Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-24
HERD OF BUFFALO GIVES RISE TO BELIEF
THAT INDIANS WERE PLANNING ATTACK

HEIDI VI BUFFALO vi
THAT INDIANS WE
James King in His Seventl
Encountered on the Santa
Tells How Soldiers and Pla
These articles by Mr.. King started
with the story Of trip made In 1853,
by the overland outfit to Pixies psak.
The first installment was full OF
thrills and described the fight between
the Pawnee Indians and William F.
Kings scouts. The second letter was
taken up with the ranches, bunalo
wallows. sand storms and places OF
interest along the trip. Cow Creek
and the Blood Bond OF Brotherhood"
were described in the third and also
the meeting of William Matterson.
the Big Thunder, who was 80 named
on account of the cannon he had at
Ais trading station. TT Zarah, which
is now Great Bend, relaying point
for the overland stages, was the fea.
ture OF Mr.. Kings fourth installment
while the description Of the desert and
Ft. Larned and the meeting OF Q band
Of Pawnee Indians was told IN the
NTH epistle. The last story was tho
trip Of the caravan over the dry route
and entry into TT. Dodge who're Gay
OF merrinent was spent with dis-
charged soldiers from Forts Wlngate,
Garland and Union and a few from
Fort Bend, all en- route east after SER
vice on the frontier.
After leaving the eastbound troop.
ers mile on their way the four OF
us who composed the escort galloped
back to the fort and the duties OF re-
pairing and greasing up wagons, DIE
continued from the day previous, were
resumed with vigor that meant west
ward no Just as soon as possible. The
king Of day was dancing In cloudless
sky. a northwest breeze swept down
from the snow-capped Rockies two
hundred miles away, while the waters
OF the great Arkansas river, dancing
in the sunlight, rippled on their way
to the mighty ocean. The jolly time
OF the day and night previous was
still uppermost in our minds and fur
nished the topic Of conversation, now
ever, the work in hand went rapidly
on and the sun was emitting It's noon
day glare as we were all In the very
busiest moments OF our lives partak7
ing of our MONDAY meal when the
notes Of the bugle from the lookout
sounded clear and distinct from the
hills above. Investigation was I'M
mediately made and the cause OF the
alarm was a cloud Of dust on the
| southwest horizon.
!, Wa trained our glasses in the d.
rection of the dust but nothing could
he seen but q huge dense mass which
bore the appearance of sand storm
created by coming in contact win tne
different wind currents Of the desert
/ Coming as 1t did directly from the Ill
rection Of the Comanche Indian coun-
try, all necessary precautions were
taken to guard against stampede 81
the stock, which were lmmedlately
driven into the corral and the Was-
lons chained together.
Stanley, our wagon master, lmme,
diately made a detail of ten mounted
men to do picket duty while the fort
commander sent out pickets east
along the trail. A sergeant with
three privates was detailed to cross
the river and reconnoiter in the sand
hills. This detail was added 70 ny
Jim Morrow, Parson Brownlow, irish
Mike and myself, we four placing our
selves under the orders OF the ser
geant.
We soon crossed the river about
hat a mile below the fort and proceed
&c at a good canter in the direction
from which the dust cloud appeared
above the sand hills After ride OF
two miles we came to the summit OF
a great sand dome covered with q
thick growth of desert cactus out OF
which jumped several specimens OF
az fine lack rabbit as the eye OF man
ever beheld. We paid no attention
to Mr. Rabbit but turned our atten-
ton in the direction Of the dust cioud
which seemed to rise from raV1ne
about a mile away MY morse, olu
Nick had been pricked with the cac-
Itus and refused to stand still so
handed my field glasses to Browne"
who Immediately trained them on tne
dust ahead and after looking steadily
for a moment he lowered the glasses
with smile and then proceedeo 70
hurst another hole in the command
ment which says Chou shalt not
j swear" by hurting out in good Eng
i lish. "Buffalo by God" This news
was thrice welcome surprise to ev-
ery one as 1t took away any posi-
biiity of an armed clash with the scalp
flifters of the American desert. As
soon as We were satisfied that the
shaggy bison was the cause OF al re
/ dust the sergeant immediately dis
patched courier to the fort with the
news OF our discovery. also SELF
the Parson with like news to Stanley
and suggested that the picKets pc
drawn in and the stock returned ~ ~
1 the grassing ground, all save four
mules which would be kept to bring
"a wagon to the killing which could
ssa was in sight. Through the field