Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-11-20
CHAPTER xxxvIII.
At Camp Supply.

- SaHtP SePffys
There are yet living In that great
Southwest those who will retell the
story of Hamlin's ride from the banks
OF the Washita to Camp Supply. II
remains one Of the epics of the plains,
one OF the proud traditions Of the
army. To the man himself those hours
OF danger. struggle and WEAKNESS,
were more q dream than O reality.
He passed through them almost up-
consciously. a soldier performing his
duty In utter forgetfulness OF self.
nerved by the discipline Of years OF
service. by the importance Of his mis-
sion. and by memory Of Molly Melon
aid. Love and duty held him Keeling
In the saddle. brought him safely to
the journeys end.
Let the details pass unwritten. Be
meath the darkening skies of early
evening, the Sergeant and the Usage
guide rode forth into the peril and
mystery of the shrouded desert. Be
yond the outmost picket. moving as
silently as two specters, they found
at last coulee leading upward from
the valley to the plains above. To
their left the Indian fires swept in
half circle, and between were the
dark outlines of savage foes. From
rock to rock echoed cultural voices,
but, foot by foot, unnoted by the keen
eyes, the two crept steadily on
through the midnight of that shelter.
ing ravine. dismounted, hands clasp
ing the nostrils of their ponies, feel.
ing through the darkness for each
step, halting breathless at every
crackle of twig, every crunch of
snow under foot. Again and again
they paused, silent, .motionless, as
some apparition Of savagery outlined
itself between them and the sky, yet
slowly, steadily, every instinct of the
plains exercised, they passed unseen.
In the earliest gray OF dawn the
two wearied men crept out upon the
upper plateau. dragging their horses.
Behind, the mists Of the night still
hung heavy and dark over the valley,
yet with a new sense of freedom
they swung into their saddles, faced
sternly the chill wind of the north
and rode forward across the desolate
snow fields. II was no boys play!
The tough, half-broken Indian ponies
kept steady stride. leaping the drifts,
skimming rapidly along the bare hill
sides. From dawn to dark scarcely a
word was uttered. BY turns they
slept In the saddle. the one awake
gripping the others rein. Once, in a
strip of cottonwood beside a frozen
creek, they paused to light fire and
make hasty meal Then they were
of again, facing the frosty air, rid.
ing straight into the north. Before
them stretched the barren snow-clad
steppes, forlorn and shelterless, with
scarcely mark Of guidance any
where, dismal wilderness, intersect-
ed by gloomy ravines and frozen
creeks. Here and there a river, the
water icy cold and covered with float
ing ice, barred their passage; down
in the valleys the drifted snow turned
them aside. Again and again the
struggling ponies ioundered to their
ears, or slid headlong down some
steep declivity. Twice Hamlin was
thrown, and once the Usage was
crushed between floating cakes and
submerged in the icy stream, Across
the open barrens swept the wind into
their faces. ceaseless buffeting, chill
ing to the marrow; their eyes burned
in the snow-glare. Yet they rode on
and on. voiceless. suffering in the
grim silence of despair, At denizens
of that scene of utter desolation.
CTo BE CoNTINUED.)