The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-01-04


q a 3 sent out from Fort Rich
81 sss + ardson, Texas, to scout for
WOW a few weeks through the
country west of that and
4 look for Indians. / found there the
Indians.
We had with us as a guest all Eng
lish tourist, who was anxious to see all
this country; he saw some of it before
we returned. When l saw him ready
to start thought that about week OF
q this trip would be all he would need OF
It: but he roughed it with the rest Of
us aid / never heard him complain
q He messed with the Captain, brevet-
major, the only officer we had with us.
4 When he was in the field the Captain
lived exactly as we did; he carried no
canned goods, but ate what we did
bacon and bread, black coffee and bean
soup and what game we could Kill;
buffalo We're still very plentiful. The
3 Captain carried no canvas, but slept as
a we did under the saddle blanket. This
would be no picnic, looking at it from
p an English point of view, thought.
Il We had been out week when one
n afternoon we went into camp on a
Y small creek that ran north and south,
and across it to the west about mile
and a half away low butte stood out
on the prairie, and beyond it mile
still to the west was rather high roll
in the prairie that ran north and south.
Before we had taken our saddles off
: the Captain told me to ride over to the
butte, stake my horse out at it; then
stop on top of the butte until shutdown
and keep a good outlook for Indians.
I'VE have seen no signs of them as
vet" he said, "but this is about where
l expect to see them, if we see them at
4 ALL"
l started, and found the ground be-
! tween the camp and the butte to be
badly cut up with narrow ravines,
which the water in the wet season had
. made on its way TO the creek; and on
getting to the foot of the butte i
found another ravine here. 1t seemed
to head at this ridge west of me and
run straight to the creek. Crossing
it, staked out my horse here, leaving
on the saddle and bride. l rode with
snaffie bit that would not prevent
the horse to Craze; ! might need him
in hurry.
had short, heavy Marlin rife, that
carried instead of the Spencers we
were armed with. Climbing up on
the butte, found fiat place of about
two acres that had high coat of last
years dry grass on it. could lie down
in it and not be seen.
There was not a breath Of air stirring
and the afternoon was warm for this
time In the year. l had been lying
here about half an hour watching thai
ridge-it would be ON it that l would
first see the Indians If l saw any
when buck and a doe climbed III
the butte and began to Craze not ION
yards from where l lay. They never
noticed me at all. l had hard worl
TO keep from shooting the buck; bu
dared not fire shot here, for it would
notify any Indians who might be il
the country just where I was. So rails
ing my head above the grass I SPOKE
to the deer. They gave me one fright
ened look, then left in about TIVE
jumps. / lay for another hour; thel
just after had look ut my watch t.
note the time passing, l gave the ridge
another look, and saw man on
pony ride up on top of it from behint
1t and stop. In moment another maj
Joined him, then third one, and the,
kept on coming until there were fiv
of them. They sat OH their pone
there, and seemed to be watching on
camp, which was in plain sight owe
two miles away. Crawling through tn
grass and hugging the ground, mad
my way to the edge of the butte, thel
slid down it in hurry, got my rop
tied to the saddle, ana mounted; an,
now l was struck with an idea. TIL
Major wanted Indians, but there wer
not enough of them here to bother tn
troop with, l would fight these my
self. With this rife of mine and tn
horse l had under me, did not thin
1t big contract to shoot the whole o
them or try to. got my horse dow
in the ravine, then rode up ii. | mean
to keep in it if it headed up at th
ridge, as | thought it did; then whe
1 had got close enough turn the riff
loose. l had gone up the ravlne 90
yards or more and had left the butt
behind me, when l noticed that tn
ravine ahead Of me was about runnin
out. IL kept on / would soon have [
ride out in plain sight of the Indian
They were still where had first see