The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-01
A PERILOUS ADVENTURE.

EugIneerIRg on the Plains Fifteen
Years AsO-Feat of Howard Schuyler
Graphic Story OF Danger and COur-
age.
The kindness of kinsman of the late
Howard Schuyler has furnished us with
the following interesting story of the
perils of engineering life on the Plains
only fifteen years ago:
''In a recent letter from - he in
forms me of your request that L should
write out IN detail the story of Howard's S
miraculous escape from the Indians. as
had narrated it to you. If it is q
matter of intereStto you, it will certainly
be a pleasure to me so TO do.
''In the month of June, 1869, when
the grass and flowers ON the plains of
Kansas and Colorado were nearly knee
high, the result of unusually abundant
rains, which left clear pools of water in
all the little arroyos, a corps of Kansas
Pacific engineers under the leadership
of Howard Schuyler. were engaged in
making certain preliminary surveys in
the vicinity of the terminal town of
Phil Sheridan, near the border line of
the two States. They had been out on
trip of several months in the direction
of Denver, and had returned to the end
of the track to begin the definite loca-
ton, which we afterward carried
through to Denver. At this time had
been with the party some two or three
months, taking my novitiate in engi-
neering, and was occupying the posi-
ton of rodman. Prior to commencing
the location, we were running some
rapid trial lines north of Sheridan. and
by the 10Th of June were some fifteen
or twenty miles out in a roll
ing country, where the heads
of the Smoky Hill and Republi-
can Forks of the Kansas River inter-
lock. On the evening before our camp
had been brought up to the end of our
work, and we started out bright and
early on this memorable Saturday
morning. so that by ten o'clock we
were several miles away from camp.
In all our work we had been accom-
panied by an escort of fifteen infantry
soldiers, under the charge of 2 Lieuten-
ant, acting in the capacity of a camp
guard, who, while they were very useful
of no protection to us in the field. Our
party numbered thirteen all told, two
"f whom remained in camp rs cook and
teamster. The working party was
therefore reduced to eleven. including
Howard, whose custom it was to ride
several miles ahead, looking ont the
line and indicating it by building sod
mounds two or three feet HIGH with a
shovel. We followed from one mound
to the next. measuring angles and dis
tanceS and lcveling the ground. Our
progress WAS as rapid almost rs a man
would walk at a moderate pace, and
we were exceedingly vulnerable to at
tack, as we were all separated, strung
out over q distance of a mile or more,
while Howard was ALWAYS out of sight
and several miles ahead. but havin o
been out several months without seeing
any Indian signs we had no suspicion
of danger and did not dream there
were any Indians in the country. We
afterwards knew that they had been
watching us some days and were simply
waiting for the most favorable oppor-
tunity to make the attack, having evi-
dently planned to Kill Howard first and
then come back along the line picking
oil the rest of the party one by one.
In pursuance of this plan they lay in
wait until they had cornered him in a
trap when they fired a shot, striking his
horse in the hip; and looking around
he saw a long line of the red painted
devils on three sides of him. while on
the fourth. in the direction of his party,
40 Of
ground. cut up by deep narrow ravines.
1t took but moment to decide his line
of acton. Putting spurs to his horse
he turned to the only loophole of es.
cape, and, to the surprise of the Indians,
went leaping over the ravines, one after
the other, at the risk of his life, but
with the assurance that they could not
follow him. rs none of their ponies
were equal to the work, and to keepur
the pursuit they were obliged to make
4 long detour.
Having once got clear of the broken
ground. Howard, looking back, found
himself we'll ahead, and was congratu.
lating himself Gu so easy an escape
when he saw directly before him. spring.
ing out of the grass. formidable array
of Indians, intercepting his fight; those
pursuing in the rear closed up. and al
most before he could realize the situa
ton he found himself again entrapped,
this time by line of Indians that en-,
tirely encircled him, numbering about
one hundred, as near as he could iudge.
They rapidly narrowed the limits of the
circle, and began taunting him with al
manner OF insults, and telling him OF
the tortures that awaited him and of the
slow roasting that theyproposed to give
him. For several minutes he sat on his
horse trying to reconcile himself to the
GER ainty that death was before him,
out when the first struggle was over al