Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-12-12
WINTER ON THE PLAINS.
Life in the Land of tho Buffalo and Coyote.

Life in the Land of tho Buffalo and Coyote.
- BY LAWSON COOKE.
In the fall of 1870, after the compile
ton of the Kansas Pacific railroad to
Denver, I 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 stu
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.. was well
acquainted with him, and helped to lay
him out after his body was recovered.
If I 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 am writing
the plains we're a vast feeding-ground
for countless herds of buffalo; but of
late years they have almost entirely
disappeared. On reaching Parks Fort
formed the acquaintance of young
Ohioan named Leonard. As he had
just arrived, having come on hunting
expedition like myself, we struck up a
partnership, and concluded to hunt to-
gether. Ny tenderfoot friend had
brought small armory from the States
with him. A Winchester rifle, a needle
gun, a bowie-knife, three different
sized revolvers, and big box of assert
ed cartridges, composed a portion of his
warlike accouterments. After arrang-
ing programme for the winters cam
paign, we bought q horse each, and a
cart and harness, together with a 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 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, I climbed up one of them, and
found it WIS composed mostly of bark
and in the inside, wrapped in an old
blanket, was small skeleton. We had
run across Fan old Indian burying.
ground. It is still the fashion with
some tribes of Indians to bury thei1
dead in trees.
| Next morning we harnessed up ou1
novel team, and in the course of al hou1
reached Solomon river. The stream il
broad and shallow, and it's 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 a residence
"a kind of rooted cellar. We killed {
few buffalo, and used their hides fo1
shingles. We had barely become com
fortably settled before we discovered {
better-looking camping-place, abou
three miles distant. So we vacated oul
first house, and commenced building {
Lighthouse. This we loopholed, banked
up with dirt, and rooted as before. Bust
ness now commenced. Whenever W.
killed a few buffalo, we cut off The
hams, took out the humps and tongues
and hauled them to camp. These were
cut up, sailed in brine, and finally
smoked and dried. The balance of thu
carcass was slit here and there, anc
strychnine placed in the cuts. Thi'
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 a trip over to Sappa
creek, seven miles north, with the in.
tention of staying there a few days
The first day of orr arrival We killed
seventeen buffalo, and, as usual, pois.
oned the remains. The following
morning we found twenty dead wolves
and coyotes. By the time we had them
all skinned and pegged out it was time
for supper. As I was gathering uE
sticks with the intention of starting q
fire, my partner called my attention to
some fellow on horseback coming over
the divide from the Republican river
Just as he got within plain view, anoth.
er and another followed, until finally
we counted eight of what proved to be
Indians. They came down the creek
and went into camp about half a mile
down the stream from us. As discre.
ton was the better part of valor, we
built no fire, and, consequently, went
supperless to bed. I don't think either
of us slept much. At the first CLEAN Of
daylight we saddled up and made a
hasty retreat back to our castle. We
never returned for our wolf-pelts; and
whether our red brethren appropriated
the spoils or no, deponent sayeth not.
Buffalo, antelope, black-tail deer,
beaver, otter, wild turkey and jack-rab-
bits were abundant. On one occasion,
there being little snow on the ground,
we found the tracks of a band of deer,
which we followed. They had crossed
and recrossed the frozen creek several
times, and, in making one trip over the
ice, it proved treacherous, and in I
went. As the day was intensely cold,
my compulsory bath was rather uncom-
Portable, and, although I made good
time to our cabin, found both my feet
we're badly frozen. This accident rem.
dered me somewhat of cripple, and
confined me in doors for several days.
| Tn tho oourco ~ a uook tho conf1no.