Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-02-11

in water so that it became as solid as
rock for the time being. Consequently
the next trip we took two wagons over
all right and then the next remaining
three. Each trip we RECALLED ourselves
with cup of hot coffee as kind of off
set to the chunks of ice that battered our
legs.
Everything being safely over We pull.
ed out on grassy spot and went into
camp. Here a camp guard was estab-
lished having had occasion for only
herdsmen before. We were on the road
early the next morning and the entire
forenoon was occupied in reaching the
high ground on north of the river, at
night our good luck led us to a pool of
good water on this high aud usually very
dry ground. We gave this the name of
Muskrat Spring as the pool was fed by a
spring and seemed to be quite resort
| for muskrats.
The next day brought us to a stream
that we called Ash Creek on account Of
the small ash timber scattered along its
course. There was no running water,
just pools along the bed of the creek.
An object in one of the trees near the
camp attracted our attention and on ex-
animation found it was the corpse of a
child probably two years old wrapped in
cloth aud fastened to a board with a
piece of rawhide. 1t was fastened to a
tree 30 that it could not be removed by
the wind. Some Indians bury their
dead upon scaffold five or six feet from
the ground. Beneath one of these scaf.
folds from which the skeleton had fallen
1 could have gathered more than quart
of beads.
The next day we camped within two
miles of the military road running from
Ft. Randall on the Missouri River to
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agencies
and on to Ft. Laramie and other govern
ment posts west. We would like to have
avoided crossing or going near the road
but it had to be crossed and we conclud-
ed to cross it in the early morning, so
after driving as near as we thought ad.
visable We went into camp where our
camp fires could not be seen from the
road and in the morning as soon as we
could see to travel we were on our way.
The ground was go dry and hard that
our loads made but slight impression
and these we obliterated as much as
possible with brush that we brought
along for that purpose. Here the road
was half mile or more from the Keya-
paha and running parallel to it. Our
course was Immediately across this
valley and in behind the hills and
knolls on the opposite side. We water.
ed our stock from the pools at the
creek and filled our water casks and as
soon as possible reached the shelter of
the breaks on the north side of the val
ley. 1t was about two o'clock when we
went into camp in little valley behind
the hills and out of sight of the road. l
came on guard at this time and from
slight elevation from which l could
view the surrounding country l could
plainly see a government ambulance
and cavalry escort pass along the road
going west or toward the agencies.
They did not see our trail or at least
gave it no attention as we could see. At
the time this company crossed our trail
believe was the most trying moment
of my life. To be turned back from
this point meant 80 much to us and it
seemed incredible to think that this
company would pass unnoticed the trail
where six loaded wagons had just cross
ed their road, and the terrible suspense
from the time the advance guard crept
up to the line of our crossing until the
rear guard had passed it by was load
of anxiety that 1 would prefer to have
administered periods of years instead Of
moments. Had they passed half hour
sooner they could not have missed see-
ing our covered wagons, but we felt that
we we're safe now so far as Uncle Sam
was concerned and while we were with.
out doubt beyond all probabilities of the
government ever interfering in our pro-
grsss, we were also beyond the possi-
bility of its protecting arm. No one was
responsible in the least in any way for
the step we had taken and We could
look to no one for aid or relief, and
while we felt sense of relief and salts
faction in knowing that we had eluded
detection, We also felt that at that NOM
ent we had crossed the rubicon.
A couple of inches of snow fell thai
night and made travelling quite dis
agreeable for time. We had now en-
tered country that was quite rough and
made travelling more tedious. Consid-
cradle small timber was found along the
dry water courses. The soil generally
is of a light clay substance and with a
proper amount of moisture ought to pro-
duce good crops. We also passed
through some fine valleys that seemed
we'll adapted to farming, lacking only
running water. There was a variety
of stiff bunch grass that made excellent
grazing as it stood up in spite of the
snow.
ITO be Continued.1
R. H. McGregor the Speartish Valley
farmer, predicts dry season for 1911.