Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1911-03-25

rs the Goals In tue a5ne5 OF tnelr camp
fires would indicate, had crossed fresh
trails at different times and had actually
seen but five Indians although more than
half of the sixty-fve days we had spent
ON the road had been through an Indian
country.
We had Just crossed the Ft. Randle
road and hid from view in the hill on
the opposite side when q government
outfit passed along. Had we been half
hour delayed or had the government
outfit been thirty minutes earlier we
would without doubt have been taken
back.
Our entire line of travel had been
through an open country noted for
storms and billiards., but at no time had
we encountered storm of any kind that
was more than disagreeable save in our
last camp at the foothills. And now as
before we seemed to be especially favor
ed by that erratic dispenser of the for
tunes or misfortunes Of life, luck, for we
drove into the mouth of a gulch not
more than fifty yards from our rosd that
could not have been any better had it
been prepared especially for this occa-
sion. I am quite sure there is no other
such place to be found in the Black
Hills and have never discovered any
such place in any of my wanderings
since through the mountains of the west
that contained all the elements neces-
sary to such a camp as ours as did this
spot.
The mouth or entrance was about
rod in width, smooth and level. The
gulch ran nearly east and west, conse-
quently the wind blew nearly across it
as it came from near the northwest.
The gulch opened out like a horseshoe,
though the greater part of the bend was
on the north side. A hundred yards
from the entrance it was near hundred
yards in width. Beyond this it was
still wider and was comparatively level
all through. About two hundred yards
back was excellent water and an abun-
dance of wood and good feed was on all
sides. The north side was rock that
raised from the entrance quite abruptly
until it was at least two hundred feet
high at our camp, about seventy-fve
yards in and it 30 jutted over in the half
circle that it formed that the camp was
quite covered by the shelving rocks.
The other side was mountain covered
with timber and was very abrupt. On
examination in the morning we found
fine stream of clear water farther back,
but on nearing the entrance it had sunk
close to the ledge of rock. 1t had found
it's way through crevice, though at
some former time its course had un-
doubtedly been through the mouth of
the gulch.
The fresh Indian trail had passed on
but how far we did not know. They
might be in camp two hundred yards
distant for aught we knew. Guards
were out to fully protect the camp from
any surprise. Two were back with the
herd, two on the rock back of the camp
and two on the side of the mountain op.
posite the camp, while at the entrance
of the gulch was another guard. Four
hours on duty night like this was not
the most pleasant pass time in the
world, but where We were accustomed
to being out all of the time and were on
guard almost every night it did not seem
to be very much of task, especially
where it was performed cheerfully, as
1t was with most of the party at all
times, and here I wish to make a state
ment or suggestion that believe is not
generally understood or if understood it
is not given proper or due considera-
ton. Tis this, that it is not 30 much
the inclemency Of the weather or the
fatigue or hardships of a journey that
wears one out as the disposition in which
the work is done, and l am fully COD.
vinced from my own personal observa-
ton and experience that it is quite i'm
possible to set task so fatigueing and
laborous that man cannot accomplish it
with ease if not with pleasure if the
proper incentive is offered. While on
the other hand if the incentive is lack
ing, if it is being performed against his
will, let the task be ever 30 light, for
him it is wearing and fatigueing and for
this reason believe many fall down in
the struggle of life, not having accom-
plished anything or without seeming to
have used little or any special exertion
while others less robust and strong nev,
er weary, are always on the run. Giver
the proper incentive the labor necessary
along the journey of life would be 8
source of pleasure instead of the task o
the slave.
| ITO be Continued