The National tribune., 1910-03-10

regiment, several companies of Pawnees
tnd Wfnnebagoes and some other
troops, under command of Gen. Connor.
They left Fort Laramie about two
weeks before we did, and took what
was known as the Sibley or Suboulette
rut off by way of the Platte Bridge
route. They carried the rations that
were to supply US all after we got there,
es we were to rendezvous at old post
Alexander
When we left Fort Laramie we took
q northerly direction, heading for the
Hills. which could be seen about 120
miles away. On reaching the south fork
of the Cheyenne River the pack-muie
outfit was loaded up from the wagons
and the wagons returned TO the fort.
we lay here about two days. The river
bed was dry, and we camped on it. To
get water we made holes in some old
camp kettles, and sank them in the
quicksand in the bed of the river.
Along about 2 in the morning our
camp guard routed us out with the cry:
Get out of this If you don't want TO
drown" The dry river of a few hours
before was soon running banks full,
and there was some tall scrambling to
been storm with heavy rain up in the
Hills.
An Undiscovered Country.
we DIOht camp ear llidA Iiioi nm :
with good supply of water, not know
ing where we would get our next We
were travelling thru a country where il
IS doubtful if white man had ever
been before, because our route lay be-
tween the two lines generally Travelled
the Platte and Yellowstone routes. For
This reason We had 10 take with us a
Sioux guide, who We found out after
wards knew very little about the coun-
try.
We took a northwest course from our
camp on the Cheyenne right up into
the Hills, which we found very rough
going. All the water in this country is
more or less alkali. One day we came
TO some water in sort of basin that
looked like it was dug out by man; we
could smell 1t before we got to it. Our
Medical Director gave orders not to use
any of the water or allow our horses nT
mules to touch il until he examined il
We left there as soon as possible
but two of the boys drank of il and il
laid them out. One of them, George
Allison. belonged to our company We
buried Georges body where we camped
on a creek (dry rum. and named it AL.
lIson Greek in our report.
1t was the next afternoon before We
found water fit to drink. / remember
quite well when We came IN sight of IL
We had a time controlling our horses
they were so maddened by thirst. Wher
we got thru drinking we let our horses
go. The bank was about three feet
high. My horse did not wait to steI
down, but jumped from the bank into
the water. / thought he never would
get full; believe he drank tub full.
We stayed there for that night Mex
.norning We proceeded up this creek
and about three miles from where wt
had camped We came to a magnilicen
spring of water II gushed out a six
Inch diameter of solid water. A mile Oh
so w-st from the spring were three
high peaks Cor buttes). One Of taeu
was considerably higher than the 9th
ers We passed between two of them
and il was very rough going. We coul'
mot march two abreast, and it was Yer,
difficult TO get our amhulances thru.
4 Narrow Escape.
One of our officers had q narrow es
cape while riding close up under one o
The perpendicular peaks. An animal
probably a panther, jumped for hin
from a ledge above. and had it not beer
that one of our boys saw the anima
make the leap and called to the Officer
and stopped him, no doubt saving him
for the animal landed about six feet il
front of his horse. Ii got out of sigh
behind some rocks so quickly neither o
them could tell what kind of an anima
IT was, only il resembled a large cat.
4 Our Interpreter "a Sioux half-breed'
g. L. n.