Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-03-05
THE WAGON-MASTER'S STORY.
iCONCLUSION.


dashed back to camp. 1t VAS parrow
escape, for they had almost overtaktn
MS. The Indians halted beyond rifle.
raHge. aud remained stationary We
waitel and learned from one of the
hunters that came up tn the Indians
about that time from camp just us
they were about to fire upon all sides,
and they were surrounded. They
dashed through pursued closely by the
savages.
1T WAS upwards an hour before any
movement was made by the indians
against our camp At last, with Il yell
they dashed down upon us. They
never come in platoons. but form a
circle, aud ride, one after another.
around your camp, to select a weak
point If they find it. they charge
vuu there. If yon stand up well, you
are safe if you finch, you are lost. AS
they drew near, we fired. You never
can tell how many of them nre killed
or wounded The moment an Indian
falls from his pony, he is picked mp by
another. who throws him across his
pony, and carries him away, and often
they are tied fast in the saddle. Their
ponies are trained II their riders get
killed and wounded, they gallop with
them to tie rear We fired they saw
we were prepared and they retired, tax
ing their killed and wounded with
them. saw five or six drop, but they
were instantly taken off
Soon after the Indians retired, six
hunters, armed and mounted. set ont
to notify the Garrison at Fort Kearney
IF our loss. 1t was ride of thirty
miles The moon had gone down. 1t
was very dark, and once away from
camp, they had little fear us the In
dams never attack in the dark. ST.
lently they rode out of the camp. Their
horses hoofs had been mutfled, so as to
make no noise when they reached the
wagon-road. We all shook hands Mt the
mouth of the corral for perphaps we
might not meet again in this world.
Then ont they rode into the night
We listened, with our ears on the
ground, to hear if they were attacked ;
but not Il sound was heard, save the
bowling of wolves far in the distance.
Il lay down to rest, l drew my
blanket over me, but could not sleep
the pale face of the herder, with the
blood upon his forehead, was constant
ly before me- L thought of the poor
fellow lying unburied on the prairie,
and it worried me. / walked ont
passed the guard, and crossed to the
camp Of the ox-train. They were all
awake, and many started to their feet
as | entered their corral.
"Poor Shirley ! said the wagon mas
ter of that train, when he had discover
ed who I was i won't know what to
say to his mother.
Il cannot, said !, while the
thought of that poor boy lying I'M
buried is in my mind. l know where
he lies, and if you will help me, 1
will 60 now and bury him.
Il will go with You, said he.
''pbe others tried to reason us ont of
it. We went. We soon found the
wagon road, and were travelling along
1T must be near here, / said, in a
whisper 'yonder is the ravine.
Suddenly the wagon master caught
me by the arm, and forced me down
upon my knees. Look, he said husk-
lily, what is that {?
1T was a moving object of some
kind. | cooked my revolver.
Don't fire don't fire = he whisper
ed. we have the whole bowling pack
of redskins down on us in minute.
1--WE crawled nearer the object, our
revolvers in our hands. In moment
my hand was upon the dead body of
the herder. l saw the CLEAN of eyes
that darted forth lightning, then low
growl. l started with horror. 1t was
q wolf. / drew a match from my peck
ct, lit it hurriedly, and threw it at its
eyes. With howl it started off a few
yards, and sat down and we could
see, as we could see, as we dug grave
with our knives, the eyes of the fiend