Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-01-17
"REMINISCENCES
OF An Old Trapper in the west
Fifty Years Ago.
D. 4. Ward Rccounts His Early and Event.
ful Experiences In the Forests and
on the Piains-Fighting Indians
and Trapping Beaver.

Fifty years ago, when Kansas City
consisted of warehouse and there
was not a single private residence of
civilized man between the Missouri
river and San Francisco, S. +. Ward
landed from a steamer at Independ-
ence. Then he was penniless youth
OF eighteen years, directly from the pa
ternal home in Virginia, filled with
eager desire to gain a fortune in the
far West. Now at sixty-eight years,
Mr., Ward is almost twice millionaire
and one of the most respected citizens
of Western Missouri. He is one of the
few pioneers that are left to speak of
the struggles and triumphs of early
Western life.
1t required but few minutes, says
a correspondent OF the St. Louis Globe
Democrat, to become acquainted and to
breach the object of the visit. Knock
ing the ashes from large pipe against
the edge of marble mantelpiece,
after filing the bowl and lighting it,
Mr.. Ward sank into an easy chair.
"Yes, / have had some experiences
that do not fall to the ordinary lot OF
man. Thrown by circumstances into a
new country in my earlier life, have
travelled thousands of miles alone
through the mountains and across the
prairies, and often spent weeks without
,raat;pr a oiprl human hainU Ev.
posed to snow, sleet, and rain, with nc
shelter but a buffalo robe, and at times
with starvation staring me in the face,
the chances seemed slight, indeed, Of
ever coming out alive. During my ex-
perience in the West l met Fremont in
his expeditions through the mountains
saw Brigham Young on the Platte
river, as he was on his way to found 9
Mormon empire; passed through the
stormy period of the Mexican War, the
California gold excitement, the civil
war, and witnessed the opening of the
Pacific railroad and the mighty influx
OF population on the plains Of the great
West.
''The first seven years of my life OF
the frontier were passed largely il
intercourse with Indian tribes, extend
ing from the Red river on the south, t
the upper waters of the Columbia ant
Yellow stone on the north. Hunting
trapping and trading were the onl,
occupations open to white men west o
the Missouri river in those days. Ii
little bands of from two to twelve tn,
hunters and trappers roamed through
out this vast region with little fear o
the sred skins. The Indians had no
contracted the vices of civilization
and were different race of peopl
from what they are to-day. The cruel
ties we read of as practiced by them il
later years were unknown. | neve
knew of prisoner being burned at tn
stake, and ordinarily the hunter felt 8.
safe in an Indian country as in his owl
settlement. The Indians were armed
with bows and arrows, not more thai
one cut of fifty being the possessor of
gun. When an Indian did own a gun i
was usually a light shot gun, tina
proved ineffective at any great distance
IAN experienced frontiersman con
sidcred himself proof against any mum
Der of Indians. BY means of the sig
language we were able to talk wit
the Indians upon all subjects, and a
they were great takers and inveterat
story-tellers, many is the hour hav
PASSED, seated by the campfire, hear
ing their adventures or the legends c
their nations. l have often wondere
why the sign language. as recognize
and perfected by the Indians, was ne
adopted among civilized people instea
Of the deaf and dumb alphabet. tn
Indians methods of communicating h
ideas is much more expressive an
natural. The Cheyenncs and Arap'
hoes we're especially noted for the
skill in sign language"
Bv the way of illustration Mr.. War
r.ve many examples Of the ability
s;gns to express thoughts upon ever
imaginable subject The signs wei
All given with the hands, each NOV
ment representing an entire phrase I
sentence. 49,
..Were the Indians good hunters?"
I'm some respects superior TO Il
xhites. They knew nothing of tral
,,;np beaver until taught by the white
Init they could give valuable points
sseging the large game on the plain
Forty-or Fifty years ago the plains we
swarming with buffalo. l have oft
sssn droves so large that no eye cou
s,,npass them. Their numbers we
s,rtlsss. The Indian hunter ridil
ssrebaek would guide his horse hea
isug into the midst Of TIE herd, sin