The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-04-30
BY SERGEANT HOLIDAY.

Routo.
BY SERGEANT HOLIDAY.
After leaving the Indian camp and pro
ceeding on our way to our camp about
mile, we discovered that the mocasinl
which | had bought were missing. La
once hGstened back to the camp and re
quested the young dame to bring out thu
shoes. I noticed that her manner hac
changed and that she now seemed unwill
ing to converse. on any subject, especially
on the shoe business.
demanded the slippers first in a friend.
ly manner, then | became angry and Threat
ened TO bring down all the "Washington
soldiers in the United States upon them,
but all 10 vain. was soon ordered in q
manner not to be mistaken, to "Si tuck:ku
tepe," which | aiterward learned meant
make yourself scarce In the immediate
vicinity OF this respectable and peaceful
community" Not n OF them could now
speak a word OF English and pretended not
to understand a word OF what | said.
| left swearing eternal vengeance on the
"%injin" and a determination to have q scalp
for every dollar paid on those mecasins.
However, ] will add right here that the
scalping part OF the resolution is yet to be
carried out, for somehow or other things
didn't pan out just as l thought they would
and those Indians are still wearing their
hair.
Billingsley gave me away in camp and I
was made TO suffer in flesh and spirit by
their taunts and jokes until the thing got
old, and something new spraDg up to take
its place.
During this season the Platte route to
Denver city, Salt Lake, and all the military
posts on the North and South Platte were
lined with Government, emigraut and
transportation trains. No railroad had yet
penetrated the Western desert, but all sup
plies for soldiers, miners and settlers in the
Rocky mountains and a large N1rtion Of
the Pacific slope had to be TRANSPORTED by
grOat wagon trains for a distancl OF from
900 TO 1900 miles.
The scene along this, as well as other
routes. southwest and west, can hardly be
described. We we're not out OF sight OF
trains for q distance OF 500 miles. Every
night our camp was composed OF many
different trains, with men OF all nations as
teamsters. 1t wal a common thing to see
in one Of these camps Americans, English.
men, Germans, Mexicans, Negroes. Halt.
breed Indians, full blooded bucks,-in
fact all nations on the face OF the earth,
except China were represented, in almost
any Of these camps. The Chinamau had
not yet found his way to the Pacific slope,
but like the grSsshopper plague, they swept
down on California the year following in
vast numbers.
In passing these slow trains with their
five tor burden OF freight to each wagon,
drawn by from six to twelve yoke Of cattle,
you ask the dark skin, long haired individ-
ual ofthe broad brimmed hat where are you
from?" he Immediately tlourishes his long
heavy whip and looking along his line OF
cattle he replies in a singing sort OF q tone,
"0maha.ha.hay ha' hoy, whoa buck, come
here Grant, you Sheridan, g'Iong old Abe"
and he goes IN calling his twen,y.four head
OF cattle, after as many OF his ~favorite Gen.
erals, and thus one could tell Just where
the "Bullwhacker's' sympathies were Gen.
tered, North or South. You ask him
where he is bound for, and in the same
tone he sings, Idaho ha.ho ,ha.hoy, and
you must understand that this train Is des-
tined for Idaho. Look upon the canvas
cover Of his long wagon, and you read in
rude charcoal letters: "Hell Roarin' Bill,
from Bull Crick, Va" or FAX no questions
lie til yer no lys," min yer bizneas," or
some other poetic expression.
During the day Of our camp in Kena.
kuck, several trains came up and went in
to camp to await the receding OF the creek
which was too high to cross We mingle
together, trade ponies and swap in every
thing, aud gambling is INDUCED in. Poker
Is the mi great business OF everybody on
the Plains. No man was eyerso pious as to
accomplish a slow march across the Plains
without playing poker. l doubt very much
II Horace Greeley escaped the thousand
snares and temptations OF this kind when
he made his second trip in a spring wagon
over the desert.
We had one man whose mania was
"chuck.luck," he opened his bank at every
camp, and took in the "Bullwhacker when
ever opportunity afforded. The second
night in this camp comes on, our picket
lines are shortened, sc as to get all within
as short a scope as possible, supper is over,
and the usual amusement OF card playing
Is commenced. Through the thin shelter
tents can be seen the dim lights OF a hun.
bred tallow candles, and the low murmur
OF voices are audible: Gimme two cards"
"IIl take three" "Five dollars on my
hand. an sec that and go you five bet.
ter" ~ raise yon twenty" "All right,
I'll see that" "Flush." "Four kings
my pot" These are some Of the expires.
sions and phrases which fall upon the year
Of the guard as he treads his lonely beat
along the lower edge OF the camp near the
creek. Midnight. draws near and tine
candles have burned low down into the
bar OF soap which serves as a candlestick.
There Is no moon, but the stars look down
upon the sentinel and wink as II to give
him warning Of that which is about to
transpire.
"Whoop, Whoop, Whoop.ee-ee," and the
rattle oil a stiff buffalo robe is heard at the
edge OF the brush near the creek. There is
q sound as Of a rushing wind. Picket pins
fly thro' the air witha whizzing sound, tents
are snatched from their iastenings, horses,
mules and ponies dash in one solid mass
through the camp upsetting wagons, am.
balances, and every thing in the way and
IN one instant that camp was poneyless.
On, on, away they fly, like q cyclone, tax
ing everything before them, now joined by
a herd Of cattle; now reinforced by q herd
Of mules q few miles further on-on they
20, and the sound OF retreating hoots die
away in the distance and the trembling
earth Is again still.
One moment ago all was quiet. Now
there Is a rushing to andfro and all Is wild
with commotion. We are left alone with