White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-06-11
WHITE CLOUD KANSAS. THURSDAY, JUNE Ii, 1851

= - N---S e-aNs htIIAfGA cOule duQl
tional tribes on the prairie,'' (free gif) ana
I, went on their:way. Heading now for the Platte
> the trappers soon struck the wagon-trail alona
: the river. Here fresh xheel-tracks attracted
their attention, which we're pronounced but an
: hour or two old From the sign, it was plair
there we're brs two wagons; but there were q
number of outside horse tracks, which indicated
either party OF horssnen, or cavaleade o.
4 loose aninsiS. Fhs = sscS followed on with
. out rnendia. iheir pate, "a aiteran hours ride
!, it was evident the wagon train was now not fal
in advance; for even at this moderate gate, they
would soon overtake the slow, numbering vehi,
eles, Soon after, they came to a turn in the
l river, and lust beyond, they perceived that the
= whcel-tracks became scarcely discernable thro'
) numerous hoofrrints, as If large party Of
horsemen had followed Immediately in their
, rear. After a little, the wheel-tracks again be.
cine distinct. Then deep Irregular ruts were
seen, as if the horses had SHE'D suddenly, and
: signs of scgtae wer, visible. All these need
f ed NJ Interpretation, ans the trappers mended
, their pace.
HI, boys! let's help them chips ont of this
scrape, if it amt too late, already said Ram
rod. as he tightened his reins, and drove his
spurs into his horses hrnks. The Others in
stanily quiekened the speed of their animals.
1T goes against my grain, he said, to see white
folks made volf-meat oeby a set of darned red
skins. Aud why should they, wlef thar's those
! 90 bapd.tl,,t o,u halo so,,, D.
: That's my talk, exactly said Ben Morton.
It's plain enough, the Odds amt equ,l, and the
Iniuns have got the best of 'em. Ha! what's
thisl' he said, quickly, as he spied some object
in the road, a little distance ahead. 1t was a
! woman's bonnet. Ho. put out, boys. putout'
: he cried sharply. %Thar's women in tie scrape;
anil who knows, but that they've already lost
their hair. Put ont, say! Wen see more
when We turn that timber, as sure as shooting!'
instantly, every swift steed was flying over
the turf at the top OF his speed, urged by whip
, and spur, their long tails streaming in the wind
! and soon a loud shou. rose from every tongue,
as TIE wagons hsve in full view But the trap
pers paused not, but plunged their spurs still
ANfiiNAs AuA ~ 'A4Db WAS 70 DE
: lost, if they would all those whom they sought
TO rescue. The wagons were still good half
mile in advance; Eus they could see distinctly
{. the desperate sirli. they were in. The whites
, ih1i some dozen II loose aniiaals with then;
, aal these they we're attempting to defend from
the attacks of a large party of Indians, who had
surrounded them, and we're now galloping around
on every side, whooping and yelling, shaking
thek buaalo robes, and trying in every concei-
valieNway to stampede them, or lasso them from
thckusrd. But the whites did their duty well.
T&y had halted the.Wagons, and placed them
/atriEht angles to each other; and. having driv-
en- the animals into this partial enclosure, they
had drawn themselves up in line outside, and
kept brissling from. of riae-barrels always to-
wards their assailan.s, on the sid most exposed.
But the Indians were too numerous BY far, ard
had now divided thGis forcc, and, by precon
certed plan, made simultaneous attack, both
, in front and rear. The whites repealed them as
: best they could, receiving their charge with a
volley of riae-sho:s, every ball bringing its man
to the earth. Buf slrcir rifles only cracked once,
and thoy had not time to reload Their only
remaining resource was their pistols and their
knives; and, with the fury of desperation, they
: now sprang TO the haal-to-hand encounter.
All this happened while the trappers were Ay-
ing to their assistance; and, so engaged were
both parties, that mathematical their approach.
Now, for the first tine, the trappers perceived
that number of white men we're evidently al
ding the Indians. There wore three OF them in
all, and these were foremost in the fight. But
now, leaving the Indians to their own bloody
work, they spfang to tie wagons, and dragged
nut the women, who had been placed therein FOR
better security. In vain the women resisted;
: and their friends could not help them, for they
had more tlnn they card DO to defend then
selves from the Iallian-, and two Of their num-
Der had already fallen. Arouni these, a half
dozen sarsges were yeiIinsliIte iends, and fight
ing for their sesirs; while near at hand, Stall
wart teamsterwas engaged in an unequal con-
test with tive mixed warriors, who fought with
the fury of Mid bcasIs; kiss little farther on,
a tall old man, with huge bowie-knife, was
vainiy enleavoring to defend himself against a
dozen that surrounded him. These had already
forced him upon his knees, AMI one now twisted
his fingers into his long grey hair, and drew his
: knife around the scalp, 10 separate it from the
D skull. But he saddenly paused from his work,
I as yell most fierce and loud sounded upon his
: ear; and the maddened trappers. with showers
: Of imprecations, bounded into the thickest OF
, the fight. prostrat.ng more than one Indian war
{ fibr in their headlong charge
r Quit that: you cussed devil" cried old Ram
[, rod, as he rushed upon him, and drove the muz-
zle of his rife faH into his breast, firing as he
, did 50. Then, drawing his pistols, he fred right
: and left, dropping an Indian at each shot, and
; continued the contest with his trusty knife In
( Ike manner, the rest of the tTzppers did deeds
D of valor, rushed madly into the unequal contest
, for even nov, their foes were more then Eve
J to one-and compelling many red-skin 10 bite
the dnst But Ben Mortou turned his horses
head to where one Of the renegade whites had
e dragged one of the women to the earth, and
: was now struggling to bind her. Casting away
his rife, for he dared not ere. for fear OF wOun-
a ding the woman, he lsaped from his horse. and
e drawing his knife, Jumped to the rescue. But
: the other anticipated him, and springing to BIZ
c feet, boldly confronted him. bad ghost from
the spirit world suddenly appeared to read him
! his final doom. he could not have been more
{ amazed and dumb-founded than be nov was, al
r. =. So 1. 1 = - - - -