The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-01-23

sudden into ga break that led down
into Elk creek. For mile tortuous
path was followed until the bottom
land of Elk creek was attained and
more picturesque sight was never
photographed on the mind Of men than
was then impressed upon Prairie
Dog Dave and comrade
On emerging from ...the creek. I, or.
little canyon, canyoncito, onto the bot
tom. lands both felt as if they had
come "over the divide into paradise
hunters paradise. There were deer,
bucks, does and fawns, by the score
~ sight, Feeding on succulent grasses,
and as the ride across the valley was
1. made 1'a! hundreds of wild turkeys took
to wing and a dozen. or more elk
scampered away, frightened by tie
two trespassers. The young lieuten-
ant was nightly tempted to take a
shot, and had 1the buck fever like a
chill-stricken patient Of Dickens
Eden. His comrade kept him, wise
~ from wasting ammunition and in
yiting the attention Of any prowling
Indian 1-.-yl 81. 81
The creek crossed, the farther en-
bankment of the stream was reached
and assembled, and the two riders got
to another divide just as the sun was
sinking at the farther edge of. the
prairie in a sea of glory, nowhere so
lurld, nowhere as near, seemingly, as
it appears on the plains.
Cautiously and expeditionsly this
divide was crossed, as Indians are at
their worst when twilight falls
A. break" Of the Canadian was
reached, and, like the sun that had
dipped behind the horizon the two
horsemen went out Of sight into the
dark ravine.
The brakes Of the Canadian!, No
body knows just what is meant by the
term unless he has been among them.
not by daylight, but moonlight, while
beset as we'll with fear of Indians.
Breaks is used to designate a net
work Of ravines that flank every river
IN the Indian Territory and the Pan
handle OF Texas. They are deep can-
yons radiating from each river, a per
feet labyrinth in themselves.
Down one Of these breaks the two
horsemen rode. 1t was as black down
in the canyon as the ace Of spades, to
use familiar frontier smile. Stumb-
ling over gypsum rocks, the horses
could scarce keep to their. feet, and
the riders in their seats, but suddenly
the horses took to speeding over a
hard, sand-hollowed ravine, and soon
horses and riders were out on the di-
vide, but on the same side of the river,
as was their purpose and need to
cross. Another plunge without any
particular consideration, was made
into another favine. 1t was followed
down, down, toward the river, broad
ening out, and the banks growing
higher and higher and more precipit-
Gus. Just as the month was reached,
opening out to the broad high, grass
covered bottom lands Of the Canadian
river, the full moon came out from
behind great bank Of clouds. Just
to the right Of the sbreak," from a
bosque, or cottonwood grove, sprang
forth a troop 300 or more strong.
Indians, lieutenant was whisper
ingly shouted by "Prairie Dog Dave,
if there be anything like. making a
whisper sound like a roll of thunder.
The moon looked down calmly and
cast a shadow, as is her habit when
there is material at hand out of which
to fabricate it. A projecting butte in
the ravine furnished the material and
both horsemen sped to it's hospitable
shadow AS the troop rushed pell-
nell, Indian style, out of the bosque
into the moonlight, the war bonnets
Of the Indians could be distinguished,
and the animals ran as fresh from the
grass, precluding all hopes Of escape
on the two horses, which had been rid
den over thirty miles in less than six
hours.
Just then the moon took less
alarming twist on her face, and show
ed the "war bonnets' to be the antlers
of a gread herd Of elk.
The Canadian river, followed up it's
right bank for many miles, was cross
ed at s'the sand Dunes" fifty miles