Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-09-27
Indians Admire Bravery

territory when they made their histor-
ical and thrilling fight to the north
under the leadership of the famous and
bloodythirsty chief. Dull Knife. GLIDING
all the efforts of Uncle Sans cavalry
to Overtake them. although but u lad
of seventeen was entrusted with the
duty Of carrying the mail between Fort
Reno and Fort Supply. was compell-
ed to lie In the saddle continuously
for thirty-six hours. making the entire
distance without rest merely stopping
at the relief stations long enough to
change horses and get bite 10 eat.
The stations were located about every
twenty live or thirty miles apart. and
consisted of small corral and dug
out or log cabin. where the station
keeper lived. whose duty 1t was to take
care of the five or SIX horses. which was
about the number left at each station,
and to have one ready 10 saddle as soon
as carrier arrived. There was no
road. not even a trail for me to follow,
my only guide being familiar land
marks, such as high hills or a lone cot
tonwood or grove OF timber. and fire.
quently on dark. stormy nights l would
lose my course and wander about for
hours entirely oblivious to my where
abouts, trusting entirely to the sagaci.
Gus mustang to take me to the next sta
ton. They always proved equal to the
emergency with the exception of one
or two occasions when they turned
and took me back to the station from
which we had started.
Part OF my route passed through the
Cheyenne reservation, and as the
Cheyennes were known TO be uneasy.
and very much dissatisfied with their
reservation and reports were being re-
ceived at the fort almost daily that
they were preparing to go on the war
path. naturally felt very nervous
while in their vicinity. but rs l was
fortunate in not running across any of
them for long time. l began to think
that there was nothing TO fear. My
first introduction to them, however.
was an experience that l shall not for
get TO my dying day.
1t was near the close of a beautiful
October afternoon. My horse was ear
ryng me at a swinging lope through a
picturesque valley of tho Canadian
river. with a range of low. grassy hills
at my right and the broad Canadian
with its glistenng sand flats to my left.
and still beyond arose some high hills
that might almost be called mountains,
covered to their SUBMITS with a growth
of scrubby oak trees that furnished
secure hiding places for game of all
kinds. Occasionally deer or flock
of turkeys that came down to the
river to drink. would be surprised rs l
emerged from behind some slight emil
hence. and make off toward the cover
as fast as they could go, frequently af-
fording capital opportunities for me to
try my Winchester, but as | could not
stop to do anything with the game. l
cons dered it wanton cruelty to kill
merely for the sport of the thing.
had just started up magnificent
doe with two spotted fawns, and was
laughing to see them scamper away.
when suddenly | was startled by a
rifle shot and a bullet whistled I'M
comfortably close TO my head. This
was followed by cry that came from
host of savage threats and actually
seemed to freeze the very blood in my
veins. 1t was the awful, piercing. ter
rible war cry of the northern
Cheyennes, which once heard will new
er be forgotten. CHANGING hastily
back. l saw what happened to be
about fifty Indians in full pursuit, yell
ing and shooting. changing what had
been quiet and peaceful scene into n
perfect pandemonium. L tell you
was scared; even my horse. although
In Hnh viII I'm at g..
twenty miles was so badly frightened
that he redoubled his speed. l at
once headed him for the hills beyond
the river. nearly a mile distant; my on
ly thought being to reach some place
where l could either hide or success
fully defend myself but l soon saw
that the race would be n short one, for
although l was mounted on good
horse he was badly blown, while
theirs were fresh and were rapidly
overtaking me. Great heavens! What
should do? had come down here
from my eastern home. fresh from
school, in search of adventure and
: here / had full-grown one on my
hands that didn't know what to do
with. could feel my hair lift itself
, with sufficient strength to raise my
hat from my head. L had not accom-
plished one-half the distance before
the bullets were flying around promis-
cuously and the Indians were getting
in very close proximity. Determined
if was to be shot would not be in
the back. and to at least die gamely,
suddenly reigned in my horse. leaped
to the ground. and drawing my Win
chester. knelt and taking aim with
, one hand at the head Indian, waved
my hat over my head for them 10 stop.
, Now. if there is anything an Indian is
afraid of, it is Winchester rifle.
knowing perfectly we'll that it can be
fired sixteen times in rapid succession
without reloading, and an Indian don't
/ enjoy standing in front of one of them
E. any moro than white man does. The
Indians, when they had ridden up to
within three or four hundred yards OF
/, me came to full stop and after par
leying n few min utes one of them rode
E short distance i'm advance Of the
others and clasped his hands above his
D head in what readily understood to
he n token of friendship / at once