Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-10

has doughnut or an antelope steak pro-
truding from some of his pockets, and
his mOustache has continually the appear
ance of being waxed, owing to liberal
and prolonged indulgence in bread and
molasses. After a sojourn of a few days
at the rancho, we one day started bright
and early, with Mr.. Redington and five
herdsman, for the other end of the val
ley to examine some cattle grazing there.
We had proceeded but ten miles, when
a herdsman, whom we had left to guard
the rancho, came up with us, his horse
painting and fOamy, and exclaimed -
''The Indians have stolen our horses [
fired at them three times but they es-
capped with eleven horses" Instantly
Mr. RedingtOn turned and said, "One
man must return to the ranche-the rest
OF us must pursue and cut them off be-
fore they reach the North Platte, Gwen
ty miles north of the rancho, across this
river is the Indian reservation) will you
two go?" addressing us. ''Jack" whis-
pered to me that it was always the saf-
est to keep with the crowd, we both as
sented, and were applauded by the
herdsmen. The pursuit began at once,
and after a hard ride of fifteen miles we
found ourselves on the bluffs overlook
ing the valley of the North Platte.
In the distance, with a field glass, VIC
beheld fourteen indians with a number
of horses about to cross the shallow, mud
by, but broad river. Instantly our men,
with a shout, dashed forward. l soon
noticed "Jack" was missing, and look
ing back, | beheld him riding homeward
"Whither away" I shouted. 81 have
lost something" he replied, ''and am
going to find it :" and was out of sight
in five minutes. Forming the hasty but
generous resolution of assisting him in
his search, l followed him for several
hours, until, to my great surprise, l
found myself before the rancho. Enter
ing, l descended through the trap door
and crawled for twenty feet through the
underground passage to ''our house of
last resort" for the purpose of cooling
myself, and there | overlook Jack, "
with pistol in his hand. ''Ah, " he says,
mot finding the object of my search,
continued on, until, TO my surprise,
found myself here. ''Ah." | replied,
.'tbe similarity IN our cases IS wonder
full; but you must have forgotten that
YOU discharged the six chambers of
your revolver at some prairie chickens
this afternoon, and are standing guard
with an unloaded pistol ''Never mind, -
he said, Il feel sick; | have lost my ap-
petite; mjraJUe dictut let us stay here,
it is so cool and rcfreshing!" So we
stayed till midnight, when the rest re-
turned, having been unable to Overtake
the Indians, or regain their horses.
However, the cattle dealers expect to
occasionally lose stock through thieving
bands of Indians, and grumhle but little
over 1t.
But am occupying too much space,
and will close this long, cursory letter
with brief description of a 'house of
last resort" 1t is hole in the ground,
ten feet square, about twenty feet from
the rancho. connected with the same by
an underground passage, It's ramparts
consist OF two logs, one above the other,
with port holes for rifle shooting, its
roof consists of logs, and the whole is
covered thickly with dirt. So that two
or three men or more, can i'm times OF
emergency seek refuge there and bid
defiance to a whole tribe of Indians.
Jack" patronizcs this stronghold to an
unlimited extent. Hoping to see some
Rutland people out here this summer
to examine the country, | will end this
letter with the lines,
Land of the west. beneath the heaven.
There's not Il nobler, faircr cline.
Nor one To which was ever given.
destiny more high, sublime"
TIT.