Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-16


ION the Injuns bein' skeered at some
pm they hain't seen before"
$50 long! Hope you reach the peak
all right
I've got TO get there. And 1 expect
to do it in a third of the time it would
take horses or mules to carry me
there"
The men holding the wagon wheels
at this order loosened their grasp and
the land ship sailed down the street
toward the roadless west, amid the
shouts Of the populace.
All the first day he had free sailing,
for the wind held and was from the
most advantageous quarter. The chief
difficulty was the bumps. and had he
not used his brakes unsparingly he
would have been wrecked in some of
the rough places he was obliged TO
pass over. But even with this restric-
ton he made twice the distance he
could have made with horses.
1t was on the fifth day after starting
that the desert ship was espied by the
band of Indians looking for prey. Alb
ner Swift sat at the tiller. sailing be-
the danger that lurked in his front.
Suddenly a dozen Indians came dash
ing over a roller couple OF miles dis
tant and dead ahead. The moment
Swift saw them he put his tiller hard
aport, swung round in a circle and.
coming up into the wind, lowered all
sails.
The effect of this maneuver produced
instant CONSERVATION on the redskins.
Pulling their horses back on their
launches, they wheeled about and fed
across the roller over which they had
come.
Abner with the Roadway he had on
brought his ship up so that it faced in
the direction of the savages. 1t was
near sunset and he had been expecting
soon to stop for the night, and the
meeting determined him not to go any
further His children, four stout boys
and three girls. each grasped a rife,
but their father. relying on the super
stitious effect his desert craft had on
their enemies, ordered them not to fire
a shot.
Anticipating trouble during the night,
the argonauts got their supper, made
the beds in the wagon and were ready
| for an emergency. 1t was still an hour
| before dark, and what they feared was
! that the redskins would overcome their
! terror while they could still see. In
| deed, twilight remained when some OF
them were discovered cautiously rec
onnoitering. But meanwhile the Oldest
% hi
grifiin's head that had been brought
from a theater property room in Chi
cago as an implement of Indian war
fare. He set it upon the ships bow
and as soon as darkness had fallen put
a kerosene lamp in 1t.
During the night half the party
watched while the other half slept. Not
a sound OF an Indian was heard.
Gould the ships crew have seen the
savages they might have all slept, for
1t was not till near morning that
redskin could screw up his courage to
take a second look at the monster who
was guarding the argonauts. Then a
squaw was so frightened at the sight
that she gave shrek and ran away
as fast as she could go.
The cry awakened the head OF the
family, who listened and, hearing 9TH
er sounds among the savages, felt some
fear of an attack. He therefore got out
a roman candle, with a number OF
which he had provided himself, and.
fixing it in the griffin's mouth, touched
match to IL. The sight OF the I'M
earthly monster splitting red. green and
blue fire balls at them was too much
for the redskins. and, starting in the
opposite direction, they did not stop
till they had put miles between them
and the monster ship.
The next morning. favorable breeze
springing up. after breakfast the party
got aboard the wagon ship and pro-
ceeded on their journey. Having thus
far averaged some fifty miles day.
they were not more than $50 miles
from Denver. where they proposed to
stop for awhile Leaving the Platte,
they steered a southwesterly course.
finding the country still perfectly level
and easy 10 travel over. Once again
they saw Indians lurking near them,
but they kept so great a distance that
the argonauts felt assured they ex-
perienced the same terror the desert
ship had inspired before. Not far from
Denver the travellers struck a stage
road, and with the wind blowing out
of the northeast they spun along gayly,
passing the daily coach on the way.
1t was about midday that they sailed
into the then village of Denver, and
the inhabitants who were taking their
incoming lined the streets to see them
pass. Lufing up to the wind at the
hotel. the family disembarked and went
in to enjoy for few days good cooking
: and comfortable beds.
The desert ship is now legend. Old
: men who were boys when 1t sailed the
, prehistoric bottom OF an ocean bed tell
about it. but younger persons shake
{ their heads and whisper that the old
] fellows are beginning to believe that 1t
l actually made the voyage.
d April 10 in American
History.