The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-01-03


southwestern Kansas came 10 Fort
Larrah. on the Arkansas river From
there they were 10 70 10 what was
snown as Council Springs distance
II sixty,aye miles from Zarrah, Be
ween Zarrah and the Springs Is tiat,
,evel country, but no water Is to be
| 1ad. Consequently there was no water
carried save for drinking purposes,
which was carried In canteens in the
ambulances for the generals orders
were that be would leave Fort Zarrah
at 2 a. m. so as to set a good start
over this dry country.
Our chief Of scouts and guide at that
time was Dick Curtis. The outfit was
composed Of three ambulances, with
saddle horses for the general and In
dian commissioners. and when the gen
eral and commissioners were riding IN
the ambulances their saddle horses
were led by orderlies, The general
bad three or four STAFF ollcers, a com.
pany OF cavalry as an escort and about
thirty scouts and messengers well
mounted. These scouts and messen-
gers duty was that whenever the gen
eral wished to send any quick dis.
patches back to Fort Riley, at that
time the nearest telegraph point, these
men were to carry them. was at the
time young scout employed for this
purpose.
1t was about 2 o'clock In the after
noon, after leaving the fort, that
young officer, one OF the generals aids,
was riding along talking to me aud
asking me about when ! thought we
were going to get to Council Springs,
where the Indians were, told him
that II we kept on IN the direction we
were going we would never get there.
He asked, why noty' replied that
we were not going IN the direction OF
the Springs; that we were bearing too
far to the west
he said: why don't you tell the
general thisi He is up there in the
ambulance" I told him (tbe officer
Mat was not guiding General Sher-
man; that AIr. Curtis was the guide
and that ! had no right to interfere
with him whatever, nor did / intend
to do so. This young officer q have
forgotten his name) tumbled to the
situation, and, galloplng ahead, be rode
alongside the ambulance and told the
general what had said and explained
to him my reasons for not mentioning
the situation. The general appreciated
It at once and called q halt climbed
out Of the ambulance, sent for Mr..
Curtis to come back to him, and also
for the scouts to come up, Of whom ]
was one. BE laid out a large map on
the ground, and when we all got near
him be said to Mr.. Curtis;
Il wish you would show me on this
map just where we are"
Mr.. Curtis told him, which was per 4
tectly true, that the maps were all so
Incorrect that 1t was impossible to 90 |
BY them.
The general remarked: "Well, then,
Mr.. Curtis, how far are we from the
springsi From the distance we have
since leaving Zarrah at 2
''clock this morning we should be
7ery near them"
Mr.. Curtis replied: General, this Is
very level country, as you can see.
There are no landmarks, and there are
% many thousands Of buffaloes all
'ver the prairie that It is pretty hard
o tell just where we are and how far
We are from the Springs Further
more, have not been over to the
prings for several years, and when
last went there / was not acting as
uide. Consequently ! feel that ! am
ather lost myself"
The general. looking at the other
couts, said, "Do any Of you know
7here the Springs areY' The young
mcer had pointed me out to the gen
raj, and he was looking straight at !
le when be asked the question.
/ said, ''Yes, general; ! know where 9
ne Springs are" Q
How far are we from themr asked :
he general. / told him about eight Q
IN miles. Q
he asked In what direction, and I
saying they were due south
ON US now and we were headed d
cad west. Dick Curtis spoke up and
lid, Billy, when were you ever out y
the Springer d
/ told him | had been there on two y
three different occasions with Char .
, Rath, the Indian trader, and had y
lied many buffaloes all over this coun- II
y. The general called for his horse,
ounted 1t and said: Young man, you e
me and show me the Springs. ! will 70
de with you Mr. Curtis, come along N
0 disrespect to you. sir. appre- "
ate how hard II is for one to find bis OF
ay IN a country where there are no h'
level as the sea and Gov %
ed with buffaloes." W
headed due south, the general rid.
6 by my side, and during this ride u
e general asked me many questions 81
w came to know this country 80 at
ell, etc. told him that my father or
d been killed In the border rufian 20
lr Of bleeding Kansas and that since tn
death had grown up on the plains Mt
th the freighters, trappers. buffalo hi
nters, Indian traders and others ne
a Y -, IN, a