The National tribune., 1899-06-29
LOST IN,,THE BLACK HILLS.
Adventures Of Two th Ohio Cav Comrades on Danger.
irons 0fouud.
BY GE6RGEiH. sLUssER.
- ftta


Many a mounted steed entering the rocky
gorges of that region has come out rider
less. Many searcher after wealth, having
Struck it rich," about to return to his hap
py home to embrace his loving wife and
little ones, has never emerged from amid
the powders Of that region. Many DOOM
ed wretch has shrieked out the last en-
croachment of pain, only to be engulfed
by the towering cliffs and barriers, which
scanned his lifeless form until it had re-
turned to its primitive dust. The victims
whose last utterances have been gasped
ont within that despised locality are many.
The number OF those upon whom fortune
has smiled is also large, but the accumu-
lated wealth taken from the bold promon-
tories Of western Dakota and northern Wy
oming are not to be weighed against the
sacrifice of human life for the obtainment
of the same.
1t was in the Fall of '64, while in camp at
the foot of Medicine Bow Mountain, be-
tween Denver and Bannack City, when a
party of surveyors. running line of the
Union Pacific Railroad, were en- route to
Omaha. They we're about to survey route
through the Hills, and not thinking it safe
to venture into that district with so small a
number of men, they invited several of our
company to go along as guards, as the In
time. So several of our company, including
myself, with Lieut Casper Collins in COM
mand, started with the surveyors for the
Black Hills.
We hadn't been in the mountains very
long before Collins put the Sergeant in
command and gave me "the wink" l knew
what that meant,-to get some game, for
we had planned good hunt before we
started from the camp. We left the boys
with the surveyors and started.
We were soon farther away from the rest
than we anticipated. However, we were
getting into a locality that abounded in
game, when all thought of danger and get
ting lost vanished from our minds. 1t was
about o'clock when we rode into deep
ravine, bounded on either side by high
cliffs. Collins was at this time some dis
tance to my right. i hadn't seen him for
five or ten minutes, when / espied a deer
bounding out from behind bowlder.
OF course didn't get "shaky," but got off
my horse in order to get a good shot at him.
/ was just on the Eoint of firing when the
sharp crack of a rife broke the quiet of that
solitary place. / thought at first that the
Lieutenant had seen my game first and
fired before could, but this proved not to be
the case. AS so1n ms. the rifle had cracked,
o;;hs a sharp whistll::'I came next, and Collins
Get on youfshorse"
Two shots foaoWed in rapid succession.
I saw Collins, :ts ! supposed, fall from his
horse, but l lGsrrled soon after that he
jumped off; code to his side, when he
jumped on ms s,rse Haa aHgaln and we rode of
we doubted not they were, had kept well
covered. We stuck our spurs in and lay
down on our horses, going at break-neck
speed. / don't,thinh any men ever made
any better time. than we did for mile or
two. When we Stopped Collins said he had
caught glimpse Ofifour redskins
We soon startad. as we supposed, toward
our command. We had gone but a short
distance when we came face to face with
eight men. yelled out HO-ha-ko-la, mean
ing Hello, friend.p The answer came, "How,
HOw!' We rode Dip, and to my surprise saw
Old Bovay, a ranch man, who used to be be-
low Ft. Laramie aIsd some Indians. Among
them was one who used to go by the name Of
Blind Joe.
We tried to get Bovay to take his band
and see us safely out of the mountains, but
it was no go. He said there were some bad
Indians in the objection we were to CO.
Collins told them we had found that out, re-
lating what we hasl seen. He offered them
big money if the.s would put us on the
boys trail, but in vain.
They told us they were looking for some
half-breeds who: had stolen ponies,
saving they would make it hot for them
if they caught tlenl. So Lieut. Collins and
L
would lead to esir command. On we went
till it got darks not knowing whether we
were on the riaht road or not About 10
o'clock we saw ssdim light. i felt like crying
out in delight, for it was but short dis
tance from us. Collins said: Don't be too
sure. my boy"
We rode on, :'fd when we got within 100
yards of the PLACE, Il told Collins to hold my
horse, and | wosild go and see who was in
the camp. / th,Slght it best to crawl on my
hands and knees, part of the way. got up
as close as / deemed prudent, and got be-
hind a little knJil. l peeped over and found
out my mistake. 1t was the reds in camp.
were sitting around the fire. They were
Utes, no doubt of the same party we had
seen, and some of whom fired at us. Every
thing was still. when ] heard Collins un-
guardedly say sHo! hoi" to the horses. All
the Indians were on their feet in a moment,
but did not move from the camp. / crept
back to where the Lieutenant was and re-
lated what hal seen, and we mounted and
rode off. We soon came to a place that was
very narrow, So we dismOunted and led our
horses. 1t seemed to be so or go feet
straight down on either side of the narrow
passage, and had it not been for the moon
we would have been unable to pick our way
We were. however, soon over the strange
road on much surer ground. We rode leis-
ureiy on for about two miles, when sud-
denly behind us sounded the cry of an owl;
| it was answered as quickly in front of us.
| must say it m;::ie the blood run cold in my
veins. There was only one thing left for us
| to do, viz, to go:Ip the side of the mountain.
When we got Up as far as we deemed nee
| essary for oui safety, We stood by our
horses, rubbing them so that they would
| not Whitney. It wasn't long till party of
| Indians passed by. Wewaited here till it got
| light, when we took the back track, looking
| out for smoke, good sign for war par
ty."
| About 10 o'clock we found ourselves in a
ravine where the Indians had camped the
day before. We knew this by the fresh trail
| that led from that point. Collins said that if
| he had 50 of our men of Co. d, he would
| follow them. v hen we got to the foot on the
| other side of q g mountain, to our right we
| saw two MeXisans with some ponies. We
increased our speed and as soon as we were
| close enough 10 be heard the Lieutenant
halted them. They looked surprised The
| first question Collins asked was whether
they had seen anyIsoldiarB. They looked
at each other like fools. Collins told then
| that this was 10 time for fooling, but tha
they should speak at once or he would shoe
them, at the same time giving me the
wink" when l whipped out my navy
and you can talk as good English as w
can" .,.,
| l then glar6sed at the ponies and said
"You have Bo:aay's ponies" They quickly
denied it, in g.Od English.
| The LieuteEant ripped out an oath, say
ing: "You sai:fiyoh couldn't talk English
Now, all We asl; of you is that you put us OF
| the trail of the party of soldiers and survey
ors that went t.lrough here yesterday"