Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-05-14

from the northeas 81 comes the sound of |
rapid hoof beats the challenge of the |
sentry, the spirited, CHEEKY hail of the |
coming party, and in another minute |
"Buifalo Bilf' has leaped from his
horse before the folonel's party, and the
Pawnee scouts who follow at his horses
heels bend over the necks of the~
painting ponies td listen:
I'VE struck the big trail about IF
teen miles over 10 the west They're
moving, village and all. They have
their rear guards out looking for pur-
suit along their track and never dream
ing Of our trying this dodge. It's my
belief they are chmped tonight within
q days march of the Platte. and IL
we pull out now we can head 'em off"
Pull OUT Il H. No trumpet call, no
sound, no excitement Tumble up,
men," Is the low toned order of the
sergeants, as they scatter among the
l sleeping groups And i'm twenty min.
utes we are q way, riding in silent,
shadowy column up the northward
slopes and moving at steady walk
Some men have not been sufficiently
aroused to prevent their doing of
again. A score OF troopers are nodding
over their pom mels rs we reach the
ridge.
For hours we glide along over the
dew laden sward. The dawn comes
stealing up the eastern skies. The dim
! figures OF the scouts become slowly re
vealed--far to the front. The night
lamps in the heavens fade slowly away
and rosy blush spreads like mantcl
over the orient. Lighter and lighter
grows the mo rning, and along the
column the bear rded faces look pinched
and blue How welcome would one
tin of coffee be
"Confound those Indians, anyway
Why can't they give fellow chance
for breakfast !" growls the captain Of
the foremost troop. Five o'clock. Six.
Seven And mt last the Platte Valley is
h sight. Ten -and we are unsaddled
in the shade of the cottonwoods.
Eleven, and the scouts are back with
stirring news "By the eternal, boys!
we've headed 'emn
Noon, and a gain in the saddle The
blue, pinched look IL gone from every
faee-banished by tidings that stir the
blood. Over to the southwest, not six
miles away, big herds Of Indian ponies
have been espi I'd, grazing quietly along
the northwarA slopes. Hidden from
view OF pursuers from the south, faith.
fully guarded by the vigilant scouts
, left back aloHg the trail, dreading no
, attack from any other quarter, Tall
I Bull has pitched his tepees at the
springs, and there is wild revelry among
, his wolner and children over the 10
, union with their braves There must
be over eighty lodges, say the Pawnee
I scouts, and n one guards them from
, our side. White men never played this
} game before.
> Look along the column now, as il
, steals away under the shelter of the
! bluffs and ridges. Gaunt and weary
Q ~ were the steeds at dawn, hungry
' and tired as was every man, the cry o
'Indians aheAdi" has banished ever,
. sluggard Thought II we can only ap
! proach unseehi II we can only reacl
; The village before they have time t.
r mount and meet us, we can rescu
\ those poor women and deal vengeanc
i TO the murdeters of their loved ones
r 'sTrot" is the word passed down tn
4 column, but the colonel's hand warn
n the trumpeters to silence. Look I,
your carbinas, meni Loosen a fey
q cartridges In the loops,' are the mutt
4 tered cautions of the officers as the
y move up and down along the trottin
y ranks We are marching by fours now
q and heading Just little south of west
n Crouching along the ridge line to ou
left we can see the Pawnees, and sti
: further on rides Buffalo Bill, every no'
!, and then pedring over the crest, wit
Q his brown durls tossing in the risin
e breeze, and still signaling ''straigt
n aheadl straight ahead!" At last W
Il must be due noEth OF their position
q The colonel canters away in answer :
.e q sign from Cody, and with eager eye
we watch them pointing southwar
, over the div de. Then comes the ac
/ jutant at a sputtering gallop
I .sTroopsl Column left !" is the oriel
!. And the next thing we know half
d dozen little columns moving briskly
Q, parallel rows are popping up over ths
n divide Away To the south stretches
A rolling plateau Beyond that there
a a deep depression, wherein, as ever
Il troop leader will understand, the ho
!" tile village IL lying, and beyond tina
a covering or dotting the upland prair
rf for acres and acres, are almost coun
,e less numbers of Indian ponies. I'll
N quarry Ii in full view.
Q. One hundred and fifty miles have "
q come on this night and day chas'
10 sweeping around their right flank, an
le here we are square on their front-th
4. last quarter on earth from which the
~ look for attack. Mark the eyes OF Il
e. foremost men in every troop See no
IN they gleam Look at the colonel OF
n in front OF the center. His old gra
pricks up his ears and shifts the al
ns That horse can smell an Indian fi'
We miles, and any man in the regimeI
in will tell YOU so. "Guide center" ca
I'd tions the az djutant, glancing back, 4
On far out on he extreme right those ft
N lows in a. troop are bulging ahea.