The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-07

1 GELtEN AN INV ~
to make the thing short, the boys didn't
pay % cents, but mildly persuaded the
ranchmen to furnish q limited number oil
drinks at Is cents.
Bot the boys had to come to II at last,
and before the plains had been crossed and
the Rocky Mountains were reached they
thought % cents q very pious, honest price
for glass OF Irish f1rewater, and often had
to pay so cents for . very poor quality. Il
was remarkable that when so cents wasthe
price, they drank more than when paying
10 cents for the nasty stuff.
Between here and Cotton Wood Falls,
or Mcpherson as It Is now called, for the
first time we had to burn Buffalo chips, 50
called, but in reality OK chips. These chips
are dropped every day by the vast herd Of
cattle which belong to the passing trains,
who Craze along every foot Of the trail In
two hours alter they are dropped, the
burning rays OF the sun and the hot sand
had completely dried them ready for fuel,
80 that one train passing furnishes chips
for the next one following.
We cut q narrow ditch in the ground for
a fire place, over which re set our coffee
pots, complexities and frying.pans, then
place our chips under the vessels and set
fire to II, and in q very shorttime have our
Sow. belly" fried and coffee boiled.
For some distance after leaving Cotton
Wood, chips are extremely scare, and as q
result when we go into camp q general
rush ia made in every direction in search
OF the precious little things, which are few
and far between.
We remember OF o fight on one occasion,
over. a chip which would not be worth
mentioning, were 1t not for the fact that q
chip was the bone OF contention, or o prize
for which the parties were c%ontendiug.
It was q common thing to zee q race for
a chip, but on this occasion both seemed
to reach 1t at the same instant and a tussle
eusued which soon took the form OF a
downright fight; but, like the cats and
the monkey with the cheese, both
lost the chip, for while the fight was going
on one OF the boys, with an eye to bust.
ness, slipped 1t in his sack and walked of
with it.
At Cotton Wood we were reinforced by q
company OF Winabo Indians who were in
the employ OF the Government as scouts,
Captain. With these indians our force
was increased to about S75 men. 4
We journey along at the rate Of fifteen
miles a day: the iourneyhas begun togrow
monotinous. One evening we came down
on an old stage Ftation called Alkilye Sta.
ton or Old California Crossing. 1t must be
remembered that our line Of march has
been along the Platte river, which at this
point divides Colorado from Dakota.
Here We went into camp q mile beyond
the Station. Our herd is sent out under. q
stronger escort than usual, which causes
some comments and surprise among the
men In camp. A stronger camp guard than
common is placed on duty and we are all
ordered to keep on our reyolyers, and q
guns il readiness.
During the day some Of our Indians had
crossed the river and penetrated far into
the barren sand bluffs OF Daksta. About
s o'clock the herds are brought in and all
corralled within the enclosure made by the
wagons. The night was calm and beanti-
full and many OF the boys had been playing
cards by moonlight About midnight the
guards report that strange unusual sounds
have been heard across the river. Pres.
emily some Of our Indian scouts come in
with their ponies drenched and dripping
with water.
They had a short conversation with their
Captain in their own tongue, then Major
Sqnires orders every man to saddle up and
mount as quickly as possible. Two more
Indians are sent out; but soo return. We
in the meantime learned that O party OF
Sioux Indians are on the Dakota bluffs, on
the opposite side of the river, and that they
evidently intended to cross before day.
break aud cross the great wagon trail in the
night when they would most likely meet
with the least opposition. There are other
trains camped near US and they had all
been warned and had all placed themselves
in an attitude Of defense.
(Tn b. c~nnsintsH.l