The sun., 1891-01-11
coon STORIES or THE PRESENT DAH


IN June. 1857, while Gen. Custer, with his
command. was at the forks OF the Republican
River. In western Kansas and the Indian war
had fairly begun, was doing duty with SOW
eral others as o scout On tho morning OF the
18th young man named Robinson reached
the camp and reported that he. with three
others had been hunting to the west OF us. and
had been stampeded by the Sioux Indians.
One had been killed, as he believed while the
others. had made dash for 1t and scattered.
each taking hia own course. Robinson had
blundered upon our camp after riding all night.
Custer was at this time hopeful Of making
peace with tho redskins, and the camp at the
forks would be permanent for at least q fort
night 1t was with this understanding OF the
situation that set out with Robinson, after he
had had an all-day's rest to hunt up his stam-
peded companions and bring them In. We left
camp Just after dark. both OF US heavily armed.
and rode straight to the west As had never
seen Robinson under fire was moro anxious
than II one OF my fellow scouts had been with
me. but in the course Of . couple OF hours
made up my mind that he had plenty OF nerve
and could be depended on. As near a. he could
Judge his party was thirty miles west OF tho
forks whom stainpeded. At midnight. after an
easy canter OF FIVE hours. we halted. dis
mounted, and went into camp for tho re-
malnder Of the night. believing We were close
upon the spot whore tho hunters were at
tackled. Both Of US slept from that hour until
Just before sunrise.
As there is another Indian war now on. and
rs the traits and characteristics OF tho red man
are under discussion, shall relate some par
ticulars which might otherwise be suppressed
We had O oold bite for breakfast and hsd
scarcely mounted our horses whom We caught
sight OF the carcass Of q horse lying on tho
plains about quarter Of . mile away. A.
soon as we reached 1t Robinson identified tie
animal as having been tho one he saw fall a.
tho stampede began. Its rider was Q man
named McHenry, who had previously been en-
ployed as a civilian at Fort Larned Tho buz-
yards and wolves had been at the CARCASS. but
we made out that the horse had received three
bullets and dropped In his tracks. Saddle. bri-
die. and all other portable property had been
removed. Robinson estimated that the attack
ing party numbered fifty After half an hours
search put the number at twenty. He be-
lieved that all who dashed away were pursued.
found that none Of them had been follow cd
over half mile.
Had McHenry been killed or seriously
wounded by the volley which killed his horse
his body would have been found lying beside
the carcass. As it was not. I reasoned that hs
had been captured unhurt and taken away Q
prisoner. The trail Of the Indians led to the
north. as II making for the south fork OF tho
Platte River and We followed 1t at . cautious
pace At the end Of i've miles We came to the
spot whore the band had encamped for the
night. 1t was on the banks OF small creek
in scattered grove. and the flrst thing we saw
was the dea body OF McHenry. The Sioux
chiefs had declared heir anx.ety for peace.
slip f"r the dii sodiers. Indeed Pawn PaWnee. in .KiIIer
pad visited Custer to shnke hands and sign q
wns declaring and protesting, bis W whole ai srISs
afro hs the sF Sis xsf che, Tas 10
l9ye for the white man. one OF his bands only
thirty miles away was subJeotinga hunter TO
a ns 6oay su ~
Enves E9Hy oroHe a hs nSe5s r. prcked hm WITH
death finally camo, as glad relief. Tho body
was was not yet cold wi when We found It. and there
gone more than an hour.
VI the two who STAN peded and got clear. one
s the had hS ue sns e h
@ sq saf as%sa tooF III h. ,as pss 81
he was in the greatest danger he went ut q
wild race for at least ten miles. never seem ing
suit had been abandoned. or to have turned turn Sp to
his route after darkness came: fttqok Us three es
y
We expected to see Indians at any moment.
About twelve miles from the spot where We
Hsom e. h
and as he iell down, Jackson had aba ndoned
was on his feet and grazing as we found him.
eI so IT, AZ s9gd ssse
taekson,s revolvers in the holsters. "Ao ''oA0
snd md Il. !. ground vs. bsdiy sut ae WIN ridges
rest Of the day. hoping to overtake the man.
and neElecting no precaution to insure our
dry gully up long ridge and ds6ouched from
It, spe e. ss o1ss hsa fer the
closing in behind US. A we hailed and looked
81 rSss Ina pppoSsS
sesp hiBs TIE 5srsS Esd ,S. End q
queer yein Of humor. They were not dlsap-
It was fully TWO minutes beiers ehlsf rode
forward and said How how. and extended
% I'M ana ss so me ad 80 shs Ta9s
marked On The left temple with that birth.
marx known .,ps Is vine stain r. spot being
he :hs roas VS. up ,R
Instant 10 noticed tho mark he lot go ny hand
ss h eashsd aaS npe e e
sore. Others did the same and when they
found that It was part q the skin they Ok.
pressed much wonder and reverence.
While ! had served as q scout only few
months. J. knew con -iderable Of Indian char
acter. and was n9t long in realizing that had
made hit While no violence Was offered
us. We were disarmed and our horses were led
behind the ponies OF the Indians. as we moved
of to the east. We travelled until about mid
night before hating. and then reached an In
dian village on Soldier Crock. As we descend
ed from our horses, Robinson was led on By
two WARRIORS while l was conducted to the
wigwam OF Red Trail. . sub.chief in command
during, Pawnee- XII Hers absence. lhad been
busy planning durlng !he ride; and had made
e speeeh ! found opportunity to whisper to
iertuInatelyM II he had not tie nerve 20 carry out
him all up. The recollection Of what McHenry
must have suffered unstrunH his nerves and
heard him begging and sntreatinR as he was
Red Trail closely examined tho ark on my
face, and was rs much mystifed rs the others,
still bad power Ia reserve. Having served
through the war In the navy. It was but n atural
that should carry q sailors passport. On my
left arm was tattoo REPRESENTING an anchor.
bucksEln shirt Of to look Tor furtier martn
Not an Indian In that camp had ever seen any
thing Ike the mark. and whom the examine
finn had haep cnm Mat tad fajt anra Z Voc