not consider
Mr. Berry showed good judgement in letting C'jptain
Jack choose his own ground for the council and agreeing
to meet him without escort or side arms.

That afternoon Gen. Wheaton sent for me, and I re-
sponded to the call at once. When I arrived at the
General's camp he opened the conversation by saying:
"Captain, ha\'e you heard of the meeting that is to take
place between Gen. Canby and Captain jack.''"

I said: -"No, General, I had heard nothing of it."
This being a little white lie, for it had been told me in
confidence by Col. Miller. I asked what the object of
the meeting was, and when and where it was to be.

He said it was for the purpose of effecting a treaty
with Captain Jack, and was to be held in a little glade
or opening on the other side of Dry Lake canyon, this
being about one mile south of headcjuarters, and within
a quarter of a mile of Captain Jack's stronghold. Said
he: "Gen. Canby and Rev. Col. Thomas, accompanied
by George Meeks and his squaw as interpreters, are to

494

GIVE ADVICE.

meet Captain Jack there without escort or even side arms.
Now, Captain, tell me seriously, what you think of this
affair."

I said: "General, they may go, but they will never
return."

The General tlien asked me if I would have a talk

He opened the conversation.

with Gen. Canby. I told him that if Gen. Canby asked
for my opinion in the matter I would give it just as
frankly as I would to you, otherwise I had nothing to
say, for Gen. Canby was a man that seemed to feel too
much elevated to speak to a scout, except just to give
orders. Gen. Wheaton told me that he would see Gen.

Indian up a tree. 495

Canby himself and have a talk with him. This was on
Friday previous to the Sunday on which they were to
meet in council.

In the afternoon of the same day it was reported that
there had been Indians seen along Tule Lake. I mounted
my horse and started with a platoon of soldiers and a
sergeant, and when we had advanced about twelve miles
I was riding about two hundred yards in advance
I saw something dodge into a bunch of sarvis brush.
Beckoning to the sergeant, he dashed up to my side and
said: "What's up, Captain.^"

"I got a glimpse of something just as it ran into that
patch of brush, and I think it was an Indian."

He had his men surround the brush and I went to
scare the Indian out. I searched that patch of brush
thoroughly, but could find no Indian or anything else,
and the boys all enjoyed a hearty laugh at my expense.

The sergeant proposed that we all have a smoke, so
we turned our horses loose to graze. The sergeant lit
his pipe, threw off his overcoat and laid down to rest.
As he cast his eyes heavenward in the direction of the
top of the only pine tree that stood in that patch of
brush, he exclaimed: "Captain, I have found your In-
dian." Of course we all commenced looking for the
Indian, and I asked where he was, whereupon he told
me to look up in the pine tree, and on looking I beheld
an Indian with whom I was well acquainted, as he had
been to my ranch several times in company with ('aptain
Jack.

I asked him to come down, telling him that I would
protect him if he would, but he would not utter a word,

4g6 ANXIOUS TO SEE.

nor would he come down. I tried for at least a half
hour to induce him to come down until I had exhausted
all the persuasive powers I possessed, hut to no avail.

I told the sergeant that I had treed his Indian, and
now he could do as he pleased with him, and the ser-
geant ordered him shot down, after which we returned
to headquarters, this being the only Indian seen on the
trip.

The next morning Gen. Wheaton sent for me to come
to his quarters, which I did, and in a conversation with
him he asked me if I was still of the same opinion con-
cerning the council meeting as when I talked with him
before. I told him that I was. that I had not seen or
heard anything to change my mind in the least. He
then said: "I had a conversation with Gen. Canby and
Rev. Col. Thomas, and Col. Thomas scoffs at the idea
you advance, claiming that they were going in a good
cause, and that the Lord would protect them." I told
the General that George Jones and I were going to see
that meeting. He said that would not do, for it was
strictly forbidden. I assured the General that I would
n(jt break any rules, but that I would see the meeting. I
had given my scouts their orders until ten o'clock the
ntxt day, and when dark came Jones and I were going
to the bluff on this side of the canyon and there secrete
ourselves, where, with a glass, we could see the whole
proceeding and not be discovered by the Indians.

The reader will understand that a scout is, in a cer-
tain measure, a privileged character.

As soon as it was dark Saturday evening; George and
I went to the place mentioned and remained there until

THE MEETING.

497

the time arrived for the meeting. About nine o'clock
that morning- the fog raised and the sun shone brightly,

making it one
of the most
pleasant morn-
ings we had ex-
perienced for
some time,
thereby giving
us a good view
of the grounds
of the proposed
meeting, and we
could see Cap-
tain Jack and
another Indian
there waiting. I
could recognize
■ Wic Tack's features
through the

^■^ glass, but the
^~~S^"=^ other Indian J
could not. In
a short time we
saw Gen, Canby, Col. Thomas, George Meeks and his
squaw coming. When they reached the lower end of the
little opening one hundred and fifty yards from where
Captain Jack was standing, they dismounted, tied their
horses and walked slowly in the direction where Captain
Jack was standing, and every few steps Gen. Canby
would look back, apparantly to see if any one was fol-

They shook hands with Captain Jack.

49^ PEACE COMMISSION MURDERED.

lowing them. On arriving at the spot they shook hands
with Captain Jack and the other Indian, and probably
fifteen minutes elapsed when Captain Jack dropped his
blanket from his shoulders to the ground and suddenly
turned and picked it up. This, I believe, was a signal
for an attack, for the next moment I saw smoke from a
number of guns from the rocks and could hear the reports
also. Col. Thomas, Meeks and his squaw started on the
run, but Gen. Canby fell in his tracks, a victim at the
hands of Captain Jack and his followers. Col. Thomas
only ran about ten steps, when he fell. Aleeks ran nearly
one hundred yards, when he fell, and the squaw escaped
unhurt, but badh^ scared, I presume.

As soon as Gen. Canby had fallen George Jones
asked if he had better go to headquarters and give the
alarm. I told him to go with all possible speed. George
reached camp twenty minutes ahead of me. The other
officers could not believe that he was telling the truth,
but when I arrived and told them that the entire crowd
had been Icilled, with the exception of the squaw, they
were thunderstruck, and by the time I was through tell-
ing them the squaw was there.

I do not know just how many soldiers were sent to
recover the dead bodies, but that day there was a gen-
eral attack made on Captain Jack, which was kept up
from day to day almost as long as the war lasted.

When it was foggy, as it was nearh' all the time, the
Indians almost invariably got the best of the soldiers,
from the fact that they would come out without any
clothing on their bodies w^ith a bunch of sage-brush tied
on their heads, and their skins being so similar in color

o
3

O
tfj

F— I

a
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p'
o

CTQ

a
o

SOLDIERS ATTACKED. 499

to that of the lava rocks, that when the fog was thick,
at a distance of tliirty or forty yards, it was impossible
to distinguish an Indian from a rock. There were more
or less soldiers killed and wounded every day until the
end of the war.

One day onh' a short time after the assasination of
Gen. Canby and Col. Thomas, the soldiers were attacked
in Dry Lake canyon by the Modocs and were getting
badly butchered up.

As I rode along Gen. Wheaton dashed up by my side
and said: "Where can those Indians be and what kind
of guns have they.'^ I have been losing men all day and
there has not been an Indian seen." I told the General
I would try and locate them and let him know just where,
they were. Taking George Jones and another man by
the name of Owens with me, I rode around on the op-
posite ridge, dismounted, and leaving my horse with the
other boys, I crawled down among the rocks. I had on
a buckskin suit and could not be seen much easier than
a Modoc when in the lava beds. They kept up a con-
tinual firing, and now and then I could hear a bullet whiz
near me. After I had crawled about sixty yards as cau-
tiously as I could I raised on one knee and foot and my
gun was resting across m}' leg while I was peering
through the fog to see if I could get sight of any Indians,
and listening to see if I could hear an Indian's voice. I
had remained in this position about five minutes when a
ball struck me on the shin-bone, just below the boot top.
It appeared to me that I could have heard it crack at a
hundred yards. Never before in my life had I expe-
rienced such a miserable feeling as at that time. I

500

AM WOUNDED.

thought that my leg was broken into atoms. I started to
crawl back up the hill, taking the same route that 1 had
come down, and when I had ascended the hill near
enough to the bo>'s so they could see me, George
Jones saw that I was hurt.

He dropped his gun and ran to me at once and said:
"Captain, are }ou badly hurt.-^" But before I had time
to answer him he had picked me up bodily and was run-
ning up the hill with me.

When he got to where our horses were he said:
"Where are you
shot?" I said:
"George, my left
leg is shot off."
"What shall we
do.-^" said George.
I told him to put
me o n Johnny,
that being the

\ *

name of my horse,
and I would go to ';:^
headquarters. He «
said: "Let me —
pull your boot
off," at the same
time taking hold -
of my boot. I
caught my leg
with both hands

to hold the bones together while the boot was being re-
moved from the leg, thinking that the bone was shattered

Peering out into the fog.

LOST A SCOUT. 5OI

into small pieces. As soon as George had succeded in
removing my boot from my foot, he turned the top of
the boot downward to let the blood run out of it.
"Why," said he, "your leg is not bleeding at all." I
then commenced feeling my leg, but could not feel or
hear any bones work, so by the assistance of George I
got my breeches-leg up and there the ball stuck just be-
tween the skin and the bone of my leg, and the boys had
a good laugh at my expense.

When I had learned that my leg was not broken,
George and I crawled down together into the canyon,
and located the Indians. We got so near that we could
see the flash from their guns through the fog. We then
ascended the hill, mounted our horses, rode back and re-
ported to Gen. Wheaton. But the Indians had the ad-
vantage over the soldiers from the fact that the soldiers'
clould be easily distinguished from the rocks.

About one week later, George Jones, a young man
named Savage, and myself, went on just such another
trip. It was our custom when going into the canyon to
leave one man in charge of our horses until we returned,
and in this case we left Savage with three saddle horses
and instructions to remain there until we returned. On
our return we found poor Savage mortally wounded, and
he only lived a few minutes. He had two balls through
his body. It seemed that he had tied the horses and
come to the top of the hill to look for us or to warn us
of danger, and while there had been shot down by the
Indians.

This was the first scout I had lost since I had en-
tered the scouting field at this place. By the assistance

502 THE SUPPLY TRAIN,

of Jones I got the body on my horse in front of me and

carried it to headquarters and reported to Gen. Ross,

who was acquainted with Savage's family, and he sent

the body to Jacksonville for interment. A few days

later, George, myself and four assistants started out to
meet a pack-lrain that was coming in from Yreka, CaL,
with supplies. We met the train twelve miles from
headquarters and told the man in charge that he would
either have to cross the lava beds or go around forty miles.
He decided to take chances in crossing the lava beds in
preference to going so far around. We told him that he
would be running a great risk, for we were satisfied that
Jack was running short of provisions and that he had
men out all the time foraging, and we knew that if the
Indians happened to discover this train they would make
a desperate effort to capture it, or at least a part of it.
There were fift\' animals in the train and only three men.
When we started across the lava beds I took the lead,
and George and our other men in the rear. In case of
an attack on either, he was to fire two shots in quick'
succession as a signal for assistance, for the fog was
almost thick enough that da}' to cut in slices with a
knife. The man in charge of the train started a young
man ahead with me to lead the bell-horse, placing an-
other young man about the center of the train.

It was a miserabl}- rough country across these lava
beds, and we had to travel very slowl}'.

The man in charge dropped back in the rear of the
train, thinking that if we were attacked it would be at
the rear.

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en

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.Si
IS

THE PROVISION TRAIN. 503

The reader will understand that in crossing this hell-
hearth it was necessary for the pack-animals to string
out single file.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

The cry of a babe. — Capture of a bevy of squaws.
Treachery of Gen. Ross' men in killing prison-
ers.— Capture of the Modoc Chief.

When we were across the lava beds, or "Devil's Gar-
den," as the place was commonly called, I told the man
who was leading the bell-horse to stop and wait until the
other animals had come up in order to see whether we
had lost any. This was within a mile of headquarters.
The man in charge, also Jones and the other scouts,
came up, but the young man who had been riding in the
middle, also four mules and their packs, as the saying is,
**came up missing."

The train went on to headquarters, but Jones and I
returned along the trail to see if we could find the miss-
ing man. One of us, however, had to leave the trail and
scout along on foot.

504 STONED TO DEATH.

After following the back-track two miles I found
where the four mules had left it. It was now late in the
evening, and we were within less than a mile and a half
of Captain Jack's stronghold. We tied our horses there
and started out, caring but little about the mules and
their packs; it was the man that we were looking after.
We had not gone more than fifty yards from the trail
when we found the body.

The poor fellow had been stoned to death, his head
being beaten out of shape. This the Indians had done
to prevent an alarm. They had evidently been hidden
in the lava rocks and had managed to turn those four
mules from the trail, and the fog being so thick that a
person could not see any distance, the man did not notice,
that he was off of the trail until too late; and when once
off the trail a few paces it was impossible for him to get
back again. The mules and packs were never seen
again. The Indians, no doubt, took them to the cave,
used the provisions, killed and ate the mules and saddle
horse which the man was riding. W^e took the body to
headquarters, and the next day it was started to Yreka,
Cal. I do not remember the name of this young man,
but he lived near Yreka.

Gen. Wheaton was now fighting the Indians every
day, and at night kept a strong picket guard around the
cave. About this time it was reported that Gen. Whea-
ton had received orders to take Captain Jack if he had to
exterminate the entire tribe.

The feeling was getting to be very strong against
Captain Jack in regard to the assassination of Gen.
Canby, Col. Thomas and George Meeks, the interpreter.

STARVING THEM OUT. 505

^m ■ ■ - . ■ ■ ■ ■ I I ■ . , , ■ „ ■ -III-

One evening in a conversation with Gen. Wheaton he
asked me how long I thought it would take to starve
them out. I said: "General, if they took all their horses
in the cave, which I believe they did, and we know for a
fact that they got some cattle from the Klamath river, I
think it will be May or June before you will be able to
starve them out."

He said that everv Indian that came out of the cave
single-handed or otherwise would not live to get through
the picket line, saying that he had a double picket line
now around the entire cave, both day and night.

The next morning after this conversation with the
General, one of my scouts came in from Rattlesnake
Point and reported having seen the tracks of twenty In-
dians, where thev had crossed the road on the east side
of the lake, and they were all small tracks.

I reported this to the General, telling him that Jack
was a pretty smart Indian, for he was sending his women
and children away so as to make his provisions last as
long as possible.

George Jones and I started out, accompanied by two
platoons of soldiers, to capture the Indians. We had no
trouble in finding their trail, and in running them down.

It so happened that our escort that day were all Gen.
Ross' men and were all friends to young Savage, who
had recently been killed by the Modocs. After following
the trail about ten miles we came in sight of the Indians
on Lost river. We did not see them until we were near
them and had no trouble in capturing the whole outfit.
There were twenty-two, all squaws and little girls. I
was personally acquainted with all of those Indians, and

506 CAPTURE THE SQUAWS.

knowing so well the cause of all this trouble, and just
what brought it about, I could not help sympathizing
with the women and children. In fact, I had felt from
the very start that this trouble was all uncalled for.
Among the crowd was one young squaw who spoke pretty
fair English for an Indian in those days. I was well
acquainted with her, and told her that we would have to
take them all, but that they would be treated as prison-
ers. She did not seem to understand the meaning of
"prisoners."

I explained to her, and she in her own tongue ex-
plained 't to the rest of the crowd. I told her that we
would have to take them back to headquarters.

She said: "We heap hungry, long time no eat much.
Maby white man no give us anything to eat. 'Spose no
eat purty soon all die." I assured her that they would
have plenty to eat as long as they behaved themselves
and gave the soldiers no trouble.

They all seemed to be perfectly willing to surrender
and go back to headquarters, so we started back via Tule
Lake. When we reached the mouth of Lost river I
turned the prisoners over to the two sergeants who
had charge of the two platoons of soldiers. George and
I wanted to make a circuit around in the direction of
Clear Lake, thinking, of course, that the prisoners
would be perfectly safe in charge of the soldiers, especi-
ally those little girls. George and I did not get to head-
quarters that night until ten o'clock, and the first thing
I heard when I got into camp was that the Indians had
tried to run off into the tules while coming down Tule
Lake, and they had all been shot down by the soldiers.

>-(
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on

en'

O
D

O
P

PRISONERS SHOT. 5^7

I went at once to see Gen. Ross relative to the matter,
for I could not believe it. The General confirmed the re-
port by saying every one of them had been shot. I said:
"General, that is the most cowardly piece of work I ever
heard white men accused of in my life. Will you please
tell the men who did that cowardly piece of work, that
they had better never be caught out with me when I have
the best of it, for T would much prefer shooting such men
down, to shooting helpless women and children."

This conversation caused a great deal of talk of a
court-martial, but it all blew over, I suppose, on account
of Captain Jack murdering Gen. Canby. The next con-
versation I had with Gen. Wheaton, I asked why the
picket guard let those Indians pass through the picket
line, and speaking as though I thought they had passed
boldly out through the line; he said:

*T cannot see into it myself."

I said: "General, that is the way the Indians will
all get out of there, and at the final surrender you will
not have six warriors in the cave. From this on you
will find that they will gradually desert Jack, for the
squaws told me that they were getting very hungry."

It was reported around that Captain Jack and three
other Indians would be hung if caught alive, this being
the orders from headquarters. The other three were
Schonchin, Scarfaced Charlie and Shacknasty Jim, these
being Jack's council or under chiefs.

When this report came, Gen. Wheaton told me that
if it was necessary he would make another detail of
scouts, for he would not under any consideration have
the Indians escape. I told the General to give himself

508 THE SCOUTS BUSY.

no uneasiness in regard to that part of it, for we would
run down all the Indians that crossed the picket line, but
I must know what I should promise a prisoner when I
captured him. I asked if I should promise them protec-
tion or not, for if there was no protection, I would not
bring them in. He assured me that all prisoners caught
after this would be protected as prisoners of war until
tried and proven guilty.

What the General meant by that was those who
might be proven guilty of being directly interested in the
murder of Gen. Canby and Col. Thomas.

I now put George Jones on the night shift. He had
the entire charge of night scouting, and he and his assist-
ants rode all night long. In the morning I started out
with my assistants and rode all day; so it was impossible
for the Indians to get out and awa}' without our getting
track of them, and if they left a track we were sure to
capture them.

We kept this up for about three weeks, when I made
a change; George and I doing the night scouting alone,
and leaving the day scouting for the other scouts.

One night we were out near Dry Lake, about five
miles from headquarters, and there came up a cold fog.
We built a little fire to warm b\-, and shortly after we
had started it we heard what an inexperienced man would
have called two cayotes, but we knew they were Indians
and were in different directions and this was their signal
for meeting.

We mounted our horses and rode in the opposite
direction, but before we left we gave a yelp in a laugh-
ing sort of manner to make the Indians believe that we

SHOT TWO MODOCS. 509

thought it was cayotes. We rode quietly away about
three hundred yards from the fire, dismounted, tied our
horses and crawled back near the fire. All this time the
Indians had kept up their cayote barking and were draw-
ing near the fire. It was some little time before they
dared approach, but after they had looked carefully
around, I suppose they thought it had been campers who
had stopped, built a fire and then pulled out, for it was
not the custom .of scouts to build a fire, which the In-
dians well knew, they finally ventured up to the fire and
were warming themselves. Seeing that they were both
armed with rifles, and the chances were they both had
pistols, we made up our minds not to take any chances,
so I proposed to George that we should shoot them down,
just as they would have done us if we had not under-
stood their signal.

Of course if it had been daylight it would have been
quite different, but three jumps away from the fire and
they would have been safe from us. We were sitting
side by side not more than forty yards- from them. I
told George to take the one on the right and I would
take the one on the left, and when he gave the word I
would fire with him. We raised our guns, and when
he gave the word we both fired, and the two Indians fell
to the ground. We waited about five minutes to see
whether they would rise or not, and believing we had
killed them both, we approached them. One of them
was dead and the other was just about dead, so we took
their guns and pistols and reported to Gen. Wheaton.

The next morning he said it was a mystery how the

5 TO THE CRY OF A BABE.

Indians would get out and the men on picket would not
see them. He said: "I cannot see through it."

About a week or ten days later George and I were
coming in just before daylight, when we heard a baby
cry on the hillside only a short distance from us. We
stopped and listed until we had located it. George dis-
mounted, and I held his horse while he crawled up to see
where it was, and found that there was quite a number
of squaws and children there. I told him that it would
be a matter of impossibility for them to get away from
us and the grass so high, for we could track them easily,
so I left him there to keep watch and see which way they
moved so that we would know how to start after them,
and I would ride to headquarters, about two miles away,
for assistance to help capture them when it was daylight.
I rode slow until so far away that I knew they could not
hear the clatter of my horse's feet, and then I put spurs
to my horse and rode with all speed to headquarters.
When I passed the camp guard he challenged me and I
gave my name. I could hear it carried down the line
from one to another, "There comes the Captain of the
Scouts, there is something up." Rather than wake up a
commissioned offtcer, I woke up my entire scout force,
and was back to where George Jones was just at day-
light. He said that the squaws had moved in the direc-
tion of Clear Lake. There was a heavy dew and we had
no trouble in finding their trail and following it; in fact,
at times we could ride almost at full speed and follow
without difficulty. We had only gone about four miles
when we came in sight of them, six squaws, a little boy,
a little girl and a baby. When they saw me coming they

THE FIRST PRISONERS. 5II

all stopped. I rode up and asked them where they were
going. They could all speak a little English.

There was one in the crowd named Mary, with whom
I was well acquainted, who said: "We heap hungry, too
much hungr}', we go Clear Lake carch fish." I told her
that we would have to take them prisoners and take them
all back to headquarters and keep them there until we
got all the Modoc Indians and then they would have to
go on to the reservation. "No, too much hungry, you
all time fight Captain Jack, Injun no catch fish. All
time eatem hoss. No more hoss now; Injun eatem all
up, eatem some cow too. No more hoss, no more cow.
Injun all heap hungry."

It was some time before I could make them believe
that they would be fed when at headquarters, but they
being acquainted with me and knowing that I had been
a friend to them in timic of peace. I finally succeeded in
getting them to turn and go to headquarters. These
were the first prisoners that had been taken to the Gen-
eral's quarters during the Modoc war.

Gen. Wheaton was away from his quarters, so I left
the prisoners in charge of George Jones and the other
scouts, with instructions to let no one interfere with them
while I went to hunt the General.

I soon found him and with him returned to where the
Indians were. The General asked me to question the
one of them that talked the best English and had done
the most talking, concerning the number of men that
Captain Jack had in his stronghold. When I asked her
she said: "Some days twenty men, some days thirty men,
no more, some go away. No more come back, some

512 SAW THREE TRACKS.

shoot, by and by he die. Two days now me not eat.
Injun man, he no eat much."

From this we inferred that they only had a httle pro-
visions left, and the men that did the fighting did the eat-
ing also. They were given something to eat at once,
and I don't think I ever saw more hungry mortals. I
told the General that it would not be long until they
would all come out, but that I did not think they would
come in a body, but would slip out two or three at a
time. The General thought it so strange that they were
stealing out through the picket lines and the guards not
seeing any of them.

Some three weeks later than this, it being about the
first of June, 1873, George and I had been out all night
and were coming into quarters, being a little later this
morning than common, and when we were within about
one and a half miles from quarters we crossed the trail
of three Indians. I got down and examined the tracks
closel}^; there was one track quite large and long, an-
other not quite so large and the third was quite small. I
told George I was not afraid to bet twenty dollars that
they were the tracks of Captain Jack, his wife and little
girl We pushed on to headquarters with all possible
speed and reported to Gen. Wheaton, He asked my
reason for thinking that it was Captain Jack. I told him
from the fact that it suited for his family. I was well
acquainted with both him and his squaw, and I told the
General that Jack himself had an unusually long foot.
He asked how much of an escort I wanted and if I would
go at once. I told him I would, and I wanted two pla-
toons. He directed his orderlies to report as soon as

ON THE TRAIL 513

possible with two platoons of cavalry, and I gave my
horse to George, telling him to change our saddles to
fresh horses at once. As soon as it was noised around
that we had got track of Captain Jack, the scouts all
wanted to accompany me, but I told them that their ser-
vices could not be dispensed with at camp for one hour,
for it was getting now where the the thing must be
watched very closelv. George rode up on a fresh horse
and was leading Black Bess with my saddle on her. I
mounted and we were off again in pursuit of Captain
Jack, but as we rode away Gen. Wheaton expressed him-
self as being doubtful as to its being Captain Jack.

When we struck the trail of the three Indians, I had
one platoon to ride on each side of the trail, keeping
about fifty yards away from it, and in case we should
miss it or get off, we would have a chance to go back
and pick it up again before it w^ould become obliterated.

This was one of the prettiest mornings that we could
have had for the occasion. The fog disappeared with
the rising of the sun, and in many places we could look
ahead and see the trail in the grass for fifty yards.
In those places we put our horses down to their utmost.
George and I were both very hungry, having had nothing
to eat since the evening before, and we had been in the
saddle all night, but an old scout forgets all this when he
gets on a fresh Indian trail and becomes somewhat ex-
cited. After we had gone about six miles we came to a
gravel country for a mile and a half, and it was slow and
tedious tracking across this, for many times we had noth-
ing to go by only as they might turn a little pebble over
with their feet or step on a little spear of grass and mash

514

Captain Jack captured.

it down, and this was very thin and scattering on the
ridge. However, as soon as we were across the gravelly
ridge, we again struck grass and we let our horses out
almost at full speed, know^ing very well that as soon as
the dew dried off it would be slow and tedious tracking.
After we had ridden about twelve miles, and just as we

^^' K^T-T-^"^-*

"Long time no see you.''

raised the top of the hill, on looking across on the next
ridge we saw the three Indians, and sure enough, it was
Captain Jack, his squaw and little girl. About this time
he turned and saw us coming. He stood and looked at
us for a moment or so and the three all turned and
started back to meet us. We both pulled our pistols and
dashed up to him at full speed.

Taken to headquarters. 515

- — - - ■ ■ ■ ■

When we were close enough, I could see that he had
a smile on his face, and 1 knew that he had recognized
me. When we rode up to him he said: "Good mornin.
Long time no see you," and at the same time presented
the gun with the breech foremost.

As I took the gun, I said to him: ''Jack, where are
you going?"

He replied: "O, heap hungry, guess go Clear Lake
catch fish."

I said: "No, Jack; you are my prisoner. I will
have to take you back to Gen. Wheaton."

He replied: "No, me no want to go back, no more
fight, too much all time hungry, little girl nearly starve,
no catch fish soon he die." But when he saw that he
had to go, he said:

All right, me go."

So I took the little girl up behind me, and George
took the squaw up behind him and Jack walked.

It was in the afternoon when we returned to head-
quarters with the prisoners, and there was no little re-
joicing among the soldiers when they learned for a cer-
tainty that I had taken Captain Jack prisoner.

That afternoon a runner was started to Yreka with
a dispatch to headquarters to the effect that Gen.
Wheaton had taken the notorious Captain Jack pris-
oner. As a matter of fact, an old scout is never known
in such cases. They, as a general rule, do the work,
but the officers always get the praise. Although Gen.
Wheaton had the praise of capturing Captain Jack, he
had but little more to do with it than the President
of the United States.

5l6 STORY OF THE CAPTURE.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Story of the captured braves. — Why Captain Jack
deserted. loathsome condition of the indian

STRONGHOLD. EnD OF THE WAR. SOME COMMENTS.

That evening I had a long conversation with Captain
Jack, and from him I learned the exact number of
Indians in the cave. He said there were twenty
women, and maybe thirty children and twenty-two war-
riors. He said they would not stay there long for they
had nothing to eat, and their ammunition was nearly
gone.

I must admit that when I learned Jack's story of the
way that he had been both driven and pulled into this
war, which I knew to be a fact myself, I was sorry for
him. He said that after the Indian agent would not send
them anything to eat he was forced to go away from the
reservation to catch fish to keep his people from starv-
ing, for which purpose he was at the mouth of Lost river
when the soldiers came there. One morning before the
soldiers fired on him without even telling him to return
to the reservation or giving him any warning whatever.
He said that he did not give orders for his men to kill
any white men that morning, but they all got very angry
at the soldiers for shooting at them. "That day," said

CEASED FIRING. 517

he, "I go to lava bed, my men scout all over country,
kill all white men they see."

After I was through talking with Jack, Gen, Whea-
ton sent for me to come to his quarters, as he was anx-
ious to learn what information I had obtained. When I
told him the number of Indians yet in the cave and that
they had nothing to eat, he asked me what would be my
plan for capturing the remainder. I told him that if I
was doing it, I would capture the entire outfit without
losing a single man, but that it would take a little time;
that I would not fire on them at all, but would double
the picket line, and it would not be many days until they
would surrender, and in case some of them did slip by
the guards, we would pick them up before they got
twenty miles away.

The following morning a council was held in camp,
and all the commissioned officers were present. Now
Captain Jack had been captured, and according to re-
ports, the other Indians were nearly starved out, so that
morning they did not open out on them at all.

The third day from this it was reported by a citizen
who had passed over the country that day, that he saw
Indians up on Tule Lake. It being late in the afternoon,
nearly dark in fact, when I heard the report and it not
being from a scout, I questioned closely the man who was
said to have seen them, but did not get much satifaction
from him, so naturally discredited the report. But for
fear there might be some truth in it, the next morn-
ing by daybreak George Jones and I were scouring the
country in the vicinity of Tule Lake. After having ridden
some little distance we ran upon the trail of six Indians,

5l8 CAPTURE SIX MORE.

who as we supposed had passed the evening before, and
were evidently plodding along in the direction of Lost
river. This was without doubt the trail of four bucks
and two squaws. After we had followed this trail a few
miles we found where they had stopped, built a fire,
caught, cooked and ate some fish. We knew they were
not many miles ahead of us, in fact, the fire had not en-
tirely gone out. From here on we had plain sailing, and
the nearer an old scout gets when on the trail of an In-
dian the more anxious he gets, so we sped along up the
lake four miles further, and were on them before they
knew it; they were all on the banks of the river fishing.

In this outfit there were Scarfaced Charley and Black
Jim, their squaws, and two other Indians. The moment
we saw them we both drew our pistols, but concealed
them from their view by hiding them under our coats.
When we approached them they all said, "Good morn-
ing.

I did not see any guns near them nor did either of
them have pistols. Scarfaced Charley said: *'We like
go reservation; too much hungry, my squaw nearly dead,
ketchem some fish her, purty soon go."

After I had informed him that I would have to take
them all back to Gen. Wheaton's quarters, Charley said:
"What fcri*" I said: "Charley, I will take you all back
to headquarters, give you all plenty to eat, and when we
get all the Modoc Indians they will be taken to the
reservation." "All right, me go now," said Charle}^, as
he started, eager to be off on the journey for head-
quarters.

I asked them where their guns and pistols were, and

ON BAD TERMS. 5 I 9

they said: "O, me hide them in lava bed, too much
heavy, no Hke carry." So George Jones took the lead,
the Indians followed him, and I brought up the rear. I
could see that they were very weak from hunger, but they
plodded along, encouraged by the thought of getting
something to eat at Gen. Wheaton's quarters.

We arrived there at noon, and when I turned them
over to the- General and told him their names, he said:
'*It is with the greatest of pleasure that I receive them.
Now if I only had just one more I would be satisfied.
That one is Schonchin. I would then have all the ring
leaders."

Up to this time I had not learned what would be the
fate of those Indians directly interested in the assassi-
nation of Gen. Canby and Col. Thomas, and I must ad-
mit that I was terribly surprised when Gen. Wheaton in-
formed me that they would all be hanged. From those
Indians I learned that Captain Jack and his council were
not on good terms, having had a falling out while in the
cave, and they would not speak to each other while at
Gen. Wheaton's headquarters. The cause of the trouble
grew out of a proposition by Captain Jack to surrender,
and he had been talking surrender for two weeks past,
but the rest of them were in favor of fighting to the
last. Mary, the squaw, told me that they at one time
came near putting Jack to death for cowardice, and that
was the reason he had deserted them, knowing that his
life was in danger in the cave.

From this on we captured one or two Modocs every
day. The fourth day after the last band referred to was
captured, one of my scouts reported having seen Indian

520

CATCHING FISH

tracks at the head of Tule Lake, but could not make out
the exact number. I had just lain down to take a nap,
it being early in the morning, and I had been riding all
night, but George and I saddled our horses and were off
for the head of Tule Lake, Gen. Wheaton promising to
send a company of soldiers after us at once.

We struck the Indian trail about twelve miles from

Fishing for a living.

headquarters, this being the first band that had escaped
from the west side of the cave.

As soon as we discovered their trail we put spurs to
our horses and sped along up the river, for the trail was
plain aud we experienced no trouble in following it, and

SOME COMMENTS. 52 1

just above the Natural Bridge on Lost river, we came on
to them. Some were fishing, some were cooking the fish
they had caught, and others were eating fieh. It seemed
that each one of them caught, cooked and ate their own
fish. Seeing no arms we rode up to them. There were
twelve of them, and among them was Sconchin, the
other councilman who the General was so anxious to get
hold of. Sconchin said: "Go Fort Klamath, all Injun
heap hungry, now ketchem fish, eat plenty, by and by go
to fort."

I had George Jones turn and ride back to hurry the
soldiers up, for I did not deem it a safe plan for two of us
to try to take the whole crowd prisoners, for even though
they had no arms the}- might scatter all over the country
and then Vv^e could not get them only by killing them,
and that I did not want to do. While I am in no wise
a friend to a hostile; I believe in giving even an Indian
that which is justl}' due him, and I must admit that all
through this Modoc war I could not help, in a measure,
feeling sorry for the Modocs, particularly Captain Jack,
for I knew that through the negligence of one agent
and the outrageous attack upon Jack by the squad of
soldiers on Lost river, while there catching fish to keep
his people from starving, he had been driven and dragged
into this war, and I do not believe to-day, nor never did
believe, that Captain Jack ought to have been hanged.

I have often been asked, since, what I thought of the
arrangements Mr. Berry made for the meeting of Gen.
Canby, Col. Thomas and Captain Jack, but I have always
refrained from answering that question any farther than
that it seemed to me that a school boy ten years of age

522 MORE PRISONERS.

should have known better than to have made such a bar-
gain as he did, lowing the nature of Indians as well as
he claimed to.

But to my story — I stayed there and engaged the In-
dians in conversation while George was making tracks
back over the same road that we had just come to hurry
the cavalry up. I learned from them that there were no
more able-bodied men left in the cave, and there were
some twenty or thirty squaws and children, besides
several warriors that were wounded. In about an hour
from the time George started back, the soldiers made
their appearance. '

I told the Indians that we would have to take them
prisoners and take them back to headquarters. This,
however, was not pleasant news to them. They objected
to return with us until I had informed them that they
would be fed and protected until such time as we could
get them all, and they having been acquainted with me
before, we were successful in persuading them to return
peacefully to the General's quarters.

It was late in the afternoon when we returned, and I
at once reported to the General the number of Indians,
also that Schonchin was in the gang, and that I had
learned that there were no more able-bodied men in the
cave. I told him that from what I could learn, I thought
it perfectly safe for three or four men to enter the cave
and secure the few remaining Indians. The General
said: "I will think the matter over until morning."

That evening the oi^cers held a council and it was
decided that in case the following morning was fair, Col.
Miller and the Colonel from California whose name I do

ENTERED THE CAVE.

523

not remember, myself, and two soldiers would make the
attempt to enter the cave, I going as a guide more than
anything else.

Next morning about ten o'clock when the fog had
raise.d and the sun came out most beautifully, we made
the start for the cave. Although I had never been inside
of the cave, I had no serious trouble in finding the main
entrance to it, but we found it so dark inside that we had

In the cave.

to use lanterns. We had not proceeded far until we
could see the fire. I proposed to the others that as I was
acquainted with the Indians to let me advance alone,
and I can truthfully say that just such another sight I
never saw before nor since. There was a number of
wounded Indians lying around; here were the bones of
their horses that they had killed and eaten, and a smell

524 THE WAR ENDED.

SO offensive that it was really a hard task for me to stay
there long enough to tell them what we wanted of them.
As soon as I commenced talking to them the squaws and
children began making their appearance from every
direction.

I told them my business, and if they would go with
me they would be fed. They were not only willing, but
anxious to go.

By this time the other men were there, and when
they were all gathered up Col. Miller sent two men back
to camp for stretchers to carry the wounded Indians to
headquarters. They were all taken out that day. I do
not remember the number of wounded bucks that were
in the cave, but there were thirty-two squaws and forty
children.

Now the bloody little Modoc war that had lasted so
long at the cost of many lives, was brought to an end.
This was glorious news to the surviving ones among
the volunteers, and the next day they were making
preparations to return to their respective home=;, or
rather Jacksonville, where they would be di^cl a"ged,
and they again could say their lives were their own.
This being the last days of June and my services not
needed any more, I asked the General when the hang-
ing would take place. He said that it would be about
the twentieth of July.

TAKING A REST. ' 525

CHAPTER XXXIX.

An interested boy. — The execution of the Modoc
LEADERS. — Newspaper messengers. — A very sud-
den DEPUTY SHERIFF. A BAD MAN WOUND UP,

I went from there to Yreka to rest up a while. Dur-
ing my stay there, one morning while I was waiting for
my breakfast, I was glancing over the morning paper,
when a bright-eyed little boy about nine years old, en-
tered the restaurant, walked up in front of me and said:
*Ts this Capt. Drannan, the scout.'^" I said: "Yes, my
little man. What can I do for you.'^" He said: 'T am
going to school and I have to write a composition to read
in school, and my mother told me to see you and you
might be able to assist me in getting up a piece on the
Modoc war." I asked the bright little fellow his name.
He said his name was Johnny Whitney. ''Where is
your father and what does he follow for a living.?" "My
father is dead, and my mother takes in washing to sup-
port herself and children."

That afternoon I spent in assisting the little fellow to
prepare his composition. I remained there at Yreka
about ten days, during which time I received a letter
from George Jones, who was then at Jacksonville, re-
questing me to meet him at Fort Klamath about four or
five days before the hanging was to take place, and also

526

AT Fort Klamath.

requesting me to bring all my saddle horses. I succeeded

in getting up quite a party of business men and citizens

of Yreka and

w e started

out across

the Siskiyou

M o u ntains.

After the

first d a y's

travel we

found game

plentiful and

we had a

pleas a nt
trip. We

had all the
game and
fish we want-
ed, w^hich
a ff o r d e d

plenty of amusement for the pleasure-seekers of the
crowd, which was the main object of this trip with a
majority of them. We arrived at Fort Klamath five
days before the hanging w^as to take place. The next
day after we arrived a crowd came in from Jacksonville,
and among them were Gen. Ross, George Jones, J. N. T.
Miller and three newspaper reporters, one of whom rep-
resented the San Francisco Chronicle, one the San Fran-
cisco Exaj)iinei% and one the Chicago Inter-Oceaji. Col.
Miller came to me and asked if I would like a job of
carrying dispatches from there, either to Jacksonville or

"Is this Capt. Drannan, the scout?"

GETTING READY. 527

to Ashland, saying: "The Chronicle man has not found
a man yet that he could trust the dispatches with."

The reporter had told Mr. Miller that he would pay
one hundred dollars for carrying the dispatch, and in
case he was first, to the office, he would also pay one
hundred dollars more in addition to that. From there
to Jacksonville it was one hundred miles and a wagon
road all the way, while to Ashland it was but eighty
miles, of which sixty miles was only a trail. This I had
passed once in company with J. N. T. Miller. I was
introduced to the reporter by Col. Miller, with whom I
soon made arrangements to carry his dispatches. He
asked me how long it would take me to ride to Ash-
land. I told him I thought it would take about eight
hours with my thrcj horses. He said if I went to Ash-
land I would have no competition on the trail as the
other riders were both going to Jacksonville.

The day before the hanging was to take place I hired
a young man to take two of my horses and go out or. the
trail, instructing him to leave one of them picketed out
at Cold Springs, and the other one to take to Bald
Mountain, which was thirty miles from Ashland. At
this place I wanted Black Bess, and he was to stay there
with her until I came and to return, get my other horse,
and meet me at Jacksonville.

When the time arrived for the hanging and the pris-
oners were led to the scaffold, each dispatch carrier was
mounted and standing on the outer edge of the crowd,
ready at the moment he received the dispatch to be off
at once. When the four Indians were led upon the
scaffold to meet their doom, each of them were asked,

528

THE HANGING.

through an interpreter, whether or not he wished to say
anything before being hung, but they all shook their
heads with the exception of Captain Jack, who informed
them that he had something to say.

He said: "I would like for my brother to take my
place and let me live so I can take care of my wife and
little girl. "

The carrier for the Inter-Oceaii was the first to get
his dispatch, the Exaniinei' the second, I receiving mme
just as the last Indian was hung, and now for the race to
see who gets there first. It was eleven o'clock when we

started

We all .' ' ^ <^\. ^K\N'.l

traveled together '*<;-'' -'"Slil ^v"^^^ .S
for the first twenty * ' • ~^V~C?'^#^^^^

miles, where I left

-tt^lr^.

the wagon road and On the outer edge of the crowd, ready to be off.

took the trail for

Ashland. Now I had sixty miles to ride over a trail

and they had eighty miles over a wagon road. At this

RIDE TO Ashland. 529

junction where the trail left the wagon road I bade the
other couriers good-day, telling them that in case they
beat me they must treat to the oysters when we met at
Jacksonville, and I sped away and lost no time in get-
ting from there to Cold Springs, where I found my other
horse picketed out as I had ordered. I dismounted,
threw my saddle on the other horse, which was appar-
ently feeling fine, mounted him and was off again, leav-
ing the other horse picketed at the same place, so my
man could get him on his return. My horse took a long
sweeping gallop and kept it up for about twelve miles,
by which time he w^as beginning to sweat quite freely,
and 1 commenced to urge him and put him down to all
I thought he would stand. When I came in sight of
Black Bess she raised her head and whinnied to me.
The young man w^as lying asleep and holding her rope,
while she was grazing near him. Again I changed my
saddle from my other horse to Black Bess, and gave the
young man instructions to start at once and lead my
horse slowly so as to prevent him from cooling off too
fast. I mounted Black Bess and now I was on the
homestretch. 1 did not urge her any for the first few
miles until she commenced sweating freely, after which I
commenced to increase her speed, and fifteen minutes
after six I rode up to the telegraph office and handed my
dispatch to the operator, who started it on the wire at
once. I led my mare up and down the streets to prevent
her from cooling off too quick, and when it was known
where I was from, everybody in town had about forty
questions to ask relative to the hanging of the four
Modoc braves.

530

A QUICK TRIP.

On leaving the telegraph office I asked the operator
to let me know when the first dispatch started from
Jacksonville, and while at supper he came in and told

I handed my dispatch to the operator.

me that the Exavmiei' had just started their dispatch
over the wire, which was just one and three-quarter
hours behind me in getting to the office. The next day

TAKEN TO Florida. 531

[ rode to Jacksonville, and the day following the bal-
ance of the crowd came in from the fort. Among them
were the three reporters, all well pleased with the time

their bearers had made in carrying their dispatches, and
that night we all had what in those days we used to
term *'a-way-up time. "

The balance of the Indians who were taken prisoners
in this Modoc war were afterwards 1»aken to Florida and
placed on a small reservation, which, I presume, was
done on account of the bitter feeling that existed among
the people of that section of the country toward this
tribe on account of the assassination of (xen. Canby, Col.
Thomas and George Meeks, the interpreter, as well as
the many other people that were murdered on Lost river
and Tule Lake.

While at Jacksonville a man came to me named
Martin, who was a merchant and resided in Oakland,
Cal., who wanted to hire me to go out in the mountains
some twenty miles from Jacksonville and look after a man
named McMahon, saying: "There must be something
wrong with McMahon, for he is the most punctual man
I ever dealt with; he promised to be here three weeks
ago to pay a certain party fifty dollars, but has not been
seen nor heard from since."

McMahon owned a band of sheep and was ranging
them out in the mountains. Mr. Martin gave me direc-
tions, and the next morning I started out for the sheep
ranch. I had no trouble in finding the place, but the
cabin and surroundings showed that no one lived there.
I spent the balance of this day and the next in riding

532 LOOKING FOR McMaHON.

over the sheep range, but could see no one, and only
about twenty head of sheep.

On my return to Jacksonville I went by way of
Bybee's ferry, on Rogue river, and learned that about
three weeks previous to that time a band of two thousand
head of sheep had crossed over the ferry, driven by two
men. Now it was almost a foregone conclusion that
some one had murdered Mclvlahon and driven his band
of sheep away, and when I returned to Jacksonville there
was no Httle excitement about the city in regard to Mc-
Mahon. Some of the business men and citizens with
whom I was well acquainted, prevailed upon me to ac-
cept an appointment as deputy sheriff, and start out and
track the band of sheep up if possible and capture the
thieves and murderers, the sheriff himself being very busy
just at that time, it being near time for court to sit in
that county. After receiving my appointment and tak-
ing the oath of office, I struck directly for Bybee's ferry,
and for the first twenty miles beyond the ferry I expe-
rienced no trouble whatever in keeping track of the
sheep, finding a number of people who had seen them,
and all gave the same description of the two men who
were drivmg them.

Leaving the settlement, I went into the mountains,
spent five days tracking sheep here and there in every
direction between Rogue river and Umpqua. Finally
they struck off on to the breaks of the Umpqua and were
soon in the settlement again, and I was able to get the
description of the two men, which coincided with the
description given by others.

I found the sheep within about twelve miles of Can-

FOUND THE SHEEP. 533

yonville, and a youn^ man was herding them who I soon
learned to be what migiit be caUed a half idiot. He told
me that his name was Buckley. I had quite a pleasant
chat with him and spent about two hours with him,
lounging around, talking about his sheep. I asked if he
had raised his sheep, and where his winter range was.

He said he had not owned the sheep but a short time.
I asked him if he had bought them here in this countr3\
He said he had not, but got them on the other side of
the mountain in the Rogue river country. I asked him
if he owned them alone, whereupon he informed me that
he had a partner in the sheep business. I asked him
what his partner's name was, and he told me it was John
Barton. I asked where his partner lived, and he said
that he lived down on the Umpqua river and was run-
ning a ferry.

Now I was satisfied that I had found the sheep and
one of the men and as good as got the other one where
I could put my hand on him at any time. I rode down
to Canyonville and telegraphed Mr. Manning, the sheriff,
that I had found the sheep and one of the men and had
the other one located. He answered me by saying that
I would have help the following day from Roseburg, that
being the county seat of Douglas county, which is six-
teen miles from Canyonville, where I then was and which
was in the same county. I waited patiently the next
day for assistance, but it did not come. Late that even-
ing I went to the constable of that precinct and asked
him to go with me and assist in making the arrest, but
he refused, saying: "That man Barton is a hard case.
I don't want to have anything to do with him." 1 did

534 Barton's Ferry.

not tell him the particulars of the case, and I must admit
that I did not know enough of civil law to know that it
was necessary for me to be armed with a warrant to go
and make the arrest. On the refusal of the constable to
accompany me, I at once walked down to the stable and
ordered my horse saddled, and inquired the way to John
Barton's place. The proprietor of the stable told me
how to go.

So concluding to tackle him alone, I mounted my
horse just after dark and started for Barton's Ferr3^ I
found the place without difficulty, and although I rode
very slowly, I got to the river some time before daylight.
I tied my horse in the brush and walked the road until
daylight. As soon as it was da}light I saw the house on
the other side of the river, and kept my eye on it until
just before sunrise, when I saw the smoke commence to
curl up from the chimne3% and in about fifteen minutes I
saw a man come out in his shirt sleeves and bare-headed.
I at once mounted my horse and rode down to the river
and halloed for him to bring the boat over as I wished
to cross the river. He answered by saying: "I'll be
there in a minute as soon as I get my hat and coat." He
stepped into the house, got his hat and coat and came
across. When he landed I walked on to the boat and
asked if he was Mr. Barton. He said that was his name,
and in a second he was looking down the muzzle of my
pistol, and I informed him that he was my prisoner. He
asked me what for. I said for the murdering of Mc-
Mahon.

"Have they found the body.-'" were the first words
that fell from his lips, which he doubtless would not

Barton arrested.

535

have uttered had I not caught him off his guard. I told
him they had, which was false.

, •''^^^'^S^>5^?^^*^?5?!S?.

S^A?Ji'^S?.J.;?^'r^:'rr»5?5'^®

^•h^.JV^i

"-t-^s^^^

I informed him that he was my prisoner.

"You want to take me away with you and not let me
see my wife and bid her good-bye.-*"

536 Barton arrested.

I informe'd him that I would, telling him that she
could come to see him if she liked. He offered all man-
ner of excuses to get back to his house. After I had
listened awhile I gave him two minutes to get off the
boat and take the road, which he did at once. I did not
try to put the handcuffs on him alone, not wishing to
give him any drop on me whatever.

I made him take the road ahead of me, and we
started on our way for Jacksonville. After we had gone
some two miles in the direction of Canyonville an old
gentleman and his son overhauled us with a wagon, and
I had the old man put the handcuffs on him, after which
I allowed him to get into the wagon with the other two
men and ride to Canyonville. When I put him in the
little lock-up which they had there for such occasions and
went and hunted up the constable and asked him to look
after Barton until I would return. I could get no satis-
faction from him, so I went to a merchant in town and
related the whole circumstance to him and asked him to
keep a watch or tell me of some one whom I could hire
to look after him that I could rely upon. He assured
me that he would look after a man, put him there to
watch and then we would be sure that he would be safe.
I then mounted my horse and was off for Buckley, who
I found without difficult}', arrested him, and started on
my way back to Canyonville.

He came so near admitting the crime that I was sure
I had the two guilty men. I got back with my prisoner
just in time to take the stage for Jacksonville. Leaving
my horse at the livery stable, I instructed the liveryman
to send him at once to Jacksonville and I would pay all

TAKEN TO JAIL. 537

charges. [ handcuffed both prisoners and had them
shackled together, put them in the stage and started to
Jacksonville with them. I wired the sheriff that I had
both of the guilty parties and would be at Jacksonville
on the stage, which was due about six o'clock the next
morning.

The sheriff and his deputies met us that morning at
the edge of town. It had been noised around that I
would be in and they were somewhat afraid of a mob,
but we succeeded in getting to the jail all safe, and not
until then had I the faintest idea that I had stepped be-
yond my official duty in arresting those men without a
warrant and bringing them into another county.

These were the first white prisoners that I had ever
had any experience with. I had taken so many Indian
prisoners that never required any red tape, I naturally
supposed that the same rule would be applicable in this
case, but I got away with it just the same. That after-
noon we took the young man off to himself, and when he
was questioned by the district attorney and a certain
doctor, whose name has slipped my memory, he ad-
mitted the whole affair, and told us just where to go to
find McMahon's body. When he told us this the doctor
drew a diagram of the ground. Buckley said we would
find a tree a certain distance from the cabin that had
been blown out by the roots, and in that hole we would
find the body covered up with brush and chips thrown on
top of the brush. After giving this valuable information
we at once started out to hunt for the body.

It was now late in August and a little snow had fallen
on the mountains in the fore part of the night.

53^ fOUND THE DEAt) BODY.

By the aid of the diagram we went to the ground after
night, built up a fire and waited till morning. As soon
as it was light enough to see, the doctor took the dia-
gram out of his pocket, looked at it and said: "It should
be near here " He then turned, and seeing a tree that
had been blown over, said: "There is a tree that
answers to the description." We walked to the tree and
at once saw the toe of one of the dead man's boots pro-
truding through the brush. The doctor when gathering
wood the night before to build a fire, had walked almost
over the body and had picked up two or three chips of
wood from the brush which covered the body. We
waited some time before the crowd came with the wagon.
After they arrived the body was uncovered, loaded into
the wagon and hauled to Jacksonville, arriving in time
for the coroner to hold the inquest that afternoon, and
the following day the body was buried.

The time having been set for the preliminary exami-
nation, Barton's wife and her father arrived in Jackson-
ville the day before the time set for the trial, and his
father-in-law employed an attorney to conduct the case
in court in his behalf. When Barton was brought into
court he waived examination, but it was quite different
with Buckley. When he was brought in for trial the
judge asked him if he had counsel. He said he did not,
nor did he want any, but the judge appointed a lawyer
to take his case.

The lawyer took the prisoner off into a room in com-
pany with the deputy sheriff and they were gone about
twenty minutes. When they returned the lawyer stated
that the prisoner wished to plead guilty and receive his

STARVED HIMSELF. 539

sentence so he could start in at once to work it out.
Barton never had a trial, for he starved himself to death
and died in jail. The jailor told me that for seventeen
days he did not eat or drink but one spoonful of soup.

CHAPTER XL.

In society some more.^ — A very tight place. — Ten
PAIRS OF Yankee ears. — Black Bess shakes her-
self AT THE right TIME. A SOLEMN COMPACT.

I remained in Jacksonville until about the first of De-
cember, 1874, when I received a letter from Lieut. Jack-
son, who was 3'et at Fort Yuma, Ariz., stating that there
was an opening for me there, and asking me if I knew
where George Jones was at that time, and telling me if
possible to have him accompan}- me, as he would insure
us both employment in the scouting field upon our
arrival.

George was now living twelve miles from Jackson-
ville. Being sick and tired of idling away my time
around town, I rode out to pay George and his parents a
friendly visit before taking my leave for Arizona. I found

540 WE ARRIVE TN

them in rather good circumstances on a small farm on

Bear creek, near Phoenix, and a pleasant visit I had

with them at their beautiful little home, during which

time I showed the letter to George that I had received
from Lieut. Jackson. He expressed a desire to accom-
pany me on the trip, but as his parents were now get-
ting old and childish, he did not like to leave without
their consent, he being their only son.

Two days later George informed me that he had the
consent of his father and mother to go to Arizona, to be
gone one year, after which time he was going to quit the
business for all time. But we have quit the business be-
fore, and then I related the conversation I had with Jim
Bridger some years previous at the time I first made up
my mind to quit the scouting field.

The time being set for the start, I returned to Jack-
sonville for my other two horses, clothing, bedding and
other traps such as belong to an old scout. All being in
readiness, we bade Mr. and Mrs. Jones good-bye and
started on our way for Arizona and aimed to reach San
Francisco bv Christmas. We had five horses in our
outfit, I having three and George two. We arrived in
San Francisco on the twenty-first of December.

The next morning we were w^alking up Kearney street
near the Lick House when we met the reporter for the
CJironicle who I had ridden fc^r at the time of the hang-
ing of Captain Jack and associates at Fort Klamath.
The reporter expressed himself as being very glad to
meet us, and insisted on our taking a stroll over to the
Chronicle ofBce and meet the proprietors of the paper,

San Francisco. 541

whose names were DeYoung, their being three brothers
of them.

As we had not changed our clothing, having our trav-
eHng suits on I insisted on deferring the matter until the
next day, but this he would not hear to. As that would
not work I tried another plan by telling him that we had
not yet had our breakfast, but he told us that he had not
yet been to breakfast, and proposed that the three of U3
take breakfast together, or rather invited George and I
to take breakfast with him, which we did, seeing that
there was no chance to evade him.

After breakfast we accompanied him to the CJironicle
office, whice at that time was located on the corner of
Kearney and Pine streets, and here we met all three of
the DeYoung brothers. After being introduced to them
and spending some two hours with them, Charles De-
Young, the eldest of the three brothers, gave us a cor-
dial invitation to take dinner with him at his own resi-
dence, saying that dinner would be ready at six o'clock.
This, I think, was the first time in my life that I had
ever heard a six o'clock meal called dinner. Thanking
him for the kind offer I excused myself as 1 was in my
traveling suit, and the very thought of entering the pri-
vate residence of one of the popular men of the city
almost paralized me. But my excuses were all fruitless.
He would not even consider "No" as answer, and some
of them were with us until time for dinner, as he termed
it, but what I would have called supper.

With as bold a front as possible we accompanied Mr.
DeYoung to his residence, which we found to be a fine
mansion on California street. On arriving at his resi-

542 ARRIVE AT FORT YUMA.

dence we met there some ten or tweve other guests, both
ladies and gentlemen. Now the reader can have a faint
idea of the embarrassing position in which we were both
placed at that moment, and I can truthfully say that at
the moment I entered that mansion I would have given
three months' wa^es to have been away from there.
George Jones had on buckskin breeches and I had on a
buckskin suit, while the guests were dressed in style. I
tried to offer some apology, but at every attempt it
seemed that I onlv made a bad matter worse.

We were treated with the greatest respect while at
this place, and were asked many questic)ns by the other
guests relative to the Modoc war. the capturing of Cap-
tain Jack, etc., and the following morning quite an arti-
cle came out in the Chronicle concerning George Jones
and myself relative to the position we held in the Modoc
war.

We remained there imtil the last day of December,
on which day we started again o\\ our journey for Ari-
zona, via Salinas, Santa Bar'Dara and Los Angeles. Here
we lay over and let our horses rest fotu'days, after which
we proceeded on our journey via San Diego, which at
that time was a \ery suiall place. From there we struck
for the Colorado river and followed down the river to
Fort Yuma.

This route we took in order to avoid crossing any of
those sand deserts. We were about five weeks making
the trip, and reached Fort Yuma without any accident
or mishap whatever, and learned that the Indians were
worse in Arizona than when we left them several years

CHIEF OF SCOUTS. 543

before, as they were most all armed with rifles, instead
of bows and arraws, and many of them had pistols.

Lieut. Jackson told me he had lost more men the last
year out than in any other two seasons since he had been
in Arizona. He had received orders to take four hundred
cavalrymen and one hundred infantrymen and po into
the mountains and follow the Indians from place to place
the coming season. The Lieutenant told me that there
had been a settlement started the last year about ninety
miles from the line of Arizona and Senora, Mexico, and
they were not only troubled with the Indians, but the
Mexicans also came in there and stole their stock and run
it across the line.

Gen. Crook was still in charge of the command, and
wanted me to accompany Lieut. Jackson, saying: "I
do not expect you to do any hard service yourself, but
want you to take charge of the scout force and handle it
to suit yourself/'

If my memory serves me right, it was in the latter
part of March, 1875, when we made the start for the
mountains. For the first hundred miles our supplies
were hauled on wagons, but the balance of the way they
had to be packed on animals.

On our way out we passed near Salt River Valley,
that being settled up now with Americans. I started to
ride out to the settlement to ascertain something of the
nature of the depredations committed there lateh*. I
dressed in teamster's clothing and tied a pair of blankets
behind my saddle before starting to the settlement. It
was late in the evening, just about sunset, and I wasrid-
ing leisurely along, being within six or seven miles of the

544

MEET Mexicans.

settlement, when suddenly I came upon three Mexicans,
just cooking supper. They saw me as quick as I saw

them, and I
thought I was
in for it. I
was too near
them to at-
tempt to get
away, so all
that I could
do was to
make the
best I could
of it, take my
chances and
trust to luck.
When I rode
up I spoke to
them in my
own language
and one big
hurley look-
ing Mexican
said: "No in-
detenda English," meaning I don't understand English.
They then asked me in their tongue if I spoke Spanish,
which I understood as well as they did, but I shook my
head as if I could not understand a word they said.

I dismounted, untied the blankets from behind my
saddle, threw^ them down near the fire on which they
were cooking supper, but did not unsaddle my mare. I

I came opon three Mexicans cooking supper.

TEN PAIRS OF EARS. 545

was riding Black Bess, and one of them got up and
walked around her and examined her closely, and when
he returned to the fire he said: "Esta ismo mu3^a wano
cavia," meaning that is a good horse. Another one in
the crowd said J:ie had in his pocket just ten pairs of
ears that he had taken from the heads of Yankees, and
this would make the eleventh pair. Now I thought my
time had come, but I had been in tight places before and
had always managed in some way to get out.

While it looked very blue, still 1 made up my mind
that when it came to the worst I would get at least one
or two of them while they were doing me up. I did not
pretend to pay any attention to their conversation, yet at
the same time I could understand all that was uttered by
them. I learned that there were ten in the gang, and
the other seven had gone that night to the settlement for
the purpose of stealing horses, and were liable to return
at any time. While I was lying there on my blankets
I heard them lay their plans to kill me in case I went to
sleep, or if I got up and started to my horse they were
to shoot me before I got away. Now the reader can rest
assured that this was getting to be a serious affair with
me, for I knew that these Mexicans could handle a pistol
with good success, while they are as a rule experts witli
a knife, the latter being a Mexican stand-by. This was
a little the closest place that I had ever been in. It I
attempted to leave they would kill me as sure as I made
the start; if I stayed there until the other seven re-
turned, then I would not have a ghost of a show for my
life.

I laid there by the fire as though I was worn out en-

54^ Black Bess shakes herself.

tirely, listening to their talk, and more than once heard
the big rough-looking Mexican boast of a pair of Yankee
ears that he would take from my head.

Their supper being ready, they sat down to eat, but
did not invite me to sup with them. Thewy all three ate
out of the same fr3nng pan and poured their coffee out in
tin cups. Two of them had their backs turned toward
me, while the other one sat on the opposite side of the
frying pan that they were eating out of and facing me,
but they were paying but little attention to me. Black
Bess was feeding close by and on the opposite side of
them from where I lay. Now I made up my mind that
I would make a desperate effort to extricate myself from
this trap, for to stay there I knew meant death and I
would rather take my chances with those three than with
the entire gang. They were all sitting flat on the ground,
each had a pistol on him and their guns all lay within a
few feet of them. My only show for escape was to kill
two of them at the flrst shot and then I would have an
equal show with the other one, but now was the particu-
lar part of the work. Just one false move and the jig
was up with me, but it was getting time that I should be
at work for the other seven were likely to be there at
any moment. I carefully reached around under my coat
tail and got hold of both of my pistols, and just as I did
so, as good luck would have it, Black Bess shook herself
very hard and caused them to turn their eyes toward her,
and it could not have happened in a better time. I was
on my knees in an instant, and leveling a pistol at each
of the two with their backs towards me, I fired, and be-
ing almost near enough to have touched either of them

A LUCKY ESCAPE. 547

with tlie point of the pistol, it was a sure thing that I
would not miss them. After firing the first two shots I
was on mv feet in an instant, hy which time the third
man had taken a tumble to himself and was on his knees
and had his pistol about half out when I fired both pis-
tols at him and he fell back dead. Bv this time one of
the others had staggered to his feet and had his pistol
out, but, fortunately, he seemed to be blind, for he fired
his pistol in the opposite direction from where I stood.
I turned and dealt him his fatal dose.

I tried to catch their pack horses but missed one of
them, and as time was precious, for I did not know what
moment the seven would come, I took their rifles, broke
the stocks off of them, took their pistols along with me,
mounted Black Bess, rounded up their horses and started
for the train, and I lost no time in getting there, and as
I sped across the country on Black Bess after the nine
captured animals I felt that I could congratulate myself
on getting out of the tightest place I had ever been in,
without even a scratch.

When I arrived at camp and reported to the Lieuten-
ant he at once started two companies of cavalry out to
try and cut the other seven off, instructing them to watch
every trail and every watering place within fifty miles,
closely.

I changed horses and started with George Jones and
six other scouts, and the last words that Lieut. Jackson
said to me as I was ready to ride away was: "Don't
spare horse flesh, but run them down Cap, if it is possi-
ble, and let us break up this thieving band. I would
rather kill one Mexican any time than two Apaches."

548 WE GAVE CHASE.

Across the country we rode at a rapid rate, but were
not able to reach the spot until after daylight. The Mex-
icans had been there ahead of us and removed every-
thing but their dead comrades, those they did not at-
tempt to remove or even bury, leaving them for the
wolves that roved the country in search of food.

We were soon on their trail, which was easily fol-
lowed, as they were driving a large band of stock. About
the middle of the afternoon we came in sight of them.
When they first saw us we were so near them that they
deserted their band of stock and ran for their lives. We
gave chase, but could not get any nearer. We followed
them until dark, our horses being badly jaded, and I had
now been in the saddle for two days and one night in
succession, so we made camp for the night. The next
morning a detail of six men was made to drive the stolen
stock back to the settlement where it belonged, there be-
ing some forty head of horses and mules. The balance
of us returned to the trail, lay over and rested one day.
This put a stop to the Mexicans troubling the settlement
for some time.

Pulling on for the mountains, the second day we saw
the ruins of two wagons that had been burned, but could
get no trace of the teamsters. The supposition prevailed
that they were taken prisoners by the Apaches. The
Lieutenant established his headquarters fifty miles from
where he had his quarters when we were out before, and
now active work commenced, for there was plenty of it
to be done.

We had only been there a few days when two of my
scouts came in one evening and reported having seen

DISCOVER Indians. 549

about twenty Indians ten miles from camp and traveling
west. The scouts all being in, George Jones and I and
four other scouts and one company of cavalry started in
pursuit. We had no trouble in striking their trail, and
there being a good starlight that night and the country
somewhat sandy, we were able to track them easily. We
had not followed the trail more than two miles when we
passed over a ridge, and I looked down the valley ahead
of us and could see the glimmer of their fire. Here the
soldiers stopped, and I and my scouts went on in the
direction of the fires, which we supposed to be about
half a mile away but which proved to be nearer two
miles. When we were near the camp we dismounted
and crawled up. We located the horses, which were
mostly standing still at the time and two or three hun-
dred yards from camp. I "telegraphed" the soldiers to
come at once.

Taking the balance of the scouts we rode slowly and
carefully around, getting immediately between the In-
dian camp and their horses, I telling George Jones that
as soon as the soldiers started to make their charge to
follow me with the horses. But this time the Indians
were awake before the soldiers were on them and opened
fire on them, killing three horses and wounding two the
first round, but only one soldier was wounded, and the
sergeant in charge told me afterwards that he got eigh-
teen Apaches out "of the crowd, and we got twenty-seven
horses. We got back to headquarters about noon the
next day and learned that Lieut. Jackson had gone in a
different direction after another band of Apaches, which
he overhauled and got twelve scalps from their number*

550

A SURPRISE PARTY

Now we started for a trip on the east side of Black
canyon, six scouts and one company of cavalry, with
twenty-two pack animals, calculating to be gone about
ten days. On the fifth day of our trip George Jones,
myself and two other scouts were riding leisureh- along
about one mile in advance of the command when just as
we raised to the top of a little rocky ridge we came face
to face with a band of Indians, making a surprise to both
parties. I could not tell which party fired first, but we
gave them one round and seeing that there were too
many of them for us, we wheeled and started back down

the hill. As we
did so George
sang out: "My
horse i s shot,"
and just at that
time the horse
fell. George
t h r e w himself
clear of the horse
and when h e
struck the ground
he lit running,
and at his best
licks, too. The
rest of us dropped
behind George to
protect him until
we were off the
rocky ground. The Indians held their distance all the
way down the hill, not stopping to reload their guns.

Ge 1. G. A. Custer.

Indians kotted. 551

When we were at the foot of the hill the three of us that
were mounted, in order to give George Jones a chance to
ascend the hill, turned and gave them ariother volley.
Here I iired three shots and got two Indians and then
spurred up hy the side of George and gave him a chance
to jump on behind me, which he did. Jnst as we raised
to the top of the hill we met the command, who had
heard our firing and came to our relief, and they met the
Indians face to face. At this the Indians changed their
minds very suddenly, and it is useless to say that they
were on the back track much quicker than I could tell it.
The soldiers went in hot pursuit of them and got nine of
their number. From there we struck off in a south-
westerly direction, thinking that when we struck the
main road we might run on to some emigrants en-route
for California.

We struck the main road fift\- miles south of the
Lieutenant's quarters. Here we laid over two days,
thinking that there might be an emigrant train come
along that we could escort through to headquarters, this
part of the road being in the heart of the Apache coun-
try, and the most dangerous for emigrants from the fact
that it is all a timber country and over mountains which,
in places, are very rocky, thereb}' giving the Indians all
advantage over the emigrants.

The evening of the second day, just as we were sit-
ting down to supper, I received a message from Lieut.
Jackson for George Jones and myself to come to head-
quarters at once, but he did not state why he required
our presence there. As soon as supper w^as over we
started. The dispatch bearer thought it w^as at least

552 A SOLEMN COMPACT.

sixty miles, but we had supposed it was not more than
fift\-, each of us having two saddle horses.

At one place on the road the cayotes turned loose,
and it sounded as if there must have been a hundred, all
barking at once, and George Jones remarked: "Above
all things that I have dreaded while in this business is
being shot down and left on the plains for my bones to
be picked up by those sneaking wolves, and now^ Cap, I
will make this agreement with you; in case that either of
us happen to be killed, which is liable to happen any
day, the surviving one is to see that the other is buried
if in the bounds of possibility."

I said: "George, we will shake hands on that,"
w^hich we did, and I added: "You can also rest assured
that if ever you are shot down while in company with
me, no Indian will ever scalp you as long as I have the
strength to stand over your body, nor shall the cayotes
ever pick your bones if I live long enough to see that
you are buried," and the reader will see later on that
I kept my promise.

■:o: —

ATTACKED THE SETTLEMENT. 5 53

CHAPTER XLI.

We locate a small band of red butchers and send
them to the happy hunting grounds. emigrants

MISTAKE US FOR INDIANS. — GeORGE JoNES WOUNDED,

Just at sunrise we made our appearance at the Lieu-
tenant's quarters, and he informed us that the Indians
had made an attack on the settlement on the east side
of the San Antonio desert; had killed two families, taken
two little girls prisoner and captured a lot of stock from
the settlers.

This report had first reached Gen. Crook at Fort
Yuma, and he had dispatched the news to Lieut. Jack-
son. This being a strange country to the Lieutenant,
having never been over it and knowing that I had been
through it twice, once with Uncle Kit Carson and an-
other time in company with Jim Beckwith, he insisted on
my going out in that section to investigate the matter
and see whether or not the report was true.

The day following George and I started with four
assistants for the settlement. Each of us took two sad-
dle horses and one pack animal for each two men, with
ten days' rations. From there to the settlement was
about seventy-five miles.

Knowing just where the majority of the Apache force
was concentrated, we took rather a circuitous route in-

5 54 SAW A SMALL BAND.

stead of going direct to the settlement in order to ascer-
tain whether the depredations were committed by
Apaches or Pimas.

The fifth dav out we struck the settlement, but did
not cross the Indian trail, which led me to think that the
work was done by Pimas and not Apaches.

When we arrived there no one could tell us how
many Indians there were nor what they looked like, but
when I came to find out the truth of the matter there
had been no families massacred, nor had the two girls
been taken prisoners, but there had been two boys killed
that were herding stock.

We remained there one day in order to learn what we
could in regard to the trouble and then struck the trail
of the Indians and followed it two days, but it was so
old that we gave it up, as it was then twelve days since
the depredations were committed and we knew that the
Indians were a long wa}'s off bv that time. W^e took a
different route on our return, and the second day we saw
a small band of Indians traveling toward the settlement,
which we had left four days previous. We started in
pursuit of them and struck their trail before it was dark.
I was confident that the y would camp at the first water
they came to, which was about seven or eight miles from
there, so we staked our horses out on good grass, sat
down and ate our lunch while we waited for the clear
nujon to make its appeariiece and light us across the
countr\- where we might find the noble red men of the
plains and entertain them for a while at least. We
thought that it would take us about all night to track

SURPRISED IN CAMP. 5 55

them up by the hght of the moon, find their camp and
phiy them just one Httle tune of "How came you so?"

Abut ten o'clock the moon arose, but we waited until
it was two hours high, giving our horses a chance to fill
up, after which we mounted and took the trail of the
Pimas, which we had not great trouble in finding.

After we had followed the trail about seven miles we
came to their horses, but could see no signs of any camp,
and we at once made up our minds that the Indians were
not far away, but that they had either built no fire or the
fire had. gone entirely out, for we could see no signs of
any.

Dismounting, George took one man with him and I
took one with me, leaving the other two v/ith the horses,
and started out in different directions to look for their
camp. After wandering around about an hour I found
where they were camped, and they were sound asleep and
lying in a row but each one separate. We then returned
to our horses and in a short time George came in. It
was now getting high time that we were at work, for it
was beginning to get daybreak, so after I had explained
how they laid, five of us started for them, leaving one
man with the horses. They were lying about two hun-
dred and fifty yards from where we had stopped with our
horses. We crawled up abreast until within ten feet of
the Indians, and each scout drew both his revolvers,
sprang to his feet, and I need not say that we made
quick work of those redskins. Only one got to his feet,
and he did not stand a second until there were three or
■ four "bullets in his body, but not one of us got a scratch
in this fight.

556 TO PROTECT EMIGRANTS.

Now the fun was over and we were not afraid to
speak out, so we called out for the man that we left in
charge of our horses to bring them over, and we gathered
some wood and built a fire.

It had been several days since we had had fresh meat,
but the Pimas had been kind enough to kill an antelope
that day, and as they had only eaten of it once, we had
a feast tha,t morning, which we enjoyed very much.

We gathered up the guns and amm.unition that be-
longed to the Indians, which, by the way, was the best
armed lot of Indians I had ever seen. Each one of them
had a good rifle and a Colt revolver, and one of them
had the handsomest knife I ever saw. Had w^e not run
on to them no doubt they would have done some devil-
ment in the white settlement the following day. We
reached headquarters in three days.

It was now time for the emigrants to begin to travel
over the Butterfield route, and Lieut. Jackson started
one company of cavalry across to the opposite side
of the mountain some sixty miles away to protect the
emigrants, and George Jones and I both accompanied
them. We established our quarters about a half mile
from the road at the foot of the mountains on the south
side.

The next day after we struck this place George and I
started out to scout over the country to see whether or
not there were any Indians in the country and also ride
out on the road and look for emigrants.

The second day out we climbed to the top of a high
ridge, and by looking through the glass we could see a
large emigrant train coming, which we thought to be

MISTAKEN FOR INDIANS 557

about twenty miles distant. We knew very well where
it would camp, and by riding briskly we would be able to
meet it by dark; so we rode on and reached the emi-
grants about sunset. They were just corralling their
wagons for the night, and when they saw us coming they
took us for Indians and every man went for his gun. As
soon as we saw them start for their guns we both took
off our hats and waved them over our heads, when they
saw that they were needlessly alarmed. This train was
from Texas, and the name of the captain was Sours, and
it was beyond doubt the best organized train I ever saw
on the plains; everything seemed to move like clock
work.

When I told Capt. Sours who we were and what our
business was and that as soon as they got to our quarters
they would have an escort, he said: "I am indeed very
glad to know that there is some protection out here for
emigrants, but as for ourselves we do not need it much,
for every man in my train has seven shots, and some of
them three times that number."

We stayed with them that night and the next morn-
ing pulled out for our quarters. We remained there for
a month, but did not see any Indians during that time.

At the end of the month there came along a large
train from Arkansas and Texas. We escorted it across
the mountains expecting that this would wind up the
emigrant travel across there for the season. When we
arrived at Lieut. Jackson's quarters he started George
and I and two other scouts out towards the Salt river
valley settlement, telling me that he would move down
near Mrs. Davis' ranch and there he would wait until he

558

A CLOSE CALL.

should hear from me. The third day out we made camp

earlv on account of water, and after deciding on the spot

w h ere w e
should pitch
our camp for
the night
George rode
off to a high
ridge near by
to take a look
o V e r the
country. He
was not gone
long before he
made his ap-
pearance rid-
ing at full
speed, and an-
nouced that
there was a

large band of Indians coming direct for our camp, and

would be on to us before we could saddle up and get away.
"Get your horses boys," were his first words, and

every man made a rush for his horse, but before we

could get saddled the Indians hove in sight, and not over

half a mile away.

''There they are," said George as he jumped On to

his horse again, "and there must be at least sixty of

them. "

I was not long in making up my mind what to do.

We all got our horses saddled and were mounted just in

Riding into camp at full speed.

George Jones wounded. 559

the nick of time to get away for we were not twenty
yards from camp when they were close on to us.

Down the ravine we went with the Apaches in hot
pursuit of us. I yelled out to the boys to turn to the
left across the ridge and when we were over the turn we
stopped and gave them a volley, and picked off the
leaders as they came in sight. I saw a number of them
fall, but it did not appear to check them in the least.
They were coming too thick and we wheeled and were
off again with some of them within at least thirty yards
of us, but we gained on them gradually. Finally George
Jones sang out: "I am shot through the arm." I reined
my horse up by his side and asked if his arm was broken.
He said it was, and I could see it was hanging down and
the blood almost streaming off his fingers. I asked if he
felt sick, and he said he did not.

Of course all the time this conversation was going on
we were putting our ho.ses down to their utmost. George
said: "I am all right if I don't get another shot," so I
told him to tak9 the lead and not to spare his horse. I
also told the other boys to fall back to the rear so we
could protect him, as he was badly wounded and the In-
dians were holding their own pretty well.

On looking ahead I saw another little ridge and I
told the bovs that when we were over that to all turn
and give them two shots each, and for each to be sure to
get his Indian. This order was carried into effect and
they were so near us that I think each shot did its work.
This brought them to a halt and they did not crowd us
any more; it was soon dark and we escaped without any
further mishap.

560 WE GAVE CHASE.

After we could hear no more of them we rode to the
top of a ridge where we would have a chance to protect
ourselves in case of another attack, and dismounted to
ascertain the extent of George's wound, and as the ex-
citement died down he commenced feeling sick at his
stomach. I gave him a drink of whiskey from a bottle
that I had carried in my canteen at all seasons, and this
was the second time the cork had been drawn from the
flask. When we got his coat off and examined his
wound we found that the arm was broken just below the
elbow. Using our handkerchiefs for bandages, we
dressed the hurt as best we could, corded his arm to stop
the flow of blood and then pulled out for headquarters,
arriving there just at daybreak.

I took George to the surgeon, who set the bone and
dressed the arm up "ship shape," after which he gave
him something to make him sleep.

After seeing George in bed I at once repaired to the
Lieutenant's quarters and found him just arising. He
asked me if I was too tired to make another chase, and I
told him I would be ready as soon as I could eat my
breakfast. He said in one hour's time he would have
two companies of cavalry ready to start.

After breakfast I changed horses, and taking four
other scouts, started out to pilot the cavalry to where
we could take the trail of the Indians. On this trip each
scout took four days' rations, and about one o'clock that
afternoon we struck a plain trail that we followed at a
lively gait until nearly dark; the scout force riding from
one to two miles ahead so in case we should get in sight
of the reds we could telegraph back to the command, or

THIRTEEN FRESH GRAVES. 561

should the Indians attempt to give us another chase we
might be able to run them up against the soldiers, where
they would find amusement for a while.

We followed them for two days but never got sight
of them. They had turned and made their way back in
the direction of Black canyon and we gave up the chase,
but we were sure that in the running fight we had with
them that evening we had killed at least thirteen, as we
found that many newly made graves when we went back
to take their trail.

We returned to headquarters and I found George do-
ing splendidly, and the next day we all pulled out for
Fort Yuma. The first day's travel took us to Mrs.
Davis' This w^as the first time I had seen her or any of
her family since the next day after the funeral of her
husband and two sons in the fall of 1866.

Mrs. Davis insisted on George staying there with them
until his arm was well, which kind and hospitable offer
he accepted, remaining two months. We put in our
time that winter as usual when wintering at the fort,
doing nothing,

— :o:^-

562 St. Louis Valley.

CHAPTER XLII.

"We are all surrounded." — A bold dash and a bad
WOUND. — Mrs. Davis shows her gratitude. — The

MOST of my work now DONE ON CRUTCHES.

It was the last of February or first of March, 1876,
that we started for St. Louis Valley. I had visited this
valley twice, but had come in both times from the oppo-
site direction to which we would have to enter the valley
in going from camp, consequently I was at a loss to
know just which direction to go from camp to strike the
valley where we wanted to enter it; but we struck out
southeast, tr.king twenty days' provisions with us. The
ninth da\' out we came in sight of the valley from the
west side. Ic being about noon, water being handy and
no end to the grass, we stopped there for dinner and to
let our horses graze. After I had taken a squint through
my glasses, I called the Lieutenant to me and handed
them to him.

He sat and looked for a long time, and when he took
the glasses from his eyes he said: "That is beyond any
doubt the prettiest sight I ever saw in my life." There
were small bands of bi^on scattered here and there all
over the valle\-, elk by the hundreds and deer too num-
erous to mention, but not an Indian nor even a sign of
one could be seen in this lovely valley.

Little Raven, Arapahoe Chief.

A USELESS TRIP.

563

"I have made this trip unnecessarily," said he, "for
I had expected to find many Httle bands of Indians in

%.^

.r.'r

<f:--.^

Some bands of bison scattered here and there.

this valley hunting, but in that I am disappointed." We
then turned back for headquarters as quick as possible,
making the entire trip without seeing an Indian or even
a sign of one.

Some time in June the Lieutenant started out in com-
mand of two companies of cavalry to cross the mountains
to protect the emigrants, George Jones and I ahead with
four assistants.

The Lieutent having told us where he would camp
that night, it was the duty of the scouts to make a cir-
cuit of the camp before dark. On arriving at the ap-
pointed place, George and I started to make a tour of
the camp, leaving the other scouts at the camping place-
It was about sunset when we saw a band of Indians
as we supposed about four miles from where we were to
camp that night, and about one mile and a half from
where we then were. We put spurs to our horses and
headed for the Indian camp, as we were desirous of ascer-

564

DISCOVER Indians.

taining about their number and getting the location of the
ground before it was too dark. When we were within

about a quarter
: of a mile, it being
: nearly dark, we
; were just in .the
^ act of tying our
^ horses, intending
to crawl up near
their camp, we
heard a rumbling
noise back in the
direction from
T^ which we had just
come. I crawled
> ' quickl\' around
^Om the hill and saw
^.--^-- * another band of
Indians coming
directly toward
u s, ^^'ho were
making their way
as we supposed
to w here the
other Indians
were camped. I
got back to my
horse in less time than it took me to crawl away from
him, then we mounted and got awa}^ as we supposed, un-
discovered, and rode up a ravine and in a direction that
we would not be seen by the Indians, Not thinking our-

Another band of Indians coming toward us.

A BOLD DASH AND A BAD WOUND. 565

selves in any immediate danger, we did not hurry. After
riding up the ravine only a short distance, just as we
rounded a curve, we were brought face to face with an-
other band of Indians. This was, I think, a small band
that had left the main band to hunt for game and were
just getting into camp, but we did not make any in-
quiries as to what success they had in hunting, nor did
we ask whether they had been hunting at all.

The moment we saw them we drew our pistols and
commenced firing, and they returned the fire. We were
almost entirely surrounded by Indians, and I saw that it
was no place for me, so I sang out to George: "Let's
break through their ranks." "All right," said he, and
we drove the spurs into our horses with all vengeance,
riding about fifteen feet apart and succeeding in getting
through unhurt, and away we rode for quarters, closely
followed by the redskins. Now we thought w^e were safe,
and each in his own mind was congratulating himself,
when a ball struck me in the left hip which paralyzed my
whole side and wrecked my whole nervous system. I
sang out to George to drop behind and whip my horse,
for now I had no use whatever of my left leg, and it took
all the strength in my right leg to hang on to the horse.
No quicker said than he was behind my horse and doing
all in his power to urge him, and telling me for God's
sake to hang on a little longer.

The soldiers had just rode into camp and vv^ere dis-
mounting when they heard our firing, and remounted and
started in that direction, but as it was getting dark and
the country strange to them they could not make very
good time. They met us about half way between the

566 AROUND ON CRUTCHES.

camp and the Indians, the reds still in hot pursuit of us.
The Lieutenant ordered a charge, and he had his men so
trained that when he said charge they did not stop shoot-
ing as long as there was an Indian to shoot at.

By this time I was so sick that George had to help
me off my horse, and leaving two men with me, he went
on after, and overhauled the command before they got
to the Indian camp, where they found the Indians, ready
for battle, and here I think the Lieutenant got the worst
of the fight, for when he made the attack the Indians at-
tacked him in the rear. The men had to carry me in
their arms to camp, as they had no stretchers in the out-
fit, and there I lay four weeks before an ambulance
came. I was then removed to Fort Yuma. George
Jones took charge of the scout force after I was wounded.

I told George then that if I should be fortunate
enough to get over my wound I would quit the business
for all time. After remaining in the hospital at the fort
about two months I was able to get around on crutches.
Mrs. Davis having heard of my misfortune, came over in
company with her brother to see how I was getting
along, and insisted on my going home with them and re-
maining until such time as I could ride on horseback,
which kind offer I accepted, with the consent of the doc-
tor, he giving me a supply of medicine sufficient to last
me several weeks.

I remained there until after Christmas, when George
came after me, and by this time I was able to walk with
a cane. I then returned to Fort Yuma, having made up
my mind to draw my pay and quit the business.

George also being tired of this kind of life, had con-

Yellow Bear, Arapahoe Chief.

A NEW CONTRACT. 567

eluded to return to his home in Oregon. When I made
our intentions known to Gen. Crook he asked me how I
would ever be able to get to civilization, for the mail was
yet carried on horseback and I was not able to ride in
that way. He insisted on my remaining wnth him the
coming season, and if I should not be able to ride I
could stay in camp and give orders to the other scouts.
I asked George what he thought of the matter, and he
said: "I will leave the matter with you, if you stay an-
other season I will, or if you say leave I will quit also."
However, w^e decided after talking matters over to stay
there one more season, and that would end our scouting
career, both vowing that we w^ould quit after that, and
in our contract this time with the General we ageed to
stay until the coming January, and George and I were to
have two-thirds of all the property captured during this
campaign.

CHAPTER XLHI.

Poor Jones makes his last fight. — He died among

A lot of the devils he had slain. END OF THIRTY-
ONE YEARS OF Hunting, trapping and scouting.

About the first day in March, 1877, we started out on
our summer's campaign. I was now able to mount a

568 FIND Indians,

horse by being assisted, but had to be very careful and
only ride a short distance, and very slow at that. The
third day on our trip from the fort George reported hav-
ing seen the trail of quite a large band of Indians travel-
ing westward almost parallel with the road, but said they
had passed about two days before. I asked the Lieu-
tenant to give me his camping places that night and the
next one, which he did. I then told George to select
four men from the scout force, take two days' rations and
see if he could run down the Indians and to telegraph
me when they changed their course or when he had them
located.

George was on their trail before noon and before sun-
set he had them located, only a short distance from the
place where I had been wounded the year before. I got
a dispatch from him just as I was ready to turn in for
the night, and by one o'clock I recived another dispatch
stating that there were about eighty in the band, and
well armed, and among them about twenty squaws and
their children. This was something we had never seen
among the Apaches before. Lieut. Jackson asked my
opinion of their having their families with them. I told
him I thought they must be on their way to Sonora to
trade, as at that time the Apaches had never traded but
very little with the whites.

They might be out for a hunt, but it was not custo-
mary when on such a trip to have their families with
them. Upon the receipt of the second dispatch from
George, Lieut. Jackson started out with three companies
of cavalry, and arrived at the spot near daybreak. I was
told afterwards that George had been crawling around

DEATH OF George Jones. 569

all night getting the location of the Indians, the general
lay of the ground and to ascertain the best plan of at-
tack, knowing it would be so late by the time the Lieu-
tenant would arrive that he himself would have no time
to spare, and he had a diagram drawn on a piece of en-
velope of the camp and surroundings, also had their
horses located. When the Lieutenant was ready to
make the attack George took four of the scouts and
started to cut the horses off and prevent the Indians
from getting to them, but it seemed as though when the
cavalry started to make the charge, the Indians' dogs
had given the alarm an-d a part of the Indians had made
for their horses. At any rate when daylight came George
was found some two hundred yards from the Indian en-
campment, with both legs broken and a bullet through
his neck, which had broken it, and four Indians lying
near him dead, which he no doubt had killed, and his
horse lay dead about a rod from where he lay. No one
had seen him fall nor had heard a word from him after
he gave the order to charge for the horses. About the
middle of that afternoon they returned to camp with
George's body and seven others that were killed, and
nineteen wounded soldiers. They had killed thirty-seven
Indians and had taken all the squaws and children pris-
oners. After I had looked at the body of that once
noble and brave 'form, but now a lifeless corpse, I told
the Lieutenant that I was ready to leave the field, for
there was not a man in the entire army that could fill
his place, and without at least one reliable man in the
field it would be impossible to accomplish anything.

The dead were buried about two hundred yards north

570

THE GRAVE.

of the spring where we had camped, and I saw that
George Jones was put away in the best and most respect-
able manner possible considering the
circumstances by which we were
governed at that time. We buried
him entirely alone, near a yellow
pine tree, and at his head we placed
a rude pine board, dressed in as
good a shape as could be done with
such tools as were accessible to our
use. On this board his name was
engraved, also his age and the man-
ner in which he came to his death,
and the same is also to be seen on

the yellow pine tree that stands
Geroge Jones' grave. ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^£ ^^-^ ^^^^ ^^^^^

friend and hero of the plains.

My brave and noble comrade,

You have served your country true,

Your trials and troubles are ended
And you have bade this world adieu.

You have been a noble companion,

Once so trusty, true and brave;
But now your cold and lifeless form

Lies silent in the g ave.

While your form remains here with us

In this wicked dismal land.
Your soul has crossed the river

And joined the angel band.

The prisoners that were taken here Lieut. Jackson
sent to Fort Yuma and placed under guard, as Gen.
Crook had made up his mind to capture all the Apaches

A LONESOME SUMMER. 5/1

he could and tr}- in thrit way to civilize them, but he
made a total failure in regard to this particular tribe of
Indians,

I informed George's father and mother of his death
as soon as I could get a letter to them, telling them as
soon as I returned to the fort I would draw his pay and
send it it to them, which I did. When I talked to Lieut.
Jackson ot quitting he said he could not spare me until
the summer's campaign was over, so I remained with
him.

We moved on and established our quarters at the
same place as the year before, and a more lonesome
summer I never put in anywhere than there. I was not
able to do anything more than stay in camp and give
orders until late in the season. Lieut. Jackson had two
more engagements that season, but I was not able to be
in either of them.

The first one the soldiers killed nine Indians, and the
other time the Indians made an attack on him while he,
with twenty of his men, were escorting an emigrant train
across the mountains. In this engagement the Lieuten-
ant did not lose a man, and only three horses, and killed
twenty-three Indians and gave them a chase of about
ten miles.

It was now getting late in the fall and Lieut. Jackson
pulled out for the fort, and by that time I was just able
to climb on my horse without assistance. We arrived
at Fort Yuma about the first of November, and there I
remained till the first of June, 1878.

Before I left I made Mrs. Davis and her family a
farewell visit. Two of her daughters were then married

572 QUIT SCOUTING.

and lived near their mother, and all seemed to be in a
prosperous condition. After a pleasant visit with the
Davis folks I returned to the fort and commenced mak-
ing preparations to leave, but was delayed in starting at
least a month on account of some soldiers who had
served their time out und were going to return with me.
I told my old friend Lieut. Jackson the day before start-
ing that I did not think that there was another white
man in the United States that had seen less of civiliza-
tion or more of Indian warfare than I had, it now being
just thirty-one years since I started out with Uncle Kit
Carson onto the plains and into the mountains.

When I left the fort this time it was with the deter-
mination that I would not go into the scouting field
again, and I have kept my word so far, and think I shall
thus continue. I started out from the fort with twenty-
three head of horses, and I packed the baggage of the
four discharged soldiers in order to get them to help me
with my loose horses.

— :o: —

A BEAR HUNT. 573

CHAPTER XLIV.

A GRIZZLEY HUNTS THE HUNTER.^— ShOOTING SEALS IN

Alaskan waters. — I become a Seattle hotel

KEEPER AND THE BIG FIRE CLOSES ME OUT. SOME

REST.

On my arrival at San Francisco the first thing was to
get rid of my surplus horses. During the time I was
selling them I made the acquaintance of a man named
Walter Fiske, who was engaged in raising Angora goats,
about one hundred and twenty miles north from San
Francisco, and who was something of a hunter also.
Mr. Fiske invited me to go home with him and have a
bear hunt.

Being tired of the city, I accompanied Mr. Fiske to
his ranch. He said he knew where there was a patch of
wild clover on which the grizzlies fed, so we were off for
a bear hunt. We soon found where they fed and watered.
They had a plain trail from their feeding place to the
water. Mr. Fiske being hard of hearing proposed that
[ stop on the feeding ground and he would take his stand
down on the trail, and in case I should get into trouble
I could run down the trail, and if he were to get into a
tight place he would run up the trail to where I was. I
took my stand and had not been there long until I saw,
just behind, in about twenty feet of me, a huge grizzly

574

A LIVELY CHASE.

bear coming for me on his hind feet. I did not see a

tree that I could get behind or chmb, so I took out along

the trail as fast as I could, the grizzly after me. For

•^^^^^^=E^_ _^ the first fifty yards I had to

^^^^^^^^^^^"^"=rs-.:-_~£= ^^^^ ^P grade and then I

turned down hill. When I
reached the top of the hill I
commenced to hallo at the
top of my voice, "Lookout
Walter, we are comingf ! "
Walter was sitting only a
few steps from the trail and
the moment I passed him I
heard the report of his gun.
I jumped to one side and
gave the bear a shot. I got

"Look out Walter, we are coming!"

in two shots and Fiske four. After receiving this amount
of lead the bear ran but a short distance and dropped

BOUGHT A RANCH. 575

dead. All of the shots were near the bear's heart. We
dressed him and started home and we had bear meat
enough to last for some time to come. In the mean
time Mr. Fiske had told me about a man four miles from
his place who had a ranch for sale, consisting of three
hundred and twenty acres of deeded land, one hundred
acres in cultivation, eighty bearing fruit trees and two
acres of a vine3'ard. He said the place could be bought
cheap, and he also told me that there was a vacant quar-
ter section adjoining this land that I could take up, and
I would have the finest goat ranch in the country. Mr.
Fiske and I took a trip down and found the owner very
anxious to sell. After looking the ranch over and get-
ting his figures, I made him an offer of four thousand
dollars for everything, which offer he accepted, he re-
serving nothing but one span of horses, his bed and
clothing. We then went to Santa Rosa, the county seat,
to get an abstract of title and a deed to the property,
and now I am once more an honest rancher. While in
Santa Rosa I hired a man and his wife by the name of
Benson, by the year. Mr. Benson proved to be a good
man and his wife a splendid housekeeper. All went well
for about five months, and having filed on the quarter of
vacant land adjoining me, of course I had to move over
there. I had noticed a change in Benson's appearance,
but had not thought much about it till one Saturday I
sent him to haul some pickets over to my pre emption
claim. That night, having compan}-, I did not go to
the cabin on the claim, but stayed on the other place.
Benson was not at supper that evening, but I paid no
attention to it nor thought it strange, supposing he was

576 Benson insane.

just a little late getting home. The next morning I no-
ticed that he was not at the breakfast table, and I asked
Mrs. Benson why Mr. Bensen didn't come to his break-
fast. She asked if I had not told him to stay on the
pre-emption claim that night. I told her that I had not
and that I had the key and he could not get into the
house, and besides there was no feed there for the mules.
She commenced to feel uneasv then. So as soon as
breakfast was over I took one of my hired men and
started out to hunt for him. We struck the wagon trail
and tracked him around for some time. He had trav-
eled in a terribly round about way. We finally came to
him where he had run his team against a tree, and when
we came upon him he was down in front of the mules
whipping them around the fore legs trying to make them
get down and pray. He did not notice us until I spoke to
him and told him to quit whipping the mules. When he
looked at me I could see that he was perfectly wild. It
took us both three hours to get him back to the house.
I sent for the constable, who took him to Santa Rosa
and from there he was taken to the insane asylum. His
wife went East to her folks, and I was told afterwards
that he got all right.

I next tried a Chinese housekeeper, but John China-
man had too many relations in the country. There
would be two or three Chinamen there almost every week
to see my cook and would stay one or two nights. It
was not what they ate that I cared for, but what they
carried off.

I tried ranching there for three years and during that
time I had three different men with their wives, but

QUIT RANCHING.

577

there was always something wrong, too far from church
or too far from neighbors, so I came to the conclusion
that a man had no use with a ranch unless he had a wife.
In the mean time I had proved up on my pre-emption,

The Chinee housekeeper.

and had all my land fenced in with a picket fence made
of red wood pickets. I had also got sick and tired of
ranching, not but what I had done fairly well, but it was
too much bother for a man that had been raised as I had.

57^ A HUNTING PARTY.

I went to San Francisco and placed my land in the hands
of a real estate agent for sale, and it was but a short
time when he sent two men out to look at it. This was
the fall of the year when my fruit was just beautiful and
the grapes ripe in the vineyard, and we were not long in
making a trade.

In less than one month I was without a house or home,
so I placed my money in the bank and arranged to get
my interest semi-annually, and made up my mind to take
things easy the balance of my days.

About one year from that time I succeeded in getting
up a hunting party, and we went up into the mountains
in Mendocino county, where we found game in abun-
dance, deer, elk and bear. I stayed out in the moun-
tains nearly three months, during which time I killed the
largest grizzly bear I have ever seen, weighing net, eight
hundred and sixty pounds. This bear I killed at one
shot, and it is the only grizzly that I ever killed at one
shot in all my hunting. We also killed ten large elk.
One man in the party killed an elk that the horns meas-
ured from tip to tip, five feet and four inches, and those
horns can be seen at the Lick House in San Francisco.
He sold them for fifty dollars.

I remained in San Francisco until in the spring of
1886, when there was a party fitting up a schooner to go
sealing on the coast of Alaska, and I was offered a job
as shooter. I agreed to go with them and they were to
pay me two dollars for each seal that I killed. The first
of April we started, and were twenty-two days getting to
where there was seal.

Now this was a new business to me, and my first seal

SHOOTING SEALS.

579

Shooting Seal.

hunting was near the mouth of the Yukon river. The
captain anchored about twenty miles from land. There

were six sealing
boats with the
schooner, the
shooter had
charge .of his
boat, and there
were two or
three other men
:o accompany him. One of my
)oatmen was a Frenchman and
le other a German; they were
both stout and willing to work.
While I received two dollars
a piece for all the seals killed, the}^ only got one dollar
each, making in all four dollars each that the seals cost
the company^.

In the morning the captain gives each man his course
and instructions to return at once when the signal can-
non is fired. The first morning that we started out we
went about four miles before we saw any seal, when we
ran on to a school sleeping on the water. The two boat-
men pulled up among, them and I turned loose to shoot-
ing them and got six out of the outfit before they got
away from us. Shooting seal out of a boat reminded me
very much of shooting Indians when on a bucking cay-
use, as the boat is always in motion, and it is all that a
person can do to stand up in it when the sea is any ways
rough. That day I killed nine seal and we were called
in at two o'clock, as there was fog coming up, and we

58o

LOST IN THE FOG.

just got in ahead of it. We had fair success seahng until
the last of August, when my crew ventured a little too
far and the wind changed so that we did not hear the
cannon and the fog caught us. Each crew when starting
out in the morning always took supplies along sufficient
to last twenty-four hours. This time when we got caught
in the fog the wind had changed on us, so we tried to
remain as near the same place as possible, but this time
we had to guess at it as we could not always tell just
which way the tide was going. This was beyond any
doubt the worst trip that I ever experienced, the fog was
very cold and our clothing wet. We were out three days
and nights and then were picked up by another schooner.

The captain
of the schoon-
er that picked
us up heard
the firing of
our cannon
that morning
and we were
picked up
about noon.
He at once
set sail for
our schooner,
firing the sig-
nal cannon
every half
hour, reaching our schooner jnst as it was growing dark,
and the captain and crew had given us up for lost. We

The Schooner in the fog.

KEEPING HOTEL. 58 I

stayed out until the last of September, when we sailed
for San Francisco, and this wound up my seal hunting.

There was only one other man in the crew that killed
more seal than I did during the season, but I made the
largest day's killing of any one in the crew, that being
twenty seven. But one season was enough for me in
that line of business. I concluded that I w:ould much
rather take my chances on dry land.

In the spring of 1887 I took a trip to the Puget Sound
country and found Seattle a very lively place; in fact, as
much so as any place I had ever seen in my life. After
remaining in Seattle about two months I concluded that
I would try my hand at the hotel business, as that was
something I had not tried, so I bought out a man named
Smith, w^ho owned a big hotel on the corner of South
second and Washington streets, just opposite John
Court's Theatre Building, paying Mr. Smith sixteen
thousand dollars for the property, and besides this I
spent one thousand two hundred dollars in repairing and
fitting it up in shape. I gave it the name of "Riverside
House." Here I built up a good business in the hotel
line. In fact, inside of six months from the time I
opened up I had all that I could accommodate all the
time, and this was the first time in my life that I had
been perfectly satisfied.

I had all the business I could attend to, and was
making money, and as fast as I could accumulate a little
money I invested it in different parts of the city in good
property.

In the month of May, 1889, two brothers named
Clark, from Chicago, came to my hotel for the purpose of

582

BURNED OUT.

buying me out, but I told them my property was not for
sale, as I was satisfied and liked the business and did not
r^-^-v -^ think I could

_j^-,v^.i.V' I J. 1 find a place

' ^ ^^^^ that would

suit me better;
but about the
first of June
they returned
and made me
a n offer o f
twenty thou-
sand dollars.
I told them
that I would
?not sell at any
price, as I was
satisfied and
intended to re-
main there as long as I lived. On the morning of the
sixth of June, 1889, my clerk came to my room and woke
me up, saying that there was a fire in the northern part
of towm and that the wind was blowing strong from that
direction. I dressed at once, and when I got out on the
street I could see the fire about a half mile from my
property, but had not the faintest idea that it would ever
reach me, although the excitement was running high on
the street. I returned to the hotel, washed, and w^as
just eating my breakfast when one of the waiters came
and told me that he could see the fire from the door. I
told he must be mistaken, but he w^ent and looked again

Mv clerk woke me up, saying there was a fire.

A HEAVY LOSS. 583

and came back and told me that the fire was getting very

close. I ran to the door and saw that it was then within

one block of my hotel. Now I saw that my property

was sure to be burnt, so I sent my clerk up stairs to see
whether or not there were any lodgers in the rooms, and
I made a rush for the safe and only just had time to get
it unlocked and the contents out when the fire was
on us.

That fire wiped me out slick and clean as I did not
have a dollar's worth of insurance on the property. Any
business man would have known enough at least to have
a few thousand dollars of insurance on that amount of
property, but I had never seen a iire before in a city and
thought it folly to insure, and did not find out my mis-
take until it was too late. During the next six months
I had a number of offers of money to build a brick hotel
on my lots, but I could not think for a moment of bor-
rowing the money for that purpose.

I remained in Seattle for nine months, during which
time there was a great decrease in the value of property,
and I sold my lots where my hotel had stood at a very
reduced price. I tried various speculations on a small
scale during this time, but with very poor success.

By this time I had spent and lost in speculation about
all the money that I had realized for my property, and
the outside property that I owned I could not sell at any
price. Since that time I have wandered around from
pillar to post, catching a little job here and there, and at
this writing I am temporarily located at Moscow, Idaho,
which is situated in the heart of the famous Palouse

584 CONCLUSION,

country, one of the greatest countries on the globe for
the growing of wheat, oats, barley, rye, flax and vege-
tables of all kinds.

And now kind reader, begging your pardon, I would
say that I have been two years making up my mind to
allow my life to go down in history to be read by the public,
as notoriety is something I never cared for. One reason,
perhaps, is that I was brought up by noble and generous-
hearted Kit Carson, who ver}' much disliked notoriety,
and I do not believe that there ever was a son who
thought more of his father than I did of that high-minded
and excellent man.

I have had man}' opportunities to have the history of
my life written up, but would never consent to anything
of the kind. Finalh', however, I decided to write it mv-
self, and while it is written in very rude and unpolished
language, by an old frontiersman who never went to
school a day in his life, all he knows he picked up him-
self, yet it is the true history of the most striking events,
trials, troubles, tribulations, hardships, pleasures and
satisfactions of a long life of strange adventure among
wild scenes and wilder people, and in telling the story I
hope I have interested the reader.

It is not strange that in the wilderness, where all
nature sings, from the fairy tinkle of the falling snow to
the boom of a storm-swept canyon; and from the warb-
ling of the birds to the roaring growl of mad grizzlies;
and from the whispers of lost breezes to thunder of thou-
sands of stampeding hoofs — it is not strange that among
all that, even a worn and illiterate old hunter should try

THE OLD SCOUTS LAMENT. 5S5

to sing, if nothing more than the same sort of a song that
the dying sachem sings. So I beg you bear with

THE OLD SCOUT'S LAMENT.

Come all of you, my brother scouts,

And join me in my song;
Com?, let U". sing together,

Though the shadows fall so long.

Of all the old frontiersmen,

That used to scour the plain,
There are but very few of them

That with us yet remain.

Dav after day, they're dropping off;

They are going, one by one;
Our clan is fast decreasing;

Our race is almost run.

There were many of our number

That never wore the blue.
But, faithfully, they did their part,

As brave men, tried and true.

They never joined the army,

But had other work to do
In piloting the coming folks,

To help them safely through.

But brothers, we are failing;

Our race is almost run;
The days of elk and buffalo,

And beaver traps, are gone.

Oh! the days of elk and buffalo,

It fills my heart with pain
To know those days are passed and gone,

To never come again.

We fought the red-skin rascals

586 THE OLD scout's LAMENT.

Over valley, hill and plain;
We fought him tn the mountain top,
And fought him down again.

Those fighting days are over;

The Indian yell resounds
No more along the border;

Peace sends far sweeter sounds.

But we found great joy, old comrades,
To hear and make it die.

We won bright homes for gentle ones,
And now, our West, good-bye.

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TEN YEARS A COW BOY. A full and vivid de
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They are idols of home and of households;

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Full text of "Thirty-one years on the plains and in the mountains; or, The last voice from the plains. An authentic record of a life time of hunting, trapping, scouting and Indian fighting in the far West"

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