The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-07-23

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IS MILES PROM Fl. STOCKTON, June 30.
You have No idea Of the miserable
time We have had since being out on
the plains. IL IL true that we are now
on the river and safe. - far n water il
concerned, but what an experience we
had gettig here! l will sndsayor 70
give you q fair idea Of our suffering.
The Mustang springs. which are just on
the edge (eAstl Of the plains. and 40
miles west Of Buffalo Gay, WAS the last
water We found until we got 10 the
Pecos, 100 miles distant-jnst imagine
that. Everything went along very
well for = day or two, for NE had two
wagon loads Of water with N az bar
rsls), but on the evening Of the fourth
day, when w came into camp, Major
Hammer had just returned and report
ed having failed 70 ind water In the
sand hills. which are hfty-hve miles
west Of Mustang Springs and where We
expected 10 ind water. We had then
Just three barrels left, and Il would re-
quirs one and q half barrels 10 water the
stock that evening. I saw something
had 10 be dose, % I asked Major Law
renee what heIntended doing. He said
he wished me TO 60 10 the nearest river
for water, that IL vas only about
twenty-five miles In q southerly course.
I took three teams. with their drivers,
and some four or Ave scouts and started
that night for the river. We found Il
TO be forty-hYe miles distant, and had
10 cross the sand hills 10 reach it-some-
thing I did not expect 10 do. or I would
have gone back TO Mustang Springs,
only forty eight miles and owe . splen-
did road. OF course, crossing the hills,
even with empty wagons, nearly ruin
cd our poor. thirsty horses. aud we
reached the river In q very poor condi-
ton. The next morning I started east
on the river ten miles. and there nlled
the barrels. and then turned due north,
thinking by that meansI might miss the
hills; but / did not succeed I'm doing 30,
rs they ran farther east than ten miles;
20 out Of ten barrels i reached camp
with four full ones, and the mules COM
pletely broken down. IL was on this
trip that for three days and nights we
did not taste 4 mouthful Of food. When
we reached camp / found the corps In
q terrible condition-the boys nearly
famished for water. Major Hammer
was not ut the hills, and when he TO
turned / asked him what was his pro-
gramme. He said he could only see q
forward movement across the hills Just
think Of trying TO cross the hills with
about two barrels Of water and the
mules completely broken DOWN.. l told
him l would not 60, o did I think
there was n man In the corps that
would. He then consented 10 let me
take the stock back 10 Mustang Springs
and water and gram them for two days.
l returned with three barrels OF water
and the stock much better, but too
weak TO cross the hills with loaded
wagons. We started. however, that
night, and travelled until l O'Clock,
when We went into camp; started again
early In the morning-Major Lawrence
on the trail and I In charge Of the wag-
ons, &c. / had not travelled very far
when / was compelled TO abandon my
heaviest wagon. About 1--WE miles fur
ther on ! abandoned two more and put
six mules TO the two remaining wagons,
travelled about two miles and abandon
ed n Of the two wagons and threw
out everything. / kept but little TO eat
and \ few blankets. 1 told the cook to
turn the boys and start to the river rs
soon as soon they got there; 10 come
that night, rs l would not DO able TO
bring any water back. The party did
not start until the next morning. We
travelled that night and reached the
river about 2 O'Clock the next day. Our
party got separated and some Of us
nearly persisted for water before we
reached the river. !, for one. went TO
the river on the back Of amule. perfect
ly delirious, and two Of the travellers
killed q calf and drank its blood, which
was all that saved them. As for the
others, several Of them nearly died. One
Of them, Bennett, came into the river
entirely naked and crazy. Campbell
tried to blow his brains out. / sent out
water and mules to their relief. Thank
God, we are all safe.