The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1871-02-14
AN ADVENTURE ON THE PLAINS.

when l was thrown into the company |
of Grignon. / was Oh my way to Cal. !
fornia, and had taken the overland |
route in preference TO any other. 1t
was on my journey across the plains |
that l made his acquaintance. Our
party overlook q single wagon. 1t
contained solitary man. The horses
we're dead, and the man nearly so
This man was Gr;gnon. l paid the
utmost attention to his wants. Being
medical man, | gave him all the
benefit of my skill and care. As he
recovered, he naturally entertained a
strong friendship for me. His wagon
had fallen behind the train to which !
he belonged, and they had been COM
PEELED by their own necessities to de-
sert him.
The conjurer, however, was destined
for far more glorious fate than to die
miserably in the desolate American
desert. He was to become an aston
isher to the natives Indians, savior
to civilized lives, and a lion in Califor-
MIA.
We resumed our journey. We had
started, however like many others in
in those days, with insufficient prepar-
ations. As soon as we found out our
mistake we had to be very economical
in our provisions. We killed builaloes
whenever we found them, and always
replenished our water casks at every
stream. AT length, however, we came
to q dry and paI aIched waste, where
there was scarcely drop of water,
scarcely blade of grass, and not
single living animal Of any descrip-
ton.
And now began the troubles Of our
journey. We had came into the coun-
try of the wrlike Indians, and they
were not slow to acquaint us of the
fact. Every day they prowled around
us in great numbers, threatening and
insulting us. Occasionally they used
to snatch up something and dart away
on their horses. We did all that We
could to be friendly, and determined
to avoid an oren rupture as far as pos
sible, for there were only twelve on
our side, ani on their side apparently
twelve hundred.
Every day, however, only made mat
ters worse. In spite of our precau-
tions, the Indians grew more and more
abusive and insulting. We became
watchful, and tried to be more for
bearing, but our torbearauce was taken
for cowardice, and the savages began
to think they could do anything with
rs.
| We held a council Of war, and de-
termined to bring matters to crisis at
once
The crisis soou came.
One day big ladian came riding
along by us. He began talking in a
coutemptuous way, and gesticulating
turiously. At last he asked one of our
men for his gun. The man refused.
The Indian repeated his question. and
attempted to take the gun from his
hand. The man drew back. The In
dian sprang forward, flourshing his
knife and threatening. At this the
man calmly leveled his piece and shot
the Indian through the heart.
AS the wretch fell shreking from his
} horse, the plain seemed to be alive with
other Indians. From behind every
clump of trees, every hillock, every
rock, and every rising ground, they
poured forth in countless numbers. We
had never before seen so many Assem-.
bled together as now.
And now our companion, the conju-
ror, came out conspicuously. He had
been once in the French army, he said,
and understood all its admirable dis
cipline. A few words of warning and
a short explanation sufficed to make
us form a circle of the wagons, and
draw up behind them, with baggage
heaped up for breastworks. There we
2 waited for the savages.
: But they did not come just then.
! With loud whoops and screams they
I gathered upon the plain at distance
. from us. The wretched towards, as
soon as they saw our slight prepara-
Q tions, were actually afraid to attack.
They waited till night.
; Night came. Our deiences were
: made. Our wagons were arranged
r more closely, and the barracade Of
baggage was made higher, deep, and
= more effective. In the center were cat
e tie. Behind this little iortifcation We
awaited our foes.
4 Shortly after dusk the tramp o.
e thousands of hoofs shook the plain
a Down upon us thundered the Indians
i Shouts and yells burst around.
;, On they came nearer and still near
= er.
Il We waited for them in breathlesi
y suspense.
# At last our volley burst in thunde
! upon them.
IS Shrieks arose from amidst the ploom
a We saw not what the effect of ou
- shots had been, but could only conjec
A ture that it had been deadly.
There was a wild uproar-the con
fused sound of trampling horses, tn
noise Of men calling to one another
intermingled with groans and cries O
pain. Without giving them time I
a. recover from their confusion we poure
e, e. in another, loading as rapidly as "
ig could, and firing revolvers where W