Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1896-07-31


%T to California in
1850 was by no
1850. means pleasure
excursion.
Starting early in May from St. Louis,
Mo-, with eight wagons, 80 men and
small army of horses and mules, we
had been, at the time my story opens,
nearly three months ON the road.
We had literally fought our way
through numerous tribes of hostile red
men-Kiowas, Utes, Comanches. APP
aches and various bands of unrecog-
nized savages-without losing man
though, in the course Of countless Skin
mishes, several of us had received spear
and arrow wounds. But now, tired of
this continual fighting, our guide, Dave
Ingram, had led us far north in New
Mexico, and we had come into the coun-
try of the Navajoes, who, so far from
coveting our scalps, were de: irous only
of friendly trade.
Unfortunately, we had brought with
us none of the ordinary Indian mer-
chandise, but did manage to secure
few of the beautiful blankets made by
these half-civilized folk, giving in ex-
change therefor such portions of sugar,
tea, coffee, powder and lead as we could
safely spare from our abundant stores.
This happy interchange of courtesies
would doubtless have continued during
our whole passage through the Navajo
territory but for the wicked folly OF
one mana tall, wiry Missourian,
named Seth Langton, who had joined US
at the last moment.
Though brave to the point of reck-
lessness, and very hero in battle, this
fellow possessed the temper of fiend,
the ferocity of a wild beast, and a
morose, sullen disposition which ren-
dered him at times an exceedingly dam
gerous person to deal with. When too
late, we deeply regretted having ad-
united him to the party, composed
mostly of highly respectable and fairly
well educated young men.
With that narrow-minded bigOtry
begotten of ignorance and fostered by
the actual wrongs he had seen perpe-
trated by some Indians, Langton cher
ished blind, indiscriminate hate for
the whole race, and was in the habit of
remarking, even in the presence of our
Navajo friends, many of whom under
stood little English, that ''the hull
breed of red devils is only made for
white men to shoot"
When in a game-producing region we
usually took turns in hunting, so as to
keep our larder constantly supplied
with fresh meat; two mounted men
generally going out together and bring
ing into camp only the choicest parts
of such buffalo, elk, deer and other
large edible creatures as they might
kill.
One day, however, Seth Langton, who
had been all the morning in an ugly
humor, rode off alone, declaring that
he must kill suthin' or bust. No one
tried to stop him, for he was skilled
hunter, and we thought that he could
not possibly meet any Of our red friends
that day, all having, as we believed,
departed at sunrise for their village.
This we understood to be 20 miles dis
tant and quite out of our line of march;
but, on the cordial invitation of the
chief, we had promised to make detour
in order to visit it.
While the Missourian was gone on
his hunt we toiled so slowly along
through the trackless, broken country
that we had not advanced three miles
when, in two hours or so. he rejoineo
us, carrying in front of his saddle the
hind quarters of fat deer.
"Well, Seth,' cheerily observed our
guide, II see that you have bagged a
fallow doe-mighty nice eating; way
ahead of buck
II dropped buck, to, Dave" CURLY
eplied the hunter.
''Why in thunder, then, didn't you
bring in his saddle? It amt equal to
such doe meat as this, but I guess we
could have worried it down."
'Tm thinl<in' the one L knocked
over wouldn't have suited the boys over
1y well. He's bout IS years old, reck-
on"
'Good gracious, what a whopping
big pair of antlers he must have!
They're worth going AFTER" remarked
one of us.
''Didn't have no horns at all. It was
buck Injun,' coolly explained Lang
ton.
Though then about As years of age,
Dave Ingram was by far the most pow
erful man among us, and now there
came over his lately smiling face that
terrible look which, in moments of
anger or great peril, we had learned to
know so well.
''Seth Langton!" he Numbered, edo
you dare to say that you've shot down
and killed one of these friendly In
dians?"
'Wall, yes" drawled Seth; 81
kinder shot him down, but I reckon
he's not anyways near killed. The
young cuss had fastened a arrer in to
the doe fore got crack at her, an
he had the imperence to claim her as
his meat; leastwise that's what made |
'uten his signs. So 1 put a bullet into
lis thigh, an he keeled over an didn't
uaEe no more trouble"
The words were barely out Of the