The National tribune., 1911-01-05

were no rocks in the way we coult
see it. 1t was only five miles to camp
but it took us all night to reach it
The rain poured down and it was 81
dark that you had to touch the mar
in front of you to keep from getting
lost. The lava was like broken glas:
and cut our shoes to ribbons. Some.
| times we would come right up against
a rock as big as a hotel, and ther
there would be a hole so feet deep
But worst of oil was the fear that the
Indians might open fire on us. About
| 8 or 10 o'clock the rain turned into
sleet and the wind blew a regular gale
] Our clothes were soon frozen stiff and
the sleet stung our faces like bird
shot. After some time the sleet turn
ed to snow, but still we pegged on
until about o'clock in the morning we
cred with snow, like lot of stam-
peded cattle, with all that was left OF
Thomas's command.
An Intelligent Horse.
The best horse 1 ever had was Ike
Ike was not a Government horse;
traded for him. 1 never knew Ike to
get beat in race. Ike hated an In
dian; he could scent them, and If one
came near him, he would lay back his
ears and go at him. But he was very
gentle in other ways and was almost
was thirsty he would nose around my
canteen, and 1 would let him have a
drink. Ike would go off to eat, but If
he discovered Indians he would wake
me up by nosing me, or even taking
hold of my clothes. An Indian could
never steal up on him.
One time in Oregon, while l was
sleeping out, he grabbed my clothes
and almost lifted me to my feet. Nine
or 10 Indians had slipped around the
spur of the mountain and were charg
ing upon me. Just as l got Ike into
a run the Indians came within range
and began firing. One of the balls
struck Ike. / felt him tremble and
saw his ears flop, and knew 1t was a
dangerous wound. Not far ahead was
a ledge of rock 1 said: ITO the rocks,
Ike! To the rocks,' He staggered off
toward the rocks and l dropped to
the ground and began to shoot.
scattered the Indians and killed four
ponies.
After driving the Indians to cover
hurried to Ike. / put my arm around
his neck and got him to lie down.
saw he was going. 1t made me. mad.
shot nine times at the Indians over
his body and kept them from getting
together AS night came on / prepared
to leave and make a running flight.
When 1t was dark l crawled some dis
The Indians hearing no shooting cir
cled around the place and struck my
trail. They overlook me about 10 or
IL miles from there and we had some
more shooting, but j made another run
and got into camp about o'clock the
next morning. 1 never found another
horse as good as Ike.
In the Modoc War.
In the beginning of the Modoc war
was carrying dispatches for Gen.
Candy. Gen. Candy had three camps
in a triangle-two camps on Lost
River, one at the Lost River Ford and
one about 80 miles northeast up the
river. The other one, his headquarters,
was about 25 miles back from the river
land about 80 miles from the ford.
set out from headquarters with dis
patches for both camps. l made the
trip to the ford in safety and rested
there two hours. The horse I rode was
bay-a cavalry horse. l left the
ford just before dusk, going up the
Lost River Valley.
The settlers for fear of the Indians
had left their houses and gone to places
of safety. 1 thought 1 would camp in
one Of these houses. so / rode up and
opened the door and led my horse in.
l put him In the sitting-room. The
furniture was still there Securing my
horse away from the windows, I took
off my coat and left my carbine.
went TO the kitchen and got a bucket,
and from there to lake about SO yards
away. They had a stone in the edge
of the lake to dip water from. ! stood
on the stone to dip, when a solitary
shot rang out. 1 dropped the bucket
and lit out for the house. On the way
more shots followed. 1 found that one
shot had skinned my elbow. / had
noted the flashes, SO I took my Spencer
and emptied its nine shots into the
brush. 1 sat by my horse all night
awaiting the attack. At daylight 1 went
out but discovered nothing. 1 rode
on to the camp, and the next day
started back, reaching the ford about
dark I stayed all night.
About sunrise / started for headquar-
ters. l went around all the dangerous
places, but there was one about two
miles from headquarters that could not
be avoided. There was a cliff on one
side and a sort of lake on the other.
The trail was narrow. / let my horse
walk until within rife range; then
came around on a dead run, lying
down on my horse, on the opposite side
from the cliff, and ran right into IL In
dians on the trail. They had not seen
me, and had to jump off of the trail
to get out of the way of the horse.
Saved by Rusc.
recognized these Indians and knew
them to be bad Indians. Each one
raised his rifle TO shoot. l motioned
| back TO them that troops were follow
/ ing, and then pointed to the hill for
the Indians to fee. They ran up the
sandhill, thru the sage brush, and
when they saw how they had been de-
ceived all fired at me. Three shots
went thru my horse and one thru the
fieshy part of my thigh. My horse went
down instantly, and l went up into the
air and fell on my back. My carbne
was thrown into the air, but / crawled
! behind rock, drew my revolver, and
| lay there waiting for them, but they
went on over the hill. After they had
gone / found that the bullet had not
hit the bone in my thigh, as / was
able to hobble into camp.
After my term of enlistment expired
l went down into Mexico and prospect
/ ed for gold. There was a good deal OF
! danger there from brigands. They ad-
vised me not TO prospect in certain
/ tract, as ii was infested with brigands
But / decided to take my chances. One
! night j was sleeping on the ground
| near trail when something awoke me-
| / did not know what IL was It was
some sound, and ! was awake in an in
slant. But / had my wits about me and
! kept perfectly still. Instinct tolo me
| that there was danger. Whenever you
are out that way and hear anything
| do not move or make a sound, and II
| there Is anything alive it Will show IT.
self. / kept perfectly quiet and thought
that i was surely mistaken. But ]
kept my eyes open and listened and
waited.
/ was just about to go to sleep again
when l heard another sound, ana ]
knew then that something was up.