THE BOY MINER.
Billy had been at home scarcely one month before he engaged himself
as assistant wagon-master to another train which was made up at Fort
Laramie to carry supplies to a new post just established at Cheyenne
Pass. He got through this adventure without losing a team or a man.
Returning to Laramie he engaged with a Mr. Ward, the post trader, to
trap for beaver, mink, and otter on the Chug Water, and poison wolves
for their peltries. This enterprise was not profitable, and two months
after Billy returned to Laramie, and in a few days, in company with two
others, he started back to Leavenworth.
When they reached the Little Blue the three were jumped by a party of
Indians. The darkness saved them, after a chase of several hours. After
“losing” the Indians the trio discovered a cave in which they resolved
to spend the night. Lighting a match they were horrified to find the
place tenanted by the bones and desiccated flesh of murdered emigrants.
Without further investigation the three, badly frightened, regardless
of cold and snow, pushed rapidly onward. An all-night journey brought
them to Oak Grove, and there taking in a fresh supply of necessaries
they resumed their homeward march, reaching Leavenworth in February,
1859.
Billy was now fourteen years old, and unusually large for one of that
age. His education having been neglected he, yielding to his mother’s
entreaties, resolved to attend a school just opened in the neighborhood
of Grasshopper Falls, and for a period of ten weeks applied himself
with diligence and made most gratifying progress. This was the longest
term of schooling he ever attended, and it is doubtful if all the
schooling he ever received would aggregate six months; though he is now
comparatively well educated, his knowledge has been acquired almost
wholly by extensive travel and association with polished people.
On the return of spring the old impulse seized on Billy again to seek
the far West, where adventure and danger incite the restless spirit of
brave men. The recent discovery of gold at Pike’s Peak was a further
motive for this move.
Billy, despite his years, was now a man in size, and in common with
thousands of others he seized a pick and set out for the wonderful
diggings. After digging around Aurora for a few days the _ignis fatuus_
led him farther up the mountains to Black Hawk, where he settled, and
worked most assiduously for a period of two months without finding as
much as a handful of pay dirt. In the meantime provisions were so high
that it took a Jacob’s ladder to reach the smell of cold beans.
Billy became not only tired but disgusted with the result of his mining
labors and resolved to get out of the country. He had no difficulty in
finding others in camp of the same turn of mind as himself, and such
as he desired as companions he induced to accompany him back. Of the
numerous caravans and individuals who adopted as their motto “Pike’s
Peak or bust,” Billy and his party fell back on the latter end of the
bold legend. They were so badly “busted” (?), in fact, that the only
conveyance left them was their legs. Setting out on these the party
proceeded to the Platte River, where the idea possessed Billy that
they might make the remainder of their journey to Leavenworth on an
improvised raft.
By various means, but chiefly by killing game along the way, the party
subsisted comfortably while they floated down the stream on a rickety
collection of logs. Matters were satisfactory enough until they reached
Jule’s ranch, or Julesburg, where having met a swifter current the raft
struck a snag and went to pieces with a suddenness no less astonishing
than the bath which instantly followed. Fortunately, though the North
Platte is a broad stream it is generally shallow, and the party had to
swim but a short distance before they found a footing, and then waded
ashore.
Everything having been lost with the raft, including their arms and
such provisions as they had, the party stopped at Julesburg to wait for
something to turn up.
It so happened that the great Pony Express had just been established
between Omaha and Pike’s Peak, and other far Western points, including
San Francisco. This route ran by Julesburg, where the company had an
agent in the person of George Chrisman, who was well acquainted with
Billy, the two having freighted together for Russell, Majors & Waddell.
Finding Billy out of employment, and express riders being scarce,
Chrisman offered him a position as rider, which was gladly accepted.
The requirements for this occupation were such that very few were
qualified for the performance of the duties. The distance and time
required to be made were fifteen miles per hour. Only courageous men
could be employed on account of the dangers to be encountered, and
such laborious riding could be endured by very few. Nevertheless Billy
was an expert horseman, and having the constitution and endurance of a
bronco he braved the perils and duties of the position and was assigned
to a route of forty-five miles.