Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-06-09
Origimal Sketthes.
ACROSS THE PLAINS.
by REYNOLDS s. PATTERSON.


the horses aud mules that had wandered
from camp down to the Platte bottoms,
say mile and a-half distant, and had
taken on II pretty stiff dose of the "anti-
dote to all troubles" on the plains that
is. | came to break in the ground some
four Or five feet in depth from the upper
side of which had to jump to the level
below did so with mighty leap and
landed four or five feet from the bank,
when whirr, whip out from behind me
sprung a big grey wolf, wheeling di-
rcctly in front of me, hair all standing
upright, eyes flashing and mouth open
with the aid of John Barleycorn aforc-
said, | was equal to the occasion, and
making right at Mr.. Wolf, fists doubled
and shouting with might and main,
"What the devil do you want here ;
clear out you ugly scoundrel, | can whip
you and the whole wolf familyw | sue
ceeded in soaring the animal so quick
that found it no use to attempt to fol-
low him in his fight; no, didn't fol-
low him.
Before commencing the next incident
| have in my mind to relate, must give
the reader information in regard to one
or two matters. | am sure he is already
wondering have said nothing about the
Indians, for instance, whether we had
met with many as yet, or been molested
by them SO far. &c. Up to the time Of
our reaching Fort Kearney, which
think was inside of two weeks after
leaving Independence, VIC certainly saw
very few, considering the number Of
tribes we seem TO have already gone
through, some half dozen at least, the
Potawatomies, Cheyens and others | can
not recall, except the few we saw at the
two missions aforesaid and now and then
small groups of old men, squaws and
papoosis along the road side who were
there for the purpose of trading moccasins
for sugar, whiskey, powder, lead and
caps, ("sucre" and /" whiky" were
words of general acceptation all along
the line from Missouri to California,
and you could have bought the soul OF
any Indian along the same for little Of
the two mixed" } we saw none others.
The large body Of these various tribes
were, presume, at that time on the
north side of the Platte, they were all
in treaty with our government not to
disturb the emigrants, and even if so
disposed were doubtless deferred from
troubling us by fear of the soldiers garri-
soned in their midst at Forts Leaven-
worth and Kcarney. Neither as yet had
we met with many buffalo, although
some very large herds had been grazing
the ground over which We were ap-
proaching Fort Kearney, and were
caught up to by US there. Our party
killed several antelope in the meantime
and lots Of rabbits.
We reached Kearney late in the
evening and encamped mile or two
beyond. Some Of the party returned
TO the Fort that night, chiefly for the
purpose Of mailing letters TO our rela-
tives and friends in the States. Those
wrote went safely TO their DESIGNATION,
as presume did the others. We learn
ed there that our cattle train was only
few days ahead of US; that but three
head had been lost, that the men driv-
ing were all well, DC and we heard
there also sf the number of people,
horses, cattle and sheep that had already
passed the Fort on both sides Of the
Platte, aud | was astonished at the great
number, that Of the cattle | well remem-
Der being 35, 900 head.
There were only about one hundred
soldiers, officers and all, at this garrison
We saw only few Indians here, old
men, women and children, but we learn
ed that there had been some trouble be-
tween the Indians and cmigrants, par
ticularly with the Souix tribe, very
large one and occupying the grounds
We were now on and extending TO Fort
Larimic. long distance yet ahead.
On our route 80 far VIC had crossed
numerous rivers, all Of them narrow
waters, but deep and steep banked and
at this season Of the year very full,
making them very bard TO cross. Some
were bridged, TO be sure, and often
when not bridgcd and too steep TO drive
over, had to be ferried, using the bodies
Of our wagons, built especially for this
purpose, as boats rccollect the names
now Of but few Of these rivers--the Big
Blue, Little Blue, Vcrmilia aud Cav or
Kansas.
Up TO this time we had encountered
several severe storms Of rain, hail and
wind together, some Of them such as
had never witnessed before and will mol
attempt to describe, but leave for the
reader TO get an idea Of from the account