The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-19
THE OVERLAND A

When the California gold fever began
to push long ago trains across the
country, there were bands of white men
in league with the Indians. They knew
the country, the trails, the streams, and
ravines, and valleys, from Council Bluffs
or st. Joseph TO Salt Lake City. and were
strung out all along the overland trail,
and IN constant communication with the
redskins. Some Of their number got into
the companies going westward. They
acted as guides-were elected as captains
Of ~trains-sought every position which
would enable them to play into the hands
Of their allies and work the destruction OF
rains This was no v suspected,
however, until they had worked fearful
slaughter among the gold seekers. No
living mar will ever be able to give fig
ures of the train people murdered during
the years in which b overland trail was
i'm daily use.
The first train l went out with consisted
of Is wagons and so men women and chill
dren. of these, - were fu~ll-grown men
and well-armed, and each one fully real
lied the perils which beset the route. II
would seem the heighth of folly for a hus-
band to invest his all in a span OF horses
and set out for California with a sickly
wife and three or four children, but many
of them did so. Indeed, there was no
train without its women and children,
and their presence always increased the
dangers. Previous to leaving ST. doe we
had to elect a captain of the train, a
"boss," whose word should be law
until we reached the end of our
journey. This position very naturally
fell to some veteran-some hunter,
scout, or indian fighter, who was
posted as to the route and the ways OF the
Indians. Some such man was always
going out with a train. In our case the
choice lay between two-one an old trap
per OF many years experience, who looked
homes and seemed to lave had plenty of
experience, and a a who was a stranger
to all, but who was loud in his boasts of
how many indian he had killed, and
what a brave, careful man he was. l dis
liked him at first sight, as know he did
me; but, though ! did all l could to defeat
him he was elected to the position of car
tain. He was a fellow with an ugly sulky
look to his face; eyes which were con.
stantly rowing about and could never look
you square i'm the face, and i'm my heart |
believed he meant us ILL.
/ found two or three others who entirely
agreed with me, but the majority were
perfectly satisfied that he was all right,
and it would not be prudent for us to say
anything until we had better foundation
han mere suspicion. 1t would have been
rebellion to speak against him or refuse
to obey his orders, and ne a the power
% ulsdrIn us anu pun us uuutT kuurus NJ
hat date the train which progressed a
hundred miles into Kansas was sure to
find the advance guard of the indian
On the fourth day out we sighted some at
"A distance, and / narrowly watched our
captain. He closed the train up in good
order, stationed the defenders where they
could do the most good, M exhibited
such nerve and caution that / began
to feel ashamed of myself for having
suspected his loyalty. But for N cir
cumstance / should have banished all sus-
picion. We saw the first Indians about
two hours before shutdown. None of
them came nearer than a half n mile,
seeming To be content with an inspection
of our strength. An hour later, and
when within Two miles of the spot where
we proposed to camp, the captain, whose
name i have neglected to state, was
Baker, ran up a green flag on one of the
wagons. The flag, as we afterward con-
cludcd, he must have secretcd about his
person. He explained that IL we ran up a
flag the Indians would conclude that
i hnai were Off, so'd' snd with no the o ara,n q bn,
myself questioned the truth or
Il struck me that he raised the flag for a
signal, and when ! stated my suspicious
TO two others OF the band they agreed
with me that he could have no other OBJ
iect. From that time we watched his
every movement with the eye of a fox,
but he made no other sign for any
hours. When we went into camp he took
all the precautions The most timid could
suggest, and do not believe he slept two
hours between lark and dawn.
The night passed without an alarm, and
IL was after noon next day before we saw
indian again. We had been travelling
for an hour after the noon halt when we
came to singular bit Of ground. II was
a ridge about fifty feet wide, with heavy
washouts or dry ravines on ach side Of
il. This place could be avoided by turn
ing to either the right or left, but Baker,
who was mounted, as most OF the rest OF
us were, led the way rightalong the ridge.
| was watching him, and i saw that he
was farther ahead han usual. / also saw
him make a curious sign. He raised his
right arm on a line with his ear. bent the
forearm across his head, and held il thus
for a few seconds with the palm opened
and toward his horses head. Looking
ahead and to the left thought j
caught a brief glimpse of a dark
object-something like n black head peer
ing above the bank of the ravine. | was
close TO the head wagon, and asked the
man to halt, and in twenty words made
him understand hat ] firmly believed the
Indians had prepared an ambuscadc for
us. | had made him understand this when
Baker halted and turned IL us with the
query: whats the matter now" 1.-THE
route Dol dangerous" | answered.
ons.' "Why can't we go To the left or
right" I asked. Look here he began
as he rode back. .'is this train under my
order or yours ~ "Iours, SIR" 'Tben
you be careful. II you interfere
with me I'll order you under arrest.
Come on with the wagons" He turned
and galloped forward. As he did so rode
to the right and a companion to the left to
reach a point where we could see into the
ravines. We both saw the same sight
the dry ditch crowded with redskins. we
both cried out together: "Shoot the viii
lain. He has led US into ambuscade!" /
don know who killed him. Five or six
of MS fired together just as he had put his
horse on a gallop,. and he toppled from
his saddle and fell To the earth. The In
dians, seeing that they were discovered.