We spent a few days in exploring the surrounding country, and went far up and down the river acquainting ourselves with the hills and valleys.
Thehideseason was now here, and being wellprepared, we expected to take many a pelt, and have lots of sport. We had prepared ourselves with a great many little pegs, and with these we pinned to the ground, flesh side up, the hides that we gathered, until the hill-side in front of our door was pretty well covered. Every now and then we met abrother hunterupon the plains; and with him we had many a pleasant chat, and learned the history of the country from the present back through manyyears. It is interesting to listen to the tales of the old hunters who roamed the wild prairie thirty years ago, and who have ever since neighbored with wild animals and savages, and reaped a livelihood from the western wilds. They say that many years ago, when they first came to the country, if a person were upon a slight elevation when the herd was passing by, the valley would be covered with buffaloes as far as the eye could reach, rendering the whole country a dark, moving mass, and compelling the Forty-ninersen-routefor California to stop over for whole days, until the herd crossed over. Though there were small herds ofthirtyandfortymoving inall directions, themain herdmoved in a body, and unlike cattle, kept closely together. Before the time ofrailroadsthrough the West, they used to hunt all winter and dry the hides, and haul them east in thespring, making large profits. But when the Kansas Pacific, Union Pacific, and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads were built, the buffaloes were very plenty; and meat being in good demand, and having an outlet for the shipment of hides, great numbers of hunters swarmed the prairie, and the slaughter of the animal was wholesale. Goodrobe hides then being worth four and five dollars, the animal, rich and delicious, and for which many a poor eastern family would be thankful, after being stripped of its winding-sheet, was left to decay in the sun or be devoured by the howling wolves. They say they used to lie down upon the prairie andshoot; and the longer they shot, and the more they killed, the thicker they came around; and they often found it necessary to get out of the way to keep themselves from being trampled into the earth. In this way they were slaughtered by thousands. The number became rapidly reduced, until to-day the main herd consists of but a few thousands, and small herds of twenty and thirty wander here and there, reclining upon the soft plain and nipping the rich grass from the hills that once echoed the bellowings of the innumerable herd. The great numbers spoken of somewhat startled us, and sounded more like afablethan apleasant story; but when we traveled over the plains and saw sometimes fifty and sixty skeletons almost on aheap, and wholeacresalmostcoveredwithboneswhitening in the sun, and sometimes being able to jump from one buffalo-head to another for several hundred yards (especially in theRepublican Valley), we were persuaded to believe what we were told.
Upon reflection, it seems asinthat these animals were shot down in such great numbers only for thepelts, and so much of the best meat in the world left to waste in the sun or be devoured by the wild, carnivorous animals of the prairie; but thetruth is, no cattle or sheep could be raised or any use made of the country so long as these mighty herds continued to trample it. The hunters say they used to start out in the morning without a cent in their pockets, and at night they would often have pelts enough, together with the meat they found sale for along the railroad, to pay them seventy-five or one hundred dollars, which they would gamble and drink away before morning, very often. “Ah!” say they, “we have been heremany years, and have spent many a fortune in the vile dens so numerous in the West; but the great herds have now almost faded away, and instead of having plenty, as we might have, we are now poor men, wandering over the plains for a living.”
It used to be very dangerous to be in the way when they were upon a stampede, for they were as irresistible as the ocean wave; and it is saidthat more than one outfit,horses and all, has been trod into the dust by the trampling thousands that made the valleys roar. But stampedes have for some years ceased to be very dangerous, and buffalo-hunting has for some time been ascience, and is practiced as follows: A person or company, with teams, saddle-ponies, ammunition, and provisions, go out to where the buffaloes range, and there make a head-quarter camp,—usually a dug-out, for timber is scarce,—and there unload. When the herd is killed and frightened away from camp, one or two stay in camp to watch over what is left there and the rest start out with wagons in the following order: The hunter has a big cartridge-rifle,—usually a one-hundred-grain Sharpe, or one hundred and twenty grains, which is called a big fifty,—fifty caliber. These guns weigh from twelve to eighteen pounds, and carry from a mile and a half to two miles. He also has a large belt, with loops to hold forty or fifty cartridges, and a good knife. One man usually does theshootingfor the outfit, though two sometimes go together. The skinner or skinners, with ammunition, beds, and provisions, follow with the wagon or wagons, and keep justin sight of the hunter. When he sees a herd he crawls and creeps until he is within shooting distance, and fires down the leader. The herd will not fly without a leader; and until they have a new one selected he is againready, and downshim. Watching his chances, and being agood shot, in this way he sometimes succeeds in getting down fifty or sixty buffaloes. One man said he one time shot down one hundred and sixty in one stand. When the blood begins to flow freely the herd becomes very muchexcited; and while horning the wounded ones and pawing in the blood, with tails lashing the air, and almost deafening you with their bellowing, it is enough to terrify an inexperienced hunter. And any person who hasbeen there, I assure you, will make himself just as scarce as possible on such occasions; for a wounded buffalo is very dangerous. When the herd leaves,—from the hunter ceasing to fire, or making a mis-shot,—theskinnerscome up and go to work, and the hunter follows up the herd on foot and takes down one here and there, and tries for another stand, which depends very much upon his skill as a hunter. Sometimes this chase is kept up all day, and the hunter has no success untilaboutsundown, when they have become somewhat used to the crack of the rifle, and being tired and hungry they slacken up; and while fighting the wounded ones the hunter gets in a few good shots, and right there loads his wagons. When the wagons are well loaded they start for camp to unload the hides and stretch them out to dry. Several hundred hides being sometimes stretched out at one camp, it presents quite an attractive scene. When the hides aredry, they are put in piles of ten apiece, and staked and tied down. In the spring they are hauled to market.
Sometimes the meat is jerked, which is done as follows: The hump, shoulder-clods, and saddles are the only parts used. This meat is cut in strips as thick as a man’s wrist, and after being seasoned is hung upon wooden racks in the sun, and a slow fire built under it to smoke; and in about two days it is jerked. This meat can be taken to themountainsin the spring and sold readily for fifteen and twenty cents per pound. This is the way it is done; and when the herd changes its range, as it often does, you must then pull up and follow, and again locate; though you can hunt from one hundred to one hundred and fifty miles around one camp.
There is now another hunt; and that is the wolf-hunt. This is done with strychnine. When you first come into a country (before there are so many carcasses), just kill an antelope or buffalo, and while the meat is warm cut out several hundred baits, an inch square, perforate them and put in a little of the poison, and give the meat a little rubbing. Now put the baits in a sack, and after tying one end of your picket-rope to the horn of your saddle and the other end round a large piece of the meat, start upon a six or eight mile circle around the carcass, dragging the fresh meat, and dropping a bait every one hundred yards. Insome partsof the plains, especially along little waters, the wolves and skunks are very numerous; and after sunset they can be heard howling in every direction, and they hurry to the newly-spilled blood. When they strike the circle where the meat has been dragged they will start around upon it, picking up the baits, and dropping at about the second. In the morning the hunter mounts his pony and starts round his circle, skinning the wolves and skunks, and often has a pony-load of pelts from wolves, skunks, badgers, swifts, etc. The wolf-hides are worth two dollars and fiftycents apiece, and the bounty is from fifty cents to five dollars a head—according to the county. Skunks are worth forty-five cents, and badger and swift hides are worth forty cents apiece. There is much to be made at this business; and being well prepared for the full catalogue of prairie sports, we cast our baits and shot our game.
We had verycomfortable quartersupon the Cimaron, and the game was also plenty here. The country upon either side of the river, for a half mile to the north and south, was very rough; and in these deep gulches and pretty ravines many a buffalo, deer, and antelope breathed out his last.
Just after twilight one night in December we were all in camp at head-quarters when a great light to the north attracted our attention. The whole northern sky suddenly turned red, and the heavens were lighted up as with the lightning’s glare. Brighter and brighter it grew until the sight was grand beyond all description. The very air began to turn warm, and the gale that blew from the north brought with it great clouds of smoke. At length the forked tongues of the flames began to dart up from behind the
THE PRAIRIE FIRE.
THE PRAIRIE FIRE.
THE PRAIRIE FIRE.
Bear Creek bluffs, thirty miles away, and soon the whole country, as far as the eye could reach to the west and far to the east, was in a flame. The grass was thick and tolerably high, and theflames rolled over the level prairie like a tide upon the ocean and with mighty velocity. We set fire to the grass upon the south side of the river, and with a roar it disappeared over the hills. We then rushed our teams and wagons across the stream upon the burned space and watched the oncome. The thirty miles were skimmed in a short time, and buffaloes, deer, antelopes, and wolves came in a tumultuous throng, howling and bellowing, with the fire close in the rear. On came the conflagration, leaping, whizzing, and roaring like thunder; and it was a sight to see the animals plunge precipitately into the stream. Now and then an old, shaggy wolf would be outrun by the flames, and when thehairbegan to singe such howling was never heard. The heat was so intense that butfewanimals got through the blaze alive, andtheywere left in the hot ashes, and came out pretty well singed and sore. The cattle of the vicinity ran frantic in every direction, and some were suffocated. Our rich, golden range was now blackened; and there was no pasture in the surrounding country except the short, green grass in the valley. We were now compelled to follow the animals to the land of pasture. Thecow-men and hunters turned out, and the fire was extinguished in the sand-hills of New Mexico, but a few miles to the south of us. This was the first real prairie-fire we had yet seen, and it being at night added greatly to its splendor.
It is a penitentiary offense in that country towillfullyfire the prairie, and the stock-men seldom make much court expense when the scoundrel is found. Their proceedings are very summary, and the prisoner is never again guilty of the same offense—in this world. TheIndiansoften do it to destroy thepasturein other quarters and drive the game totheir grounds; and for it many a red-skin has soared to the happy hunting-ground upon the wings of death.
It is unlawful for white men to kill more meat in the Indian Territory than just what is needed forimmediate use, under penalty of the confiscation of all they have. This is watched over by thegovernment authoritiesstationed there. However, the fire had not reached the territory, and there were great herds ofbuffaloesupon their rich pasture; and we cautiously made this part our range.
Our first trip after the fire was to the east. So, fixing that cupboard in the wagon, and taking enough flour for biscuits for several days, we left Dave and John in camp, and Charles and myself wound down the green valley for the unburned regions. In about five miles we came upon pasture, and camped for the night upon the river-bank, full twenty-five miles from head-quarters. This brought us about to the Kansas line. It was a beautiful night, and almost as light as day. The wolves were so numerous and bold that we were compelled to sleep by the fire, and about twelve o’clock they cameintothe very camp and tackled the big blood-hound that we always had with the wagon. Unfortunately foroneof the trespassers, old Lee sunk his fangs into his neck and never loosed his hold until he was dead. The horses were frightenedall night; and Charles said he expected we were just upon the spot where the whole d——n pack slept every night. We stripped off several pelts in the morning; and when the sun was high we started north for the ten-mile arroyo of which we had heard old hunters speak. We had only gone a little way when we met an old bull coming quietly down a ravine toward the river; andafter riding to the top of a hill and finding no herd to be near, I concluded to give him a chase. I got within a quarter of a mile of him, when he saw me and started back north. This was a sign of a herd; and knowing that if he would reach it he would stampede the whole herd, I rode upon him with all the speed that my mustang could summon. He was aperfect racer; but in spite of his efforts I came alongside of him, and the second ball from my Smith & Wesson stretched him struggling upon the earth with a bullet through his lungs. When the wagon came up we skinned him and took the meat we wanted and drove on, expecting soon to come upon a herd. The breaks of Ten-Mile Creek began to ruffle the smooth surface, and we saw a small bunch of buffaloes feeding in a gulch. We came into a narrow, deep ravine, and through this we drove theteam, cautiously circling to the north. I crawled to the top of the ravine among the high grass, and there, not more than three hundred yards from me, was a herd of at least two thousand, some ruminating, and some feeding upon a high table-land about half a mile in diameter, and which was nearly surrounded by the deep ravine we were in. It was now nearsundown, and after carefully circling the herd, we camped upon the west and to the leeward of them. After carefully fastening the horses, and commandingLeeto stay with the wagon, we crawled up among the grass for action. They were just two hundred yards off and we were ready, and the battle opened with the roar of twoone-hundred-grainguns. My animal came to its knees with a broken shoulder, and Charley’s dropped in its tracks without a struggle. After a few rounds we had the blood started freely, and the cracking of the rifles was drowned in the mighty bellowing. We crept up closer and closer, until Charles darted behind the bull that he had first shot, intending to use him for a rest. We were fifty yards apart, and at the first shot that Charles took from his new fort, he was surprised to see the bull spring to his feet and make fight. His gun was empty and the bull was loaded; and seeing his chances in this unequal combat, he grabbed the bull by the tail and held on for dear life. They flew around the circle at the rate of ninety revolutions per minute; the bull bellowing and frothing, and Charles flying around with his bare head, calling out to me to shoot the bull. It wasso darnedfunnyto see a buffalo and a man waltz together that I could not do anything for laughing. I knew very well that the hind end of a buffalo was notdangerous, and I was just as sure that Charley would never let go of the tail. So I stood there for several minutes enjoying the circus. Charles drew out his big knife and tried to strike him in the heart; but he was at the wrong end for that, and his gouging only made the bull the more furious. At length Charley began to swing his partner a little slower, and having worked down into the ravine, the bull spied the wagon and made toward it with great fury. Charles called out forLee, and with a dash and a snap he had his teeth firmly fastened in the nose of the bull. Charles was now relieved; and quickly thrusting a cartridge into his gun he lay the bull bleeding upon the ground. All this time I had been rolling upon the grasslaughing; and at this moment I heard a bellow and a loud snort, and looking around I saw a wounded buffalo within a few jumps of me. The tail was theother way, and knowing my chances to be few, I grabbed my rifle, and resting upon my knee, I let him come so close that I could see his eyes bat,—knowing theskull to be very thick,—and fired. The ball pierced the mighty skull, and the blood spurted as he plunged forward dead. I looked out from behind the hill to see if Charley was preparing to shoot me when I came in; and when I saw him sitting upon the wagon fanning himself with his hat, I ventured up. He commenced on me in the Colorado dialect; but he waspuffingandblowing, and having theadvantageof him I did the talking to suit myself. I told him I thought any person who had the power toraise the deadought to be able tokill itagain; and besides, he slung the bull around so darned fast that I could not shoot with safety.
Well, the darkness began to thicken all over the country, and we concluded not to shoot any more that night. We found an oldwellin the ravine, and dug it several feet deeper, but found no water. From what we had heardhunterssay, we expected to findwaterhere, and had brought none along, so that ours that night was a dry camp. We skinned and cut up four of the buffaloes that night, and taking some of the fresh meat we heated it up a little in the frying-pan, leaving the juice in it; and a supper of this didvery well, so we retired for the night. Thewolves were howling in every direction, and hurrying to the fresh blood; and the snorting and bellowing of the buffaloes could be heard away in the night. Up to twelve o’clock there was not a cloud in the sky; but at that time a purple veil was drawn across the heavens almost as quick as thought, and the wind began to blow cold. We had agood bed, and placing two of our green hides upon the ground flesh sides together, we built upon them, and in spite of the cold kept comfortable.
Toward morning the galeincreased, and at daylight we were in the midst of ablizzard. This is aheavy galein which sharp ice, as fine as salt, falls so thickly that you can not see two feet ahead; and it is not safe to leave camp twenty steps without a rope around the waist. We were in a deep ravine; and having tied the horses to the wagon they were somewhat sheltered; then throwing a robe over thedog, we lay quietly in our snug bed. The tempest raged and roared over the plain all that day, and the snow fell, more or less, continually. Twilight began to gather, and the storm was still howling. We had nothing to eat that day, but we had quenched our thirst with snow and felt verywell. Morning came, and it was yet too cold to live; and the blizzard had renewed its fury. We had brought a littlecornalong, to feed in apinch; but this was a bigger pinch than we hadbargained for, and our horses began to look pretty hollow. About noon the snow ceased falling; but the wind was as cold as ice and past all endurance. At sundown we crawled from our retreat, and found the snow a foot in depth over all the prairie. We shoveled it away from the side of a ledge, and trimming down a few hackberry bushes that grew upon the side of a bluff, we started a fire. They were green, and burned verypoorly; but thebuffalo-chipswere all covered, and it was the best we had. Our meat was like stone; and for supper we chopped it off with the ax. We did notfryit much, but it was good any how. We also melted a littlesnowfor thehorses, and after giving them the last corn we had, we crept into bed.
In the morning the wind had lulled and a thick fog hung like night over the face of the plain. We could not see each other fifty yards away. We thought it necessary, under the circumstances, to make for head-quarters, and leave to thewolvesthe six buffaloes that we had notskinned, and which were now like stones.
Having broken our compass in bed, and the two buttes in southern Colorado—which guide the hunters and herders of the country—being hidden in the mist, we were left with our unaided ability to steer our way. We took the Indian way ofranging objectson ahead; but the snow was deep and the objects few, and aboutnine o’clockwe came across the track of an outfit which, from the number ofhorse-tracksand thedog’s trail, we knew to be our own. Well, we followed it back, and soon came into the old camp and stopped for the night.
In the morning it was clear, and the sun shone out brightly; and the reflection almost blinded us as we went along. The team was very lank, and worried slowly through the snow. About noon we came into the Cimaron valley, and after watering, plodded on without unhitching. At sundown we saw smoke coming from the hill-side away up the valley, but in spite of our efforts it was dark when we came in. There were plenty of provisions and lots of fuel, and we had a social that night. It took Charles a long time to relate his experience with thebuffalo, and the boys plagued him a great deal about trying to kill a bull with its own tail.
The next morning the sun again arose in a cloudless sky and darted his warm rays upon the face of the snow-covered plain, and the white veil soon melted away. It took the horses several days to recruit, and the short, green grass in the valley filled them out slowly. We pegged our green hides in the sun to dry; and having a load of saddles, humps, and tongues, we prepared to take a trip to theArkansas.
One pretty morning John and myself started with the load, and leftDaveandCharlesin camp. We stopped at Bear Creek for the night; and directly after striking camp we had our attention attracted to a singular-looking object upon the side of the bluff away down the creek. We took out the glass, and it looked like a roll of buffalo-hides. After supper we picketed the horses, and taking our rifles, we strolled down the creek to investigate the curious object. Coming up to it we found it to be a buffalo-hide rolled up; and peeping in at one end we saw a man. The hide was taken from an old bull, and was almost aninch thick; and being frozen, it was as much as we could do to cut him from his narrow prison-walls. He was amiddle-agedman, and was almost exhausted; but we took him tothe fire and gave him to eat, and then heard his story. He said he was a cow-man fromTexas, and had been to Granada and was returning when he was ingulfed in a furious blizzard a few miles north of Bear Creek. He said he had but two blankets, and having nomatches, he knew he must perish; and happening to see a straybullamong the hills, he rode on to him and shot him, and concluded to take the hide towraphimself in. His horse broke loose while he was skinning the bull, and he was left alone; so, spreading the hide upon the ground, fur side down, he spread the two blankets upon it, and then lay himself upon them and rolled up tightly. The green hidefroze, and he was as securely incased as though he were within a steel boiler. He had been therefive days; and being behind the bluff the sun had not reached and softened the hide. He said he had keptcomfortable, with the exception of hisfeet, and with them he had suffered a great deal. Upon investigation, they were both found to befrozen; and we took him to Las Animas to thedoctor, who amputated them both at the instep. He often said that a man without toes was better thanno man, that he surely would have perished had he notcaptured the buffalo, and that, if we had not found him, a few days later the hide would have been his grave.
We found ready sale for our meat, and were soon steering again for the Cimaron. We came acrossseveraloutfits, each of which had been more or less frozen in the late blizzard. Some had lost fingers, and others toes; and we heard of onewhole outfit of three men, north of the Arkansas, freezing to death.Wewere not in theleastinjured, and we congratulated ourselves upon our being prepared with agood bed.
We came in sight of camp aboutsundown, and riding ahead and seeing no one about the camp, I concluded totrythe boys; so, riding up over the hill, I came down upon the dug-out with awhoop, and fired several shots from my six-shooter as I circled to the east, and lying flat upon the pony I shot down a ravine just in front of the dug-out, my back being all that could be seen. Whiz! went a bullet just over mybackbone; and I was satisfied that the boys were notasleep, and that they couldshootpretty well too. So I dismounted at a place in the gulch where my horse was hidden, and taking a white handkerchief I raised it to view to try the boys; butwhite flag or no white flag, the two old black gun-barrels lay up alongside of the cave door and there was no such thing as aflag of trucetaking them down. I was a hundred yards off, and I swear I was afraid to put up my head to make myself known. At length they saw theteamcoming, and knowing mydisposition, they then mistrusted that it was me in the ravine. When I was sure that the boys knew who Iwas, I mounted my poney and rode into camp. The boys acknowledged that I had completelydeceivedthem, and that they took me for anIndianriding down there to draw them out, and then a whole band would fire upon them from every hill. Dave said he had done his finest to hit me on the wing, but he could see nothing but myback, and that went down the ravine as swift as a cork over the cataract of Niagara, and he supposed he shot wild. I told him that he did very well, and I would not like him to do better upon like occasions. Charley said he would like to have cut asuspenderoff anyhow, just to give me some caution.
We hunted for many miles around, including north-eastern New Mexico and the “pan-handle” of Texas. We had the hill-side covered withhides for some distance; and game becoming scarce, we concluded to pile up our hides and load up our outfit and start for other quarters. We followed the Cimaron down intoKansas; and just before we went into theterritorywe came on to a large herd of buffaloes, and killed enough to load our wagon withhides, leaving the rich, delicious meat to the wolves. We followed the river into the territory, and one evening a government officer with three men came out from Salt Springs to our camp; for we had been reported killing buffaloes in the territory. The officer rode up insultingly, and without any questions began to abuse us and call ustrespassersandthieves, and said he had a great mind to upset the wagon and burn every hide we had. We told him we had not killed the buffaloes in theterritory. But he continued his abuse; and thinking it aboutour timeto talk, and being four against four, we told him we hadenough talknow, and we wanted to see him burn the hides. We were well prepared; and seeing his position, he rode off with his men—I suppose partially convinced that a star upon the breast of an abusive scoundrel does not enable him to ride over honest men.
It was now getting late in the season, and we concluded to haul our hides to market and travel over the south during the summer. We left the outfit at thedug-out, and two stayed with it and the other two hauled hides. We took up two fall loads, and had as many more as we could haul with the outfit the third trip. We shipped them to Kansas City and sold them well, and struck a rich dividend. We camped up and down the Arkansas, fishing and occasionally shooting a deer among the brush along the river, and spending some time moving in the refined society of the valley, and now and then staying a little late conversing with the cultured daughters of the ranchmen. We spent many pleasant days and evenings thus; and after trimming up the outfit carefully, and laying in a good supply of ammunition and such eatables as we supposed would be needed on our trip, we were ready to start again for southern sights.
Summer Trip Through the South—Indian Agencies—Canadian River—Lion Fight—Red River—Double Mountain—Staked Plains—Pecos River—Indian Skirmish—Santa Fe, New Mexico—Return to the Arkansas Valley—Description of the Plains—Mirage—Dangers of the Prairie—Wild Horses and How Captured—Creasing Animals.
Summer Trip Through the South—Indian Agencies—Canadian River—Lion Fight—Red River—Double Mountain—Staked Plains—Pecos River—Indian Skirmish—Santa Fe, New Mexico—Return to the Arkansas Valley—Description of the Plains—Mirage—Dangers of the Prairie—Wild Horses and How Captured—Creasing Animals.
When the April sun of 1878 was high in the heavens, we bid farewell to our valley friends and wound merrily down the river. Thegreen grasshad begun to show itself, and the valley waslovely; and the little birds sported and sung in the bushes and little trees along the river-banks. As the houses became more and more numerous, we began to realize that we were goingeastto wheresomebody lived. Following the river on down, we passed through theCreekandCherokeeagencies, and also theChocktawcountry, and were very much interested in our Indian observations. TheCherokeesare far advanced in civilization, and areby farthe most intelligent tribe.
They haveschool-houses, andchurches, and pretty villages; and some have carpet upontheir floors. They appear toenjoytheir new mode of living, and take pride in their pretty homes. I may also state that there are some verypretty girlsamong them. All the agency lands that we passed through were the best that the sun ever warmed. Though Uncle Sam reaches forth his bountiful hand whenever the weakest red man asks, most of the tribes appear restless; and though there is much game in the territory, and notwithstanding that they are let out of the agency once a year to hunt over the wide wild country, their eyes are restless, their faces itch for the war-paint, and they long to sally forth beneath the white-eagle plume, to ring the valleys with their wild war-whoop, and wash the hatchet in the white man’s blood. The farming implements furnished them are left to rust, and they indolently exist upon the nation’s bounty.
Every Indian nation in the United States to-day, who willreceivethem, havebeautifulreservations, which are the verygardens of the Union; and their every want is mostbounteouslysupplied. The only tribes that are to-daysufferingare those who will notreceivefrom the hand ofplenty. But inspiteof all this, there are some of the tribes breaking from their agencies every few months and committing their bloody outrages, which boil a human’s blood; and theclemencyof the Government is exhibited by its capturing the murderers and placing them back upon their homes, giving them new blankets and rifles, and telling them not to do so again,—sometimesgiving them atrial, but rarely giving them thedeserved penalty. Persons seated in their comfortablemansionsin the land from whence savagedom has long since been driven, and where the protecting arm ofcivilizationis thrown around them, are prone to speak of thepoor Indianeking out a miserable livelihood from the western deserts and barren mountains, and continually persecuted and provoked by the cruelwhite man, only waiting for an opportunity to kill them off.Oh, fie!Go see whatIhave seen, and learn thetruth, and your sympathies will be banished bybitter scorn. Go see the poor emigrant, who has taken his little family to a new home in the sundown land, shot down at his labor and scalped in the furrow, his dear wife and innocent babescrushed with the hatchet, their blood spilled upon the cabin floor, and their brains spattered against the wall. Go
THEIR CRUELTY.
THEIR CRUELTY.
THEIR CRUELTY.
experience realities, and have your all and dearest on earth torn from you, and hear their heart-rending cries as they are carried off by savage demons, and see how the red devils canmockmercyand torturehelpless innocence; and if the fire within your bosom does not kindle and you do not say that the devilshave it only too good, there must be little soul within. God knows thatIwould be the last to mentionviolence; but I have seen decency outraged and sweet infancy tortured, and have witnessedso many sickening sightsthat my blood boils whenever I think of them and my right arm twitches for vengeance. The first tribe that starts a war should be madean exampleof, and the last wretch laid low; then outbreaks would be fewer. As it is, there is continually trouble all along the frontier, and no man is safe. If the Government would only empower a company ofcow-boysandhuntersto pursue them when out on the war-path, there would be less damage and severerreprimands; but until the soldiers capture them, with their blue ribbon and military maneuvers, the devils have done all the mischief they want to do and are ready to surrender.
The Indians allappear friendly; but a chance is all that is wanted to place your scalp bleeding upon a pole while they sing their bloody songs around it. It is their nature.
“And as long as his skin is rough and red,His cruel heart is the devil’s bed.”
“And as long as his skin is rough and red,His cruel heart is the devil’s bed.”
“And as long as his skin is rough and red,His cruel heart is the devil’s bed.”
We followed the river to its junction with the Canadian. This is a most splendid country. Here God again does the raining, and no irrigation is needed. The agencies are the same. We then concluded to go up the Canadian to the west. It was not long, however, until we had left the rich farming country and were again upon the dry, sandy wilderness. The country for some distance upon either side of the river is intensely rough, rocky, barren, and sandy. Great herds of cattle range along the river and up and down all its tributaries. As we went to the west trees grew few and scrubby and dwarf-bushes grew among the rocks and bluffs, and little streams of clear water came tumbling down over the rocks from the springs away under the barren hills. We often thought of the mountains as we wound along, and we thought we must be near the jumping-off place. We killed several deer and antelopes among the hills, and saw some strange-looking tracks in the sand at the water.
Early one pretty morning, as we were strolling up the ravines in search of game, I noticed Charles stop suddenly, and dropping behind a rock he beckoned me to him. He pointed upthe river to where some bushes were shaking; and crawling closer, by the aid of our glass we found it to be a large lion feasting upon the carcass of a deer. We crept away, and after gathering the other boys we held a council and determined totacklehim, let come what would. We cautiously crept along under rocks and brush until we were within one hundred and fifty yards of him, when hespiedus, and uttering a loud roar, crouched low upon his prey. Now was our time; so, resting my rifle upon a rock, I deliberately fired. He was almost hidden in the brush, and I struck him in the shoulder. He uttered a terrible roar, and bounded toward us with his shattered blade. We had shrunk from the lionbehind the bars; but, my Lord, here we were in the samecagewith him, and no chance to shrink. I tell you, a lion can jump likethunderwiththree legs; and he came directly atme. The boys were flanked upon either side, and they were to reserve their loads until he was near enough to be sure. I waited until I could see his eyes bat, and he was about to make his last spring, and then pulled; but, great God! the cartridge failed. I dodged behind a large rock, and as he sprung down over myhead, with his powerful paws extended and his great claws protruding like bayonets, his low growl sounded like the voice of hell; and though things looked a littlecloudy, I never conceded forone momentthat I was ever created for lion-meat. The blood-hound sprung forward and sunk his huge teeth into his hind leg; but he was no more to the infuriated animal than a gad-fly would be to a buffalo, and before I could shove a new cartridge home he was again crouched to spring, when the boys rushed forward, and, with the muzzles of their rifles so close that the hair was singed, sent three well-directed balls grinding through his body. The shots all went near the heart, and he never arose from the earth, but rolled over upon his side, and with a low, gurgling groan, trembled and died. It wassport,all through; but I enjoyedthis stageof the proceedings better than any other. As he lay there, with his nine feet of power stretched upon the sand so closely to me that I could feel his dying-breath and touch his shaggy mane, I felt happy that he was dead. He was nine feet in length, and was the most powerful lion we had ever seen. Some of his teeth were two inches long; and after lookingcarefully at the huge mouth and powerful jaws, I concluded that I was at one time nearer being lion-meat than I had before believed. The blood-hound stood proudly by, wagging his tail as though waiting for the praise for killing him. Poor fool! He was not as much as a gray-back in the folds of the shirt of a professional tramp. I felt very glad that I did not tackle the animal alone. We carefully examined every cartridge we had. Charles said if I could have caught the tail I might have gone to thunder and fought my own battle, like he did with the buffalo. We looked carefully around that day, expecting to find the mate; but we saw no more, and the next morning journeyed on.
When we were about the center of the territory we struck south for the Red River, which bounds the territory on the south. We struck the Washita River, Wild Horse Creek, and many other small streams, finding many cattle along every water, and game in all directions. Great herds of buffaloes were daily seen heading to the north. There being plenty of good water all along the route from the Canadian to the Red River, the journey was apleasantone. The country of the Red River was rough as theCanadian, and was good for naught but raising stock. We left the Red River and went down the Big Washita; and then on to the Brazos, and down its head-waters to the Double Mountain, Texas, which we had been told was the range of the main buffalo-herd of the south. The story was certainly correct, for they were here by the thousands; and not being nearly so wild as where we had hunted, it was no more to shoot a buffalo here than to kill a cow. The country was rough, and destitute of all but short grass; and though there werecattle here, they were not nearly so numerous as atother placeswhere we had been. There was a little ranch now and then stuck in among the rocks—and one man stays in each; but they carry their lives in aholy pocketevery day and night. They have become somewhatreconciledto this hermit-life, and do not give the danger its full weight. This is about aswilda country as lies within the borders of ourUnion; and if a person had the material, and were prepared, he could make crooked whisky here without molestation by the authorities.
We were now prepared to cross thestaked plains, which had been reported to us as abroad, dry, and barren country; that it required several days’ journey to cross, upon which many persons had perished, and where, several years ago, a whole company of soldiers had been led by the Indians whom they were pursuing, and there became bewildered and died in this waterless region. We filled our barrel and three skins with water from a cool, crystal spring that bubbled from beneath a rock and headed the Colorado River, and steered due west for the Rio Pecos in New Mexico. The first night out we camped upon a dry, barren plain, level as a floor, and almost destitute of grass, all animation having disappeared. We traveled beneath the burning sun; and resting at night upon the broad couch of nature, we breathed the light, warm air. It was all the same in any direction, with no object to obstruct the vision, and not one cloud to dim the splendor of the setting sun. On the eve of the third day out our attention was attracted to some white objects upon the prairie ahead, and which, upon coming up, we found to be the skeletons of four men bleaching in the sun. Thethirsty reptilehad doubtlessstrangledthem; and as we stood gazing upon the whitened forms, we thought of the agoniesof that last hour. They must have lain there for some years, for there was not even a vestige of else but the bones. They had undoubtedly cast away everything to hurry on; and when the weakest fainted, the others in their delirium sunk by his side, all determined to soar upon the same wings to the land beyond, where the crystal fountains are flowing freely.
The weather being so warm and the air so dry, our horses requiredmuch water; and though we could somewhat gaugeourselves, we were compelled to give them what they wanted. We were just as saving, however, as wedaredbe, and upon the morning of the fifth day out we tapped the last skin and the last water. This was just like mother’s bread. When the flour is all gone and the horses have the epizooty so that no one can go to the mill, and theboysonce find out thefactsin the case, the last loaf is saturated withhoney, and every one can make a meal uponbreadandcoffee. We stretched this out until noon on thesixth day, when there was but one gallon left, and that almost warm enough to cook eggs. Morning dawned, and the sun rolling from the horizon in all its grandeur had to us little attraction. Things began to look badly. Six days upon a plain level as a floor and dry as the internal regions, and not an object yet in sight, I tell you is a bad report. We had long been out ofcorn; and the grass being so scarce our horses were pretty well gaunted, and now no water. How long would they hold out? Just before we hooked up I took the field-glass and from the wagon surveyed the surroundings. Looking carefully to the west I saw broken country. Oh, joy! And when I spoke the boys shouted aloud. We knew that we were now safe, and we would sleep that night by the purple stream. The hills were a great way off, and if the horses could have known, as we did, that just ahead gurgled the life-giving stream, we would have spanned the journey in half the time. However, when within about a mile of the hills they appeared to smell water, and pointing their ears they sped hastily along. But in spite of our eagerness we came among the hills by the moonbeam’s misty light. There was the stream, rippling clear and cool; and it is needless to say that was to us a merry night. We sat up all night talking of the dangers of the country, and contrasting the might of theroaring lionwith the power of thequiet monster,thirst.
In the morning we took our rifles and started among the hills to get somemeatfor breakfast. We were not out long before Dave’s rifle rung out sharply in the still morning air. Going to him, we found him with a large buck deer; and we had a splendid venison roast for breakfast. The country was very rough, and hung upon the edge of the plain like a great ruffle, and to the west tossing higher and higher. There were a fewbuffaloeshere also. We stayed in this camp several days, living upon the best of meat, and recruiting our horses upon the rich grass of the valley. There were also a fewcattlestraggling along the river; and they were wilder than thebuffaloes. We at length moved up the river and came among some dwarf timber; and to sit in the shade of these little trees was more pleasant to us than any other period of our lives. Thewolveswere verynumeroushere; and we were compelled to sleep by the fire every night to keep our clothes from being torn by these foul-mouthed creatures, who would howl within the very limits of our camp, and terrify our horses so that we had to tie them to trees with double ropes.
It is somewhat amusing to see them capture their game—sometimes taking down a large buffalo bull or even a wild horse. If the game is in a flock or herd, they cautiously surround it, and gradually round them up to close quarters. If they are antelope or deer, as they break through the guard several are usually captured; but if they are buffaloes, they watch for a calf to come to the outside of the bunch, and pop! they have him. Sometimes as many as twenty wolves surround a herd; and to see with what cuteness and tact they execute their work is interesting in the extreme. When they are very hungry they will tackle most any animal. They sport carelessly around until he is off his guard, and then dash upon him; and while some run at the head, the main aim is to cut the ham-string. I have seen large bulls disabled in this way and at the entire mercy of a pack of hungry wolves, who sometimes tear their satisfaction from the living animal and leave him struggling in his agonies. Their teeth are sharp and their jaws are like vices; and they sometimes snap a large piece out of an animal, and then let him run away.
New Mexico is noted for itspoisonous reptilesandinsects, such as rattlesnakes, scorpions, centipedes, tarantulas, etc., and finding them creepingupon most every hill-side, we were compelled to be verycarefullest we should tramp, sit, or lie upon some destructive stinger.
We hadtwo beds, and John and myself slept together. One lovely moonlight night, after we had all retired, and my mind was resting upon the border of slumber, I was startled by John uttering a war-whoop and leaving the bed in a single leap. Being about half asleep, and thinking that perhaps thedevilwas under the cover, I did not taketimetorise, but started toroll; and being near the bank of a little stream that emptied into the river, I never stopped rolling until I splashed into the water. I was then thoroughly awakened, and felt as though I was not afraid of the devil if he were there. The rest of the boys came to the rescue with their colors flying, and pulling off the covers we found two largerattlesnakeson John’s side of the bed. They were swelled with rage and rattled furiously. We had never known them to crawl into abed. After killing them, we moved the bed and found a hole in the ground under it. We then concluded that they were out when we lay down, and in trying to find the way back they got into the bed; and John hearing therattle left the bed just as the reptile was ready to strike. We were always careful after that never to build upon another’s homestead.
Thecentipedeis a brown-colored worm of about the thickness of a lead-pencil, and three inches in length whenfull grown. It has a great number of legs, and at the end of each a little black needle which is worked in and out at pleasure like a cat’s claw.Theseare thestings, and whenever the worm iscrossedit sinks them. The venom from the rattlesnake is not to be compared with its effect. When they are found upon the body, the onlysafeway is to beperfectly motionless, and notdisturbthem, and they will often crawl harmlessly away; but should the personmoveorexcitethem, they will sink their deadly claws and run across the person rapidly, and beyond all remedy the flesh will rot to the bone in a short time. Ioncesaw theeffectof asting. We were one sunny day sitting with some greasers upon the shady side of anadobehouse near Santa Fe, when a largecentipededropped from the roof of the house down upon the naked breast of one of them. He struck at it and tried to knock it off quickly as possible; but in spite of his efforts it ran clear across hisbody, and in a few hours he died with his body terribly swelled. They are regarded the most deadly of all animals or insects in the West; and for the benefit of myreaderswho may sometime journey in their land, I would advise and pray that should one of these stingers get upon your body, be careful to not disturb it, for thedangeris utter ruin.
Thetarantulais a very largespider, with large, strong legs, and can jump four or five feet. Itbitesinstead ofstings; and though its bite is notdeadlylike the centipede’s, it is nevertheless verypainful, and swells the parts fearfully,sometimesresulting in death. They are apeacefulinsect; but whentormentedthey become very angry, and will jump at their enemy in great fury. These two insects are very numerous in New Mexico, and it is very dangerous to sleep on the ground; and citizens are all the time cautious.
While speaking of poisonousanimalsandinsects, I might also mention that theskunkout here isalsovery dangerous. They will come to yourbedatnightand bite you; and the bite has never been known to fail to producehydrophobia. It is a question much discussed whetherit is the effect of thegeneralskunk-bite, or whether there are justcertain oneswhich arethemselvesafflicted with hydrophobia. The generalopinionis, however, that any skunk’s bite will produce the effect. The subject acts just as though bitten by a mad-dog, and it is said that there is no remedy when once bitten. I saw a man by the name of Jones, in Texas, die in the most horrible agony from a skunk-bite he had received away up in Nebraska eighteen months before. These skunks are in appearance like our eastern skunks; but whether they are equallypoisonousI do not know. The cow-boys are always on the alert for skunks.
We moved on up the river; and one evening as I rode down a deep ravine a half mile north of camp I discovered smoke arising out of a deep gulch just below. I recognized it as anIndianfire. I tied my pony to a bush in a deep hollow and cautiously crawled down upon the camp. I got within about three hundred yards of them, and peeping out from behind a bluff I saw four Indians, who, from their dress, I recognized to beKiawas, from the pan-handle country. Two were smoking their pipes, and the other two were broiling meat upon a stickbefore a little fire; and just below them were twelve good ponies grazing in the ravine. Knowing theKiawasto behorse-thieves, and finding them here under suchsuspicious circumstances, I concluded that they had been outstealingand were just returning with their booty. Creeping cautiously away, I got my pony and rode off to camp; and after informing the boys of what I had seen, we concluded to rescue the ponies from their red captors. So, just after twilight we moved quietly upon the camp—John and myself upon ponies, and Dave and Charles on foot. When we were within a hundred yards of the camp and, unnoticed, we halted and took a careful survey of the ground. A cool wind had sprung up that evening, and by a bright little fire lay the four bodies in blankets, while fifty yards below grazed the twelve hobbled ponies in the bright moonlight. Their front feet were tied closely together with ropes, and they were compelled to step very short. Our plans were formed as follows: We would open upon them with four rifle shots; and while the footmen kept up the fire, the horsemen were to leave with them their rifles, and with six-shooters in hand dash between the camp andthe ponies, and with wild whoops run off the horses. Whang! went the rifles, and away we flew toward the camp. Two of the Indians did not appear to wake up; but the other two sprung from the fire likewild deer. We ran upon the herd shouting and yelling, and the boys keeping a brisk fire all the while. The horses were so frightened that they jumped with both front feet together, and moved off down the ravine pretty rapidly. After running them about a half mile we ceased our noise, and the ponies slackened. Then we rode among them and dismounted to cut the hobbles, knowing the necessity of taking all or run the risk of being overtaken. It was to be quick work, for the two Indians who woke up were sure to come for the horses as quickly as possible. We had cut the hobbles ofeleven, and had them roped together; but one pretty dark horse had run off down a gulch. John held the captives and I ran off to get the other. He was pretty wild, and I followed him about a quarter of a mile before I could get to him. At length he became quiet, and going up to him I cut the hobbles, and had just fastened it on his head when an Indian rushed from behind the bluff at my very side.Seeing me alone, I suppose he took me to be his comrade; and running up muttering something in the Kiawa tongue, he sprung upon the pony’s back. This was my opportunity, and seizing my six-shooter I struck him a furious blow in the face; and as he fell to the ground I mounted and rode off for John. I do not suppose the horse was everbackedbefore; and instead of goingtoward John, he went in the other direction full bent. I had a rope through his mouth; but finding him unmanageable, and not havingtimetobreak colts, I succeeded in checking him; and springing to the ground I shot him through the body and cut off his artery, and ran off on foot. As I went up the ravine I saw a person coming down, and springing to one side I crouched behind a rock. As he went by I saw it was theIndianwith his rifle in his hand. He passed within six feet of me; but I only wanted theponies, and did not want to kill an Indian unless it was absolutely necessary for my own safety. After he had passed I ran on. I soon met Dave and Charles, who having heard the shot, supposed that I was in trouble and were coming to my assistance. We all went back to where I left John, but he was gone; and going on, wefound him in camp, with the horses. We then moved out, and never halted until the sun was darting his bright rays upon us. We had been moving as rapidly and quietly aspossible; but knowing that we would betrailed, we kept a mounted guard among the hills upon either side of the wagon, to keep from being surprised by the enemy, who might head us off.
The next evening we came to a trading-post called Alamo, on the Pecos bank; and about eight o’clock, as we were seated upon a bench in the post, four cow-boys rode up, and dismounting, walked in to the bar, with the bells jingling upon their spurs and their six-shooters dangling at their sides. They set their broad hats back upon their heads, and one big fellow, with his shirt open and his breast naked, called us all up and we drank together. They were not satisfied until we had taken several rounds; and though the drinks weretwo bitsapiece, they were as free as though they were but three cents. Knowing that it would not do to refuse to drink withcow-boys, when they ask, we drank with them, but touched it lightly. We talked and laughed together as though we were old friends; and at length they said they were out on a horse-hunt. They said that a few days before, as they were camped upon Salt Lake, fifty miles to the west, some Kiawa Indians had dashed into their camp, and, killing the cook, ran off twelve good ponies. Theydescribedthem and told thebrand, and we were sure that we had the horses. We told them of our capture, and they recognized the ponies at sight. We told them that we had left two thieves sleeping by a little fire in a ravine fifty miles below, and had killed one stubborn pony. They said what we had done was well done; but it must be finished. They said they had been bothered a great deal with these Kiawa and Comanche devils, who constantly hung upon their range, shooting down every lone cow-boy and running off every horse they could get, and they had made up their minds to give them some of their own medicine. The next morning they rode off, bright and early, swearing that if they could be found theother twowould be sleeping by the firethat night. They insisted upon our going along; but it was not ourmissiontokill Indians, and we refused. We were satisfied that if the story had been rightly told, our work had been rightly done; and we moved on up the river.
The country was veryrough; but we kept along the river, and in a few days were inSanta Fe, the capital of New Mexico, and the terminus of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. The town is located among the hills, and stage-roads are worn deep in several directions. The old, abandoned Santa Fe trail, which we had crossed so many times in our hunts, wound like a serpent down the hill-side into the town. It had beensome timesince we had seenframe houses, and they appeared to us as grand as Roman cathedrals; and for several days we enjoyed the novelty of civilization very much. There were largestock-yardshere, and many thousand head are annually shipped from this place. Stock-raising and mining are all that can be done among these hills and bluffs.
We now steered due north and came into the valley of the Rio Grande del Norte. We found great herds of cattle here, feeding over this pretty, rich range; and there were many little ranches upon the banks of the river.
We then strucknorth-east, passing by the Fishery Peak and going up the Purgatory River to the Arkansas. We felt as though we were athomewhen we stood upon the green bank ofthis river; and the settlers—especially the girls—with whom we had become acquainted prior to our going south, were apparently glad to see us back, and welcomed us to their littleadobehomes and rustic hospitalities.
It was now late in the month of September, and we concluded to go into some kind of business and stay in the valley that winter. We had now gone over a great territory of prairie; and the brief history of our travels has perhaps given the reader a faint idea of the nature of the country and the occupations of the people. But thewhole country,—the climate, the inhabitants, and their occupations,—is so different from the states—as called by western men—that it is difficult, even with the mostminute description, to conceive of the great country of the plains as it reallyiswithoutvisitingthis curious land.
We have stated that we left the agricultural land in east Nebraska and Kansas, and that then before us stretched the historical plains—the fountain of mysteries and the land of secrets. Imagine a great country, consisting of many states and territories, and containing millions of acres, with not even the smallest tree or bush, but covered withbuffalo-grass, which growsabout six inches high and then curls up, forming a mattress about three inches thick. Through this mighty dry domain course the rivers as marked upon the map. The banks areusually—though notalways—skirted with a light growth of cotton-wood trees; and the valleys are narrow, and fringed upon either side by great bluffs whose foot-hills usually roll some distance into the plain. Now, between these rivers there is very often a stretch of several hundred miles, and sometimes not a drop of water; but usually there is water to be found in drives of fifty and one hundred miles—sometimes closer and sometimes much farther. These little waters are very seldomrunning streams, but are small pools standing in deep gulches, and sometimes a little lake resting in a small bowl at the foot of a bluff. The country is alwaysroughwhere there iswater; and old plainers can always tell when they are near it. The gulches that have water standing in them, like the rivers, usually have smalltreesalso. Now, between these waters the plain is generally almost as level as a floor; and standing there, the horizon looks perfectly round. Along thewatersthe grass is thick and luxuriant, but gradually growsshorter as you leave; and the long, dry stretches are often very lightly covered. As you travel along over the level plains it appears as though there is a raise just ahead all the time; and where it looks level as a floor there are often great gulches which can not be seen until coming almost upon their very banks. Sometimes you will come into several miles of very soft sand, with hardly a spire ofgrassupon it. Now, persons whounderstandthis country know just where the waters lie, andpreparefor the trip; and very often where another person wouldperishthey could find water in a few hundred yards under a rock at the foot of a hill.
There is muchmirageupon the plains, and it is much worse some days than others. It looks as though there were a pretty,rolling river, or sometimes alarge lake, but a mile or so off. Nothing isplainer; and the imitation is so complete that old plainers are sometimes deceived in a country they do not know. It is caused from an unequal refraction of the lower stratums of the atmosphere; and whenanimalsare in it they are loomed up to twice theirnaturalheight. Anantelopeis often taken for abuffalo, and sometimes a bone or a buffalo-chip looks like ananimal. Objects often appear inverted. To a tender-foot the deception is often so complete that many a poor, perishing person, in whose eyes were fast gathering the shades of death, exhausted his last efforts in trying to reach theimaginary river, and his last breaths were drawn in the belief that he was dying within sight of the cool, flowing waters. I had read many stirring stories of this country, and had often heard of the strange peculiarities to be witnessed and experienced here; but, though myimaginingswereextensive, I had never indulged in delusion sufficient to think of the country in anything near its reality. Ah! many a skeleton lies bleaching upon the hill-side, with no tomb-stone to tell its name or age nor any one to tell the secret of his death. I have often thought that if the Angel of Death would read to the world hisprairie recordsome of the accounts would swell the heart of the most calloused desperado and wring a tear from the wickedest eye.
Thelegendsof the plains arenumerous, and persons who have never been here would naturally consider themfabulous, and the most grossexaggerations; but I know now, from experience, that the worst is reasonable. From the countrybeingall alike, and no objects to guide the way,—no, not even a weed, or the smallest bush, or distinguishable hill or valley,—when persons once lose their way they are as completely lost as though they were as blind as a granite monument fifty miles from living man. It is somewhatsingular, but it is a fact many times verified, that usually when persons lose their way in this country theirmindswander, and they do not even recognize their own camps when they come in sight of them. It appears that the average person is sohorrifiedat the thought of being lost and alone in a broad wild country, where the wild beast growls among the hills, and where the dry sands reflect perishment into their very eyes, and no one to direct their course, that the effect is natural.
A story is told of an outfit crossing over a dry prairie in the pan-handle country. The first night out from water a young man who had lately come from the states went out among the hills with his rifle to look for deer. He did notknowthedanger, and unconsciously wandered a mile away. When the sun was getting low he turned for camp. It appeared to him as plainly as the hills before him, that to turn back was togo toward camp. So, turning to his left, he took down a ravine, still looking for game, and sure that he was near camp. On he went, and the sun sunk low in the horizon. Soon darkness veiled the day, and he was still out, and had walked many miles. He drew out hiscompass; but he did not know whether he was north, south, east, or west from camp, and thrilled with the thought of his probable condition, he became completely bewildered and walked rapidly all night. The camp was in adeep ravine, and the boys supposing their tender-foot companion to belost, went to the top of a hill and built a large fire with buffalo-chips, and fired their guns and loudly hallooed; but all to no purpose. In the morningsearchwas made. The country was sandy andlightlycovered withgrass, and he could be trailed. Two of the boys, well mounted, started in pursuit. They followed to the east about a mile, and then winding to the south about a mile and a half he made a complete circle of about two miles, and went around three times almost in the same tracks, and then started off zigzag to the west. About noon an object was seen seated upon the side of a hill in the distance, and hurrying up the lost John wasfound. He had become completely deranged, and had torn every vestige of clothing from his body, and was holding the compass in his hand. He was so completely bewildered that he did not even recognize hisown comrades, and it wasseveral hoursbefore his mind regained its equilibrium and he fully comprehended his position. He then said that it seemed as though camp must be near and could be readily found; but when he once became convinced that he was lost, he became so completely bewildered that the compass was no more use to him than a box without a needle. He said the hills and valleys all lookedalike, and there was not a bush, or weed, or anything whatever to mark his course, much less aneighbor to direct the way.
This is onlyoneofhundredsof cases; and I have heard of persons horriblymutilatingthemselves in their mad agonies. The facts given are perfectlycredible, for I have felt their force by experience. I recollect that one warm spring morning in south Colorado, the fog hung over the prairie like the mist upon the ocean, and a horse could be distinguished but a few hundred yards. I had stayed all night with some cow-boys on Bear Creek, and saddling my pony Istarted out among the bluffs to steer my way over the plain to our camp upon the Cimaron, thirty miles below. I had nocompasswith me, but I had crossed the country so often that I thought it would be no trouble, even in the midst of the mighty fog, to grope my way. I had scarcely left the cotton-wood tops in the mist when I came to another creek. This seemed very strange, for I only knew ofone creekin the country; but not willing to believe that I wasagaincrossingBear Creek, I kept pushing on. I saw some men camped in a ravine just below, and saw theirhorsesgrazing among the hills; but I thought they must behunters, and the creek must be one that I had not seen. I went on until I had crossedsix creeks; and I made up my mind that there was somethingwrong, and that I must be circling my own camp on Bear Creek. I had lost the location of theboysI saw awhile ago, and I rode down to the stream, and tosave my lifeI could not tell which way thewaterran. I dismounted and set my rifle on the ground, and before my left foot was removed from the stirrup the pony became frightened and dashed away. Losing my grip upon the horn I was jerked down, and the horse started offkicking down the creek. He dragged me about fifty yards, and I began to think it did not make much difference which way the water ran, when I succeeded in getting a square kick at the stirrup with my right foot, andluckilyout it came. The pony, now free, ran off down the creek. After following him about three miles, I came into the camp of an old hunter (Barney Gowe), whom I had not met for some months. Myponystopped withhishorses and was easily captured. I then asked Barney where Iwas, and he thought I was codding him; but becomingconvincedof my situation he laughed heartily and told me to stay for dinner and the world would turnright side up againafter awhile. It was full two hours before all wasright, and all at once the whole valley appeared natural. There were the little stone monuments upon the bluffs above to guide the hunter and cow-men, and which haddirected memany a time. The little trees, whosevery limbsI now recognized, looked as of old, and the little stream, as it rippled along, seemed to laugh at the strange conduct of itsold friend. I was three miles below where I stayedall night; and I had been rounding my own camp four or five times, and did not recognizeitnor theboys. They said theysawme going around and did not know what I meant. The next morning the fog hadcleared awayand the trip was made without difficulty. I only mention these facts to morefully picturein the imagination of the reader the country with its attending circumstances and peculiarities as itreally is, and to warn those who read these lines that should they ever become bewildered and lost in this desert land to be calm, keep possession of their mind, and sit down until the country turnsaround again.
After explaining the nature of the country, the reader can now perhaps better understand thesportsandoccupationsas they are hereinafter explained. There are often car-loads ofmustang poniesshipped to the states; and people wonder how they are captured—some supposing that they are caught with thelasso. I can say that there arefewwild horses caught with thelariat, andtheyare only captured by the hunter hiding himself at the water and catching them as they come down to drink, or by taking advantage of the ground and making an angling run upon the herd and cutting them off.Blooded horseshave been brought to this country for this sport, andit has been found that thefleetest horsecan seldom succeed in bringing his rider to the side of a fully grown mustang. These animals are found in several of the western states and territories, along the waters of the wild lands. There are usually betweentwentyandfiftyin a herd, but I have knownone hundredto be in a single herd. Each herd has a distinct range, usually about ten miles across, and which they can seldom be forced to leave. There are some very fine-looking animals in these wild gangs, and as they dash over the range their manes waive back over their rumps, and their tails spread gracefully after them. I saw aMexicancapture a fine iron-gray stallion that (perhaps in scratching his head) had caught his hind foot in his long entangled mane.