Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-31

On my advancement to the pOsltlon
of assistant wagon master Scott Er-
win, one Of the extra men who TOOK
my place pulling the lines over the
backs Of the four buclskins and 1t feii
to his lot to drive the lead team that
day. With Edwin in the lead our forty
two wagons once more resumed our
journey along the famous trail. Our de-
parture from the fort was different
from that of 1859 when our outnt,
though well armed and we'll officereo,
was composed of some women ana
children and we were rushing straight
into the hands Of the fierce Pawnees,
The trail for few miles ran close 10
the river bank and then bore slightly
toward the eastern foot hills. About
midday we came to small brooklet
where clear running water came from
numerous springs In the distant hills.
Here we camped for our high noon re-
freshments. Immediately after which
the journey was resumed.
The trail from this point for several
miles was hard soil. the sandy portion
having been passed over We now
formed four wagons abreast and made
good time up the Arkansas valley and
as the sun was Kissing the western
horizon. bathing the summit OF the
sand hills in it's golden hue we once
where we went into camp for the night.
The following day dawned dark and
dismal with a cloudy sky and driz-
zling rain from the southwest but we
We're up with the lark and were soon IN
a four abreast position on the OLD
Santa Fe trail. Seven long years had
elapsed since our emigrant train in 80
had marched over the same ground un-
der the leadership Of Captain Allen
ga 70 q
nj sht at Old Pawnee fort where seven
years previous father and his scouts
sent score or more Of the bloody
PawneeS on the long trail to the happy
hunting grounds. We did not stop for
a MONDAY meal but went into camp In
mid afternoon. Just as we were settled
in camp the overland mail came DASH
ing along from the west and they were
glad to meet us for one of their mules
had gone lame They stopped and ate
the evening meal with us and Stanley
furnished the messenger with mule TO
take the place Of the cripple.
Among the passengers on the stage
coach was a wealthy sheep rancher
from Tuckalote, who gave US de-
scription of the Aubrey route which
Stanley had been ordered to take and
advised us either to return and cross
the river at the Cimeron crossing and
take the lower route or to pass the
Aubrey crossing and take the mountain
Or Ration route and that he knew no
outfit travelling the Aubrey trail that
season. We still had plenty Of buffalo
meat OF which the stage coach people
ate heartily. Many of US wrote letters
to our folks in the states and gave
them to the messenger who saw that
they went to the eastern end Of the
route which was Kansas City. The
driver Of the stage was full fledged
son Of a greaser and he also informed
us that we might all perish in the
Poison desert If we took the Aubrey
trail. He said that there We're no buffalo
wallows which contained water on the
entire trail. He said we would strike
good spring water at Bear Creek but
as we travelled further up the creek the
water changed and that the last water
we could get was called Poison Lake.
He also advised as did the. rancher
from Tuckalote. A brisk southwest wind
swept the musky clouds beyond the
foothills, the evening became bright ana
clear and the sun fringed the western
horizon with it's golden hues and the
waters Of the Arkansas river danced IN
its departing rays as the great Cunaro
We all fell to discussing the Aubrey
route and the other routes also. Some
Of us said it would be bad luck to turn
back but in the windup we all agreed
to back up Stanley in his orders from
his employer, and Furthermore the
agent whom we met and parted with at
Fort Dodge, agreed to send out corn,
bacon, beans, flour and to meet us on
the west end SO to wind the matter up
we got out our tiddles and banjoes and
after an all around good time stage
dance we retired for the evening. we
had gone wild on our calculations as to
camping at old ,Pawnee fort that night
but we were up and wheels were turn
ing with the dawn Of the following
morning and we camped that night on
the exact ground where Allen and
fathers outfit camped in SO. We went
into corral at an early hour and many
Of us went to view the spot where
father and his scouts had so summarlly
dealt with the Pawnee red men seven
years before, after ride before dawn
on the unsuspectinr scalp filters Of the
desert The bleached bones and skulls
of the slain Indians even after an
elapse Of seven years, still lay scattered
about after the flesh had been tenderly
removed by the wolves and the vultures
Of the plains We picked up the blade
of one time skinning knife which
perhaps had on more than one occasion
gracefully lifted the scalp Of some un-
fortunate pale face. We found behind a
boulder what was left of an Enfield
rifle, some skulls and body bones which
had been dragged for Some distance.
Some Of the bones were In a greater
state of decay than others. When we
touched them they would disintegrate
in our hands while others were dry and
rang clear when they came in contact
with another hard substance examin
ed the status of every bone and found
the finger bones and toe bones to be
very scarce articles while the skull.
pelvis and hip bones were in a good
state Of preservation. I noticed one
thing: but very few OF the skulls had
any teeth remaining We carried some
Of the bones to camp and when we ar
rived, Scott Erwin dismounted and
walked over and handed a skull to Irish
Mike who broke forth with yell that
would have put to shame the screams
Of an evangelical exhorter. Some Of the
boys, myself for one, were in for TAX
ing the bones along as courage, but as
there were some objections they were
once more thrown in the grass by the
wayside. Brady, the famous Indian in
terpreter, told me at Fit. Hays in SO
that the Pawnees rtever went pack to
carry away or bury their dead and ever
afterward gave old Pawnee wide
berth when travelling through or hunt
ing in that part of Kansas. ...