Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-01-28

be very interesting if not quite amusing
Bishop had come up with couple o
grey hounds, thoroughbreds as he claim
ed, and they certainly looked itin every
point. l waved my hand and called
Dan and they came bounding out to me
As they came up l pointed in the direc
ton of the rabbit which apparently wal
waiting to see what next and to give hil
nimble pursuers a fair and honorable
chance.
The dogs Immediately sighted him and
with tremendous bounds started in pur
suit At first the rabbit seemed inclin
ed to play with the dogs or to underes
innate their ability as runners but if &c
be was soon deceived, for when the
hounds got under full headTsy they
looked like couple of flying shafts thai
were moving over the ground with the
rapidity of a bird. The rabbit soon
seemed to realize that he had couple
of pursuers worthy of his best efforts,
for he darted away seemingly as If fred
from the mouth of cannon. The chase
had become exciting and l soon found
myself taking the side of the rabbit and
hoping to see the feet little animal out.
strip his nimble pursuers In the race fol-
life. They soon passed to higher and
smoother ground that was covered with
short tuft grass and though the rabbit
seemed to be moving the faster, the
hounds we're actually overhauling him
Dan, little in the lead, was just in the
act of picking him up when the rabbit
turned squarely to the left without slack.
ing his speed in the least and instead ol
Dan striking the rabbit as he had in.
tended he struck the ground with such
force that he turned two or three somer.
saults and finally when he came to real.
ize where he was at, he had made sew.
eral leaps in the wrong direction. His
mate as is their custom took advantage
Of the turn by cutting across the angle
but the gyrations of Dan had sackened
her speed also and the rabbit soon pass.
ed over knoll and out of sight and as
these dogs pursue their game only by
sight they soon gave up the chase and
came leisurely back to the train.
At Norfolk some of the party bought
a little more -four and bacon. On the
Elkhorn we passed through little settle,
ments at Oakdale and Neigh. These
little towns were in the shelter of the
bluff that skirted the north bank of the
Elkhorn. From this point to its source
it is beautiful valley to look at and with
a sufficient amount of moisture is very
productive.
From the time we reached the valley
until our arrival at Oneil's Colony time
passed very pleasantly and the outfit ap.
peared more like band of picnick ers
than that ofpioneers. Roads and wealth.
er were all that could be desired with
wood, water and grazing in abundance
for our limited wants, there was no thins
to check the sxhuberent spirit and each
seemed to vie with the other in making
our otherwise tedious march one round
of pleasure.
Charley Cordeiro had never missed an
opportunity of earnestly and anxiously
inquiring of everyone we met since our
start if they could tell him where Chas
Collins lived and although he was un
able to locate his man by such inquiry
he AYERS that the last cabin Oneil's Col
ony contained the man that had prompt.
ed his earnest solicitations. This colony
was founded by General Oneil, o.
Fenian notoriety and at the present
time contained but few log cabins.
1t is located on the north bank of the
Elkhorn on gently slopiDg ground. A
few cottonwood trees stood on the bank
of the stream and was only about eigh
or ten feet in width at this point. We
camped just below the town on the bank
of the stream and in the morning bic
adieu to the last haunts of frontier civil
ization and continued our way up the
valley whose course lay in northwestern
ly direction. The road gradually grew
DINNER until after a few days it disap
peared and we we're among the paths and
pitfalls of the unknown. A few willows
grew along the bank ofthe creek, which
with buffalo chips, afforded US fuel.
About sixty miles from Oneil we me
a party of government surveyors. They
had been engaged in running tho north
line of Nebraska and putting up mile
posts, but when out toward Red Cloud'
Agency they we're met by a committed
of Indians and told to stop ifthey valued
their lives at anything. This party o
surveyors advised US to turn back be
fore it was too late. The Indians i
seemed claimed the country as far south
as the north bank Of the Niobrara River
while the north line of the state tha
was being run was considerably NORTH
of this, the Indians considered then
trespassers and would not allow them Il
proceed.
ITO be Continued.l