Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-28
KING TELLS OF TRIP ACROSS GREAT DESERT
MADE BY WAGON TRAIN FIFTY YEARS AGO

meet the demand and 1t was plain to
be seen that is something was not
/ done and done at once that we were
going to be standing in the desert al
most in sight Of sure relief halted
the outfit and turned out the stock
without removing the harness but
some of the stock instead Of grazing
Immediately laid down and It was
with difficulty that we removed the
harness from some Of them.
Stanley was wagon master hence
captain of the outfit and his word was
law but as he was In no mood to act
we held a short consultation and l
suggested that twenty-one of the best
teams continue the drive to Bear
! Creek and the other twenty wagons
/ be temporarily abandoned and the
| mules driven in harness as extras to
I be used as relays II needed. There
was plenty Of water In the casks TO 90
! ten men for coffee until trip could
be made to Bear Creek and return. l
left ten men. Brownlow, who was in
in charge included and adding two
mules extra to each team making a
six instead of four mule train. l
started to Bear Creek with twenty-one
instead OF forty-one wagons. l got all
the travel possible out Of the suffering
brutes by cutting out faded mules and
! hitching in one or more OF the extra
just as the occasion required.
This process of switching out the
tired mules and switching in another
was done without stopping or causing
any delay en- route left Stanley's
horse and field glass with the Parson
as there was water enough to give the
horse two gallons and have plenty for
the men besides. We soon reached the
high point from which the timber line
described in a former letter could be
seen. The sight gave heart to every
one and even Stanley and Howard
dragged themselves out of the wagon
to take view of the blue line still in
the distance. The brass drum, snare
drum, banjo and bugle were brought
into action without stopping the turn
ing of wheel.
The old confederate cavalryman Zig
,, Ter with the same bugle that had
sounded the famous confederate caval.
ry charge by General EARLY at Win
chester stood upon the spring seat and
soon the sandy waste echoed with the
notes produced by this master of the
bugle. Everyone seemed to inhale
fresh supply of life and energy, even
save for the tired animals we appear
ed more like an overland circus en-
tering country town than herd OF
hungry men and famished mules on
desert waste. The stock appeared to
understand that better conditions
were near at hand and even the old
army hee haw, which the old boys in
blue remembered so well could be
heard from some of the suffering
brutes. We were now on a hard soil
road and making good time and felt
satisfied that we were not more than
ten miles from the coveted goal and
that good squirt would bring US with
In five miles of Jim and the other boys
and then If needs be we would leave
the train and drive the stock to the
water and return and pick up the out
fit In relays with the best stock, but
right here Providence favored us with
brisk, cool breeze from the far away
Rockies and with good deal Of
switching in Of extra stock we soon
rounded the uplift described in for
mer letter and before us about four
miles distance with its welcome wat
ers ripping on to the sea lay the fer
tile valley Of Bear Creek.
The sun was we'll past the zenith
and hung like ball Of fire In the lazy
west. The music was once more peal
ing forth this time with the Gallant
Girls Of Georgia." told Scott Erwin
to saddle the little black mare which
was lead behind his wagon and to ride
as Paul Revere Of old to tell Jim to
have a good watering place selected
and soon he was riding at speed that
would have put the old pony express
to shame. The presence of antelope
appeared to Undue the tired mules
with new life and as / wanted to make
camp before sunset told the boys to
touch up bit and pushed the loose
stock on ahead determining not to
make any more change If possible be.
fore camping and we succeeded so
we'll that with the sun still in the
heaven we reached the oasis in the
desert.
We went into promiscus camp and
soon the stock was up to their knees
in stream of running water. Great
care had to be taken that we did not
lose any of the stock by over indul-
gence and to accomplish this placed
all hands with their whips to keep the
mules moving and drinking at the
same time and finally drove them from
the water. Great stacks Of skillet
bread, biscuits and fried bread, roast
and fried jack rabbit, antelope and
prairie dog, meat and boiled beans In
abundance was supplemented with two
large army camp kettles Of coffee as
black as an Ethiopian.
Stanley and Father Howard were
made as comfortable as possible and
Father Howard raised to his feet ask
ed permission to ask blessing. Every
head was barred, and with eyes closed
and turned to heaven and arms folded
across his breast in clear and steady
voice he called upon God to witness
our delivery through the perils that
we had passed and in eloquent terms
he offered up prayer for our final de-
liverance from further and unseen diff
flculties. stood at Howard's left