women had set up some of the tents, while one of the men who had
remained behind was straightening out the oxen, and from there on a
distance of about three miles, when we found that for which we were
searching.
It was a Pawnee village, and in it there might have been forty men,
women, and children, occupying say, ten tepees, or lodges, while there
were so many ponies and dogs that one would hardly have had the
patience to count them.
We could see no signs of our cattle, nor did I expect to find them
there; but, riding directly into the center of the village, I brought
Napoleon to a standstill, at the same time demanding in the Pawnee
language, or such smattering of it as I could command, to be brought
to the chief.
[Illustration]
A BOLD DEMAND
Within a minute he came out from one of the lodges, and it gave me
more courage when I noted the fact that he was looking disturbed in
mind.
I demanded that he, or some of his tribe, return to us the cows which
had been driven away.
If there had ever been such a being as an honest Indian, then I might
have believed we had come upon him, for this chief, knowing there were
men enough in our company to wipe out his entire band, declared again
and again, with no little show of innocence, that neither he nor his
young men had had anything to do with our cattle.
[Illustration]
Straightway I pointed here to one fellow and there to another, as two
whom I recognized among those who had ridden over the ridge, and
called the attention of the chief to the ponies at the farther end of
the village, which were yet covered with perspiration.
Instead of staying there to parley with the fellows, I insisted that
the cows be brought to us before another day had passed, and made
many threats as to what would happen in case my demands were not
complied with.
Then we rode out of the village. When we were some distance away, John
Mitchell asked in a bantering tone if I really expected to see the
cows again, whereupon I told him we would not move from the present
encampment, save to punish the rascally Pawnees, until every head of
the three had been brought to us.
Because he laughed I saw that he believed that he never would see his
cattle again; but I was better acquainted with the Pawnees than he.
I GAIN CREDIT AS A GUIDE
Because of all that had happened I found no reason to complain of the
manner in which watch was kept over the encampment that night, and at
a fairly early hour next morning, even before I had begun to expect
them, the Indians came into camp with two of the cows. They talked
much about their innocence so far as causing a stampede and claimed
that it was not possible to find the third beast.
The Pawnee who acted as spokesman would have tried to make me believe
they were simply in sport when they overrode our camp; but I let him
know that I was acquainted with such thievish tricks, and threatened
them as to the future, much as though I had a company of soldiers at
my back.
It may be that the Indians were not greatly frightened by what I said;
but certain it is that the members of John Mitchell's company began to
believe that I was to be treated less like a boy, and more after the
manner of one who knew somewhat regarding the work in which we were
engaged.
[Illustration]
They gave more heed to my words from that time on, and Susan Mitchell
seemed to think I had done some wondrously brave deed when I
frightened the cowardly red men, or attempted to; but we never again
saw that third cow.
I believe that the Pawnees had hidden her, intending to have a great
feast after we had gone away; but I dared not go any farther in the
way of threats lest they openly defy me, when I would have been
powerless because the men of our company were not equal to fighting
the savages.
I could have told Susan that if we had come across a party on the
warpath, then my words would have been laughed at, and I might have
found myself in serious trouble through making threats which could not
be carried into execution.
A DIFFICULT CROSSING
[Illustration]
Because of having been thus delayed by waiting for the cattle, we
traveled only five miles on this day, which, if I remember rightly,
was the 14th of May. Then we arrived where Big Soldier Creek must be
crossed, an undertaking I had been looking forward to with no little
anxiety because the banks of the creek are very steep and it is
impossible to drive either mules or oxen down to the bed of the
stream while attached to the wagons.
We were forced to unyoke the oxen and unharness the mules, after which
we let the wagons down by means of ropes, with four men to steer the
tongue of each cart.
The ford was shallow, but on the other side the banks loomed in front
of us like the sides of a cliff. In order to get even the lightest
wagon to the top we had to yoke all the oxen in one team, and even
then every man of us put his shoulder to the tailboard, pushing and
straining as we forced the heavy vehicle straight into the air, as one
might say.
One entire day was spent in crossing, and within an hour of sunset we
pitched our tents on the high banks, where we let down buckets by
ropes in order to get water for cooking,--this method being easier
than scrambling up and down the steep incline.
Before night had come a party of about sixty from the Ohio country
joined us, having fifteen wagons.
They were unaccustomed to such traveling, as I understood after seeing
them make camp. When the leader came up to John Mitchell, proposing
that we journey together from then onward, claiming that by thus
increasing the numbers each company would be in greater security from
the Indians, I gave my employer a look which I intended should say
that we would travel as we had started, independently.
WASH DAY
From this point on to the Little Vermilion Creek was eighteen miles
over high, rolling prairie, and I believed we ought to make it in one
day's travel, which we did.
[Illustration]
We arrived at the creek about four o'clock in the afternoon, and
within thirty minutes it seemed as if the banks of that small stream
were literally lined with fires, over each of which was suspended a
kettle filled with water. Tubs were brought out from all the wagons,
for the women of our company had decided on making a "wash day" of
the three or four hours remaining before sunset.
On seeing that Susan Mitchell was not taking part in this labor, I
proposed that we ride five or six miles onward, where I knew would be
found quite a large village of Kansas Indians. She was only too well
pleased with the proposition, even though having been in the saddle
since early morning.
[Illustration]
To me one Indian village is much like another; but before we had come
to the end of our journey Susan could point out the difference between
a Kansas, a Pawnee, a Cheyenne, or a Sioux tepee.
The Kansas Indians make their houses about thirty feet in length by
fifteen feet wide, and build them by sticking hickory saplings firmly
into the ground in the shape of the lodge desired. These are bent to
form an arch eight to ten feet in height, when the tops of the
saplings are bound together by willow twigs. This forms the inner
framework, which is covered with bark taken from linden trees; over
this is another frame of saplings, also tied with willows, to bind the
whole together securely and prevent the coverings from being blown
away during a high wind.
Each of these lodges has one small door about four feet in height and
three feet wide, while at the top of the hut is an opening for the
smoke to pass out, when a fire is built in the center of the floor
during cold or stormy weather.
INDIAN PICTURES
There were in the village when we arrived but few women and children,
with here and there an old man, all the hunters having gone out, as I
learned, hoping to find antelopes near at hand.
Understanding by this information that there would be no attempt made
to hinder us from gratifying our curiosity, I led Susan into one of
the largest of the empty lodges. She was filled with wonder because of
the pictures, drawn with charcoal and colored with various paints,
which were to be seen on the inside of the bark walls.
There were mounted men fighting with bows and arrows, horses hauling
wagons, figures of beasts and reptiles, all done as one can well fancy
in a rude way; but to Susan they afforded no little amusement, and
she would have remained studying them until after nightfall, had I not
insisted that we must return to camp before darkness.
[Illustration]
It was an odd picture which our encampment presented when we rode in
just at twilight. The women had finished their washing, and, having no
ropes on which to stretch their clothes, had hung them on wagon wheels
and the tongues of the carts, in fact, on everything available, until
the entire place had much the appearance of a gigantic, ragged ghost.
Because so much time was spent next morning in gathering up these
garments and packing them away, we traveled only twelve miles,
arriving at the bank of a small stream with all the animals, save the
saddle horses, showing signs of weariness.
I insisted we should take a day for resting the cattle, although John
Mitchell would have pushed on, regardless of their condition; but I
knew we must keep them in good shape, else when we arrived at the more
difficult portion of the journey they would fail us entirely. Perhaps
because of our experience with the Indians, the men failed to grumble
at the delay.
A PLAGUE OF WOOD TICKS
Every member of the party was not only willing, but eager, to set out
after our long halt, for we had a most disagreeable experience with
wood ticks, little insects much like those that worry sheep. They
covered every bush as with a veil and lay like a carpet over the
ground as far as one could see.
I have never come upon them in such numbers, and before we lay down to
rest I wished a dozen times that I had delayed the halt another day.
These ticks fasten themselves to a person's skin so tightly that, in
picking them off, the heads are often left embedded in the flesh, and
unless carefully removed, cause most painful sores. It was like one of
the Plagues of Egypt such as I have heard my mother read about, and so
much did our people suffer that John Mitchell came to me in the middle
of the night, urging that we break camp at once rather than remain
there to be tortured.
I soon convinced him that we could not hope to drive the cattle in the
darkness, without danger of losing one or more, therefore he ceased to
urge; but before the sun had risen, all our company were astir making
preparations for the day's journey.
[Illustration]
Early though it was when we set off, only fourteen miles were
traveled, owing to the difficulty in crossing the Big Vermilion River.
The banks of the stream were steep and the channel muddy, affording
such difficult footing for the animals that we were forced to hew down
many small trees and lop off large quantities of branches to fill up
the bed of the river before the wagons could be hauled across. All
this occupied so much time that after arriving at the opposite bank we
traveled only one mile before it was necessary to make camp.
On this night we were not troubled by wood ticks, yet I had the camp
astir early next morning, knowing that before nightfall we must cross
the Bee and the Big Blue Creeks, therefore much time would be spent in
making the passages.
The difficulties which I had anticipated in crossing the creeks were
not realized. We got over in fairly good shape, being forced on Bee
Creek to double up the teams in order to pull the wagons across, and
when night came we were two and a half miles west of Big Blue.
There I believed we should make a long halt, for the country was
covered with oak, walnut, and hickory trees, and, if I remembered
rightly, this would be the last time we could procure timber for wagon
tongues, axletrees, and such other things as might be needed in case
of accidents.
ANOTHER TEMPEST
It was well we came to a halt early, for the tents were no more than
up and the wagons not yet drawn in a circle to form a corral for the
horses, before the most terrific storm of rain I ever experienced
burst upon us.
The women had but just begun to cook supper. The first downpour from
the clouds quenched the fires, making literal soup of the bread dough,
and it was only by building a small blaze under one of the wagons,
where it would be partly sheltered from the storm, that we could get
sufficient heat to make coffee.
[Illustration]
Before this was done--and nearly all us men took part in it, for the
storm was so furious that the women could not be expected to remain
exposed to its full fury--no less than two hours were spent, and I had
almost forgotten that the encampment and all within it were under my
charge.
THE CATTLE STAMPEDED AGAIN
Each moment the storm increased, and had I been attending to my duties
instead of trying to play the part of cook in order to enjoy a cup of
coffee, I would have noticed that the cattle were growing uneasy.
After standing with their tails to the storm for a while, they began
milling, that is running around in a circle, and by the time I
gathered my wits every animal was galloping off across the plain.
Fortunately the horses and mules were properly hobbled, and, in fact,
some of the saddle beasts had been brought into the corral formed by
the wagons; therefore when John Mitchell would have set off in pursuit
of the oxen and cows despite the terrific storm, I insisted that he
take such ease in camp as was possible because on the following
morning we, mounted, would quickly round up the stampeded cattle.
It was a most dismal night, and for the first time since leaving their
homes these people, who were setting their faces toward the Oregon
country, had a fair taste of what hardships awaited them.
So furious was the wind that the rain found entrance to every camp and
beneath each wagon cover, until beds and bedding were saturated.
Welcome indeed was the morning to my mother and me, for our tent stood
in a tiny pond when the day broke, and we waded out to a higher bit
of ground, where the gentle summer breeze, now that the storm had
cleared away, might dry our water-soaked clothing.
Without waiting for breakfast I saddled Napoleon, calling upon the men
to follow me, and within four hours we had rounded up and brought into
camp the missing animals.
Then came a hasty meal, and I gave the word to break camp, whereupon
John Mitchell reminded me that we were to take in a store of oak and
hickory timber for future needs; but I insisted that we push on a
short distance, knowing that this wooded country extended ten or
twelve miles farther westward, where I hoped to find higher ground, so
we might be able to camp with some comfort.
DIFFICULT TRAVELING
The trail was heavy. The rain had so softened the ground that the
wagon wheels sank several inches into it, and many times before
nightfall we were forced to hew trees and cut large quantities of
brush, in order to fill up the depressions in the way where the water
stood deep and the bottom was much like a bog.
Again and again we found it necessary to double up the teams in order
to haul the heavy wagons over the spongy soil, and after we had
traveled eight miles with more labor than on the previous day we had
expended in going twice that distance, we decided to encamp.
[Illustration]
We were on reasonably high ground, or, in other words, we were not in
a quagmire, and after camp had been made I counted that we would spend
the following day in getting as much hickory and oak timber as we
might need when we came to the mountain ranges, where axletrees, wagon
tops, and even the wheels themselves, were likely to be splintered
because of the roughness of the way.
Next morning while the men were hewing trees and shaping them roughly
into such forms as might come convenient, the women took advantage of
the opportunity to churn, and at noon we had fresh butter on our
bread, which was indeed a luxury.
We were yet eating slowly in order the better to enjoy the butter,
when we saw in the distance, coming toward us, what appeared to be a
large body of soldiers and emigrants.
COLONEL KEARNY'S DRAGOONS
[Illustration]
Among the foremost of the horsemen who came up and halted near us, was
Colonel Stephen W. Kearny who, with three hundred dragoons, nineteen
wagons drawn by mules, fifty head of cattle, and twenty-five sheep,
was making the first military campaign into the Far West, in order
properly to impress the Indians with the strength and power of the
Great Father at Washington.
Colonel Kearny would not permit his train to halt where we were
encamped, but he remained with us a full half hour, taking his due
share of the newly made butter, and eating heartily of our poor store.
It was a most pleasing break in the journey, and to me it was indeed
something to be remembered, for never before had I seen or heard of
such a number of soldiers so far away from the frontier.
When we set off again all our teamsters pressed forward eagerly,
hoping to overtake the dragoons, who had already no less than two
hours' start of us.
Perhaps I ought to have checked them, knowing they were forcing our
stock at too rapid a pace; but yet I did not, and when next we halted
thirty-two miles had been traversed since morning. This, though the
way was smooth and the crossings easy, I allowed was a good day's
work.
It was on the twenty-sixth day of May, after we had traveled ten
miles, that we came to the bank of Little Sandy River, where was
already encamped a company of emigrants bound for the Oregon country.
They had thirty-two wagons, and, in addition to the other stock,
ninety cows, having started from Independence with a hundred.
Susan Mitchell laughed with glee when we arrived at this camp and,
when I asked the reason for her high spirits, told me our people could
spend the evening visiting these strangers even as they visited their
neighbors at home. Indeed, I saw that all the members of the company
were prinking and pluming like a party of savages making ready for a
war dance.
Men whose clothing had been well-nigh in rags suddenly appeared decked
out in finery, and as for the women and the girls, a garden of flowers
could hardly have compared with them for variety of colors.
DISAGREEABLE VISITORS
However, our company did not spend the evening visiting the strangers;
on the contrary, they were forced to entertain others, for before
supper had been cooked and eaten about three hundred Kansas Indians,
men, women, and children, some walking, some riding, came into camp.
The emigrants whom our people had intended to visit were overrun even
as we were, and during two hours or more the beggars remained watching
for an opportunity to steal something, or striving to trade their
skeleton-like ponies for our horses and mules.
Some of the visitors were clad in buckskin, others had leggings of elk
hide, with buffalo skins over their shoulders, while many wore only
greasy, ragged blankets and leggings so besmeared with blood and dirt
that one could not tell what the material might be.
Many of the men had long hair, while the heads of others were shaved
close to the skin, save for a tuft extending from the forehead over
the crown and down to the neck, much like the comb of a rooster.
[Illustration]
Some had their faces painted in a fanciful manner with red, while
others had only their eyelids and lips colored. Again, there were
those with various colored noses or ears, and I failed to see any two
who were decked out, either with garments or by paint, in the same
manner.
The costumes and decorations of the women were as varied as those of
the men, and equally filthy. All, from the smallest papoose to the
oldest brave, were repulsive, at least to me, because of their
uncleanliness.
DRIVING AWAY THE INDIANS
How long those representatives of the Kansas tribe would have remained
with us awaiting an opportunity to steal whatever they might, I cannot
say; but at about eight o'clock John Mitchell urged that I drive them
away, if indeed I dared. This last suggestion caused me to smile, for
what fellow would not dare anything among the Kansas Indians, who know
no more of courage than they do of cleanliness?
I speedily sent them out of the camp, and when, next morning, the
whole tribe returned begging this or that, I threatened punishment to
any who should dare linger around.
Again we had an opportunity to join forces with another company, for
those emigrants whom we met at Little Sandy River were eager to
journey with us, but intended to remain one full day on the bank of
the stream in order to rest their stock.
I urged that we push on, lest they should travel with us whether we
wished or not, and so we set off at an early hour across the prairie,
arriving next day at the Republican Fork of the Blue River.
It was on the last day of May that we came to where the trail turns
abruptly away from the stream, stretching out twenty-five miles or
more to the Platte River.
Then we advanced in wild, fertile bottoms, where wild peas abounded,
and we were among the last of the oak and hickory trees that we would
see for many a long day.
TURKEY HUNTING
Here I knew we might find game, and said to those men who had been
eagerly inquiring day after day as to when we would come upon
buffaloes, that now was the time when they could display their skill
in bringing down wild turkeys.
[Illustration]
I had supposed that these people knew somewhat about hunting; but when
one of the men turned upon me sharply, asking how I knew turkeys could
be found near about, I nearly laughed in his face. For it seemed to me
that a child should have known we were come at last to where game of
some sort might be taken easily.
I had no idea of hunting turkeys, for I knew that within the next few
hours there should be a possibility of bringing down as many antelopes
as Napoleon would be willing to carry.
Therefore I remained in camp, and saw those eager hunters striding off
amid the timber, making noise enough to warn every fowl or beast of
their coming.
The wonder of it was that the fellows brought in a feather; yet at
night they returned triumphant and excited, with two turkeys, and one
would have believed, from the way the game was displayed, that they
had shown great skill.
When Susan Mitchell asked why I did not go out in search of game, I
told her it was not for me to spend my time in such sport, but that
before many days had passed I would show her what a hunter could and
should do in this country.
It may be she thought I was boasting, and I fancied I read as much on
her face; but I contented myself in silence, knowing that she soon
would see what kind of hunting those, who have crossed from the
Missouri River into the Oregon country twice, could do.
EAGER HUNTERS
Next day every man and boy in our company was looking eagerly forward
for signs of game, and when, the afternoon being nearly spent, they
saw large herds of antelopes in the distance, it was only with
difficulty I could force the teamsters to remain on their wagons.
Every horseman would have set off at that time in the afternoon with
weary steeds, when there was no possibility of running down the game,
had it not been for John Mitchell, who, after talking with me,
insisted that no man should leave the company until we had made camp.
[Illustration]
The Platte River was to be crossed before we halted, and we needed
every man with us, for I knew that the bottom of the stream was soft,
and the chances many that we would be forced to double up our teams.
However, we gained the opposite bank without much difficulty and were
hardly more than ready to encamp, after having traveled eighteen or
nineteen miles, when it began to rain once more, and then the men
were glad that they had not set off to hunt at nightfall.
We camped where it would be possible for us to get water without too
much labor, and set about gathering fuel before everything was soaked
by the rain, and darkness was upon us.
Then the men began to treat me as if I was of their own age. They came
into my tent by twos and threes, asking when it would be possible for
them to hunt antelopes, and when I would go with them to bring in
fresh meat.
I told them that on the next day they should have all the hunting that
would satisfy them and their horses, and this caused them to wonder
how I knew antelopes might be near at hand.
ANTELOPE COUNTRY