The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-28
An In,ere.,Ins Letter From tho Prom

tier.
A lady friend Of thu liRRALD, having come
in possession Of the following letter firm
Matt Peak 10 bis father the venerable Cap
tain Jefferson Peak, and having II In posses
sion but a few hours, seized tho opportunity
OF copying II for tho HERALD II "a strictly
family letter, from youth to bis father
but tho lady thought II worthy Of puDllea'
tIon, and SO made the copy for the HERALD
without asking permission Here II l'i
n AGRBRHgY hrRIsGs, February H. lhs0.
DEAR Pal arrived vi camp on lle ilh
and found your favor awaiting me, and VIII
now inform you of our scout, You would
be- greatly surprised did you know the trouble
tho Indians ara giving on our frontier now,
After having spent u summer IN pursuit OF
several bands and capturing many horses
from item, VIZ had expected rather u quiet
time during tho cold month"; but any change
has been for tho worse. They are robbing
our stock men Of every horse they own, drly'
ing of AT ono time Inst month i've thousand
dollars worth Of COW ponies,
On the 10Th Of January u runner came 10
our camp and reported M Indian camp OF
one hundred warriors Ut Double Lakes, u
hundred miles distant ON tho plnlns, We
started Immediately ard reached the Lnkoa
on the third day out; found no sign, II hag.
ing rained i6w days before. We secuted
the plains west of US rs far as Monument
Springs, on tho line Of Texas and Now Mex
leo, visiting all the water holes between
Double Lakes and the Springs In search Of
tho camp. Found Indian signs ut
Monument Springs, mocoasin tracks, Indian
saddles aud trinkels, and found that band
had passed several lays before going into tho
settlements. We thon moved east seventy
five miles TO Five Wells where June decided
10 stay with nine men 10 Intercept them on
their return. Nine Of the best mounted mon
we're stationed hero and the balance sent back
10 camp after supplies Here we rode north
and south Of camp daily, but found no sign
AT last one morning, cold norther blowing,
we rode upon their trail, going. west, We
kept on without mouthful of food-only 4
little halt. Before shutdown Tom Floyd and
Wilson we're aioo, and We rode oil md left
them thirty-hvo miles from our starting point
and from water. On the the third day Floyd
and Wilson reached Five Wells driving Their
horses, not having food or water during that
time. We ran the trail until dark and stop
ned for tho moon to rise. Almost freezing
with Geld, all savo the guard lay
down with what blankets they had,
to try 10 sleep. The moon did not show IL
self that night, but daylight came and with
II cold, wet norther. We mounted and
started again on the trail Our ponies stti
and shivering with cold They soon warmed
up and we were riding nj n rapid rate again,
Our wet northcr soon turned TO sleet. Cold
and hungry we were bound to be, but no
chance TO foot 10 or hunt for meat. wished
mysolf at home. With our ponies almost
played out we rode into Mountain Springs
on tho second day out, and camped for the
night. We built fire, (ths first since we
left and warmed, but nothing to eat Morn
ing came and we all started oil in different
directions to try and kill nm antelope Late
in the evening one Of the boys brought IN
zone, and on this alone we Toasted, being our
first meal for three days After supper we
began TO wind our way back to the
wells to meet our supplies. On
the fourth day we found ourselves at
Harris Wells, twenty-five miles west
of Five Wells-one day more would bring us
to plenty; all we feared was having to leave
some OF our poor tired ponies. Morning
came and we started on, but soon it began 10
snow harder and faster that ever saw it, and
growing colder every minute. We we enow
on an old Indian trail TO the wells, the snow
fast covering up our tracks. When within
ten miles from home my pony began to reel
and very soon neither with spur or quirt
could prevail on him to move, consequently
| was left, and could not, nor did ask any
one to stay with me, for it seemed as though
we would all freeze to death. saw them all
go out of sight in the snow-storm and felt
myself quite curiosity. wanted to save
my horse if possible. blanketed him and
rested until was afraid of freezing and then
started him on, keeping behind him with my
ouirt Finally, being unable to so any
turther,..he dropped down in the snow. l
gave him all nay blankets and left him.
Reached Five Well's.tnd found the supplies,
after starving five days, but l did
not stop to eat. Borrowing pony
| took feed of corn, four canteens
of water for my pony and loaf of bread to
eat as | rode. was soon with him, feeding
him the corn and watering him out of my
hat and, returning to camp, found tn m still
eating. They hal stretched two large tents
which June had sent for with the supplies,
and we were the happest boys on earth
After eating all could hold mot all |
wantedl [ went into one Of the tents, where
found five letters, all from home. We sc-
tuslly had a candle to. night, so making down
nv bed, [ moved the candle close to it and
Law down to read my letters. A change!
Yes quite change from the peltlng storm,
starving, afoot, alone, on the trackless
prairie. Now, l had not only eaten enough,
but had even a shelter from the cold, and by
the light of CANDLE was reading my LISTERS
from home. Next morning. to my surprise,
found my pony alive, and | led him into
camp. After all, one Of the boys had both
feet frozen, three others their ears nearly Bit
ten of. The next day we started for our
headquarter camp.
Nothing Of interest happened until we saw
two of our boys coming on our trail. Ihoy,
with four more, had been in pursuit OF a
bunch of Indians, who had come
within four miles of camp and stolen
every hoof from ranchman. The four boys
with pack mules were forced to quit the trail
in thesnow storm and these two had been out
three days and nights without food, and only
thin saddle blankets for covering, hunting for
ms. We moved on and after having been out
twenty-seven days of fearful weather we
reached blackberry camp, nearly every man
coming on foot. Our horses are nearly dead
on their feet. don't know what we are