The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-11-02

eyentful day, after traversing oil the vicissi.
tudes Of experience, after boxing the COM
pass OF lfe's stormy sea and shaking hands
with every extremity Of fortune, should be
seated at last in this quiet little sanctum
the hum of that mighty city, which was then
the goal Of our hopes; the wild freedom OF
the illimtablc praries exchanged for the con-
fines Of dingy Office; my snorting charger
discarded for this old arm chair; the badge
of the pioneer laid aside for more peaceful
but mightier weapon, this "gray goose quill"
Yes Six long years Of stern experience,
of lonely wanderings, Of ever changing, new
er oeasing toll and turmoil. have changed the
boy into the man; the youthful romance OF
the emancipated student, into the stern, liked
purposes, the unitarian views OF the slave
Of business. But have all their stormy vicis-
STUDIES and wild excitements blotted from
the mind the fearful memories OF that ter
rife scene, long ago, when the tyro OF the
wilderness first looked on death? All, no
On this sixth anniversary Of that memorable
day the thronging memories OF that feariui
hour crowd thick upon me. The hrst SUD
den moment Of alarm that terrible war
whoop, bursting from fifty savage throats;
the reckless desperation, the thrilling excite.
ment of that wild chase Of eight miles, with
! fifty painted demons sailing after me on their
sweat gathered on the TANKS Of my flying
gray and the foam few from his heaving
nostrils, lest his strength and bottom should
fail me in my dire extremity; and above all,
the exulting thrill Of gratitude and rapture
when the white wagon tops OF my comrades
hove in sight, as we flew over the summit OF
the last Hill that divided US from safety, and
the wild howl Of the bai1ed horde burst on
nv startled ears--all, all come back moth
ing is forgotten, and that unspeakable revu!.
sion of feeling, when my frightened steed
rushed into camp, and, his duty done, his
| force spent, his powers exhausted, dropped
| almost lifeless to the earth, as reeled from
the saddle and fervently thanked that Prov
idence who had looked down upon and pro-
tected me in my fearful need.
| 1t was on this day six years ago. Eighty
/ five of us, weary wanderers over the track
/ less prairies, were month after month toiling
/ onward to this distant land of gold, whose
/ lofty sierras and summer plains have since
| gathered to their eternal embraces so many
a member of that gallant, youthful band
/ Ii was Sunday in the wilderness the wagons
all "corralled" on the banks of the sLittle
Blue" the toll worn mules scattered around,
ioyfully cropping the virgin grass under the
watchful vigilance of the guard. Some of
the party were bathing in the clear stream,
some cooking, mendng clothes, washing,
lnungng, or smoking, and all enjoying to
the full glorious sunshiny day OF rest and
Incidence, when some evil genius possessed
mo with the sudden desire TO be the first OF
the party to slay TIL. long expected "bufaio,"
/ m animal we had not yet encountered, out
which now began to be the constant theme
| of cony ersation and conjecture. Several OF
the bows we're hunting turkeys in the margin
of the timber which skirted the river, so that
when saddled up my steed, and, with rife
at my saddle bow, started out to the north
ward, the few who observed my departure
exchanged sly winks at my probable disap-
pointment, but never dreamed OF the thrilling
adventure that was so rashly rushing into.
Although we knew that we were about the
confines Of the Pawnee territories, and had
indeed been warned by convoy of trarpers,
whom we had met but few days previous
returning from their wintering ground IN the
mountains, that their war parties were out,
vet, confident in our numbers and the entire
inability of our unpracticed eyes to detect
any traces of them, we had attributed the
well-mcan warning OF the mountalneers
rather to a spirit Of newsmongering than
ANYTHING else. and rather despised those wild
Bedouins of the prairies Of whom We had
heard so much, but had as yet failed to see.
Far away over the beautiful undulating
and yernal bosom Of the trackless prairies
, rode gently along, on the qIi cire for any
: indications of the object of nay desires but,
though | eagerly scanned the horizon as
proceeded, not living being met my eye cA-
cept a few shy antelopes, whose wary eau
ton and quick perception rendered them
impossible Of approach upon the open prai-
ries. Far as the vision could reach, nought
but monotonous undulating surface of
gently swelling and naked hills, covered only
by the buffalo grass aud flowers OF every hue,
extended in every direction toward the far
horizon, where the blue sky oil summer kissed
the distant hills, glowing in the fresh vordare
of the advancing season.
Struck with the voicelcss solitude oil this
untrodden desert, rode slowly along, iazily
musing on the strange yicissituues when had
so suddenly translated me frcm college nails
to this wild scene, and had almost imper-
ceptbly placed three or Tour miles between
me and the camp, when Tar IN the distance,
directly in front Of me, ! d'scerned q col
umn OF dust, which, as | supposed, beto-
kened the long desired buffalo. Away went
romance and reflection. The ardor of the
hunter took possession Of me, and hastily
loosing my pistols and glancing at my rifles
lock, / struck spurs to my steed and galloped
forward, never doubting that the opportuni-
ty SO ardcntly coveted was at hand.
Charging down the hill and across the in
tervening valley, rose another gently swell
ing roll Of the prairie, and as | gained the
summit, again the moving cloud OF dust met
my gaze, and considerably nearer, and as
closely regarded it, perceived that it was
rapidly approaching, and began'to discern
the flashing Of bright objects cleaning out
from it's obscurity. This looked like buffalo
and as the object, whatever it might be,
continued to approach, halted for better
view, and was not long in making out u
! large band Of mounted Indians, their snow
white shields and FURNISHED lance heads
cleaning brightly in the morning sun.
Still, however, scarcely thought OF the
; Pawnees, but supposed it might be some
} hunting party of friendly Pottawattomies or
Sioux, and at all events, knowing the mettle
, and powers Of my horse, and having re-
} treat at pleasure, thought ! incurred no
. great risk in waiting for more satisfactory
) inspection. Gradually across the broad ex-
panse Of tho prairie, they drew nearer and
nearer, now disappearing from view in cross
ing some concealed hollow, and again dis
played in bold relief against the sky as they
) mounted some prominent ridge.
AT length their distance was diminished to
r to less than a quarter Of mile, and think
ing a closer acquaintance undesirable,
Q turned my horses head with view of riding
. moderately toward the camp till they should
manifest some design on me; when imagine
$ the chill Of horror which curdled my blood
as saw two small parties IN NY REAR
] galloping together from either side to cut of
Y nv retreat, and heard the terrific yell which
all thrgp rui. al nj they saw their wilv mi