The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-04-16
THE LIFE OF A RANGER.
MoNoTONOuS IN CAMP, BUT LIVELY
ENOUGH ON THE TRAILS.
An Existence of Hardship, Priyation and
Danger-When an Alarm Is Given-Fall-
ing Into Line-Rations and Camp Equip
age-Chasing the Enemy.

age-Chasing the Enemy.
The rangers are nearly all young men and
every state in the Union is represented in
their ranks. Many of them are trained and
practiced plainsmen. The pay of private
is $50 per month, rations and medical attend
ance for himself and forage for his horse. A
corporal gets $35 per month, second SER
geant $40, a first sergeant $50, u lieutenant
- $75 and a captain Sfao. The men are
quired to furnish their own horse, saddle,
bride, blankets, clothing, Winchester rife,
Colts revolver, a hunting knife and the nee
essary belts and equipments. The state fur
nishes tents, pack-aninlals and ammunition.
The men enlist for the term of one year, but
they can usually obtain a discharge at any
time if they can give a good and sufficient
reason therefor to the commanding officer.
RANGERS UNRoMANTIC LIFE.
There is absolutely no romance in the life
OF a ranger. His existence is one of dull
routine in camp, hardship, pEivation and dan
ger On the trail The rangers are not bound
down by such strict discipline as prevails ia
the regular army, for the men are too indie
pendent and risk their lives too unselfishly to
be hampered by the stilted martinetissa
lar army little better than slavery. The
scouts are held together by q mutual depend
ence each upon the other, and when in camp
rarely have quarrels among themselves or
break the few rules that are laid down for
their guidance When I was connected with
the rangers our principal employment was
hunting Indians, and when in an Indian
country no man was allowed to leave camp
night or day without permission from the
commanding officer, and no one was allowed
TO fire gun or pistol within one mile of camp
without permission The men are frequently
granted furloaghs from reveille to retreat,
but they can come i'll later if they give good
excuse for their absence.
No card playing is allowed in camp, and
drunkenness is punished by dishonorable
discharge. A discharge for the violation of
these two rules, however, does not debar
man from re-enlistment in the service, but il
he is discharged for cowardice he can never
become a ranger again. The men have no
drills to attend, and there is only one inspec
ton a year. They are divided into messes
and do their own cooking. There are two
guards detailed every morning. The first or
principal guard, consisting of four men, has
charge of the horses during the day, when
they are turned loose to Craze. Two men
"circle" the herd in the morning and two in
the afternoon. They are not allowed to take
the horses more than a mile from camp and
at the first intimation OF danger are required
to "round up" the animals and stampede
them back to the corral, at the same time
discharging their rifles tc alarm their COM
panions in camp.
When an alarm of this sort is given tine
entire force turns out under arms and
as soon as the herd reaches the corral each
man is expected to catch saddle and mount
his horse. II the cause of the stampede
proves to be an Indian attack, the men sally
forth to meet the red men. The night guard
is q camp patrol OF four men, who stand re-
hefs of two and one-half hours each. In case
of danger the camp is alarmed as when at
tackled by day. So nicely trained is the ear
of ranger that, no matter. how soundly he
may be sleeping, single shot from the guard
will arouse him, and have known a COM
pany of seventy-ive scouts to be in line
dressed and armed for fight, two minutes
a fter the alarm shot was fired.
IN SEARCH OF INDIAN SIGNS
The ranger is rarely happy in camp and
longs to be on the trail, despite the danger
and privations which he knows he will meet.
Suddenly scout, who has been coursing TIE
country in search of Indian signs, comes rid
ing into camp at a galiop and hastily dis
mounts in front of the commanding officers
tent The Apaches are on the war path. He
makes his report to the commanding officer
and the men fall into line. detail is made
to pursue the red enemy. Rations for a five,
ten, twenty, or thirty days scout, as the case
may be, are issued, and the men break ranks
to prepare for the coming campaign. In the
meantime man has been dispatched to the
herd, and soon the animals come galloping
into camp. The men who have been detailed
for the scout catch their horses and d sufi-
cient number Of pack mules. The balance OF
the herd goes slowly back to the feeding
ground, and the men who are to remain in
camp return to their letter writing or reading
with sighs of regret.
The detailed scouts are very busy. The
rations are placed in sacks together with
sufficient number of skllets, frying-pans and
coffee-pots, and are packed on the mules.
Each man carries tin cup on his saddle and
hunting-knif in his belt. On the trail the
ranger carries sixty rounds of ammunition
for his rife and thirty rounds for his isrevolver.
He places one pair of blankets and his over
coat on the pack mule. His "slicker," a long
coat made of oiled canvas, is tied behind his
eAAS
he slings his Winchester rife scabbard, and
from the left side hangs his canteen and stake
rope, In his saddle-pockets he carries sup
ply of tobacco, occasionally book or news
paper, some horse shoe nails pack thread and
a little case containing absorbent cotton,
bandages, a torniqust, a level, some adhesive
plaster and few simple remedies.
In half hour after the alarm is SOUNDED
the scouting party is ready to take up the
trail. Led by the man who first discovered
the Indian sign, they ride rapidly to the place
where the redmen have passed and the scout
begins During the daytime no halt is
made With the tireless persistence OF sleuth
hounds they follow the trail of the enemy
across nano and mesa, over mountain and
through canyon, until finally, after days Of
weary search, the haunt of the redmen is
reached, their camp is quietly surrounded,
and when all is ready the scouts dash down
upon the unsuspecting foe with a loud cheer
There are wild shouts, terrified screams, a
deafening crash of firearms, means of pain
and despairing death-cries. High above all
is heard wild cheer Of victory, as the dar-
ing men. smoke-begrimed and bloodstained,
count the bodies of the slain and prepare to
tear from the heads of the dead foe those
ghastly trophies of ranger conquest-scalps.- -
New Mexico Cor Philadelphia Times.