Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-04-22


could do the most good, and exhlb
tied such nerve and caution that
began to feel ashamed of myself for
having suspected his loyalty. But
for one circumstance should have
banished all suspicion.
We saw the first Indians two hours
before sundown. None of them came
nearer than half a mile, seeming to
be content with an inspection OF our
strength. An hour later and when
we were within two miles of the spot
where we proposed to camp the cap
tain, whose name neglected to state
was Baker, ran up a green flag on
one of the wagons. This flag, as we
afterward concluded, he must have
had secreted about his person. He
explained that if we ran up flag the
Indians would conclude that there
were soldiers with the train and haul
off, and no one-no one but tme-ques-
toned the truth or policy of the pro
ceeding.
It struck me that he raised the flag
for signal, and when stated my
suspicious to one or two others OF the
band, they agreed with me that he
could have no other object. From
that time we watched his every
movement with the eyes of a fox,
but he made no further sign for
many hours. When we went into
camp he took all the precautions the
most timid could suggest, and do
not believe he slept two hours be-
tween dark and dawn,
The night passed without an alarm,
and it was after noon next day be-
fore we saw Indians again. We had
been travelling an hour after the noon
halt when we came to singular bit
of ground. Itwas a ridge about fifty
feet wide, with heavy washouts or
dry ravines on each side of it. This
place could be avoided by turning to
either the right or left, but Baker,
who was mounted, as most of us
were, led the way right along this
ridge.
was watching him, and saw that
he was farther ahead than usual, !
also saw him make curious sign.
He raised his right arm on line with
his ear. bent the forearm across his
head and held it thus for few sec
onds, with the palm opened and to-
ward the horses head, Looking
ahead and to the left, ! thought /
caught brief glimpse of dark OBJ
ject, something like black head
peering above the bank. of the ra-
vine. was close to the head wagon,
and l asked the man to halt, and in
twenty words made him understand
that firmly believed the Indians had
prepared an ambuscade for us. ! had
made him understand this when Bak-
or halted and turned to us with the
query:
whats the matter now?"
'The route looks dangerous, an
swered. >
1.-THE route is all right; bring your
wagons"
"Why can't we go to the left or the
right2" asked.
Look here" he began as he rode
back, lis this train under my orders
or yours"
yours, sir"
"Then you be careful. If you at
tempt to interfere with me I'll order
you under arrest. Come on with the
wagons"
He turned and galloped forward.
AS he did SO / rode to the right and
a companion to the left to reach a
point where we could see into the
ravines. We both saw the same
sight-the dry bitches crowded with
redskins we both cried out to-
gether;
"Shoot the villainl He has led us
into an ambuscade"
don't know who killed him. Five
or six of us fired together just as he
put his horse on gallop, and he top
pied from his saddle and fell to the
earth. The Indians, seeing that they
were discovered, sprang up and made
a dash at us on foot. Although with
out leader we did just the right
thing. Every man rushed to the
front, leaving the rear of the train to
take care of itself, and we gave the
savages volley which broke them
up and left nine of their number dead
ON the ridge.
The living sought cover, ran down
the bitches behind a rise where their
ponies We're concealed and made of
without firing another shot, although
there We're eighty-four Of them in
the band Had we got the train
strung out on that ridge every soul
in the train would have been mur-
dered within ten minutes. Baker
was, as l found out several years
later, an active DANTE. and had led
more than 100 emiglants to slaughter,
What was for several years known
as the Lost Train made its start from
Council Bluffs and struck for the
Platte river, in Nebraska. and fol
lowed il west. II consisted OF seven