Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-21
and theneoessities ofgreat overland route

through Fueh a country, caused his selection
by Zen. Sheridan for this responsible auly.
The colonel's 100 pounds did good service
on more than one occasion when crossing a
rayine or gulch, and the safety tn Of the en-
tire party was no doubt in the hands OF him
sell and Nimrod the frat night they did
duty together as s~ensinels around camp.
1he country became rather more broken
as we ourneyed westward, and while we did
not expect IN attack from the hostiles. vet
we felt that the best way to avoid danger
was to he fully prepared to meet it, and
therefore each man took his regular tour of
duty. had the pleasure, on our third day
out, OF seeing for the first time the young
Mallard duckling.
About II NJ. we camped on top Of a high
ridge and found spread cut at our feet tie
bed OF q lake, of several acres in area, coy
cred with ducks. We had no shot gun, bar
taking my rife, thought | might get some
meat which we needed.) Approaching the
lake closely l found the rushes and grass
tilted with little ducklings swimming around
and tryass their wings. Some could rise
II N thew water a short distance; others had
seemingly Just Matched. Il was a most in.
t%eresting sight, even the old ducks being
very tame. ! presume they had never been
shot at.
do not think that region OF country very
good for game, except it be wild fowl, al
though we saw quite a number Of antelope
and a few deer. Saw some prairie chickens:
and large numbers of ployer and curlew,
but the Indians have depleted that whole
region Of all the larger animals. Tie
country Is very beautiful, well watered,
Astounding in luxuriant grass, bottoms of the
cieeks hiied with cottonwood and willow,
and Is splendidly adapted for stock raising
and %herding, the rolling nature of its surface
aitordlng natural drainage. After travelling
some eighty miles westward from the river.
hndlng ourselves too near Bad river, with
lis bad lands and gulches, we bore south
some ten miles toward the White river.
flndlng once more the same beautiful rolling
prairie that was the distinguished feature Of
the first part of our route, and on the fifth
day set our faces toward the Missouri river.
and Saturday night pitched our tent near
Camp Grant once more.
Sunday morning found Us early astir, and
while preparing breakfast, four ponies
and a mule, with saddle and Birdie on,
came into camp. We caught the mule and
one OF the ponies; the others eYaded our
utmost efforts to make them captive. We
debated long the propriety Of retaining the
estrays, thinking they might belong to some
towering band of redskins, who If they fol-
lowed up the trail and found them in our
possession might assume that we had stolen
them, and, knowing Mr.. Lo was not suscept-
IDLE to reason or argument, felt uncertain as
to what was best in the premises bet final
ly 1t was concluded TO retain the captured,
and drive the others into Pierre. We
crossed Antelope ere k, soon struck an old
troly!es trail leading over the bluffs and
alkal lands, reaching Bad river, which
we torded, and got TO Fl. Pierre early in the
afternoon, thoroughly tired out with a
weeks steady tramp, and soon found owners
Tor our ponies. We camped that night
near the bluffs, but found sleep nearly ont of
the question, because of the clouds of mos
guitoes that arose from the grass as the SIM
descended. We broke camp very early
Monday morning, exchanged our heavy
wagon Tor a light one, got rid of all super
fluous baggage, and struck out over the bot
tom lands of the Missouri river for Chan
tier creek, which we reached after a rapid
drive about noon. Some ten miles from
Pierre, Nimrod sprang from the wagon and
dashed like a mailman after some object run
ming III the grass. The cry was raised. "a
prairie dog" The driver, our military
friend and the writer all Joined in the chase.
finally securing the frightened little fellow
under a hunting cap lafter much ground
and lofty tumbling) uninjured.
Chanler Gas we named herr was soon
securely cooped up in a cracker box: and,
IN imagination, already the pet of a little
lady in 4ankton. But, alas for human ex-
pectations! that night she cut her way ont
OF her prison, preferring, evidently, old asso-
Citations to new,
Chantier creek possessed anything but
agreeable ranol1aotiOns J., ,,,n N ~.
rod, as a few weeks previous to our visit. a
gentleman in his employ, while guarding
some goods landed from a passing steamer
was shot and instantly killed by the Indians
within twenty feet of the spot where we
ate our dinners, and the very rascals who
did 1t, as we firmly believe, were camped
within plain sight of our camp fire as we
ate. | think we all experienced a feeling
OF relief when we once more stood on top
OF the bluffs out of reach of the numbering
devils.
That night we camped on Willow creek,
on the Black Hills road, returning to Pierre
next day.
The ride from Fl. Pierre to Yankton on
our return, a distance of over two hundred
and fifty miles, while devoid of special Incl
dent, was one never to be forgotten. Most
OF the way through Indian reservations.
ssopplng at ranches, some good, others bad,
still others execrable. Noting the marked
difference between the condition of the late
hostiles at Yankton Agency and elsewhere;
and those long since gathered together st
Fort Thompson under the care Of DR..
Livingston, and at Yankton, White Swan,
etc, under Major Gassman; contrasting the
painted, ~blanketed, and much decorated
big Indian" with naked sabre ia his hand.
stalking around with an air Of supreme con
tempt for the whole white race, and the
Christian Indians gathered at the chapel at
1ankton Agency, clothed in garments like
INTO ours, We began to realize the fact that
the Indian problem was being rapidly work
ed out, and the solution Of the whole cues
ton in the near future.
We arrived in Yankton Tuesday about
noon after a ride exclusive of that by stea-
mer) of over five hundred miles, sunburned
to thecolor ofIndians, but hardy and healthy,
and ready to take up again the everyday cares
of life.
Readers of the Forest and stream
weary OF the drearv ronnd of dotiac ond