Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-02-10
Fort Buford to Sioux City A-Foot--A
Lonely Tramp Of 1900 Miles in the
Dead Of Winter.
From the Sioux CITY journal.

particularly so since the flrSt cold
snap, about two months ago. But
on Sunday last there arrived in our
city the worst used up specimen of
Texan cattle driver we ever saw.
His name is Thos. Dormit. lie had
come from Fort Buford, twelve hun
dred and twenty-five miles on foot.
The following is the story of his
awful tramp through a wild Indian
country, in the dead of winter:
He left Butord in the latter part
Of October, without dollar in mon
ey. His desire was to reach Texas.
When he started out on his long
journey, the weather was very pleas
ant, and the weather prophets at
that place predicted a very mild
and open winter. He accepted their
prediction and began his journey
for the States.
After travelling about two hun
dred miles fearful snow storm
overlook him and he became bewil-
dered and nearly perished in the
storm, which continued for two
days. When the storm ceased he
came from his shelter-a hole in an
embankment-and started back for
Buford.
But after going about one mile he
stopped and argued the question
with himself whether it was better
to die like coward on his retreat,
or go and die like a hero. This
question, he says, was difficult one
to decide. He knew the route back
to Buford, and also knew that he
was midway between Buford and
Rice; but he was uncertain of the
route to the latter place, and yet the
inducements to keep on were strong,
for ut Rice he had a friend and at
Buford he had none. On the whole
he considered the question as even
~ balanced and to decide his course
he resorted to the childs method Of
setting up stick to fall as it would,
determined to pursue the direction
it should point. He set up the stick
and balanced it on its end as well
as he could. 1t stood still for few
seconds, as if partaking Of the mans
doubt, and then fell toward the
States.
Accepting the decision he started
on for Fort Rice. The undertaking
was an awful one, and he had little
hopes of ever making the place
alive. His stock of provisions were
exhausted, and he had not had a
mouthful to eat for forty-cight hours.
Together with his fasting and the
effects Of his exposure to the storm,
he found himself very weak, and
not Us brave as he was wont to be-
TO die, he considered, would be a
privilege, and he was several times
tempted to shoot himself. But when
it came to the point his courage
wouldn't stick, and hope would
again assume control of his mind
and he would continue his weary
plodding.
On the second day after the storm,
as night was approaching, he sought
some place of shelter to remain un-
til morning, and thus discovered a
hole in an embankment, a short dis
tancc from the road, upon which he
was travelling. He determined to
rest there for the night AS he was
crawling into the aperture, on his
hands and knees, he put his hands
upon the cold face of a dead Indian,
who lay near the mouth Of the hole
At first he was startled, and thought
to leave; but on second thought he
concluded that, as he was not afraid
of a live Indian, he surely wasn't
afraid Of dead Indian. Accord
ingly he began to drag the defmct
brave from the hole, to make room
for himself. On reaching the out
side of the cave with the dead In
dian, he discovered deep wound
on the left side Of the body, below
the ribs. which he concluded was
caused by the horn of a buffalo, and
from the effects of which the big
brave must have died. This opin-
ion was strengthened by the fact
that he found 4 large piece of fro
zen buffalo meat in the hole, which,
it is unnecessary to say, was devour-
ed without much ceremony. His
sleep upon this night was very much
disturbed. Either the presence of
the dead red, or the amount of buf-
falo meat he put in his stomach,
caused terrible attacks of night
mare. He was several times scalp
ed and tied tc the stake, and more
than once trampled nearly to death
by herds of buffalo.
The morning came at last, and he
crawled out, scarcely believing in
his identity, after such torturing
dreams. He took a last look at the
dead Indian and went on his way,
not knowing how soon he should
sleep again, not to waken. About
noon Of this days tramp he shot an
antelope, and then he believed the
good Lord was indeed on his side.
Cutting off what meat he could com
fortably carry he took up his line OF
march with a stronger faith in the
accomplishment of his undertaking
The balance Of this day passed
without anything of note transpi-
rinr nc did the SuccraIiup day nm.
til late in the afternoon. when he
met n party Of four Indians, who
took what little meat he had left and
sent him on his way far from re
ioicing. About an hour before dark
and but a few miles from Fort Bcr-
thold, a large black bear was dis
covered sitting right in the path
which he was travelling. Bruin
looked at the Texan and the Texan
looked at hruin, both standing like
posts. The Texan did not want to
shoot unless he was certain Of doing
good execution, for shot would
only provoke an attack, which he
was in poor condition to withstand
lie preferred to await the action OF
his bcarshir. A few minutes more
and the bear left, and our hero went
! on, reaching Fort Berthold a short
time after dark, where he rested and
recupcratcd couple of days.
During his journey from Berthold
| tO Rice tho weather was fine and