The weekly Butte record., 1863-06-06
BILL OLIVER,
TIE RIDE FOR LIFE.

i Oi>COftIll- SILVER iea1. WHICH, NhSl UeNSF
oped, would equal ophir and release NE from
the drudgery of life OF toll How nv endu
I rance and patience were taxed those who have
prospocted can readily imagine, while DC
effort of the Imagination on the part Of those
who have not seen the elephant can furnish
them with an adequate knowledge of the din
culties TO be overcome. l would endeavor 10
paint the picture did not know that my efforts
would prove failure.
l had been engaged the whole day IN climb
ing over mountain peaks, scrambllng from
/ crag to crag, one moment standing on the brink
Of some yawniug abyss, in imminent danger Of
being precipitated thousand feet and dashed
to pieces upon the rocks below. The next
would fnd me endeavoriug to reach the bottom
for the purpose Of examining more closely
something that had attracted my attention
The approach of evening found me completely
exhausted my boots had been torn from my
feet by the sharp rocks over which had trav-
eled my feet were swollen and covered with
blood: my limbs were so fatigued that it
required great effort of the will 10 drag my
self along towards the camp. AT length,
however. reached the encampment and found
my companions busily preparing supper, =
Johnson, who was the maid of all work for the
week, had during the day, while driving our
animals to water been lucky enough TO kill a
large mountain sheep, and the delicious aroma
Of the cooking meat was decidedly pleasant to
M half famished senses. 4 few minutes be
fore Johnson announced that supper was ready.
q man was seen approaching. He was dressed
in suit Of buckskin, his hat was enclrcled
with the conventional strip of beaver skin, his
hair hung in masses over his shoulders rest
ing upon his arm was a heavy rife, while in
his belt was 4 Colts six shooter and hunting
knife. The light elastic step told me that be
was mountaimeer. even before he had come
within hailing distance.
GOOD evening gents" be exclaimed as he
entered the camp, and after carefully laying
aside bis rife, seated himself by the fire. l
suppose you can furnish fellow something to
eat, can't you?"
" les, aud a pair of blankets too" answered
johnson.
"If you'll do that will stay with you to-
night kase I'm rather tired, and my camp is a
heap Of miles from here
"Ill do it, so that thing is settled"
" Is supper nearly ready p asked the stran.
ger, kase if it ANT I'll go down the stream
and catch mess Of trout for breakfast"
" You won't have time, kase I'm jist going
TO dish up"
We all did ample justice to Johnsons cook
cry, for hungery stomachs have popularity
Of caring more for quantity than quality
After satisfying our hanger we filed our pipes
and seated ourselves for a smoke, ndulging in
gossiping conversation about the recent dis
coyeries that had been made. Upon my men
tiouing recent lead that had been discovered
in the neishborhood of Reese river, our guest
shrugged his shoulders and remarked:
4 came near losing my scalp over there"
:. VIII you tell Us the story ?"
" If you don't think it will tire you, don't
keer if do relate the story
Then 60 ahead, for you need have no fear
of any such result, replied couple of the
party.
Well then, here goes" said our guest, as
he knocked the ashes from his pipe and pro-
ceeded to refill and relght it.
bout three years ago l was one OF the
riders of the Poney Express company. Ny
route extended from Carson City to Simpson
Springs, about twenty miles beyond Reese
river. I generally rode the distance in about
eighteen hours making from eighteen to TWEEN
ty miles al hour"
Observing an incredulous smile playing
about my lips, he said:
Think that a pretty hard story to swaller,
but give you the word of Bill Oliver, and be
never lies, that what tell you is as true as
gospel"
With this interruption he resumed bis nar-
rative.
IS We had the stations every fifteen or TWEEN
ty miles where fresh horses were always kept in
readiness and you may bet your life the grass
didn't have a chance TO grow under our feet.
The life of q rider was one of extreme hard
ship and it required man to be possessed of
q constitution Of iron TO stand up under the
fatigue aud excitement.
For some time the injuns had been blamed
sassy, and l had been expecting that they
would break loose from the restraints of the old
iellers that rule their councils, and clean out
all the stations along the route | have MOTTO
ed as a singular fact that all the injln wars
are fast commenced by the younger members
Of the tribe, who are then privileged to take a
squaw. The reasons fer this state of things
are two fold. The first Is that all injun tribes
hora L. " which -,-ot tihitc -o,rr- l,.l- f-,,,,