The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-03-31

this would be an ideal place |
and If our little band now number
ing twenty-four was to be wiped out |
OF existence it was a charming piac,
in which to die and a beautiful place
for our bleaching bones to rest. Ill
would also be an inviting spot thai
our spirits free from their tene-
ments of clay might return to with
pleasure and when beautiful spring
time comes with its fragrance and
song to decorate their former habi.
tat with flowers from their home OF
love.
On reaching the bank of the river
We found cut had to be made as IL
was an abrupt bank of five or six
feet. Four or five Of us took picks,
shovels and pals and went to work.
We had TO sprinkle the ice with dirt
to prevent the oxen slipping. In the
meantime the rest of the party was
looking after their guns and ammu-
meet an attack.
With the exception of two or three
casual observer would naturally
think the party was preparing to
meet a company Of friends on pleas.
ure grounds on the opposite side OF
the river instead of the relentless
savage. All were cheerful and on
the alert, forgetting nothing that
would be necessary in case OF an at
tack. We had started out fully ex-
pecting to be compelled to fight In
dians. We had been on the road so
long, had miraculously slipped
through without even seeing any un-
til now and l believe the prospect
OF fight sent a thrill of pleasure
instead Of dread through the party
and Like the Spartans of old I am
sure if compelled to this little band
would have met the foe with cool.
cheerful determination that is al
ways difficult to defeat.
AS soon as we completed the
crossing l ran back to my wagon to
replenish my supply of ammunition.
AS l passed Blackwell's mess he was
standing at his mess box that was
fastened on the rear end of the wa
gon and as supposed taking lunch
and l said, well, Black, you are
not going into the fight hungry" AS
l said this In a jesting manner he
held out a large sheath knife that
he was carefully sharpening and with
a countenance SO extremely sad thar
the very presence of levity seemed
like sacrilege and in voice SO in
finitely respondent said, "This is the
last resort" Blackwell was undoubt-
edly determined to sell himself as
dearly as possible and die in the las,
ditch.
After crossing the river and filling
out water kegs we moved out on a
level fiat at the mouth of the creek.
Here five Indians came in sight. They
had come from up the river quite a
distance, for their fat ponies were
fleck with foam, having been run
all the way. They advanced to with
| in hundred yards of us and halted
one of them rode up to us and in
his deep, gutteral voice said: "How
How" He presented a dirty we'll
worn paper from some Indian agent
that gave his name as the Chief
White Elk.
He was a man of more than fifty
at the time. 1t was near noon so we
turned out for dinner. The Indians
watched our cooking with consider
able interest, especially the turning
of the slap jacks and smiled theil
approval when we made some diff
cult catches in the wind.
They could not speak any English
but were experts at sign talking and
could readily make you understand
anything they wished to communicate
in that way. For instance, when the
young buck that dined with our mess
wished us to understand that he had
eaten all he wanted, he simply pat
ted his plethoric stomach and utter
ed deep significant ugh. We did
a little trading with them by ex-
changing sugar and tobacco for moe
casins. After short stop we moved
on up the creek, leaving the Indians
in camp. But they did not remain
long after our departure, returning
as they had come, on the run. They
told us they were moving, that their
families were up the river where we
had first discovered them.
We spent the afternoon following
this creek bottom or valley for near
it We had wood, water and feed in
abundance, while the high table land
as far as we had been able to see.
contained neither. 1t was about the
second of December. the weather was
fine, the travelling good, considering