The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-03-31
WINTER ON THE PLAINS.
Life IN the Land Of the Buffalo and Coyot,
BY LAWSON COOKE.

BY LAWSON COOKE.
In the fall Of 1870, after The compile
t1on Of the Kansas Pacific railroad {,
Denver, 1 concluded to have one win
ter's hunting on the plains. In pursu
ance Of this object I went from Park.
Fort (now Trego), small station stu
ated about halfway between Kansa.
City and Denver. The fort was named
after Tom Parks, q railroad contractor
on the KANSAS Pacific, who was killed
by indians near this place. I was well
acquainted with him, and helped to Law
him out after his body was recovered
II receiIect correctly, I counted rev,
enteen arrow, spear, gunshct, and tom
ahawk wounds he had received, He
was not scalped, and killed eight In
dams befoEe suceUmbing. One cart
ridge was still left in his Winchester
rifle. a--
At the time of which I am writing
the plains were vast feedino-ground
for countless herds of buffalo; but of
late years they have almost entirely
disappeared. On reaching Parks Fort
4 formed the acquaintance of a voy1ng
Ohloan named Leonard. As he had
just arrived having come on a bunting
expedition like myself, we struck uD a
partnership, and concluded to hunt to-
gether Ny tenderfoot friend had
brought small armory from the States
with him. a Winchester rife, aneedie-
gun, a bowie knife, three different
sized reyOivers, and big box Of assort-
ed cartridges, composed portion ef his
warhke accouterments. After arrang-
ing a programme for the winters cam
Palgn, we bought a horse each, and a
cart and harness, together with a stock
OF provisions. Finally, everything be-
lng IN readiness, we hitched up our
horses, tandem fashion, and struck ont
almost due north. The first night we
made Brush creek, and camped. As it
was yet dusk, we shouldered our rifles.
and stroLed down the creek in search
of game. After travelling half a mile we
reached a 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 a small skeleton. We had /
run across an old Indian buryinQ-
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.
ana plenty of wood and water, we con-
ended 20 make this our camping
ground, For two or three days we were
ous1ly engaged In building a residence
"a KIND Of rooted cellar. We killed O
aeW buffalo, and used their hides for
ahIDgles. We had barely become coms
yOrtably settled before we discovered
better-looEng camping-place, about
three miles distant. So we vacated our
first house, and commenced building a
log g-heusa. 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 there. and
strychnlno placed in the cuts. This
was intended to accommodate the wolves
and coyotes. Our bats were looked /
AFTER every morning, and occasionally
we had from one to six wolves.
After a few weeks, game becoming
scarce, we took a trip over to Sapps
'reek, seven miles north, with the in
enhon OF Staying there q few days.
The first day of oHr arrival we killed
eYeHteen buffalo, and, as usual, pois- !
med the remains. The following !
morning we found twenty dead wolves l
md coyotes. BY the time we had. them
III skinned and pegged out it was time
or supper. AS / was gathering M
dcks with the intention of starting q 7
re, my partner called my attention to :,
ONE fellow on horseback comins. over =
he divide from the Republican river. 3
ust as he got within plain view. anoth- y
and another followed, until finally = !
q counted eight of what proved 10 be "
nd1ans. They came down the creek :,
nd went into camp about half mile q
own the stream from us. As discre- "
on was the better part of valcr, we
allt no fire, and, consequently, went
lpperless to bed. I don't think either
70 AAAO44s Ab bLlS 4lI6b R1OttQ -,
aylght we ssddled up and mnde - =,
lsty retreat back to our castle. We n n
ever returned for our wolf-pelts; and ~
neither our red brethren appropriated ov
o spoils or no, deponent sayeth not. ",
Buffalo, antelope, bIack-tail deer. ~. NJ
,aYer, otter, Wild turkey and jack-rab- IN
is were abundant. On one occasion, oc
ere being little snow on the ground, fo,
found the tracks of band of deer. "a,
llch we followed. They had crossed nj,
d drecrossed the frozen creek several f-l
mes, and, IN making one trip over the On
}, 1T proved tFescherous, and In it,
mt. As the day was intensely cold, sti
? compulsory bath was rather uncom- ms
rtable, and, although I made good ab
neto our cabin, I found both my feet csf
re badly frozen. This accident rem thf
red me somewhat of cripple, and the
mined me in doors for several days. raT
the course of week, the confine- sou
'nt proving irksome, and my partner S
porting fresh deef-traeks, I wrapped the
feet IN gunny-sacks and we sailed of
tn. As the creek-banks were lined Mi,
th willows, he took one side, I the Re,
ler. Before going far ]. espied an the
bHll-buhalo, evidently taking
IDLY interest in my maneuvers. Al \
was nearly 400 yards away, mo