The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-06-09

The PADDLE on HI back, but neither mule He bad had
Ihem both, but loet them Tho sergeant bad gone out an
bour before snS We soon started Peter "a again on
IVo that now lost Up 70 eight O'Clock At night
neither mules the sergeant nor Peter made THAR appear
moe.
HARD RIDE AND woRsE WALK.
On the evening Of the 28d express rider arrived n
The Big Sandy from Fort Leavenworth his way 70 Fort
Kearney. He remained all day of the 24th 1t the Sandy
hoping the stray mules would be found then could
help the sergeant the stream for without
some other help Il was doubtful when, ever he could
get Across But when ct eight p N. the 24th, neither
mules nor mule hunters had returned, he deter.
mined 10 advance To Kearney, as he could delay
his express no longer. ] was sick enough ef the
kind Of travelling had had for the last six days.
and determined 70 60 with him. ! obtained . little
mule packed my buffalo skins, blankets, saddle bags,
&c upon Il, and got pack saoeie for myself This pack
saddle wA an imperfect wooden frame OF . saddle. /
threw blanket over il, and fixed up leather strap with
loots the ends, which, being thrown the saddle,
formed my srrups. In that mortabe rigging, with
my mule and seh both heavily loaded down, started for
Fort Ksnsy ds,sDos o. nos mes On . Ss nsns
tween forty and ty miles, then tied animals 10 Craze,
threw ourselves upon the ground 70 rest few hours
On the 18th rode till had made eighty three mikes
from Big Sandy. Being unused 70 such hard travelling
and such saddle Of course excessively fatgued,
but sn Intended % make Fort kesrney twenty 81. miles
dstant that day. but unfortunately my hse mule gave
out and We had 10 dt for the day Rest and sum
Der we're not unpleasant that night About midnight
SO that they could get fresh grass when found they
were gone. They bad eaten off the ropes With which
thev were tied, and started We knew mot whither For
an hour we travelled round looking for them bot found
them poe. Il was then decided that the expsessmsn
ehoud take the road back towards Big Sandy and look
FOR them, while should take the road iorws,s towsds
Kearney and AK the commanding officer there 70 send
out anmss and men for tho express our things and 70
find the mules started, with large heavy boots extend
ing above the knees thick undercothes, heavy over
clothes and side arms and thus equipped walked the Gu
tire twenty six miles II sat down 70 rest minute had
10 pinch and bite myself 70 keep from falling asleep
About nine O'Clock In the morning arrived 1t the Fort
with feet all bistered up and Just able TO stand II was
ns the sns Of the but
which made the performance 30 exhaustiug This, how
ever only fair sample Of what takes place every DAY
On reporting the condition Of things 70 the commanding
officer al Fort Kearney Captain p AoCown, he mmedi.
sicily despatched an abundance Of men and animals Ees
the expressman, mules, &c. lie also despatched two
mules and good teamster 70 Aid Sergeant Holland, with
orders for the dismissal Of Peter
10 his own house, had breakfast prepared for me-
after which lay down 70 res and recover In every
thing the Captain showed himself courteous ana warm
bearted gentleman. His genuine Southern hospitality
brought in direct contrast 70 rough prairie life met with
IN unusual appreciation
DESCRIPTION OF FORT KRARNEY.
Fort Kearney like most Of the forts In The West has no
fortncatons but merely station for troops. stands
on slight elevation few miles west from the banks OF
Platte river Tho fort consists Of ave Imprinted wooden
houses two or three stories high and about two dozen
long low mud buildings. The houses are built around
large open square parade ground, while the mud
buildings extend in any and every direction out from The
roads that run along The sides Of this square Trees have
been set out along The borders Of the parade ground and
they are the only bushes that be In any direc
ton except few struggling ones on the banks Of The
Platte, several miles distant Intermxed between Those
immature uees on the sides OF the square are sIteen
bockhouse guns, two field pieces, two mountain how
tiers and one prairie piece These constitute ne A.
unery defences Of the post against the Indians
he house Of the commanding oficer Il is = large,
iii shaped implanted wooden ructuIe two stories hieh
with pazzas extending ACROSS s entire Trout on ooth
floors. Within, however, the building " mucn more re-
spectacle, being commodious comfortable, well fniAhed
and neatly furnished.
other side Of square, the soldiers barracks seventy
feet by thirty foet and two stories high The barracks
has never been hnehed n now In bad order can &C
coumodae very well eighty four mon there are In now
between ninety and hundred men The other wooden
buildings the officers quarters, the hospital and the
sur store dnsss ~ ~. :, ape
ing psacos wber compared 70 the hdcous spectacle Of
twenty osr long windiDg broken backed falling down
any fort territory, srmy, government OF nation They
are fsr inferior 70 Iaoan wgwAms. They can only be
Ass,ics Yet rs 10 such buildings that the government
stores stored rather placed to rot and be ruined
The government stores Thai were oondemned IN 1900
on account OF no protection being furnished them by
these mud piles amounted TO nearly $50 900. But why
on earth were such buildings put up2 Because they are
has raid out about $50 600 IN their construction
these adobe houses, which was built some ten years
ago by volunteers cost the United States $4,000 These
one hundred and forty feet long, forty feet
wide and twelve feet high. They are built by
Pp p 'SSs on the 0p Of each aSa 1901 s
tor boards placed over the tmbcrs and sods probably