Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-08-29

ubb0IiuR ucuOulhC ytliS 5Hu iIiEHtCA-
ing our horses and mules so greatly that
We lost every hoof of them. A comrade,
named Hit, in epdeavoring to reeapture
some of our stock was captured by the
indians, but miraculously escaped with
life, after receiving sixteen wounds In his
body, ali Of which were more or less
serious. He was shot, tomahawkud and
speared. Just before his capture Hit
started six head OF horses toward our
camp which were recovered.
When the painted demons saw one of
our number shot down they left US for a
time. This gave US an opportunity to
return to our wagons, and improvise a
breastwork of them, and piliRg UP sad
dies and harness 90 serve for Al ambush.
From noon until two hours in the night,
when the moon went down the
savages felt confident that we would
fell prey TO then, as evinced by their
| repeated charges upon our rude yet I'M
pregpeble Notifications.
THE RETREAT.
The darkness was upon us and it was
apparent to everyone that but two altern-
atives were before US. Should re sue
cumb to 81 awful death where we were, or
make desperate effort to escape in the
gloom?
It was a terrible situation, but the little
band looked the matter square in the face,
and after brief council of war had been
| held we resolved to save ourselves, If pos
! sible. To longer transport our wagons
and heavy luggage was out of the ques-
| ton. To abandon them altogether, With
a large quantity of provisions, which We
were unable 10 pack, was a sacrifice that
L.
| reconcile US to. Hastily arranging our
animals for the pack, and loading them
to full limit of their capacity, including a
large amount of silver coin, and cur
wounded comrade Hit, who was made as
comfortable as possible, we stealthily
CROPPED our way out into the darkness and
made safe evacuation.
Five hunCre miles lay between US and
the first settlement. Our proper course
was toward the east, but we bore in a
northerly direction off the trail, hoping
| by this course to be less likely to be dis
covered by band of prowling Indians,
and headed for the Arkansas River. At
ter plodding along YEARLY and half starv-
ed one day and two nights we reached
the sparkling waters of the Arkansas and
Immediately went into camp for rest and
general recuperation.
MEAT WITHOUT SALT.
Having dieted on scanty allowance Of
prickly pear fo- an interval of 48 hours
We we're nearly famIshed. Fortunately
our relief was close at hand. Game
abounded along the river. A buffalo and
antelope were shot within so yards of the
camp, and large slices of the meat were
! soon cooked and devoured without sea-
sOning. 1t was feast on "meat straight"
We here saw the imperative necessity of
| tightening the burden Of our animals.
This could be best accomplished by leav-
ing behind our Mexican silver, amount
ing to quite $4,000 which we concluded
to bury, and trust for the return of some
one of our party at some future day to
recover it.
Selecting a small island on the river
we buried our fortune Git was fortune
those days. between two cottonwood
trees.
We taIried In this haven zone the Ar
| kansas" without molestation on week to
| prepare Camrade Hit for the hardshi pa
before Us. Continuing our journey IN a
northerly direction for three or four days
PaUnee Fork was reached, down which
we Travelled for 10 days, when we fell into
| the old Santa Fe trail, which again led Us
to the Arkansas, always refreshing and
welcome Three or four days. march down
the Arkansas brought US TO small tribu
tary called Willow Greek. Striking out
due east from this point our powers of
| endurance suffered the severest test dur
ing the next five or six days. The rava
ges of diet of buffalo meat with no con-
diment whateve-, not even salt, was now
nv Co. oil a.
ton of the entire party on arriving al
Crow Creek, the first running stream in
four days travel, was alarming. It seemed
that there was nothing left for us but to
lie down and die. We had barely escaped
massacre only to suffer dissolution by
starvation, for buffalo meat had reduced
our appetite to the actual starvation
point. 1t was finally decided to send five
of the best preserved men on ahead to
independence, distance of 200 miles
for the purpose of procuring assistance
and the other sixteen were to get along as
best they could until relief could reach
them.
| TERRIBLE MARCH.
was one of the five selected to 90
ahead aud the terrible suffering we en-
dured on that trip, sixty ODD years ago,
|
most memorable experience of my life
We we were without blankets 80 sleep
under, though it was late in the fall and
heavy f"osts fell every night. Some OF
of us we're barefoot and our feet were so
bruised and sore that blood stains were
left in every footstep. Deafness came
upon US, Occasioned by our weakened
| condition, so that the report of a gun
could not be heard a few feet distant.
The second day out from Crow Greek two
of our party became dszed from thirst
and exhaustion, laid down their guns, and
feebly declared they could go no further.
Water was the elixir wanted, but there
WIS none. We left our haIf-dead COM
panions In d ravine near a well teaten
buffalo trail, and starred out in search of
water, following dry lagoon for several
miles we finally found pool of stagnant,
muddy water, from which half a bucket
full was secured. Although muddy, it was
life for Us. Returning TO our comrades
about daylight the water so refreshed
them that they were able to resume the
| journey, and az ain our weary march was
taken up and continued under "llfe and
death struggle to both human and ami
| NAL life until we crossed the Big Blue
River in Jackson CouRty, Missouri,
where the first civilized habitation in
all these dreary, direful weeks greeted our
eyes.
| 1t was cabin Is miles from Indepen-
denoe. It's occupants we're women.
! Everything about the diminutive premis-
! es betoRened squalor, bit mine hostess
made up in willing hospitality what they
lacked in nutritive edibles, for so soon as
the inmates of this iowly abode felt sati =
! fed that the galvanized skeleton like