The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-01-24
OUR STORY TELLER.
THE YOUNG POST-TRADERS'S AD-
VENTURE.
ny C. A. STEPHENS.

ny C. A. STEPHENS.
One night, about the middle of Sep
tember, 1876, one of Gen. Crooks
scouts, named Jim Cummings, set off
from camp on the Little Big Horn, to
90 TO the supply camp on the Rosebud.
He carried an order for the forwarding
Of stores, and was told to return, if posi-
Bile, the following night. A young man
named Seymour Edes, nephew of the
post-trader, or sutler, accompanied him.
They started shortly after sunset. 1T
wis not supposed that the trip would
be attended by any particular danger, as
none of the Sioux had been lately seen
in the section of country to be traversed.
The route lay in part along Little
Big Horn, and could be passed over on
horses. Cummings plan was to leave
the horses at n certain timber belt,
thence TO cross the bluff and proceed on
foot TO the Rosebud Camp.
The night was hazy and rather obscure.
The men proceeded along the river
bottom at an easy canter, with occa-
sional halts, and arrived, a little after
midnight, Mt the place where Jim had
decided to leave the horses. Here they
left their animals securely tethered, and
went up between two steep bluffs,
separated by narrow ravine.
After a rough ascent of six or eight
hundred yards, they emerged from the
ravine, and proceeded across tract of
gravel hills. An hour of toilsome walk
ing brought them to the valley of a
small creek, in a meadow filled with
willow bushes, with clumps of cotton
wood in the bends.
Jim walked rapidly, leading the way.
Both had Remington carbines slung
across their backs. Thus far they had
had little fear of Indians; but as they
went along the creek, Edes began to
feel, as he says, "an odd sort of notion
that the redskins were around" though
he had not as yet seen trace nor heard
sound of them.
"Jim," he said, "you don't suppose
there are any Of those red BARRIERS round
here, do your
"Humphp muttered the scout.
"Come, hurry up, young fellow, or
we'll get mighty late breakfastp
But Edes was uneasy. He stopped
occasionally to listen, and fancied, at
times, that he heard sticks crack, and
the muffled tread of moccasined feet.
But, though he strained his eyes, he was
unable to catch a glimpse of either
savage or beast-for Jim had said there
might possibly be timber-wolf follow
ing them.
At length Edes determined to know
whether his apprehensions came from
mere fancy or nervousness. AS they
turned bend Of the creek, he whipped
into willow-clump and stood still
while the scout kept on.
From this shelter he watched intently
for some minutes, the open space along
which they had just come.
Jim, meantime, was getting long way
ahead. Edes was about to start again
when he saw a file of dusky forms
emerge from the cottonwood and follow
stealthily on their trail. There wert
four Indians, and the sight so riveteC
Edes's senses that he stood watchin,
them, half spell-bound.
The savages walked so swiftly tha
they were close upon him before he haC
decided what to do. Dropping to tn
ground under the bushes, he lay per
fectly still, save for the loud beathing O
his heart, and in a moment the redskin
had passed him.
Rising on his knees, Edes unslung hi
carbine to follow and fire on them, bu
Immediately changed his mind, an
determined net to risk his life. Just q
that instant, however, he heard Gun
mings call to him, bidding him hurry.
The four savages stopped. Rattle
than desert his comrade, Edes now rt
solved TO fire at them. They stood Ii
tening, some six or seventy yards di
tant, and, taking deliberate aim, he free
At the report, they all dropped
though Edes was by no means sure tn;
he had hit either Of them.
A moment later he heard a noise
the brush, round to the left, and su
pected that they were surrounding hin
He at once slid down the bank of IL
creek and dashed through it, the wat,
being hardly more than knee-deep.
Two Of the savages fired at him as
splashed through the stream, and a.
other shot came after him as he sprar
up the opposite bank. The last bull
was so well aimed that he felt it pass b
car.
Dodging behind q cottonwood,
clapped a cartridge in his breech-loade
At the same instant he heard q shot fro
below, fired by Cummings, who ha
heard Edess first shot and ran bac
This shot probably deferred the India
from crossing the creek after Edes.
Edes listened n minute or two, n,
not hearing the Indians in the cree
took TO his heels, fearing they would c
him off from recrossing the creek belo
After running nearly a mile, he halt
and listened.
The osier copse was thick here, but
large black cherry tree leaned out oy
the creek. Edes climbed into this to {
sight OF the other band, but had hard
done so when, crack, went a shot frC
across the stream, and bullet whistl
through the leaves uncomforably clt
TO his body.
He was 80 startled that he lost
hold Of the branches, and fell into /
edge Of the creek. Recovering hims
instantly, he grasped his carbine, whi
he had placed at the foot of the tr
The savages evidently saw him fall,
two Of them rushed across, intendil
no doubt, TO secure his scalp.
Edcs showed admirable nerve.
quickly cooked his carbine, and as th