The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-01-24
A RACE WITH ROBBERS.
EXCITING TIMES IN EARLY
IDAHO DAYS.
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their friends or families; merchants.
anticipating the tremendous rush.
must get letters through the snow to
wallA walla Would | gop Could !
RoP
The snow was deep The trails,
over open and monotonous mountains.
were drIfted full Could any living
man face tho drifting snow and find
his way 70 Walla WallaP At first the
merchants had tried TO hire Indians TO
undertake the trip and deliver their
letters. Not one could be found to go.
When the storm abated little. the
men who kept the ferry across the
Shoshonee River scraped OF the snow.
and cutting down tho upheaved blocks
Of leo made It possible TO cross with
horse.
At first meant TO carry only letters.
But having finally consented To take a
little gold for one merchant l soon
found should lose friends II | did not
;ake gold for others. The result was
that had TO take gold worth nearly
1n thousand dollars.
Afew muffied-up friends came down
20 the river bank TO see me of. IL
was great event For two weeks we
had not had line from the outer
world. And meantime the civil war
was raging Ia all It's terrible fury.
As set out that bleak and icy morn
ing. after had mounted my plunging
pony saw In the crowd several faces
that did not like. There was Dave
English. who was hung on that spot
with several OF his followers. not forty
days later; there was Boone Helm.
hung In Montana; Cherokee Bob.
killed In Miilersburgh; and also Can
ada Joe. This last lived with some
low Indians way down the river. So
when he rode ahead OF me was rather
glad than otherwise; for felt that no
would not 90 far. kept watch OF
him. however. And when saw that
he skulked around under the hill. as
II he were going home. and then fln-
ally got back into Tho trail. knew
tnere was trouble hnond.
But the "RubIcon" was now behind.
My impetuous horse was plunging In
the snow and was soon tearing
through the storm up the hill. Once
fairly on my way looked back below.
Dave English and Boone Helm were
bidding goodbye to two mounted
cowboys mt the ferry-house Ten
minutes later. as looked back
through the blinded snow. l saw that
these two desperate fellows were fol-
lowing me.
True, there was nothing criminal In
that The two highwaymen had u
right TO ride behind me II they wished.
And Canada Joe had just as good u
right 10 ride ahead OF me. But 10 be
on horse deep In the binding snow
and loaded down with gold was bad
enough. 10 have desperate block
Ing the narrow trail before you with
his two friends behind you was fear
full
had two six~shooters close at hand
undor Ito boars<in Zap OF my saddle
BAG where the gold Was kept my
left hand 10 ~ pocket whore lay q
small six-shooter warm and ready.
Once. as tho drifting and oiirdiuG
snow broke away up the mountain. L
saw Canada Joe with his head bent
down In the storm still pushing on
ahead OF me at n safe distance A few
moments after. as I crossed and
climbed the farther bank OF an ugly
canon. tho two robbers came close
enough TO hall me- One OF them held
up bottle. They evidently intended
10 overtakc me II they could. and pro-
fess 70 be friendly. This ! must not
allow. ! urged my ambitious horse
20 his best But 10 my dismay, as /
hastened up narrow pass found that
l was not far behind Canada Joe. This
iow-browed black fellow was reported
10 be the worst man la all that
country. And that was saying he was
bad indeed.
was In tight place now. and had
20 think fast My hrst plan was TO
ride forward and face this man before
the others came up. But was really
afraid OF him. IL seemed q much
easier task 70 turn and kill tho two
rear men and get back 70 town. But.
mol Not All this was abandoned al
most as soon IA thought OF. la those
days. even the most desperate had
certain rights which their surviving
friends would enforce.
Twas now but a few hundred yards
behind Canada Joe. so far AZ could