The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-07
BY BUFFALO BILL
TRUE TALES OF THE PLAINS
copvR,dHr ,eos. by WIILIArl r CODY

Tho moon had risen. and was try
Inc to catch up with the rest. Sudden
| IL. in front of me and at the top al inc
hirh bank. saw against the moon the
bcoJ and high war bonnet of IN IN
dian chief He was bent double. Inc
/ men ahead could not soc him. but ne
had his gun lcvclcd at them kne"
| If he fired he could scarcely miss nj
that range. Some one of my trlcndS
must be killed | had halted nj siEht
Of him. and he didn't see me. | had
no time TO think out the situation.
brought up my rifle and took what
! aim could in the deceptive moon
light When my sights were JUST
/ below the war bonnet's feathers |
pulled the trigger. The stiffness of the
river was split by Il roar as the report
echoed from bank to bank. Down tum-
bled the chief over tie edge, rolling
over and Owe like a shot rabbit till he
landed plump In the water
4 yell from the band be had led, and
! Il score of Indians swarmcd up to the
/ bank But our men drove them back.
/ and they gave up the attack rs Il bad
! job At dawn we limpcd worn out into
Fort Kearny The soldiers there start
ed on Il wild goose chase for the In
| dinnS They were never caught The
slashcd. scalpcd bodies Of our dead
were found beside the wrecked, looted
| wagons
When was thirteen my mother WAS
! building Il hotel for the use of passing
gold hunters. for this was late in 1850
+ when the gold fever swept America
and MI roads led to Pixies peak our
Salt Creek valley home lay on one of
! the most travelled routes.
Hotel building and furnishing are
, not on the free list SO wanted to
help raise money for cur Valley Grove
, House With an older boy named
/ Dave Phillips | planned Il trapping
trip. Winter was setting in when We
| started.
We bought an OK team and wagon
! to transport the traps. camp outfit and
! provisions and took Il large supply of
ammunition. besides extra rifles. Our
destination was the Republican river.
! 1t courses more than 80 miles from
Lcavcnworth. but the country about it
was rcputod rich in beaver. acted rs
scout on the journey, going ahead to
| pick out trails. locate camping grounds
and look out for breakers The nfor-
nation concerning the beaver proved
correct. The game was indeed so plcn-
| tiful that we concluded to pitch per
mancnt camp and see the winter out.
We chose n hollow in n side hill and
enlarged It to the dimensions of a de.
/ cent sized room.
! We had seen no Indians on our trip
out and were not concerned in that
quarter though we were too good
plainSmen to relax orr vigilance.
| There were other foes, as we diScov-
cred the first night in our new quar-
tcrs.
We were aroused by Il commolion
| in the corral where the oxen were
confircd. and. hurryins out with our
rifles. we found "A huge bear intent
| upon feast of beef The oxen were
| believing in terror, one OF them dash
ing crafty about the Enclosure and
| the other so badly hurt that it could
! not get up
| Phillips, who was in the lead, fired
| first, but succeeded only in wounding
| the bear Pain was now added TO the
savaccry Of hunger. and the Infatuated
! monster rushed upon Phillips. Dave
| leaped back, but his foot slipped on n
| bit Of ice. and he went down with n
| thud. his rifle flying from his hand as
| he struck.
\ bullet from my rifle entered the
, dstcnded mouth of the onrushing bear
| and pierced the brain, and the huge
| mass fell lifelcss almost across Dawes
body. The OK had to be killed.
Dawes chance to square his account
with me came a fortnight later We