Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-29
KING TELLS OF INCIDENTS ON TRIP
ACROSS AMERICAN DESERT IN SIXTIES

dropped the loop end of the larlat over
a decayed ironwood snag.
Again as If In answer to Zigler's
bugle, the same blood curling yell
that woke the stiffness Of the previous
night, rent the morning air and from
a covert just above us covered with
hanging branches OF shrubbery the
animal leaped and with q bound dis
{ appeared around protruding ledge
Of stone and was soon lost to sight IN
an opening in the rocky cliff.
When the beast sprung from It's
hiding place, it struck terra firma al
, most at the feet OF Mike. the English
man and myself and Irish Mike with a
mighty pull on the lariat, tore the de-
cayed saplmg from it's roots which
slackened the tension on the lartat
and sent Mike tumbling over. the lower
ledge. He landed gracefully in 9 patch
of shrubbery at the bottom. side
stepped the sapling as 1t was jerked
over the ledge by the avoirdupois OF
Mike, but Ellis was not so lucky for
his feet were jerked from under him
by the saplins and he went rolling
down on top Of Mike, receiving the
cordial welcome Of double geared
kick from Mikes heavy boot.
As soon as Mike released himself
from the dilemma. he asked about the
beast and was answered by the none
too cheerful Englishman ITO ell with
the bloomin' haninal." Zigler once more
sounded his bugle but there was no an
swering yell from the animal. After 9
short but unavailable search we con-
cluded we had not lost any beast and
Zizler sounding retreat we started to
the outfit which Morrow had harnessed
hitched and ready for tho trail.
An inventory by Irish Mike revealed
two skinned shins and minor scratches
while Ellis was ornamented with some
bad scratches about the face and neck
also complaining about the neither side
Of his anatomy where Mike with a SOL
emn oath had landed 4 solemn kick
with his military boot
When we reached the OUTFIT every
thing was ready for westward no. One
mess wagon had been loaded for q
forced march to the lake from whence
Erwin and had returned. Scott Erwin,
Zigler and Pat Donahue who were with
me on the last hunt. told Ellis that 1t
was who tripped him and pushed him
over the ledge on top Of Mike and for
a time the boys had the Englishman
believing they spoke the truth. He be-
gan 10 give me rOunQlnS up anu
threatened to give me a pummelins
when we got to Santa Fe. He called me
a little imp and little devil. but failed
to call me little angel although had
all Of the qualifications save the wings.
Stanley was gaining in health but
slowly and our stock had to be handled
carefully as we had no grain feed and
they had to subsist on what we might
find. Irish Mike with Ellis for cook and
Erwin for hunsman, soon detached
themselves from the OUTFIT and with
two extra mules started on ahead to
prepare the evening meal.
The November weather was fine and
we travelled at fair gait and by noon
had some refreshments. Long before the
sun reached the western sky, we rolled
down an incline and went into camp at
the springs where Erwin and I had
stopped to rest and refresh ourselves
the day previous. We found Quarter
master Mike busy as a cobbler. There
were plenty Of small branches for fire
wood. Erwin had potted plenty of deer
and we soon squatted around boun-
tiful meal Of skillet bread and venison,
but something had gone wrong with
the coffee for 1t was as weak as eccles-
iastical punch.
In my next I will describe the lovely
camping ground and the skeleton at
Antelope pond. ~
James King