Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-07-26

4 Z
and visions Of all sorts,
Its unnecessary to explain how |
came to be travelling in the far west
without companions, except for horse
and dog and gun. Following tue
general route of the old overland
trail, l camped one night in the edge
Of a considerable forest, and at a
point from which | could look forth
over a broad, open plain.
1t was already after shutdown.
The good horse was picketed, and
having provided a supper for myself
and dog from rabbit which my gun
had brought down an hour or two
earlier, disposed things for the night,
and as the stars came out, lay down
to sleep, comfortably rolled in a
blanket.
4 Itwas probably in the small hours
/ of the night that I awoke and arose
I to sitting posture. The moon was
climbing the eastern sky, with not a
feather OF cloud in her course, and
every object stood forthas clearly as
In the day.
But it was not for me to contem,
plate in quietude the rare beauty o
the night. In almost the first mo
ment OF consciousness my eyes fell
upon a slowly moving object in the
distance. 1t was one OF those can
vass covered wagons, the prairie
schooners" so familiar in the early
days OF overland travel to California
| 1t was approaching almost direct,
1 ~ toward me, and my curiosity was
at once aroused. Why any one
should be travelling thus, and so late
at night could not imagine. The
movement was heavy, as if the
horses were jaded, and the man who
walked by their side had q weary
step.
Twenty minutes passed, the vehicle
approaching nearer andnearer. Still
on it came, until when about thirty
yards from me it suddenly stopped
and the man, looking about, seemed
to be considering the wisdom ofmak
ing camp.
At this point / suddenly realized
that the approach of the wagon HAD
been utterly noiseless. What could
this mean? Was | dreaming No,
was never more awake. Was thi:
hallucination? No; for the dog, WHO
had been aroused by my movement
in awakening, now turned his heaC
in the direction of the new arriva
and uttered low growl. / laid my
hand on him to keep him quiet
The man now stood by the for
ward wheel, looking in at the open
ing of the canvas top, and, though
heard no voice, | imagined that hi
was speaking to some one within
A woman's head appeared, and, after
a glance around, gave nod of assent
and the man proceeded to unharnes
the horses and turn them loose II
Craze. Then after a moment, il
which he seemed to be anxiOusly eur
veying the trail over which they hat
come, he helped the woman to aIight
And now their movements great,
puzzled me. Walking to and fro
they seemed to be searching forsom
particular spot of ground. FINAL,
the woman pointed to n space be
tween two young trees. and the man
after looking Mt it for moment
went to the rear end of the wagoI
and brought forth spade. Wit
the edge of this implement he marke,
off rectangular space about fiv
feet by two, and began to dig. All
this, let it he remembered, was in ali
solute silence.
BY this time my curiosity had turn
ed to marvel Here was q contradic
ton of common sense! / could no
believe that what | saw was real
! these things must Inc apparitions
Aid yet here by my side was the dog
as alert as ], and trembling with al
impulse to investigate, while obedien
to my hand OF restraint
The digging proceeded, and, tn
soil BEING soft, some five feet O