San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-08


cropping out of the prairie many mile
from the foothills of the Rocky noun
tains, it is the first startling guideboarC
TO, the great range. For manyyears-a
least half a century-it was known a!
one of the most dangerous points on tn,
| plains. Almost within its shadow tn,
Santa Fe Trail crosses the route of the
| Indian tribes that travelled lboth nortl
and south after buffalo. Probably fol
hundreds OF years before the Santa FL
| Trail was used by white traders anG
trappers this great north andssouth trail
was followed by the hunterssdf the prai
RE tribes.
But few miles away from the rock
the Pawnee river empties into the Ar.
kansas, and the banks of both streams
afforded fine camping grounds. The
grazing was good in the valleys and the
rock afforded protection from foes and
shelter from wind and fire. Whoever
first gained its summit was almost i'm
pregnably fortified against enemies SO
long as supplies of food and water and
arrows or ammunition lasted. Many
men whose names are now conspicuous
lin the history of this country have spent
anxious days and nights ON Pawnee
rock, and but few years ago many
names could be read upon its SCARED
face. In eighteen hundred and fifty-one
hundreds of them, cut in the soft stone
by hands that showed all degrees of
civilization and semibarbarity, were
tha haSa Of tbiS old
The camp site was selected just beyond
rife shot from the rock. The wagons
Were formed into a corral, and after the
cattle had been watered at the river and
herded on the banks in the grass during
the long twilight, they were driven into
the Enclosure for the night. Captain
Jose cast his searching eyes over the
plains many times before night at last
shut them out, but his glance always
came back satisfied.
II calkilate you kin turn in and sleep
tonight, boys" said one of the American
wagon masters, from the way the old
captain looks. Nary red devil in sight,
nor sign of one"
Eyes" said another, ''hit looks like
fair sailin, but reckon we'll all sleep
better if we hev good strong picket
line out. These hyer is mighty danger
Gus parts, pardner. I've seed the time
when | thought nothin couldn't tempt
me back hyer agin.'
well, don't tell us about it tonight"
said a third. we've got soldiers with
US and we've had long pull today; let's
have a good night of it and take that
yarn another time-it might give us bad
dreams, you know, old chap"
Those who had never heard the story
of the plainsman's adventure at Pawnee
rock were disappointed to have it shut
off in this summary manner by one who
had listened to,it on numerous previous
trips, but all were weary from the days
march, and when the pickets were
stationed for the first watch every man
lay down with a restful sense of
security. Nothing but the stars lighted
the great plains and the little group of
tired sleepers in the corral.
The fires he'd been put out or covered
up before dark, and there was scarcely
sound even to betray the presence &C
the camp. Occasionally an OK moved a
clumsy foot, or driver in his heavy
sleep called out lusty "Wo haw, Buck. !"
but the sentinels heard little, save the
scampering of the night animals in the
grass and now and then the far off bark
of coyote.
1t must have been two hours after
midnight. The watch" had given place
to the "relief" and all was still again.
Suddenly one of the ponies whinnied,
loud and clear, and two or three of his
mates shifted sharply and rose upon their
feet. The Nose did not waken many of
the sleepers, but Captain Jose was up in
an instant and making the rounds of the
pickets.
They had heard nothing-seen nothing.
The little half tanned broncho had star
tied them with a sudden sniff of the air
and then the piercing call, as if to some
of his kind beyond the reach of human
senses, but within the knowledge of his
acute by heredity and life that ranged
over long distances undulled by contine-
ment and disuse.
The entire camp was aroused. Silently
and with the utmost caution they were
told to prepare for defense. With the
first ray of light Captain Jose said they
might expect an attack from the Indians
either the Pawnees or Cheyennes. All
the experienced plainsmen in the COM
mand agreed with him. 1t was not the
first time they had been warned of the
approach of the enemy by Mexican
pony. To be ready to repulse a swift
and deadly onslaught from the stealthy
dogs must be their tactics now, they
said, and every man was posted rifle in
hand and many rounds of ammunition