Litchfield enquirer., 1875-03-11

Indians Sprang from some Wild sage bushes, robbed them of their arms, strip ped them naked, and then allowed them to regain their encampment.
 I have vivid recollection of little in- cident of personal experience My sad de animal was 'Big Thunder" a five year old Jack we'll caparisoned with saddle and riding cloak, and being we'll armed was wont to leave the trail and travel parallel with it at distance of one or two miles to view the scenery, col lect specimens, and above all to keep out of the stihing dust which rose in clouds from the trail. We'll, was passing over 8 divide, ? and, on reaching the summit, looked down in ravine twenty rods dis tant and saw an encampment of Crow h. dians. Both parties discovered each oth- CT at tie same instant, and both were evil dently surprised. Putting on a bold front l stopped, examined my revolver, looked back and called out, "Hurry up boys, Indians ahead" and, after waiting a few moments, passed down to the camp and up divide of a few rods on the oth- CT side, again stopped as if waiting for my imaginary ''bQys" to hurry up. I then passed over the divide, and as soon as the Indians were hid from view, I put the Jack into 2:40 gait down the ravine which led out on the river bottoms where our train was approaching; but the sav- ages, not seeing the "boys." ran to look for me. and immediately two braves sprang on their ponies, dashed down the raylne they were in which ran parallel with the one had entered. and distanced me by sweeping around and closing my line of retreat Before I had time to de- eide what to do Big Thunder stopped short at sight of the painted warriors, opened his jaws like an alligator, and commenced an unearthly praying. Had our eight inch sea-coast Howitzer been loaded with grape and canister and fired off it could not have more effectually cleared that ravine. One of the ponies, terror stricken. threw his rider over his head, but the savage seized the mane and sprang on him while on a full run with his companions back to their camp. Our train appeared half mile distant, and comprehending the situation, gave shout and cheer for the Jack and Rider.
 A still more comical incident happened on the Platte. I had approached to with in half mile of a large village of Sioux, undiscovered, when Big Thunder" dis covering their one hundred and fifty lodges of tanned Buffalo hides, announc- ed our approach with bray that made the ground tremble. Instantly every ''mongrel whelp and hound and cur of low degree" in the village Chere must have been at least two hundred) all came for me in full bark and bay, followed by the same number of Indian children oi both sexes, shouting at and thrashing of the dogs that seemed determined to make game of us. Order having been restored, we were escorted to their village where we had "blg talk " The Big Indian wished to swap some ponies for my long cared pony and trappings. Wishing them to understand that I was not in for trade I threw my arms around Big Thunder s neck and exclaimed, ''He my Pappose!' This caused roar of laughter from the Big Indian and shout of mirthfulness from the female portion of the communi. ty and We were allowed to depart ill peace.
 ELI SHERRY. :
 Russell County, Kansas, Feb. 25th. 1875