The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-06-25
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Pioneer Expedition
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Kansas city News, II.
A queer looking craft came down
the Missouri river last night from
the nerih. Ii was neither flat~baat
nor RAFT hut rather q cross between
the Two. Was formed of cottonwood
logs. securely pinned together, and
was bracel crosswise with al upper
floor of young saplings; around
the outside OF this raft, a par
apet Of hewed logs had been built
about three feet high. In the
center was a cabin iii which the
bedding of the passengers was
slowed At each end and upon
each side were long sweeps of oars,
mounted upon piyois, each long
enough to require a strong man TO
manage them.
II rounded for the night and was
visited and boarded by one OF our
reporters 4 party of seven men
were found on board. The party
consisted OF Captain Z. 3. WiIkin-
sou, of Nashville Henry Jovr, of
the same piac5; Thos. l.. Brayton,
Cairo; Theodore Edgarton, St.
Louis Charles l.. Howard, Bruins
wick, Mo-: James NJ. Aifarty, aud
Patrick D. Halloran, of Alton, Ill.
Howard was suffering from q shot
in the shoulder received at the hands
of roaming band of Sioux, while
out hunting on the Cheyenne river.
The entire party were Black Hill
gold seekers returning from their
ill-omened adventure.
This party formed portion of an
expedition organized at Fort Ran
dali in March last. They went out
in squads of two aud three, and
rendevouzed about fifty miles west
of the Missouri river, and in the
latter part of April, started out
with party Of sixty men and nine
wagons, bound for Harney's Peak.
They met with no trouble, and saw
neither Indians or soldiers until
they reached the Beaver Falls of
Cheyenne river. Here they halted
few days to rest and prospect.
On the third day after stopping In
dams were seen III the vicinity,
and at early dawn on May 9TH their
entire herd was stampeded and run
off. Scouts were sent back for as
sistance, but they were never heard
of again, and it is supposed that
they must have been captured or
killed by the Sioux, who seemed to
be lowering about them ct all times.
The expedition disbanded, after
waiting q few days, without hope or
expectation of relief. Captain
Wilkinson, with six men, started
out on foot for Fort Randall. They
met with war party of Sioux about
thirty miles from the main camp
of TIE expedition, and after slight
skirmish with them, in whicE How
ard received a wound in the side,
they were allowed to proceed. At
ter tiresome and fatiguing journey
of eight days they struck deep wa
ter on the Cheyenne river, where it
Wss decided to build raft and float
down to the Missouri.
The adventures reached Sioux
City in safety, and having little
money, and being unable to pay
their fare to st. Louis, they resolved
to make the journey down the river
with the "June rise" Their raft
was strengthened and improved
and stock of provisions laid IN, and
they started. They have made the
trip thus far without accident, and
expect to make St. Louis before an
other week has elapsed. Captain
wilkinson is of the opinion that In
dians will not allow the whites TO
90 into the Black Hills this year,
and that every expedition starting
out to cross the "bad lands" will be
bushwhacked all the way, and final
Iy destroyed. He has no faith in
the stories told of the fabulous
wealth to be found in the Black
Hills, and denounces the gold fever
as one of the greatest humbugs OF
the age.