Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-16
A PERILOUS ADVENTURE.

teen years ago;
In the month Of June 1869, when the
grass and flowers on the plans of Kansas
and Colorado were nearly knee high, the
result of unusually abundant rains which
left clear pools of water i'll all the little ar
royos, 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
Il trip of several months III the direction of
Denver, and had returned to the end of the
track to begin the definite location. which
we afterward carried through to Denver
At this time | had been with the party
some two or three months, taking my no.
vitae in engineering, and was occupying
the position of rodman. Prior to COM
mencing the location, we were running
some rapid trial lines north of Sheridan,
and by the 18th of June were some fifteen
or twenty miles out in rolling country.
where the heads of the Smoky Hill and
Republican forks of the Kansas river inter
lock On the evening before our camp had
been brought up to the end of our work
we started out bright and early on this
memorable Saturday morning. SO that by
10 clock we were several miles away from
camp. In all our work we had been ac-
companied by an escort Of fifteen infantry
soldiers under the charge of a Lieutenant,
. acting in the capacity of a camp-guard,
who, while they were useful in guarding
our base of supplies, were of no protection
to us in the field. Our party numbered
thirteen ell told two of whom remained in
camp as cook and teamSter The working
party was therefore reduced to eleven, in
Guiding Howard whose custom it was to
ride several miles ahead, looking out the
line and indicating it by building sod
mounds two OF three feet high with
shovel. We followed one mound to the
next. measuring angles and distances and
ieYeling the ground. Our progress was as
rapid almost as n man would walk at
moderate pace, and we were exceedingly vul-
nerablc to attack, as we were all separated,
strung out over a distance of a mile or
more, while Howard was always out of
sight and several miles ahead, but having
being 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 for
some days and were simply waiting for the
most favorable opportunity to make the at
tack, having evidently planned to kill
Howard first and then come back along the
line picking off the rest Of the party one by
one.
In pursuance Of this plan they lay in wait
until they had cornered him in q trap when
they fired q shot. striking his horse in the
hip, and looking around he saw Il long line
Of the red painted devils on three sides of
him, while on the fourth, in the direction
of his party, was half mile or more of
broken ground cut up by deep narrow ra-
vines. 1t took but a moment to decide his
line Of action. Putting spurs 10 his horse
he turned 70 the only loophole of escape
and, 10 the surprise of the Indians, went
leaping over the raviues. one after the
other. at the risk of his life but with the
assurance that they could not follow him,
as none Of their ponies were equal to the
work, and to keep up the pursuit they
were obliged j0 make q long dctour.
Having once got clear of the broken
ground Howard looking back, found him-
self well ahead, and was conEratulating
himself on 50 easy an escape. when he saw
directly before him, epringing out OF the
grass, q formidable array of Indians, inter
ccpting his flight; those pursuing in the
rear closed up, and almost before he could
realize the situation he found himself again
cutrapped. this time by a line Of Indians
that entirely cncirclcd him, numbering
about one hundred, ~ near IS he could
iud,e They rapidly narrowed the limits
81 the circle, and began tauntiug him with
all manner of insults. and telling him O
the fortunes that awaited him and of tht
slow roasting that they proposed to give
hiu. For several minutes he sat on hi,
horse irving to reconcile himself to thC
certainty that death was before him, bu
] I'll al.
ling ceased, and with rs true an aim u
ever huntsman lcycled at deer. he drew
up his rifle and fired ut the nearest man
killing him instantly. Earlier in the iigh
he had realized that he was more lightly
armed than usual, having that mornin.
left his belt, with q brace of pistols and ;
box of cartridges. in camp To be cleaned
taking only his Winchester clTbine, carry
ing twelve shots. He now determined 4
sell his life as dearly rs possible. and
counting every shot, To be sure that h
saved one for himself as deraicr resort il
case Of CAPTURE. since death by his Owl
hand was preferable to slow torture. Twic
more he sho, in quick succession with0u
fatal effect, when he suddenly put spurs I
ms horse and dashed through the line. \
this moment there was q general scrambl
and rush for him, some trying for hll
with their spears, others selling his leg
aud st-it.irt. 2, ruh,r-p him He st,
- =, win limo, ,f an, ,.,- il, tbro,,
inc, tbeIn al of and oven kiiIc5 \ serou
n,5, din, ~. his side ,,ufrine his en-
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-. .In ia .,,,,r,i.,., o;er Tto,ya-d
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