The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-03-17

OUller TOUR SelZeu Cnc corners OF inc
blanket and were soon at the gate
where the pass was presented and
honored. We passed out and were soon
in wood which skirted creek about
200 yards from the gate. The "sick
man" then sprang from the blanket and
we took to the woods, not hating until
us and our late prison. We hid in
| thicket until the friendly stars came
out over head, then with the north star
for guide we took up the march toward
"home." We travelled all night through
the woods, over hills and through
swamps, avoiding fields and houses, and
at daylight camped in a dense jungle in
the swamp. We made meal of roast
ing ears which we had foraged and slept
all day. l say slept, but that must not
be taken literally; we slept little,
watched and fought mosquitoes. When
friendly night again came on the tramp
was resumed and by daybreak another
fifteen or twenty miles was between us
and the prison.
Thus nine days and nights were spent
tramping all night and hiding in the
woods through the day. The two bis
cults each were long since consumed
and our food supply came from corn
fields, melon patches and orchards.
The weather up to that time had been
all that could be desired; the nights
were clear, cool and bracing, and as we
lay in the shade all day, the heat was
not oppressive. On the ninth day it be-
gan to rain, but notwithstanding the
rain and inky darkness, we travelled all
night, feeling our way and Judging the
direction by the bark and moss on the
trees. To make matters worse we had
to cross several streams, and as our way
led through almost impenctrable jungles
and swamps, we made but little pro-
gress.
On the tenth day about II o'clock we
decided that, in view of the cloudy con-
dition of the weather, and the fact that
the country seemed to be sparsely set
tied, that it would be necessary and
safe to travel during daylight and lay
matches and dissolved our salt so we
ate our meals of green corn raw and
without salt. We were growing weak
and somewhat respondent; murmurs of
discomfort and mutiny were INDUCED in
by some of the party. That night we
slept in bed of wet leaves under the
friendly shelter Of broad spreading
oak and on the morning of August 1st,
resumed the dismal march through a
pouring rain. About one o'clock we
discovered cabin in the edge of the
ask for something to eat. There was a
woman and several children in the
house and when we asked for food it
was given readily without question. A
dinner of corn bread, fat bacon, butter
and buttermilk was a welcome feast
after our long fast and we did ample
Justice to the meal.
After leaving this friendly shelter and
hospitable though humble home, the
signs of disaffection in our ranks became
more apparent. l do not now recall
which it was, but one of the party sug-
gested the impossibility of the success
. of the expedition and the ACCESSIBILITY
of abandoning it. We were almost
naked, weak and famished, in strange
country, surrounded by enemies, and
had still more miles to travel than we
had already gone over. We were then
near Red river and were approaching
y the almost uninhabited mountainous
, country of the Indian Territory without
= the means of defense against the enemy
man, or that worse enemy, hunger. AS
l look back upon it now, it was a fool
hardy adventure, impossible of success
But voted emphatically "No" to the
proposition to surrender ourselves and
declared my purpose to proceed even il
had to go alone. We proceeded il
silence until late in the afternoon, 6
dark and dismal day, the drizzling rain
rendered the atmosphere chill. Oh, the
misery of that afternoon! We came tt
small stream which we waded. After
crossing it sat down and took of my
old shoes to remove the gravel and sand
The others of the party pushed on t.
the top of a hill where they sat down tt
wait for me. When approached them
one, think the sergeant, said:
"Biddison, we have decided that We
will go no farther. Our cause is hope
less; we will starve to death. We in
tend to 60 to that house we saw bacl
there and surrender"
replied, "You may do as 20,
please. l will never surrender. II
rather die in the woods than go back t,
prison