The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-03-02
By BUFFALO BILL
lFROM True TALES OF the PLAINS

still around the bushes and SO set fire
to the timber. The smoke and flames
forced them out of their hiding place
just as Jackson and Gerard Joined
them, having left their horses where
they first met, stuffing grass In their
nostrils to prevent them from attract
Ing attention. Wrapping their blouses
around their heads, they succeeded In
escaping into the thick brush along
the bank of the creek. From here they
saw that McDougall had Joined Reno
with the pack train. At the finish OF
the firing IN the direction where Gus
ter was hundreds of Indians returned.
and the fight on the hill was kept up
all night. The two scouts got their
horses and, with O'Neil and De Rudio
holding the tails, decided to ford the
river under darkness at the place
where they had crossed in the morn
ing. BY making detour round the In.
dams and as 1t was dark they passed
close to three bands Of red men with
out molestatlon. 0'Nell and De Rudio
on the occasions keeping alongside the
horses and out OF sight. The fourth
party came along and shouted to them
In Sioux. and Jackson and Gerard cut
loose and the two afoot dropped and
hid in the sagebrush.
The Indians pursued the horsemen
a short distance. firing shots at them,
but did not see the two men In the
sagebrush. although they passed in sin.
gle file within three or four feet o.
them.
0'Neil and he reached the ford and
decided to secrete themselves and wait
until daylight. The moon came out but
dimly. and they saw party that look
ed like American cavalry. az they were
on American horses and dressed In tho
soldiers uniform. the leader riding a
sorrel horse with four white legs. He
was sure that II was Captain Tom Gus
ter. Elated. he cried out. Hello. cap.
tainw The rider stopped. and, although
they could not see him, fiendish yel
/ nd volley of bullets told them they
were Indians. They rushed through
the brush. the Indians firing at the
moving bushes volley after volley
Their escape was miraculous.
II turned out afterward that these
Indians by their firing spoiled bit OF
stratagem they had arranged TO deceive
Reno BIZ dressing In the clothes Of
dead soldiers Of Clusters command.
and, equipped with climbing sabers and
on American horses, they expected to
deceive him In the night by pretend.
ing to be men Of Clusters party. This
firing at DE Rudio and giving the In
dian yell put the Reno men on Their
guard. Proceeding on their way. two
Indians came hunting for the fugitives.
believing. Of course. that II was only
some wounded soldier. While hunting
for them they approached within FIVE
yards. and. evidently having seen
them. one jumped from bis horse.
when De Rudio fired and dropped him
dead. O'Neil's carbIne knocking the
other one out Of his saddle and killing
him. The Indians In the hills saw the
fash and puff and fred another voiley
In that direction. but the two desperate
men hastily concealed themselves be
hind big log which several bullets
had struck. The bullets struck the
ground within few feet and even
inches Of them continuously
Again the woods were fred at thls
point, but as II had been rainy In the
evening the smoke was stronger than
the flames and was thus their saliva
tlon. and they bid In deep part Of
the creek with only their heads out Of
water. but with their cartridges and
firearms on the bank ready for action
They remained there and In n little
oasis Of bushes that the fire had MOI
touched, without moving or speaking
until 0 o'clock on the Goth of June
About o'clock there were two sigma
pistol shots fred. the Indian vedett'
left his post at the ford and a loud
voice was heard haranguing the In
dams. and band OF three or four hun
dred passed closely and rode OF. The,
could see them for miles down th'
river and heard them singing a pecuI
far chant. BY $50 they had gone Al
far as they could see. and Il was evi
dent that something had caused then
10 move away. as It appeared to then
that the troops must have also left tn
hill.
Hungry. exhausted and dispirited
their condition can be imagined-th
command gone, and they hundre
miles from the Yellowstone rivei
However. when everything was quie
y In the dark night they started In tn
. direction Of Reno's retreat. and afte
q about ave miles they came to big
b hin. from which they saw a fire. A
times the FIRE disappeared. and the
4 concluded that there must be huma
q beings passing around IL, which hid
e occasionally from sight. But wbs
4 kind Of human beings--Indians q
!. whittier There was the rub. The
a crawled on with great cautiousnes
d fearing the Indians would have TO }
/. crawled through even to reach Rem
II II was Reno, when their hearts wei
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