Evening star., 1922-07-09
BY DR. r. ". sHUFELDr.

| ?. BY DR. n. W. sHUFELDT.
IN URING the past forry-five
years Wyoming has certain
jD.ly grown and developed
apace. but it was difficult
| for me to believe a story told lately
by a friend who had recently returned
from that section of our country. He
enthusiastically described the net
work of railroads in operation in all
parts of the state. the wonderful
bridges and the automobile highways.
| where one may now see the descend
ants of the formerly wild and savage
Sioux riding in their own cars-often
wearing a silk hat and carrying
cane. Where once frontier posts
| existed we now see thriving cities.
with populations running far up into
the thousands All of the big game
has been exterminated; there was out
little of any kind left fort sports
man Of the present day. and such as
! it was it was going fast.
| Some Of my experiences are as fresh
| in my mind today as though they
| were but the happenings of yester-
day. In the old days Wyoming con-
stituted a part of the military De-
| partment of the Platte: and to the best
! of my recollection. without consult
ing my filed records 1 believe it was
in the spring of 1877 that ! reported
for duty there. One of my first details
sent me to Fort Laramie. on the
Platte river, to await the arrival OF
the 5th Cavalry. which regiment had
been ordered from Fort D. A. Russell
at Cheyenne, into the field against
the Sioux Indians. Upon its arrival
was directed to report to the officer
in command of the outfit for duty
with it as surgeon.
TT was some time before the column
L came up. and 1 became very rest
,ess as there was a deal of drinking
and gambling going on at the post
which was quite foreign to my tastes
80 that I was on several occasions on
the point of resigning to seek some
poition as a naturalist in civil life
AS the days passed 1 felt I could nc
Ilonxer endure the enforced conflne'
ment within the very limited area
,constituting the post, SO I determined
Ito seek permission from the com
!manding officer to ride out on horse
hack for a few miles into the sur
rounding country. Needless to say
NV request was not granted. AS
stood before the commandant In the
iadjutant's Office I was, in no unceT'
tain language. reminded of the fac'
that the stage was Jumped" on near
lly every trip by the hostile indians
who roamed over the country in the
Immediate neighborhood of the post
also, that we lost mounted courier
almost every day and that were
shot the coming command would bt
without surgeon-together will
various other pointed objections
However, as 1 was about to leave. hi
seemed to unbend a bit and-remarked
IT will grant your request. lieutenant
upon conditions. They are that yor
will return within an hour. and that
YOU 70 no further than the, prairie
dog town on the other side of the
cut" I thanked him. and gave m!
word that I would obey the order te
the letter.
The aforesaid cut was through thu
llonR 'hogback.' about half mil'
from the hospital. and had been, made
for the convenience of troops
wagons, stages, etc, coming in ol
leaving the. post. in the direction o.
the Platte river, which was not fal
lheyond it. Between the cut and thu
river was an immense prairie doe
town, occupying many acres. and my
orders kept me within the limits o'
the latter, The .,hogback tapered OF
IN the level in the direction OF thu
river which could readily be wadet
by horses at the point where the for
liner feathered out and where I'M
river was several hundred yards
wide. Between the cut and the nos
pital the country was level VIII
sarebrush growing here and there.
NV time was nearly up. hae
emptied my .22-caliber revolver al
TO single load and the cut was OF
some few hundred yards. MY horse
was q good one and very speedy
| and had about made up my mind tt
return to the post. when my atten'
tion was attracted to string o.
seven ponies. leisurely walking alont
the edge OF the bank on the othel
side Of the river. which I though
was very strange. especially as .ther'
appeared to be no riders on them
However, "tenderfoot" though was
II soon realized that what saw wa
.omethane rather more than unusual
headed for the cut. but in doing 81
i I avoided giving the impression ina
| It waa-uy intention to return to tn
most. All of a sudden I noticed
moccasined foot swinging below tn
!, belly of one Of the leading ponies
/ and a moment or SO later Dit o
tr,d flannel nuttered above the wither
| Of another pony near the end OF tn
string.
| Instantly it flashed upon me tha
| .h.,,s ware, hostile Indians and tha