The National tribune., 1901-03-14

of the Coloners command. Our brass
band will also go back with the train
The wounded prospectorwas sent to Kear-
ny, and L never heard anything more of
him. The only wheeled vehicles accom-
panying us viii be one ambulance and our
little battery of four howitzers, command
ed by Second Lieut.. Geo. ID. Bayard, of
Co. G. and manned by detail of dis
mounted cavalrymen.
After fitting out our pack-train. GER
tain number of mules being allotted to
each company, we pack up and cross the
river, leaving the train of wagons, with
its escort, to proceed at leisure to Fort
kearny, right down the river.
Our pack-mules, being new to the busi-
hess, required the attendance of one man
to lead each mule Mt first, with few
Mexicans, or old soldiers who understand
packing. to superintend the train. After
feI days training the mules could be
managed in the Mexican fashion: that is,
three or four mules would be strung out
in single file, a steady and gentle one be-
ing selected for leader, the -bridle-rein Of
the next being tied to the first ones tail.
and SO on. The Mexicans, or detailed
packers, riding along on the flank, to see
that III case of the packs becoming disar-
ranged, they would be quickly readjusted
without stopping the entire train.
As soon as packer notices that pack
is getting loose, or anything wrong, he
quickly pulls the mule off the trail. slip
ping a blind Carried on his horses head
over the eyes of his riding-animal, to make
it stand quietly, dismoEnts and readjusts
the pack as quickly as possible, removes
the blind, mounts and hurries the mule
up to his place.
Most of the mules selected for packing
are the little pot-bellied Spanish mules, as
they appear to take to the business quite
readily, and viii follow train like dog.
But our American mules do not take to it
as aptly, and require constant watching
or leading.
After crossing the Platte we followed
down the south bank for two or three
days, then struck out in a southeasterly
course, under the guidance of old Fall
Leaf. the leader OF our Delaware guides
and scouts.
Col Sumner has brought with him from
Fort kearny party of Pawnees. as
their hereditary and implacable hatred of
the Cheyennes would prompt them to
thoroughly scour the country in search
of any sign of the hostiles.
Our scouts think they can find the Chey-
ennes, although the trail we are follow
ing dees not seem at all fresh. In sew
eral places we passed old camps of the
enemy, but they do not seem to have been
occupied for several months. I noticed
on this trail a curious way the Indians
have of slowing away their dead. In one
or two instances the remains were hoist
ed up into the top of trees, and securely
tied there, wrapped in a buffalo robe or
blanket. Where no tree was handy the
corpse was placed on sort of scaffold
made by setting up four stout lodge-poles
in the ground.
Ibey seem to have great aversion to
the idea of the wolves eating their dead,
but don't so seriously object to the bug
yards doing the same job for them. In
some cases they bury their dead in the
ground, in which instance, after protect
ing the body by d framework of bent
willows, they fill the grave with stones,
If any are convenient, or il not, they
gather lot of prickly-pear plants, which
abound in this country, and fill the grave
with them, after putting in little earth.
This is common practice also with white
men on the plains, to prevent the wolves
from digging up the dead.
The country we are now travelling over
is dreary, desolate and barren; no timber,
little grass, and water scarce; no game;
weather dry and hot. We are repeatedly
cautioned to keep arms and ammunition
in good order and handy. Consequently
we lie down at night, each man with his
head on his saddle, and saddle blanket for
both bed and cover, with arms where we
can lay hands on them at a moments
warning. We never think of taking off
our clothes now, not even our boots; dis
robing for bed means merely removing
belts and spurs.
Our horses are failing some. Coming
down from grain feed to grass alone, and
sometimes very little of that, is having
its effect upon them. To favor them the
Colonel requires US to dismount and walk,
leading the, horses, every alternate hoar
through the days march. The "Old
Buil' sets the example ut the head of the
column.
When this order was first published
from headquarters some of the officers
seemed to think that it did not apply to
them, as they furnish their own horses
But cold BulP' soon gave them TO under
stand that it applied to every mounted
officer and soldier III the command, and
required company officers to
SO march at the head of their companies.
(To be continued)