The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-02-04
BY BUFFALO BILL 81
pl0hf TRUE TALES OF THE PLAINS"
COPYRIGHT. 1909. nN WILLiArI r copY

"H we uay III well wooded boy can.
!o"' near little stream of woter with
pIeS'y OF grass for the horses to hrowso
"" ".'u III the same time we were hid
wv" iioin view. Toward evening, when
We thought 1t convenient TO continue
our scout. just as we were about In
/ emerge from our hiding place a largo
o'i'u OF Indians assembled down the
canyon 10 camp for the night. Mount
ed as they were. It was useless for 10
~ attempt flight so. moving farther
backward In the woods, we remained
concealed until they had settled down
Ihere was no way to get out except n
oash through the Indian village. We
dared not stay till daylight, Ms they
might md our trail, and they would
nave us corralled, so We quietly waited
until they had settled down. when we
mounted ana sneaked toward the edge
or the village. where there was an ave.
nue. OF escape. Their faithful doris Of
course, alarmed the camp, so the best
we could do was To make a dash out
wheel and fire rs quick rs we could
and kershaw with his faithful hupln
blew the charge. Riding quickly
around the village, we made another
little firing at them and sounded the
bugle charge again A repetition of
this at another point and a bugle
charge threw them into confusion
stampeded their ponies, prevented
their quick mounting, and while they
went In one direction bold Kershaw and
myself were riding in another. Natu
rally. OF course, this gave the Indians
something 10 think of in the night
while we got TO the post and Informed
Colonel Royal Of the location and with
Major Brown. Captain Bache, Lieuten-
ant Jack Hayes and detachment of
cavalry, went on the trail, which was
followed for two days, and the Indians
were severely punished, with but few
casualties on our side.
Getting fresh meat for Fort Sheridan.
We were greatly annoyed at times on
our buffalo hunt by being jumped by
the Indians, who In those days were
generally out with the same object
Many hot skirmsh or many run
for 1t was necessary. Buffalo natural
~ were some distance from the fort
and | thought Of n trick by which
could give my red brothers surprise
In run for 1t n few miles from the
fort was a hogback that furnished Il
good defensive position. and had
often noticed that II had a long. deep,
bushy ravine. 1t was in the nature
almost Of a natural fertilization So !
thought how | could get them to re-
peat their many attacks on me when
ran to this particular point. from
which | could signal for help to the
fort with hasty grass fires and smoke
that talked" Buffaloes were at the
time plentiful. so | secured kershaw
and about fifteen good marksmen,
with provisions for the trip, and start
ed out before daylight for the hunt
Hiding the soldiers In this ravinc, we
proceeded on our journey and had not
the wagons half filed before my
striker. Bill White. announced lhdiais
In the distance. "and big band TOO
said Bill Away we went Tor tue hos
hack and it was lickety split, Win
the Indians gaining on us every uiih
MO We reached it. threw our wagons
into nositlon. packed our buffalo hams
ont for brcastworks, thre" SUM-
straw about and gathered up some
dead grass to make Sl@hal NV -"
dams seeing It. knew that rcIlel
wouIl come and they hadn't mo
ment to lose If they wanted our scalps
On they came, dashing afounu Wy
self and teamsters ahd I'VE ol S'N "
us hanging away mt them 'h'H -"
cIod oround aud drew off. as the!
commonly did, and at distance VI
a,out seventy-fivc yards from tue a."
I.uyb As usual. they punched to%et'
or listening to the wrahIIe VI ,r'
chief Bang. Bang Bang INV. Wv
old Wiuchesters began to tam '''."
,io r,vjne while Kcrshaw WIN us
h,,,,,o hlow the charge. the ihul'"'
,rn,,,lin, here. there and every "e''
- tbeir saddles. the rest scattering
With the speed OF jack rabD''S i" 49,
directions. Assembling on 'n'' o'''"n
hills they realized thar 'he J'S ,ha
,orticularly when they saw 'Ae
cavalry coming in the distance ,,s nu'" Of
how or other during the rep'a'',u'' mn.
The season they never seenl'u ',a 10 60 ~" mo
loet the butcher wagon WI" 49," had
annette. And the 'o''
fresh meat. x,o,se IN
A country of such vast cA' "a niores
settled save for few forts as ,., t'i",
Of refuge and succor 50 co y, '"nre' IKE
fsw in number as to be- as IT M"rr, IL" ,he
Ie a,,,lo. on the seashore, rehu''r . 'r