It is a long way from Kingsley Michigan to Denver Colorado. But we
covered the ground in three weeks. We took slideing door palace cars all
the way, and slept nights covered with an evening news, begged handouts
at back doors; and ate our meals with the widow green. I was coming
eleven Clark was just past seven, two old and experienced duffers to go
west for freedom.
Before leaving Michigan I formed the acquaintance of Waterloo chief of
the Potowatimies. He had taught me many things which were to be of great
service in the west. When we arrived in Denver we were not hailed as
some great individuals are but we overlooked that--(since then We have
been well used in Denver) We secured a lunch took our truck and struck
northward. The following day we pulled up to a farmers house by the name
of Straub. He had two bears he had caught, and hired us to tame them. I
guess he thought our appearance would tame a Rhinoceros. I assumed the
responsibility--and gave him the threadbare recipe "No cure no pay"
Together we did the job in two weeks and for our service Mr. Straub gave
us some new clothes, our board and $25,00 From here we steered our way
to North Platte Nebraska. I hired out to John McCoullough. to herd
cattle, and sent my son Willie as I called him and have ever since--to
school in North Platte.
The Cow-boys of that region usually had great sport with tenderfeet; but
they were great mind readers and passed me off as experienced, owing to
my age and accurate shooting. That year I learned to ride a horse, in
fact paid more attention to that then I did to herding cattle; but I
took my pay without any remorse of conscience.
The following year The Kid and I planned to go on a trapping expedition
to the Rocky mountains. So as luck would have it we accidentally fell in
with two hale fellows, inured to hardships, careless as the law allowed,
and prime always for sport and adventure. Both of them could shoot well
and ride like Mazzeppas. They also understood the plains and mountains
but were tyros at trapping.
We purchased four wild horses and on the first day of October started
for Cola with covered wagons. This was my first experience over the
plains in a real prairie schooner. We followed the south Platte to
Sterling And from there we struck west and went through the Pawnee pass.
Then we Took the old gun-barrel road back to Colorado. We camped one
evening in Rattlesnake gulch; about midnight I heard a buzz I arose
rather suddenly layed back the cover and saw within six inches of my
son's face a large old diamond back rattler. It was close and short work
to dispatch him but I succeeded, the report of my gun brought all hands
to their feet they examined the headless reptile, and were soon again
lost in slumber. after while we arrived safely at Fort Collins bought a
supply of food and other necessaries and took the trail for the head
waters of La-Cash-a-po-da. We reached Pan-handle creek about twenty-five
miles from Log-Cabin Post Office.
In due time we pitched camp and set our traps. One line of traps
extended to Larmie river; And the other to the forks of the Cache
LaPuche. We set for gray wolves, mountain lion, grizzley bear, mink,
otter and foxes. We had good luck and made a large catch of fur and drew
some large bounties. The following summer we sold off our whole kit to
some trappers who went to Jackson hole, and we took our little stake of
$2,122,00 and spent our summer in Chicago, Denver and St. Louis.
The next winter Clark and I: for we were alone again, went to New
Windsor and trapped Rat on Storms Lake. We also caught a lot of skunk
and coyotes, with fair success we continued til spring and took all our
fur nearly $3,000,00 worth and sold to different houses in the East.
Then we bought good clothes, I managed to visit parks and ride shoot the
shoots Conversed with Indians and enquired of strangers concerning good
trapping grounds through the summer--while Clark studied so he could do
our writing. That winter we trapped in Pine Bluffs Wyoming. For Coyotes,
Rat and skunk, But we grew tired toward spring and moved To Scotts Bluff
Nebraska, where we finished the winter and sold out in the spring I
lounged around and got pointers and the Kid attended school as we did
the year previous.