Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-20


was one. He laid out large map on
the ground, and when we all got near
him he said to Mr.. Curtis:
81 wish you would show me on this
map just where we are"
Mr. Curtis told him, which was per-
fectly true, that the maps were all so
incorrect that it was impossible to go
by them.
The general remarked: "Well, then.
Mr.. Curtis, how far are we from the
Springs? From the distance we have
Travelled since leaving Zarrah at 2
o'clock this, morning we should be
very near them"
Mr.. Curtis replied: General, this Is
a very level country, as you can see.
There are no landmarks, ard there are
so many thousands of buffaloes all
over the prairie that it is pretty hard
| to tell just where we are and how far
we are from the Springs. Further
more, l have not been over to the
Springs for several years, and when
| last went there / was not acting as
| guide Consequently feel that l am
rather lost myself"
| The general. looking at the other
scouts, said, do any of you know
where the Springs are?" The young
officer had pointed me out to the gen.
eral. and he was looking straight at
me when he asked the question.
| l said, Eyes, general; l know where
the Springs are"
| How far arc we from them?" asked
| the general l told him about eight
cen miles.
He asked in what direction, and /
answered, saying they We're due south
| from us now and we were headed
dead west. Dick Curtis spoke up and
said, Billy, when were you ever out
to the Springs?"
| told him l had been there on two
or three different occasions with Char
| lie Rath. the Indian trader, and had
killed many buffaloes all over this coun-
| try The general called for his horse,
mounted it and said: Young man, you
come and show me the Springs. l will
ride with you Mr.. Curtis, come along.
| No disrespect to you. sir. l appre-
ciate how hard 1t is for one to find his
way in a country where there are no
| landmarks. level as the sea and COW
cred with buffaloes."
| I headed due south, the general rid
| ing by my side. and during this ride
| the general asked me many questions
| how I came to know this country so
well. etc ! told him that my father
had been killed in the border ruffian
| ,l h., civ
| his death had grown up on the plains
| with the freighters. trappers. buffalo
hunters, Indian traders and others
and l was quite familiar with all the
country lying between the Missouri
river and the Rocky mountains. We
rode on in this way until, approaching
a little rise in the prairie, l. said, Gen
eral, when you get to that small ridge
UP there you will look down into u
low depression of the prairie and see
Council Springs and the Indians" The
Springs rise in this vast plain, and
they run for only about four or five
miles, when it becomes q small
stream of water sinking into the sand.
When we gained this ridge, there be-
fore the generals eyes were hundreds
and hundreds of horses and large
Indian village.
1 said: There you are, general.
There are your Indians. camped
around the Springs" He patted Inc
on the back in a fatherly way and said,
"Aly boy, am going to know you bet
ter
The general and the peace commits
sioners counseled here for three days
and in the evening of the third day an
orderly came to me and told me the
general wished me to report to him at
his tent. The general kindly invited
me in and said: BILLY, I want to go
from here now to Fort Kearny, on the
Platte river, In Nebraska. How far is
it," told him the way that he would
have to go to have good camping places
and that it would be about 800 miles
He asked, 'Can you guide me there?'
told him I could, and he said: "All
right. We will start tomorrow for
Fort Zarrah and from there to Fort
Riley, and from Fort Riley 1 want you
to guide me to Fort Kearny." Which ]
did, and on arriving at Fort Kearny
the general complimented me and said
From here l am going to Fort Leav
enworth. l wish you to guide me
there" l told him that would be easy
for there was big wagon road from
Kearny to Fort Leavenworth. He said
THAT is all right 1t will make II
easier for you. You have guided me
safely for over 300 miles where there
were no wagon roads, and I am not
afraid to trust myself with you on q
big wagon road" On arriving at I.eav
enworth l parted with the general
and he said General Sheridan was com
ing out TO take command In q short
time and that he would tell him of me
This was the last time saw the deaf
old general for several years He was
one Of the .oveliest men have evel
had the pleasure of knowing.
= .
Que day In the spring of 1868 ]
mounted Brigham ard started fol-
Smoky Hill river. After gallopins
about twenty miles | reached the TOR