The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-11-27
WINTER ON THE PLAINS.
Life in the Land of the BufAlo and coyo

Life In the Land Of the Buffalo and Coyote.
BY LAWSON COOKE.
In the fall of 1870, after the compile
ton of the Kansas Pacific railroad to
Denver, concluded to have one win
ter's hunting on the plains. In pursu-
ance Of this object / went from Parks
Fort (now Trego), small station situ-
ated about halfway between Kansas
City and Denver. The fort was named
after Tom Parks, railroad contractor
on the Kansas Pacific, who was killed
by Indians near this place. Twas well
acquainted with him, and helped to lay
him out after his body was recovered.
If recollect correctly, I counted sew
enteen arrow, spear, gunshot, and tom
ahawk wounds he had received. He
was not scalped, and killed eight In,
dians before succumbing. One cart
ridge was still left in his Winchester
rifle.
At the time of which I am writing
the plains were vast feeding-ground
for countless herds of buffalo; but of
late years they have almost entirely
disappeared. On reaching Parks Fort
1 formed the acquaintance of young
'Ohioan named Leonard. As he had
just arrived, having come on hunting
expedition like myself, we struck up
partnership, and concluded to hunt to-
gether. My tenderfoot friend had
brought small armory from the States
with him. A Winchester rifle, needle
gun, q bowie knife, three different
sized revolvers, and big box of assort-
ed cartridges, composed a portion of his
warlike accouterments. After arrang-
ing programme for the winters cam
paign, we bought horse each, and
cart and harness, together with stock
of provisions. Finally, everything be-
ing in readiness, we hitched up our
horses, tandem fashion, and struck out
almost due north. The first night we
made Brush creek, and camped. As it
was yet dusk, we shouldered our rifles,
and strolled down the creek in search
of game. After travelling half a mile we
reached grove Of trees taller than the
surrounding ones. Each tree contained
one or more of what appeared to be the
nests of some gigantic bird. Curious
to ascertain what kind of nests they
were, climbed up one of them, and
found it was composed mostly of bark,
and in the inside, wrapped in an old
blanket, was small skeleton. We had
run across AN old Indian burying-
ground. It is still the fashion with
some tribes Of Indians to bury their
dead in trees.
Next morning we harnessed up our
novel team, and in the course of az hour
reached Solomon river. The stream is
broad and shallow, and its banks are
devoid of timber. Toward evening we
arrived at Prairie Dog creek, fifty miles
from Parks Fort. As there was con-
siderable game in the neighborhood,
and plenty of wood and water, we con-
cluded to make this our camping
ground. For two or three days we were
busily engaged in building residence
"a kind of rooted cellar. We killed q
few buffalo, and used their hides fo1
shingles. We had barely become com
fortably settled before we discovered o
better-looking camping-place, about
three miles distant. So we vacated oul
first house, and commenced building 6
log-house. This we loopholed, banked
up with dirt, and rooted as before. Busi
ness now commenced. Whenever We
killed few buffalo, we cut off the
hams, took out the humps and tongues
and hauled them to camp. These were
cut up, salted in brine, and finally
smoked and dried. The balance of the
carcass was slit here and tfere, ani
strychnine placed in the cuts. Thil
was intended to accommodate the wolves
and coyotes. Our bats were looked
after every morning, and occasional.
we had from one to six wolves.
After a few weeks. game becoming
scarce, we took trip over to Sappi
creek, seven miles north, with the in
tention of staying there few days
The first day of onr arrival We killet
seventeen buffalo, and, as usual, pois
oned the remains. The following
morning we found twenty dead wolve
and coyotes. By the time we had then
all skinned and pegged out it was tim
for supper. As I was gathering NJ
sticks with the intention of starting
fire, my partner called my attention b
some fellow on horseback coming owe
the divide from the Republican rivel
Just as he got within plain view, anoth
er and another followed, until inall
we counted eight of what proved to b
Indians. They came down the cree
and went into camp about half mil
down the stream from us. As dlscre
ton was the better part of valor, W
built no fire, and, consequently, wen
supperless to bed. I don't think eithe
of us slept much. At the first gleam G
daylight we saddled up and made
hasty retreat back to our castle. w
never returned for our wolf-pelts; an
whether our red brethren appropriate
the spoils or no, deponent sayeth not.
: Buffalo, antelope, black-tail dee
beaver, otter, wild turkey and jack-rai
', bits were abundant. On one occasion
!, there being little snow on the groun'
we found the tracks of q band. of dee
:. which we followed. They had crosse
3 and recrossed the frozen creek sever
times, and, in making one trip over tt
l ice, it proved treacherous, and in
Q went. As the day was intensely col
: my compulsory bath was rather uncor
8 Portable, and, although I made goe
J, time to our cabin, I found both my fe
U were badly frozen. This accident re-
/ dered me somewhat Of q cripple, al
J, confined me in doors for several day
o In the course of a week, the confin
b ment proving irksome, and my partn
q reporting fresh deer-tracks, wrapp'
nv feet in gunny-sacks and We aalli'