Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-02-04
THE BLACK HILLS PIONEERS.
A Narrative Of the John Gordon Stock.
ade Party in 1874.

ade Party in 1874.
: CONTRIBUTED TO THE CUSTER CHRONICLE
BY DAVID AIKEN, voNA, COLO.
Il [Continued from last week.l
| We followed the Elkhorn up until |
became so narrow that one could steI
across it, then took northerly direction
to the Niobrara River. We were thre,
days in crossing this divide. The lane
is rolling and considerably cut up BY
ravines or canons that are tributary tc
the Niobrara and contain more or les.
scrubby timber such as burr oak or cot
tonwood with q scrub cedar to be found
in the short steep gulches near the river
Deer tracks were seen at different times
near the head of these gulches. The
land through here is better adapted tc
grazing than farming as there seemed to
be lack of rainfall. The grass natures
on the ground and retains its strength
throughout the winter. Water for the
stock would be the greatest difficulty to
be encountered in this business. ALI
creeks seemed to be dry during the fall
and winter with the exception of a
water hole here and there The ravines
contain enough brush and timber for
shelter during storms.
1t was about the first of November
when we pulled down to the Niobrara
River and went into camp. At that
point it is nearly one.half mile in width
and occupies the bottom from bluff to
bluff. But where there is a piece of
bottom land it is generally covered with
a dense growth of brush and cotton.
wood. Swarms of geese, ducks and in
fact all waterfowl to be found in this
latitude were here in great numbers.
The sandbars were literally covered and
the air was full of their quack and
gabble and before they had fully taken
in the situation several of them were
bagged
Good feed and shelter were in abun-
dance and close at hand; and the oxen
were greatly in need of chance like
this to rest and recruit up. Consequent
ly we made arrangements to stop here
for few days and reconnoiter. On the
opposite side of the river is the Indian
Reservation, the forbidden grounds, and
We were going to do little scouting
ahead, before moving our entire outfit
across the river. We wanted to know
that the lion was at least out of sight
when We entered his den.
Consequently, the next morning four
of the parties owning good ponies
crossed the river and went on tour of
inspection. The party consisted of John
Gordon, Newt. Warren, Harry Cooper
and Bishop. The river is wide and
rapid with bottom of treacherous
quick-sand. 1t is quite shallow, the
deepest part being close to the bank,
near our camp. Several times the po-
MES went down as if they had broken
through rotten ice, with one, two or all
feet at time, but were quick and strong
and would Immediately gain their foot
ing. All crossed in safety and were soon
ascending the long sloping ridge that led
to the high land to the north.
Here couple of our party talked of
returning home. They had become
homesick and dissatisfied and undoubt-
edly would have retraced their steps
had not the rest of the party objected to
such step, in fact, positively forbade it.
In the first place, their desertion would
greatly have reduced the strength of the
party and in the next place, their return
would undoubtedly be heralded over
he country through the press and the
Government would probably feel COM
pelled to send troops from some of the
frontier posts and head US of, and thus
lefeat the elimination of all our cher.
shed plans that had cost US so much in
money and labor.
Practically the same principles were
involved in our case that existed when
he Southern States seeded. We claimed
he right to preserve the unity of our
party, as did the North in the preserva-
ion of the Union. But in our case no
iorce was required. A simple statement
If our reasons for not wanting them to
return was sufficient, and the matter
was dropped.
After our reconnoitering party had
crossed the river in safety lost but little
lime in getting off on hunt. AS there
was no snow for tracking would be OBJ
iged to run onto game by chance and
Usually they are on the run when you
get sight of them. The second fiat or
able land back from the river, is smooth
IN places and is quite level and extends
back for miles. Through this a deep
ravine may run and you would not no.
lice it a quarter of mile away were it
not for the top of scrubby tree lifting
It's head above the surface here and
there. AS there was no game to be
found on this smooth plateau, 1 directed
my course to near the head of one of
these large deep ravines about three
miles distant.
On entering this deep gulch I found it
considerable timber and soon
discovered fresh deer tracks in the soft
soil in the bottom that seemed to be 60
ing down the ravine, so soon turned
my steps in that direction. I carried a
rife that was provided with set of hair
triggers. These could be 80 adjusted
that the slightest touch would pull it off.