The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-08-07

thought llitu hlilSh lllih. w AVA -A' 80
the fighting ceased. The survivors made
rush for their horses and then dis
appeared to the cast, leaving the four
dead ones where they fell. was puzzled
Mt their conduct, and at first regarded 1t
rusc, but when l came to stand up and
look around 1 saw party of thirteen
men-huuters, trappers, stockmen and
coming up from the north
on their way to the fort.
The name of the young man who SO
cleverly escaped was Austin Brice, and
for the next year he was in Government
employ at the fort. He had not shot an
Indian, as stated by the flag-of-truce
bearer, but the murder Of his brother
was entirely unprovoked and cold
blooded, and the Indians meant to tor
ture him to death.
The bullet which struck the young
chief did not kill him, as I at first sup
posed. It struck him alongside the
nose, ran down to the corner of his
mouth, followed the line of the lips
down to the eft-hand corner, and passed
over the chin. The result was to give
him a most horrible-looking mouth,
making him an object of ridicule and
contempt; and he not only swore to
have my life, but Pawnee Killer pro-
claimed the fact TINT he would give five
ponies and q revolver to any one who
would bring him my scalp. Therefore,
while actual hostilities had not yet be-
gun, there was a price set upon my
head, and was in more personal danger
than if the redskins were on the war
path.
The first attempt was made about two
weeks after the fight on the ridge. A
Sioux Indian, who claimed to have been
,outlawed from his tribe because he
favored peace with the whites, came in
to Fort Hays, ostcnsibly for protection.
He had no weapons, seemed to be honest
and straightforward, and all the men
had good word for him. On the third
day he came to me and asked my assist
arce to recover his rifle, blanket, lot of
powder and lead, and various other arti-
cles which he said he had cached at n
spot about twelve miles down the Smoky
Hill Fork ina grove. When nc de-
scribed the spot I remembered it very
we'll, and next morning, having permis.
sion of the commandant, we set out. /
was on horseback, and the Indian
afoot. 1 had my usual weapons, while
Re had an army musket. Hc gave us
his nan,e us Little Smoke, and was a
typical warrior in build and demeanor.
Before we left the fort IN old hunter
called me aside and said:
"Do you believe thar is q cachc'"
"Why not?'
"Bekase an Injun says thar is. Allus
take 'em contrary to what they say. Is
your scalp nailed on3"
"Do you mistrust the man?"
"Ncver saw one yit that didn't. I'm
going to bet my rife agin a keg Of pow
der that you don't come back"
As soon as VIC were out of sight of the
fort I motioned for the Indian to take
the lead. He seemed to take it as mat
ter of course, and he led off with lopc
and held it for six or seven miles without
halt. I had not only to keep an eye on
him, but scan the country as we'll. He
appeared to he on the lookout, as well
he might be if his story was true, and
about II o'clock we approached the spot
where he claimed TO have hidden his
property. hal kept him in the lead all
the time, and we had had more or less
shelter along the bank of the stream.
Half mile from the grove l drew rein
and said:
II will wait here while my brother
goes forward after his property"
''Is the Swift Rider tired with his
ride2" he sarcastically answered.
lone must keep watch for danger. I
will do that, for you will be busy"
eff my white brother is afraid he need
not CO."
eff my rcd brother has a cache in the
grove let him look for it. If not, we
will return to the FORT
He hesitatcd q moment, and then, sat
isfed that was on my guard, he walked
away and soon disappeared in the grove.
l had every confidence that the trees
sheltered band of redskins, land it would
not have surprised NC in the least to have
seen a body Of them dash out. was
therefore taken aback, at the end of
about quarter of an houc, to see Little
Smoke reappear with backioad of stuff
from his cache. He came straight toward
me, but very slowly, and halted every
few yards to adjust his burden. I was
carefully watching him when my horse
shifted the air uneasily, and all at once it
came to me that I was being stalked. I
left the shelter of the cottonwoods for
the open ground, and as 1 rode away two
bullets tipped close to my head, having
been fired from the opposite bank of the
stream. At the same moment Little
Smoke dropped his goods and fred on
me with his musket. While half dozen
Indians in my rear were yelling and
shooting, I rode down to within 200 feet
of the smooth-tongue traitor and dropped
him dead IN his tracks. There were five
Indians in the ambuscadc, and they
mounted their ponies and pursued me for
three or four miles, but I got safely
away.
The second attempt was made in De-
cember. A half-breed Cheycnne-an old
man with very honest faee-came into
the fort and reported that white man,
n trapper, was in camp on the river
above us with broken leg, and he vol
uuteercd to come in and report the case.