The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1888-07-06
A RIDE FOR LIFE.
Thrilling Experience OF q Man Who
Rode Many Miles on a Waterless
Waste OF Prairie Land.

81. Louis republican.
"Do you see that why, sharp-eyed
mar there swinging those Indian
cIubs?" n gentleman asked OF Repub-
liam reporter who was at the Missouri
Gymnasium training for all interyev.
THAT is Professor Grahame, the
fencing teacher here"
81 know it,"
"But do you know him?"
"Only slightly"
"Well. go talk with him. He has a
wonderful budget OF stories. The
man has had q most varied expert
ence."
Acting on the advice the Professor
was SOC engaged in a general CONVEX
sation that gradually grew more per-
sonal. and when pressed to- speak OF
himself did so with unusual modesty.
The professors tull name is James
w. Grahame. He is an Englishman
by birth and is forty-one years OF age.
In 1864, while still a boy, he went to
New Zealand, being attracted there
by the wonderful description OF the
place given by O captain Jenkins, who
brought g. delegation OF Maori chiefs
to England. He became overseer. OF
q sheep ranch, and alter a year joined
those who under the gold excitement
went to Hokitaka. While there he
was hurt by q landslide, anu was tax
en- to Australia for medical treatment.
He was in Melbourne at the time the
steamer bearing the gifted Gustavus
V. Brooke sunk on its passage TO
in the wars with the b~ush-rangers,
young Grahame came to America and
at once went to Texas. His New Yea
land and Australia training predis-
posed him to the pursuits of the trap
per, and for years he followed that
life on the border. He was attached
in the capacity of a scout to q survey
ing party OF the Texas Pacific Rail-
road, and was with one or two pros
pectfng companies that travelled that
section for mining and other pur-
poses. Subsequently he was o scout
for the United States army In its In
dian warfare.
Always, in speaking OF the adventures
he related, the professorwasnoticeably
free from egotism, and was inclined to
ascribe the heroic parts Of the expert
ences to others.
at was from Fort Concho," ne said
"that a company OF twenty-five men
in 1876 was ordered out on a scout.
You see the Indians would wander
from their reservations and steal
cattle and horses and commit other
de2redations. They would do their
work SO quickly that it was unsafe to
wait for the reports ofthese outbreaks,
and it was the custom to alternately
send the different companies out on
scouting expeditions. Their duty
would be TO ride along the line of the
reservation, and II any trail was dis
covered that seemed particularly
fresh they were to follow it in search
of the offenders. Theparty of twenty
five mentioned struck such g. trail.
As it lay across the edge only of the
Staked Plain, Captain Nolan, who
commanded, thought it safe to follow.
For three days the trail was followed,
apparently growing fresher all the
time. At that time it was discovered
that the water was exhausted, and the
men and animals began to suffer for
it. 1t was the middle of August, and
under it's terrible sun the men were
without shelter. There was not q hill
or q tree in sight-only that gittering
sand. The men pushed on expecting
every hour to strike water, but they
were doomed to disappointment.
There were three scouts with the COM
mand, and they, under the belief that
they knew where water could be found,
left the main. body, promising to re-
turn and conduct them to the springs
when found. Two days we're passed
and the scouts had not returned. The
men were going mad. Every animal
but three had been killed and its
blood eagerly drank by the men. The
scouts had separated and two days
after leaving the command one of
them rode into Concho with the news
of the dire plight of Captain Nolan
and the company. The only parties
who knew the plains well enough to
venture in relief were the friendly In
dians, and they were at Fort Griffin.
A rider from Concho made the dis
lance between the two points in d
night and half a day. l was at
Griffin when he arrived. The day
al hot and sultry, ard every
thing had that hazy hum that comes
with August. The sight, however, OF
this courier, dusty and travel worn,
and of his painting horse, informed
the fort at once that something i'm
portant was astir. We were at din
mon nhan no nonon hr1E Loft - of
course, to hear the news. Col. Mizener
a commanding at Griffin then, and
he hardly read the dispatch before he
told its contents to the Indians.
There was one, u Tonkaway Chief,
called Old Charlie, who listeded to it,
and then only asked which way No.
lan's company went when they en-
tered Staked Plain. Being told, ne
put his hand confidently on his breast
and said, "Me find 'em." 1t was only
"a few minutes before a party OF eight
Indians under the leadership OF Char.
lie left the fort with back animals and
skins OF water. With the unerring
instinct of their race they took a bee
line for the sufferers and in two days
they were with them. Four men had
died. The survivors saw the ap.
preaching Indians but were too ex-
hausted to rise from the ground,
though they could but suppose them
enemies. Nolan's tongue was so swol-
len that he could not close his mouth.
Several OF the men were insane, and
one Of the four who had died was
found On his face near a little hole he
had made in a last frantic and in
stinctive attempt to dig for water"
Gould it have been found by dig
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