The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-01-26

one side of us, but each on an opposite
side of the range, which was narrowed
down close and not far from the
canyon. l sensed it that the Indians
had gone ahead of MS during the day,
and were gathering to meet up at a
pass which judged must be between
the two ranges.
"That night we camped close to
big height of rocks so as to guard one
side, and after putting out the fires
moved half mile ON the wagons to
throw the Sioux off the track. Ma
loney stood guard, but the morning
came without any trouble and we
started on.
''In the middle of the day we got
right into the geyser country. and
tell you it was a sight. The first
geyser we saw was what they now call
Old Faithful, but which the professor
named the Abe Lincoln. 1t was run
ming then all the time instead of at in
tervals as now shooting the hot water
high in the ART seemed like mile
and scattering it all around the lava
basin. All around the ground was
torn apd broken until it looked like
the DEVILS own home. The poor Brule
fell on his knees and crossed himself,
while the rest of us stood around and
listened to lecture from the professor.
We stood there maybe ten minutes
when there came 'zim, Lin.'
Drop to the ground,' yelled, face
down
'.Down they dropped and then came
another 'zim' and no more. Good God!
says to the boys, we're in for it now
How under the sun them Indians got
rifles don't know, but turned pale
right there when saw what shape the
fight was going to take. There we
were in an open plat of ground and
nothing to prevent the swarm coming
down on US, but for some reason they
didn't come, and when we got to our
feet and ready to fight not an Indian
was in sight. But that didn't stop us
from being scared. The Brule kept
crossing himself until his bucllskin
shirt was white from the marks of hls
fingers, which had been buried in the
alkai dust. The professor, recollect.
said:
"Gourley, why didn't you tell US
these Indians had guns"
"'When you get back to Washington
you ask the government where they
got 'em,' says l.
"'He will never get back says Ma
loney.
''That was about the talk. as near as
can recollect. After waiting a half
hour, maybe, we got back on our hands
and knees to the wagon, which we
found all right because the shots
seemed to come from the other side of
the range. Then we held a council of
war, and decided for the night to move
on into the opening of the canyon,
where we could see another mound of
rocks which would protect us. We
were never considering how to get out
of the cursed place, only thinking
about safe place to live from one
hour to the other. Right alongside of
these rocks we found two springs, one
bubbling hot water and the other cold
as ice. Both springs are now dried out.
That was the toughest out of good
many tough nights l have spent We
again put out the fires after picketing
the horses a half mile away SO that
their noise wouldn't bring the Sioux
down on us, and there we lay close to-
gether cursing our luck for ever com
ing into such hell mint as that was,
and doubly cursing the government.
The Brule moaned in broken French,
while Maloney, who wanted some fun,
kept asking whether he wanted to be
parboiled with or without onions. The
professor, who knew nothing about In
dians, tried to cheer US up by saying
that maybe we had heard only chance
shots. Small chance for you,'
thought, If you hear any more
Finally the morning broke, but it
took a long while for daylight to get
down through the canyon after we
could see the light on the hilltops No
body had slept wink, but we did not
seem tired; excitement, l guess, kept
us awake, and some way or other we
all felt more cheerful though knowing
that the danger was all the greater
with daylight. had the same feeling
once after that when in a three-weeks-
running Indian fight in the Wolf noun
tains. 1t is kind of don't-care feeling
that grows on you in danger.
''When the morning was fairly on we
got off our rifles, on which we had
been sleeping, and, after taking a
drink, began to think about breakfast.
/ went over to the wagons, which 1
found safe enough, and packed up some
coffee and canned stuff and some eggs,
which we had brought packed in salt
After few more drinks, the Brule
warmed up so that he could cook.
When he reached the eggs, took 'em
and says what's the matter with boil
ing them in this spring of ,hot water?
They all agreed, SO dropped bucket
in the spring, and then in joking way
turned and said:
".How will you have your eggs
Eggs? There came a Sioux war
whoop from the canyon mouth with
hell's mint of bullets. Wow! 1t
makes my marrow bones shake now to
think of it. l saw Right Side fall to
his knees and heard the Brule yell as
1 sprang to my feet and ran down that
canyon on jumps that would make an
elk fight for second place, and God
only knows why ] wasn't killed after
the first jump Bullets singing around
me, with one in my shoulder. and the
yells echoing from the high walls of
the canyon until it seemed like the
whole place was alive with spirits from
another world. have been in hard
places, but never was in such jack
pot as that, though ] had no time to
think of danger then. ran down that
canyon without looking behind once,
and seemed to fly, neEer stopping un-