Wichita eagle., 1888-03-03
INDIANS AND BEARS.

I had been camped for q month in the Q
Wind River mountains, Wyoming, near
the headwaters of Green river, before l /
got an Indian alarm. / had come up from
Fort Bridger with pack mule and plenty
of traps and provisions, and by travelling
mostly ut night and taking every pains to
hide my tail had escaped the attention
Of the redskins Having gained the upper
end of the valley, / found a safe spot for
the mule and plenty OF game for my traps. b.!
For the first two weeks did not discharge
my rifle once, / was trapping for fur, and
what fresh meat | needed ! Killed with the
bow and arrow. In twenty-five days |
had mule load of furs / had but TO set
my traps and wait a little. tmust have
been years since any one had hunted or
trapped in that valley, for the hares would
scarcely run away, and on three or four
occasions black tailed deer stopped at half
pistol shot and gaZed at me as If they had
never seeI a human being before.
The discovery which so yeXed and
alarmed me was made early in the morn
ing had my camp close in to the base
of the mountains on the east side of the
valley, while the mule was hidden on the
west side, about opposite. ] had Enclosed
him in about half an acre of ground, on
which there was 4 spring, by building mp
q light brush fence and by hoppling him,
and it had been my custom TO visit him at
least every other day. My furS were
stored in a cave forty rods above my camp
as fast as accumulated, and | had neg
lected no precaution which experience
could suggest. Each morning it was my
custom to climb to a ledge of rocks over
hanging my camp and take a careful sur
yey of the valley through field glass
which had carried for years. On this
occasion had scarcely turned the glass
down the valley when | discovered three
Indians, each mounted. and pack horse
following They were not in war dress,
but three bucks who had come into the
valley on the same errand as myself.
/ was boiling mad over the advent Of
nv visitors. All my luck was gone in n
moment, and i might consider it a great
stroke of fortune if | got out alive, and
left them my mule and furs. The fellows
were ten miles away when first sighted
them, and had little time to reflect on
nv course They would certainly come
up the valley as high as my camp, and it
was certain that | would have to move.
The idea OF giving up all had gained and
sneaking off empty handed was too repug-
nant TO be acted on and after | had spent
ten minutes watching the trio, descended
4. the ledge with firm determination not
to leave the valley. / had not yet lighted
o fire to prepare my breakfast. gathered
I'D all the brands, covered the ashes with
leaves and dirt, and worked for quarter
of an hoTr to obliterate all signs of the
camp. My furs in the cave must take
their CHANGES. 1t was well hidden spot,
and the lQdians might or might not dis
cover it. Ny destination was n gulch or
CANYON. nile further up the valley, and
on my sideof it. | had twice passed the
entrance. bur had never explored the
Culch. 1t doubtless contained some hid
ing place or point of advantage. and !.
would be forced to seek shelter until 1
knew what the Indians purposed doing.
The redskins were coming up the val
lev at a SLOW pace, and had entered the
puIch half an hour before they We're OPP
posite nv camp. Standing at the mouth
of the culch could see them very plainly.
From their movements l judged they had
never been in the valley before, or at least
not rs high up. While they were not
looking for signs of white men, and had
no suspicious Of my presence, their hawk
ewes soon made discovery. They ran on
TO o. footprint, an overturned stone, or
some other proof Of the presence of hui
man being, and moment later they
swerved across the valley and entered the
very thicket where my mule was con-
cealed. | was in for il now The dis
covery of the mule would put them on to
me. and the three hunters after game
would become three warriors after my
scalo. / instantly abandoned ell hope of
saving any of my property and started of
ND the Culch to make my escape through
the range.
1t YVES rough, dark place | had got
into In no place was the rift over ten
feet wide, while il narrowed here and
there to four or five. Its sides were al
most perpendicular, and l had not gone
over 500 feet before | came to the end. 1t
was what is known as "a false canyon,
extending only little way into the noun
tain instead of cutting through it. In the
twilight which prevailed down there /
ran plump up against mass OF rock IN
the path, and when had burned a match
or two | fully realized the situation. |
was in a a trap. 1t was not likely that the
Indians vet knew of my location. They
knew that one or more white men were in
tbc valley. but could not tell Just where.
II was morning, you remember, and
before night came they would know all
ahout it. They wouh creep and dodge
ond reconuoiter, and before noon they
would be certain that khey had only onC
man TO deal with Any attempt TO leave
Inv way of the valley would be check
mated. and could not get out at the up
nor end without going over the wild anc
rugged mountains. ! Should, however
have returned TO the mouth Of the Sulci
TO try some other way, but while L wa
huraing a last match heard great clat
Ser on the rocky bed OF the nit lev
Yards of. Believing the Indians to b
coming. / looked swiftly around for som
Mace of concealment or advantage, and z
nav right L saw hole in the rocks Il
three Jumps was at the spot, and teI
seconds later had crawled into the hol
on hands and knees. The minute | 80
my nose inside Smelt pear. Indeed, tn
odor was strong enough 70 stiile me.
Inew also that / had entered a den o.
cave of considerable extent and.l hasbC