Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-02-15


say this because had to Inquire against
Black Serpent, but because l have seen
1t proved in fifty instances. When an
Indian plots against white man he
plots something to be executed under
cover of darkness. While my route lay
over a lonely and broken country, small
detachments of soldiers were shifting
about, and I reasoned that Black Ser
pent would hardly take the chances or
an ambush. The report of his gun might
be heard, or he might miss me in ssaoot-
ing, Or he might be seen IN the LOCALITY
of the deed and suspected of it. While
he would have an opportunity at every
mile of the journey to shoot at me from
behind rock, or bush, or ridge, L rode
along without special vigilance, arguing
for reasons above given, that he would
not dare to do 1t.
1t was ! o'clock in the afternoon be-
fore I knew that he was on my trail. AS
l rose a ridge I caught sight of him
| about mile away, but my observation
was so slyly made that he could not say
| had detected him. He had been con-
| ceaed in gully about five miles back:
| learned atterward that half breed
who hung about the fort had told him
that would probably be sent off in that
direction, and that he had been en-
camped in the gully for three days and
watching for me. Black Serpent was
doing just as | reasoned he would
waiting for night 1 intended to
| make an easy Journey of it by riding
about forty miles and camping for the
| night. He knew this would be the way
of it, and he had no intention of attack
ing me during daylight.
I kent on AFT the Same steady mace DUR
ing the afternoon, hating twice to water
my horse Three times during the after
noon got sly peeps of my pursuer. who
| kept at respectful distance, and doubt
less chuckled to himself at the thought
of being on my trail and unsupported. L
had to make what is called dry
camp" That is, with no water at hand.
There was scant heritage for my horse,
but I knew he would not wander far,
and that no Indian living could stampede
him Or ride him away. knew from the
actions of the animal as soon as dis
| mounted that there was another horse
near by, but built fire and toasted
my meat, and had enough water in my
canteen to make cup of coffee.
| Black Serpent would not be in hurry.
When an Indian is trailing you he likes
to enjoy his triumph. He plays with
you as cat does with a mouse. Ten
o'clock would be soon enough for him,
and [ sat in plain view of my fire smok-
inf until after 9. Then I smothered the
blaze for five minutes, and during this
interval rugged up my blankets to make
dummy" When | retreated into the
darkness and looked back, the figure was
good enough to deceive anybody. Black
Serpent would not approach on my trail
but from exactly the opposite direction,
and crept away in the darkness until l
was fifty feet from the fire
1t was, as near as | could figure t
about an hour when the young buck
came creeping up from the direction
passing over the ground as noiselessly as
a rabbit could have moved. He had left
his rifle behind, calculating to use his
knife on me. He was all of twenty
minutes ere 9ping his last twenty feet,
ard l sometimes doubted if my eyesigbt
had not deceived me. He was within
six feet of the dummy before he detected
it, and then he sprang high in the air and
uttered his death Whoop. knowing that
| was laying for him. lie came down
in heap at the crack of my rile, and he
was dead when l got to him. l kept
his entire outfit, sending word to his
friends what had happened, and that I
held myself answerable to them, but no
one troubled me about it, even to lay
claim to any of the property.
A year later. when things generally
were more settled, but with dissatisfied
bucks breaking away from the agencies
at intervals to make raids, an Indian
quarter breed stole some things from
Fort Larned, and run him down and
captured him. He was imprisoned for
several weeks, and some of his buck
friends declared that | should paw for
the ''indignity" with my life. 1t was
honorable enough in their eyes to steal,
but great indignity to pay the penalty
of thieving The three bucks whom I
had to fear were called Fed Earth, Half
Moon, and Cloudy Day. They drew "a
tions at the agency, and were supposed
to live within the limits, but as matter
of fact were prowling over the country
most of the time and ripe for any mis-
chief
I was then riding between two posts
about eighty miles apart. l took two
days to go and two to return, and, then,
after a rest OF two days, made the trip
again. This had been the programme
for two months, and the Indians knew
it and could count on my whereabouts at
a certain date. For twenty-five miles of
the journey l had stage road and was
sure of company. For twenty miles
further the country was fairly safe, there
beng many hunters and trappers and
scouts out. The dane erOus part of the